Free Web NovelChapter 187: Back To The Drawing Board (1)
The next day, as the sun rose over the horizon, Shinon and Selena prepared to leave their peaceful spot by the stream.
Shinon turned to Selena and asked, "Are you ready to head back to the settlement?"
"Yes, let’s go," she nodded before adjusting the strap of her bag. After all, not everyone possessed a spatial domain like Shinon to store his stuff.
They started walking through the dense forest, their footsteps making soft rustling sounds on the forest floor. As they kept walking, an odd thought popped into Selena’s head, and it was something she wanted to discuss with Shinon because his theories regarding the undead were often spot on.
"I can’t wrap my head around how creatures like the Forest Treant come into existence," Selena mused, breaking the silence. "Zombies shouldn’t have the ability to turn nature into zombified beings."
Shinon furrowed his brow, deep in thought. "Objectively speaking, Zombies are supposed to be mindless and driven only by the urge to feed on the living.
The concept of a zombified creature that can control nature is unheard of... at least in my world."
Shinon’s mind raced as they walked, searching for an explanation for how the undead could corrupt an entire forest. It shouldn’t have been possible, but then again, it could be a matter of one’s perception.
"Perhaps," he began, "there could be some sort of virus or fungus affecting the forest. It might be mutating the natural flora, turning them into these zombified creatures like it happened to the animals."
"That could make sense," Selena nodded, considering his theory. "I’ve heard of parasitic fungi that infect insects and control their behaviour. Maybe something similar is happening here but on a larger scale."
"Exactly!" he exclaimed. "If a parasite or fungus infects the forest, it could be manipulating the creatures, making them behave in ways they normally wouldn’t. And if it’s powerful enough, it might have even brought the Forest Treant into existence."
Selena looked intrigued, her curiosity piqued by the possibility. "But where would such a fungus or parasite come from?"
"It’s possible that it’s a natural occurrence. Plenty of examples of parasites and fungi have unique and bizarre life cycles on Earth." Shinon paused, considering the question.
"They could have evolved alongside the zombies, adapting to their environment and coexisting with them... or-"
Suddenly, the image of Lunarisite flashed before him. If something like that could arrive on their planet from the vastness of space, it wouldn’t be weird to think something similar could be the case with the virus. freewebnøvel.com
"Or what?" Selena inquired when Shinon got lost in his thoughts.
"Or it could be that something extraterrestrial."
"So, in other words, this fungus or parasite has been part of our world for a while, but we only recently started noticing its effects on the forest." Selena nodded thoughtfully. "Honestly, it seems a bit far-fetched, but it could be true."
"That’s one possibility," Shinon replied. "Or it’s also possible that some external factor, like a sudden change in the environment or some human interventions, triggered a new mutation to appear, leading to the creation of creatures like the undead trees and treant."
As they continued their journey back to the settlement, Shinon and Selena delved deeper into their theories, discussing the different variables and factors that could be at play.
They considered the idea of the undead forest, wondering if there might be a connection between the spreading fungus and the forest’s deterioration or that it could be someone’s plan.
After all, there were cults that supported the ideology of offering everything up to the zombies, claiming it was the next stage in human evolution. It wouldn’t be a surprise if one of those fanatics had something to do with whatever was happening in their world.
"That’s disturbing," she said, shuddering at the thought of such fanaticism. "But it does make sense. Those cultists might see the forest as a way to strengthen the zombies and spread their ideology."
"Exactly," Shinon replied, a grim expression crossing his face. "They could be using the forest as a breeding ground for these zombified creatures, seeking to create an army to further their twisted beliefs."
"It’s sad to think that even nature is affected by the chaos of this world," Selena said with a hint of sorrow in her voice.
"It is," Shinon agreed. "But understanding the cause of this corruption might help us find a way to stop it or reverse its effects. But that’s a mission for a different time. For now, we have to deal with Aric and his own league of fanatics."
Selena scoffed at the thought of Aric posing a threat to Shinon. After seeing his incredible prowess in battle, she was confident that Aric wouldn’t stand much of a chance against him. Yet, despite her confidence in Shinon’s abilities, something felt amiss.
"Are you sure about this, Shinon?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry. "Facing Aric alone is dangerous. Besides, saving the girls was my choice, and if anything, I should be the one responsible-"
"I appreciate your concern, Selena," he said, "but the letter clearly stated Aric wants me. No one else."
Selena’s brows furrowed with concern as she searched his eyes for any sign of doubt but didn’t see any. Shinon meant every word of what he said, which left Selena wondering if the plan Shinon had in mind was enough to be the reason for his confidence.
"Look, I don’t care what you do," Selena finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Just be careful not to die in our world. We already have a lot of people we need to bury. You shouldn’t add more to the pile."
Shinon’s eyes widened for a moment. Was this Selena’s way of comforting him? If it was, then it was a bizarre attempt, and he couldn’t help but laugh.
Selena looked at him, slightly taken aback by his laughter. "What’s so funny?"
"Nothing... Well, I know I’ll be alright, so you don’t have to worry."
Selena rolled her eyes playfully, a small smile forming on her lips. "Good. Because I don’t want to have to bury you, too. It’s already hard enough losing people in this world."
