Because someone joined, Luo Xingzhou didn’t get a full meal, and neither did Milo and Chen Kangning. Chen Kangning took the initiative to retrieve a hunted star beast from his space ring, cleaned it by the river, and Luo Xingzhou reluctantly started grilling it again. During this time, he also advised the others on what kinds of plants and fruits could be used as seasonings.
The three shared most of the newly grilled star beast, packing the remainder to either eat later that night or use as a snack during their journey. Satisfied, they continued exploring the unfamiliar planet.
When encountering star beasts, the carnivorous plant, Jiutang, cooperated very well with Milo and Chen Kangning in hunting, which led to praise for Jiutang from viewers in the latter’s livestream. Occasionally, viewers in Luo Xingzhou’s livestream caught glimpses and couldn’t help but smile.
[Did you notice that Jiutang’s behavior this afternoon seems a bit off? It looks kind of lazy.]
[I noticed that too. It’s likely because it’s too full and hasn’t digested yet, so it’s not as active.]
[Exactly. Jiutang seems so docile now. When will Milo and Chen Kangning see Jiutang’s true nature? Will they be shocked?]
[Ha, that’s hard to say. I hope they can handle it when the time comes.]
With Chen Kangning being a water-based ability user, Luo Xingzhou didn’t have to worry about finding water sources. At night, Chen Kangning and Milo provided the ingredients, while Luo Xingzhou was responsible for cooking. They had another satisfying meal and spent the night in a cave they had found.
Despite having some reservations about the two, Luo Xingzhou didn’t mind teaming up with others. After spending half a day together, he had gotten a sense of their personalities. Milo was a passionate and cheerful big guy who made the atmosphere lively, while Chen Kangning was a mature and steady older brother figure. His level of caution wasn’t any less than Luo Xingzhou’s, and it was clear he took good care of Milo. Perhaps it was Chen Kangning’s presence that allowed Milo to be so carefree.
Although Milo was friendly, he maintained proper boundaries and didn’t ask Luo Xingzhou inappropriate questions. So, on the third day, Luo Xingzhou continued to travel with them. Milo was eager to keep Luo Xingzhou as a regular companion, feeling that after just two or three meals together, he couldn’t imagine continuing the month-long survival livestream without Luo Xingzhou.
It’s easy to move from simplicity to luxury, but moving from luxury to simplicity is far more difficult.
That afternoon, they crossed a marsh. Milo almost stepped into it, but before Chen Kangning and Luo Xingzhou could help, Milo shifted into his beast form. The nimble feline-beast, with only one paw caught, quickly leaped out and darted back to Chen Kangning.
Milo’s feline-like fur was black and yellow striped, and now it was bristling all over, making Luo Xingzhou want to pet him. The feline beast clung tightly to Chen Kangning, who stroked its fur while keeping a wary eye on their surroundings. “There’s something in the marsh. Let’s move quickly.”
Luo Xingzhou didn’t delay and immediately headed in the direction opposite to the marsh.
After walking for a while and glancing back, they indeed saw a dark shadow emerging from the marsh. It was unclear what dangerous creature might be hiding inside, but viewers in the livestream knew that this marsh was the final resting place of a contestant from the first day.
[That’s terrifying. If Milo hadn’t been so quick, they would’ve had a tough time. Luckily, Milo’s beast form has an advantage in these situations.]
[True, even if it weren’t Milo, Luo Xingzhou’s Jiutang would have been useful. Remember how Jiutang helped on the first day when Luo Xingzhou first awakened his abilities?]
[Yes, Jiutang could have dragged them out quickly.]
Luo Xingzhou and the others couldn’t see the livestream comments, so they were unaware that a contestant had perished in this marsh. Although Luo Xingzhou had killed a B-level star beast with Jiutang’s assistance, he still avoided stepping into the marsh and kept as far away from it as possible.
After walking for over an hour in the opposite direction of the marsh, Milo, being a competent hunter in his cat form, pointed out something unusual.
“Have you noticed that all the beast tracks on the ground are going forward and not coming back?” Milo examined the paw prints left by beasts under the overgrowth. As a beastman, he was more sensitive to the smells and traces left by beasts and star beasts.
Chen Kangning said, “Then we should be more cautious. If anything seems off, we’ll head back.”
“Alright,” Luo Xingzhou agreed.
Viewers in the livestream were also discussing the situation.
[What could be wrong? It’s quite normal for tracks to lead one way and not return. Maybe ahead there’s a lush area with water plants, which is more suitable for the survival of wild beasts and star beasts.]
[Just wait and see. No matter the environment, it’s always good to stay alert. I think these three people are all pretty good, and they cooperate very well with each other.]
[Right, we admit Luo Xingzhou is impressive, and Milo didn’t make a mistake in choosing him as a partner.]
[Haha, not just impressive. Milo seems like he’d rather become an accessory to Luo Xingzhou. How will he manage without him in the future?]
