Chapter 119 The Fall of the Giant Tree, The Deadly Calls of Time…

Chapter 119 The Fall of the Giant Tree: Time’s Relentless Pursuit

When the holy light shone upon Yu Xing, she remained lost in thought.

Miao Yuanjin directed the holy light at Yu Xing for a while, but not a trace of contamination was revealed. Miao Yuanjin suddenly wondered: was Yu Xing immune to contamination? After spending so long in such a heavily polluted area, she hadn't been affected in the slightest.

She stared at Yu Xing, unable to help but swallow hard.

She speculated whether Yu Xing had undergone a genetic mutation, awakening a contamination antibody. If possible, she wanted to discuss with Yu Xing the possibility of the Miao family funding research, with Yu Xing as the subject. This could potentially be a discovery that changes the fate of all humanity.

"What's wrong?" Di Shensi asked from the side.

"Huh?" Miao Yuanjin snapped out of her thoughts, forcing a smile. "All done! Xingxing has been purified by me. She's in great condition now."

"Really?" Di Shensi looked at Yu Xing, who was still sitting on the ground, zoned out, showing no reaction to the purification Miao Yuanjin had just performed.

If she had already been purified, why was she still like this? Was she just too exhausted?

Yu Xing wasn’t deliberately spacing out; her mind was simply too chaotic. It wasn’t due to her emotions either; purely because after seeing the photos and diary in the lab, jumbled memories had begun flooding her mind.

They were chaotic and raw with emotion, overwhelming Yu Xing. Sometimes, she even experienced hallucinations, making it hard to distinguish what was real from what wasn’t.

She only told herself to stick with the group—if they moved, she moved; if they stayed, she stayed. So when everyone rested, she sat there, lost in thought.

Di Shensi instructed Miao Yuanjin to continue recovering her spiritual energy while he kept observing Yu Xing. Fortunately, Yu Xing was just spacing out and showed no other reactions.

His mind raced with theories, even wondering if Yu Xing had been frightened by something in the lab.

Then he noticed—Yu Xing was wearing glasses. She hadn’t been wearing them before.

The glasses looked ordinary, the kind of transparent, one-piece lens-and-frame design commonly found on the market. Nowadays, very few people wore glasses—those who had undergone genetic screening rarely suffered from myopia, and even if they did, it was easily treatable.

Only those with incurable eye conditions or those who wore glasses for specific functions—such as night vision, assisted targeting, communication, or internet access—bothered with them.

As they rested, someone suddenly heard stealthy footsteps approaching.

"There’s a sound!" The soldier who heard it stood up alertly. "Footsteps!"

Di Shensi instantly snapped to attention. He had been distracted earlier and hadn’t even noticed the footsteps.

The others tensed as well. Footsteps appearing here—could it be the Wanderers?

But in this environment, there was nowhere to hide. What should they do?

Just as Di Shensi tried to pinpoint the direction of the footsteps, an excited voice piped up, "Commander! Is that you?!"

Everyone was stunned as several soldiers emerged from the ground dozens of meters away—they were the ones who had been separated after the bee attack.

Their sudden appearance made both sides light up.

"It’s great that you’re still alive!"

After confirming it was Di Shensi and the others, more soldiers emerged. Though not all the separated members had returned, nearly twenty had made it back.

Seeing them, Di Shensi felt some relief from the throbbing pain in his nerves.

What could be more joyful than getting your comrades back?

The reunion was emotional, and it took a while before they could recount what had happened.

After the commander’s vehicle overturned that day, everyone panicked, with no chance to rescue anyone. If they had all fled in the same direction, the bees would’ve mobbed them. So they decided to scatter, hoping the bees would disperse as well.

Thus, they split up in different directions, and the swarm indeed fragmented.

Once the swarm was divided, the pressure lessened, and they gradually managed to fight back. But they hadn’t eliminated the bees—nor had they escaped them.

"At one point, all the insects just died," one soldier said to Di Shensi. "Did you guys take out the contamination source?"

Di Shensi’s mind flashed to the image of Bull Warrior crouching before a grotesque mass, clutching the contamination source.

He shook his head slightly, denying the claim.

"Yes!" Thanks to the treatment injections and two bottles of nutrient solution, Miao Yuanjin was regaining her energy. She beamed, "We did it!"

As she spoke, she spread her arms, resting her left hand on Zhao Lan’s shoulder and her right on Da Ya’s.

Despite her skull-splitting headache, Da Ya nodded eagerly. "That’s right, it was us."

Only Zhao Lan’s expression darkened further—recalling that scene was a nightmare.

