At this moment, Zhang Nu and Liu Hai were unsure of what had just transpired. Both of them felt confused and bewildered, realizing they needed to find stable ground to stand on immediately.
"Liu Hai, get up into the trees now," Zhang Nu commanded.
In Zhang Nu's mind, the only safe option was the treetops. He believed it was the best place for them to regain their footing. However, what seemed like a good idea unknowingly led them right into danger.
Without hesitation, Liu Hai followed Zhang Nu's instructions, leaping onto a towering tree alongside him. But the moment they perched atop the tree, the ground, which had been violently shaking moments earlier, suddenly became calm.
Seeing this abrupt change, Liu Hai felt both amazed and unnerved.
"What's going on, Zhang Nu? Why did the shaking stop as soon as we climbed the tree?" he asked, his voice filled with confusion.
Zhang Nu shook his head, equally puzzled. He couldn't figure out what connection there was between the tremors and their movement. What hidden factor had they overlooked? Something was clearly being concealed from them, but Zhang Nu couldn't quite grasp what it was.
"I'm not sure," he admitted. "Let's try going down again. If the ground starts shaking as soon as we touch it, then we'll know it has something to do with us. If that's the case, we may need to stick to traveling through the treetops."
Liu Hai nodded in agreement, and the two of them prepared to test Zhang Nu's theory. Just as the two prepared to leap back down to the ground, a vine suddenly appeared and coiled tightly around their bodies. Zhang Nu instantly realized that they had fallen into a trap. It was highly likely that the Illusion YaoGuai had conspired with the Tree YaoGuai to set up this elaborate snare.
"What's happening, Zhang Nu?" Liu Hai asked, his voice filled with confusion.
Zhang Nu's face darkened as he responded, "We've been tricked."
Liu Hai was shocked. If they had indeed fallen into a trap, how were they supposed to escape? Would they just wait here helplessly to meet their doom?
"So, what do we do now?" Liu Hai asked, placing his full trust in Zhang Nu. By now, he clearly viewed Zhang Nu as his greatest support.
Zhang Nu shook his head, uncertainty clouding his mind. He wasn't entirely sure what their next move should be either. All he could do was try his best.
"I'm not sure yet. We need to figure out if it's someone controlling these vines or if it's the work of the Tree YaoGuai."
Liu Hai nodded, and the two began brainstorming ways to free themselves. However, after struggling for what felt like hours, they were still stuck, unable to find a solution. They started to regret their rash decision to climb the tree, which now left them trapped.
"Zhang Nu, it doesn't seem like anyone is attacking us directly. These vines are part of the tree, so maybe the tree itself is targeting us."
Zhang Nu nodded in agreement. He had already begun to suspect as much. If the Tree YaoGuai was responsible, then being surrounded by trees only made things worse. There was no way every tree here could have gained consciousness, right?
"We better hope this is the only tree that's come to life. Otherwise, we're in serious trouble," Zhang Nu said grimly.
After hearing Zhang Nu's serious tone, Liu Hai was taken aback. If even Zhang Nu was showing concern, it meant the situation was indeed dire. He didn't want to perish here; he was determined to survive. His loyalty to Zhang Nu stemmed from his belief that Zhang Nu would lead him to victory.
"No way, Zhang Nu! We can't give up like this. We have to find a way out of here! We still need to make it to the end."
Zhang Nu nodded, recalling his initial goal. He had survived the previous game and emerged as a king. There was no way he would allow himself to be defeated so easily in this round. He needed to quickly locate the Tree YaoGuai's weakness and eliminate it.
"Liu Hai, I'll search for the Tree Guai's weak point. Meanwhile, you check the other trees to see if they've also become sentient."
Liu Hai agreed, even though they were still trapped. With determination, he pulled out his trusted dagger and aimed at a healthy-looking tree nearby. As he threw the dagger, it flew swiftly toward its target, but just before it struck, the tree shifted slightly, causing the blade to miss completely.