The eerie sound underfoot was drawing nearer and nearer.
Above, her teammates pulled the vine together with all their strength. Lin Shu urged her will, speeding up the vine’s ascent.
Just as Lin Shu’s feet touched the ground—
“Roar—”
A colossal beast leaped out from the bottom of the pit, its enormous, bizarre form revealed before everyone’s eyes.
It was a monster with a head shaped like a flower; its head split open like blooming petals, each petal covered densely in sharp fangs.
Beneath its head was a thick, root-like body, connecting to countless crimson branches that propped up its massive form like innumerable limbs.
The Flower Monster was several stories tall, almost touching the rocky ceiling of the underground cavern.
Lin Shu’s pupils contracted.
This monster looked very much like the Crimson Flower described in books, but the mouth it opened earlier had no stamen inside.
Sefina flashed to the front of the group and pulled Lin Shu behind her. “Everyone, fall back.”
Lulu quickly scanned the monster’s body with her eyes. “Weak point… weak point… the weak point’s deep in its throat!”
As if it could understand human speech, the Flower Monster immediately closed up its petals, its branches stabbing into the ground.
Those branches swiftly spread along the ground, surrounding everyone in the blink of an eye.
Lin Shu and the others stood back to back on the only patch of clear ground left.
The red branches covering the ground were patterned like flesh, resembling worms that fed on meat and blood.
“Hah!” The Blood Clan Warrior swung her greatsword, slashing at the nearest branch.
The branch reacted in a flash. The instant the blade struck, it twisted, burst from the earth, and wrapped around the warrior’s arm.
The Flower Monster tugged sharply from afar, threatening to drag the warrior toward it.
“Careful!” Lin Shu instantly released a vine, which wound around the warrior’s waist.
At the same time, Sefina swept her parasol, sending a blood-red blade of light slashing toward the Flower Monster’s branch.
The binding was cut. Lin Shu pulled the warrior back, who fell to the ground.
Her arm, caught by the branch, was instantly drained, leaving only bare, white bone.
“That was close… thank you!”
Luckily, the warrior was a Blood Clan member. The arm she’d lost was already slowly regenerating, trying to recover.
Sefina opened her parasol wide; a swarm of blood-colored bats flew out from beneath it, charging at the Flower Monster.
Hit by the bats, the Flower Monster staggered back. In a rage, it opened its bloody maw, swallowed the entire swarm in one gulp, then threw its head back and howled.
“Defend, everyone!” Sefina ordered.
Lin Shu held her breath, extending her skill’s range.
Roses’ vines curled around the team, weaving upward to form a small protective dome.
Teammates holding shields hurried to form a defensive formation, summoning transparent barriers.
No one knew how long this would last, but at least it was a layer of protection.
Oddly, the Flower Monster suddenly quieted down, ceasing its shrill cries.
“Everyone, stay quiet,” came the Plague Doctor’s low warning.
The Flower Monster lowered its head, staring at the layer of vines above the group.
Huh?
Suppressing her rapid heartbeat, Lin Shu peered through the vines above and saw the Flower Monster’s petals slightly part as it slowly drew closer.
Was it observing?
Between its dense fangs, sticky fluid dripped down onto the vines.
“Damn.” The still-recovering warrior cursed in a hushed tone. “Should we make a move while we have the chance?”
“Shh.” Lulu hastily motioned for silence, mouthing, “It doesn’t seem so angry anymore.”
Lin Shu looked at Sefina, who gave her a slight nod.
It seemed curious. If that was the case…
With Lin Shu’s mental command, crimson roses began to bloom on the vines.
The Flower Monster tilted its head, then lifted a blood-red branch to poke at the soft little flowers.
It looked genuinely puzzled, as if it had seen a magic trick.
At the same time, Lin Shu could sense through the vine that the Flower Monster had no intent to attack.
Are plant-types drawn to each other?
It let out a gurgling sound, used a branch to pluck a rose, then retracted all the branches spread across the ground and crawled back into the pit.
“That thing’s so ugly. Could it be the Crimson Flower?” a teammate wondered aloud.
Lulu carefully approached the pit’s edge. “No, it shares an origin with the Crimson Flower, but it’s more like a minion.”
“A minion? But we didn’t mess with the boss.”
“Maybe… we got too close to its boss’s lair?” Lin Shu offered her thought.
She was just calming her nerves when she caught, out of the corner of her eye, a stain on Sefina’s skirt.
It must’ve gotten dirty during the fight.
Almost by reflex, she naturally squatted down, reached out to brush the debris from Sefina’s clothes, and smoothed out the wrinkles in her skirt.
Sefina looked at Lin Shu’s focused expression in surprise.
The Blood Clan Warrior nearby sighed, “Oh, Lin Shu is so diligent. No wonder the young miss made her a personal maid—she really has the habits of a maid in training.”
The word “habit” made Sefina’s body tense.
She couldn’t help but think back to that night, the name Lin Shu had murmured in her sleep.
Was this a habit formed at Lya’s side?
Such habitual attentiveness, these motions with Lya’s shadow—she disliked it.
Sefina reached out and pulled Lin Shu to her feet.
Holding Lin Shu’s wrist, her body close, she asked in a low voice, “Is this a habit you picked up from your former mistress? Was it her rule?”
“Ah…” Lin Shu realized she meant Lya.
It was indeed a habitual motion. Lya cared a lot about appearance and would always have Lin Shu tidy her up after a fight.
She hadn’t thought much just now—she just found the stains on Sefina’s pure white dress quite glaring.
Lin Shu didn’t answer directly, but Sefina had already read the truth in her eyes.
A dull ache tightened in Sefina’s chest. Though she felt sad, she still managed a smile:
“Little cutie, your new mistress doesn’t need that kind of service.”
She leaned in close to Lin Shu’s ear and whispered so only Lin Shu could hear, “I much prefer how you looked two nights ago, when you helped unfasten my nightgown.”
Two nights ago… at night?!! That was the night I got drunk!
Ah! I really did something stupid, didn’t I!
Lin Shu’s face flushed red in an instant, but Sefina had already stepped away and turned to address the group:
“That monster’s pit likely leads to where the Crimson Flower grows.”
“There’s a strong scent inside the pit—there might be many Flower Monsters in there,” Lulu said.
“Should we keep going?” asked the Plague Doctor.
“They show no hostility to Lin Shu’s summoned vines. We can use that. Lin Shu’s plant-based skills can be our cover.”
Lin Shu steadied herself and nodded. “Okay. If we’re attacked, I’ll do what I can.”
“Then it’s settled.”
The party ventured deeper inside.
*****
Soon after, at the entrance to the underground jungle.
Lya stood at the edge of the entrance, a large force arrayed behind her.
She stood with one hand on her hip, her black and gold dress setting off her extraordinary bearing.
Lya gazed into the abyss, her expression stern.
A leading warrior stepped forward and knelt respectfully on one knee, reporting, “Miss, everyone’s assembled. Supplies are being counted.”
Lya didn’t turn around. “Did you sense anything?”
“Hm?” He raised his head, peering in confusion at the entrance.
Inside was nothing but darkness, carrying only the distinctive smell of underground vegetation.
“You mean…?” he pressed her.
“A very familiar presence. Someone else went in before us.” Lya frowned deeply, finding the sensation increasingly familiar.
“We move out. Now!” Lya ordered sharply.