Dozens of warships swiftly advanced through the dark night, their trailing searchlights obscured by the clouds, appearing like dimly glowing stars from a distance. The sea below surged and roiled, the cold wind carrying the waves far and wide. As dawn approached, an eerie cry of white crows suddenly echoed, shattering the surrounding silence.
“Squeak—!”
Originally leaning back in the chair with closed eyes, Lu Yuan seemed to sense something and opened his eyes. He turned his head towards the porthole and saw that in the pitch-black night sky, a hint of pale light had appeared at some point. A crimson sun was slowly rising from the horizon at an extremely leisurely pace, spraying golden rays and illuminating most of the sky. The vast primeval forest, originally shrouded in the darkness of the night, finally revealed itself before them—it was, unmistakably, the same forest that Lu Yuan had traversed when he first arrived.
Just to confirm something, Yusto slightly rose from his seat, glanced at the porthole, furrowed his brow, and whispered, “We have arrived.”
General Saphir opened the intercom directly, issuing commands to the starships behind through the air, “Listen to my orders. All warships, reduce speed, turn off searchlights, and all sound devices. We are about to reach the Solitiam Forest. Everyone, be ready for battle and prepare for landing!”
They hadn’t slept all night, keeping a close eye on the external movements. Even Faeus looked serious. Throughout the starship, only Lu Yuan seemed to be leisurely, eating and drinking like he was on a casual trip. He even took a nap midway.
Seeing Lu Yuan’s calm demeanor, Yusto couldn’t help but glance at him with suspicion. “Aren’t you afraid?”
Lu Yuan asked in confusion, “Afraid of what?”
Lu Yuan didn’t have much apprehension about the dangers deep within the forest. When he roamed inside it initially, he only got bitten by a snake and didn’t encounter any significant threats. The most lethal issue was the scarcity of food. Lu Yuan even felt that as long as he had water and provisions, he could comfortably stay there for a year.
Considering this, Lu Yuan took a few packs of compressed biscuits from the supplies box and stuffed them into his pocket, just in case. The feeling of hunger was more unbearable than death; only those who experienced it would understand.
Yusto, witnessing Lu Yuan’s nonchalant attitude, was momentarily surprised. He developed a new understanding of Lu Yuan’s carefree nature. However, upon further thought, he found it better this way. It spared Lu Yuan from excessive mental stress, ensuring he could eat and sleep without worry. Yusto didn’t want to end up worrying about Lu Yuan’s well-being along with everything else.
General Saphir had previously mentioned that all flying instruments would invariably malfunction once they entered the forest. Lu Yuan was skeptical at first, but in less than ten minutes after the warship entered the forest, a buzzing alarm suddenly echoed in the cabin. The red warning lights kept flashing:
[Warning! Warning! Route positioning error. The ship has deviated from the original course. Please check if the route is correct or reset the destination!]
Accompanied by the chilling alarm, the indicators on the control panel in the cockpit began to malfunction, and the starship, unable to accurately position its route, came to a halt directly above the forest. The other starships experienced similar issues.
However, as if anticipating this, General Saphir calmly maneuvered the starship to land. Simultaneously, he issued commands through the intercom, furrowing his brow as he spoke, “All members, arm yourselves and prepare to disembark!”
Seeing that they had reached the forest, Yusto immediately stood up, grabbed a protective suit, and handed it to Lu Yuan, cautioning him, “Put this on. The pollution inside the forest is severe; do not take it off under any circumstances.”
Upon hearing this, Lu Yuan looked around and suddenly realized that he seemed to be the only one putting on the protective suit. He couldn’t help but pause, “Aren’t you guys wearing them?”
Yusto was busy reloading the energy magazine for his photon gun, swiftly putting on goggles and a helmet. “Everyone in the team is a military elite above A-level. It’s okay not to wear them. Besides, protective suits are inconvenient for combat. You wearing one is sufficient.”
Lu Yuan felt like Yusto had forgotten his current status, “I’m your deputy now. If you’re not wearing it, is it appropriate for me to wear it?”
Yusto glanced at him and said, “It doesn’t matter. They don’t consider you my deputy anyway.”
Lu Yuan blinked, “What do you mean?”
Yusto thought, what does it matter? On this starship, aside from himself and Lu Yuan, there were only three operatives. Faeus had already recognized Lu Yuan yesterday at the port. General Saphir was shrewd and calculating; he probably had figured it out as well. As for Blairand, given his meticulous nature, he might have guessed it the moment he saw Lu Yuan yesterday.
