Free Web NovelChapter 225: Chapter 225: Red-eyed Spider
The Little Fox was so agile and nimble it didn’t need a climbing rope, scaling the vines with ease.
Chen Nan was right behind it. He also eschewed a climbing rope, using his hands and feet to ascend by stepping on the vine spheres and gripping the branches.
Wang Yue and Wang Teng parked the mechanical vehicles they had just driven in the tall grass beside the great tree. The two vehicles were very rugged. They might need them again tomorrow morning, so they didn’t plan to disassemble and store them. Besides, even if the vehicles were damaged, they could be repaired or reassembled into new ones.
Wang Teng was the last to slip into the tree hollow. As he entered, he looked up and saw a curtain of light formed by thousands of Fluorescent Stones swirling overhead.
The moment he stepped inside the hollow, he looked up in amazement. "Aren’t those Fluorescent Stones? Why are there Fluorescent Stones in a tree hollow?"
Di Youlin, who was floating mid-air embedding Fluorescent Stones into the walls, glanced down at him. "Of course we brought them. There’s a bigger pile on the ground over there. Hurry up and help us place the stones."
Only then did Wang Teng realize everyone was busy setting stones. Even the vines that had just brought them up had split into countless tendrils, coiling around stones and pressing them onto the surrounding walls of the hollow.
Compared to the speed of everyone working with their own two hands, the vines were placing the majority of the stones. freeweɓnovel.cøm
"Miss Ning’s Plant Pet is incredible," Wang Teng said in admiration. "It can help fight, act as a ladder, and even help with chores. It’s just super useful."
As if they understood Wang Teng’s words, the stone-placing vines clinging to the walls wove themselves into a suspended grid, darting proudly across the walls like a swarm of snakes.
"This is just magical! Who would’ve thought there’d be such a huge space inside this tree?" Zhang Nan asked, his voice filled with awe. "Miss Ning, the entrance to this hollow is so narrow and so high up. How did you ever find it?"
"They say the higher you stand, the farther you see," Ning Xuan told everyone. "I was only able to find this place thanks to Di Youlin flying me around for so long. That includes the mushroom patch we saw earlier; we also spotted that while flying. Tomorrow, we’ll go look for those two medicinal fields. There are thousand-year-old Purple Ginsengs in them."
"Being able to fly is just the best. Mr. Di’s Half-beastman traits are so useful. Unlike me... I only have these two ears. I can’t really help with much." As Nine-tailed spoke, she lowered her head, looking dejected.
"Mr. Di’s strength is renowned throughout the entire Federation," Lan Xin whispered to Nine-tailed. "Nine-tailed, if you insist on comparing yourself to him, you’re just asking to feel bad."
"Everyone has their own purpose," Ning Xuan said to Nine-tailed, a hint of displeasure in her voice. "Nine-tailed, don’t just focus on what you’re not good at and discount yourself. Think more about your strengths and focus on using them."
"I understand, Master. Thank you for your guidance." Hearing the displeasure in Ning Xuan’s tone, Nine-tailed quickly stood straight and replied respectfully.
With thirteen people, one Little Fox, and countless vine tendrils, the interior of the tree hollow was soon completely covered in Fluorescent Stones. The hollow was divided into three levels—upper, middle, and lower. Everyone chose a section they liked and began to decorate it. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, they would be staying at this base for one to two months.
They would use this base as a hub to explore the surrounding areas.
The great tree Ning Xuan had chosen was in a resource-rich area, surrounded by both a primeval forest and mountain grasslands, with a wide variety of Exotic Beasts.
Tang Xue and the others, with a tacit understanding, chose the middle and lower levels, leaving the top level for Ning Xuan and her Contractors. Di Youlin and the Little Fox also stayed on the uppermost level.
Lan Xin, Nine-tailed, and Qinghe chose an area near the entrance on the lowest level. This section essentially served as the outer gate; if danger approached, they would be the first to sense it.
After a night of setting up, the vast, empty tree hollow was completely transformed.
On the uppermost level, a very large hall was left open in the center, furnished with the tables and chairs they had brought.
Curtains and various screens they had brought were used to partition off eight rooms of different sizes around the perimeter. The largest area, in the very back, was a suite. It was arranged into three bedrooms and two common areas, with another room set aside for a bathtub.
Even when she was out in the field, Ning Xuan had no desire to sleep in the wild every night. ’Only with a safe sleeping environment can I guarantee my work efficiency the next day.’ freewēbnoveℓ.com
Therefore, for Ning Xuan, finding a safe base of operations was the number one priority.
However, just because this tree hollow was far from the ground didn’t mean it was absolutely safe. During their first night here, the Little Fox and Di Youlin on the upper level, Wang Teng and Min Wu on the middle level, and Qinghe and Lan Xin on the lower level constantly monitored for any movement inside and outside the hollow, guarding against unknown risks.
The next morning, when Ning Xuan woke up, she saw three black-lined snakes and a dozen fist-sized Red-eyed Spiders hanging outside the hollow, all of which had been captured by Di Youlin and the others.
"I remember placing strong insect repellent inside the hollow. Did it not work?" Ning Xuan asked, a little stunned.
The strong repellent she had concocted was extremely effective against all sorts of venomous creatures like snakes, scorpions, and spiders. ’It should have worked.’
"That’s not it, Master," Qinghe replied. "Lan Xin found these venomous creatures in the surrounding area using her Water Mirror Technique."
The creatures indeed had no intention of crawling into the tree hollow. However, Lan Xin was well aware of Ning Xuan’s interests and figured she would be curious about these things.
Ning Xuan was indeed delighted. Spiders this large were a rare sight. She could feel energy fluctuations coming from them, which meant these spiders were Exotic Beasts with special abilities.
Moreover, spiders were typically solitary species, yet so many Red-eyed Spiders had appeared here at once. This suggested they might be a social species.
Social spiders might build webs and hunt together. ’Spiders this large and ferocious... if they spin webs together, how big would those webs be? Once you’re caught, it would probably be impossible to break free.’
"Everyone, be careful," Ning Xuan said. "Spiders are highly predatory. Individually, these Red-eyed Spiders have average Combat Power, but there’s likely a nest nearby. When you’re exploring the area, be careful not to get trapped in a web. Especially when moving through the forest, it’s best not to go alone. Also, carry a bamboo pole or something similar to probe the path ahead."
"Master, why don’t we just find the spider nest and clear it out? That way we won’t have to be on edge and walk on eggshells," Di Youlin said bluntly.
"I think Mr. Di has a point," Tang Xue chimed in. "Since we’re going to be living here, we should naturally eliminate any threats in the surrounding environment."
