Chapter Fifty-Three

Chapter Fifty-Three

Their medical supplies were limited to hemostatic drugs and some common potions. They had just the right medicine for the previous infection by the zombie tree, but they had no cure for the variety of viruses carried by these mosquitoes; infection meant waiting for death.

Although they had seen many insects in the forest before, it was their first encounter with mosquitoes of such size.

It seemed they had stumbled into a mosquito nest. Mosquitoes were emerging from the trees, the ground, and under the cover of the vegetation all around them.

They were under attack by a swarm of mosquitoes.

Ordinary people would be helpless against so many large, fast mosquitoes, but this group was adept in combat.

The coordination between the team members was also very skilled.

Wudo concentrated on the mosquitoes, capturing some in a space, and when released, all the mosquitoes turned into corpses.

Shen Xiuzhe was chopping the swiftly approaching mosquitoes in half while burning large swathes of them with fire.

Xu Fang placed Xiao Fu in the center of the group and realized his abilities were ineffective against these mosquitoes.

"...Better to just lay low."

Grandmother Wu's abilities were effective not only against zombies but also against other animals and humans. Facing the approaching mosquitoes, she used her abilities to slow them down while slicing them with her knife.

Lin An watched the mosquitoes around him. His dynamic vision was excellent, allowing him to spot the silently approaching mosquitoes. Every mosquito that tried to get close was disintegrated in the air.

Although extracting moisture was powerful, he could only target one mosquito at a time from a distance. If he made palm contact, the area

The energy he had unleashed against the zombie tree seemed to have been a fleeting moment of power, one he could not replicate with the same strength thereafter.

Ouyang Dong's abilities were also not very effective; after all, using vine-like trees to swat mosquitoes was futile as the mosquitoes would have fled by the time he swung.

He simply squatted on the ground, stimulating the rapid growth of surrounding trees to use these wildly growing plants as a shield against the mosquitoes.

His ability spread rapidly through the countless roots and stems on the ground, making the surrounding plants grow at an extraordinary pace, rising higher and higher.

If it were just a few mosquitoes, anyone could easily exterminate them all, but now there were too many, relentlessly pursuing them.

The trees around them grew taller and denser, while plants in the distance were also affected, spreading their branches and blossoming new buds.

Something under a patch of soft new soil seemed to be pushing up the earth, sprouting new shoots.

Silver-white sprouts, influenced by the abilities, gradually grew taller, surrounded by six other similar-colored sprouts.

These seeds, already infused with some of Ouyang Dong's power, now grew rapidly with the catalyzation.

By the time Ouyang Dong ceased his energy flow, seven small silver-white trees had taken shape, emitting waves of floral fragrance.

The number of ferociously attacking mosquitoes around them started to dwindle, with many turning around and flying away.

Eventually, when all attacks ceased, the ground around them was littered with mosquito corpses, and more mosquitoes seemed to flee in panic, flying away into the distance.

"What's happening? Did the mosquitoes flee because we were too formidable?" Ouyang Dong wondered.

Lin An thought it unlikely, reasoning that mosquitoes weren't that intelligent and would normally just keep attacking. Their sudden departure was probably due to another reason.

At that moment, he smelled the fragrance in the air, recalling the same scent from under the Mirror Tree the previous day.

Was there a Mirror Tree here too?

Realizing something, he looked towards where they had buried the seeds; where once was a small clearing, now stood seven small silver-white Mirror Trees.

The growth conditions for Mirror Trees are harsh, and even in the most suitable environments, the seeds might not survive. Yet now, catalyzed by Ouyang Dong, these seeds had rapidly matured.

If he wasn't mistaken, the scent used by Mirror Trees to attract animals was what helped drive the mosquitoes away.

The mosquitoes disliked this scent, which is why they flew off.

When Lin An shared his thoughts with everyone, they all agreed, considering the area was a mosquito nest, something must be influencing them to leave, and the timing of their departure coincided with Ouyang Dong using his special powers.

They hadn't expected the seeds they carried would end up helping them.

Xu Fang was moved again, even contemplating digging up these trees to keep in his space, carrying them with him.

This proposal was rejected by everyone.