However, Yusto was certainly not going to disclose any of this to Lu Yuan. Acknowledging it would be akin to admitting to his own poor disguise skills. “It’s nothing. Pack your things and get ready to disembark.”
Although Lu Yuan felt he didn’t need to wear the protective suit, he obediently put it on just in case. After donning the helmet and goggles, even his own mother might not recognize him.
Blairand and the others didn’t say anything, silently averting their gaze. Only Faeus sneered coldly, thinking that Yusto must have lost his mind to bring a male zerg along.
“I’m going down first!”
Faeus, impatient as always, didn’t wait for the warship to fully land. He directly opened the hatch and flew out. His black wings unfolded suddenly, sharp and swift like an eagle. With a rapid dive, he disappeared into the dense foliage.
Yusto, witnessing this, cursed coldly, “This disobedient rogue!”
Even General Saphir furrowed his brow. Faeus’ refusal to obey orders might lead to disagreements later when they entered the forest. “Never mind, let’s prepare to disembark as well.”
The warship flew deep into the heart of the forest, landing slowly in a relatively open area. Yusto and the others gradually walked out of the hatch. Subconsciously, they looked up, only to find towering ancient trees with dense branches and leaves. These trees blocked the early morning sun completely, preventing even a ray of sunlight from filtering through, creating a silent and chilling atmosphere.
Lu Yuan lowered his head, examining the soil at his feet, noticing the translucent crystalline particles scattered throughout. He thought to himself that it still looked familiar. He was about to check nearby trees for recognizable paths when Yusto abruptly pulled him back, saying, “It’s dangerous here. Follow behind me, and don’t wander off.”
Although Lu Yuan felt he should be more familiar with the surroundings than Yusto, he didn’t refute and stood beside Yusto. He even joked, “Alright, then you remember to protect me.”
As one warship after another descended, the female soldiers jumped out of the hatches, quickly assembling and forming two subtly divided factions. In addition to them, there were over a dozen professors from the research institute, dressed in white protective suits like Lu Yuan, and a StarNet reporter snapping pictures incessantly.
“Click!”
“Click!”
Seeing this, Lu Yuan couldn’t help but wonder where they found such amateur. He turned to Yusto, asking, “Is he the StarNet reporter for the follow-up coverage? Why is there only one?”
Shouldn’t such a significant event have a professional team covering it?
Yusto sneered, “Everyone knows the forest is full of dangers. Only a fool would come in with us. That zerg seems mentally challenged. Just ignore him.”
General Saphir took a headcount, ensuring no one was missing before giving the order to move out. One team took the lead for reconnaissance, the second team protected the professors from the research institute and the instruments responsible for removing source stones in the middle, and another team guarded the rear, ensuring a clear division of roles.
Lu Yuan was positioned between the first and second teams, with Yusto and Blairand beside him. Strictly speaking, it was the safest position. As he followed the team forward, he adjusted the terminal on his wrist. However, he found no signal and had to open the simple map he drew on the warship. He compared it with his surroundings and asked Yusto, “Do you know where the origin stones are buried?”
Yusto nodded, “If everything goes as planned, they should be in the very center of the forest. At our current pace, it will take at least two days to get there.”
In the depths of the forest, even the slightest sound could potentially alert the mutated creatures within. Hence, the team moved forward in complete silence, not making any noise, even speaking in hushed tones—
Except for the overly curious StarNet reporter.
This StarNet reporter’s courage had apparently reached a considerable level. He even went ahead with his camera to interview General Saphir, “General Saphir, from what I understand, this is not your first time leading a team into the forest. The previous attempts to clear source stones all ended in failure due to various reasons. Do you have confidence in this mission?”
General Saphir frowned, “Mr. Maos, if you have any questions, you can wait until after the operation for the interview. Right now, the troops are on the move. Please keep quiet.”
“Oh, okay, sorry.”
Maos apologized with a smile, immediately lowering his voice. However, his journalist’s curiosity prevented him from staying silent. He always tried to uncover some sensational news. He noticed Faeus on the side and quickly aimed his camera at him, “Chief Faeus, may I ask—”
Faeus didn’t even glance at him and coldly uttered a single word, “Get lost!”