The soldiers stared at the three in amazement. Since when are interns this hardcore?

They continued explaining that only after the bees died did they get a chance to breathe easy. But by then, night had fallen, and they encountered more dangers along the way. By the time they regrouped here, Di Shensi was nowhere to be found.

They had many theories—perhaps the commander had died, or was trapped, or had pressed on toward the core zone.

With even the communication devices failing to reach Di Shensi, they grew hesitant to make a move.

So they decided to hide nearby and wait. If the commander didn’t appear within a day, they would search for him.

Luckily, they linked up by dusk.

"What do we do now?" Exhausted, someone groaned to Di Shensi. "We only have two cargo vehicles left, and supplies are running low. If we keep going, can we make it?"

This was everyone’s concern. Even if they pressed forward, the vehicles might not have enough energy for the return trip.

And returning wasn’t even guaranteed.

Hearing their worries, Miao Yuanjin cut in, "No need to go further—we’ve already returned from the core zone!"

This time, Miao Yuanjin spread her arms wide, sweeping in over a dozen heavily contaminated soldiers.

The newly reunited soldiers were floored. They had already returned from the core zone? No way it was that easy to enter!

Someone stammered in disbelief, "W-Wasn’t it dangerous?"

Of course it was dangerous—like those soul-crushing Wanderers.

At this thought, their gazes drifted toward Yu Xing, still spaced out nearby. If not for her charging out to distract the Wanderers, they wouldn’t have made it to the core zone to uncover the evil god’s plot—let alone return alive.

Though no one knew how Yu Xing had survived, those who had ventured into the core zone owed her big time.

Not having to go back was a huge win for the newly reunited group.

Di Shensi barked at them to bring the remaining two cargo vehicles. No time to waste, they would leave City 25 as quickly as possible.

As for the contaminated soldiers Miao Yuanjin hadn’t purified yet—there was no need to worry. Resting here or in the vehicles didn’t matter.

Much of the cargo on the vehicles had been damaged or lost during the escape, making the empty trucks perfect for transporting people.

Taking advantage of the remaining daylight, the two trucks raced back the way they'd come.

In the jolting truck bed, Yu Xing leaned against Miao Yuanjin's shoulder and drifted into deep sleep.

Originally, Miao Yuanjin had been purifying everyone's contamination one by one in the truck. Those who had been purified whispered among themselves until the Earth God's Chosen noticed Yu Xing had fallen asleep. She cut off mid-word, poked the person next to her, and raised a finger to her lips. "Shh."

The others saw it too and immediately fell silent.

Miao Yuanjin hesitated—how was she supposed to use her Divine Skill with Yu Xing sleeping against her?

After a moment's thought, she carefully helped Yu Xing lie down, using her own jacket as a pillow. Someone nearby handed her another jacket, which she draped over Yu Xing.

The dozen or so people in the truck all fell into silent agreement.

As the sky darkened, someone spotted something odd.

"What's that?!" someone exclaimed, pointing out the window in shock.

Everyone turned to look, including Di Shensi in the passenger seat, who spotted it in the rearview mirror and immediately craned his neck to look back.

In the distance, where the giant tree stood, crimson flames had erupted.

The raging fire methodically consumed the giant tree from its roots. It was impossible to tell when the fire had started—the tree was simply too massive, and only now, from afar, did they notice the blaze.

The dark red flames, tinged with gold, resembled the lotus flames of hellfire. The giant tree could do nothing but endure, inch by inch, until it was completely engulfed from the roots.

Di Shensi recognized the flames—they belonged to the Monkey-headed Man.

Had the Monkey-headed Man decided to destroy the giant tree?

The sight was so overwhelming that everyone who witnessed it stood transfixed, unable to tear their eyes away as the tree was slowly devoured.

They would never forget this moment for the rest of their lives.

The tree was so enormous that it burned all night without being fully consumed.

That night, Yu Xing had many chaotic dreams. When she woke, the only thing she remembered was the original host venturing out in a raincoat to search for her brother in Zone C, only to be told he had long gone missing—likely dead.

The rest was a blur, but Yu Xing remembered the original host's despair—deeper than the endless night, as if her soul had been shattered.

When Yu Xing awoke, her chest felt like it was being crushed, as if weighed down by a boulder.

"Xingxing, you're awake?" a familiar voice asked.

Yu Xing opened her eyes to see a low ceiling—definitely the truck's interior.

Turning slightly, she saw Miao Yuanjin and Zhao Lan beside her.

Now awake, Yu Xing felt much better—her head felt clearer, her thoughts no longer tangled.

