Apocalypse: Master of Soul Beasts
Chapter 56 - 13 Bird in a Cage_1

Chapter 56: Chapter 13 Bird in a Cage_1

Wen Yu watched as Cyclops slowed down until it ultimately couldn’t move at all. Countless vines kept wrapping around Cyclops, gradually encasing it in a green cocoon.

Wen Yu sighed and initiated the 2nd Soul Realm.

A purple light flashed from the green cocoon, after which the mass of plants collapsed, and Cyclops returned to the 2nd Soul Realm.

Summoning Cyclops again, Wen Yu meticulously examined its injuries.

Cyclops was full of energy. Seeing it was out of danger, it roared fiercely ahead, as if eager for another round with the vines.

The mutated plant, seeing its prey disappear, slithered directly towards Cyclops like a snake.

Cyclops got a fright. However, the mutated plant’s mobility was weak. It had sprung less than ten meters before losing all strength to advance.

Ignoring the childish provocations between Cyclops and the vines, Wen Yu carefully examined Cyclops’s wounds.

There were many wounds, an incredible number, densely covering Cyclops’s body.

However, these injuries were very slight; some hadn’t even pierced Cyclops’s epidermis. The wounds on its body looked as if they were made by needles, and some parts still had sharp wooden thorns embedded in them.

He forcefully pulled out the longest wooden thorn. Blood dripped from the wound but then stopped flowing under the Enhanced Healing ability, and the injury gradually disappeared from sight.

The wooden thorn was less than three centimeters long. Wen Yu lightly pricked his own hand with it.

As a Level 2 professionist, Wen Yu’s skin was very tough, so he had to use considerable force to pierce his flesh with the thorn.

There was no feeling of numbness, only insignificant pain, proving that there was no poison on these plant spikes.

This was the best possible news. If the vines were poisonous, Wen Yu wouldn’t have been able to break free from such a large number of mutant vines.

No longer paying attention to the menacingly waving vines nearby, Wen Yu headed towards the farmland with Cyclops.

After walking just under a hundred meters and seeing fewer mutant vines, Wen Yu said to Cyclops again, "Go up and try again."

"WOOF WOOF WOOF."

Seeing the resentful look in Cyclops’s eyes, Wen Yu felt helpless. "Think about it," he said, "do we want to face these plants, or go back and find Simba?"

Cyclops immediately fell silent, lowered its head, and charged forward with indomitable spirit.

As Cyclops sprinted, a dense rustling sound arose again from the farmland.

Wen Yu could even see the mutant vines that had attacked Cyclops earlier continuously burrowing underground. Then, the ground seemed to bulge, surging constantly in Cyclops’s direction.

Wen Yu’s eyes lit up. He immediately entered combat status and then sprinted madly towards the road.

Cyclops absorbed most of the pressure. By the time Wen Yu dashed onto the road, there weren’t many mutant vines left underground. Wen Yu directly chopped up the few that remained.

In the blink of an eye, Wen Yu had already surpassed the point Cyclops had reached earlier.

Then, Wen Yu roared, "Damn!"

Wen Yu was seen dashing back even faster than before. Behind him, more mutant plants emerged from underground, densely packed and seemingly endless.

Fortunately, Wen Yu noticed the danger in time and retreated, avoiding entanglement.

After running a safe distance away, Wen Yu watched as the area where Cyclops had been once again turned into a large mass of plants. He deactivated his combat status and recalled Cyclops.

"This is a problem now," Wen Yu muttered, lowering his head to consider how to handle the situation, while Cyclops busily tore at the grass roots beside him.

"Let’s go. We’ll try another direction."

Looking at the reluctant Cyclops following him, Wen Yu felt helpless.

If most of the area is like this, then I probably can’t break through alone.

...

Things often tend to develop for the worst.

Wen Yu once again activated the 2nd Soul Realm and recalled Cyclops. Seeing Cyclops’s bloodshot eyes staring fiercely at him, Wen Yu couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt.

Anyone would have that expression after being used as a pathfinding stone to charge into a pile of vines dozens of times.

"Alright, no more tries. We’re not trying anymore," Wen Yu said, trying to placate Cyclops.

Wen Yu had already understood the current situation.

He, and perhaps all living creatures in Hualin Town, were trapped in this huge cage. Wen Yu had tried dozens of times, probing nearly the entire perimeter of Hualin Town.

In the end, he discovered that the mutant plants’ defensive power showed no obvious weak points.

It’s as if these plants can move freely underground. Wherever any creature tries to break out, these plants can rush over, creating the illusion that we’re completely surrounded by mutant plants.

This analysis seemed most likely, because it was impossible for any single type of creature to blockade an entire town at this stage.

We can’t break out for now. And in Hualin Town, there probably aren’t many zombies or mutant plants left for me to hunt to get stronger. These plants will continuously tighten their encirclement until Hualin Town is completely swallowed.

If only there were more people to draw the attention of these vines...

The ruthless glint in Wen Yu’s eyes intensified. Hualin Town still had many living people, after all.

...

「The center of Hualin Town.」

Inside Li Quan’an’s camp, a "grand" dinner was in progress.

The main course consisted of mutant beast meat and a few stewed vegetable dishes—a rare delicacy in this apocalyptic world.

Li Quan’an sat in the main seat, with Sun Ruixing by his side.

Judging by Li Quan’an’s cheerful chatter, he was clearly very satisfied with his current life.

Sun Ruixing, sitting beside him, hesitated to speak several times. Finally, he couldn’t hold back any longer and said to Li Quan’an, "Mayor Li, I feel your arrangements for the elderly earlier were somewhat inappropriate."

"Oh? And what might Brother Sun be referring to?" Li Quan’an retorted with a smile.

Sun Ruixing took a large swig of strong white liquor, then said dejectedly, "Mayor Li, I see you don’t take care of the elderly and children at all. You have them doing strenuous labor, washing vegetables, and cooking. Even their living quarters are on the outskirts of the camp. I’m afraid these people will harbor significant resentment towards the camp. Besides, this is completely unethical."

"Brother Sun," Li Quan’an said sternly, putting down his wine cup. "I won’t beat around the bush with you either. You know what the world outside is like. I can only say that danger lurks everywhere.

"Right now, everyone in the camp who can fight must go out and fight. Are you saying those without combat strength should do nothing?

"Having them do what they are capable of—that is fairness. That is true protection for them.

"As for these elderly people and children, I will have people take extra care of them. Brother Sun, you can rest assured."