Enforcer Manual
Chapter 699 - 697: Botanist_1

Chapter 699: Chapter 697: Botanist_1

Hog Foster’s signal had disappeared.

The last information Dr. Bai Zhu received was that he stood before a wardrobe door and stepped into the undulating dark green carnivorous plant.

"The way the signal vanished is somewhat eerie."

That was her assessment as a professional.

The signal transmitting device itself was not destroyed; instead, after he passed through the green carnivorous plant, he simply disappeared from this world and arrived in a space that did not exist.

"What do we do now?"

This sudden turn of events furrowed Lu Xiang’s brows—they knew nothing about the world connected behind the plants, and the only way to reach that world was through the belly of the carnivorous plant.

She finally understood why not even the best intelligence officers of the United Government could touch the club’s secrets—the true location of the gathering simply did not belong to this world. Even the most outstanding intelligence officers had to pass through the belly of the carnivorous plant if they wanted to explore the secrets of that world.

"It must be the power of the ’Deity’."

Song Lan recalled the scene she had seen at the media company, where the insects, transformed into Spiritual Energy bombs, continuously crawled out of the mouths of these carnivorous plants, "It can connect two worlds."

"I should have thought of it sooner."

Lu Xiang was a bit annoyed. After all, on the day of the explosion, Song Lan had also mentioned the existence of the plants to her, and Yaku and the former agent of Military Intelligence Section Seven referred to it as the "Tree of Sin." All signs indicated that the "Deity" they were talking about was likely related to the plants.

Now, Hog had been transported to another world by the power of the "Deity," and they had no way of knowing what was happening on the other side, let alone guarantee his safety.

"We have to find a way to tell him to leave there."

Claire, the wife of the Chairperson of the Council, had proven that even those steadfast in faith could become devout followers under the influence of the "Deity." Perhaps they would not let Hog die easily, but when he returned to the real world, they feared he would become a follower of the "Deity" like everyone else.

She pondered many methods, but Dr. Bai Zhu said that with the technology they had, they could not yet convey a message to someone who no longer existed in this world.

The only way, she believed, was to pass through the belly of the carnivorous plant, but without understanding the situation on the other end, it was an incredibly risky decision.

Lu Xiang, uncharacteristically out of ideas, could only pin her last hope on Song Lan, hoping that this invincible silly bird could come up with some methods they were unaware of.

However, faced with such an extremely unfavorable situation, Song Lan appeared calm as usual, "Don’t worry, I believe Mr. Hog can take care of himself."

"According to the records, he hasn’t had any military-grade prosthetics installed, and his resistance to blows is not great either."

Lu Xiang felt compelled to remind her.

Hog Foster’s physical condition was only a tad stronger than that of an ordinary person; should he face a dire confrontation, even a street thug could easily take his life.

Moreover, according to the information provided by Yaku, the roots of the "Tree of Sin" could penetrate cement walls when attacking. If discovered, Hog might indeed end up with a pierced chest.

"You’re talking about the man he used to be."

"...Hmm?"

"The events that occurred in the Third Neutral Country and with the Iris Consortium gave me an idea, Old Lu. Why do you think they willingly became followers of the ’Deity’?"

Those attending the gathering were not people living at the bottom of society, those whose daily lives were filled with discontent and rage with no outlet. Instead, they were council members within the United Government who wielded supreme power and enjoyed a life that ordinary people could only dream of, where every proposal they raised in the High-level Parliament could truly influence the future direction of this country.

Yet, even so, they were still willing to dedicate themselves to the Deity they believed in.

"The Chairperson of the Council said that the ’Deity’ promised them a future."

Lu Xiang answered Song Lan’s question, yet she still did not understand why she had asked it.

"Exactly."

Song Lan nodded, "Because they could directly receive benefits from the Deity’s Spiritual Energy through their faith. The followers from the Third Neutral Country did the same; many of them obtained powers that surpassed ordinary people after becoming followers."

There is no faith without reason in this world.

When he looked back now, he understood many of the abilities he had used unconsciously.

This explained why, when he was in the prison on the outskirts of District Seventeen, he had so adeptly bestowed "Old Rat" with power, allowing "Old Rat" to gain the strength to strike a United Government external department agent into the air with a single blow.

Because at that time, "Old Rat" had followed the guidance deep within his heart.