She sat up and realized she really was in the truck bed. The door was open, revealing bright daylight outside. From her angle, she could see an open terrain with only sparse weeds on the ground.

This was clearly not the environment of City 25. Yu Xing felt a spark of excitement. "We made it out?"

"Yes, we're out," Zhao Lan smiled. "We left City 25 and are now resting outside the walls. You slept all night—it's past 9 AM now. Hungry? I have some nutrient solution."

Now that she mentioned it, Yu Xing was indeed hungry.

Taking the nutrient solution, she wanted to step outside.

"Take it easy," Miao Yuanjin supported her, whispering, "You were acting really strange yesterday. If I didn’t know you weren’t contaminated, I’d have been worried."

Jumping out of the truck, the vast, bright surroundings instantly lifted the heaviness in Yu Xing's chest, making her feel lighter.

Tossing aside the cap, she chugged the nutrient solution in one go.

Then, she frowned. "Why’s it strawberry-flavored? It’s awful."

"Only strawberry and lemon left," Zhao Lan huffed. "Would you rather have lemon?"

Yu Xing decided against it and glanced around, noticing everyone standing quietly in the distance, all looking in the same direction.

"What are they looking at?" Yu Xing thought it was weird as she walked over.

"At City 25," Zhao Lan followed. "More precisely, at the giant tree in City 25."

"You were asleep, so you didn’t see," Miao Yuanjin said excitedly. "Last night, someone set the giant tree on fire. It’s been burning since then—the flames had just reached the crown. Everyone’s watching because, one, we’re resting here, mainly waiting for you to wake up, and two, we all want to witness the tree’s downfall."

Just then, someone ahead shouted, "It’s falling! It’s falling!"

Yu Xing hurried over, tilting her head up toward City 25 like the others.

The towering giant tree, once reaching into the heavens, was now a blazing inferno. Dark red and gold flames engulfed it entirely. After burning all night, the tree finally gave way, quaking at its foundation.

"CRACK—!"

Even from this distance, everyone heard the sound of the tree splitting.

With a violent shudder, the trunk suddenly shortened before slowly toppling in one direction. The source of City 25’s downfall, the giant tree that had plagued the Federation for so long, was finally reduced to ashes before their eyes.

As the tree fell, countless birds fled City 25 in panic.

"Actually, things have been escaping since last night," Miao Yuanjin said. "Originally, we camped closer to City 25, but more and more creatures—flying, crawling—kept pouring out, so we had to retreat here."

Da Ya appeared from somewhere and asked, "After this, can City 25 be rebuilt?"

For a moment, no one could answer. Was City 25 about to be reclaimed?

Amid the silence, the giant tree collapsed completely with a deafening crash—its final death knell—before vanishing forever from sight.

Di Shensi turned to Yu Xing. "Awake?"

Yu Xing found it odd—she’d been standing there chatting for a while, and he was just now asking if she was awake?

"Ugh," she thought, exasperated, but replied patiently, "Yes, I’m awake."

Di Shensi nodded. "Time to go. Everyone, back in the trucks."

As she turned, the soldiers crowded around Yu Xing. The Earth God's Chosen said, "Ah, you slept so soundly yesterday—slept through the whole show!"

Yu Xing was confused. "What spectacular sight?"

"Hellfire eating the damn tree alive!" a soldier exclaimed dramatically.

"Bullshit!" someone retorted. "Sacred tree? That was the source of corruption! Don’t insult the gods—Moon God might punish you. And it wasn’t hellfire, it was the fire of justice!"

"I recorded it," someone handed over their terminal. "Yu Xing, look! Quick, look!"

Yu Xing took the terminal, which was playing a video.

In the dense darkness, dark red flames were slowly engulfing the giant tree. It truly resembled demons rising from the underworld, devouring the ancient deity on the surface.

“Isn’t it breathtaking?” The people around were buzzing with excitement. “I feel like I’ll never forget this for the rest of my life. Witnessing this is something I’ll brag about for years.”

“Did that Monkey-headed Man start this fire?” someone asked. “The color of the flames is the same.”

Everyone remembered vividly how the giant bat had been incinerated by the Monkey-headed Man’s fire.

“She’s so strong!”

“Incredibly strong!”

“So strong my legs went weak.”

“I want to kneel at her feet and kiss her toes…”

“?” Yu Xing looked around in confusion—someone had just said something bizarre.

The fire had indeed been set by Yu Xing. At the time, her thoughts were muddled, struggling to accept the discovery of Yu He on the photo wall. Especially since this lab conducted experiments on live humans and pollutants, and this mysterious organization was likely the mastermind behind the fall of City 25 and countless deaths.

