Chapter 542: Chu Mo Island (Part 8)
Chapter 542: Chu Mo Island (Part 8)
Lie Sen De's response was surprisingly specific. He raised his arm and pointed, saying, "Head in that direction, pass through the Taunting Forest, wade across the ghostswamp, and you'll see the Shrine."
After delivering this clue, he turned and left, quickly disappearing from the players' sight.
The group wasted no time and immediately set off toward the direction Lie Sen De had indicated. Ji Bu grumbled as he walked, "Turns out the guy with the axe is just cheap labor for chopping trees and clearing paths..."
"Seems perfectly suited to your chosen faith and Faction", Feng Bu Jue teased.
"Take this, you bastard!" Ji Bu retorted, deciding this four-letter phrase was the most appropriate reply.
"Hahah..." Feng Bu Jue laughed without offense, "Though on a related note...being Chaotic Evil does have its perks. Take those four words you just said—I couldn't utter them even if I wanted to."
"Eh? That's true", Tian Ma Xing Kong interjected. Obviously testing it himself, he tried to speak but found his speech blocked.
"Interesting..." Hong Hu added, "I can't say those words either. It seems only those who chose Edient as their faith can actually speak them."
"So what?" Ji Bu shrugged. "That doesn't actually gain us anything."
"Not sure about gains", Fei Chai Shu said, "but this confirms one thing—this 'faith selection' plot hasn't finished influencing us yet."
"Exactly", Hong Hu agreed. "Based on this, I'd speculate that during the upcoming game progression, we'll likely encounter challenges requiring specific faiths to resolve."
"Mm", Feng Bu Jue nodded, adding, "One more thing to note—while different faiths can solve different problems, they might also bring their own unique headaches."
They continued talking as they walked out of the forest.
Ahead, a towering cliff wall emerged, with a canyon-like chasm splitting its center. The crimson moonlight bathed the gap in grotesque tree shadows.
"Merely looking at it from afar gives me chills", Ji Bu muttered, trudging forward with his axe in hand, his voice drained of energy.
"I find it sounds fascinating", Feng Bu Jue countered. "Should expand my vocabulary nicely." Ever since reading the Equipment Description of [Tree Taunter Must Die], he'd developed a strong interest in Taunting Trees.
"You're already verbose enough", Fei Chai Shu honestly replied.
"Heh...learning never ends", Feng Bu Jue quipped.
Soon, they reached the steep gorge entrance, single file entering the eerie grove.
The soil here was ash-gray, like solidified embers. The air reeked of sulfur. Trees surrounded them, their bark dark brown, trunks twisted like giant pythons, roots tangled in chaotic knots, branches contorted into wild, unnatural shapes—as if these trees weren't just standing, but dancing in frenzied motion.
"Do you hear that?" Ji Bu suddenly turned, his face pale as he addressed his teammates.
"Yeah...sounds like whispering", Feng Bu Jue replied, his calm demeanor and smug expression helping ease the tension. "Probably just spooky ambiance—nothing substantial to worry about."
"R-right..." Tian Ma Xing Kong, sweating behind his spectacles, steadied himself at Feng Bu Jue's words.
After entering the Taunting Forest, subtle sounds had begun creeping into their ears—indistinct murmurs, impossible to decipher.
To Feng Bu Jue, these were trivial. But in such a dark, eerie environment, most people hearing intermittent phantom whispers would naturally feel unease.
"Ahahahahaha!" Suddenly, a thunderous, maniacal laughter shattered the silence.
The sudden sonic assault sent everyone's Terror Value skyrocketing (Feng Bu Jue excepted).
"Who's there?" Ji Bu tensed, gripping his axe handle so tightly his palms had turned sweaty.
"Da-da!" Another startling yell erupted.
"Oh hahahaha..."
"Hehehehe..."
Malicious laughter and taunts echoed like whirlwinds, spinning between trees, impossible to trace.
"Stay calm", Hong Hu wiped sweat from his temple, voice steady despite tension. "Eight out of ten chances those sounds come from the trees themselves." He adjusted his glasses. "Everyone, we're in the Taunting Forest—wasn't this environment already part of our expectations?"
"Heh...hehe..." Tian Ma Xing Kong's heroically handsome face twitched like it had muscle spasms, struggling to maintain composure. "Of course! A true hero wouldn't fear such a minor scene!"
Before Brother Horse finished speaking, a sudden shriek erupted from nowhere: "Bomb!"
"Ahhh!" Tian Ma Xing Kong's scalp prickled with fear. He yelped, instantly assuming his Meteor Strike Fist stance. "Who's there?! Have the guts to face me in single combat!"
"Hahaha! Scared into rage already? What a pathetic loser", came the insulted commentary as Taunting Trees emerged—one, two...then more.
At this moment, every nearby tree underwent grotesque transformation. Each bark sprouted raised human faces, their patterns flowing like liquid, gathering into hair and beard-like formations on the "faces."
"Quick, look! Here comes a group of humans."
"I bet we can stew them like celery sticks."
"Yeah, third-rate adventurers make top-tier side dishes! Hahaha!"
"Hey, you cross-dresser over there—ever considered gender reassignment surgery?"
"Sleeping robe-wearing blind man—why not go find yourself a cane?"
"Hero boy, don't worry—I won't attack your character...because you've got no personality to begin with! Hahaha!"
"Four-eyes! Bullfrog! Four-eyes! Bullfrog! Four-eyes..."
True to their name, the Taunting Trees began their verbal onslaught, improvising cruel jokes based on the players' features—each insult freshly crafted, never repeated.
"Hey you! Yes, you!" One tree barked at Feng Bu Jue. "Think you're so mighty, huh? Ah~I can read it in your eyes, arrogant little brat. Let me tell you exactly what you are—dressing like a mad parrot, fashion sense? You're some garlic-sausage-obsessed bumpkin, and your speech smells like beans trying to escape a cow's digestive tract!"
Feng Bu Jue listened without showing the slightest anger. He nodded thoughtfully, muttering under his breath as if memorizing this priceless verbal gem for future use...
(End of Chapter)
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