[Well, Milo is such a foodie. I have to admit, watching them enjoy Luo Xingzhou’s roast makes me want to try it too. They look so satisfied that it’s making me hungry.]
The audience laughed and joked, but Luo Xingzhou and Milo remained highly vigilant. Luo Xingzhou sensed something was off because it was too quiet. In a forest, there should be continuous sounds of insects and birds, but the further they went, the more the noises faded.
Influenced by Luo Xingzhou’s unease, Jiutang, who had been resting on his shoulder, also became alert, resembling a snake with its head raised, ready to strike.
About two thousand meters ahead, two women were admiring and praising the sea of flowers before them. They were also participants in the survival livestream.
Huo Zhijun, tall and athletic, had a fan base on the StarNet. Now, she displayed a youthful demeanor, holding her face and exclaiming, “It’s so beautiful. It’s hard to put into words how stunning this sea of flowers is. I didn’t expect such a gorgeous sight on this planet.”
Lina, her teammate, was equally slender and tall. Ever since these two beauties had teamed up, their livestream had become incredibly popular, leaving Luo Xingzhou’s far behind.
Lina also marveled, “It’s truly beautiful. Once this planet is developed, we can come back here for a visit.”
The audience in their livestream was equally immersed in the beautiful sea of flowers. The comments were filled with praise, admiring how the two women complemented the scenery, and numerous screenshots were taken, showing the scene from every angle to ensure it stood up to scrutiny and critique.
Among the many praises, there were a few differing voices, but these were quickly drowned out by the praise and failed to attract the attention of others.
A few people noticed something odd about the sea of flowers. Why were there no insects or birds? Not a single bee or butterfly was seen, and apart from the wind and the two women’s exclamations, there were no other sounds. Everything felt too strange. Unfortunately, their concerns couldn’t be conveyed to the two women on camera, so there was no way to warn them to be cautious.
The two women, unable to resist the allure of the flowers, continued to step forward into the sea of blooms.
[Wait, look, there’s a beast running past them.]
[Ah!]
More people noticed the strange scene. The comments section filled with exclamations as a small beast, which had just crossed the edge of the flower sea where Huo Zhijun and Lina had arrived, was suddenly ensnared by a vine that extended from the flowers. Then, a large flower, unlike the others, appeared and swallowed the beast whole. Viewers could clearly see the struggling and wriggling inside the closed petals before it went still, and the flower then retracted, leaving no trace of the event in the flower sea.
[Not good, run! Don’t go any further!]
[Oh my god, don’t those two realize the strange situation?]
[Didn’t you see the look on their faces? Didn’t they mention the floral scent earlier? I suspect it has a hallucinogenic effect. They might be enchanted and becoming prey for this flower sea.]
[Oh heavens, someone help them!]
[Everyone else is too dispersed. It’s unlikely anyone is conveniently nearby to help. Besides, Huo Zhijun and Lina are skilled themselves. Even if someone else came, they might not be much better.]
[Look, someone is coming from behind! Quick, save Zhijun and Lina!]
[Damn, the flower sea! It turns out Milo and Luo Xingzhou’s suspicions were correct. They’ve ended up in the flower sea too.] Some viewers were hopping between different livestreams. [Check out the livestreams from Room 5 and Room 7. This flower sea is a man-eating monster!]
Many viewers quickly switched to another stream to take a look and then started shouting in panic, unsure whether to call Luo Xingzhou and the others to rescue them or to run away quickly. The primary objective of participating in this survival live stream was to stay alive, not to play the hero and save others, as doing so might cost them their own lives.
Luo Xingzhou and his group couldn’t hear the sounds from the live stream. First, they smelled the intoxicating fragrance of flowers, and then they saw a vast sea of swaying blooms. As the wind blew, the petals danced, creating a breathtaking scene.
“It’s so beautiful,” Milo said, unable to resist moving forward. “How about we camp and have a picnic here today?”
No matter when, food was always the first thing on a foodie’s mind. However, the fans who had been drawn to the live stream by him at this moment wished they could hit him over the head with a hammer. Was this really the right time to think about eating? He might end up being consumed by some sinister flower in the sea.
Chen Kangning was also captivated and followed Milo. Naturally, he always did whatever Milo suggested.
Luo Xingzhou, however, felt a chill in his heart as he looked at the sea of flowers. Having spent his life as a carnivorous plant, he was well aware of such traps. Now that he was part of a carnivorous plant himself, the fragrance held no allure for him, but it was different for others.
Luo Xingzhou immediately warned, “Chen Kangning, quickly bring Milo back. There’s something wrong with this sea of flowers and the fragrance.”
Chen Kangning shivered upon hearing Luo Xingzhou’s voice. He turned sharply to look at Milo and realized that something was indeed wrong. He promptly used a splash of water to douse Milo.