She had been walking at the back, overwhelmed by a powerful urge. She couldn’t bear to face those monster specimens floating in glass tubes—she wanted to destroy it all.

So, she set the lab on fire, closed the door behind her, and left with the others.

Her intention had only been to destroy the lab, never expecting the giant tree to be consumed as well. Yu Xing sat by the car door, facing outward.

The vehicle moved forward, while she watched the world roll backward.

There must be some misunderstanding, Yu Xing thought. Her brother had disappeared a year ago—surely something had happened in that time.

For now, the priority was finding him. Once she did, she’d get the full story. Whatever the problem was, she’d solve it. She was a transmigrator with special advantages—nothing was beyond her.

Not only had her skills leveled up this time, but she’d also collected numerous pollution sources in City 25, suddenly finding herself flush with resources. Now, whatever she needed, she should have enough.

What a shame, though. Yu Xing looked toward City 25—she hadn’t managed to obtain the pollution source from the giant tree.

The journey back to City 24 went smoothly, as they strictly followed their original route. Knowing the dangers along the way, they had prepared in advance, ensuring a smooth journey.

Di Shensi had notified City 24’s military district early about their return. When the two vehicles arrived one after the other at the towering walls of City 24, the gates opened almost immediately.

A group emerged from inside. Yu Xing glanced at them—all high-ranking officers. She even spotted the commander.

The last time she’d seen the commander, he’d been flattened by a falling ceiling. Now, he still looked fit as ever.

The vehicles stopped at the entrance, and Di Shensi stepped out alone to speak with the military higher-ups. Their expressions shifted dramatically, putting on quite a show.

Then Di Shensi turned and waved at the convoy. The vehicles immediately started moving again, heading into the city.

“Finally back…”

Only now did the soldiers truly relax.

No one could guarantee they’d return from every expedition beyond the walls, but at least this time, they could still enjoy being alive.

Not just them—even Yu Xing breathed a huge sigh of relief. The world outside wasn’t just dangerous; living conditions were harsh. After this personal experience, Yu Xing genuinely admired those who voluntarily joined the Exploration Corps.

The vehicles moved at a steady pace into the city, and suddenly, the bustle of human life filled the air.

It wasn’t that the people outside were particularly loud, but the murmur of countless voices, the sounds of queuing vehicles, footsteps, running, and distant machinery—

All of it spoke one clear message.

“Welcome back to the human world,” the Earth God's Chosen said with a smile, watching the dazed expressions of Yu Xing and the others.

She took out her device. “Let’s add each other as friends. I’ve had a good impression of you all since the first time we met.”

“Really?” Miao Yuanjin asked skeptically. “I remember someone humming dismissively at me as they walked past.”

Undeterred, the Earth God's Chosen pressed Yu Xing, “Yu Xing, they all call you Xingxing—can I call you that too? I really like you. Let’s be friends.”

Yu Xing stared at her silently before slowly pulling out her device. “There’s nothing wrong with liking someone, but I should remind you—never fall for someone impossible.”

The Earth God's Chosen: “?”

Beside them, Zhao Lan’s alarm bells went on high alert. After days of brush with death in City 25, she’d totally forgotten about Yu Xing’s… issues!

She quickly offered her device to change the subject. “Add me first, add me first.”

After the two added each other, Yu Xing finally took out her device.

She held it in her hand, shook it, tapped it, and had to admit the truth.

“Seems like it’s out of battery,” Yu Xing apologized to the Earth God's Chosen.

“Huh?” The other woman was clearly crestfallen but quickly perked up. “No worries, we can add each other tomorrow.”

Once inside the military district, the vehicles stopped directly in front of the dormitory.

Yu Xing and the other three supported each other as they got out, all exhausted.

Upstairs, back in her room, Yu Xing plugged her device in to charge and got some clean clothes for a shower.

Hot water washed away the grime and dust, leaving her so comfortable she felt like singing.

So she did.

“The vast horizon is my love, flowers bloom beneath the rolling hills, what kind of song is the most swingin’…”

Just out of the shower, her hair still damp, Miao Yuanjin’s voice called through the door. “Finished up? Let’s go to the cafeteria together.”

Opening the door, Miao Yuanjin stepped in and peered curiously at the device on the desk. “Whose call was that earlier? It wouldn't stop ringing.”

Yu Xing was stunned. Her device was ringing? She hadn’t heard it.

When she checked, she saw—Suiyue had tried calling over a dozen times.

For a second, Yu Xing was baffled. She’d only just gotten back to the city, her device had only just begun charging—could Suiyue really have missed her that much?