The mirror trees thrive in harsh conditions; this environment suits them well. The areas we'll pass through next are inhospitable for trees, and these mirror trees will only gradually perish.

Finally, before leaving, they asked Ouyang Dong to input his special abilities once more.

Although they couldn't take the trees with them, they picked a few leaves as mementos.

They waited until each mirror tree was robust enough not to die easily before reluctantly leaving the area, constantly looking back.

The journey ahead was even more perilous. As they progressed, the forest was filled with towering, lush trees, and a plethora of strangely shaped plants and animals. Ferocious beasts, poisonous plants, and insects that would stealthily attach to humans were everywhere. If it weren’t for Grandma Wu and Shen Xiuze, two explorers, along with Lin An, who possessed vast knowledge, they might not have survived.

By mid-May, they finally saw the distant city of Mous.

To be in such a disheveled state despite having special abilities, it was a miracle how those previous adventurers without any special powers managed to reach this far.

In the distance, stone towers soared into the clouds, covered in green vines and plants, resembling buildings out of a fairy tale.

There were four such towers in total. Apart from the one nearest to them, the other three were in different directions, but now too far away to see anything more than the tips of the towers through the dense trees.

Lin An intently stared at the distant towers, fidgeting with the corner of his clothes, crumpling it without realizing, even as it became wrinkled.

He was very nervous, growing more so as they neared the ancient city.

He even thought of turning back right now.

The others, however, were excited. After traveling for so many days, they had finally reached their destination. It was not just the fulfillment of Lin An's wish; they were also curious about this world-renowned ancient city.

Passing through a dense forest, they suddenly came upon a clearing.

The areas they had traversed before were mostly dense with trees and lush vegetation.

And now, before them lay a vast expanse without a single tree, just countless scattered rocks and stone houses, all covered in moss and vines.

At the outer edges, four imposing towers stood tall in each direction, their carved reliefs visible through the cover of the plants.

Time had eroded the clarity of the relief carvings on the tower, leaving their subjects obscure. The base was a cross-shaped plinth, and atop the tower, a canopy hung with stone chimes that still tinkled crisply in the breeze. The tower's majestic design, though obscured by overgrowth, left a profound impression on all who saw it.

Continuing forward, the massive stones scattered around seemed to have fallen from nearby walls and structures. Yet, in this deep forest, where did such enormous stones come from, and how were they cut so precisely?

Mous City was built a millennium ago, its earliest history traceable back three thousand years. This means that these architectural complexes have withstood thousands of years of weathering, still retaining their original form.

The group tied their plant-based transports to trees and proceeded on foot, cautiously advancing while their gazes lingered on the unfamiliar structures around them, each arresting enough to make them pause and observe.

Xu Fang stood with his hands behind his back in front of a large rock. He noticed reliefs on these stones too, but they were so weathered that the details were indiscernible. It seemed to depict a person wielding a whip, but nothing else was clear.

Rising to his feet, Xu Fang realized the others had moved ahead. He hurriedly followed, but just then, something flickered in the corner of his eye.

Upon closer inspection, a glint of gold shone from the base of a large stone, conspicuously bright amidst the grass under the sun's rays.

Could it be... gold?

Recalling tales of treasure in Muling City, Xu Fang's eyes sparkled as he dashed towards the rock, crouching to part the grass, revealing a small piece of gold-hued stone that indeed seemed like real gold.

Overjoyed by his luck, Xu Fang reached to pick up the gold, but it appeared to be stuck to the ground, immovable.

He exerted all his strength, yet the gold remained unmoved.

"This is too firmly embedded," he thought.

Unable to lift the gold, Xu Fang looked up to seek help from the others. He had barely called out when he suddenly vanished on the spot.

Giant stones and stone houses flanked a wide road in the middle, paved seamlessly with stones so well-fitted that their joints were invisible, a marvel of ancient craftsmanship.

The rest of the group, engrossed in the ancient buildings around them on the stone path, didn't even notice someone had disappeared behind them.

Xiao Fu's ears twitched, and he turned to look back, then sat down where he was.

