Shen Feng, upon hearing that he was responsible for the rescue, immediately stated, "No problem, it's just saving people, I can definitely do it."
With the plan decided, the next step was to allocate forces. Some people would be responsible for delaying the return of the Tree People, while others would enter the depths of the cave to rescue the captives. This required the six present ability users to be divided into two groups. It was ultimately decided that Qi Lingshan and Zhang Zi would be responsible for containing the Tree People, and the remaining four would be responsible for the rescue.
Shen Feng looked at Qi Lingshan. Qi Lingshan's complexion had returned to normal, indicating that the fire poison within him had been almost completely cleared. "How are you? Is your body able to fight?"
Qi Lingshan quickly nodded and said directly, "Of course, there's no problem. It's just holding back the Tree People, a trivial matter. I can definitely do it."
To overcome their weakness to fire, the Tree People chose to soak in water. With increased moisture, their resistance to flames was enhanced. Xiao Sheng could not gain any advantage against the Tree People. However, as the saying goes, when God closes a door, he opens a window. With more moisture, Zhang Zi could control ice and snow, and Qi Lingshan could freeze the Tree People with liquid nitrogen, preventing them from escaping.
The task of rescuing the trapped personnel fell to Shen Feng. Shen Feng needed to rely on his extreme speed to rescue the ability users who were trapped in the depths of the cave. Based on Xiao Sheng's observations in the past few days, the captured ability users were not killed but were hung on trees. It was unknown what they ate daily, but they had not starved. However, similarly, they were unable to move.
Lu Xian's identity was special; he appeared as an observer, responsible for monitoring the abnormal behavior of the Tree People. It would be best if he could discover the Tree People's weaknesses, but if not, it wouldn't be a big deal, as Lu Xian's ability was not suited for combat.
When night fell, Shen Feng, along with Xiao Sheng and Jin Zijue, hid in a side cave. These caves were very low, likely having formed not long ago. The Tree People would not be able to enter the caves to capture people, let alone the numerous burrows dug by marmots underground. Hiding would not be difficult.
Meanwhile, Zhang Zi and Qi Lingshan went outside the cave. Once the Tree People left the cave, they would be responsible for blocking the entrance to prevent their return.
The mutated plant hid deep underground. This was the most timid mutated plant Shen Feng had ever seen. The Nine Deaths Returning Soul Tree encountered in Fish Town had shrouded an area of twenty kilometers with mist, hunting hundreds of thousands of zombies and countless mutated beasts within the mist. In Australia, he had seen the Hundred Year Orchid, which continuously fought zombies and guarded a hilltop, making the zombie tide unable to advance. He had even encountered mutated plants stretching for kilometers in New Guinea, which could resist even fire.
These mutated plants were incredibly powerful and appeared openly before everyone. Even the Plant Heart in Fish Town hid only dozens of meters underground, making it easy to access. Yet, in a place like Siberia, with its vast and sparsely populated land, hiding underground and obtaining energy would not be simple.
Normal plants obtain energy from sunlight through photosynthesis. Mutated plants are different. Among the methods of mutated plants is decomposing animal carcasses to obtain energy. In other words, they shifted from the role of producers to producers and consumers, with energy from other animals even occupying a larger portion.
However, the mutated plant Shen Feng encountered now, perhaps out of extreme fear of death, chose to hide several hundred meters underground. During the day, they did not send out Tree People to hunt, which further reduced the energy they could obtain. Only a few dozen Tree People were found in the cave. This number was incomparable to the numerous Tree People Shen Feng had seen in Fish Town several years ago. The scale then was many times larger than now. It was no exaggeration to say that there were nearly two hundred Tree People underground. If sunlight could not eliminate the Tree People, Shen Feng would not have found a suitable way to deal with them.
As Qi Lingshan was leaving, he said to Shen Feng, "City Lord, if we delay until daytime, then it will be up to you. It's been sunny lately. As long as the mist is dispersed, a large number of Tree People can be eliminated."
Shen Feng nodded and replied, "No problem. If the Tree People are still outside during the day, I will use my ability to disperse the mist. You all be careful and don't push yourselves too hard."
The two parties then parted ways and began their actions. As night fell, many vines suddenly grew from the cave opposite the cliff, crossing the deep crevice and entwining around the stone pillars on Shen Feng's side, forming a suspension bridge. Tall Tree People walked out from inside and crossed the suspension bridge to the exit tunnel. This scene was witnessed by everyone. Xiao Sheng and Jin Zijue were fine; they had seen it too many times and found nothing unusual. However, for Shen Feng and Lu Xian, it was astonishing enough.
"These Tree People can even build bridges, that's amazing. It seems we can also reach the other side using this suspension bridge," Lu Xian couldn't help but say.
Jin Zijue quickly stopped him, saying, "These vines grow from the mutated plant. It knows exactly what is on the suspension bridge. If we walk on it, we will soon be entangled by the vines."
The suspension bridge could support the Tree People passing over it, and supporting a few humans would not be a difficult task. However, once someone appeared on the suspension bridge, they would immediately be caught. Someone had already tried this, and only after being caught did they understand.
"If we can't even walk on the suspension bridge, how do we get across? Jump? If we fall, we'll never know where we'll be washed away," Lu Xian asked urgently.
