Chapter 11

The pink flesh ball swiftly retracted its forked tongue into its mouth, shutting it tightly.

This strange big bug seemed quite formidable, transforming into two after shedding its skin! There was no way it could win against it!

With that realization, the pink flesh ball immediately wriggled its body and fled at top speed.

“Trying to run?” a deeply magnetic voice leisurely echoed. Soon after, a broad and powerful hand firmly caught it.

Chirp chirp! The pink flesh ball anxiously chirped twice.

The large hand gently squeezed this resilient and tender flesh ball, chuckling softly, “Little creature, do you think I could crush you in one go? Shall we give it a try?”

Sensing the increasing pressure from the hand gripping it, the pink flesh ball, mimicking the voice of the large bug in anger, retorted, “What the heck!”

The man: …

The excessively sweet childish voice clashed with the surroundings. The man wiped his face, his fierce expression momentarily freezing.

The pink flesh ball swiftly elongated its rear, producing a tail needle and ruthlessly jabbing it into the back of the man’s hand.

“Previously, wearing gloves was just an act in front of the old man. Do you think I’m really afraid of poison? After this is over, I’ll settle the score with you!” The man chuckled indifferently, removed the tail needle, and stuffed the small creature into his shirt pocket.

“Let’s go! Time to catch that old man!” He picked up his phone, issuing orders with a cold tone.

The tattooed girl standing silently nearby opened her mouth, emitting a silent, piercing scream.

Two figures raced through the woods, the sound of their footsteps cutting through the air like released arrows.

The pink flesh ball peeked out from the man’s shirt pocket, scanning the surroundings. All the trees seemed to be receding, unable to see clearly as they were already moving further ahead. Everything was a blur, happening so fast it was dizzying.

The wind blew into its large eyes, feeling cool!

Chirp chirp! Chirp chirp!

Experiencing such speed for the first time, the pink flesh ball’s tender chirps were filled with joy and excitement.

“Do you like it? I can go even faster.” The man suddenly accelerated.

Two fleeting shadows darted through the dense foliage like lightning, impossible for the naked eye to catch.

“Got you!” A malicious, low chuckle echoed suddenly in the darkness.

One shadow dove into the nearby bushes. Another tall, agile figure leaped onto a tree branch, standing poised, gazing down.

“Is that you, Fang Xiaoling? You’re not dead?!” A mix of astonishment and anger resonated from the bushes, followed by a series of screams and sounds of struggle.

Branches violently shook, the scent of blood permeating the air instantly.

After a moment, the girl with full-face tattoos dragged the grey-haired old man slowly towards the base of the tree, holding the old man’s phone in her other hand. She tilted her head back, opening her dark void of a mouth, emitting a silent scream.

“Well done,” the man chuckled softly.

The old man was now a partial corpse, both arms twisted and neck bitten to a bloody pulp, nearing death. He glanced at the girl, then up at the tall man on the tree, his eyes filled with disbelief.

“Who… who are you?”

“Master, don’t you recognize me?” The man stood with hands in his pockets, slightly bending forward. Instead of his deep, resonant male voice, crisp female tones flowed from his thin lips.

“Fang… Fang Xiaoling?” The old man was bewildered, his eyes almost bulging in shock.

“Who are you people?” He shouted in disbelief, his mind completely muddled.

“Have you ever heard of the Painted Skin?” The man lightly tapped his toes, leaping down from the tree and landing smoothly on the ground.

The tattooed girl handed the old man his phone, which he casually pocketed.

“Painted Skin?” The old man’s eyes trembled, looking back at the tattooed girl, understanding dawning upon him.

He chuckled self-deprecatingly, his tone bitter, “So, all this time, I’ve been setting the stage for you! You’ve been lurking by my side, all for this day!”

The man smirked, leisurely speaking, “Master, do you know how difficult you are to serve? There were several times when I almost couldn’t resist killing you! But your parting gift pleases me. Out of our past camaraderie, I’ll ensure you meet a swift end.”

“Is that so? Well, thank you!” The old man glared fiercely at the man.

The man stepped forward, and the girl immediately released the old man’s hair.

The old man collapsed on the ground like a dead dog, only inhaling and not exhaling.

The man lifted the old man, slightly bent his knees, and shot off. Racing through the forest, he headed towards the most dangerous area.

The long night had passed, with the sky now revealing faint, dense whirlpools. Leaping to higher ground brought one closer to these whirlpools, inducing a sense of fear akin to being sucked in.

The man slightly furrowed his brow, his expression tinged with impatience.

Chirp chirp, chirp chirp! A crisp chirping from his shirt pocket, filled with cheerful excitement.

The feeling of fear seemed to dissipate under this influence. The man’s expression softened slightly, unable to suppress a chuckle, “Little creature, you seem to be having a great time.”

“Where are you taking me?” The old man questioned anxiously.

The man remained silent, swiftly passing through the forest to reach a desolate area.

The old man’s frantic cursing abruptly ceased, his bloodshot eyes now filled with intense fear. Not far ahead on the sandy ground stood a towering black tree, its dense canopy engulfing the sky, appearing windless yet vibrant, resembling a blazing flame.

