Chapter 190
In the basement, thanks to the presence of glowing fruits, it didn’t feel dark.
Kang Kang immediately noticed the glowing fruit and pointed at it, exclaiming, “Fruit! Shiny!”
Glowing fruits emitted light like mutated lantern fruits, but their appearance was quite different. They gave off a warm yellow glow rather than the lantern fruit’s eerie blue.
Seeing Kang Kang’s interest, Tang Yu’an took one from his portable storage and handed it to him.
“Thank you, big brother!”
Kang Kang joyfully hugged the fruit, rubbed it against his cheek, and then tried to tuck it into his little backpack.
“If you put it in your bag, it might get squished. How about I keep it for you until we’re back?” Tang Yu’an suggested.
After a moment’s hesitation, Kang Kang handed the glowing fruit back to him and began exploring the small room with curious eyes.
Meanwhile, Zhou Qi had climbed to the exit and opened the wooden board, revealing the room above.
More light streamed in.
Mo Ke had already left early to conduct business. With the steady flow of customers in Lanhu Town, he gained experience quickly and leveled up to Lv5 just the day before, unlocking chat privileges.
Since Mo Ke enjoyed wandering, Tang Yu’an gave him the nickname “Ranger.”
Mo Ke seemed to like it and even mentioned it in the store channel, much to Tang Yu’an’s delight.
He’s pretty good at naming things, isn’t he? hands-on-hips.jpg
Tang Yu’an glanced down at Kang Kang and suddenly remembered he hadn’t yet explained why they’d brought him along.
“Kang Kang, we brought you here because we need your help.” Tang Yu’an squatted down to communicate with the child.
“There’s a forest that’s sick, and we want to figure out the reason. Can you try talking to the forest? If you can, let us know what you find out, okay?”
Kang Kang gazed at him in puzzlement. It was unclear if he understood, but he eventually nodded.
Tang Yu’an patted his head and then carried him out of the basement.
Zhou Qi had already opened a shadow umbrella, covering them in its shade as they left Shop No. 5 with Kang Kang in tow.
A few days had passed, and Lanhu Town remained peaceful and tranquil, exuding a rare sense of calm not found elsewhere.
It was Kang Kang’s first time in such a place. Perched on Tang Yu’an’s shoulder, he looked around with wide eyes, marveling at everything.
“Blue!” he said, pointing to the Lanhu people’s hair.
“Yes, this is Lanhu Town. The people here all have blue hair and blue eyes,” Tang Yu’an explained.
Thanks to the shadow umbrella, they were invisible to others, so Tang Yu’an chatted with Kang Kang freely.
When they entered the Lanhu Forest, Zhou Qi carried Kang Kang while Tang Yu’an held the umbrella and climbed onto his back. Together, they soared into the sky.
“Wow~”
Kang Kang curled up in Zhou Qi’s arms, marveling at the sensation of flying for the first time. Soon, his attention shifted to the Lanhu Forest below.
The forest’s condition had worsened since Tang Yu’an’s group first visited a week ago. The once vibrant blue glow was now interspersed with patches of yellow decay.
The Lanhu Lord likely couldn’t keep this hidden any longer, as many Lanhu people were now tending to their designated trees, their faces filled with concern.
Tang Yu’an sighed. Hopefully, Kang Kang could help the forest recover.
They flew over the hills surrounding the forest and landed in a secluded spot. Tang Yu’an jumped to the ground, closed the shadow umbrella, and let Kang Kang climb onto his back.
“Let’s head back to the Lanhu Forest!”
Kang Kang tilted his head in confusion, unsure why they had to walk back after leaving, but he soon forgot his question and focused on the forest ahead.
“October!” he suddenly exclaimed.
“October” was the name of a young Lanhu sapling, now growing its third offshoot.
Was the Lanhu Forest also a product of one mother tree’s growth?
Tang Yu’an was about to explain that this wasn’t October when Kang Kang spoke again, “Mama! October’s Mama!”
Tang Yu’an was stunned. Did Kang Kang actually recognize it?
Realizing the extent of Kang Kang’s abilities, Tang Yu’an said, “Yes, October’s mother is sick. We need to find the cause so we can treat her.”
Kang Kang nodded, his gaze fixed on the vast forest, awed by its massive scale.
Soon, they arrived at the hillside overlooking the Lanhu Forest.
The Lanhu guards were patrolling the forest perimeter. Today, however, they seemed distracted, their attention drawn to the forest, so they didn’t notice the group immediately.
