In front of them was an extraordinarily magnificent scene—it was an enormous tree, lush and towering. If it weren’t for the wrong time and place, anyone who saw it might mistakenly think they had entered a paradise for immortals.
Yes, apart from the mythical homes of immortals, where else could such a massive tree be seen?
But after the apocalypse, nothing was surprising. Just like human evolution, animals and plants had also entered a new round of evolution. Animals’ teeth became sharper, their bones stronger, and their combat abilities were greatly enhanced. Plants grew larger, and their branches and leaves became aggressive. They no longer simply relied on photosynthesis for nutrients, with many turning into carnivorous plants. Humans collectively referred to such animals and plants as evolved creatures.
What was standing in front of them now and blocking their path was clearly an evolved plant.
By a stroke of luck, or misfortune, there was a bend near the tree. They had driven around the curve, unaware that such a giant tree would block their way. If they had known, they could have avoided it earlier.
They had stopped right at the curve. This was a national road leading to the imperial capital, and it was the shortest route. Gu Lin’s team was skilled and courageous, and was not afraid of the dangers that might arise along the way, so they chose this shortest path.
Apart from them, there was no one else in sight. But it wasn’t hard to notice that beneath the sprawling branches and leaves of that massive tree was a lot of debris. Upon closer inspection, it was clear this debris was all from vehicles, with bits of clothing occasionally scattered around. As for the people in the cars, none remained—all had been “eaten” by the tree.
They didn’t approach recklessly. The enemy they faced this time was different from any other enemy they had faced before. The tree was too large, appearing abruptly in the middle of the road. When they had taken that turn, none of them had noticed there was a tree here.
This was clearly abnormal. What did it signify? It meant that the tree had gained consciousness. It knew how to hide itself, making it easier for prey to fall into its trap. Obviously, they were the foolish prey that had just walked right into it.
“Boss, what do we do?”
They were already exposed beneath the tree, and even if they wanted to turn back now, it would be nearly impossible.
The tree had already noticed them. Its branches and leaves moved without the wind, swaying more and more violently, as if a pair of eyes had opened from its thickest branch. It was “watching” them, watching the prey about to walk into its mouth.
“It seems quite experienced. For it to grow this big, it must have consumed a lot, likely including evolved humans and infected,” Xu Yanqiu pondered. They hadn’t encountered any people or infected as they had traveled this road. They hadn’t even seen many evolved animals or plants. At first, they were puzzled, but when they saw the tree, all the questions were answered.
Why was there nothing on this stretch of road? Ever since they had entered a certain boundary, everything had gone eerily quiet, almost like it was before the apocalypse. Of course, they didn’t think such silence was normal. Gu Lin had already guessed that they might have entered the hunting range of a high-level infected, but no one had expected that the predator would turn out to be this.
—A tree this massive.
Everyone who had ever dealt with evolved plants knew that when facing such an opponent, you not only had to be aware of the part above the ground but also of any possible attacks from beneath your feet. The real danger often lay in places you couldn’t see. Its roots buried deep underground that spread into countless branches were the real parts to guard against.
After all, plants absorbed nutrients through their roots.
Thinking about this, everyone’s faces changed. For a tree this large, who knew how far its roots had spread underground? The very ground they stood on might already be a feeding ground for the tree’s deadly tools.
“Watch your feet!”
They weren’t wrong. Just as Gu Lin gave the order, they noticed the ground beneath them starting to wriggle, as if something thick and powerful was pushing through from below. Upon closer inspection, the ground no longer resembled the solid surface of a national road. The land beneath their feet had become soft, and large, thick roots were faintly visible underneath.
Many people’s faces turned pale. It was already difficult to deal with an evolved plant of normal size, let alone one that was enlarged and strengthened.
In fact, it was quite easy to distinguish between evolved animals and plants and their normal counterparts. They were generally three to five times larger than usual. These mutants were harder to handle than the infected, but fortunately, the conversion rate of plants and animals was not high. Otherwise, human life would be even harder.
For this tree to grow so large, it couldn’t be separated from its geographic location. Before the apocalypse, this road had heavy traffic, and the area was surrounded by a nature reserve. As far as the eye could see, it was all mountains. For the tree to grow this big, its roots had likely spread into the surrounding mountains, giving it an endless supply of food, with the occasional human snack delivered right to its doorstep. It would be strange if it hadn’t grown this large.
After three months of exploration, humans discovered that absorbing energy from the crystals in the infected could enhance their own levels. There were also similar crystals in the bodies of evolved animals and plants that could be absorbed by evolved humans. Given that, it was very likely that evolved humans also had such crystals in their brains. Those mutant animals and plants that devoured other evolved beings would also enhance their own power.
For this tree to grow so large, it had clearly consumed many crystals. Similarly, the crystal within its body would undoubtedly be of an unprecedentedly high level.
Gu Lin looked up at the tree, unable to see its top. His gaze turned cold. He didn’t know if they could make it through this time. This tree had far surpassed the strength he had imagined.
