Testing the Waters
The fourth day after the second disaster swept across the land.
The wind in the mountains carries the unique roughness of the wilderness, gently sweeping across the branches and leaves of the forest. There is no howling wind, but it makes the whole world seem even more oppressive.
Looking out, the distant, rolling mountains and forests remained restless, with faint, intermittent sounds of beast roars and Insect Swarm humming echoing from every corner. The post-apocalyptic wilderness was never peaceful, fraught with unpredictable dangers. Countless survivors fled in panic, constantly on guard against beast attacks, insect bites, and bird raids, living in constant fear.
The area surrounding Lu Heng's Shelter, however, was eerily silent amidst the chaos of the riotous mountains.
The grass and trees on the ground stood quietly, the soil surface showed no trace of the trampling of strange beasts, the bushes had no messy branches and leaves disturbed by the movement of beasts, and even the small creatures that usually hid in the soil were all silent and dormant. This territory was too quiet, not because it was devoid of life, but because it was firmly bound by invisible rules.
The territorial agreements previously made with the Forest Core, the Ant Queen, and the Swamp Slippery Fish King are still firmly in effect.
All the beasts on the ground, regardless of size or strength, adhered to an invisible boundary. They completely abandoned any probing or spying, daring not to approach the Shelter even a step closer, designating this area as an absolutely forbidden zone. The threat from the ground was thus completely eliminated.
But peace is never complete.
All the unrest that couldn't be restrained by the rules gathered in the airspace above.
Several Black Iron Tier birds had been circling and hovering above the Shelter for several days. Unlike the lowly and dull beasts, they possessed a complete and mature mind, as well as an uncontrollable predatory instinct etched deep in their blood. Intelligence allowed them to assess the situation and avoid death, but their wild instincts made them extremely greedy, staring intently at this vibrant, stable, and prosperous territory, caught in an extreme tug-of-war.
Over the past few days, Lu Heng has been quietly watching them swim back and forth, taking in every detail.
He had personally witnessed several ordinary birds swooping down recklessly, ignoring the risks lurking in the airspace, boldly landing on the stone fence surrounding the Shelter, attempting to rest and peer inside.
However, the fence is surrounded by lurking Bloodthirsty Vine. The vines grow clinging to the stone wall, their slender branches and leaves concealing deadly intent, silently lurking without revealing any ferocity.
The moment an ordinary bird lands, the previously dormant vines suddenly burst forth, their slender tendrils instantly wrapping around and enveloping the bird without the slightest hesitation.
In the blink of an eye, after a few weak flapping struggles, the bird's presence completely dissipated. Its body was completely drained by the vines, leaving not even a trace of bone or feathers behind, before it vanished without a trace.
This scene was witnessed in its entirety by all the Black Iron birds in the sky.
Their complete intelligence allowed them to clearly recognize the terror of this territory. They thoroughly understood the bottom line: approaching the boundary of the Shelter meant certain death. From then on, they never dared to swoop down rashly again, always hovering at a safe height and deliberately maintaining a deadly distance.
But the instinct for greed never subsided in the slightest.
The safer and more abundant the territory, the more these mutated birds yearn for it. Unwilling to leave, they circle and glide in the airspace day after day, their wings constantly vibrating, emitting a continuous, fragmented, and noisy buzzing. From dawn to dusk, the sound never ceases, repeatedly lingering above the Shelter, both irritating and cacophonous.
They are very patient.
With mature minds, they continued to observe and lie in wait, keeping a close eye on the Shelter below, as if they were holding out in a long game. They were waiting for a flaw, a slip-up, for Lu Heng to reveal a fleeting gap in his defenses, so that they could seize any opportunity to exploit.
Lu Heng, on the other hand, remained indifferent and did nothing throughout.
He was not powerless to clear these birds; the watchtower offered a wide view, and the Giant-Feather Crossbow were ready to fire. If he wanted, he could clear the entire airspace in an instant.
His previous restraint stemmed from clear and calm considerations.
In the post-apocalyptic wilderness, the most terrifying threat was never the overt one, but rather the lurking "Old Six" beasts and the hidden Insect Swarm that waited in the shadows to launch a sneak attack. The entire wilderness was too vast; the forests, ravines, and deep grasses could all become hiding places. For him, preserving this flock of birds in the first place was the most convenient and natural means of surveillance.
The birds' attachment to the territorial aura and their long-term presence here is itself a signal. Whenever lurking Insect Swarm or hidden beasts approach, they will inevitably be attracted by the creatures of the airspace and reveal their tracks. He needs to take advantage of the presence of these birds to quietly observe for several days, thoroughly investigate all potential hazards in the surrounding area, and fully understand the danger density of the entire region.
These past few days, he has stayed in the Shelter, meticulously observing the surroundings day after day.
Ultimately, the clear result settled firmly in my heart.
The beasts on the ground strictly adhered to the agreement, showing no unusual activity and completely eliminating the possibility of a ground invasion. The entire mountain forest, its shadowy corners, bushes, and ravines showed no signs of any lurking Insect Swarm, nor any unknown creatures stealthily approaching to probe. Within the airspace, only these few Black Iron birds remained throughout; no other birds or beasts gathered.
The value of patience and observation has now been completely reduced to zero.
Lu Heng's judgment became increasingly clear.
These birds now remain in the airspace, serving no monitoring purpose whatsoever, only causing endless trouble. They circle and buzz day after day, their incessant chirping disrupting the tranquility of the Shelter and adding endless noise to this once peaceful territory. More importantly, as they stay here day after day, their life force continues to spread and dissipate outwards.
In the devastated wilderness, any persistent sign of life is the most conspicuous bait.
The current lack of unusual activity does not mean we are permanently safe. If this continues, the lingering aura will eventually attract mutated creatures from further afield to spy and test us, unnecessarily creating hidden dangers for us.
There's no need to endure it any longer, and no need to wait any longer.
All potential threats have been eliminated; the ground is safe, there are no hidden attackers, and there are no new external enemies in the airspace. This flock of birds, which was initially a useful monitoring decoy, has completely become a nuisance, noisy, and potentially dangerous burden.
The pent-up frustration and impatience accumulated over the days slowly settled and piled up in my heart, eventually completely overwhelming the last remaining restraint.
The birds above continued to circle tirelessly, maintaining their indecisive stance: reason feared death and dared not approach; instinct coveted profit and refused to stay away.
The balance that had been maintained for several days was about to be broken completely.
Lu Heng raised his eyes, his gaze calm as he looked at the circling birds. There was no extra emotion in his eyes, only a resolute certainty that everything had settled.
The observation period is over, and all potential hazards have been identified and eliminated.
This airspace standoff, which lasted for several days, has now come to an end.
He prepared to climb the tower, use his crossbow to clear the area, completely eliminate these disturbances that had been entrenched for days, end this stalemate that had lasted for several days, and restore a completely peaceful sky to the Shelter.