It wasn’t until Tang Yu’an’s group reached halfway up the hill that the guards spotted them and rushed over.
“Who are you? Leave this place immediately! Lanhu Town doesn’t welcome outsiders!”
Tang Yu’an scratched his head, then quickly took out a credential and explained, “We’ve been here before. We just left for a few days and now we’re back.”
The captain of the guards inspected the credentials carefully, his expression turning puzzled.
“I remember you didn’t look like this before… How did you change so much?” He glanced at the document and then at the two youths, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him.
Tang Yu’an chuckled. “We’re still growing, Captain. Isn’t it normal for kids our age to change quickly?”
The captain hesitated but eventually returned the credentials.
“Fine, I’ll escort you to town. But don’t wander around. Everyone’s on edge right now. If something happens, I won’t be able to protect you.”
“Did something happen?” Tang Yu’an asked.
“It’s not something outsiders should know. Don’t poke around,” the captain replied brusquely, clearly in no mood for pleasantries. If not for their credentials, he wouldn’t have allowed them into the Lanhu Forest.
However…
As soon as they entered the forest, a figure appeared not far ahead—it was the Lanhu Town Lord, Lan Yunqing.
“Greetings, Lord!”
The guards froze for a moment, then quickly bowed in respect.
Nearby Lanhu residents, noticing the commotion, turned their attention to the scene. The forest’s growing patches of yellow decay had everyone deeply worried.
Hoping for answers, the townsfolk had gathered near their designated Lanhu trees. The lord had previously assured them he was working on a solution and asked for patience, but seeing him now at the forest’s edge was unexpected.
The residents were about to approach when they saw the lord stride urgently toward the guards—and, more precisely, toward the outsiders behind them.
“Little Tang, Little Zhou!”
Despite their physical changes, Lan Yunqing immediately recognized Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi by their presence.
Zhou Qi had left first, followed two days later by Tang Yu’an, and neither had returned since. Lan Yunqing had been worried about them until he saw Tang Yu’an posting novels in the community exchange and Zhou Qi leaving comments. That had reassured him somewhat.
Now, seeing them safe, he finally relaxed. But as he got closer, his gaze fell on the child behind Tang Yu’an, and his brow furrowed.
“Where is the master planter you mentioned?”
Assuming something had gone wrong or the expert refused to come, his train of thought was interrupted when a small, fluffy head peeked over Tang Yu’an’s shoulder.
A round-faced child with bright, inquisitive eyes stared back at him, looking both adorable and clueless.
Lan Yunqing: “…”
An absurd thought crossed his mind as he glanced at Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi. Surely not?
But then Tang Yu’an grinned and said, “It’s him—Kang Kang.”
“…”
Lan Yunqing alternated between looking at Tang Yu’an, the child, and Zhou Qi, who wore a similarly serious expression. Taking a deep breath, he composed himself.
“I see.”
Turning to the little boy clinging to Tang Yu’an’s back, Lan Yunqing addressed him respectfully, despite the absurdity of the situation.
“Master Kang Kang, welcome.”
Kang Kang blinked, slightly confused, then obediently nodded.
“Blue, pretty!” he said with a cheerful smile.
Lan Yunqing, though weighed down by the forest’s crisis, couldn’t help but smile faintly. “Thank you for the compliment. I’ll take you to the mother tree—”
Before he could finish, Kang Kang’s attention shifted.
He pointed to a nearby Lanhu tree. “Bad bugs!”
Lan Yunqing paused, then followed Kang Kang’s gesture. The tree was a tall offshoot with lush foliage, seemingly healthy.
“You’re saying this tree has bugs?” he asked.
A nearby resident hurriedly protested, “Impossible! I take good care of that tree—it couldn’t have pests!”
Ignoring the resident, Lan Yunqing extended his spiritual energy to scan the tree. Inside and out, he found no signs of insect damage.
Just as he was about to express doubt, Kang Kang said, “It ran away!”
Then, pointing to another tree, Kang Kang declared, “There!”
Before anyone could react, Tang Yu’an carried Kang Kang closer. The boy touched the tree, puffed out his cheeks, and said angrily, “Bad bug!”
Moments later, he pointed to yet another tree.
“There it is! It ran over there!”
Tang Yu’an listened carefully, piecing together Kang Kang’s observations.
“So, Kang Kang, the Lanhu trees aren’t sick—they’re infested with pests, right?”
Kang Kang nodded, his expression serious.
