The voice did not stop, and continued to elaborate on its core appeal:

“We…grow…” A vibrant scene emerged in my consciousness: billions of seeds sprouting in the darkness, roots penetrating the rock, and branches and leaves chasing the light.

"We...perceive..." The pulsation of underground water transmitted by countless roots, the changes in the spectrum captured by leaves, and the complex flow of information transmitted by pheromones emitted by flowers in the wind, all impact the consciousness like a torrent.

"We... exist..." A cold and vast desire, derived from the instinct of life, for expansion, for continuation, and for exploring the world, is like a silent declaration.

"Devour...expand...die..." The voice suddenly turned cold and hostile, pointing outside the Green Realm, towards the direction of the Throne of Thorns! "Fungus Master...mortal enemy...order...destruction..."

Finally, the cold and vast will seemed to focus on the dim fusion crowns above Pei Du and Xu Shuangyao's heads:

"Symbiosis...shackles...also...key..."

"Twisting... the origin... stealing... the power of our... spiritual roots..."

"Curse... entangled... life... still exists..."

"The door to...destruction...or...rebirth..."

The information was fragmented and blurred, like an ancient proverb, yet it contained an explosive amount of information! Had the Twin Crowns' core power stolen the plant network's fundamental strength—the "power of the spiritual roots"? Could this cursed crown, which brought endless suffering, also be a "key" to unknown possibilities? The plant network revealed its true nature—a path to destruction (consumed by the Fungus Master), but also a hidden opportunity for "rebirth"? Was it hinting at a possibility...?

Pei Du's heart skipped a beat! He looked down at the distorted stump of his arm, then at the unconscious Xu Shuangyao on his back. A key? A new life? It all sounded like a fairy tale! But in this desperate situation, any glimmer of hope was worth grasping! Even if it was just another trap set by the plant network!

The furious roar of the Wild Fang leader and the humming of the Fungal Army's weapons charging, like the death knell, pierced through the relatively thin plant barrier at the edge of the Green Realm and faintly rang out! The pursuers are outside! They don't have much time left!

Xu Shuangyao seemed to be stimulated by this crucial information, struggling to muster a moment of clarity. She sensed Pei Du's intense inner turmoil and the impending crisis. She looked ahead at the silent "Ironwood Guardian" that stood like a mountain blocking the path, and at the green lines on its body that pointed to the path to survival.

A decision instantly formed in her mind, a decision to abandon all pride and admit utter defeat.

Pei Du was about to try to break through by force following the instructions on the map.

"Wait..." Xu Shuangyao was extremely weak, but with an unprecedented clarity of mind, she transmitted it through the weak connection. Pei Du paused.

Xu Shuangyao exhausted all her strength, struggling to slide off Pei Du's back! Her feet were completely powerless, and she fell heavily onto the cold, hard ground covered with strange moss! But she ignored it, not even looking at her scraped palms and knees. She raised her head, her pale face covered with dust and blood. Her eyes, once full of wisdom, now only filled with fatigue and pain, stared intently, with an almost humble plea, at the huge "Ironwood Guardian", at the omnipresent, cold and vast plant will in the depths of this green realm!

Then, under Pei Du's astonished gaze, Xu Shuangyao supported herself on the ground with both hands, using up the last bit of her dignity and strength, and looked deeply and with great difficulty at the silent plant fortress, at this cold green world—

She lowered her proud head!

"I... admit..." Her voice was hoarse and broken, each word carrying immense humiliation and pain, yet incredibly clear, echoing in the silent green realm.

"I...have no authority...to command...life..."

"I...have no right...to define...you..."

"The title of the creator... is... arrogance... and... shackles..."

"I...give up...all...authorities..."

She raised her head, tears mixed with blood rolling down her cheeks. All that remained in her eyes was a pure desire to survive and a final obsession with her responsibility to Pei Du.

"Requesting... cooperation..."

"We... have... a common... mortal enemy..."

"Guide...the path to life..."

"We... need... to enter... the core... area..."

"In return..."

"We...will...destroy...the...throne...of the Fungus Lord!"

"End...its...devouring!"

A humble request, a naked bargain. A former "Creator" bowed before her creation, admitted defeat, and offered her only bargaining chip—destroying the Fungus Lord's throne! This was her final trump card, and the only thing the Plant Network might be interested in.

Pei Du watched Xu Shuangyao prostrate herself on the ground, humbly pleading, her abandonment of all pride a surge of complex emotions. Anger? Pity? Or... a tinge of shared sorrow? He clenched his remaining left hand, silent, his back straight. The broken arm, covered in dark red, mutated lines, looked even more hideous and terrifying in the dim green light. He needed no prayers; he was a force in himself, a destructive threat or... a tool that might be of "interest" to the plant network.

silence.

A deathly silence enveloped the green land, the only sounds being the rustling of slowly growing plants and the faint clamor of pursuit coming from outside.

The massive "Ironwood Guardian" remained silent as a mountain. However, the map, composed of wooden grain, had quietly shifted. The green light pattern that had originally marked the safe path to the depths glowed brighter and more steadily, like a clear guiding light. Meanwhile, the danger symbols on other paths dimmed slightly.

At the same time, an extremely weak but extremely clear sense of spiritual guidance, like an invisible thread, extended along the bright green light pattern into the depths of the green realm.

A fragile consensus! Reached!

There were no oaths, no contracts, only a temporary, potentially unbreakable, non-aggression agreement based on a common enemy (the fungus master) and their respective survival needs (Pei Xu's struggle for survival, the plant network's resistance to engulfment). The plant network provided limited shelter (temporarily isolating them from pursuit) and guidance (a safe path to the core area), but that was all!

Without hesitation, Pei Du yanked the weakened Xu Shuangyao from the ground and roughly threw her onto his back. He didn't even glance at the prostrate "creator," his gaze fixed on the direction indicated by the bright green light pattern.

"Walk!"

He growled, and carrying Xu Shuangyao on his back, he set out on the thorny road guided by the cold will of plants, leading to the core area of ​​the Green Realm and the outpost of the final decisive battle.

Underfoot is the cold and hard plant shell.

Above your head are countless silently “watching” plant eyes.

Behind him was the terrifying pressure emanating from the Fungus Lord's throne, like a maggot on the tarsal bone, and the roar of the pursuers.

The road ahead is filled with unknown dangers and a slim glimmer of hope called the "key".

The desperate journey continues in the maze of plants, going deeper into the abyss.