"Shall we begin?" Fu Xuefeng looked at Zhong De and asked with a somewhat excited smile.
The corner of Zhong De's mouth twitched a couple of times but he still nodded, "Let's begin."
Fu Xuefeng turned around and looking at the survivors tried to speak in an authoritative tone, "Start spreading the oil and gasoline on the nearby plants and grass. Remember not to go too deep and only focus on the outer perimeter!"
Little by little, that young man with little self-confidence was beginning to acquire some attitude. Thanks to the wonderful opportunity provided by Bai Zemin back then, Fu Xuefeng was gradually becoming a person worthy of leadership; this was a great contrast if compared to his past self who was shy and reserved to the level that even having a normal conversation was difficult for him.
The survivors nodded and began to move with careful steps. These hundred were mostly men and there were only a few women among them; each had been carefully chosen the day before and all were brave enough to face danger indirectly.
Fighting was still out of the question but if it was a matter of taking a little risk without having to face any mutated creatures they were still okay. That was precisely why these hundred or so survivors dared to come to this dangerous place.
Each survivor carried a two liter bottle and a few of them carried five liter jerry cans filled to the brim. The bottles contained oil and the jerry cans contained gasoline that had been extracted from the cars parked in the subway parking lot the day before.
Although it was a shame to have to waste a resource like fuel, everyone knew that the plan devised by the group's leaders was the best option to wipe everything out.
The survivors moved carefully and started pouring the oil and gasoline everywhere; some fallen tree trunks or branches, dry or dead leaves, on the grass, on some bushes, basically everything in the outer perimeter of the area where the survivors were had been sprayed with flammable substance.
Right... Step number 1 was to set the forest on fire.
Although it was not possible to go any deeper since the survivors would be slaughtered without even knowing how they died, after listening to Chen He's explanation some realized that the reason why the First Order creatures did not come out of the forest was probably to protect that strange silkworm-like monster.
In fact, the only reason why the Platinum Ape had been so furious the day before and had left the forest and even ignored Shangguan Bing Xue, focusing its attention solely on Chen He, was because the beast was sleeping when he secretly tried to kill it with an arrow imbued with magic into its chest a short distance from its heart. Otherwise it was unlikely that the Platinum Ape would leave the center of the forest.
As for the rest of the First Order creatures leaving the forest, Bai Zemin and the rest couldn't be sure but it was probably because they were on the outer perimeter rather than the center.
"Done!" Fu Xuefeng exclaimed quietly as he gestured for the survivors to return.
"Let's report back." Zhong De looked at the mutated forest one last time before turning around and starting to walk back the way they had come.
* * *
At the top of a five-story building directly across from where the group of one hundred survivors had sprayed the oil and gasoline, Bai Zemin stood silently as he gazed at the mutated forest stretching as far as the eye could see.
The gentle breeze of wind that caressed his face carried the strong smell of fuel that was intoxicating but in a way also had a touch of attraction in it, constantly reminding him of what he should do next.
Beside him, Lilith was sitting up in the mid-air with one leg crossed over the knee of the other and lazily resting her face on one hand. However, though she looked casual, if one paid special attention to her striking red eyes one could easily notice the glint of excitement and exhilaration that was constantly flickering like a naughty child.
"So, will you do it now?" Lilith asked curiously.
"Em." Bai Zemin nodded without averting his gaze and said slowly, "Currently I did everything I could do. I improved my control over Mana, I also learned to get a better control over the amount of Magic I can use, and I even trained for more than fifteen hours every day practically without a break for three whole days with my Blood Manipulation."
He paused and closed his eyes, trying to feel the Mana around him as he said in a low voice: "I even devised an unstoppable attack... My strongest attack at this point. If I can't kill a First Order existence with my bare hands after all this, then I might as well start thinking that such a task really is impossible to accomplish and this unknown entity called Soul Record is insane."
"Well, I'm sure you'll be able to do it." Lilith rolled a lock of her dark hair on her index finger and said with a smile, "Your growth so far has been the most terrifying but at the same time wonderful I have ever seen. If you can't make it, then no one can."
Bai Zemin chuckled and did not comment on it.
In fact, even if Lilith did not say those words he was 99.9% confident that his attack would definitely succeed in claiming the life of his enemy. As for the remaining 00.1%... That was reserved for contingencies beyond what the current him could handle.
Soon after, Bai Zemin slowly opened his eyes and looked down the building. There, Shangguan Bing Xue was coming out from inside the facility along with Chen He and Liang Peng; they seemed to be discussing the second phase of the plan.
As if sensing his gaze, Shangguan Bing Xue stopped the conversation and looked up. Her indifferent sky-colored eyes met a pair of dark and cold eyes like a winter night.
Without saying anything, Shangguan Bing Xue started walking towards the mutated forest. On the other hand, Chen He jumped a couple of times and climbed onto a building next to Bai Zemin's before aiming his pre-loaded crossbow towards the forest.
As for the burly Liang Peng, he held tightly to his big hammer and planted both feet firmly on the ground as he narrowed his eyes towards the unfamiliar but danger-ridden forest.
Before Shangguan Bing Xue got too far away, Bai Zemin shouted loudly, "Hey, Shangguan Bing Xue!"
She stopped and half turned around to look at him just in time to see him throw something at her. With a nimble and easy movement, the object he threw was caught by her.
After seeing what it was, her small mouth opened slightly and her indifferent eyes for the first time in a long time had a wavelength of emotions that even she herself couldn't comprehend.
"I'll lend it to you. When you come back you give it back to me!" Bai Zemin's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
In the end, she looked back toward the top of the building and said the first word that came to her mind, "Thank you."
"Em." Bai Zemin nodded and smiled casually as he said, "I'm relying on you!"
