Chapter 334: Carboniferous Period 6

Perry Yates switched from walking on the ground to leaping between branches.

The advantages were a higher vantage point, a better view, and the ability to avoid insects on the ground. The disadvantages were also obvious: she would occasionally encounter flying insects, and there were sometimes bugs on the trees as well.

But all in all, the number of insects was far less than on the ground.

Perry Yates hadn’t traveled far through the trees when it began to rain.

Large drops of water smashed against the ground, looking like they would hurt.

With the rain, the insects all began to take shelter. They wouldn’t be active outside for a while.

’I can use this time to cover more ground.’

’I wonder if I can drink this rainwater.’

’Rainwater is supposed to be clean fresh water, but this isn’t the modern era—it’s the Carboniferous Period. Who knows what strange things are in this rain?’

So, after a moment’s hesitation, Perry Yates ultimately decided not to collect the rainwater. Besides, she still had some bottled water in the Safe House, which was enough for her.

Guided by the plants, Perry Yates soon arrived at another strange place.

Unsurprisingly, there was a card here too, but it wasn’t one of hers. It was a dandelion with leaves a full meter long.

After suppressing it as she always did, she pulled it up, roots and all.

She placed her hand on a tree trunk again to continue her search.

This time, in addition to special plants, Perry Yates also had the trees search for creatures like her.

Not individuals, but large groups gathered together.

In her view, when many players gathered, it was either to form an alliance or to fight for a card—with the latter being far more likely.

After sending out the message, Perry Yates didn’t get an immediate response, but she wasn’t anxious.

Even though she was doing her utmost to search for cards, collecting all the missing ones required luck in addition to strength. Perry Yates had already mentally prepared for the worst.

Just then, Perry Yates felt information coming back from the plants, but it wasn’t what she wanted. It was a cry for help.

Perry Yates looked in a certain direction. In the distance, she saw plumes of black smoke staining the sky black.

’Is that a fire?’

’No, who would be stupid enough to start a fire in the forest?’

Although forest fires in this period were usually caused by lightning striking trees, there had been no thunder just now. So, Perry Yates naturally attributed it to a player. Only players had the ability to conjure fire from thin air.

In this situation, Perry Yates was powerless to help. The only thing she could do was protect herself.

Perry Yates looked toward the fire, intending to gauge its intensity so she could pick a safe direction to escape.

In the modern world, if a forest fire wasn’t extinguished in time, it could burn for months. Here, it would likely burn for even longer.

It was still raining, so the fire was somewhat contained. Once the rain stopped, the blaze would likely grow even more ferocious.

As for hoping the rain would extinguish the fire, Perry Yates could only say that while there was a chance, it was unlikely. After all, if this rain were really effective, the fire probably wouldn’t have started in the first place.

Just as Perry Yates confirmed her escape route and prepared to leave the dangerous area quickly, she suddenly noticed a different kind of light flash within the distant inferno.

A gust of wind brushed past her barrier, rustling the surrounding leaves.

Perry Yates suddenly thought of a possibility. ’Was it too presumptuous of me to blame the fire entirely on a player? Maybe there’s another explanation.’

’The cards.’

’Perhaps the fire was started by a Fire Attribute card.’

With that thought, Perry Yates abandoned her plan to leave and instead ran toward the fire.

The closer she got, the more certain she became of her suspicion. This fire was definitely related to the cards.

Vaguely, through the roaring flames, Perry Yates saw two creatures that couldn’t possibly exist in the Carboniferous Period facing off.

One was a giant black snake with red, magma-like patterns on its body. It was over twenty meters long with a thick body.

The red patterns weren’t just ordinary markings; they were actual magma.

What the giant snake spewed from its mouth wasn’t venom, but scorching magma.

Opposite the giant snake was a lion wreathed in flames, roaring angrily at it.

All the surrounding plants had become ready fuel for their battle.

’It really is the cards causing this trouble. And it looks like it’s not just these two.’

’The snake and the lion are out in the open, but there seem to be other cards hidden in the shadows.’

Just then, another gust of wind blew past, and the forest fire intensified.

Following the wind’s direction, Perry Yates quickly locked onto her target: a slender, pure white bird. It was watching the battling snake and lion below with great interest.

Seeing this, Perry Yates immediately drew her Spiritual Ability Gun and aimed at the bird in the sky. Before it could react, she took it down with a single shot.

The white bird’s body was pierced, and it finally reverted to its card form.

’Looks like my previous guess was right. To take a card that isn’t yours, you either have to completely suppress it, or severely injure or kill the creature it embodies.’

Having dealt with the one fanning the flames, it was time to deal with the two below.

Fire Attribute cards were short-tempered, just like fire itself.

But Perry Yates didn’t give them a chance to react. Before they knew what was happening, she sent them packing, one shot for each.

Having successfully obtained three cards, Perry Yates looked at the surrounding flames. The rain was still falling. She scanned the area, originally just to see if any had slipped through the net, and was surprised to find that one actually had.

That card was hidden in the grass. It was tiny, with the appearance of a hamster.

After turning into a card, its level was barely two stars. Its abilities were digging and an attached space the size of two backpacks.

As for the location of the space, it was in its cheeks, just like a hamster.

After stowing the cards, Perry Yates quickly left the area.

Not long after she left, a man in a black trench coat appeared. He walked through the flames as if he couldn’t feel their heat.

Even when flames licked at his clothes, they had no effect.

Clearly, the man’s trench coat was also an item.

If Perry Yates had been there, she would have recognized the trench coat as her own handiwork. And the man, clearly, was a Dealer Player.

"Looks like I was a step too late."