Chapter 125 Giant Tree

And so, amidst the rain, the mud, and the slow trek, we walked and stopped for five days.

The journey didn't encounter any devastating crises, but the relentless rain tormented everyone. The scenery, or rather the "dangerous terrain," along the way was subtly changing. The most obvious change was in the vegetation.

Rain and perhaps other unknown factors spurred the plants to grow wildly.

The once withered and yellow weeds have turned dark green, grown tall, and have thick stems and leaves, almost completely submerging the roadbed.

The trees along the roadside sprouted branches and leaves at an abnormal speed, their canopies so dense that they blocked out the sun, their branches twisting and stretching, some even hanging down to the road, requiring machetes or supernatural abilities to clear a path to pass.

Some thorny vines are particularly aggressive, once nearly tangling the tires of a pickup truck. It's as if all the plants in the world are awakening, becoming restless and aggressive.

As darkness fell on the sixth day, the outline of an abandoned town appeared ahead. On Qin Li's map, this place was simply marked as "Qinglin Town," originally just an ordinary town.

As the convoy approached, everyone gasped.

The town was almost swallowed up by greenery. The canopies of tall trees stretched out in one continuous expanse, and vines covered most of the walls and roofs of the buildings like heavy curtains. Many windows and doorways were either pierced or completely blocked by thick, twisted branches.

The streets were covered with a thick layer of wet fallen leaves and climbing plants, making the original pavement almost unrecognizable. An overpowering stench of plants, a mixture of decay and new life, permeated the air, mixed with the rain.

The place was eerily quiet; apart from the sound of rain and the rustling of leaves, there was no roar of zombies or any other movement of living creatures. But this silence was more unsettling than any noise.

"We cannot go deeper." Qin Li immediately made the judgment and issued an order via radio: "All vehicles, stop in the open area at the town entrance. Choose the outermost buildings with the least vegetation and intact structures as temporary rest points. Entering the town is strictly prohibited!"

Soon, the scouts reported that there were several connected bungalows on the western edge of the town, which appeared to be a former auto repair shop and warehouse. The buildings were sturdy, and there was a small patch of hardened concrete around it. The wildly growing vegetation had not yet completely invaded the area, and only some weeds were sprouting from the cracks, making it relatively "clean".

The convoy carefully drove over and stopped on the concrete open ground. The soldiers quickly got out of the vehicles, formed a defensive circle, and warily watched the town's core area, which resembled a green hellhole, a few hundred meters away, as well as any potentially disturbing plants in the surrounding area.

The repair shop's doors and windows were still intact. The interior was empty, filled with some rusted parts and trash, but there were no signs of zombies or other creatures.

Qin Li arranged for some soldiers to move in and establish a temporary command post. Ruan Ning also had Sun Hong and others clean out the warehouse next door, which was also empty, but with thick walls.

The fire paced restlessly in the open space, its nose twitching and growling low towards the depths of the town, its fur standing on end. Its animal instincts told it a strong sense of threat.

"Rest in these two buildings. Do not stray far from the open space. Do not touch any unidentified plants, especially vines and brightly colored flowers." Ruan Ning also solemnly warned his men. "All operations must be carried out in groups of at least two. Stay vigilant."

People nodded silently, their faces tense. The lush greenery that was engulfing the town gave people a sense of boundless oppression, originating from nature itself, even more so than the hideous zombies.

They had just settled in, lit a small stove to heat their food, and repaired their rain gear, which had been damaged over the past few days. The rain was still falling, pounding against the roof of the repair shop with a hollow sound.

Just then, deep within the town, in that dense, impenetrable green shadow, came a faint rustling sound, like countless branches being slowly plucked, growing louder as it approached.

All the soldiers on guard instantly raised their guns. Ruan Ning and Qin Li stood up almost simultaneously, walked to the window, and sharply turned their gazes toward the direction from which the sound came.

The fire suddenly stopped, lowered its body, and roared even louder and more threateningly in that direction.

This small town, dominated by plants, seemed unwelcoming to these uninvited guests. The brief peace was about to be shattered.

The rustling sound grew closer, and at the edge of the concrete clearing, the wildly growing weeds and shrubs bent over to either side. A huge shadow parted the rain and leaves, slowly "moving" to the edge of the clearing.

It was a tree. An unimaginably giant tree.

The trunk requires four or five people to encircle it, and the bark is dark brown and full of grooves.

The tree's canopy was as tall as eight or nine stories, its branches and leaves so lush they were almost terrifying, swaying slowly in the rain. There was no sign of its roots breaking through the soil, but its thick trunk and aerial roots at the base, like countless slowly wriggling legs, supported its massive and deliberate "walk" over.

It has no facial features, but everyone who faces it clearly feels an ancient, heavy, and disgusted gaze upon them.

It didn't launch a physical attack, but a vast and obscure mental fluctuation, like a tidal wave, enveloped the entire temporary camp. It wasn't language, yet it directly imprinted a clear thought deep within everyone's mind:

【leave. 】

You are not welcome here.

Now. Immediately.

The oppressive atmosphere far surpassed that of any zombie or mutated beast. Several newly awakened superhumans with weaker mental strength and the ordinary women instantly turned deathly pale, clutching their heads in agony. Even the soldiers showed obvious signs of unease and discomfort.

Da Huo was on high alert, his muscles tense, flames flickering between his teeth, yet he dared not advance rashly.

Ruan Ning and Qin Li exchanged a glance, both seeing the solemnity in each other's eyes. This was clearly a higher-level being they had never encountered before.

Ruan Ning took a deep breath, stepped forward, and concentrated her fourth-level spiritual power, attempting to transmit a clear and peaceful thought to the giant tree:

We mean no harm; we're just passing through and need shelter from the rain and darkness. We'll only stay one night and leave immediately tomorrow morning. Could you please do us this favor?

The massive mental fluctuation paused for a moment, then gave a more resolute response, even tinged with impatience:

【no. 】

[Leave. Now.]

Otherwise, you will bear the consequences.

The rejection conveyed in that thought left no room for negotiation, and even carried a hint of threat. As if in response, the surrounding plants rustled more densely, and some vines slightly raised their tips.

Qin Li's face was grim. He glanced at the sky; the rain was heavy, and night was about to fall completely. Marching at night in unfamiliar surroundings was extremely risky. But the oppressive feeling and unwelcoming attitude of the giant tree before him were equally dangerous.

He quickly whispered to Ruan Ning, "We can't let it stay. This thing... we can't handle it, at least not now. We need to leave immediately before it really makes a move."

Ruan Ning also understood that this giant tree was likely more than four levels high, and it had become one with the wildly growing plants in the entire town. If a conflict occurred here, they would have no chance of winning.

"Everyone, get ready!" Qin Li didn't hesitate any longer and ordered sharply, "Pack your belongings, board the vehicles immediately! Evacuate this place right now! Quickly!"