Fan Zhuo was just about to activate his mental link and ask Ye Ying for the detailed procedure when a vine—he had no idea where it had come from—suddenly whipped out and caught his foot hard.
“Ugh!” Fan Zhuo cried out in surprise as he lost his balance, toppling forward headfirst.
And the direction he fell in, with uncanny precision, was right into the gigantic… embrace of the Mother Tree, towering before him like a mountain.
“Pff—”
Fan Zhuo felt as if he had crashed into a waterbed covered with pillows.
That immense softness wrapped around him completely, a thick and rich aura of life instantly filling his nose.
He sank in so deeply that his cheeks were squashed out of shape, nearly suffocating him.
The impact made the massive body of the Mother Tree shudder violently.
Immediately after, the Mother Tree began to sway with such force that Fan Zhuo grew dizzy, the world spinning around him.
“Ah… I-I’m sorry, child… I didn’t mean to…” the Mother Tree’s voice was flustered, full of helpless panic.
She instinctively stretched out her arms, gently pulling the still-dizzy Fan Zhuo into her embrace, cradling him with soft comfort.
But… she seemed to have completely ignored her own physical structure. Instead, her attempt at comfort only pressed Fan Zhuo even tighter.
“Ugh… mm…” Fan Zhuo felt like he was about to suffocate.
It was precisely this intense contact that allowed Fan Zhuo to clearly sense that deep within the Mother Tree, under her gentle exterior, a “flame”—long suppressed and hidden—was quietly awakening.
He’d seen in the prison illustrated manual that these non-human beings, in ancient times, had been able to walk freely on land, hardly any different from ordinary humans, with only minor differences in their habits and physical structures.
But after the male treefolk were nearly wiped out, the remaining females could reproduce asexually through their branches, yet over long years, their life forms gradually reverted to a more primitive “tree” state, the vibrancy and emotions of their “human” aspect falling into dormancy.
Now, after coming into contact with Fan Zhuo, he could clearly feel that the Mother Tree was becoming more “human,” the sleeping “flame” inside her burning ever stronger.
And this “flame,” now so close to him, actually caused a faint premonition within his own sacred power…
Which meant—A sudden flash of insight struck Fan Zhuo.
Of course—this was exactly the solution Ye Ying had offered!
As long as he deepened his contact and helped the Mother Tree recover that “human” fire within her, he could stimulate her immense life force to the utmost, which in turn would trigger an alert from the entire Sacred Power Monitoring System of the prison.
That way, he could fabricate evidence of “heretical activity”!
Thinking this, Fan Zhuo began to ponder how he could make this “contact” even deeper…
Got it!
He focused his mind, and his sacred power, which had just calmed down, surged violently under his deliberate guidance.
A wave of heat rose from within him, his body temperature shot up, his face turned bright red, and his breathing grew rapid.
He slumped limply into the Mother Tree’s embrace, as if in a fever, drifting into a half-conscious state.
“Child… what is wrong?” The Mother Tree’s anxious voice echoed in his mind.
Fan Zhuo “struggled” to open his eyes, staring hazily up at the broad “scenery” above him, and muttered incoherently like a baby desperately in need of comfort
The Mother Tree froze.
A faint blush actually appeared on her cheeks.
Of course, she knew what it meant for a male creature in her arms to make such a request.
Her heart… began to struggle fiercely.
Reason told her this was inappropriate… shameful.
But the maternal instinct inside her—dormant for centuries and now awakened—as well as the overwhelming tenderness she felt for this dear child in her arms, made her unable to refuse…
In the end, instinct won over reason.
The Mother Tree’s massive body leaned forward slightly, slowly lowering to envelop Fan Zhuo completely.
She held him for a long, long time…
By the time Fan Zhuo was released, he felt as if he were drunk.
Not the numbness brought by alcohol, but a pure, heady intoxication of overflowing life energy rising up from the depths of his soul.
This energy made all the surrounding plants treat him with unprecedented intimacy—countless vines twined around his wrists and ankles, gently caressing him, as if they were acting spoiled.
The Mother Tree let out a satisfied, endlessly shy moan.
“Child… do you… feel better now?” The Mother Tree’s gentle voice sounded in his mind.
Only then did Fan Zhuo “slowly come to,” lifting his head from that gentle world, a trace of daze still on his face.
“I… what just happened to me?” he asked, feigning confusion.
The Mother Tree’s “cheeks” turned even redder. She used a vine to gently help Fan Zhuo up, stammering nervously, “You… you seemed to have a fever just now… and then… then…”
She trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.
Looking at the dignified yet shy Mother Tree, Fan Zhuo was thrilled to the core.
The plan had worked!
In that moment of “drunkenness,” he had clearly sensed an enormous surge of energy burst forth from within the Mother Tree, instantly sweeping through the entire Forest of B Zone in a formless wave.
That energy ripple was brimming with primal vitality, mixed with a trace of sacred aura tainted by him.
This… was the perfect “heretical” crime scene.
As long as Lucien wasn’t a complete fool, he could forget about sleeping in Zone C tonight.
“Thank you, Mother Tree.” Fan Zhuo stood and bowed respectfully to her. “I feel much better now, and my body is filled with strength.”
“Th-that’s good…” The Mother Tree’s voice was as soft as a mosquito’s, as if she were still immersed in the wonder of that recent experience.
Fan Zhuo decided not to push his luck. He knew he shouldn’t linger any longer.
“I should get going. Otherwise, my companions will worry,” he said, turning to leave.
“W-wait, child…” The Mother Tree suddenly called after him.
Fan Zhuo turned and saw a slender vine glowing with emerald light slowly stretch out before him.
At its tip was a crystal-clear, heart-shaped leaf.
“This… take it…” There was a hint of reluctance in the Mother Tree’s voice.
“If you ever… well, if you ever find yourself in danger, just crush it. The forest will protect you.”
Fan Zhuo took the leaf, feeling its warm, almost living pulse against his palm.
He knew this was a token from the Mother Tree—a weighty promise.
Just as “weighty” as the Mother Tree herself.
“I… will come see you again,” Fan Zhuo blurted out before he could stop himself.
“Mm…” The Mother Tree’s voice was full of joy.
Bidding her farewell, Fan Zhuo tucked the keepsake away and left the heart of the forest with a spring in his step.
As he walked, he felt the surge of power inside him, the curve of his lips never once fading.
This trip to the Forest of B Zone was a total win!
Not only had he successfully created chaos and stalled Lucien, he had also gotten a sacred power boost—and, as a bonus, won over a…”Mother Tree.”
But his pace grew quicker and quicker.
The alarm in Zone B would soon catch Lucien’s attention. He had to register the patrol records of Zone B before that happened.
And then.
At the thought of Ye Ying waiting for him, Fan Zhuo felt his blood stir all over again…