“And these bugs move fast, jumping from tree to tree, even avoiding detection by Lan Yunqing?” Tang Yu’an added, glancing at the lord.
Lan Yunqing’s face darkened. If this were true, the situation was far worse than he had imagined.
Kang Kang nodded vigorously, his expression anxious. “Bug! Bad bug! Big bad bug!”
Tang Yu’an turned to look at Lan Yunqing, whose expression had grown extremely grave. He had considered countless possible causes but never imagined it would be pests.
Clenching his teeth, Lan Yunqing said, “Please wait a moment.”
He then closed his eyes, connecting his spiritual energy to the entire Lanhu Forest.
The strain was immense, and the moment the connection was established, his face turned as pale as paper. But at the same time, the state of the forest became crystal clear in his mind.
Although he had tried this method before, he had never found anything unusual. Today, however, things were different.
With Kang Kang’s guidance, he could focus his attention on specific areas, making his observations far more efficient.
Kang Kang’s voice rang out repeatedly, providing clues, and finally…
He saw it!
Lan Yunqing’s body trembled. He had detected an extremely tiny speck within the Lanhu tree branches.
The speck moved quickly between branches, disappearing the moment he focused on it. But with Kang Kang’s help, he managed to locate it again.
After multiple attempts, he finally got a clear view—it was a tiny, wriggling insect whose color blended almost perfectly with the Lanhu tree, making it nearly impossible to spot with the naked eye.
At that moment, Lan Yunqing’s spiritual energy was completely depleted.
He opened his eyes abruptly, gasping for breath, sweat dampening the hair on his forehead, and his face as pale as a ghost.
“Lord!” The guards and townsfolk looked at him with concern.
Lan Yunqing waved them off, then turned his gaze toward the child cradled by Tang Yu’an. His eyes shone brightly.
“It’s pests! I saw it!”
Gasps rippled through the gathered crowd.
It was really an infestation?
What now? Was there a way to kill or capture the pests?
As the townspeople bombarded him with urgent questions, Lan Yunqing’s expression darkened. Observing the pest alone had cost him dearly—how could they kill or catch it without harming the Lanhu trees?
Lan Yunqing glanced at Kang Kang, hoping for further assistance, but the boy looked back at him with equal confusion. While Kang Kang could communicate with the trees, exterminating pests was beyond his capabilities as a young child.
Disappointed, Lan Yunqing lowered his head. “Let’s think of another solution. At least now we know the cause. That’s progress.”
Compared to their earlier blind panic, this was already a significant improvement.
As everyone exchanged uncertain glances, unsure of what to do next, a cough suddenly broke the silence.
All eyes turned to Zhou Qi, who finally spoke. “If it’s pests, could we use pesticide?”
Lan Yunqing, supported by a guard, wiped the sweat from his brow and said, “Ordinary pesticides likely won’t work.”
The pest appeared to have mutated, with extraordinary camouflage, speed, and resistance to conventional pesticides.
Zhou Qi nodded thoughtfully, but Tang Yu’an’s eyes lit up.
Their pesticide wasn’t ordinary—it was a potent pesticide produced by the system!
Back in another dimension, they had been plagued by mutated giant insects. When a special pesticide went on sale, they finally gained some peace.
If it could handle those monstrosities, it should be effective against the pest in the Lanhu Forest!
“I know of a pesticide,” Tang Yu’an said, drawing the crowd’s attention. He hesitated, then added cautiously, “It’s worth a try.”
Lan Yunqing’s hope reignited.
However, he hesitated as he glanced at the surrounding townsfolk. Finally, he said, “I’ll take you to the mother tree.”
The townsfolk raised no objections.
As Lan Yunqing led Tang Yu’an and his group away, whispers spread among the crowd.
“That child looks so young, yet he’s such an incredible planter? He identified the cause of the mother tree’s illness in just a glance!”
“Yes, it’s amazing!”
“I wonder if the pesticide the young man mentioned will work…”
“I hope it does. No wonder the lord has been so haggard lately—the mother tree is in such dire straits.”
The townsfolk’s murmurs eventually gave way to solemn prayers for the mother tree’s recovery.
Meanwhile, the events quickly spread throughout Lanhu Town.
Tang Yu’an felt a moment of disorientation, and when his vision cleared, he found himself in a new part of the forest.
Before them stood a stunningly beautiful tree.
Compared to the tall and sturdy Lanhu trees around it, this one seemed modest in size, almost delicate.
Though not towering, its elegance was unmatched, and its presence seemed to draw every living being to it.
