The sky gradually dimmed.
A thick fog mysteriously descended, blanketing everything in a white expanse.
The entire school was enveloped by the white fog.
Su Yan stopped before the school gates. Looking around, he saw the area was crowded with students' parents.
"So much time has passed, why hasn't the official team arrived yet?"
"We don't know what the situation is like inside the school. I hope all the students are safe."
"Zihao, my Zihao, please be okay! Your mom can't take this!"
At this moment, every parent outside the school was frantic with worry, many showing signs of extreme agitation.
"Everyone, are there any evolved beings willing to form a group and go in to assess the situation?"
Some righteous evolved beings began to spontaneously form teams to rescue those inside the school.
Nearby traffic had come to a standstill, meaning the official team couldn't arrive to conduct a rescue anytime soon.
So, everyone could only attempt to save themselves.
Quickly, under the call of an Advanced Level Being, a makeshift rescue squad was successfully established.
Seeing such a team of evolved beings form, Su Yan, without a second thought, went over and applied to join.
Some of the older evolved beings in the team, noting his youth, kindly advised, "Young man, you look so young; you must still be a student. It's very dangerous in there now. I suggest you don't go in with us."
"I think it should be fine."
With that, Su Yan bent down, picked up a piece of rubble from the ground, and with a few CRUNCHES, pulverized it.
"Oh? Not bad at all, young man! To possess such strength at your age."
"I have high hopes for you; you're destined to be a prominent figure. Don't disappoint me."
The Advanced Level Being who had organized the team commended Su Yan sincerely upon witnessing this.
The others in the team were also deeply impressed by what they had seen.
After all, he had crushed a stone with his bare hands.
The strength displayed seemed to be, at the very least, within the range of a Semi-Advanced Level creature.
In other words, the young man standing before them was, at minimum, a Semi-Advanced Level creature.
"Everyone, count me in!"
Just as everyone was sizing up Su Yan, a pleasant voice came from the back of the group.
Su Yan turned at the sound, only to be surprised to find that the speaker was Sister Yu, the woman with whom he'd had a slight friction on the bus.
"You?" Su Yan asked.
Sister Yu also saw Su Yan and her face immediately fell. Enemies always find a way to meet, she thought.
"Auntie, it's very dangerous inside the school right now. I suggest you..."
Before Su Yan could finish, Sister Yu bent down, picked up a stone, and then, right in front of him, with a few CRUNCHES, pulverized it.
"So, classmate, what exactly were you about to suggest to me, an Advanced Level Being?" Sister Yu asked Su Yan with a smile, letting the stone fragments trickle from her hand.
"Nothing much. Just that it's dangerous inside, so I suggest you be careful after you go in."
Su Yan wasn't particularly surprised or amazed by the sight of Sister Yu effortlessly crushing a stone.
He could automatically acquire a target's evolutionary information and had known since their bus ride that Sister Yu was an Advanced Level Being.
"Dangerous? Suggesting I be careful?"
Sister Yu nearly laughed out loud. "Instead of worrying about me, an Advanced Level Being, you'd better worry about yourself. Don't end up crying and begging me to save you!"
Seeing a rare opportunity to gain the upper hand in their banter, Sister Yu naturally wouldn't miss the chance for a moment of verbal satisfaction.
Su Yan chuckled. "You're overthinking it. It'll be you crying and begging me to save you."
"Tsch, so stubborn about saving face." Sister Yu scoffed at him and then ignored him.
Soon, the entire squad was ready to depart.
The team consisted of sixteen individuals. Counting Su Yan, five were Advanced Level Beings.
The remaining eleven members, without exception, were all at least Semi-Advanced Level creatures.
The strength of such a team was almost comparable to half an official team.
After a brief explanation of crucial points, the team, led by a veteran Advanced Level Being, began to advance into the school.
The moment the team entered the school, a dense wall of fog rolled towards them.
The white fog churned, obscuring anything beyond a few meters. Even teammates walking right beside them appeared as mere hazy silhouettes. It was truly eerie and bizarre, making one's skin crawl.
The school was eerily silent. Led by the veteran Advanced Level Being, the group navigated towards the academic building, the sound of their own footsteps unnaturally loud as they picked their way forward.
The group carefully entered the academic building and searched from the first floor up to the third.
However, they didn't encounter a single living soul throughout their search. All the teachers and students in the entire school had mysteriously vanished, as if they had never existed in this world. It was an extremely horrifying and terrifying realization.
"Quick, look! There's something wrong with this classroom!" an Advanced Level Being walking ahead shouted, pointing back towards a particular classroom.
Hearing this, everyone behind quickened their pace, Su Yan moving the fastest.
He soon reached the window and stopped, then couldn't help but stare in astonishment.
Through the window, Su Yan saw a dilapidated classroom. Though thick white fog filled the room, he could vaguely discern that it was overrun with thick vines. Some of these vines were deeply embedded in the walls, almost to the point of bursting the classroom apart.
Su Yan was aghast at the scene before him.
Schools in this world were built with special materials. Their walls were exceptionally sturdy and could generally withstand any damage, unless attacked by Rare Level Creatures.
Yet, this classroom, which should have been extremely solid, now looked exceptionally dilapidated inside. The surrounding walls were riddled with cracks, looking as if they could collapse at any moment.
After observing from the window for a while and sensing no immediate danger inside, the group relaxed slightly and pushed open the door to enter.
"Look, there's a Strange Tree over there!" someone suddenly shouted, pointing at a corner shrouded in white fog.
Upon hearing this, Su Yan immediately looked in the indicated direction and quickly saw a Strange Tree with lush branches and leaves growing there.
"Everyone be careful! This Strange Tree appearing out of nowhere could be dangerous," Sister Yu cautioned the squad members.
The team leader, the veteran Advanced Level Being who had organized the squad, glanced at Sister Yu, then said to the others behind him, "I need two volunteers to come with me and check things out. If something unexpected happens, those nearby should help if possible. If the situation becomes untenable, everyone else must escape and find reinforcements. We cannot allow the entire team to be annihilated."
However, several seconds passed, and still, no one responded to the captain's call.
Seeing that no one else seemed willing to go first, Su Yan stepped forward, ready to personally assess the danger.
Sister Yu, seeing this, naturally refused to be outdone and immediately followed, unwilling to show any weakness.
And so, the three of them, nerves taut, cautiously advanced step by step toward the Strange Tree.
As they drew closer, the surrounding white fog's influence gradually lessened.
Soon, the three who had advanced were finally able to see the Strange Tree in its entirety.
The trunk of the Strange Tree was massive, roughly the width of a large water bucket. It was also entwined with thick, long vines, creating a grotesque and absurd spectacle.
At the heart of its canopy grew a glistening green vine. Suspended high beneath this vine was a huge object resembling a silkworm chrysalis.
By a simple visual estimate, it appeared to be nearly two meters long and half a meter wide.
This Giant Silkworm Chrysalis, suspended in mid-air, its surface bulged, as if something were wrapped within.
Gazing at this mysterious, chrysalis-like object, Su Yan felt a growing unease. Its shape, its size… The chrysalis before him appeared to encase a person…