He stood beside Li Shu, in a position that would allow him to protect him at any moment. His expression didn’t change, giving those who had joined out of admiration for his strength a sense of security. If the boss was so calm, what was there to fear?
Those who followed Gu Lin trusted him completely. Xu Yanqiu, who handled all the team’s affairs, ensured that only the most loyal members stayed. Anyone with ulterior motives would be removed, and if they had already done something, their fate would be far worse than just being kicked out.
As the second strongest evolved human in the group, Xu Yanqiu managed all the team’s logistics. Gu Lin had saved him, and he was completely loyal. In the original plot, he and Gu Lin had stood together at the pinnacle of humanity.
There was no escaping this; they would have to face it head-on.
Gu Lin really had nothing to fear. His calmness also quickly stabilized the team’s morale. They stood together in an orderly formation, waiting for Gu Lin’s command to charge.
If Li Shu wasn’t here, they might have already begun the battle. After being betrayed by someone he trusted, Gu Lin was able to reach this height step by step because he was not afraid of death and dared to charge and fight. Therefore, he and the team he led had the best resources, could advance the fastest, and had the strongest strength.
Everything that others envied and coveted was earned through risking their lives.
Since Gu Lin didn’t move, neither did anyone else. Xu Yanqiu was thinking of various ways to deal with the giant tree, trying to choose a plan with the least sacrifice. He caught sight of the young man standing next to Gu Lin from the corner of his eyes and he paused.
He suddenly understood why Gu Lin hadn’t given the order to act. It was because of Li Shu. Unlike them, Li Shu was an ordinary person with no ability to protect himself in a fight. Under normal circumstances, Gu Lin could guarantee that Li Shu wouldn’t get hurt. But now, he clearly wasn’t so confident.
This tree was more difficult than any enemy they had faced before, not only because of its high level but also because its roots spread across the mountains, making it omnipresent.
There was no safe place in sight. What would happen to Li Shu? It was absolutely impossible for Gu Lin to abandon him. Anyone with eyes could see how much Gu Lin cared about the young man. If something happened to him, the boss…
Xu Yanqiu didn’t dare to think about it. No matter what, the person the boss wanted to protect had to be kept safe.
Amid the tense atmosphere, Li Shu felt Gu Lin’s hesitation and fear. He knew that Gu Lin was worried about him so he reached out and grabbed the man’s hand that was hanging by his side.
The palm was broad and had calluses on the fingertips, left from years of holding a weapon. His hands weren’t smooth, instead, they were somewhat rough.
Before the apocalypse, the man was a soldier, the youngest major general in the country, the pride of the Gu family. If it weren’t for what had happened, he would have always remained an upright soldier, adorned with honor, instead of fleeing in disgrace like now.
He had gone through countless hardships to return to the capital, only to find that there was no longer a place there for him. The Gu family had already been devoured by those people, leaving no survivors in the once mighty Gu household.
He knew those people wouldn’t spare the Gu family, but he hadn’t expected them to be so ruthless. They didn’t leave a single person alive. All of the Gu family’s past honors and contributions had been completely erased by them.
This was the last straw that broke the camel’s back. From that moment on, the male protagonist completely blackened. He returned from hell with pain and hatred, fiercely stepping into the center of power, turning everything upside down.
A dull pain spread from the depths of Li Shu’s heart. He looked at the giant tree. Here, the male protagonist had suffered heavy losses; those who followed him were either injured or dead. He himself had been severely wounded, and once again became the target of those people in the laboratory. He was forced to temporarily lay low, which also delayed his return to the capital.
Li Shu wanted to change all of this. The person he protected should return in glory. He wouldn’t allow the harm that hadn’t yet happened to occur again.
“Shu Shu, don’t be afraid. I won’t let you get hurt.” Feeling the warmth in his palm, Gu Lin paused, then slowly tightened his grip on that hand, his voice soft as he reassured him.
He had already made up his mind. If worse came to worst, he would rather die together with the tree than let anything happen to Li Shu. However, after that, he wouldn’t be able to protect the young man anymore.
“Shu Shu, I can’t take you with me this time. I’ll leave Xu Yanqiu here to protect you. You have to take care of yourself and stay safe. Don’t get hurt.” Gu Lin turned and stood face to face with Li Shu. Using the hand that wasn’t held by Li Shu, he caressed that fair face, gently stroking it.
The young man had gained a bit of weight during this time, with a little more flesh on his face, making it feel as soft as a cloud. Gu Lin didn’t even dare to use a bit more strength, fearing that if he did, he might hurt him. He entrusted the young man to Xu Yanqiu because he trusted that Xu Yanqiu would take good care of him. He couldn’t leave the young man to face the world alone.
Hearing the farewell tone in Gu Lin’s words, Li Shu frowned and pulled his hand away from Gu Lin’s palm. Before Gu Lin had a chance to feel disappointed, Li Shu grabbed the hand on his face and said fiercely, “Gu Lin, don’t even think about it. If you don’t come back, I’ll follow you. I mean it!”
Gu Lin was stunned.
