C25 The Helicopter Was Cut in Half?

Jiang Loong once again opened today's treasure chest. In addition to a significant boost in his attribute points, he also enhanced his Skin Resistance Value, fortifying his bones and mental defenses. His power had substantially increased.

"I can't keep searching aimlessly. If I don't find it today, I'll stop looking. Zombies are the priority, after all," Jiang Loong reasoned.

Dongning Base City was small and isolated. Even three hundred years ago, it wasn't a thriving metropolis. With few people around, and zombies originating from humans, their numbers here were sparse.

Jiang Loong set his sights eastward, anticipating a greater zombie presence in that direction.

"A helicopter? That belongs to Heaven Seeking Palace."

In that instant, through a zombie's field of view, Jiang Loong spotted a helicopter.

The aircraft thundered towards the heart of a mountain, vanishing behind a veil of mist.

Jiang Loong had the zombie keep watch for the helicopter, but it didn't reappear.

"Could they have discovered Red Castle?" he wondered.

Without hesitation, he sent the Level 8 zombie to penetrate the mountain's depths.

A Level 8 zombie at full sprint could outpace the world's fastest 100m sprinters from three centuries ago by more than threefold, maintaining that speed for an extended duration.

At such velocity, the Level 8 zombie swiftly arrived at the mountain's base and darted into the thick forest, pursuing the helicopter's last known direction.

"This mountain is teeming with zombies."

The moment the Level 8 zombie entered the mountain, Jiang Loong, through its eyes, noticed an abundance of zombies, including numerous high-level and mutated ones.

This revelation invigorated Jiang Loong. It seemed increasingly likely that Red Castle was nestled within this mountain.

The thought filled Jiang Loong with excitement.

Furthermore, even if Red Castle wasn't within this mountain, it was still a win for Jiang Loong. The mountain was rife with zombies. Though their numbers didn't rival the previous horde, they far exceeded the thousand-plus encountered the previous night.

Jiang Loong's Level 8 zombie pressed on, ascending the mountain with a determined pace. It took roughly an hour for it to reach the altitude where the helicopter had vanished earlier.

"Who would have thought another mountain was concealed within this one?"

Jiang Loong soon realized that what appeared to be a single mountain from a distance was, in fact, hiding another peak within its midst. The illusion was so convincing that from the base, the inner mountain remained completely obscured.

Moreover, the view from above was equally deceptive, the persistent mist shrouding the sky and severely limiting visibility.

Once Jiang Loong discovered the hidden mountain, he directed the Level 8 zombie to delve deeper into the terrain.

The landscape that unfolded before him was breathtaking.

Gigantic trees stretched skyward, their heights reaching hundreds of meters. Their trunks were so robust it would take dozens of people to encircle just one.

Jiang Loong was astounded.

The trees at the mountain's base were lush, but they paled in comparison to these colossal specimens.

Something about these trees was off—unnaturally so.

Jiang Loong sensed that something was amiss with this mountain, and he suspected that the elusive Red Castle was nestled within.

Moreover, the boy had mentioned that the Red Castle had disappeared. Perhaps it hadn't vanished without a trace but was instead shrouded by these immense trees. It made sense that the Red Castle, if veiled by fog year-round, would escape detection without a thorough search.

At Jiang Loong's behest, the Level 8 zombie persisted up the mountain path. Before long, a hint of red caught his eye!

As the zombie advanced, the red smear resolved into a distinct form.

It was a towering red wall!

Constructed from red bricks and draped in a tapestry of vegetation, only parts of the wall were visible, making it impossible for Jiang Loong to gauge its full height.

"A red brick wall! Could this be the perimeter of Red Castle?" Jiang Loong speculated, a flicker of anticipation in his thoughts.

On Jiang Loong's orders, the Level 8 zombie scaled an adjacent tree. Reaching the canopy, the zombie peered down from its lofty perch. Despite the vantage point, Jiang Loong still discerned nothing.

Suddenly, a thunderous roar pierced the sky.

Peering through the eyes of the Level 8 zombie, Jiang Loong spotted a helicopter slicing through the clouds.

It was the folks from Heaven Seeking Palace!

Perched high above, their view obstructed by towering flora, Jiang Loong surmised they hadn't caught sight of the red wall concealed below.

Abruptly, the forest canopy ahead contracted, branches intertwining, trunks bowing, and in an instant, the Red Castle was exposed.

There it was—the Red Castle!

"Look! What's that? The Red Castle!" Shouts of astonishment echoed from the helicopter.

The aircraft then began its gradual descent, hovering just meters above the treetop where the Level 8 zombie lurked.

In a flash, a robust vine lashed out from beneath the foliage. With the precision of a sentient tendril, it struck the helicopter with lightning speed.

Caught off guard, the helicopter's occupants were fixated on the Red Castle, oblivious to the peril beside them.

Consequently, the vine's lash sheared the helicopter in two.

Screams of terror filled the air.

"These plants are truly fearsome!" Jiang Loong's eyes widened at the sight.

He reminded himself, "The vegetation here is eerily peculiar. I must tread with caution!"

The individual aboard the helicopter had missed the sight of the Red Castle, but the plants, as if sentient, had cunningly unveiled it, drawing the attention of those above. Then, in their moment of distraction, the vines struck.

The trees soon resumed their upright stance, the canopy restored to its former guise, the Red Castle once again shrouded from view.

After a moment's thought, Jiang Loong directed his Level 8 zombie to navigate tree by tree towards the Red Castle.

Before long, the zombie traversed numerous canopies and ascended the towering red wall. Using the lush overgrowth as its path, it breached the Red Castle's defenses.

Upon entry, the sight that greeted Jiang Loong through the zombie's eyes sent a jolt of alarm through him—inside was a veritable horde of zombies!

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