Jiang Ye’s expression changed, “How does it eat people?”
“Beneath these trees are swamps and underground currents. It’s not water, but acidic slime secreted by the trees. This entire area is a sea of acid. Once a person steps in, they are quickly corroded by the acid, rotting away into the ground, and then slowly digested by the tree roots, similar to a Venus flytrap’s mechanism.” Nicole’s tone was always gentle, as if she were talking about fairy tales, not terrifying plants.
“Normally, no one gets eaten, right?” Jiang Ye asked. “If you walk a few steps from the forest’s edge and feel that the water on the ground isn’t right, that your feet hurt from the acid, can’t you just retreat?”
“For normal people, they wouldn’t indeed wander into the man-eating forest. However, the forest edge claims over ten thousand lives each year. Some are fugitives hiding from the police, some are desperate outlaws evading double-crosses, and more are those seeking to end their own lives, for reasons as varied as they come,” Nicole said. “Besides these, there are also the Siren’s Song and the Hallucinogenic Fragrance, which also cause people to die in the forest.”
“Siren’s Song? Hallucinogenic Fragrance?” Jiang Ye frowned. “What are those?”
“The man-eating trees on the outskirts are sparse, and the acid they secrete has a low concentration. But in the heart of the forest, where the man-eating trees are dense, strange phenomena occur.”
“The first is the Siren’s Song. You should have heard the story of the Sirens, the beautiful sea nymphs in ancient Greek mythology who lingered on desolate islands in the sea, singing heavenly songs. Sailors, upon hearing the songs, would become infatuated and lose control, steering their ships towards the Sirens, only to be devoured alive. Their skin, as thin as cloth, would be dried on the reefs.”
“In the central part of the forest, when the wind is strong, a peculiar sound can be heard. It sounds like a call, like a baby’s cry, or like a whisper. When people hear it, they are involuntarily drawn forward by the sound until they fall into forest sinkholes filled with acid, submerged instantly and dying within half a minute. Scientists speculate that this sound might be caused by the dense forest and the special arrangement of branches, which create eerie noises when the wind blows through them. This is the Siren’s Song.”
“The Hallucinogenic Fragrance is also a phenomenon found in the forest’s center. It’s a very peculiar scent that intensely amplifies a person’s thirst and hunger, luring them forward along the scent trail, while also causing dizziness and confusion. Scientists have conducted DNA analysis on the man-eating trees from the outskirts and found no genes capable of producing this fragrance. It is speculated that either some trees in the forest’s center have mutated, or some organism parasitic on the trees emits the scent, possibly a type of fungus.” Big Wind Novel
The more Jiang Ye heard, the stranger it became. He looked out the window; the forest was starting to thin out, but it still looked dark and terrifying.
“Why would you artificially cultivate such a large area of man-eating forest?” Jiang Ye was bewildered. “It’s so dangerous!”
“There are historical and practical reasons. Do you want to hear both?”
“It’s still early, so tell me. I came to your planet to observe the local customs and traditions. If there’s anything good, I’ll learn from it for my own territory.”
“The historical reason dates back over three hundred years. At that time, Yongye Star was still very wild, with a population of only over ten million. A general led a rebellion against the commander-in-chief, seeking to seize supreme power. The commander-in-chief naturally dispatched troops to suppress the rebellion. The war lasted for more than two years, and the commander-in-chief’s regular army emerged victorious. The battlefield of the final battle was right below us.”
“A total of 120,000 rebel soldiers were annihilated in this area, along with over 200,000 alien mercenaries, some of whom were even Mil people. Most of the rebels died in battle, and the rest were all executed. Bodies were piled everywhere, emitting a foul stench. They were troublesome to dispose of and could easily cause plagues, yet they couldn’t be left unattended. So, the commander-in-chief at the time ordered the planting of man-eating trees.”
“To dispose of bodies?” Jiang Ye understood.
“Yes, it was initially for disposing of bodies. The effect was indeed very good. Within a year, a patch of sapling man-eating trees expanded into a lush forest, and the bodies were mostly digested, leaving no trace of bones. Later, the commander-in-chief discovered that the man-eating forest could also effectively consume living people. Conveniently, there were many remnants of rebel forces across the planet, and the prisons were overcrowded. Thus, the forest became a place for executing criminals. Police vehicles would bring batches of prisoners, force them into the forest at gunpoint, and they would become nourishment for the trees.”
“Good heavens,” Jiang Ye thought of saying it was perverted, but considering it was their territory, he held back.
“Because this method of execution was economical and environmentally friendly, not wasting excessive resources, it was used continuously. The more prisoners went in, the more the trees grew. For a century, it served as a natural execution ground, and therefore it was preserved,” Nicole said. “That’s the historical factor.”
“What about now?” Jiang Ye asked. “What’s the current factor?”
“Protecting the space station,” Nicole smiled. “This area is frequented by many wild beasts, especially rats, which are incredibly numerous. In earlier years, there were tens of thousands of rats per square kilometer. During their breeding season, when they moved collectively, the entire plain would rumble, and dust would obscure the sky, comparable to an army of thousands. If rats and wild beasts were to infiltrate the space station, they would severely disrupt the takeoff and landing of various spacecraft and rockets.”
“Initially, the space station was guarded by the army, and any living creature encountered was fired upon. Later, it was discovered that the cost of ammunition for clearing rats was too high, and it was easy to miss some. The cost of manpower and expenses also remained high. To save money, man-eating trees were planted on a large scale. The forest surrounded the space station, not only preventing people from leaving this dense jungle but also animals, and even birds found it difficult to fly over. This way, it prevented the daily appearance of strange animals within the space station.”
Jiang Ye suddenly understood.
“I think it’s great,” Jiang Ye said. “We’re about to build a space station in our region too. Surrounding it with a forest wouldn’t be bad, a natural defense perimeter, and no need for human guards. Can I take some seeds or branches back to try planting them? Is it legal here?”
“Of course, you can. These aren’t our native plants; they were bought from another planet,” Nicole smiled. “As long as your planet’s laws permit such alien species, you can take some back.”
“That’s absolutely no problem. I have the final say on our planet’s laws.”
Nicole tapped the screen.
The flying car gradually slowed down and finally hovered at the edge of the forest.
It descended and landed in a clearing within the forest.
To be precise, it was floating. The ground was covered with water, and the flying car swayed unsteadily, like a small boat.
“Do you have a knife or something? I need to cut some branches,” Jiang Ye opened the window, ready to get out.
“It’s dangerous. Please take care of yourself, let me go,” Nicole smiled. “I know how to collect the seeds of the man-eating trees.”
“Then be careful, I’m troubling you,” although she was a robot, Jiang Ye was still very polite. “Thank you, thank you!”
Nicole squatted beside Jiang Ye, turning her back to him. “Please help me unzip it all the way.”
Jiang Ye was taken aback, understanding that her tight-fitting dress made it inconvenient to move, and she needed to take it off to climb the tree.
“Forgive my impertinence, please bear with me,” Jiang Ye reached out, grabbed the zipper at the back of Nicole’s neck, and slowly pulled it all the way down.
Her fair back was completely exposed, delicate as porcelain, and looked wonderfully supple.
Jiang Ye turned his head away, not looking. With a rustling sound, Nicole went out, leaving her white dress curled up on the seat.