Chapter 599: The Sparsely Populated Shelter
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 599: The Sparsely Populated Shelter
I walked through the forest.
Who could have imagined that this place was once filled with skyscrapers? Now, the buildings lay toppled across the earth like discarded toy blocks, their forms twisted and unsightly.
There was no telling what this small world had endured after merging into the Expansion Realm, nor what methods the Transcendent Witches had employed to fix it.
However… it was certainly a technique that transcended the Ley Lines. Even the Ley Lines themselves lacked the authority to record the process by which the Transcendent Witches had repaired them.
All that remained were fragments of dense, shattered data from the restoration process—information so broken that even the Tree of Great Knowledge could not piece it together into a decipherable sequence.
I was now quite a distance from Ninglan New City. Even without the dense foliage blocking the view, it would have been a struggle to spot the city in the distance.
I could only imagine how arduous the journey must have been for the City Defense Commander’s scouts when they first ventured out to explore the wilderness.
I had dismounted upon reaching the vicinity of the Omni-Link Main Network Tree rather than approaching it directly. As I delved deeper into this region, the first thing I felt was the raw power of nature.
The normal functioning of a world relies on its natural ecology. Even when civilization reaches the modern era, humanity never dares to truly destroy the ecosystem. It is far too fragile—a chain of natural selection and food webs where the breaking of a single link can lead to irreversible catastrophe.
But clearly, after undergoing reshaping and repair, this world no longer possessed its original ecological balance.
Witches don't care about ecological collapse. To a witch with an eternal lifespan, their perspective is that some resilient form of life will eventually reclaim dominance, sparking a new reconstruction of the ecosystem. It is simply a matter of time.
The price of this world’s current reconstruction, however, was that the creatures caught in the balance had gone completely mad.
Perhaps a species at one node of the chain had lost its natural predator, becoming a hegemon only to spiral toward extinction through unchecked growth.
Perhaps another had adapted to the environment, only to encounter a predator capable of wiping them out before they had the time to evolve further.
Unless… Transcendent energy was used to accelerate the process.
Thus, as soon as I entered these "world ruins," I felt the final, desperate frenzy of creatures that would usually be considered insignificant.
In any world, the most numerous species are undoubtedly the insects.
Having adapted to the world's changes, and with humanity no longer able to interfere with their environment, the insects had become utterly brazen.
If my life level were higher, the invisible life aura I projected would have been enough to keep these damn bugs away from me permanently.
I hadn't reached that level yet.
However, I had plenty of tricks up my sleeve.
With the help of the Tree of Great Knowledge, the number of derived spells I had developed from basic magic had reached a staggering level.
I simply hadn't shown these methods to the outside world yet.
In fact… to disperse these insects, a mere derivation of the Cleaning Spell was more than enough.
"This must be the Omni-Link Main Network Tree."
I looked at the massive silhouette of the tree ahead. The transparent artificial sphere that had once protected it was now shattered.
The Omni-Link Main Network Tree looked like a new life form breaking out of its shell, embracing its rebirth.
That transparent protective layer was also a product of plant technology. I had learned during my previous intrusion into the network that it had been grafted onto the tree, and by now, the two had become a single entity.
"Who goes there! Stop! No further!"
As I stepped forward, a harsh shout suddenly rang out.
"Oh?" I turned my gaze toward the source of the voice, a hint of surprise on my face.
I had noticed traces of human activity in the area earlier and had kept a casual eye on their movements.
A landmark as massive as the Omni-Link Main Network Tree would naturally attract human survivors. Encountering people here wasn't strange at all.
I was just surprised they had the nerve to jump out and confront me.
And the man had said "no further"—an order of expulsion, leaving no room for negotiation.
I scanned the surroundings and saw several people holding crude weapons. They looked down at me from their vantage points with scrutinizing, even lecherous gazes.
"Is this a temporary shelter you've established?" I asked, using the language of the man who had spoken.