Below the crevice, it was unknown how deep it was or what the situation was. If one accidentally fell into the water, it would be alright, and there would be a chance to survive. But if one fell on the shore, then forget it, there would be no hope of survival.
Xiao Sheng pointed to the stone wall on one side. On both ends of the cliff, there were dark iron chains. Ordinary people would not see the chains if they didn't look carefully.
"See the chains here? We will reach the other side from here. I've calculated that over thirty Tree People have gone out, and more than twenty Tree People remain. Do you have anything else to say?" Xiao Sheng asked.
Upon hearing that there were still more than twenty Tree People in the depths of the cave, Lu Xian immediately lost the desire to enter. Fifty or more Tree People could eliminate a massive force of five thousand people. The Tree People were too ferocious. If he encountered them, he might not be able to defeat them.
With this thought, Lu Xian quickly said, "I won't go in. I'll go observe how these Tree People leaving the cave depart. You all do your best."
After speaking, Lu Xian followed the more than thirty Tree People, making no sound along the way.
Shen Feng did not stop Lu Xian. He knew Lu Xian's abilities. In combat, Lu Xian's strongest aspect was predicting enemy movements and making judgments. In the current situation, Lu Xian's ability was of little use. If he wanted to observe the Tree People, then so be it.
"You two, you'll cover me later. Try to hold off the Tree People. I will quickly go and rescue the people. As for how many I can save, that's not something I can predict," Shen Feng said seriously.
Xiao Sheng and Jin Zijue both nodded, indicating that they would definitely complete the mission. Wasn't it just holding off the Tree People? A simple matter.
After discussing, Shen Feng prepared to set off. He stepped onto the iron chain and used "Swift as the Wind," reaching the other side of the cliff in the blink of an eye. Water continuously flowed out of the cave. Walking inside the cave, his feet were immediately submerged by the water, and his shoes and socks were soaked. Fortunately, the temperature of the water was not too low; it was room temperature.
It was also fortunate that it was underground. The thick soil and rock could block the transfer of temperature. If it were in a forest, being soaked by water would definitely be bone-chilling.
At this moment, Shen Feng suddenly remembered something. The reason why the mutated plant hid underground might be because of the outside temperature. In Siberia, the most common forest is coniferous forest, and the weather is cold, so only coniferous forests can survive. The mutated plant's reluctance to stay on the ground was likely due to the low temperature, which could freeze it to death.
"So, this thing might also be afraid of the cold. I didn't consider this before," Shen Feng thought to himself.
Shen Feng had already experienced the Siberian winter. It was a true "three feet of frozen ground," where crops could only be planted in the summer, and winter was long. In such a situation, mutated plants were very likely to be frozen to death by the cold weather. Therefore, overall, for mutated plants to survive at high latitudes, hiding underground was the only option. At most, they could appear in the summer when Siberia would not be particularly cold.
"Let's go, let's finish quickly, so as not to be discovered by those Tree People," Xiao Sheng urged.
The three then rushed into the cave. In this cave, no lighting equipment was needed because the walls on both sides were covered with vines, and these vines had many glowing fruits. So many fluorescent fruits were enough to provide illumination.
"Damn it, we've been discovered again. These Tree People seem to have eyes. Let's hurry and charge through them." Xiao Sheng suddenly saw many vines appearing at the cave entrance in the distance. These vines seemed to be blocking the entrance. Upon discovering this, Xiao Sheng immediately realized that the Tree People were likely trying to block the path.
The three then accelerated. Upon reaching the cave entrance, Xiao Sheng threw a huge fireball from his hand, instantly burning away all the vines at the entrance, revealing the full panorama of the underground world.
As Shen Feng rushed into the underground world, he immediately looked around and was stunned. What appeared before his eyes was not the imagined brutal scene, but a picture of a paradise. In the distance, a waterfall flowed from the cliff face, splashing countless water droplets into the pool with a "rumbling" sound. In the center of the pool was a small island with a giant tree.
The tree was dotted with fluorescent fruits, like stars in the night sky, illuminating the cave. The entire underground space looked colorful. For the first time, it made people feel magnificent and beautiful. If it weren't for the many Tree People in the cave, living here would have been a good choice.
Under the large tree in the distance, countless semi-transparent cages were hanging. These cages contained digestive fluid. The digested animals were left with only bones and fur. Scattered on the ground were more than twenty people, hung on the tree by vines, not yet digested.
"Shen Feng, hurry up. It all depends on you now. Success or failure is at stake," Jin Zijue shouted loudly.
After speaking, Jin Zijue immediately charged towards a Tree Person, not slowing down at all. Arcs of electricity leaped all over his body, and the voltage was already very strong. Even if he encountered an elephant, he could electrocute it to death.
Xiao Sheng was also buying time for Shen Feng. He sprayed flames from his hand, forming a fire dragon to block the approach of the Tree People.
Shen Feng then used "Swift as the Wind" and "Water Walking," continuously approaching the giant tree on the island in the lake. There were more than twenty Tree People in the cave. Shen Feng didn't have time to count them. In any case, all these Tree People were being held back by Xiao Sheng and Jin Zijue. Shen Feng only needed to focus on rescuing the people.