After making the decision, soldiers quickly began their actions. They collected vines from the nearby forest, weaving them into baskets. These were then hung from iron chains. The chains looked rusted, as is common for items left unused for long periods in the mountains, but they were incredibly sturdy. Even after years of weathering, they showed no signs of breaking.
"If I had known we would have to cross three great rivers, I would have brought my Flying Feather Army. Under my training, they can fly freely in the sky," Shen Feng remarked with a sigh.
He had never anticipated the terrain would be so treacherous. The mountain ranges here could only be described as shattered. Many peaks appeared to have been ripped from the earth's crust, as if sliced by a knife. Numerous canyons were what legends called "a sliver of sky," meaning that when walking within them, one could only see a thin line of sky overhead. Navigating such an environment was a true test of both physical strength and mental fortitude.
Now, everyone had to sit in the baskets and slide across to the opposite side via the iron cables. The span was about fifty to sixty meters. While not a great distance, below them churned a muddy, turbulent river. Falling in meant being swept away by the current, with no hope of survival. Even many of the veteran soldiers felt a pang of anxiety.
"In the past, people lived in the mountains across the Nu River. They used this very iron cable to travel between the banks. To sell their livestock, many would find the high cables, tie the animals' legs, and slide them across. Many deep within the journey, terrified, would soil themselves in mid-air," the guide, an elderly man who clearly knew the area's history, recounted with a chuckle.
Hearing this, one of the veterans commented, "Never mind the livestock soiling themselves; I might have the same problem sliding across in mid-air."
Despite their fear, crossing the Nu River was unavoidable. Only by doing so could they find the insect nests and eradicate these damned creatures.
Thus, people took their places in the baskets. Those behind them stood on higher ground and kicked them forward. Soon, the vine-woven baskets slid like lightning along the iron cables to the opposite bank.
Many soldiers gripped the baskets tightly as they crossed the Nu River, worried that the vine-woven baskets might be unstable. If they fell into the river, their fate would be sealed.
And indeed, during the crossing, the expected happened. As some soldiers slid along the cables, the vine-woven baskets beneath them suddenly snapped. They plunged into the river, only to be swept away before they could even cry out.
Fortunately, Yu Ren Shu was watching nearby. While he couldn't control the river's flow, rescuing people from it was quite simple. Whenever someone fell into the water, he would activate his ability, forming a water dragon in the river to lift them out of the water and bring them to shore.
At this moment, Chu Chaoyan also wanted to experience this unique form of transport. After all, this method of travel looked similar to the cable cars found in scenic spots, except here the power came from the terrain's elevation difference, whereas in parks, it was driven by electricity.
Shen Feng quickly tried to stop her. "You absolutely must not take any risks. Let me carry you across. I can definitely fly you over without any problems."
Chu Chaoyan was already several months pregnant, around four to five months. Any mishap at this stage could easily lead to a miscarriage. Shen Feng did not want anything to happen to the woman he loved, so he had to prevent her from taking such a risk.
"Honestly, you're so timid. Do you think I don't know my own body? The child isn't even fully formed yet, and it won't hinder my movements!" Chu Chaoyan muttered.
However, in the end, Shen Feng carried her across the Nu River, flying through the sky, and they finally landed on the opposite bank.
The now-streamlined team was reduced to two thousand people. While still a considerable number, each person carried many bottles and containers filled with poison, requiring careful handling. Everyone was moving forward under a heavy burden.
"I've already sensed the presence of many insects nearby, all mutated fruit flies. If we continue forward, we'll reach their lair soon," Lu Xian announced.
"In that case, everyone put on your goggles. I'm about to use my ability. No matter what kind of insects there are, they won't be able to approach us from the sky," Shen Feng declared.
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately put on their goggles. Although their vision became slightly blurred, it prevented sand from entering their eyes. This was a distinguishing feature of the Yu Prefecture's army compared to others; each soldier was issued a pair of goggles to prevent accidental injury from Shen Feng's abilities.
Seeing that everyone was ready, Shen Feng began to unleash his power. This time, he used "Vast East Wind," gathering countless gusts of wind and directing them continuously westward. It was autumn, and for most of China, northwesterly winds were dominant, blowing from the northwest towards the southeast. However, in Dian Province, this situation changed. The winds here were so consistent that they barely changed with the seasons, often remaining quasi-stationary fronts.
