PNB Chapter 274 [Empire] Natural Forest
Chapter 274 [Empire] Natural Forest
Today was another day off, and Wen Ya, in a rare move, put aside his current tasks and offered to accompany me for a stroll. I had expected a stroll through the shopping streets, an exhibition, or somewhere that suited his gentle image, but unexpectedly, he took me directly to a natural forest on the outskirts of the city.
The forest seemed deep and serene, the air thick with the scent of earth and plants, and the faint growls of distant beasts could be heard. I knew that areas like these, often labeled "natural," often carried their own level of danger and were far from the ideal setting for a typical outing. This filled me with a certain amount of doubt, but more than that, a certain level of alarm.
"Wen Ya," I stopped and looked at him, "Why did you bring me here?"
He didn't answer directly, but just looked back at me with a meaningful smile on his face: "I will teach you how to take risks myself."
This startled me, and I subconsciously frowned. I knew there was something else behind his words. "Risk?" Was he referring to my recent whereabouts, or... had he already noticed something I hadn't yet said?
"Wenya," I whispered, "I thought you wanted me to stay away from danger."
He didn't respond immediately, but continued walking deeper into the woods, his steps brisk and leisurely, as if this unknown place posed no threat to him. I hesitated for a moment, then hurried to follow.
After walking a short distance, he finally spoke, his voice low and slow: "If you want to stay away from danger, it's not about running away, but about learning how to face it. There are always some things in this world that you can't avoid, right?"
I heard the hint in his words, and my heart tightened slightly, but I didn't say anything. He seemed to notice my silence, stopped, turned around, and looked at me seriously: "Some things can't be hidden just because you want to. Instead of waiting until danger approaches and then being at a loss, it's better to prepare now."
His tone remained gentle, but every word struck me like a blow, carrying a certain irresistible power, a power unique to Wen Ya. I suddenly understood the real reason why he had brought me here today.
"Although there are no formal combat plants in this area, there are more or less some plants that have their own consciousness and ability to move." Wen Ya said casually as she walked, and her tone sounded like she was talking about an ordinary thing.
I was stunned for a moment, and looked at him in surprise: "There are plants in this state between plants and combat plants?"
Wen Ya nodded, seemingly unsurprised by my reaction. He tilted his head slightly, glanced at me, and a faint smile played at the corner of his mouth. "The classification of plants isn't as simple as you might think. Strictly speaking, a plant's combat characteristics aren't a simple binary distinction of 'yes' or 'no'. Some plants in an intermediate state possess a certain degree of self-preservation and aggressiveness, but they don't quite reach the standard of combat plants. These plants often exhibit unique behaviors under certain circumstances or stimuli."
I frowned. It sounded a little weird, but I also felt that it made some sense. "For example?"
"For example, certain vines can sense presence and actively extend themselves, attempting to capture or repel intruders. Or, for example, some special root plants can detect threats through subtle soil fluctuations and quickly take cover or counterattack." Wen Ya casually cited two examples, her tone understated. I didn't quite understand the difference.
"Isn't this just imitating combat plants?" I couldn't help but interject.
"That's understandable," Wen Ya nodded slightly. "But the difference is that their actions are more instinctive, rather than having clear consciousness and purpose like true combat plants. Although they look dangerous, their threat is relatively controllable."
As he spoke, he paused and looked down at a bush growing beside the road. The branches and leaves looked ordinary, but upon closer inspection, I discovered several delicate thorns hidden among them, swaying slightly in the wind, like some alert creature. I couldn't help but feel a little nervous, but Wen Ya nonchalantly brushed them aside with her hand, as if she were already familiar with the process.
"There are always things that lie between the boundaries of our cognition." He turned to look at me, his eyes revealing a hint of deep meaning. "Learn to observe them, and you will understand that danger is sometimes not so clear-cut."
Although Wen Ya said that he brought me here to see the plants, from his subsequent actions, it seemed that his focus was still on teaching me how to identify toxicity.
Along the way, he stopped from time to time, pointing to the leaves, fruits, or roots of certain plants, and explaining in detail their characteristics and possible dangers. His tone was serious, even a little stern, and it was obvious that he was still upset about the piece of exotic animal meat I brought back.
"Look at this." Wen Ya stopped in front of a bush covered with small purple fruits and gently cut open one with a knife. A clear juice oozes out. He turned to look at me with a hint of warning in his eyes. "Remember, any juice with this sweet taste, no matter how fragrant or attractive it is, don't touch it. Often, danger is disguised as something tempting."
"This..." I sniffed the aroma of the juice and frowned slightly, "It looks like it's edible."
Wen Ya sneered and casually tossed the fruit into a small puddle nearby. A few seconds later, foam began to form on the surface of the water, and the water around the fruit gradually turned dark red.
"Do you still think it's edible?" He raised his eyebrows, his tone light, but it made me feel a little uncomfortable.
I lowered my head and pursed my lips sheepishly. He glanced at me and softened his tone, "Don't assume your intuition can handle every situation. The toxicity of these plants may be more complex than you imagine, and may not only affect the body but also the mind."
I was startled and subconsciously looked at the plant sample in my hand. I couldn't help but ask, "What if I accidentally eat it? What can I do?"
Wen Ya stopped and stared back at me, her eyes so serious that I was a little scared. "Accidental ingestion? It's best not to let that happen. But if it does happen, try to induce vomiting immediately and find a professional as soon as possible. Especially in a wild forest, don't take any chances."
I didn't say anything else, but I felt a little unconvinced. His seriousness made me feel like a child being scolded, but thinking back to his wariness about exotic beast meat, I seemed to understand why he was so serious.
"You still remember that piece of meat, right?" I muttered, lowering my head and fiddling with the grass at my feet in a huff.