After all, the contract I had signed forbade the wanton slaughter of innocents, so I couldn't proactively kill these nuisances. However… the way a few of the men were looking at me made me quite uncomfortable.
"Yeah! But we don't take in useless dead weight. Though, hey, you're pretty easy on the eyes, babe. We could probably… heh. But where'd you come from? Your makeup and clothes aren't even mussed…"
The man who spoke first was standing on a thick branch extending from a giant tree. Before he could finish his sentence, a sharp shring echoed through the air, startling him so badly he nearly fell.
A split second later, the canopy of the tree he was standing on let out a piercing screech. The roar of rustling leaves followed as the dense, sky-obscuring foliage was suddenly parted. The trunk of the tree had been severed, leaving a perfectly smooth, diagonal cross-section.
The cut had passed mere millimeters above the man's scalp. His slightly messy hair was shorn off in a neat patch, the fine clippings brushing past his ear to land on his shoulder.
Terrified by the sudden, violent change, the man clung to the trunk for dear life, one foot already slipping from the branch.
"Now do you know why my clothes aren't mussed?"
I stood there, holding the long blade from the Book in the Box, the tip pointed directly at him. It had been a simple strike of blade-aura. Ordinary plants and trees couldn't withstand such power, and neither could these ordinary humans.
"Don't even think about running. All of you, line up in the clearing in front of me. There are seven of you in total. If one is missing, I kill one."
My voice was loud. Just as they realized something was wrong and prepared to bolt, my words pierced their ears. The cold, murderous intent sent a shiver down their spines.
I didn't have time for nonsense. If the man had used a better tone, I might have cooperated and witnessed their efforts in a more gentle manner.
But now… since I had chosen the most efficient path, I might as well see it through.
As my threat hung in the air, I swung a second time, carving a jagged, terrifying trench into the ground. The seven of them immediately became obedient and stood in the clearing before me.
They realized that no matter how fast they ran, they wouldn't be faster than my blade-aura.
The morning sun slanted across the ground, shining through the gap I had cut in the canopy and onto their bodies. Beads of sweat rolled down their foreheads.
They kept their heads down, staring at the smooth, deep gouge in the earth, and swallowed hard.
Their minds were racing, trying to figure out who they had run into. This was a superpower!
Was she a Player?
Their original world had been invaded by Players, and their own civilization lacked any transcendent advancement system, so it was only natural for them to think that way.
"Now, someone explain the situation here. How many people are gathered near the Omni-Link Main Network Tree? Since this is a temporary shelter, what are you relying on for defense? What is your food source? Speak clearly."
I looked at the seven of them. One was a woman. Since they were out on sentry duty, they were either the strongest among them, protecting the weak, or they were the weak ones, sent out on a dangerous task.
It didn't matter either way.
The seven remained silent for a moment until the man who had been so annoying earlier spoke up. This time, his tone was no longer flippant; it was trembling.
"Um… my name is Rayne… I don't know… how should we address you, My Lord?"
"I have no interest in your names. As for me… you can just call me the Calamity Witch."
I planned to keep using that title while wandering the Expansion Realm. Mostly, I just didn't want to give them my real name.
I don't particularly like people using my full name, and they wouldn't dare to anyway. I didn't want them using my nickname either, so I didn't have many options.
"The… the Calamity Witch?!"
Upon hearing the name, one of them cried out in shock.
"You've heard of it?" I turned my head toward him.
"I… I saw it! I saw the reports back then… Are you really that Calamity Witch?"
"I—I remember too! I saw it on the Plant Network…" Rayne chimed in, slapping his thigh.
"I did visit your world. If you're referring to those reports, then yes, I am the one you're thinking of," I explained.
I was a bit surprised to run into people who recognized me. I remembered being in disguise back then, but it didn't really matter now.
"Is it true? Then… Lady Calamity Witch… was the mutation of our world your doing as well?" the lone woman asked, her voice shaking.
