Qi Feng said, "Why don't you take a break and get some sleep now? I'll keep an eye on things outside and try to eliminate any mutated animals within 70 meters."
The situation will be more dangerous at night, so it's good for Sang Luoluo and everyone else to get enough rest now.
Sang Luoluo nodded, indeed sleepy, and closed her eyes as she leaned against the soft pillow.
Qi Feng and Lei Qi set up their Crystal Core, one in front of the other, keeping an eye on the mutated animals within a 100-meter radius. As soon as one of them showed its head, they were shot dead, giving them no chance to get close.
Furthermore, the mutated birds overhead were lucky; their numbers were small, and any that did approach were killed by the two men with their Crystal Core a few hundred meters away.
The energy lost from the Crystal Core didn't require many Crystal Core cores to replenish, so there was almost no loss. Sang Luoluo was actually able to fall asleep. Occasionally, she would spot one or two mutated animals within a 70-meter radius, but they would disappear within a few seconds and didn't significantly affect her sleep.
I slept until the afternoon, and the convoy arrived at the forest area earlier than expected.
It was also a snowy wonderland here, but the paths in the forest were very difficult to navigate, with ups and downs and animal dens along the way. Three vehicles could easily get stuck.
We've already been stuck three or four times after driving in only a short distance.
The Zhan Qun, recognizing Sang Luoluo's abilities, issued instructions via equipment. "Everyone disembark and proceed on foot. Take only weapons, equipment, and a small amount of food; travel light. Sang Luoluo will store the vehicles. Everyone's locators must remain on."
The lesson of losing contact due to a blizzard on the way to Base No. 32 is still fresh in our minds, and the Zhan Qun is reminding everyone.
Sang Luoluo didn't really want to hike; the lack of a vehicle for protection meant there were many dangers around.
Qi Feng patted her shoulder, his gentle, deep voice carrying a magical quality. "With me and Lei Qi here, and your senses too, we can do it."
Chapter 162 Strangled to Death Jian Cheng patted his ears, woodenly...
Everyone put on their protective and cold-weather gear, and each person looked a bit bulky, carrying a backpack on their back, except for Sang Luoluo who wasn't carrying anything.
The group got out of the car one after another. As soon as the car door opened, a blast of cold air hit them, making them feel a little uncomfortable.
Sang Luoluo her hand and stored the three cars into her spatial storage.
Zhan Qun led half of the team at the front, with the remaining five members following behind. Sang Luoluo and Jian Cheng were protected in the middle, and everyone followed Zhan Qun.
Several probes flew ahead, wary of any unknown caves nearby.
Sang Luoluo cautiously observed her surroundings. Although she didn't find any mutated animals, the place gave her a sense of danger—an indescribable feeling, as if something dangerous was right in front of her that she couldn't see.
Sang Luoluo decided to remind everyone, "I feel like something's not right, but I can't quite put my finger on it. It's very strange. That thing seems to be right in front of me, but I can't see it."
Many of Zhan Qun's subordinates were unaware of Sang Luoluo's abilities; they had only witnessed her as a powerful space Evolver. Now, her inexplicable pronouncements made them find it somewhat amusing. "Everyone who can see it has seen it," they thought, "Use your feelings."
Zhan Qun had worked with Sang Luoluo Sang Luoluo some time and knew she wasn't the type to spread rumors. If she said that, she must have genuinely had a premonition. "What are you laughing at! Be alert."
Qi Feng, on the contrary, thought Sang Luoluo was right. It was too quiet around them; apart from the noise they were making, there was no other sound. They couldn't even see a shadow of a mutated animal on the branches. Was this right?
Lei Qi noticed it too, and whispered, "Something's definitely not right."
Everyone became cautious and continued moving forward.
Sang Luoluo felt that walking consumed too much energy, so she preferred to use her Mental Power to float away from the ground, floating for a while and then walking again, trying to make it easier for herself.
As they walked, they saw the bones of a mutated animal on a tree branch. Judging from its size, it must have been a large animal in life, but now only incomplete bones remained.
This area is full of animal bones, not just one or two, but densely packed together; looking around, there are dozens of them.
Sang Luoluo suddenly remembered the vines in the cave she encountered on her way to Base No. 32 last time. They were the roots of a mutated plant that could move, and even mutated animals dared not approach them.
"My God!"
"So many mutated animals have died here, what on earth was that?"
Qi Feng had clearly also thought of the root system in the cave last time, and said in a deep voice, "It's probably the mutated plants here. They must be very good at hunting. We don't know when the mutated animals here died. If it's summer, the attack power of these mutated plants has already exceeded our imagination."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "If it were winter, we would be in danger."