Thus, a fierce wind arose in the forest, instantly whipping up dust and leaves. This area was filled with pine forests, where leaves fell year-round, and the ground was covered with a thick layer of pine needles. These needles, when rotten, would have been excellent fertilizer, but now, swept by the wind, they flew through the air. The visibility in the sky immediately dropped. In such conditions, it was impossible for insects to approach from above, as even humans struggled to maintain their footing while advancing in the gale. Fortunately, everyone carried heavy equipment, which helped them stay steady.
"We don't need to worry about ourselves, but what about the majority of the young people at our encampment? Can they defend against the fruit fly attacks?" Chu Chaoyan suddenly posed this question.
Shen Feng replied, "We can't concern ourselves with those behind us. Besides, Yu Ren Shu is there to look after them. Her ability is to control water flow, and by the Nu River, her abilities can be maximized. Why worry so much? Our most important task is to destroy the insect nests."
Hearing this, Chu Chaoyan could only set aside her concerns. Her current mission was clearly more critical.
Advancing amidst the howling winds, the two thousand soldiers moved forward. They traveled by day and rested by night, finally finding a valley on the third day. This valley contained numerous streams, which converged to form a marshland. Entering this marshland would be life-threatening for most, as fruit fly nests were located on the nearby slopes, and the marsh itself held many dangers. One wrong step could lead to being buried alive.
Upon seeing the human army appear, the insects immediately launched an attack. However, the strong winds continued to blow through the sky. Although the fruit flies had grown larger, about the size of mosquitoes, they still couldn't maintain their formation in the air. The moment they took flight, they were swept away by the wind. Shen Feng's ability now covered a radius of twenty kilometers. Within this area, no insect could fly freely. Even withered leaves were ruthlessly torn from branches.
"Finally, we've found the lair of these damned insects. I didn't expect these mountains to be full of their nests. Now it's our turn to act. Quickly poison these streams. Speaking of which, it's unlikely any humans live in this vicinity; it's too remote," Shen Feng commanded upon finding the fruit fly nests.
"But what if these fruit flies move their nests later?" Chu Chaoyan inquired.
Shen Feng responded calmly, "Don't worry. These insects aren't that intelligent. After we poison them, we just need to leave and observe for a couple of days to determine if this attack is effective."
Shen Feng did not believe these insects possessed such high intelligence as to discern poisoned water sources. Therefore, poisoning them was the priority. Whether the poison would be effective later would only be known after a few days. In the meantime, everyone had to use their own carried water supply and not drink from local sources.
Following Shen Feng's orders, countless soldiers began their actions in the valley. The valley was vast, surrounded by dozens of peaks. Each soldier carried many bottles. Upon finding water sources or streams, they immediately poured poison into them. This was a pale green poison that instantly turned water highly toxic, especially effective against insects.
Many insects do drink water. It's just that most people haven't observed them closely, leading them to believe insects don't drink. However, as animals, insects also face dehydration. At such times, they will drink from surrounding water sources, just like many flies, mosquitoes, or butterflies.
Soldiers took out their bottles, found water sources, opened the caps or stoppers, and poured the highly toxic substances into them. Afterward, they simply tossed the bottles into the nearby grass and paid them no further mind. Carrying such trash out would be very difficult, and at that point, they didn't care about polluting the environment. These plastic containers could be discarded in the mountains without issue. The bottles were all marked with skull and crossbones symbols indicating poison. Anyone who saw these bottles would not take them home.
The wind continuously blew through the air, creating a "whooshing" sound in the valley. This wind was particularly fierce. If any insect flew out of its cave, it would be instantly blown twenty kilometers away, unable to maintain its flight. Consequently, large numbers of fruit flies remained hidden in their nests, daring not to venture out.
The soldiers, hearing the strange whistling wind from above, felt a chill. Walking in the deep mountains inherently made one feel as if unseen eyes were watching them. The wind from the sky now made them feel even more unsettled.
"The City Lord's ability is strong, but using it in the mountains sounds terrifying," one soldier commented.
Others felt the same. The wind sounds from the sky were like ghostly wails, making everyone feel uneasy.
"Stop the nonsense and hurry up with the poisoning. Only by completing the mission quickly can we leave this valley. It's a pity for these insects. They never expected us to attack with poison. If they had stayed in their caves, we would have been helpless. But now that they can only drink water nearby, they have only themselves to blame," someone urged, eager to finish poisoning the area and leave.