This divine-looking girl was precisely the princess of the Elven Manzhushahua royal family. Just as Houying had predicted, the one who had gone to the Imperial Capital Plaza of the Great Xia Kingdom was her clone!
Forests possessed life, especially the flora and fauna of this enchanted forest, which were even more sentient than the vegetation on Blue Star.
At this moment, with the special forces from various Western countries invading, many magical plants were being destroyed, and millions of troops were lurking on the periphery. The vegetation within the enchanted forest exuded an aura of fear and panic.
This aura, if perceived by someone with keen senses, might evoke a slight sense of oppression. However, magical plants could directly feel its essence. Especially for the Elven race, these flowers and trees were their subjects.
Elves could provide protection to the forest, and these plants could similarly aid the elves in augmenting their magical power!
The killing intent emanating from the Elven Princess grew increasingly sharp, yet the magical power she released surged and receded alternately.
She was hesitating!
She did not regard the special forces outside or the armies of the Western Alliance with any concern. Her worry was directed towards that mysterious, terrifying, and utterly merciless individual from the East!
The accompanying plant, her clone, while lacking the full strength of her本体 (běntǐ - main body), was not to be underestimated. Yet, before him, it possessed no power to resist, not even a chance to escape.
Therefore, even if her main body were to go, she harbored no certainty. Especially since she had learned of Dapeng's capture and the whereabouts of the Three-Headed Demonic Dragon remaining unknown, this instilled in her a strong sense of crisis.
Originally, she had intended to remain hidden within the forest, allowing that individual, and indeed the entire Blue Star, to believe she was truly dead. This would give her time to await the complete opening of the passage and the arrival of Tetes' demon kings.
Then, they would join forces to slay the guardian of this world!
While she hesitated, the Western special forces had already penetrated dozens of kilometers into the enchanted forest, gradually approaching the core area of the abyssal black hole—the interdimensional passage.
However, only four teams remained.
Three of them were the US Navy SEAL special forces led by Harris, the British SAS reconnaissance group led by William, the German GSG-9 special forces led by Eli, and the joint special forces of France and Australia.
Special forces teams from other countries, large and small, had already withdrawn from the exploration due to heavy casualties.
Despite the significant losses, the intelligence they brought back brought joy to the leaders of the Western Alliance.
According to the situation, the enchanted forest no longer possessed any means capable of resisting attacks of the magnitude of 'demon-eradicating missiles'!
The enchanted forest could be annihilated!
But before that, all resources within it must be plundered...
Deep within the enchanted forest, after emerging from the dense canopy of towering trees, the SEAL special forces found themselves facing a small, open plain.
The plain was covered with dandelions, their seeds gently drifting on the breeze, appearing exquisitely beautiful and artistic under the soft sunlight.
"Deputy Officer Charlie, report our position." Harris's unit halted. The SEAL special forces now numbered only a little over a dozen.
"Approximately 100 kilometers southwest of headquarters," a young deputy officer stepped forward to report.
Harris nodded, gazing into the distance at this colorful and romantic dandelion plain, resembling an oil painting. His brow furrowed slightly.
Vaguely, he felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
He wanted to find another path, but to the east lay a great river, and to the west, steep mountains, making the terrain more difficult. The unknown terror, if nothing unexpected occurred, would also be present!
"Divide into three teams: front, middle, and rear. Enter in batches."
Harris contemplated for a short while before finally issuing the order. Their final destination was the abyssal black hole, the interdimensional passage.
"After crossing this plain, we will reach our destination. I believe there, more enticing treasures await!"
The SEAL special forces' expressions became slightly joyful. Along their journey, those who had survived had acquired many treasures. They had obtained a considerable amount of that miraculous liquid, as well as numerous plants with immense benefits to the body...
"You, you, and you... enter first." Harris selected five individuals to form the vanguard. The chosen few’s faces changed, but they still accepted the order.
Although they were aware this was a dangerous area with significant risks, disobeying the order would undoubtedly result in Harris executing them on the spot! It was better to take the risk and potentially acquire more treasures!
"Yes!"
The five team members cautiously entered the dandelion plain.
After they had gone a considerable distance, Harris still made no move.
Deputy Officer Charlie, puzzled, reminded him, "Captain, the next squad is due to depart."
Charlie, however, shook his head. Although he had ordered them to enter in three batches, this was not his true intention.
These five individuals entering were their suicide squad. If they did not return, he would not enter...
"Hold position!" Harris replied coldly.
The remaining special forces members exchanged glances, their expressions shifting slightly, but they dared not speak, nor did they wish to. Instead, they felt a sense of relief.
After a while longer, as the five team members were about to disappear from sight, a large number of dandelion seeds began to drift across the plain.
In an instant, the entire plain was covered with a sky-high expanse of dandelion seeds, completely obscuring the view. Even visibility within tens of meters was impossible!
"Danger!"
At the edge of the dandelion plain, Harris and his men’s faces changed drastically, and they immediately retreated into the forest.
"Those dandelion seeds are not drifting into the forest!"
