The new place area differed again, completely different from the previous ones. The surroundings were filled with towering trees that stretched toward the sky like skyscrapers in the forest. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying plant matter, the wetness climbing up to his knees.
Mo Feng snapped out of his sorrow, startled at his body sinking into the damp soil. He quickly made his way up a tree beside where he had been squatting. The sturdy and strong trunk of the tree, dotted with broken branches, provided him with easy access to climb. The red maple-like trees, among others, dominated the new environment with their sprawling canopies filtering the fading sunlight.
As he nestled himself midway to the top of the tree on one of its branches, Mo Feng looked at the spongy and soft ground with waterlogged soil. The place he had been earlier had now become filled with water—the water calm and reflective, creating a mirror-like effect that showcased the surrounding trees and sky.
The sound of birds and frogs chirping and croaking filled the environment. Looking into the distance, Mo Feng shuddered from horror, almost slipping down from the tree. Dense clusters of red floating names appeared in his view: herons, egrets, sandhill cranes, alligators, frogs. The monsters in this new environment were three times the number of monsters he had encountered so far.
This swampy area seemed to be the gathering spot for every avian, amphibian, and reptilian species, their red names filling Mo Feng's field of view. Even some of the domesticated species felt dangerous to him—a duck as large as a young calf could be nothing but destructive.
"I can't keep walking blindly about this region!" he whispered, his mind racing atop the tree. His slim body trembled occasionally from fear and anger.
Ohhh! Something seemed to click in his head. Mo Feng hurriedly climbed down, crouching on his knees. The cool feeling of the water on his knees sent goosebumps all over his body, but it did not deter his determination to survive in this new environment. Being from the riverside, Mo Feng could be said to be familiar with swampy and oceanic environments, and has a higher rate of survival here than in any other place.
Scanning the murky surroundings with his strained eyes, Mo Feng knew that to survive in this unforgiving environment, he had to blend in seamlessly. He dug his hand into the soft earth, gathering handfuls of mud from the shallow waters and applying it to his skin, carefully covering every inch of exposed flesh. The cool, sloppy texture of the mud sent shivers down his spine but also brought instant camouflage, allowing him to merge slightly with the swampy terrain.
The villagers who lived beside the sea had developed the art of camouflage techniques for hunting wildlife in the swamp region north of Hidden Moon City, using materials such as mud, vegetation, and plant materials to blend in with their surroundings, thereby avoiding the sensitive senses of their prey and predators.
Mo Feng's mind wandered to the story time with his foster parents. Growing up beside the sea, he had learned how to blend in with the surroundings just like the fish that darted through the coral reefs. Mr. Yuan would tell him stories of how their people, despite the majority being fishermen due to the large water body, some did engage in hunting wildlife from the swamps and mountains around the city. These hunters observed the way the birds would freeze in place, blending in with the reeds, or how others would use the water's edge to conceal themselves.
Mo Feng further disguised himself by donning a cloak, which he quickly wove from reeds. He wrapped the reeds around him, securing them with thin strips of vine. The garb looked nothing presentable, but its earthy scent further masked his scent, decreasing his presence. The camouflage wasn't about plain hiding; it was about blending and becoming one with the surroundings.
The sounds of the swamp monsters grew louder. As dusk fell, the swamp transformed into a tranquil and mystical world teeming with life and filled with the wild sounds of nature. The place looked harmonious, the only sense of discord being the low-level, two-legged creature moving in a heap of reed garbs, stealthily walking through the swamp.
Being in the game and how realistic it was, Mo Feng had been enduring pangs of hunger since his last resurrection—no, the hunger was growing higher. Mo Feng clutched his stomach as he moved stealthily through the swamp, his camouflage aiding him to blend seamlessly with the surroundings. He searched the trees for any sign of edible fruit, his stomach growling from hunger.
As he rounded a bend along his path, Mo Feng's mouth arced into a wild smile as he spotted a cluster of mulberry-like fruit hanging on a short tree. The fruit glowed with a purple hue, causing him to swallow hard on his saliva. Peeping at the surroundings to check for the presence of any creature, Mo Feng crept closer, his hands stretched out while his eyes fixed on the prize.
Screeech!!
The grin on Mo Feng's face suddenly went stiff as an ear-piercing screech echoed through the swamp. Mo Feng's heart skipped, his breath hitching in fright.
Boom!!
A massive serpentine creature burst out of the mud behind the mulberry variant. Its two legs supported it up from the swampy ground, its body as thick as a tree trunk, and its eyes glowing eerily green, showing the surroundings with a luminous green color. The creature's jaws were wide open, revealing rows of spear-like teeth.
Mo Feng, despite the resistance brought by the overwhelming pressure from it, forced his body out of the monster's charge as he somersaulted to the side, dodging the snapping attack of the beast. Without hesitation, Mo Feng turned around and sprinted between the trees, his camouflage allowing him to blend in with the surroundings. The creature gave chase, its gigantic body crushing the trees and shrubs in its path as it pursued Mo Feng.
Mo Feng dodged and weaved between the trees, using his agility and the surroundings to evade the creature's snapping jaws. While running, Mo Feng leaped over a narrow stream, using the momentum to carry him up a steep bank. The creature followed, its massive body crashing as it chased.
Mo Feng could feel the creature's hot breath on his neck. He knew he couldn't outrun it forever. Spotting a narrow opening between two trees, Mo Feng darted through it, the creature's jaw snapping shut just inches behind him.
Mo Feng found himself in a small clearing surrounded by a ring of trees. The creature couldn't fit through the opening, but it wouldn't be long before it found another way in.
While turning around in the small clearing, Mo Feng spotted a thick vine hanging from a nearby tree and grabbed hold of it in one full swoop, swinging himself up into the branches. A few minutes later, the creature crashed into the clearing, its green eyes scanning the area for its prey.
Looking down from the tree, the glaring red name of the serpentine-like creature caused his heart to skip and thump louder. A Level 48 Basilisk—another legendary creature. This was the highest-ranked creature that had gone after him.
For a moment, Mo Feng thought he was safe. But then the creature's gaze locked onto him, and it began to circle the tree. Mo Feng knew he couldn't stay there forever. He needed to make a move. As the creature charged toward the tree in an attempt to barge it down, Mo Feng leaped from the tree, using his momentum to carry him toward a nearby thicket. He landed hard on the ground.
Boom!!!
Mo Feng cursed as the tree he had been hiding in earlier burst into splinters, scattering here and there from the charge of the basilisk. As he scrambled to his feet, the creature charged again. This time, Mo Feng wasn't so lucky. The creature's jaws closed around his legs, and Mo Feng instantly felt a searing burst of pain from his legs as the powerful snap the creature had made crushed his bones into powder. Mo Feng's vision began rotating as the creature's venom coursed through his veins.
As the world began to fade, Mo Feng realized that his camouflage had failed him. He had survived the chase but not the final attack from the basilisk. The creature's grip tightened before it flung Mo Feng up into the sky, charging up with its mouth wide open, swallowing him in one full gulp. Mo Feng's vision went black.
[Death 7/11]
Respawn Point: Current Area
Timer: 1:59
This time, Mo Feng decided to respawn in the swamp region, feeling his chance of surviving in this hell zone was higher here than in any other area. As the timer beat down to zero, Mo Feng, in his spirit form, prayed that he shouldn't respawn in front of the earlier beast.