Chapter 15

This was the third noon since Xu Dong had climbed the mountain.

The forest ranger's cabin was hidden in the lush, dense forest. When you were looking at the map and feeling your way along the path, you would be taken aback upon reaching the forest ranger's living area—where were the houses? But as you walked ten more meters and pushed aside the branches blocking your view, a strange scene suddenly came into sight, evoking the poetic sentiment of "when the mountains and waters seem to have no end, willow trees and flowers suddenly reveal a village."

The cabins were built with high-quality mountain pine, resistant to moisture, insects, and decay. Even if left unattended for decades, they could still be stably inhabited. The forest ranger's cabins were scattered along the lakeside, and at first glance, there were about twenty to thirty of them. Most of them had half their area extending over the lake, making it extremely convenient for daily water use and even raising fish.

Xu Dong, with his keen eyes, quickly noticed a situation: most of the cabins had been converted—into dog kennels! He counted the number of mountain guard dogs he had killed and compared it with the number of kennels in front of him, and he felt a sense of relief, thinking to himself, "Most of the mountain guard dogs must have been killed."

He instinctively looked down at the "Windup" by his feet, the puppy—poor Xu Dong really didn't know how to name it, so he named it after the Windup from his previous life's favorite Dota hero. Windup didn't resist this new and interesting name. Thus, the name was settled.

Windup seemed to be very resistant to this place, making two discontented whimpers and then darting into the forest, disappearing from sight.

Xu Dong refocused his gaze on the forest ranger's cabins, feeling somewhat hesitant. Logically, he had overcome numerous obstacles to get here, and the upcoming events would likely reveal the final mystery. It was natural to feel some urgency, but he remained calm, standing in place. This was because the old man, Stone Uncle, who had passed away, was an expert at setting traps, and there was no guarantee that Huaihe hadn't set a few traps to lure in prey—

With so many mountain guard dogs dead, their owner would surely realize that someone had come up the mountain.

He cautiously walked around the perimeter, breaking off a stick and using it to probe the ground, much like a mine-clearing soldier from his previous life. In the end, Xu Dong's expression turned peculiar—there were no traps. The forest ranger's living area was as safe as a woman in her non-fertile period...

"Could he have some hidden cards?" It wasn't that Xu Dong was being overly suspicious, but "that thing" was truly extraordinary. Even if it wasn't worth a fortune, it was close, and he had never seen a gold shop without a security system.

In this situation, Xu Dong could only steel himself and move forward, his vigilance increasing rather than decreasing.

Following the lakeside to the first cabin, the door was half-open. Xu Dong used the stick to push it open. A quick glance revealed that it was empty, with no one and no mountain guard dogs inside. Only the scattered soft plant fibers on the ground testified to its former use as a kennel. The first cabin was like this, and as he moved clockwise, all eighteen cabins were the same.

At this moment, a faint path hidden in the grass caught his eye. Xu Dong pursed his lips thoughtfully, as if realizing something. After a moment's hesitation, he stepped forward in the direction the path extended.

The vegetation on both sides of the path was initially very lush, with dog feces visible everywhere, likely due to the abundant fertilizer. After walking about thirty to forty meters, the vegetation became sparse, and the trees began to thin out—trees that were originally spaced three to four meters apart were now at least six to seven meters apart. It was as if an invisible, mischievous hand had been pulling up the grass and trees from the roots.

Xu Dong, who remained vigilant, quickly noticed this unusual situation, and his expression became serious. However, his pace involuntarily quickened.

The vegetation became increasingly sparse, and at the end, only a patch of dark brown soil remained, with no plants growing.

Realizing something and actually seeing it are two different things. For example, when parents introduce a match, they might rave about how this girl is a celestial beauty and meeting her is a once-in-a-lifetime blessing. As a shut-in, you might be delighted but also skeptical—how could such a beauty fall to me? Could she have had two children? But when you meet her, she turns out to be a beautiful, wealthy, and unmarried woman. The feeling at that moment is probably similar to Xu Dong's now.

In a barren area of at least one kilometer in diameter, a peculiar tree, no taller than a person and with a trunk as thick as an adult male's thigh, grew quietly in the midday sun. The outer layer of the soil was still dark brown, but as you moved closer, the soil became increasingly yellow, and the soil directly under the tree had even turned sandy. It seemed that all the nutrients in the land had been completely absorbed by this peculiar tree.

The moment this peculiar tree appeared, it displayed a domineering presence, making one think: with such abundant nutrients, the fruit it bears must be incredibly sweet!

In fact, hanging from the not very lush canopy of the peculiar tree were two fruits of different colors. The shape of the fruits evoked the swim bladders of live fish, with a smooth and soft surface. One fruit was a deep red, giving a sense of ferocity, while the other was white, as light as a breeze.

