Chapter 429

Chapter 429: Tree Wall

Though described as crawling, the enormous big trees moved at a speed that was anything but slow, nearly matching that of a human’s sprint.

Objectively, this might not seem exceptionally fast, but considering the moving entities were a vast assembly of trees, it was quite remarkable.

Their ability to move at such a pace was partly due to the consciousness of Evolution’s analysis of the "Vine" ability, which enhanced their control over plants. Additionally, the extensive spread of the mycelium allowed these plants to quickly establish a nutritional connection with the ground, regardless of their movement.

Unlike humans or typical animals that move by stepping, these trees moved in a manner akin to tanks, using their root systems to form a structure similar to tracks, ensuring a steady supply of nutrients.

Thus, under the guidance of the will of the mycelium, the grand army of trees advanced toward the northern tall grass area.

This movement did not go unnoticed by humans.

When selecting members for the exploration team, Wang Xiao considered not only their power levels and biological fields but also carefully evaluated the abilities of each superhero. This ensured that the chosen superpowered individuals combined to form a group with even greater strength.

At this point, everyone began to realize that the previous council members had refrained from sending out stronger superpowered individuals for exploration, partly out of concern for potential losses at Hope City and partly to remain cautious.

Although they could not understand whether the council members were guarding against restless workers inside the city or against powerful superpowered individuals connecting outside, they felt no such worries now.

The one currently in power was an incredibly powerful superpowered individual. If there were not more important matters to attend to, many superpowered individuals felt that Arthur would lead the exploration outside himself.

At 1:30 PM, in the cabin of the third all-terrain vehicle, the superpowered individual "Sleepless," who had been keeping his eyes closed, suddenly regained awareness.

"Hey, you’re awake?" someone nearby teased.

"I didn’t know you got car sick."

"Sleepless" wore a serious expression and had no intention of responding to his companion. Instead, he picked up the communicator in the vehicle and called out,

“Captain.”

The captain referred to here was Wang Xiao, the leader of this exploration team. This short-range communication had not yet been disrupted by any unknown presence, and it remained very clear.

Soon, Wang Xiao’s voice came through the walkie-talkie:

"What’s the matter?"

"Five kilometers ahead on the right, there’s a biological field reaction."

"How many?"

"I can’t see clearly for now, but it isn’t comparable to a small beast tide."

"Continue monitoring."

"Understood."

Upon hearing "Sleepless’s" report, several nearby superpowered individuals showed disdain.

"A small beast tide can’t match this? Looks like we’ve been underestimated."

"Yeah, usually, I hold back my strength, afraid of damaging the city walls. It seems the mycelium has underestimated us."

"I must say, fighting on the mycelium’s turf is enjoyable; you can just go for it without any concerns. I suddenly understand why the mycelium likes to create beast tides; who wouldn’t want to run wild in someone else’s home?"

"Shut up!"

Wang Xiao’s voice suddenly came from the still-connected walkie-talkie, startling everyone in the third vehicle.

They all shot accusing looks at "Sleepless," as if blaming him for not disconnecting the communication in time.

However, this had no effect; Wang Xiao’s voice continued to resonate:

“Listen carefully, this isn’t me being arrogant. We’ve truly been outside Hope City, witnessed the Mycelium Ecology, and faced biological field corruption. This is no joke.

“You can ask ‘Fresnel,’ ‘Ink Drench,’ and ‘Mercury’ from the third vehicle. Ask them about the horrors they’ve witnessed. As long as we haven’t returned to Hope City, even if we’re at its gates, we cannot let our guard down.

“From this moment on, keep the communication lines open; no one is to disconnect. Everyone, enter combat mode!”

Upon hearing Wang Xiao’s words, those who had been joking around suddenly wore serious expressions.

They had indeed been a bit careless, but that was due to their formidable superpowers and their high rankings.

Now, after being scolded by the captain—who was rumored to be so resilient that even being finely minced wouldn’t kill him—everyone immediately fell into a brief state of solemnity.

Not long after, "Sleepless," who had been continuously monitoring the changes in the mycelium life’s biological field, sent a new message:

“The mycelium life has arrived directly behind us.”

“Are they tracking us?”

“No.”

After carefully sensing the surroundings, "Sleepless" replied,

“They’ve stopped on the path we must take to return.”

“Screech~”

The sound of brakes echoed as the abruptly halted tires tore up a large patch of tall grass.

“All vehicles, report your remaining battery levels.”

“Sixty percent.”

“Sixty-three percent.”

“Good. If the mycelium wants a fight, we’ll give them one. Turn around and head back! Let’s face them head-on.”

Wang Xiao’s resolute voice came through the broadcast. At that moment, all the superpowered individuals prepared for battle. Those who had previously ventured outside the city were ready to avenge their fallen comrades, while those who had never left the city were filled with fervor, eager to join the fight.

This carefully selected team had been tasked with provoking the mycelium life, so Wang Xiao had anticipated this battle.

He simply hadn’t expected the mycelium to block the rear of the convoy instead of waiting ahead, as if forcing him into a decisive confrontation.

But fleeing had never crossed his mind. After advancing to the Third Level, his abilities had expanded beyond mere defense; his potent life force made him a nightmare in close combat.

Rather than being chased forward by the enemy, Wang Xiao preferred to turn around and confront them directly.

If they could reach the front lines before the mycelium was fully prepared, perhaps victory would come more easily.

Inside the third vehicle,

“Mercury” sat beside "Sleepless." His teammate had to keep his eyes closed for extended periods to sense the surrounding environment, while "Mercury" took on the role of his protector.

To be honest, "Mercury" knew his mind wasn’t functioning as it should; he suspected it might be linked to the biological field corruption caused by the mycelium. However, his teammates urged him not to shift the blame, and the matter was eventually left unresolved.

Despite this, "Mercury" remained focused on his mission: to protect the key superpowered individual beside him and ensure the safety of his teammates, all while solving the simple math problems that appeared on his glasses’ lenses every few minutes.

The three all-terrain vehicles raced at full speed in the opposite direction, the flat expanse of tall grass rendering the vehicles’ shock absorption systems nearly useless.

In the distance, a faint gray line was visible on the horizon. Fresnel adjusted his glasses and clearly saw that it was a long row of interconnected Giant Trees, each towering at least forty to fifty meters high.