“What… what are you planning to do?” The old man’s voice grew hoarse with palpable anxiety.

“I’m going to conduct an experiment with you,” the man smirked wickedly.

“You’re insane! If you’re looking for death, don’t drag me into it! Damn you, Fang Xiaoling, and your whole family! I should have chopped you up the moment I laid eyes on you!” The old man cursed vehemently, his voice lowered to a near whisper.

The tattooed girl arrived half a minute later, standing at a distance, watching the giant tree with fearful and uneasy eyes.

Chirp chirp~ The pink flesh ball’s excitement waned, its chirps now tinged with a slight tremor.

“Are you also afraid of this tree?” The man lowered his gaze to the small creature in his pocket.

Chirp chirp~ The pink flesh ball whimpered softly, its large eyes glistening with moisture.

“Why is everyone so afraid of this tree? I’m genuinely curious,” the man mused with interest.

“Curious my foot! You young people have no idea how dangerous this is! Aahhh—”

Before the old man could finish speaking, a wave of fear overtook him, and with a swift motion, the man flung him forcefully. The half-corpse soared across the sandy ground, crashing into the trunk of the giant tree.

With a dull thud, the sturdy trunk remained unmoved, yet every black leaf trembled, despite the absence of any wind.

Rustle, rustle, rustle… The friction of leaf against leaf escalated from a whisper to a tumult, akin to a wild wind stirring up mighty waves, tumultuous and raging.

The tattooed girl covered her ears, her resentful expression morphing into one of agony.

The man furrowed his brow, gazing ahead, his eyes devoid of their usual playfulness.

The dense whirlpools in the sky all veered away from the tree. They, too, seemed to sense the danger.

“Ahhh!” The tattooed girl let out a fearful scream, her two dark eyes anxiously fixed on the man’s back.

The man stared fixedly at the old man, unmoving.

The pink flesh ball wriggled frantically, attempting to crawl out from the pocket of the man’s jacket. It was a race against time!

“Don’t run, take another look.” The man grasped the soft, squishy ball, pushing it back into the pocket.

The giant tree’s rustling had grown deafening, every leaf quivering as if alive. The old man below scrambled frantically with his hands, leaving a trail of blood behind.

“Damn it!”

The pink flesh ball grew agitated.

At such a tense moment, amidst the crisp silence, the man’s solemn expression momentarily faltered upon hearing an unexpected curse. He chuckled softly, “Don’t cause trouble. I’m handling important matters here.” He playfully flicked the pink flesh ball’s round head with his index finger.

Chirp chirp! The pink flesh ball panicked wildly, fluttering around in the pocket.

“Xiaoling, save me! Quick, save me!” The old man, consumed by fear, crawled while shouting for help.

“Old man, I’m called Fang Yizhi,” the man spoke with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Fang Yizhi, I have a lifesaving method you don’t know about. Save me, and I’ll teach you!”

“That works out perfectly. You can now demonstrate your lifesaving method.”

Fang Yizhi replied with a light laugh, adopting a relaxed stance. However, every muscle in his body was taut, every nerve tugging, ready to face the imminent danger.

Rustle, rustle… The sound of leaves trembling and rubbing together had spread throughout the entire forest. The whirlpools in the sky had dispersed far away.

Danger loomed.

Suddenly, a black leaf departed from the treetop, followed by a second, then a third…

Within seconds, the giant tree was stripped of every leaf, leaving only twisted branches coiled like a nest of snakes in the air. The branches were covered with numerous lumps, each with dark, hollow eyes and mouths, forming eerie skeletal shapes.

“The Skeleton Tree,” the man murmured the name, finally understanding its origin.

“Ahhh!” The tattooed girl standing not far away gazed up at the sky, emitting a chilling scream of horror.

Following her gaze, the man’s eyes reflected a dark cloud.

No, not a dark cloud, but leaves soaring into the air. In truth, these were not leaves but thousands of dark moths, all flapping their wings in unison, creating a deafening noise, their sheer numbers blotting out the sky.

“Help! Help!” The old man turned and, at the sight of this, was terrified to his core.

Sensing the vibrations of the sound waves, the swarm of moths in the dense sky descended upon the old man, their coiled proboscises turning into steel needles, piercing his body from every inch of skin, every pore, every cell, draining him of blood.

Once drained of blood and flesh, these needles effortlessly pierced through his bones, sucking out the marrow.

In just a few short seconds, the old man had transformed from a living being into a pile of gleaming white bones. The bones were riddled with punctures, the once sturdy bone structure completely destroyed. With a chilling breeze, they crumbled into a pile of white powder.

It turned out the white sand that covered the ground had such an origin!

The man finally unraveled the secret of the tree, murmuring softly, “Run!”

Two shadows, one tall and one slender, raced swiftly through the forest, heading into the distance.

The unsatiated swarm of moths continued beating their wings, relentlessly pursuing. Gathering together, they formed a massive dark cloud surging forward. Wherever their scales fell, the trees, plants, and all living creatures hiding in the foliage withered and perished in spasms.

These moths were harbingers of death, spreading seeds of death and terror far and wide.

Glancing back, the man gritted his teeth and cursed, “Damn it, I’ve really gotten myself into a big mess!”