Poisoning the Plant

"Goods Space? A craftsman's Personal Baggage?"

"Or a spatial artifact?"

Linsey suddenly produced a whole bunch of things, Kuit naturally began to guess where these items came from.

But he was aware of his relationship with Linsey, so he didn't want to make a fool of himself by asking.

Seeing that he couldn't figure it out, Kuit secretly noted the detail and turned to help Ka Ji move the items.

The three men, carrying basins of water of different sizes, turned back towards the location of the roots of Yulaman Suo Er.

The merchant inquired on the road:

"The liquid you produced doesn't look like simple water."

Linsey replied indifferently, "If you're really curious, you can try a bite. I promise I won't charge you."

"..."

Kuit glanced at the slightly blue liquid.

He certainly wouldn't be foolish; he simply offered a barbed reminder:

"That plant is at least at the Sixth Stage of strength; it's not something that can be killed by just anything."

Linsey retorted sarcastically, "Even if I fail, I'll still be on the same starting line as you."

"..."

Kuit was rendered speechless by Linsey's choking.

The defeat and embarrassment he had just experienced were still fresh in his mind. If Linsey hadn't shot a few flaming arrows, it would have taken him much longer to escape.

He really couldn't refute that.

The three continued to approach the waterway, keeping their steps low.

Just before entering the ' Silent Zone ', Kuit asked Linsey one last question:

"Di Ya Bo Luo, we have never met before and have no grudges against each other."

"If it's just for immediate gains, I'm willing to cooperate with a strong person like you. There's no need for us to be so tense."

Linsey simply replied, "I don't have a good impression of businessmen."

"Perhaps I can change your biased view," Kuit advised. "You simply lack experience working with honest merchants, why not give it a try?"

"..."

Linsey did not answer.

He certainly can't just label a businessman and condemn all awakened individuals in this profession as unforgivable villains.

But at least those I encountered in the Courtyard in the Forest were big merchants belonging to the Riverbank Merchant Guild.

Their activities, which irritate the Forest Veins and harm the entire world, are no longer within the scope of Linsey's ethics.

The three of them returned to their previous location.

This position actually needs to be moved forward a bit further.

Unsettled by the series of probing attacks, Yulaman Suo Er increased the area its rhizomes occupied in the waterways.

With the passage of time, these roots have ceased their violent behavior.

Instead, it spread and crawled through the surrounding waterways at an even faster rate than before.

"..."

Linsey waved to stop the other two.

He pointed to the ground beneath his feet, tilted the wooden bucket first, and slowly poured out the liquid mixed with [Ice Erosion Toxin].

The water flowed with inertia toward the brownish-red rootstock.

Seeing this, Ka Ji and Kuit also imitated them and poured the water down.

The pale blue liquid flowed forward and soon reached the roots of Yulaman Suo Er.

Plants absorb liquids entirely by instinct.

It was caught off guard; the reddish-brown roots immediately began to absorb the water, and even the surrounding roots twisted over to join in.

Linsey brought a considerable amount of toxic agent, but it was all absorbed very quickly.

Lie down—lie down—

The reddish-brown roots slowly moved across the ground, sweeping away any remaining liquid around them.

Just as it used to draw water from the Garden Enclosure.

Yulaman Suo Er assumed it was just moisture from a light rain and didn't actively seek it out; that was the end of it.

"..."

The waterway was deathly silent.

Several more minutes passed, and Yulaman Suo Er still did not react.

The reddish-brown roots still lay on the ground, full of vitality.

"..."

Seeing this, Kuit pointed behind him, signaling the three of them to leave and discuss the plan again.

"..."

Linsey shook her head.

He pointed to the roots of the plant in front of him, indicating that it wasn't time yet and he would have to wait a little longer.

"..."

Kuit shrugged, giving him amusement.

Just then, a sudden change occurred.

The brownish-red roots in the waterway convulsed collectively, immediately creating a chaotic, frenzied scene.

But they didn't struggle for long before they immediately wilted like frostbitten eggplants!

This terrible plant has fallen!

Linsey cautiously approached and examined the area carefully.

The surface of the brownish-red rhizome is gradually covered with a layer of cold gray frost, as if something is corroding its body and drawing out its heat.

The waterway was originally packed full.

Because of the withering and shrinking of these roots, many dark gaps of varying sizes have been created.

"That's about it."

Linsey boldly extended her palm, revealing both product information and puzzle-solving details.

[Yulaman Suo Er - Weakened State]

[Affected by the (Ice Erosion Toxin), this plant's vitality has rapidly declined, leaving it in a weakened state and unable to attack. It needs at least half an hour of rest to recover.]

[A valuable but extremely dangerous plant!]

"..."

"No wonder it's a plant at Sixth Stage or higher!"

Linsey remarked.

The effects of the [Ice Erosion Toxin] are already quite exaggerated, and it also takes advantage of the plant's aversion to low temperatures.

Even if all these conditions come together.

It still couldn't kill it, but only weakened it.

This is enough to demonstrate Yulaman Suo Er's powerful Constitution.

Linsey was already very close by then.

Yulaman Suo Er could detect his voice, his movements, and his body temperature, but the surrounding roots were powerless to launch an attack, only wriggling slightly as if to provoke Linsey.

"Hehe--"

Linsey shook her head and smiled.

He stood up without fear and squeezed through the gaps between the tree roots.

Then he shouted to the two people outside, "It shouldn't be able to move for at least half an hour. I'm going in to find its core!"

"..."

Ka Ji stared at the pitch-black gap between the tree roots, too afraid to go any closer.

This behavior resembles insects that have crawled into a pitcher plant and walked right into its trap.

Kuit, however, who was used to seeing great storms, was not afraid at all.

He watched Linsey go in, and fearing he might be a step too slow, he quickly followed and squeezed in.

Kuit even tried to save face. "Di Ya Bo Luo, you poisoned it, didn't you take advantage of its weakness of low temperature?"

Linsey corrected him without hesitation:

"I took advantage of its thirsty physiological desires; other poisons wouldn't have been much less effective."

"..."

"So, given its vast area, how do you plan to find its core location?"

"Take your time." Linsey glanced at the path the Decryption Game had pointed out. "If we're willing to put in the effort, we'll definitely find it."

Kuit shouted:

"We only have half an hour!"

Linsey's tone was flat:

"If you're scared, then go outside."

"..."

Ka Ji really didn't want to go inside the roots and stems.

But seeing Linsey and Kuit both taking action...

He finally mustered his courage, gritted his teeth, and held onto the cold, hard roots, stepping forward into the darkness.

The gaps between the tree roots are spaces that were forcibly torn out by the shrinking of the rootstock.

It is very difficult for humans to walk in it.

His body was constantly pressed against the roots of Yulaman Suo Er, and he could even feel the other's fluctuating life force and the gradually permeating and dispelling cold air.

Time is of the essence!

The Ice Erosion Toxin is being expelled and neutralized by this plant!

The world enveloped by tree roots lost all external light, shrouded in pure darkness. As the merchant moved forward, he could only feel the pressure on his body as he moved forward.

The overwhelming pressure was growing in people's hearts almost constantly.

Both Kuit and Ka Ji knew they only had half an hour to go.

If it fails...

Either retreat in fifteen minutes, or stay inside and be devoured by the resurrected, rampaging plants!

Yulaman Suo Er is so enormous.

Even just finding the core in the rootstock is a very difficult task!

Then, in the darkness.

Linsey, who was walking at the front, suddenly spoke up:

"Everyone, stop."

"I think I've found this so-called core?"