Chapter 348: Jungle Expedition III
Chapter 348: Jungle Expedition III
"Sigh..."
"We came here to find medicine to treat our injuries, but how did we end up with such an unexpected turn of events?"
Alone in the forest, Lindsey couldn't help but sigh in exasperation.
If someone more independent-minded were here, taking advantage of the forest's hostility not targeting them, they would have already been figuring out a way to leave.
But Lindsey wasn't that kind of person.
In the valley sanctuary behind him, his companions, who had come with the purpose of saving people and ending the forest anomaly, were trapped.
These courageous individuals were now facing danger.
No matter what, Lindsey couldn't bring himself to abandon them and flee alone.
"Responsibility, responsibility..."
He sighed as he glanced at his backpack once more.
It was a shame that the valley sanctuary didn't produce any Soul Blue Lilies.
However, before their departure, his companions had collected several rare plants, which Lindsey now identified:
"After consuming this, one will emit a strong foul odor when smelling or eating anything, known as the Hundred Stink Flower; this one possesses a powerful sleep-inducing effect, enhancing self-healing abilities during sleep, called the Sleep Cure Grass; and this one has an extremely delicious taste, but causes a lifelong allergy to meat, known as the Meat Poison Root..."
"These effects are indeed diverse and unusual."
Lindsey eyed the plants in his hand with apprehension.
The Meat Poison Root, in particular, was permanently off the table for him.
Each plant had different effects, and when crafted into potions, their original effects would be enhanced.
Even if they weren't useful now, there would surely be a time in the future when they would come in handy.
Moreover, Lindsey's greatest reward, aside from these plants, was the lake water that had buried the Elemental Manipulator.
[Ingredient: Life Lake Water]
[Can replace regular water in potion-making materials, enhancing the effects of the resulting potions.]
[A rare alchemical ingredient, of moderate value.]
Facing the abundant lake water, Lindsey didn't hold back.
He filled a large container and placed it in his backpack, ensuring that for a good while, his potion-making would yield pleasant surprises.
Meanwhile, Jungle Expedition II also displayed a completed status.
[Magical Seed: Sunflower]
[A sunflower that absorbs sunlight, and upon accumulating a certain amount, will condense a portion of solar essence on its petals.]
[A rare magical seed, of moderate value.]
Upon reading the description of the Sunflower, Lindsey immediately decided to plant it in his shop.
However, the current environment was certainly not suitable for such an activity.
After claiming his rewards, Lindsey's gaze returned to the task list, and indeed, he noticed new changes.
"Watering Can?"
Lindsey's eyebrows arched.
The other two items in the task rewards were straightforward.
But this watering can...
"The task reward wouldn't be a broken can, so this must have some special function."
Lindsey contemplated the potential benefits as he raced through the forest.
The forest's ley lines were like an invisible network.
And the anomalies within the forest were nodes along these lines.
With the coordinates of the Toxic Fog Enclave and the valley sanctuary, along with the water-related clue, Lindsey could roughly determine the direction of these ley lines.
Even if absolute precision was impossible.
But with the assistance of his [Map] skill, he wouldn't miss his targets.
At this moment, Lindsey was acting alone.
His speed was significantly faster than before.
But it was only after a full week that he finally encountered a brand-new anomaly in the forest.
This was a stream that hugged the base of the mountain, flowing gently.
In the map Lindsay had purchased, there was a record of this very river, and the cartographer had even given it a name—Stream Moon River.
But at this moment, the Stream Moon River lacked the beauty one would expect from a forest stream.
The air near the river was filled with a putrid stench.
Even the forest animals were nowhere to be seen in the vicinity.
"So smelly..."
"Does this mean I'm close to my destination?"
Lindsay's eyebrows arched in curiosity.
Based on the conditions of the previous two hidden realms, he might have reached the right place.
With this thought, Lindsay opened the map again, and without even needing to expand his reconnaissance range, he immediately spotted a new mark on it.
A solitary yellow dot lay on the opposite bank of the Stream Moon River.
"Why is it yellow...?"
Lindsay was perplexed.
The guild members surely wouldn't have good intentions towards him.
Even the Awakened mercenaries hired by the merchants displayed hostile red marks when it came to Lindsay.
Seeing a neutral character in the forest like this was indeed puzzling.
With his doubts, Lindsay crossed the river and headed towards the marked location on the opposite bank.
Under a crooked, withered tree, Lindsay found the subject of the yellow mark.
It was a human.
The person lay beside the tree, surrounded by severed trees and plant debris, the result of his actions.
As a consequence, the man's chest had been pierced by a thick tree trunk, his blood staining his clothes and the ground beneath him.
Such an injury would be fatal, even for an Awakened!
"Huh?"
"Is he dying?"
Lindsay hurried over, and indeed, the man was barely clinging to life.
But Lindsay's actions roused the man's consciousness in his final moments. He opened his eyes, his vision blurry as he looked at Lindsay before him.
Upon realizing that the person before him was not an enemy, he struggled to raise his right hand, placing a ring before Lindsay:
"Al... Alarina..."
"Don't talk. Drink this, and I'll see if I can save you..."
Lindsay wouldn't leave someone to die.
He held the man in his arms, took out a healing potion, and transferred Life Essence to him.
But just as he began the treatment, the man's arm, which had raised the ring, fell limp.
Lindsay slowly put down the potion.
He took another look at the deceased, and some clues caught his eye.
The man's body was rapidly dissipating Essence, indicating that he was an Awakened.
Coincidentally, Lindsay recognized the man's clothing—the uniform worn by guards and city hall staff in Nine Bays City.
"Someone from Nine Bays City..."
Lindsay recalled the information he had obtained earlier.
The organizer and the Law Knight had engaged in a fierce battle within the city, both eventually disappearing.
The presence of such a deceased person in the forest meant there were events unfolding here that Lindsay was unaware of.
Following the teachings of the Death School, Lindsay dug a pit beside the withered tree, preparing to bury the body.
But just as he was about to cover the corpse, a confused female voice suddenly sounded from behind him:
"Who are you?"
"This aura... Wait! Lindsay? What are you doing here?"
Hearing the voice, Lindsay's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly turned around.
He had been wondering how someone could approach him so silently.
But upon seeing the person's appearance, his confusion dissipated.
The voice belonged to an old acquaintance, Qinggan, a Stage Six Life Scholar from Volcano City!
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