"I'm not that capable. The trajectory of your world was already set to collide with the world you're standing on. What does that have to do with me?"
When I finished speaking, they all seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief.
"What? Relieved to hear it wasn't me? Even if I'm not that capable, crushing you lot would still be effortless." I dispelled the blade in my hand. To reinforce the "Calamity Witch" label, a fireball the size of a human head manifested above my palm.
Watching the dancing flames, their throats went dry with tension.
They didn't doubt for a second that this "fire magic" could burn them to ash.
"No, no! We didn't mean that!"
"We definitely didn't…"
"Then stop wasting my time. Answer the questions I asked, understood?" I cut them off. The mention of the Calamity Witch had almost derailed the conversation. As I questioned them, I noticed more people approaching—likely drawn by the commotion.
I didn't care. With a wave of my hand, I extinguished the fireball and looked back at the first man.
"W-we'll talk. There are about a hundred of us gathered here… that's about all that's left… but most are injured, or children and women… please, have mercy on them…"
"I have no interest in your people. Just don't get in my way, and I won't bother with you. Continue."
"Continue… uh… what else did you ask…"
"What means are you using to maintain a shelter here? Weapons? Firearms? Also, how are you surviving? What are you eating, and where do you get your water?" I asked more specifically.
In truth, I wasn't that interested in these details. If I really wanted to know, I wouldn't even need to interrogate them.
But their presence near the Omni-Link Main Network Tree was… a bit of a nuisance. I didn't want these innocent people getting caught in the crossfire while I was researching the tree.
"Weapons… we just have these handmade weapons… Food, we scavenge what we can nearby. Water… there's a pool over that way…"
"And you call this a shelter? A landmark this big should have attracted everyone in the area. Why are there only a hundred of you?" I continued.
"Well… there were a lot of us a while ago. We were fighting off the monsters together. But just as we reached a decent size, we ran into a group of people who spoke a different language. Their gear was really strange… they might have been locals of this world…"
"And a large group left with them?" I guessed.
"Yes. They were clearly different from us. They tried to communicate, and even though we couldn't understand them, we figured out where they lived. They say if you stand high up in the tree and look far off, you can see their city… so a lot of people followed them…"
"I see…" Their explanation made the situation clear.
There was nothing left to ask.
"Go. My goal is the Omni-Link Main Network Tree. When you get back, explain my presence to the others in the shelter. And don't bother me. I'll allow you to stay here for now. Anyone tired of living is welcome to come find me; I'll be happy to send them to their grave."
Having said my piece, I ignored them.
My tone was incredibly arrogant—claiming I "allowed" them to stay in what they considered their own territory.
But that was the reality. They lacked the strength to back up any objection.
As I drew closer to the massive trunk of the Omni-Link Main Network Tree, I saw the blurred, transparent shield. They had used these structures as the foundation for their shelter.
There were extensive signs of human habitation—crude shacks and the remains of extinguished campfires.
Most of it was abandoned now.
As I arrived, a few figures poked their heads out, but the seven who had followed me quickly rushed forward to hold them back. They knew that if anyone provoked me, there wouldn't even be ashes left.
They didn't want a tragedy.
I gave them a cursory glance and walked straight to the base of the towering tree.
Then, a Revelation I had obtained from the Omni-Link Main Network Tree long ago appeared in my hand.
An Original Rune.
Originally, the interior of the Omni-Link Main Network Tree contained many spaces modified by human intervention, allowing maintenance crews to work directly inside the tree.
Now, those traces had vanished, leaving behind only a few hollowed-out cavities. No signs of human meddling remained.
It seemed the tree had flourished after escaping human control. I only hoped the internal data was still preserved.
I merged the Original Rune used to control the tree with my Great Knowledge Sharing Spell. Immediately, the Tree of Great Knowledge projected a magical image.
With the Tree of Great Knowledge, the Great Knowledge Sharing Spell, and this Original Rune, I was confident I could uncover answers that had eluded me in the past.