Cave Refuge

After hearing what Ye Liuyun had said, everyone's expression changed simultaneously. Although they had chosen to side with Ye Liuyun initially, they had been somewhat swayed by certain provocateurs to lean toward joining the Imperial Court.

However, once Ye Liuyun revealed everything those provocateurs had deliberately concealed, they instantly came to their senses, realizing that following the recruitment to build the city might not provide a better life than the present, or it might even be worse.

Seeing the thoughtful expressions on everyone's faces, Ye Liuyun then calmed the crowd, reassigned tasks, and finally returned to the tent with Dong Tianyu.

Once seated, Dong Tianyu smiled at Ye Liuyun and said, "You're quite something now, handling such sudden crises with ease."

Hearing Dong Tianyu's praise, Ye Liuyun showed a bitter smile, "Enough of that, making me the butt of the joke again. To be honest, I envy your life, free and unrestrained. If possible, I really wouldn't want to manage this caravan or this camp."

Unmoved by Ye Liuyun's seemingly boastful words, Dong Tianyu simply picked up his teacup again, savoring the coke that had returned to room temperature.

Dong Tianyu didn't linger long. After leaving Ye Liuyun, he went back to his own family's tent. Inside, finding it empty, he felt somewhat helpless. Using Divine Sense, he located his father, who was lively playing cards with a group, while his mother was chatting in another tent with people her age.

Seeing that his parents each had their own lives, Dong Tianyu felt relieved. Although Ye Liuyun ignored the Imperial Court's summons, Dong Tianyu was curious to check out the situation there.

He found his father's tent where the card game was happening and informed Mr. Thompson of his plan to leave. Perhaps accustomed to Dong Tianyu's frequent outings, his father simply advised him to take care of himself, to avoid direct confrontations if possible, and to prioritize safety.

After saying goodbye to his father, Dong Tianyu didn't go to say farewell to Mrs. Thompson, considering this departure wouldn't be a long one; he just planned to investigate the situation with the Imperial Court and would likely return soon.

As Dong Tianyu ascended with Sword Control, overlooking the large trees being chopped around the camp, an idea suddenly emerged in his mind. He took out his tablet to confirm his location and the exact distance to his hometown, Pengcheng.

After determining the flight direction, Dong Tianyu decided not to visit the cities near the recruitment but to head directly to his old home in Pengcheng.

Dong Tianyu did this because before the flood disaster struck, the Pengcheng urban area was shrouded by a Sky-Reaching Giant Tree, originally a Cannibal Tree. Nobody could approach the trunk or even step into the tree's shade without losing their lives.

Initially, Dong Tianyu was curious about the Tree Shade Association's behavior of engulfing intruders, especially as the Giant Tree expanded visibly day by day.

Curiosity about the Cannibal Tree led someone to transport it from the outskirts directly to the center of Gulpen Square, where it was planted prominently.

Normally, during that time, nobody would consider feeding the Cannibal Tree as most people saved food rations, and it was unnecessary to wander about. After all, lying motionless in bed was the only way to conserve the energy spent during physical activity.

To put it simply, staying in bed without moving could prolong the time before one starves.

Thus, during its early growth, the Cannibal Tree had a relatively stable period. But over time, without anyone realizing, the tree grew several times larger.

When the tree's shade began to cover the entire first ring of Pengcheng, people in the Pengcheng Officials grew restless.

Due to communication blockages, many didn't know whether the tree would continue to grow. When the Cannibal Tree's shade eventually engulfed the entire second ring area of Pengcheng, many people turned pale in shock.

By then, those who could escape had done so. The survivors who didn't get the message or ignored it found themselves completely enveloped by the tree's shade. Despite their numerous preparations, once covered by the shade, no further sounds from these hard-struggled survivors were ever heard again.

With the onset of the flood, the Ancient Tree in the center of Pengcheng, which could cover the entire three rings within the Pengcheng urban area, was eventually submerged and deeply buried under the rising water levels.

It's been nearly a year since the floods first emerged. The once-dominantly unchecked giant Cannibal Tree, submerged for so long, might not retain its former majestic presence.