Chapter 29
On the edge of the plain lies a dark, deep ravine called Rift Valley.
Countless broken giant roots hung in mid-air, like upside-down corpses.
This was once the ruins of the ancient mother tree after its collapse, and it was also a forbidden area that all major powers avoided.
That night, the supreme leaders of the four major powers gathered here.
White Ash Branch spread its bone-white wings, tearing a void in the sky, vowing to extinguish the light of the realm forever.
The Corrosive Roots used their decaying roots to outline a black underground grid, indicating that all water veins would be cut off.
The illusory mist of the bewitching vines swirled and transformed into hundreds of pairs of eyes, coldly watching every crevice.
The Wind-Swept Flower unleashed its sharp petals, which severed three ancient, broken roots upon landing.
They sacrificed their roots as a sacrifice and jointly signed the Dark Hunting Pact:
Seven days later, a siege will be launched in the newly formed land of the Light Domain, and it is imperative to uproot it before 237 is fully grown.
"The blood oath of the four directions, if broken, shall be forever condemned to rotten earth."
The low murmur of the roots reverberated throughout the valley.
This marks the first time in their history that they have put aside their long-standing grudges and truly joined forces.
Sprout 12 lay quietly lurking outside the valley, his body disguised as an ordinary moss sprout, inconspicuous as the night wind blew.
The free plant's gift—not being rejected by its roots—allows it to roam freely in any field.
Therefore, he heard the entire contents of the Dark Hunter Contract.
But when the wings of the White Ash Branch swept across the valley top, the instantaneous illumination created a crack in the shadow of Sprout 12.
The mark did not disappear; it was as if it had been deliberately remembered by some force.
Sprout12 felt a pang of anxiety:
"Oh no... they may have found me."
He dared not linger, and quickly took advantage of the broken wind gap in the Rift Valley to disappear into the gaps of the illusory mist.
However, the Wandering Vine present trembled slightly.
It didn't say anything, it just gave a cold laugh:
"The valley breeze carries a strange air about it tonight."
Bean sprout 12 rushed back to the light field, its roots trembling slightly.
He told Seed237 and the Light Domain Council about the contents of the "Dark Hunter Contract".
After hearing this, all the plants within the light domain fell silent.
No plant has ever faced a hunt orchestrated by four powerful forces.
This encirclement and suppression was not just a war, but more like a funeral with a premature verdict.
237, however, did not panic. Its roots penetrated deep into the soil and slowly opened:
"They have gathered all their power in one place, just to destroy me."
So, I only need to do one thing—
Let their conspiracy turn into mutual suspicion.
Sprout 12 was stunned, a sense of unease flashing through her mind:
The rhythm of the mother tree within 237 seemed to surpass that of any plant he knew.
This transcendence could be either hope or... destruction.
Night of the Siege
Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.
At the edge of the plain, the wind seemed to have been drained of its color, and a oppressive silence permeated the air.
—The white ash branch descended from the sky, its wings of light unfolding and covering half the sky.
—The bone-corroding root crawls out from the ground, each rootlet covered with a withered, black sap.
—The vine swayed in the dark mist, each of its leaves like eyes gazing in all directions.
—The wind-blooming flower blooms in the lowlands, its petals like a rain of blades, ready to cut anything at any moment.
They did not come alone, but with countless subordinates, a mighty and overwhelming force, like a black tide that devoured the plains.
Their goal is singular: the realm of light.
Their only prey is Seed 237.
On the eve of the great battle, Sprout 12 once again accepted the most dangerous mission—to infiltrate the enemy lines and find out the tactical arrangements of each faction.
Using the characteristics of free plants, he transformed into an ordinary weed and drifted into the enemy camp with the wind.
Within the light array of the white embers, he heard the command to "suppress head-on";
In the depths of the corrosive roots, he sensed the scent of "dead roots sealing off";
Amidst the sea of wildflowers, he sensed the sharp edge of the "supply cut-off" threat.
However, as he approached the dark mist of the bewitching vines, he was suddenly jolted.
The creeping vine slowly extends a leaf tendril, its whispers echoing in the wind:
"Do you think a tiny seed of freedom can fool the eyes of a fog?"
The next instant, the scene around Sprout 12 distorted.
The meadow of the Light Domain appeared before him, Seed 237 stood quietly, and Sprout Spirit smiled and reached out to him.
"You're safe, Sprout 12. Come back."
Sprout 12 almost lunged forward.
But suddenly, he noticed something strange—Ya Ling's eyes did not reflect his image.
A sudden chill ran through him, and he immediately understood:
This is an illusion.
It was a trap set by the Bewitching Vine.
The illusion kept changing, first showing the scene of the Plains Conference, then the celebration in the Light Domain, and then 237 reaching out to lift him up.
Every scene is extremely realistic, with almost no flaws.
Sprout 12's will was gradually eroded in the illusion, Fujimura whispered:
"Come and join us, be our messengers."
Only in this way can you survive.
Otherwise, your image... will be erased forever.
Just as he was about to waver, Sprout12 remembered something 237 had once said:
"You can traverse the territories of all powers not because you have no roots or home,"
Rather, it is because your free spirit is stronger than any root.
He suddenly bit through his leaf sheath, the pain clearing his mind, and the illusion instantly cracked open.
Sprout 12 struggled with all her might to break free from the cracks in the illusion and fall back into the winds of reality.
But before leaving, the voice of the vine still lingered in my ears:
"Okay, go ahead and deliver the intelligence to 237."
But... are you sure what you're seeing is real?
Sprout 12 stumbled back to the Light Domain, bringing back the tactical arrangements of various factions and warning of the terrifying illusions of the Bewitching Vine.
However, just as all the implant recipients were cheering, "We were prepared,"
Seed 237 quietly gazed at Sprout 12, its eyes revealing an indescribable depth.
"Sprout... are you sure you really escaped?"
Deep within the roots, a shadow trembled.
Inside the light domain, there also seemed to be an invisible seed mark.
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