The Most Urgent Crisis
Strange, very strange!
This oddball's rejection was within Linsey's expectations.
He was prepared for the possibility that the other party might retaliate in anger or be willing to talk to him later.
But Linsey found something very wrong with this strange person's tone and mental state during the conversation.
This insect-manipulation fellow had an overtly perfunctory attitude during negotiations.
It was as if he didn't care much about the matter itself, just like his neutral Yellow Marker.
Linsey tentatively asked:
"If you are unwilling, I will certainly not force you."
"But out of concern for the environment, I still hope to get some answers about this land, its plants, and the diseases in those insects."
"..."
Linsey's question was met with a moment of silence.
He kept a close eye on the strange man, who remained neutral (yellow) in his attitude.
He hesitated for a long time before speaking again:
"Human, how did you figure that out?"
Linsey replied bluntly:
"The Art of the Awakened."
"I can even see signs that the birth of these insects was interfered with. I am making this frank disclosure simply to show my sincerity and to have a proper negotiation with you."
As soon as he finished speaking, the longsword in front of Linsey was surrounded by flowing lava.
The moment the orange flames lit up, the temperature in the canyon seemed to rise, causing the fog to thicken.
Brush--
Linsey drew her longsword and put her bag back in.
The towering flames vanished instantly.
By displaying force in this way, his intention was clear—if I truly come with hostility, none of you will be able to resist.
At this moment, Hilude was behind, also understood what Linsey meant.
She pushed the wheelchair forward, and an immense emotional reality filled the canyon, overwhelming the strange man.
"..."
Shake--
The insect-like monster could no longer remain calm.
He was powerless to resist Linsey's physical prowess; he was even less able to see through Hilude's soul pressure.
Fear made the strange man take two steps back, his hoarse voice punctuated by a stutter typical of humans:
"You... what stage of awakened being are you?"
Hilude threw the question back at him:
"You can guess what stage of awakening I am~~"
Linsey then said:
"So, can you give me an answer now?"
The strange man answered in a panic:
"I cannot make this decision."
Linsey then pointed to the spot where the other person had appeared:
"Then go back and have a good talk with your other companions who are hiding underground. We can wait here."
Then, Linsey took two chairs out of her bag and placed them on the ground.
He invited Sand Dune to sit down, and the three of them formed a circle, oblivious to everything around them.
Upon witnessing this scene.
The insect-like monster stopped watching.
He turned and ran back in the direction he had appeared, as if fleeing for his life, and disappeared underground in the blink of an eye.
The Mutated Sheath Blade Insect nearby were still surrounding Linsey and his two companions.
These insects lack intelligence; they are merely tools that obey commands, and therefore did not react to anything that had just happened.
Surrounded by Mutated Sheath Blade Insect, Linsey spoke to Hilde:
"So, what can you tell?"
The young writer pondered for a moment:
"The hybrid technology of life, the Life Scholar of Volcano City, with their superb skills, can certainly do such a thing; as for artists, we rarely create such strange things, and the few guys we know who have this hobby should also put the individuals they create in Hallucination Dream."
Hilude continued her recollection:
"Hmm, are there any even more obscure skills?"
"Some of those in Starhorn City who tame wild beasts have gone astray and have developed hybridization techniques; among the believers, those who worship natural creatures, especially those with special objects of worship, can also engage in Planting Flowers; or among the artisans, there are life forgers, I mean those who are rejected by mainstream artisans; and then there are the simulation masters who have gone astray..."
Hilude began to speak at length.
After all, she is Seventh Stage awakened being, and her knowledge and experience far surpass those of ordinary people.
Even in such obscure insect modification scenarios, she could cite a considerable number of examples.
Linsey paused for a moment, then couldn't help but interrupt:
"You really know a lot about this 'type' of skill!"
Hilude her head, revealing a smile that said, "I was never a good person to begin with."
"When creating content, you always need to collect materials, right?"
"You'll naturally know more things."
Linsey shook her head:
"What about these analyses that are surrounding us?"
Hilude readily admitted defeat:
"It's definitely not an artist's creation, but as for the specifics, I can't tell."
"Certainly!"
"If I can restore my Source Material Skill and follow the threads of fate, it would be very easy for me to see everything clearly."
"..."
"Then I wish you success soon."
Linsey shut Hilude down with a single sentence, then turned to the nearby Sand Dune and asked:
"Sand Dune, look at the state of this place. Has anything changed since we left?"
"Changes? There shouldn't be any." After carefully observing his surroundings and answering Linsey's question, Sand Dune voiced his concern, "Lord Linsey, is it really alright for us to wait here? Judging from their appearance, they don't even seem like humans!"
Linsey comforted her:
"Don't worry, they have no good intentions, but they're not hostile either."
"And even if war breaks out later, I guarantee I will bring you back to camp safely."
The Sand Dune's expression became complex and fearful:
"I... I don't doubt your abilities..."
Linsey noticed the other's panic and reached out to pat Sand Dune on the shoulder:
"Don't worry, everything is under my control."
The three chatted idly while waiting.
After resting for half an hour surrounded by insects, the mist in the nearby canyon finally stirred again.
There was more than just one strange person this time.
The strange creatures, who were clearly of higher status, also resembled insects, but their bodies were covered with something woven from grass, specifically used to wrap the skin between their carapaces.
The surrounding Mutated Sheath Blade Insect parted to make way for them.
The leading eccentric, surrounded by the other eccentrics, slowly walked up to Lin Hai:
"Respected human powerhouse, since you have discerned the presence of disease here, you should understand the dangers here."
Linsey shook her head:
"The disease is curable, and it is currently lying dormant."
"The real, most important, and most pressing crisis at present is the problem of the depletion of Life Force facing the Barren Land World."
"If we don't find a way to set things right and get back on track, even if the disease doesn't spread here, the decaying world will one day bring about the complete end of everything, including this place."
"..."
Linsey's answer silenced the other person.
After waiting a few more seconds, the strange man spoke again:
"We are simply following our Ancestral Teachings, protecting this place, and maintaining our own survival."
After explaining his position.
This oddly-looking man took a notebook from his clothes and handed it to Linsey:
"We are powerless to resist your arrival."
"But as for the truth, that's all we have."