Maos: “…”
Maos didn’t dare to provoke Faeus and shifted his focus. This time, he aimed the camera at Yusto, “Your Highness, may I ask—”
Before he could finish his sentence, the cold barrel of a gun pressed against his head, and a voice filled with a chilling tone echoed in his ear, “Say one more word, and I’ll end you.”
The military discipline was strict, and Yusto detested individuals who scurried around like rats. He used the gun barrel to press against Maos’s forehead. Seeing the panicked nod from Maos, assuring that he wouldn’t speak, Yusto then raised an eyebrow and retracted the gun.
Lu Yuan, on the sidelines, enjoyed the spectacle and couldn’t help but find amusement in the situation. It was the first time he encountered someone so lacking in perceptiveness, daring enough to even collide with the barrel of Yusto’s gun. However, as this thought crossed his mind, the StarNet reporter suddenly aimed his camera at Lu Yuan and asked in a hushed voice, “Sir, are you a professor from the research institute?”
Lu Yuan was taken aback for a moment and then shook his head, saying, “No.”
Maos, seeing that Lu Yuan was willing to engage, brightened up, “Then may I ask, what is your identity in joining the expedition into the forest?”
Lu Yuan replied, “Silencer.”
Maos was puzzled, “Silencer? What kind of silencer?”
Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow nonchalantly, “If anyone in the team keeps chattering, I’m responsible for beating them until they can’t speak. That’s what a silencer does. Do you understand?”
After his statement, he subtly squeezed his fist, producing a teeth-grinding crackling sound of joints. He then asked Maos, “Is there anything else you want to interview about?”
Maos: “…”
The entire team fell into complete silence.
Yusto and Lu Yuan walked side by side, and Yusto felt dissatisfied that Lu Yuan didn’t give the talkative reporter a beating. He couldn’t help but ask, “Why didn’t you hit him just now?”
Lu Yuan remained calm and replied, “I never hit females.”
Yusto snorted, “You do have a gentlemanly demeanor.”
Unconsciously, they had been walking in the forest for several hours. As the journey progressed, the surrounding environment underwent noticeable changes.
“Squeak—!”
A flock of three-headed white crows suddenly dove from above the forest, targeting the military below. Their pitch-black eyes gleamed with an icy cold color, and their hard beaks ended in a curved hook, capable of easily gouging out the eyes of any creature. As they swooped down, only afterimages could be seen.
The well-trained female soldiers immediately raised their guns and opened fire at the approaching threat. Accompanied by a series of intense gunshots, several white crows dropped from the sky one after another. However, a few soldiers were still accidentally scratched by their claws, with some even having their protective goggles shattered.
“Damn it!”
Yusto killed the last lone three-headed white crow, cursing coldly, “How many of these damn things are there!”
In less than a few hours, they had already encountered six waves of white crow attacks, making them exhausted. At this rate, they wouldn’t reach the center of the forest in ten days.
General Saphir frowned and said, “These three-headed white crows like to prey on eyes. Order the troops to speed up. The corpses will soon attract other scavengers.”
Lu Yuan crouched down to inspect the bodies of the white crows. He noticed that even after being shot, their heads were still twitching slightly, indicating they hadn’t completely died. A few fire ants had started to gather around. He stood up and addressed General Saphir, “These white crows are abundant in the forest. They are attracted to shiny objects. It seems that your goggles caught their attention. If you don’t take them off, they will keep attacking the team.”
Lu Yuan had almost been pecked in the eyes when he first entered the forest. Later, one of the white crows took away his silver-framed sunglasses, and the attacks ceased.
Yusto was puzzled, “Why would crows like shiny objects? Are you suggesting we take off our goggles?”
Lu Yuan replied, “There’s no need for a reason. If you don’t believe me, let me try first. If the white crows don’t attack me, then you can take off your goggles later.”
Yusto frowned, “Nonsense! What if they attack your eyes!”
Ignoring the concerns, Yusto directly took off his own goggles, seemingly intending to test Lu Yuan’s theory firsthand, “I’ll walk ahead later to see if it’s really because of the goggles.”
Upon hearing the suggestion, General Saphir looked back thoughtfully. He observed the team gathered together, each soldier wearing semi-transparent goggles that refracted a white glow with the slightest movement. It was quite noticeable when they clustered.
General Saphir raised his hand and selected a few soldiers from one of the squads, “You, you, you, and you. Later, directly take off your goggles and walk in the front. If the white crows attack again, pay attention to whether they target you.”
