The group did not linger long at the base.
Cangshan was currently undergoing a transformation into a forbidden land, and new dangers could emerge at any moment. It was best for them to enter before the danger level became too high.
Song Shuning had prepared a military vehicle for them. It wasn't very large, but it was agile and extremely fast. Although the internal structure of Cangshan had changed drastically, the initial mountain road was still intact. They could use the vehicle to save their strength.
"Good heavens..." Wu Tianzhen sat in the passenger seat, looking out the window. "This place has really changed completely."
The once clear mountain path was now almost completely covered by herbaceous plants. The vehicle struggled to navigate through, occasionally making snapping sounds as it broke branches.
Cangshan's nineteen peaks, each unique and distinctive, were now almost indistinguishable.
All sorts of plants were growing wildly within the mountain. Thick-stemmed vines and woody and herbaceous epiphytes had deeply rooted themselves into every crevice of the cliffs, like stubborn growths. Vines crisscrossed between treetops and rock faces, almost completely obscuring the sky.
From a distance, each peak looked as if it had been smeared with a thick layer of green mud. With vines and clouds overhead, it was even difficult to distinguish the elevation differences between the peaks and valleys.
Even so, as Wu Tianzhen watched, these plants continued to grow upwards. In the short distance they had traveled into the mountain, he could visibly see an ancient tree in the distance had grown taller.
Just then, the胖子 (Pangzi - Fatty) driving suddenly swerved violently! Wu Tianzhen, engrossed in observing the changes outside, couldn't react in time. If he hadn't been wearing his seatbelt, he would have been thrown out!
"Damn it!" he exclaimed, leaning back against the seat with his heart pounding. "What are you doing, you fatso?!"
"I wish I knew what I was doing!" Pangzi yelled, and then made another sharp turn!
"Hold on tight!!"
The car skidded past a rock, emitting a chilling screech!
Under the momentum, the plants on the road were flung away. It was then that Wu Tianzhen realized the problem –
What he had perceived as a wide path, hidden beneath the plants, had actually collapsed by more than half!
Below the collapsed section was a bottomless precipice, now concealed by countless clinging plants, making it appear as if the road was still intact!
If Pangzi hadn't swerved in time, they might have gone over the edge with the car!
They were now on a narrow path between cliff faces, the car completely blocking the already cramped road. Even abandoning the vehicle and proceeding on foot would be difficult.
Even if the two of them could climb over the roof with Zhang Qiling's help, the equipment inside the car would be hard to transport.
For now, the only option was to stabilize the car and slowly drive to a wider area before considering abandoning it.
At this moment, Zhang Qiling, who had been quietly observing from the back seat, sensed an abnormal high-speed airflow outside the car. His eyes sharpened, and his muscles tensed.
"Duck!!"
Pangzi and Wu Tianzhen were startled but reacted instantly, lowering their heads and crouching as much as possible. During this process, Pangzi held the steering wheel tightly, not allowing it to waver!
The two of them heard the hum of the Hei Jin Gu Dao being drawn from its sheath behind them. The car lurched, and Zhang Qiling took a step forward!
The sound of the windshield shattering exploded! Countless shards of glass flew towards them!
Seeing this, Zhang Qiling didn't retreat but advanced. The ancient saber in his hand whirled like a cyclone, and with a powerful blade aura, he thrust it forward!
A sharp, piercing scream! The bird that had just broken through the glass and was about to enter the car was impaled directly! Foul-smelling blood splattered out, and along with the glass fragments, it was repelled by the blade aura!
Drawing his saber back into its sheath, the car, under Pangzi's control, slowly came to a halt, perfectly positioned at the edge of the bend ahead.
The two cautiously looked up. They saw a bird with oily green plumage, blending seamlessly with the surrounding vegetation. Its body was as large as a tiger, its long beak lined with six rows of overlapping sharp teeth, and its claws were covered in fleshy nodules, resembling two massive iron hammers.
Blood gushed from its chest, giving it a ferocious appearance. After struggling for a short while, its body stiffened, and it fell off the cliff.
"Damn... what are these things?"
Wu Tianzhen watched as the bird smashed into the "green ocean" at the bottom of the cliff. It disappeared into the bushes without causing a ripple, as if it had been devoured by the trees. He shivered involuntarily!
Zhang Qiling, holding his saber, sat back in the rear corner, pulling his hood up as if retreating into his shell.
Hearing Wu Tianzhen's question, he reluctantly lifted his head from the heavy hood and replied,
"Chishe, they usually live in swamps."
"There are many of them here."
The abundance of green vegetation provided the Chishe with natural camouflage. The one that had just attacked had simply run into trouble. There were likely many more lurking around the car.
"What's there to be afraid of!" Pangzi declared boldly, pulling out a gleaming black gun from a bag under the seat!
"We're on the government payroll now, so we've upgraded!"
"Look at this beauty! If another bird comes, I'll show it what a sharpshooter looks like!"
"Then I'll pluck its feathers! Roast its backside! The aroma!"
Zhang Qiling: ...
Suddenly remembering the strangely shaped chicken butt can from the Changbai Mountain forbidden land, Zhang Qiling's mouth twitched slightly, and he silently moved a little further away from Pangzi.