Chapter 713: A Single Tree Becomes a Forest

The search team—Xia Qing, Seeing Xin Yu, and two birds—had combed through most of Mountain No. 51, blasting apart eighty-two aggressive mutant-evolved wild paulownias, before finally spotting their target on the afternoon of the fourth day.

"Croak, back up, slower." After getting a clear look at the aggressive mutant-evolved wild paulownia on the screen, Seeing Xin Yu ordered the evolved raven to carry the dangling tag back, then reported to Xia Qing, "Two o'clock direction, 1,300 meters out, in a small valley—there's one, that should be it."

Xia Qing looked toward Xiang Xinanfang. Though her view was blocked by a few tall yew trees and she couldn't see the aggressive wild paulownia, the tone in Seeing Xin Yu's voice stirred her anticipation.

After recalling the two trained birds, the two hurried toward the target's location. When they reached the valley's edge and saw the wild paulownia filling it, an indescribable tremor rose in Xia Qing's heart.

The direction this wild paulownia's mutation evolved in—it's definitely a banyan tree!

The vines that grew from the branches of that mutant-evolved wild paulownia in the valley had plunged into the soil just like a banyan's aerial roots. Supported by these "aerial roots," the aggressive wild paulownia's canopy had grown enormously—one single tree filled the entire valley!

Standing shoulder to shoulder with Xia Qing, Seeing Xin Yu exclaimed, "A single tree becomes a forest."

Right—a single tree becomes a forest, that's the phrase! Xia Qing pointed to the left side of the canopy, "Look at that vine, it's wrapped around a lynx."

Seeing Xin Yu's eyesight wasn't as good as Xia Qing's; she only made out the lynx, bound in several loops by an arm-thick vine, through binoculars. The lynx's corpse was already mangled, swarmed by countless mosquitoes and flies.

As a gust of wind blew through, the paulownia leaves and the thin vines growing from its branches swayed, and the rotting hide of the lynx peeled back, revealing the bright red beast-bone beneath.

Seeing Xin Yu adjusted her focus and realized the lynx's bones looked red because a layer of moss had grown over them.

Bright red—that was the color of this moss.

Panning with her binoculars, Seeing Xin Yu spotted a scavenger bird bound nearby—a vulture. The vulture had probably come to peck at the lynx carcass, only to become prey of the evolved wild paulownia.

Looking more closely, the paulownia's vines had also wrapped around a dozen or so other prey, with quite a few more bones on the ground beneath. Seeing Xin Yu lowered her binoculars and asked, "Shall we blast it?"

Captain Xia Qing made her assessment, "This tree's attack method has already evolved from untargeted whipping into purposeful constriction. I suspect the vines that have rooted into the soil can also be pulled back out and used as weapons. And its magnetic field is far stronger than the ones we've cleared before—it's definitely mid-risk, possibly even high-risk, enough to let Moli get close to it rashly."

Seeing Xin Yu let out a small breath of relief, "Right, way too dangerous."

Xia Qing went on, "Finding it means we've hit our mission objective. I'm going to call Third Brother now and see if he's interested. If he's not, we'll report up to Captain Tan and ask the safe zone to send troops or a combat squad to clear it."

Seeing Xia Qing dial Zhang San's number directly, Seeing Xin Yu opened her mouth, then closed it again.

Within this territory, anyone looking for Zhang San usually called out on the Lord Channel. If Zhang San wasn't there, they had to wait.

If it was urgent and Zhang San wasn't on the Lord Channel, people would ask if Ji Li was around—and only Xia Qing dared to call Zhang San directly. And it was quite possible that among the Lord Alliance members, only Xia Qing had Zhang San's phone number; Seeing Xin Yu certainly didn't.

After the call connected, Zhang San's tone was very grumpy, "Speak!"

Xia Qing led with a treat, "Third Brother, I just hunted a green-light prey in the Evolution Forest that looks like a cross between a pig and a deer—want me to bring it over, an extra dish tonight?"

