Two days later, some workers noticed that the tree seemed much harder to cut than before, and the cross-section, which was originally almost perfectly round, now appeared to have some uneven edges.
This situation would not normally occur on these trees, or it would only occur near the ground.
Those sharp edges, like the cuticle of a tree, often caused their chainsaws to jam or the chains to break.
After reporting this to the manager of the illegal workshop, the loggers, as expected...
I got a good scolding.
Two days later, the gaps between the tree canopies had completely disappeared. A worker sawed down a tree and was surprised to find that it did not fall, but was only slightly tilted, as if it were being supported by something.
Upon closer inspection, the group discovered that the tree's canopy seemed to have intertwined with many of the surrounding trees.
The intersecting canopies of the trees resemble a dense net, and this tree is a node in that net; the break below will only cause it to droop but not fall.
Fortunately, the situation was not too serious. The loggers, not wanting to be scolded, did their best to overcome the difficulties and continued their logging work.
However, after a few more days, the loggers simply couldn't continue their work.
They couldn't find the tree they were supposed to cut down.
Loggers don't cut down just any wood; they specifically select large trees of good quality to harvest. By "good quality," I mean trees with an outer circumference that is nearly perfect and thick and tall, suitable for being crafted into high-end furniture.
However, it's unclear when it started, but the frequency with which trees meeting their requirements began to decrease.
Until that morning, more than an hour after work began, not a single chainsaw could be heard in the entire rainforest.
The reason is simple—no one could find a single large tree that met the requirements.
Before them, the rainforest appeared even more lush than before.
But once inside, they discovered that none of the trees they could see were the ones they were looking for.
Upon closer inspection, they discovered that the trees they needed had not disappeared, but were instead encased in sturdy vine nets.
Several more knowledgeable lumberjacks recognized the type of plant and were immediately astonished.
Their target tree appears to have become a parasite of some banyan tree, but the problem is, they have never seen this type of banyan tree before.
With no trees left to cut down, the logging camp owner could no longer stand idly by.
After initial sampling, the incident was reported layer by layer under the label of invasive alien species.
The test results came back quickly: this was not any known banyan tree, and the invasion of an alien species seemed to be an undeniable fact.
However... a staff member from a certain department felt that this plant looked somewhat familiar.
If his guess is correct, would this be considered an invasive species?
It seems that's true.
But it's not the kind of invasion people are thinking of.
Next came the investigation, led by the botany professor, his two students, and other team members.
Several days have passed since the incident, and the situation in the rainforest is no longer the same as before.
The tree canopy has completely disappeared in the past few days, replaced by branches belonging to this invasive species that fill the gaps.
The plants parasitized by this banyan tree began to die rapidly, whether because the bark was being tightened more and more or because the roots were being deprived of nutrients.
This new species is even somewhat poisonous; one unfortunate local resident lost a large patch of skin on his back after sleeping against the banyan tree for an afternoon.
The horrific scene led to everyone wearing thick, corrosion-resistant protective suits today.
At the same time, the professor also discovered new problems in the low-altitude photographs.
Although the colors are similar, there are still differences in the color of the branches and leaves of this invasive species compared to those of native plants.
The professor processed the images several times, eventually obtaining a map of the invasive banyan tree distribution as seen from the sky—in which the new banyan trees appeared to be distributed in a spiderweb-like pattern.
So he decided to go to the center of the spider web to investigate.
The towering trees that were expected did not appear; instead of a dense forest, the center of the spider web was a small hill covered with plants.
The group climbed up the hillside and found that dozens of banyan branches, each as thick as a thigh, had converged into one, with one end embedded in the rock below.
Just as everyone was about to call for help to dig through the rocks, the guide discovered that this seemed to be the territory of some indigenous tribe, and there was a hidden cave at the foot of the hill...
Back to the present, after some deliberation, the professor finally made up his mind.
This wasn't an adventure, but rather a summary of his experience.
The moment he saw the plant sample, he recognized it—this was the Aberration plant found everywhere in this World of Disorder: the Strangler Fig.
In the World of Disorder, it is an aggressive, living banyan tree that parasitizes the outer parts of some trees in the World of Disorder.
Along with the Aberration plant [ Deadwood Vine ], which parasitizes and kills trees and hides inside the deadwood shell, it is known as one of the " Xuanming Elders " that beginners should not miss.
On the other hand, it is also an entry-level monster that can be defeated independently by only needing to reach level three.
If I were in a game right now, I would have already thrown an axe at him; why would I need to be so cautious?
Give me the Geiger counter.
The professor reached out his hand towards his greatest threat.
"Oh, Professor, are you going by yourself?"
"I suspect there won't be any problems, but just to be on the safe side, I'll advance a short distance myself first, keep communication open, and exchange information as needed."
"Good."
The two students and the other team members didn't say anything.
The old professor has always been known for his prudent approach, and as the commander of this operation, he was naturally authorized to make such a decision.
"Da, da, da."
The professor's figure gradually disappeared around the corner of the cave. With each step, he would pause for a moment, trying to feel the subtle fluctuations he had only experienced in another world.
After walking a short distance further, the professor's voice came through the earpiece:
"I see the drone; everything is normal so far."
"Receive."
The two students breathed a sigh of relief, however—
"Sizzle~"
As the professor took a step toward the drone, a piercing electrical buzzing suddenly came from the communicator.
"Hello, hello, teacher, you..."
I'm fine!
A loud voice came from ahead, and the two realized that it wasn't coming from the communication system, but directly from the cave ahead.
Ultimately, this place is only a few dozen meters away from where the drone crashed.
Picking up the broken-down drone from the ground, the professor noticed that its warning lights were flashing continuously.
As he raised his hand to check the structure for integrity, he noticed the radiation counter mounted on his arm.
The original LCD screen is now covered with gray-black "snow" images...