The tree, radiating a serene blue glow with a jade-like texture, was ethereal and elegant, as if it had stepped straight out of a fairy tale.
“October’s Mama!”
Kang Kang’s clear, childlike voice snapped Tang Yu’an out of his reverie. Hearing the boy’s words, his heart skipped a beat as he glanced nervously at Lan Yunqing.
Lan Yunqing seemed puzzled but didn’t question it further. Instead, he explained softly, “This is indeed the mother tree of Lanhu Town. The entire Lanhu Forest is made up of her offshoots.”
At this point, Lan Yunqing chose to no longer hide information about the mother tree.
Tang Yu’an nodded, unsurprised by the revelation. After all, he had seen the growth process of Lanhu saplings thanks to his emerald artifact.
Just then, Kang Kang wriggled out of his arms and toddled toward the mother tree on his short legs.
He began circling the mother tree, babbling in an incomprehensible language as if conversing with it.
Lan Yunqing, observing this scene, was once again struck with awe.
He could clearly sense the mother tree rapidly awakening from its dormant state. It was responding to the child, and its previously agitated and irritable aura visibly calmed.
Since the infestation—no, the pest problem—the mother tree hadn’t been this content in a long time.
“Brother Yunqing, are you okay?” Tang Yu’an asked, concerned, as he noticed Lan Yunqing’s pale face.
“Just mentally drained. I’ll recover with some rest,” Lan Yunqing replied, shaking his head. “Thank you. Without Master Kang Kang, I might never have discovered the root of the mother tree’s ailment.”
A trace of guilt crossed his face.
“It’s not your fault—the pest is just too cunning,” Tang Yu’an reassured him. “Even the system map didn’t show the pest. With how quickly it moves between trees, only someone like Kang Kang, who can communicate directly with plants, could possibly find it.”
Lan Yunqing shook his head, unwilling to make excuses for his inability to detect the pest.
Changing the topic, he asked, “About that pesticide you mentioned earlier…”
Tang Yu’an pulled out a bottle of strong pesticide and said, “We got it from a mysterious merchant during a mission.”
“Whatever you need in return, just name it!” Lan Yunqing said earnestly.
Tang Yu’an shook his head. “I don’t even know if it’ll work. Try it first. If it does…”
He paused before continuing, “I hope you’ll agree to a favor.”
“What favor?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” Tang Yu’an admitted. “I’ll let you know when I do.”
Lan Yunqing nodded without hesitation. “As long as it doesn’t harm Lanhu Town, I’ll agree to whatever you ask.”
Tang Yu’an grinned. “Deal.”
He handed over two more bottles of pesticide and gave Lan Yunqing a diluted healing potion to drink, noticing his pale complexion.
Lan Yunqing initially refused, but Tang Yu’an insisted, saying, “The forest still needs you—you can’t fall ill now.”
Finally, Lan Yunqing accepted the potion with a grateful smile. “Thank you.”
After regaining some color and bidding farewell to the mother tree, Lan Yunqing left with the arriving Lanhu elders to discuss a pest control plan.
Tang Yu’an and his group were left near the mother tree—a significant gesture of trust in the otherwise insular Lanhu Town. Of course, guards remained stationed nearby, ensuring the tree’s safety.
Before long, Lan Yunqing and the others returned with a plan.
“We’ve tested the pesticide—it doesn’t harm the Lanhu trees. We can use it in the forest,” he explained.
However, the forest was vast, and with only two bottles of pesticide, there wasn’t enough for every tree. Their best chance was to corner the pest on a single offshoot and eliminate it.
“Let’s catch the bad bug!” Kang Kang agreed enthusiastically.
Now that the mother tree’s consciousness was awake, it could communicate more effectively. With Kang Kang acting as an intermediary, the Lanhu people and the mother tree worked together seamlessly for the first time.
The mother tree, holding a deep hatred for the pest that had tormented it for years, was eager to cooperate.
Under its guidance, the team quickly located the mutated pest.
“There it is!”
“It’s over there!”
Following the mother tree’s instructions relayed by Kang Kang, they tracked the pest as it darted between offshoots.
The mutated pest was incredibly alert. Sensing the growing human presence, it rapidly changed trees.
But this time, no matter how fast it moved, the team was right behind it. A dangerous and lethal aura seemed to follow it relentlessly.
The pest hopped from one tree to another until finally…
It realized that every tree except the one it currently occupied was surrounded by that deadly aura.
It was trapped!