Thanks to Seeing Xin Yu, Xia Qing had caught a green-light or yellow-light prey every day on this four-day mission; her own fridge and Broken-Waist Wolf's were stuffed full, and she had to stash the rest in the underground storage room.

Hearing there was green-light meat, Zhang San's tone immediately softened, "Probably a hog deer. Hog deer can be used in medicine—bring the whole thing over later so I can take a look. Anything else?"

After fan Xia Qing offered her devotion, she posed her question, "I ran into a huge aggressive mutant-evolved wild paulownia inside Mountain No. 51—canopy's nearly five mu, filling the whole valley. Its attack method has evolved too; it's developed a constriction ability. Are you interested?"

Zhang San's interest in mutant-evolved plants was far smaller than his interest in the green-light meat in Xia Qing's pack, "Back off and take a few photos, don't go provoke it, get back to the territory as fast as you can."

If she got back late, the meat wouldn't be fresh.

"Understood." After hanging up, Xia Qing turned to discuss with Seeing Xin Yu, "Third Brother's not interested. Once we're back I'll compile the exact locations of all the aggressive wild paulownias we've found these four days and hand them over to Captain Tan?"

"The data, photos, and video are all with me—I'll compile them and send them to you." Knowing Xia Qing was very busy, Seeing Xin Yu volunteered for the busywork, "Should we keep going?"

"Keep going." Xia Qing took the lead up front, guiding Seeing Xin Yu toward the last observation point of the afternoon, her tone light, "Third Brother wants the one in my pack. Have Croak and the others scout nearby for large herbivores—let's bag another green-light one to bring back."

"Okay." Seeing Xin Yu agreed happily, ordered the two birds to fly slower, and soon spotted some prey, "Two honey badgers are fighting—I remember honey badger meat isn't good eating, right?"

Xia Qing……

"Right. Honey badgers are snakes' natural enemies, so we try not to catch them."

Over the past few days, they had spotted four honey badgers in the Evolution Forest; Xia Qing suspected they had all been brought over by Broken-Waist Wolf.

The two reached the last observation point, cleared six more low-risk wild paulownias, and also spotted a herd of goats two kilometers away.

They immediately set off toward the goat herd. On the final stretch they moved with great care, only stopping when they were ten meters from the wild goats.

Because only at that distance could Seeing Xin Yu lock onto green-light prey with her magnetic sense.

They were in luck—among the twenty-odd wild goats, one had a gentle magnetic field and was definitely green-light. But the two chose to pass, because that green-light wild goat had a big belly—it was pregnant.

Not killing pregnant prey is a rule that must be observed when hunting.

There was no time left to go look for another herd, so the two decided to head back.

After reuniting with Seeing Xin Yu's four bodyguards, Xia Qing handed over one large hog deer from her pack to Seeing Xin Yu's bodyguards and kept a smaller one for herself, "I'll take this one to Territory No. 7. What supplies do you want to trade for?"

When the two teamed up, the supplies they gathered were split evenly.

"Insect repellent." Seeing Xin Yu discussed it with Xia Qing, "Let's roast the rest of this one tonight, to celebrate our mission wrapping up perfectly—how about it?"

Xia Qing naturally agreed, "Sure. Once I deliver the prey, I'll head to Territory No. 8 to find you after dark."

"I'll bring the meat and seasonings over to your place." Seeing Xin Yu had a car, so the round trip was easier.

"No need to bring seasonings—I still haven't finished the barbecue rub I traded with Tang Huai."

"Achoo!"

Tang Huai, who was in the middle of cleaning insect droppings, sneezed and cursed, "Which bunch of bastards are blowing things up nonstop in Mountain No. 51? They've worn me down till I'm sick!"

Liu Jing reminded him, "Boss, careful, don't spray the eggs everywhere."

Buried in this soil were green-light insect eggs. How many points Territory No. 2 would earn this year depended entirely on whether these eggs performed.