General Saphir didn’t want to risk the lives of all the team members, so he chose a few with better shooting skills for the experiment. Though the soldiers were puzzled, they obediently followed the order, taking off their goggles and walking at the forefront of the team.
Seeing this, Faeus stretched lazily, sneering at General Saphir, “You’re not seriously believing the words of a male zerg, are you?”
General Saphir remained composed, saying, “Trying won’t hurt. If you don’t believe it, just keep your goggles on.”
Ignoring Faeus’ reaction, he ordered the team to continue moving. However, in less than half an hour, the familiar cries of the white crows resounded from above again. Looking up, sure enough, another group of three-headed white crows was descending upon them.
Lu Yuan reacted the quickest, immediately removing his goggles and shooting. “Bang, bang, bang,” several shots took down the crows attacking from the front. The remaining flock soared directly past Yusto and the female soldiers who had removed their goggles, fluttering their wings as they continued to attack the troops from behind.
Yusto, seeing this, urgently exclaimed, “Quick, remove your goggles!”
The other female soldiers, reacting as if they understood, quickly retreated to avoid the crow attacks. They removed their goggles, tossing them into the nearby bushes. With a rustling sound, the crow flock scattered, carrying away the goggles that had fallen into the bushes. Only a pile of white feathers remained, slowly drifting down in the air.
The storm subsided.
The female soldiers, upon seeing this, expressed their surprise and subconsciously looked towards Yusto, saying, “Your Highness, it turns out that the white crow attacks were because of the goggles!”
Yusto evidently didn’t expect that the reason for the white crow attacks was the goggles. Moreover, he was truly surprised that Lu Yuan guessed it right. He looked at Lu Yuan with curiosity, “How did you know that these white crows like shiny things?”
Lu Yuan smiled while answering, “As I said, I’m more familiar with this place than you are.”
The entire team, except for Faeus, was pleased with the outcome. General Saphir directly ordered the team to discard their goggles and continue moving forward. The path ahead became smooth, and occasional encounters with troublesome beasts were swiftly dealt with.
However, after this incident, many zergs in the team took notice of Lu Yuan’s unfamiliar face. Although Lu Yuan didn’t speak much throughout the journey, whenever the team reached a fork in the road and didn’t know which direction to take, General Saphir would turn to him for his opinion.
[Silencer, the most mysterious member in this Originium Plan and an indispensable backbone.]
The journalist, Maos, had been secretly observing General Saphir and the others. Upon witnessing the events, he wrote a line in his notes and then made a significant mark.
The area mapped out by Lu Yuan was limited, and as the team advanced rapidly, the surroundings became increasingly unfamiliar. The map was no longer of use. Additionally, possibly due to proximity to the polluted Originium, many females in the team were experiencing physical discomfort, and their mental states were on the verge of chaos.
Once again, a fork in the road appeared ahead.
General Saphir couldn’t find the corresponding location on the map and furrowed his brows, turning to Lu Yuan beside him, asking, “Have you been here before?”
Lu Yuan shook his head, “I haven’t been here, but I feel like we should go left.”
His answer seemed somewhat unreliable. General Saphir had no choice but to instruct the reconnaissance team to use thermal sensors for a simple remote scan. The result showed a dense cluster of red dots on the left path and only a few scattered red dots on the right.
Yusto asked, “It seems like there are fewer mutants on the right. Which way should we go?”
Faeus interrupted, “You just said there are fewer mutants on the right. Are you suggesting we go left?!”
Yusto responded coldly, “Fewer doesn’t mean safe, and more doesn’t necessarily mean dangerous.”
His instinct told him it was better to trust Lu Yuan’s judgment. Faeus shrugged at his words, twirling his gun between his fingers, “Well then, let’s split up. You go left, and we’ll go right. Let’s see who encounters fewer dangers.”
General Saphir furrowed his brows and spoke sternly, “Faeus! No one is allowed to lead a team without my command, especially in the midst of the forest. This includes you!”
Their forces were already insufficient, and disrupting their unity would only lead to self-destruction. Even if General Saphir was usually calm, he couldn’t help but express his anger at this moment.
In the end, Lu Yuan spoke up to calm the situation, “It’s okay. After all, the route was just a guess on my part. Since the instruments show fewer mutants on the right, let’s go in that direction.”
Author’s Note:
Author: Why did you feel we should go to the left?
Lu Yuan: (〃’▽’〃) Left is auspicious, right is ominous.
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