Fantasy Game: Infinite City

"Gu~~Gu~~"

Han Zu stretched out his hand to push away some branches blocking his way, and walked steadily towards the depths of the primeval forest. As he went deeper into the primeval forest, even without using his perception ability, Han Zu could feel that there were many more wild animals near him. However, they might be somewhat afraid of Han Zu, whom they had never seen before. Many wild animals ran away immediately after discovering Han Zu.

"How's it going? How's the situation over there?"

"Not bad. The air quality here is very good, and there are many wild animals. Just now, I seemed to have heard some owls calling. Aren't these owls supposed to come out at night?"

"There are many trees in the primeval forest. Not only do they grow very thick, but the branches and leaves are also very dense. Therefore, the light inside the primeval forest is darker than outside. These owls may be affected to some extent. This is a normal phenomenon."

“Yo~~Yo~~~”

"It looks like some kind of deer has appeared near you. Their calls are very nice, but you should be careful. There may be natural enemies of deer in the primeval forest. According to our last investigation, the animals and plants in this primeval forest are much larger than what we have seen before."

"Relax, I can easily handle some predators."

"It's better to be cautious, γ."

"no problem."

Han Zu is communicating with the research team in the transmission laboratory of the Institute of Biology through a communication device composed of nanorobots implanted in his body. After controlling his body muscles, Han Zu moved some of the nanorobots to the neck, allowing these nanorobots to be combined into a real-time observation device. While ensuring a stable viewing angle, the real-time images of Han Zu's search process can be synchronized to the display screen of the transmission laboratory.

"According to our last route, with your current location as the origin, the last time we set up camp was one kilometer northwest of you. It was near that location that we saw the strange swamp."

Following the guidance of the research team, Han Zu quickly arrived at the location they mentioned. However, the area where the research team had originally set up the camp had been re-covered by plants, and no traces of the previous situation could be seen.

"It seems that the plants in this primeval forest are growing much faster than normal. There is no trace of you left behind in this place now."

"Indeed, we had similar speculations last time, but we didn't have time to study them in detail. γ, can you collect some plant samples? It would be best if you could also collect some soil samples from nearby."

"Okay, what do you want?"

According to the research team's requirements, Han Zu collected some nearby plant samples, as well as some whole small plants and the soil where they were rooted. The research team sent some special storage boxes to Han Zu. After Han Zu put the samples in, he sent the boxes back to the Institute of Biology.

"Received. We will immediately arrange for researchers to analyze these samples."

"Then I'll go on inside."

Han Zu looked around and walked forward, hearing the sounds of insects and various wild animals. Suddenly, he heard a low roar not far ahead, and Han Zu stopped. Looking in the direction of the sound, he saw a huge beast lying under a big tree, watching the surroundings vigilantly.

The beast looked like a giant mountain cat. Although it was a mountain cat, its size was not much different from that of a leopard. After it saw Han Zu, the beast roared in warning. Han Zu slowed down, raised one hand, and hummed in a low voice to try to appease the beast. At the same time, he slowly approached the beast. However, perhaps the wild animals in the primeval forest had never, or almost never, seen human-shaped creatures, so the beast seemed to be a little afraid of Han Zu. It noticed that there was a tree hole on the tree next to it, and it might be able to hide in it. So it jumped, climbed up the thick tree trunk nimbly, and got into the tree hole. From time to time, it showed its head and quietly observed Han Zu below.

"This should be a lynx. It may have grown to this size due to the special characteristics of this primeval forest. Of course, it may also be a lynx that has not yet been discovered, but its habits should be similar to other lynxes."

Han Zu took another look at the huge lynx in the tree hole above, feeling a little regretful that he couldn't pet the big cat. Although Han Zu was not very friendly to people, he was still good to animals, of course, provided that the animals did not attack Han Zu. So Han Zu temporarily left this position and continued to go deeper into the primeval forest.

"We're here. According to your current coordinates, starting from fifty meters in front of you is where we originally discovered the swamp."

"I'll go over and take a look."

Han Zu walked to the location where the research team had discovered the swamp, but now the swamp had disappeared. Han Zu squatted down and began to observe the ground. He found that the plants here did not grow after the swamp disappeared. The soil under his feet was damp gray. He picked up a handful of soil with his fingers, put it in front of his nose and sniffed it. There was no smell.

"The state of this soil seems to be different from the soil samples I collected just now, not only in color. Do you want to get some?"

"If possible, collect some more so we can do a comparative study."

After collecting some of this damp gray soil, Han Zu put them into the storage box sent by the research team.

"Wait a moment, γ, look at the remains of the plants around you, they look a bit special to me."

Han Zu took two steps forward and squatted on the ground. There were some plant remains on the ground, mostly dead leaves, and some dry branches. Han Zu gently picked up some dead leaves and branches. After observation, he found that these plant remains had lost their original colors, a bit like color distortion. Han Zu picked up these plant remains and put them in front of his nose and smelled them. Similarly, they had no smell.

"There seems to be something wrong with these plant remains, γ, put them in the storage box as well."

After putting the collected samples into a storage box and waiting for them to be transmitted back to the Biological Research Institute, Han Zu stood up and continued to go deeper inside. While talking with the research team, Han Zu soon arrived at the last location where the research team had gone deep before.

"The deepest point we entered during our last investigation was here. From here on, our protective clothing and the combat armor of the guards can no longer resist the corrosion of the swamp. If we go deeper, we will have no idea what is going on. Although the swamp has disappeared for some reason, you'd better be careful."

"Send me the swamp model you mapped last time, so I can see which direction is the center."

"no problem."

