In less than thirty minutes of trekking through the frozen wilderness, Thien Lang had brought the group back within the safety perimeter of the bunker. However, a bizarre sight greeted them: a host of strange entities were lethargicly drifting around the sanctuary entrance. Thien Anh dubbed them "Tree People," but in truth, they were unfortunate humans whose bodies had been entirely subverted by a species of parasitic flora.
Their skin had transformed into a gnarled, parched bark. From the fissures in their flesh, small branches sprouted like jagged thorns, while eerie, pale flowers bloomed atop their heads. Despite their botanical nature, vestigial human features remained hauntingly visible beneath the wooden shroud.
These creatures moved with agonizing slowness; their hearing and vision appeared to have atrophied to a minimum. Thien Anh narrowed his eyes, muttering under his breath, "This world truly knows no limits. Even plants have learned to hunt men now."
Thien Lang tilted his head slightly. "What's the call, Master? Do we clear them out or circle around?"
Thien Anh considered for a moment before replying, "Let's test their awareness first. If they're non-aggressive, we'll ignore them. But if they're ambush predators, we can't have them surrounding our doorstep."
Thien Thanh spoke up eagerly, "Let Bé test them for you, Master!"
With that, Thien Thanh slid down from the wolf's back and glided toward the cluster of Tree People. Initially, she positioned herself upwind, letting her scent drift toward them. At a distance, the Tree People merely sniffed the air before returning to their stationary state. It wasn't until Thien Thanh closed the gap to less than two meters that the transformation truly began.
In stark contrast to their previous lethargy, once a target was within range, the Tree People attacked with lightning velocity. Long, vine-like tongues lashed out at supersonic speeds, tearing through the air. Had it not been for the superior reflexes of a Tier-3 spirit beast, Thien Thanh would have certainly been impaled.
The moment Thien Thanh retreated beyond the three-meter mark, the Tree People instantly halted, retracted their tongues, and resumed their guise as mindless, inanimate timber. Thien Anh observed the entire process and commanded:
"They only strike within a narrow radius. No need to waste ammunition. Mutt, bypass them."
Thien Lang obeyed in silence, skillfully weaving through the gaps between the monsters to reach the secret bunker entrance.
Upon arrival, Thien Anh left Thien Lang topside as a sentinel, while he swiftly moved the two injured soldiers into the lower levels of the vault. Thien Thanh and Lam Linh immediately set to work selecting equipment for their plan to deal with the One-Eyed Demon swarm.
Despite having rescued the pair, Thien Anh's ingrained assassin's caution did not allow for any lapse in security. He feared they might still carry latent pathogens or parasitic eggs of the One-Eyed species. After placing them in a warm room, he activated the surveillance cameras and deadbolted the door from the outside. Any medical examination would wait until the immediate threat outside was neutralized.
In the armory, Thien Anh found Lam Linh hauling a large equipment case. He asked, "Everything prepped?"
Lam Linh nodded firmly. "All drones and decoys are accounted for. Nothing's missing."
Thien Anh looked down at her left hand, encased in thick white bandages, and furrowed his brow. "Wounded that badly and moving through this brutal weather... can you handle it? If not, stay in the bunker. I can manage alone."
Lam Linh shook her head with iron determination. "I said I'd walk this path with you. This wound isn't enough to make me back down."
The conviction in her eyes made it impossible for Thien Anh to refuse. He respected his comrade's will. "Fine. Let's move out."
The group swiftly vacated the bunker. Before departing, Thien Anh did not forget to reset the lethal traps around the entrance to ensure no creature—not even the Tree People—could intrude during their absence.
Their target was Ly Van Luyen Street, a primary artery that had once been the most densely populated area of the city. Logically, it would now be the epicenter of Ghoul activity. As they moved, Thien Anh utilized satellite feeds to survey the topography. He quickly pinpointed an ideal vantage: a high-rise building that remained relatively intact despite the cataclysms.
From that height, they could easily pilot the drones to lure the Ghoul hordes without risking being swamped by threats on the ground.
The game of "borrowing a blade to kill" was truly about to begin.