After entering the forest, they initially used a leash for Xiao Fu, but soon realized he wouldn't wander off and always stayed close to his owner, so sometimes they went without the leash.

Now in Mous City, aware of the ancient city's dangers, Lin An kept Xiao Fu on a leash, ready to respond quickly to any emergency.

As Lin An walked forward, admiring the surrounding buildings, he suddenly found the leash in his hand wouldn't budge.

Looking up at Xiao Fu sitting and gazing back at him, Lin An, knowing its nature, wondered, "What's wrong, Xiao Fu? Did you find something?"

Xiao Fu looked at his master, then glanced back.

Following Xiao Fu's gaze, Lin An also turned to look back. The path they had just walked on was there, surrounded by incomplete buildings and scattered boulders, but no apparent danger.

Lin An blinked in confusion, sniffing the air, and eventually detected a human scent behind them.

He smelled Xu Fang's scent lingering behind, yet there was no sign of him.

Just moments ago, Xu Fang was seen observing a stone with his hands behind his back; now, he was nowhere to be seen.

At this moment, Xu Fang was struggling desperately. Who could have guessed that beneath that piece of gold lay a trap? He hadn’t managed to pick up the gold when the ground suddenly gave way, plunging him into the pit.

The trap was filled with spikes made of earth, covered in cobwebs and dust after years of neglect, and beside him lay a skeleton, its hollow eyes seeming to look at him.

The skeleton, pierced by the spikes, appeared to have been there for many years, its final resting place the trap.

In the instant he fell, Xu Fang activated his special ability to soften the spikes around him. But after softening the earth spikes, he discovered stone arrows underneath, their points hidden within the earth spikes.

Unable to manipulate stone, Xu Fang could only place his hands and feet on a platform of earth created in a flash by his ability, slowly shifting himself to the side.

If he could reach the very edge, he would be out of reach of the stone arrows.

As he struggled to move, Lin An’s voice came from above, “What are you doing?”

Relieved it was Lin An, Xu Fang quickly responded, “An-ge, I fell into a trap. I'll be out soon, don’t tell the others.”

If everyone knew he fell into a trap while trying to pick up gold, he would lose face completely.

“But everyone is here,” Lin An said in a difficult position. After noticing Xu Fang was missing, everyone had joined in the search, led by Lin An following Xu Fang’s scent. Now, it was too late to keep it a secret.

As expected, Ouyang Dong immediately began to mock him upon seeing his predicament.

And there was no need for such a complicated rescue. Couldn’t he have just used his ability to raise the earth beneath him and climb out with the rising ground?

Why opt for such a cumbersome method?

Xu Fang: “…”

Finally making it out, Xu Fang faced a chilling look from the leader, a gaze that seemed to freeze him from head to toe, upon learning he fell into the trap for gold.

After the apocalypse, gold was still in use, but the most sought-after and valuable commodities were various supplies. Risking one's life for gold was considered one of the most foolish things one could do in the post-apocalyptic world.

The piece of gold, in fact, wasn't real gold but a mechanism made of other metals, designed to deceive the greedy like Xu Fang.

They encountered several other traps later, but many of them were so poorly maintained over the years that they no longer functioned. The trap Xu Fang stumbled upon was one of the few still operational.

It was hard to say whether his experience was due to good or bad luck.

The ancient city, sprawling in size, was littered with skeletons not in the fashion of recent decades but in styles from much earlier times.

Up to this point, they had found no trace of the people or bodies from a decade ago.

Lin An, leading Xiao Fu, came upon a grand and prominent palace in the center of the ancient city, constructed entirely of massive stones. Two immense stone sculptures flanked its main entrance: one a serpent, the other a human warrior in armor.

Both sculptures, lifelike in their detail, remained awe-inspiring despite the weathering they had endured.

Lin An, visibly tense but with a clear purpose, advanced toward the palace. As he stood before the huge stone doors, his gaze flickered, his crimson eyes betraying obvious nervousness and fear.

It was only when someone grasped his wrist that Lin An snapped back to reality, managing a forced smile at Shen Xiuzhe beside him.

The place he had always wanted to visit was this very palace in Mous City.

This palace stood as the heart and most significant site of the entire ancient city.