According to the swamp model drawn by the research team, Han Zu confirmed his location and the direction he was going to search. After recording the coordinates, Han Zu continued to go deeper. The ground here was similar to the outer area. The soil was also relatively moist and gray in color. However, the moisture and color of the soil did not deepen as Han Zu went deeper. There was basically no difference from the outermost area. Soon, Han Zu came to the location that was supposed to be the center of the swamp. He conducted an investigation here and extracted some soil samples located in the center of the swamp.

"It's a bit strange. According to my search, there should have been quite a few trees here, but now I can only see some dry tree roots underground. Judging from the size of the trees in the primeval forest, if a tree of this size is destroyed, it should be impossible for it to be silent. When you came to investigate, did you hear any sound? For example, the sound of a tree trunk breaking?"

"That's not the case. At least around the time we entered the swamp, we didn't hear any strange noises. We did hear the calls of some wild animals, but I think there should be no connection between the two."

"If these disappeared tree trunks are related to the formation of the swamp, it is possible that they were destroyed before you entered the primeval forest. How about this? Send a large storage box over and I will see if I can get an underground tree root out."

"no problem."

Using his ability of perspective, Han Zu confirmed the tangled tree roots under the nearby soil. He first dug up the nearby soil, and then carefully used the sharp blade reconstructed from the tentacles in his body to cut off some of the roots. Han Zu picked up a root and observed it. He found that the nearby tree roots were abnormally dry, which was very strange. Although the soil next to them was a little gray, they were still relatively moist. Logically, these tree trunks should not be so dry. However, Han Zu was not an expert in botany, and he couldn't figure out why. So Han Zu stopped thinking about these tree roots, arranged the cut roots, and put them into the large storage box that was sent over.

"Okay, I'll move on."

Continuing to go deeper into the primeval forest, Han Zu arrived at the junction of the outer and middle layers of the primeval forest an hour later. Although it was not the same location, it was in this area that the deserters under Himos and several members of the forces who supported the "Night Owl" organization at the time were attacked by mysterious creatures, resulting in their annihilation.

"In fact, I don't think they are all dead. Although the giant creature you photographed is indeed quite large, the deserters at that time also had quite a number of people. In the chaos, maybe some of them escaped."

"We don't rule out this possibility, but when we arrived at the scene, we did not detect any extra life signals. But at that time, we had not completely blocked off the primeval forest like we do now. In addition, it is very likely that the survivors, if any, have the ability to teleport or move long distances. According to what you said, this is indeed a possibility, but..."

"But what?"

"However, when we were evacuating from the primeval forest and photographing the giant creature, the transmitted signal was interfered to a certain extent. Although we did not notice it at the time, when we returned to the institute and checked the equipment, we did find traces of interference in the equipment records. Our personnel responsible for checking and repairing the equipment ruled out the possibility of interference from other devices. They confirmed that the interference came from an unknown life signal. By comparing the time when our equipment was interfered with, we can basically confirm that our equipment was interfered with after photographing the giant creature."

"You mean, the giant creature you photographed might have the ability to interfere with transmission signals?"

"Although we cannot confirm it 100% now, we believe that this possibility is very high, so our conclusion at the time about the deserters' team that was attacked was that there were no survivors."

"It's possible, but I'd better investigate first. If the giant creature can really interfere with the transmission signal, maybe we can find survivors. These survivors may have seen the giant creature with their own eyes. I'm not sure if I can find the giant creature, so if we can find survivors, it may be helpful to us."

"Do we need to contact people in other districts? There are several neighboring districts outside the primeval forest. It is very likely that someone witnessed traces of survivors at that time."

Han Zu thought about it for a while and asked the head of the Biological Research Institute next to the research team.

“When did our people start blocking off the primeval forest?”

"The specific time should be the day you left Q City, which was before the deserters' group was attacked. Our people discovered the deserters' group after they blocked off the primeval forest and entered the search. I remember the person in charge at that time should have reported it to you, γ."

"That's what happened. Do you still remember the report that the scout team brought back?"

"I remember that the scout team said that the deserters' team seemed to have just been attacked, and many of them were seriously injured, but they were not dead at the time. However, when our search team followed the scout team back, they had been wiped out. What do you think, γ?"

After thinking for a while, Han Zu expressed his speculation to the person on the other end of the communication.

"If that's the case, then there's a high chance that there will be survivors among the deserters. Judging from their physical fitness, the members of that mysterious force should be more likely to survive."

"But more than a month has passed. Even if there are survivors, they should have escaped long ago, right?"

"Not necessarily. You just said that giant creatures like that are likely to have some ability to interfere with transmission signals, right?"

"It is possible."

"That means that if you want to leave the primeval forest, you can only leave on foot. But our people had already started to block the deserters' group before they were attacked. And the people from that mysterious force know that the Infinite Company is looking for them, so they will definitely not confront us head-on. In this case, if there really are survivors from that time, then he or they are very likely still inside the primeval forest!"

"If that's the case, what do you need me to do? Do I need to notify other departments? Or send out a few search teams or something?"

"Not for now. After all, the giant creature has not been found yet. We don't know what it can do yet. If we rashly send a team, it is likely to cause unnecessary casualties. There is no need to notify other departments for now, but you can ask the Research Department and Engineering Department to send some robots over."

"No problem, I'll contact them right away. What about you? Do you want to come back first?"

"No, I'll continue searching. Maybe with some luck I can find two targets at once."

"Be carefulγ."

"OK."

After temporarily ending the communication, Han Zu rested for a few minutes. After making preparations, he continued to go deeper into the primeval forest.