Chapter 1235: Trapped Underground

"Old Wolf!! Old Wolf!!"

Zhao Yi’s roar echoed within the crumbling Mother Tree. His gaze constantly swept across the surroundings, as if searching for something in anxiety.

*BANG—!!*

The next moment, a door was smashed open!

Old Wolf, already half-Calamity-fused and covered in bone armor, rushed out amidst the flying dust. He was holding three children in one arm, and the wounds on his body hadn't fully healed, with blood still trickling out...

"Holy Son, don't worry about me," Old Wolf replied immediately. "Save the people as quickly as possible!"

Although the children of the Fusion Faction were students, they weren't entirely without combat capability. The older children could escape the Mother Tree on their own, but there were many six or seven-year-olds who were in the difficult "Spirit-Penetrating" stage, often struggling against the Calamities within their bodies. Without enough food or rest, their strength was even less than that of ordinary people, and they had almost no power to resist the Calamity roots lurking around the Mother Tree.

Zhao Yi saw the wounds bursting open on his body, and a flash of heartache crossed his eyes. He gritted his teeth:

"Alright! I’m going to the third floor!"

"I’m going to the second floor!"

"Wait, where is Teacher Ye?!"

"At this hour, Teacher Ye should be in the underground laboratory," Old Wolf paused for a moment. "Don't worry about Teacher Ye, he’ll be fine. Save the children first."

"Right!"

Besides Zhao Yi and Old Wolf, other high-level members of the Fusion Faction and older students began saving people. However, as the Mother Tree was squeezed and deformed by the roots of the Calamity of Turbidity, more and more children were caught underneath, and the scene became chaotic.

……

Underground laboratory.

Dense roots emerged from the ground, trapping a figure wearing a white lab coat.

The Calamity roots of the Bitter Flesh Turbid Forest had initially emerged from underground. By the time Teacher Ye realized the Mother Tree was under attack, it was already too late... He was surrounded by various flesh-and-blood roots. Looking around, he couldn't find any gap to escape through.

Although Teacher Ye’s expression was grim, he wasn't panicked.

He first looked toward the children above with concern, then quickly took out his backpack and stuffed the shadow centipede samples on the table, along with several reagents, into it.

These were experimental subjects he had painstakingly cultivated. This experiment was an important one that would define his entire life; even if it meant putting himself in danger, he had to take them with him.

Within these few seconds, countless Calamity roots had crowded toward him, like a plant cage that was constantly tightening. Those massive roots, over ten meters thick, seemed intent on squeezing the small Teacher Ye into a pulp.

After doing this, he took out an injection from his pocket and looked coldly at the dancing roots of the Calamity of Turbidity...

The next moment,

He thrust it forcefully into his forearm!

……

*THUD—!*

As the entire Mother Tree twisted and deformed under the roots of the Calamity of Turbidity, the dormitory area was already full of cracks. Withered wooden debris kept falling from above, and the air was filled with choking dust.

"Linglong! Linglong!"

Xiao Tao, wearing a hemp-yellow coat, shuttled anxiously through the crumbling corridor, shouting loudly.

"Xiao Tao... I’m here!"

In the deepest part of the corridor, the dormitory of Xiao Tao and Linglong had been completely twisted. The deformed door seemed embedded in the surrounding walls, and no matter how hard they tried, it wouldn't open. Linglong’s tearful voice came from behind it.

"Xiao Tao, don't worry about me, it’s about to collapse here, and there are Calamity roots everywhere outside... You go! Go quickly!!"

"Damn it, what stupid things are you saying at a time like this!!"

Xiao Tao was so anxious she cursed. Without the slightest hesitation, she rushed to the door of the room that was about to collapse. Looking at the jammed door, she took a deep breath...

The next second, thin, brownish-yellow fur grew on her skin, the fluffy ears on her head stood up even more, and a long, yellow-and-black striped tail extended from behind her!

But at the same time, the light in her eyes gradually faded, as if she had become an empty specimen.

She lifted her head blankly, jumped lightly, and after easily using the air to turn 180 degrees, she kicked the deformed door with all her might!

*BOOM—!*

The moment her foot struck, the air was compressed and emitted a sonic boom. The door shattered instantly upon impact, turning into dense fragments that flew and scattered in the air...

Linglong exclaimed in surprise from behind, and an iron-like hand grabbed her wrist tightly.

Xiao Tao looked toward the outside of the corridor with empty eyes. Without a word, she dragged Linglong and rushed toward it. She didn't notice at all that because her strength was too great, she had already bruised Linglong’s wrist, and Linglong just silently endured the pain, stumbling behind her.

"Holy Son!! Old Wolf... someone save me!! Save me!!"

Just as the two were passing through the dormitory area, preparing to escape the Mother Tree, a painful wail came from the side.

Linglong turned to look and saw a pitch-black figure already entangled by a root, being dragged along the broken floor like in a horror movie. He waved his hands in panic, but could only grab at empty air.

"Xiao Bai!" Linglong exclaimed.

Xiao Tao, who had already reached the door, subconsciously looked back. Her empty pupils scanned the figure about to be dragged away, as if triggering some instinct. She pushed Linglong out of the Mother Tree and then rushed toward Xiao Bai as nimbly as a whirlwind!

She ran on the ground using both hands and feet, light as if she had no weight. Her fluffy, long tail instantly wrapped around a sharp kitchen knife nearby, and she soared into the air with a *whoosh*...

The nimble figure, mixed with the blade’s light, spun in mid-air several times and then precisely slashed at the root entangling Xiao Bai!

*SNAP—!*

The root entangling Xiao Bai wasn't thick, and this slash saved him.

But just as Xiao Tao pulled Xiao Bai and prepared to flee toward the door, several equally narrow roots shot out from behind like lightning, piercing her body in the blink of an eye, leaving several hideous bloody holes.

Xiao Tao’s figure swayed slightly, her empty eyes showing no pain. She turned back stiffly and found that the roots that had been entangled on Xiao Bai were already climbing onto her limbs. As the latter pulled, her light body rolled outward in a sorry state...

"Xiao Tao!! Xiao Tao!!!" Xiao Bai’s pupils were bloodshot, and he gritted his teeth, wanting to go back to save Xiao Tao.

Just then, a bright red opera robe flashed past him.

"Tribunal."

Chen Ling’s low voice sounded.

As the bullet that deconstructed everything whistled out, the roots entangled on Xiao Tao snapped one after another. Chen Ling grabbed the blood-covered Xiao Tao, carried Xiao Bai on his shoulder with his other hand, and turned to rush outside!