In the forest, seeing the bizarre dandelion seeds only floating above the plain, Harris and the others breathed a sigh of relief.
One by one, with lingering fear, they peered through the trees at the situation outside.
"Bruce and the others, they won't be dead, will they?" a SEAL team member asked worriedly.
But no one answered his question; many already had the answer in their hearts.
Time ticked by...
"Captain, what do we do?" Deputy Officer Charlie asked nervously.
Retreat! This was Harris's first instinct. However, President White Lamp's order was to reconnoiter the abyssal black hole.
For an operation of this magnitude, returning like this would cost them dearly, if not their lives!
"Captain, the dandelion seeds in the plain are becoming fewer..."
A SEAL member responsible for constant reconnaissance reported excitedly. "Look quickly, something is reaching the edge—"
"Ah!! It's, it's Bruce and the others!"
Just as Harris hesitated, two figures ran out from the edge of the dandelion plain.
"Captain, Captain, we're back!" Bruce, who had returned, shouted loudly.
Harris hesitated slightly, allowing his team members to bring Bruce and the other one over.
"Where are the other three?" Harris asked, with a hint of interrogation in his voice.
"Inside. Just now, a strong wind suddenly blew up many dandelion seeds, which startled us too," Bruce said, unaware, and instead appeared happy and excited. He pulled something out of his pocket.
"Captain, we've found a great treasure, look!!!"
Bruce opened his hand to reveal a diamond-like crystal, shaped like a rhombus.
Upon seeing this crystal, Harris's eyes immediately lit up. This was the most scarce and sought-after demon crystal on Blue Star!
All demon-breaking weapons and the super-soldier program relied on these gems.
"Beneath those dandelion seeds, there are many such demon crystals!" Bruce said with immense surprise. This time, they would be credited with great merit!
"Let me see."
As Harris reached out to take it, an accident occurred.
Bruce suddenly let out a scream and fell to the ground, his body trembling violently, crying out in agony.
The teammate who had returned with him suffered the same fate!
Harris and the others watched them, their faces suddenly changing drastically, their eyes widening with fury.
From within Bruce and the other's bodies, roots began to grow, and plants sprouted from them, growing at an astonishing rate.
Soon, Bruce and the other were lifeless, their bodies shriveled, leaving only their special forces uniforms.
In less than a minute, the bizarre 'grass' grew and bloomed.
Dandelion seeds drifted...
"Run!"
Harris no longer hesitated, turning and fleeing back. Those who reacted slower were caught by the blooming dandelion seeds, and in their panic to remove them, the dandelion seeds unobtrusively burrowed into their bodies...
"Ah!!!"
This time, the manifestation of the dandelion seeds was extremely rapid.
They seemed premeditated! Harris's heart pounded, and he dared not look back.
On the other side, the British Imperial special forces, led by William with over twenty SRR special team members, entered a willow forest. As they went deeper, the willow trees suddenly came alive, wielding willow branches sharper and tougher than spears, impaling the SRR team members one by one like roasted meat.
In the end, almost the entire team was wiped out...
The German special forces led by Eli, and the joint special forces of France and Australia, also encountered terrifying magical plants, with very few survivors.
"Dandelion seeds, willow forest, demon vines, blood-colored mushrooms—they have blocked the path to the abyssal black hole from the east, west, north, and south! What do you think?"
In the Western Alliance, after receiving reports from the surviving special forces, the presidents of various countries immediately convened an emergency meeting.
"Although they still have many strange and terrifying magical plants, after so long, no single powerhouse has appeared. This indicates that the Elf is truly dead, and there are no other Elves."
"As long as we use strategic missile attacks, overwhelming firepower to destroy these four dangerous areas, all the magical liquid and demon crystals in this forest will be ours."
...
"Propose launching 'Demon Slayer Missiles' and strikes!"
"The Kingdom of Split Teeth concurs!"
"The Imperial Kingdom of Will concurs!"
"France concurs!"
After a discussion, the Western Alliance made a decision. As their order descended, the weapon systems of the Western nuclear space station began to operate, and missile after missile, carrying an aura of death and destruction, slowly descended.
On the periphery of the enchanted forest, the Western armored forces also began to move, starting to clear the vegetation of the enchanted forest and conduct a carpet search for treasures...
Deep within, sensing the dangerous aura from the sky, the Elven Princess's fury erupted completely, her killing intent chilling.
She had originally assumed that these Western humans would retreat in fear upon encountering the powerful magical plants in the core area.
But she had miscalculated!
"Lucky clover, protect!"
As the 'Demon Slayer Missiles' rapidly reached the atmosphere, the familiar four-leaf and five-leaf clovers reappeared above the enchanted forest, emitting holy light to shield the entire sky above the forest.
Thus, at the edge of the forest, the earth began to tremble. Enormous dark vines erupted from the ground, sweeping like hellish hands across the Western armored divisions, ruthlessly harvesting the lives of millions of soldiers...
"It's her! She's still alive..."
The presidents of the Western Alliance countries exclaimed in panic.
"Weren't they saying she was already dead???"