"You mean..."

Lu Xiang had an epiphany, and even though she had been prepared inside, she couldn’t help but feel amazed.

Song Lan confirmed her guess, "Exactly, Mr. Hog is now a far cry from the feeble old man he once was."

He had personally witnessed the power of the "Deity," so he had long anticipated that the other party might use their power to transport the members to some unknown place.

After much contemplation, he ultimately found the answer from their good friend "Old Rat."

"Mr. Hog now is a standin messenger."

............

Meanwhile, Hog was plagued by the same question.

As his vision cleared, the world that unfolded before his eyes was unmistakably the world of nightmares—all encompassed by plants, and the members of the Fishing Club had built a palace in the clearing of this world.

Green vines crawled all over the white stone pillars, and the architectural style made Hog feel as if he had stepped back into the Stone Age; he had seen such buildings in a book that had survived from before the Third War.

In ancient times, when people had just learned to polish tools and construct buildings, they had eagerly erected such structures—at the utmost of their ability—to worship the deities they believed in.

Jock stood at the foot of the palace’s stone stairs, asking him with a boastful air, "Do you remember how long it has been since you last saw a forest? This is how the world is meant to look!"

The Third War had almost destroyed the entire world, and after the establishment of the United Government, the concept of afforestation had lost its market. Now, wherever they went, they saw the same monotonous scenery. It was said that dense forests could only be seen in some remote areas "outside."

Which meant...

Had they passed through the belly of a man-eating plant and suddenly arrived in the remote "outside" world thousands of miles away?

A tinge of panic surged in Hog’s mind.

It also meant that Rob Lucci and the others, far away, would not be able to come to his aid, no matter what happened here.

"What did you say would happen to those who pass through its belly without an invitation?"

Hog asked urgently.

"That depends on the ’Deity’s’ mood. They might find themselves suddenly in the sky thousands of meters high, or they could be tied up by vines and presented to everyone as spies, or they could be directly digested and become nourishment, making their final tiny contribution as organisms," said Jock, smiling slightly.

"The most recent Ceremony was interrupted, and It is probably still hungry right now."

Hog’s heart sank.

Which meant if Rob Lucci and the others recklessly barged into that man-eating plant, they would be digested and turned into nutrients, completely consumed.

There would be no rescue; from now on, everything depended solely on him.

But...

His gaze swept over the plants outside the palace that looked vicious enough—at merely a glance from afar, they made his heart quail, let alone fighting them.

"Stop dawdling. I’m going to introduce you to an important person who will directly decide whether you can become a member of the High-level Parliament," Jock said.

Jock headed toward the magnificent palace up the stone steps, and Hog had no choice but to steel himself and follow.

He couldn’t afford to show any weaknesses.

Without support, any exposure of his purpose would certainly be fatal.

As they climbed the seemingly endless staircase, Hog was panting from exhaustion. He couldn’t help but lean on a stone pillar entwined with vines, looking up at the palace before him—which seemed even more massive than it had from the foot of the mountain—and its facilities so rudimentary that he felt more like he was exploring the ruins of a civilization.

Jock passed through the long corridor of the palace and arrived at its open-air garden.

The important person he had mentioned was already waiting there.

It was a slender young girl, who was currently tending the grotesque flowers on the altar, her back to them. The bright red petals pulsed like a heart in front of the two men.

When the girl turned around, Hog realized he had never seen her before.

He had thought the important person Jock referred to would be some council member, but it turned out to be a young girl who appeared to be just over twenty.

The girl was dressed in a white dress, barefoot on the ground. Her attire was not so much formal as it was reminiscent of an ethereal princess from one of Kolo Film Industry’s fantasy films.

"She is the botanist Trian, and also the builder of this palace," Jock solemnly introduced the girl’s identity to Hog.

A botanist?

This identity made Hog even more puzzled; he thought the title belonged to someone from a biological pharmaceutical company, not someone attending a gathering of council members.

"I won’t disturb your gathering," the girl said, as if she had read Hog’s mind. Her voice was ethereal, "My duty is to ensure that every participant has a pure heart, before the gathering begins."

With that, she stepped aside, presenting the blood-red flower in front of the two men.

"Now, Mr. Hog, please open your heart to it," said the girl. "Let us know that you are not here for any other purpose."

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