The trees before him, whose species he couldn't discern, had tangled, powerful branches that snaked and covered half the sky. Among them were the bones of mutated birds, some of which had even perished here. The thought sent a chill down Qi Feng's spine.
Sang Luoluo said, "There are no leaves, it's all bare."
"I wonder if the Crystal Core can damage it, and if so, will the damage be enough?"
The scene of fighting the roots of the mutated plant in the cave is still like yesterday. Those things, ordinary Crystal Core, can do almost no damage to it.
Zhan Qun paused for a moment, his expression grim. "Yes, but the effect is minimal. The mutated plants are constantly mutating, and the high radiation from the Meteorite Crystal Core accelerates the mutation. Even the Crystal Core we've developed might not be enough to deal with them."
Thinking about an escape route, Zhan Qun was troubled. "But it's too late for us to take a detour now."
Thinking of the supplies they brought, Zhan Qun said, "Everyone, apply mutated plant inhibitors. Hopefully, it will help."
The mutated plants don't like that stuff; they'll lose interest once they sense the inhibitor's scent.
Sang Luoluo quickly took out the box, and everyone applied an inhibitor to the outside of their protective suits. Everyone emitted a strange smell.
The group continued forward and reached an area densely packed with bones. They could clearly feel the branches of the trees beside them moving. Upon seeing this, Sang Luoluo instinctively used her Mental Power to swirl up the snow on the ground and surround everyone.
As it turns out, it had some effect.
When the branches of the mutated plant touched the snow in mid-air, they paused for a moment before retreating.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and quickened their pace to leave.
Branches kept approaching from ahead, but retreated after touching the ice and snow.
Everyone quietly gave Sang Luoluo a thumbs up, expressing their admiration and gratitude.
Before they even left the area, everyone's watches simultaneously emitted a series of beeping alarms.
High radiation warning.
"High radiation ahead!"
The radiation levels were far beyond their tolerance; although they were wearing protective suits, they could not block such radiation.
The Zhan Qun was no stranger to such high radiation levels, and said, "It's most likely Meteorite Crystal Core; it should be quite large."
Sang Luoluo agreed.
Sang Luoluo said, "I'll go take a look. I have experience with this."
Jian Cheng stopped her. "Wait a minute, you know the situation at the base right now, we're desperately short of food. You should know how much energy this Meteorite Crystal Core contains. You absorbed the previous one yourself, but I want you to take this one back to the base to top up your Farm App and exchange it for food."
Sang Luoluo hesitated for a moment. "But only I can handle this thing. I have to avoid danger to get close to it, then put it into my space and avoid the risk of radiation. Won't I get any of it?"
Jian Cheng hesitated for a moment. Indeed, in the wild, without Sang Luoluo, it wouldn't be so easy for the people sent by the base to transport the Meteorite Crystal Core back.
Sang Luoluo continued, "I also need this Meteorite Crystal Core to enhance my abilities. I'll take it back and we'll split it fifty-fifty."
Jian Cheng asked, "How do we divide it?"
Sang Luoluo thought for a moment, "I'll recharge it directly into my account, that way, 50% of the points will go to the base."
Others wanted to object. They didn't know how much energy a Meteorite Crystal Core possessed, but it was certainly beyond their comprehension. They couldn't obtain so many Crystal Core even if they worked their entire lives.
Zhan Qun decisively said, "Let's divide it like this. Without her, none of us can get through this."
Qi Feng said, " Lei Qi and I will accompany you for a while."
Sang Luoluo nodded.
The two of them chose a high vantage point next to Sang Luoluo to deal with the approaching mutated animals and provide cover for her, while the others remained on guard.
Sang Luoluo was also very cautious. She lifted her feet off the ground and slowly floated forward. Qi Feng and Lei Qi followed at a distance. After walking a few hundred meters, they could not go any further and could only provide cover from behind with Crystal Core.
Sang Luoluo wasn't easy either. As she floated forward, she sensed the mutated animals around her. Perhaps because the tree trunks and branches nearby were too dense, Sang Luoluo used snow to shield herself, causing the branches to actively avoid her. This allowed her to bypass them, albeit at a slower pace, but she eventually reached the Meteorite Crystal Core without incident.
Sang Luoluo sensed the giant Meteorite Crystal Core right in front of her, protruding out and completely covered by ice and snow. Sang Luoluo could only use her Mental Power to clear a small area.
The distance was still too far; her Mental Power couldn't reach it.
After clearing away the snow that was more than ten meters deep, Sang Luoluo a little tired, but she still forced herself to stay awake and extended her Mental Power into the Meteorite Crystal Core. The next moment, she tapped her wristwatch, opened the app, and clicked to recharge.