C19 Under the Gold Tree Monster

Miao Yihong approached the corpse with a furrowed brow and gave it a cursory glance. With a nudge of her foot, she flipped the body over, and two slender black bugs emerged, squirming their way into the earth.

"What in the world are these? They're revolting!"

Miao Yihong leaped behind Lin Yuan, shuddering involuntarily. There was nothing women feared more than creepy-crawlies like these.

"Step back, everyone. Don't touch the bodies. We don't want to get contaminated with whatever this is."

Lin Yuan positioned the Jungle Blade against another corpse and swiftly turned it over. A dozen black bugs twisted their bodies, retreating into the soil. With a swift stroke of his blade, Lin Yuan bisected them.

The severed bugs thrashed on the ground, their movements causing a snapping sound that sent shivers down the spines of onlookers.

"Ugh, that's just vile!"

Wu Yue grimaced between mouthfuls of meat. Lin Yuan shot him a look, thinking, 'Vile? Doesn't seem to stop you from chowing down.'

The bugs' movements slowed as their vitality waned. The sheen on their bodies dimmed, and their once sleek forms began to shrivel.

"How did they change so drastically after death?"

Curiosity got the better of Miao Yihong, who returned to the scene and prodded the bug carcasses with a stick, her voice tinged with amazement.

Lin Yuan, with a frown, used his knife to lift a section of the bug for inspection. Then, gripping the head, he tore it open to reveal a pale, plant-like interior.

"These aren't worms; they're plant roots!"

He passed the split root to Miao Yihong and Wu Yue, then plunged the Jungle Blade into the ground and dug furiously. The soil was riddled with holes, two of which were roughly twenty centimeters in diameter, matching the wounds on the corpse.

He dug several more spots, each with the same result.

"Good heavens, what is this? There are no trees in sight. Where are all these massive roots coming from?"

Wu Yue lost his appetite, staring at the gaping holes with beads of sweat forming on his forehead. With danger lurking beneath, he was at a loss for where to seek refuge.

Miao Yihong was significantly more composed than Wu Yue. She glanced around the environment thoughtfully before murmuring, "Boss, I've just realized something—this might be a trap."

"Why do you think that?"

"Mo Sanqiu has been making a racket at the camp for over ten days now. Every day, a good number of people show up. By all accounts, there should be hundreds of people in this territory. But in all the days I've been here, I've seen fewer than forty. The more I consider it, the more it seems off."

Lin Yuan nodded, then a question struck him. "Have either of you seen that tree monster? Why not enter the zoo? Why stay outside?"

"There's a gang inside with really high levels. They've taken over the zoo and are keeping everyone out. They claim the tree hasn't matured yet and that killing it now would be pointless. They want to wait until it matures, then it's fair game. At that point, it's every person for themselves—kill the tree monster, and the Blood Essence is yours."

Wu Yue caught on that something was amiss and, scratching his head, said, "Not mature? Could it be a lack of fertilizer?"

After a moment's thought, Lin Yuan used the Jungle Blade to turn over the other bodies. As the dense network of roots retracted into the earth, the trio noticed that the parts of the bodies close to the ground had been eaten away into large holes. "This is happening way too fast!"

Wu Yue examined the two earlier corpses. Only the surface showed some decay; the rest was relatively intact. Yet, in under five minutes, the state of the other bodies had drastically worsened. It looked like in another ten minutes, they'd be completely gone.

"Son of a gun, Mo Sanqiu's up to no good. He's been using people as fertilizer all along!"

Wu Yue's face paled, and Miao Yihong's did too. Thankfully, they were at a safe distance; otherwise, they'd likely be fertilizer as well.

Rising to his feet, Lin Yuan set aside the miscellaneous items. With the Jungle Blade in hand and the Totem Staff slung over his shoulder, he strode purposefully toward the zoo.

He was resolute; the Blood Essence of the Gold Tree Monster had to be his!

Exchanging a knowing glance, Miao Yihong and Wu Yue quickly followed, catching up to Lin Yuan in a few brisk steps.

"Boss, we're coming with you."

"Inside, it's risky. Anything could happen. You're better off staying outside."

"Outside, it's even more nerve-wracking. Plus, sticking with you might mean we get a share of the spoils."

"... Suit yourselves, but watch your backs."

Lin Yuan shook his head, stepping through the zoo's gates.

Outside, the grass was abundant, but inside, the ground was barren.

Seeing the familiar gray concrete after so long was oddly comforting.

The silence in the zoo was deafening; not a sound to be heard, which only heightened the tension. Miao Yihong drew two daggers from her waist, and the weight of them in her hands provided a small measure of relief.

Wu Yue scratched his head, realizing he had been so preoccupied with eating that he'd lost track of his Xuan Flower Axes.

"Here."

"Thanks, Boss."

Lin Yuan handed Wu Yue the Totem Staff, and Wu Yue's face lit up with gratitude.

"Just remember to give it back when you're done. Unless you're dead, then, well, it won't matter."

"… Right."

The silence in the zoo was eerie, absent even of the usual insect buzz or bird call. Lin Yuan's brow furrowed in concern.

"Girl, you once mistook me for a bear monster. Were there bear monsters in the grass before?"

"Yeah, there used to be all sorts of creatures, but they've been gone for three days now."

Miao Yihong responded, her own sense of unease growing.

"Wu Yue, where did the group that took over the zoo hang out?"

"Right around the entrance area. There were about seventeen or eighteen of them."

Lin Yuan nodded thoughtfully. The situation must have shifted in the last couple of days. Could it be the Gold Tree Monster was nearing maturity?

"Boss, over there—people!"

Miao Yihong pointed toward a fence, and they hurried over.

"This is a horrific way to die!"

Wu Yue inhaled sharply.

Lin Yuan tapped the standing corpse with the Jungle Blade, feeling a chill run through him.

The man appeared to be in his late twenties, his head mostly intact, a faint smile still playing on his lips.

But his body was stripped of flesh, overrun with a tangle of roots, and the bones were scarcely visible. On his left shoulder bloomed a vivid red flower.

A gentle breeze wafted through, causing the large flowers to sway. A haunting whistling emanated from the crevices of the roots, carrying with it an eerie quality that defied description.

"Pfft!"

The Jungle Blade sliced through the air, bisecting the tree creature with a single stroke. It was all roots and stems, devoid of any human tissue. A milky sap oozed out, its plant-like fragrance faint but distinct.

"Let's move. Stay sharp and on guard," Lin Yuan instructed as he sheathed his blade and pressed on.

Miao Yihong and Wu Yue gulped nervously and quickly caught up. The sight before them had instilled a deep fear, and they only felt a measure of safety once they were close to Lin Yuan.

The deeper they ventured into the zoo, the more tree men with smiling faces and blossoming red flowers they encountered. They gazed up with serene smiles, silently observing the trio's every move.

Miao Yihong and Wu Yue instinctively stuck close to Lin Yuan, their backs nearly pressing against him. The bizarre tableau had them thoroughly spooked, and Lin Yuan's own sense of foreboding grew increasingly intense.

He remained silent, his hands gripping the Jungle Blade's hilt tightly. His muscles were coiled, ready to spring into action at the slightest provocation, prepared to unleash the blade's fury like a bolt of lightning.