It seemed even the sunlight had to bow to the surface of the two fruits, creating a hazy glow.

Xu Dong took a deep breath and exclaimed with awe, "Truly the Divine Power Fruit, embodying the essence of heaven and earth!"

What is the Divine Power Fruit? According to legend, when the world was first stabilized, the World Tree, also known as the Spine of the World, "Primordial," released thirty million seeds into the world. These thirty million seeds contained the power of "Primordial" and, upon landing, took root and sprouted, becoming Divine Power Fruit trees. The fruits of the Divine Power Fruit trees, it is said, are equivalent to a thousand-year-old ginseng or a ten-thousand-year-old Polygonum multiflorum from Xu Dong's previous world, capable of reviving the dead and healing bones, making one feel invigorated with just a daily dose.

Of course, a thousand-year-old ginseng could be American ginseng, Korean ginseng, or Chinese ginseng, meaning that the Divine Power Fruit also has different grades and qualities, not every one possessing such incredible effects. However, just as all ginseng has the effect of tonifying qi and blood, any Divine Power Fruit, when consumed, has a universal effect—

Activating the flesh and blood seeds in the body, breaking through the limits of the human body, and unlocking the power of the flesh and blood armor!

In the most straightforward terms, consuming the Divine Power Fruit allows one to transcend the realm of mortals, evolving to a higher level of life, and even achieving immortality!

Just as Xu Dong was captivated by the sight, a curious voice suddenly came from the other side, "It seems you have already guessed the existence of this Divine Power Fruit tree."

Xu Dong was startled and immediately looked in the direction of the voice.

A middle-aged man in tattered long robes pushed aside the branches in front of him and stood directly north of Xu Dong. The man's clothes were so worn that the hems and cuffs were frayed, and he had patched them with animal skins. His skin, like that of the farmers in North Corner Village who faced the yellow earth and the sky, was dark from sun and rain.

The first impression this middle-aged man gave was one of simplicity and honesty. It was hard to associate him with the ruthless man who had commanded the mountain guard dogs to kill many villagers.

Xu Dong pursed his lips, "Since North Corner Bear could obtain a Divine Power Fruit two years ago and unlock the power of the flesh and blood armor, such a low-probability event could happen, so why would it be strange for you to discover this Divine Power Fruit tree two years ago? I also know that these two Divine Power Fruits should be fully ripe in the next day or two."

The middle-aged man raised his eyebrows, surprised, and asked, "How do you know that?"

Xu Dong smiled, "Do you think I would forget the day you commanded the scout dogs to attack the villagers and prevent them from harvesting their crops? The villagers of North Corner were already on the brink of collapse, and without winter supplies, this would be the last straw. Your urgent desire to drive away the villagers clearly indicates that you didn't want them to notice something. Besides the ripening of the Divine Power Fruits, I can't think of anything else worth such effort."

The middle-aged man was so surprised that his mouth hung open, "You figured that out? Young man, you are no simpleton!"

Xu Dong sneered, "Huaihe, you are no simpleton either. For the sake of this one Divine Power Fruit tree, how many people have died at your hands? I can't even understand how you can sleep at night."

After two years, hearing his name from someone else, Huaihe felt a complex mix of emotions. He seemed to be in a daze, forgetting his surroundings and falling into deep thought.

At this moment, Xu Dong suddenly charged at Huaihe, who was twenty meters away. The moment he took his first step, he activated his talent skill, increasing his movement speed by 50%. The twenty-meter distance was covered in an instant!

From the moment he saw Huaihe, Xu Dong had a feeling of unease. All signs indicated that Huaihe's care and protection of the Divine Power Fruit tree had reached a fanatical level. How could such a person remain so calm upon seeing someone with the strength to kill all the mountain guard dogs?

The answer was clear!

He must have one or more hidden cards!

The logic was simple: to capture the leader, you must first capture the king. No matter how many hidden cards he had, if the person playing the cards couldn't continue, everything would be for naught. This was Xu Dong's reasoning, so he charged forward.

Huaihe, who had been lost in thought, suddenly heard the rapid footsteps. His honest and loyal face instantly turned fierce, realizing he had fallen into the other's verbal trap and lost the initiative. However, he remained calm and, seeing the other about to close within a meter, quickly retreated three steps.

These mere three steps gave Xu Dong an intense sense of danger. However, the opportunity was rare, and he was determined to take it, his speed subtly increasing!

In the next second, a massive black shadow pounced from Xu Dong's right, colliding directly with his waist. With a crack, Xu Dong spat out a mouthful of blood and fell heavily ten meters away, rolling three times before finally stopping, covered in dirt and dust.