NOVEL WEB Chapter 13: Chapter 13:Roots of Evil
The Dying Forest
The forest was dying. Trees that were once green and tall now looked like black skeletons. Their leaves crumbled to dust when touched, and the air smelled like rotten eggs mixed with burnt sugar. Crows screamed in the gray sky, as if laughing at the destruction.
Luo Feng's Worry:
He touched the dry, cracked soil. Tiny black roots wriggled under the dirt like snakes. "The Dark Bloom's poison is spreading," he said.
Granny Wen's Warning:
From the shack, she coughed, "If the roots reach the village wells… everyone will die. You must find where this evil began!"
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Xiao Mei's Horror
While gathering herbs, Xiao Mei saw black mushrooms growing near the river. They oozed sticky black liquid. When she poked one with a stick, it exploded into black dust, killing a butterfly instantly.
She Ran Back:
"The poison is everywhere!" she shouted, her face pale. "Even the mushrooms are deadly!"
Luo Feng's Plan:
He grabbed a lantern and dagger. "We'll follow the black roots underground. They'll lead us to the source."
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Into the Dark Tunnel
The roots led them to a giant oak tree. Its trunk had split open, revealing a dark tunnel. The air inside smelled like blood and rot.
Strange Creatures:
A rabbit with red eyes chewed its own leg.
A fox with thorns growing from its fur hissed at them.
The river was now black sludge, filled with dead fish.
Xiao Mei's Fear:
She held Luo Feng's sleeve. "This place feels… alive. Like it's watching us."
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The Monster Flower
The tunnel opened into a cave. In the center was a giant black flower—bigger than a house! Its petals were black as coal, with a red center that pulsed like a heart. Thorny vines covered the cave floor, and animal bones littered the ground.
A Shocking Surprise:
A woman stepped out of the shadows. Her face was twisted like Luo Feng's, with one eye bigger than the other.
"Hello, little brother," she said. "Did you think you were the only cursed one?"
Mei Ling's Story:
She was Luo Feng's sister. The Yan Clan had kidnapped her years ago and turned her into a monster using the Dark Bloom's poison. Now, her arms were thorny vines, and her skin was covered in black veins.
"They gave me power," she hissed. "Power to take revenge on everyone who called us monsters!"
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The Fight
Mei Lung attacked, her vine-arms slashing at Luo Feng. The amulet glowed, protecting him, but the force knocked him down.
Xiao Mei's Help:
She threw a lantern at the giant flower. It caught fire, and the flower screamed like a wounded animal.
Mei Ling's Rage:
"You can't kill me!" she yelled, cutting Xiao Mei's arm with her thorns.
Granny Wen's Sacrifice:
Suddenly, Granny Wen appeared at the cave entrance. "Use the sap!" she shouted, tossing Luo Feng a bottle of glowing blue sap from the Silverwood Tree.
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Destroying the Heart
Luo Feng climbed the giant flower. At the top was a black, pulsing ball—the flower's heart. He poured the sap on it.
The Flower Dies:
The heart sizzled and screamed. The giant flower crumbled to ash, and Mei Ling fell to the ground, her body turning to black dust.
Mei Ling's Last Words:
"Thank you… for freeing me," she whispered. "Don't let the Yan Clan win…"
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After the Battle
The forest began to heal. Grass grew through the ash, and birds sang again.
Back at the Shack:
Granny Wen bandaged Xiao Mei's arm. "The Dark Bloom is gone… but the Yan Clan is still out there."
Luo Feng's Promise:
He looked at his cracked amulet. "We'll stop them. No matter what."
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The Yan Clan's New Plan
In their dark hideout, Master Yan held a single black seed. A shadowy figure beside him laughed.
"The boy is weak now," the figure said. "It's time to crush him."