[Earth]
The moment the alarm sounded, Lü Yongchang and Mao Zhengzhi, who were continuing their research on the Giant Trees in the laboratory, went pale.
They exchanged a glance, each seeing deep unease in the other's eyes.
"The Wasteland Expedition is in trouble!"
Lü Yongchang steadied himself and said gravely, "Zero, bring up the feed."
"Connect me to Academician Zhu Ziwen."
"Understood."
The Holographic Image quietly shifted.
At the sight of the densely packed, rapidly moving dark green dots, Lü Yongchang and Mao Zhengzhi both sucked in a sharp breath!
"Holy shit!"
Mao Zhengzhi swore instinctively. "What the hell is going on?!"
"I thought the Giant Trees were acting up. Why is it those insects?"
Lü Yongchang frowned deeply as he scrutinized the data. "Something's wrong... Why would these insects come deep into the forest at night?"
"Shouldn't they be heading to the surrounding waters...?"
As the alarms grew increasingly urgent, the swarm began its attack.
Everyone in the laboratory stared in horror at the roots waving behind the swarm, driving it forward!
"It's actually herding the insects into attacking intruders..."
Mao Zhengzhi murmured, "Professor, we underestimated the Giant Trees."
"Its intelligence probably rivals a human's!"
Lü Yongchang did not answer.
Rivals a human's?
It probably... far surpasses ours!
If those roots really were its nervous system, then this towering Giant Trees' brain would be larger than humans could possibly imagine!
With such enormous brain capacity, there was no telling how intelligent it might be!
Suddenly, he noticed a corner of the Holographic Projection.
When he saw the name specifically highlighted there, Lü Yongchang immediately frowned.
"What the hell is Zhu Ziwen doing...?"
Zero's Electronic Synthesized Voice sounded again just then.
"Professor, Academician Zhu Ziwen has not responded to the communication request."
Without the slightest hesitation, Lü Yongchang said, "Force