The scout balloon landed with a slight bump, but to my eyes, it swayed violently.

The moment the basket touched ground, I tumbled out headfirst.

Ink River: What happened?

Seventh Ju: Th-there… three to five meters above the treetops… vines suddenly shot out and grabbed me. Tried to drag me down…

Half Moon Outflow: Day High, was it like that?

Day High: I was focused on controlling the balloon and didn’t see clearly, Outflow-chan. But something definitely shook the basket hard.

Li Weishe: …We’ve already sent the alert. Hopefully no other teams dropped that low.

Li Weishe: Ah—Commander Puleman’s here!

Puleman arrived at our outpost riding a creature that looked like a cross between a wolf and a horse. He immediately began listening to reports from veteran scouts.

Seeing Puleman mounted for the first time was quite a sight. If any ladies were around, they’d probably be cheering at this heroic display.

Puleman: Day High, Seventh Ju—are you both unharmed?

Day High: I’m fine. It was Xiao Ju who got attacked.

Seventh Ju: I’m okay too… just got tangled in vines. Managed to break free in time.

Truth was, my heart was pounding far harder than my calm words suggested. If I’d truly been dragged down, losing all my Wish Points and abilities… I wouldn’t have survived.

Puleman: Describe it in detail, Seventh Ju.

Seventh Ju: Yes, sir. Those vines coiled around the trees. Even from afar, they seemed to… writhe. When I got closer, they vanished instantly. Seconds later, they had me trapped.

Puleman: So the vines instinctively attack anything that approaches?

Seventh Ju: Very likely… Also, I saw the ground itself ripple slightly. Like Molehogs crawling beneath the surface.

Puleman: Molehogs… subterranean creatures…

Puleman lowered his head in thought, then his gaze locked onto my hand.

Puleman: Seventh Ju—what’s that white powder on your right hand?

Seventh Ju: White powder?

I glanced down. Sure enough, some unknown white powder clung to my forearm—right where the vines had grabbed me.

On closer look, it wasn’t pure white. Almost translucent.

Puleman: Day High, you’ve got some on your head too.

Day High: Eh? Let me feel… Wow, really!

Day High: What *is* this stuff?

Seventh Ju: Could it be… part of the vines? When I broke free, they snapped back like elastic. Might’ve sprayed this stuff.

Puleman: Let me take a sample.

Puleman slipped on gloves thin as membranes. One hand gently gripped my wrist; the other pinched the powder with delicate precision.

The touch felt unexpectedly soft through the film—like I was being handled with extreme care.

Hard to believe the leader of these rugged wilderness scouts could be so meticulous.

—Ugh, what nonsense am I thinking!

Puleman had triggered similar thoughts in me before. A truly dangerous man.

Puleman: Sample secured.

Seventh Ju: Phew—…

Ink River: Why the sigh of relief?

Seventh Ju: …None of your business.

Puleman: I need an Alchemist. Fetch Aiton.

Puleman: Also, issue new orders. All aerial scouts in the "Fall of the Stars" zone must stay above fifty meters.

Bodyguard: Understood, sir.

Hmm? Alchemist? Aiton?

About ten minutes later, Aiton arrived on a mount similar to Puleman’s.

Aiton: Commander, I’ve delegated my prior assignment to my lieutenant. How may I assist?

Puleman: Analyze this substance.

Puleman handed Aiton the powder and the thin glove.

Aiton took it, closed his eyes for ten seconds, then stared intently at the white residue.

Aiton: …

Aiton: Sir. It’s *silica dioxide*.

Seventh Ju: …!?

Seventh Ju: ………………

Two shocks hit me.

First: Hearing such a precise chemical term from Aiton shattered my assumptions about this world’s technological level. Only one explanation—he must have a Wish Power related to chemistry. Calling him an "Alchemist" was an understatement. He was a full-blown chemist.

Second: I recalled high school lessons about silica dioxide’s properties.

Outdoors. On plants. White, near-transparent powder. Likely high-purity silica dioxide…

No natural process explained this.

Puleman: What is silica dioxide?

Aiton: Our military tech could theoretically produce it. Makes excellent fireproofing material.

Aiton: But this purity… it’s a "major discovery."

In frontier exploration, a "major discovery" meant instant wealth for merchants—and immense strategic value for Pioneer Teams and nations alike.

Puleman: —Forget profit for now. Give me actionable intel.

Aiton: Yes, sir. This substance isn’t from plant cells. No cellular residue. It drifted onto the vines from the open air.

Puleman: Or the fast-moving vines brushed against it. Agreed?

Aiton: Yet such purity… unnatural. Something’s amiss…

Puleman: …………

Puleman: Log it. We’ll analyze with more data later.

Aiton: Understood.

Puleman: Vines that attack humans…

Puleman: This was likely why our Pioneer Team soldiers died ten years ago.

Aiton: High probability.

Puleman: —Earlier you said silica dioxide makes fireproof material. So it won’t burn?

Aiton: Correct.

Puleman: Good. I have a plan.

Puleman: Send engineers up. Modify scout balloons—reinforce them, add payload-dumping mechanisms.

Puleman: Logistics team—bring up "Fire Dragons" and forest fire retardant.

Aiton: …

Aiton: Understood.

Everyone except Aiton and Puleman exchanged confused glances.

Puleman: Redeploy personnel. Patrol the "Fall of the Stars" perimeter—five meters out—with Fire Dragons.

Puleman: Burn every moving vine plant you see. Scorch everything in sight.

Puleman: If wildfires start, scout balloons dump retardant to contain them.

Puleman: Assign veterans to guard Fire Dragon operators. Any beasts bursting from underground—kill them all.

Puleman: This is Phase Two of "Operation Redemption."

Puleman: Let’s see… how this place responds to our declaration of war.

…………

…………

Next morning.

The modified scout balloons hung ready, undercarriages fitted with foam-filled tanks.

Day High was calibrating the release mechanism—apparently the balloon controls could trigger dumps too.

We’d finally seen the "Fire Dragons" up close: flamethrower-like devices.

Dual tubes—one sprayed flammable liquid, the other ignited it.

Simple loading mechanism. Spring-loaded ignition. No high-tech frills.

High fuel efficiency, but demanded serious skill to wield.

Li Weishe fiddled with a Fire Dragon, looking dissatisfied.

Ink River: Where are the veterans today?

Half Moon Outflow: Assigned to guard other Fire Dragon teams. Only us left here.

Ink River: …Can’t tell if the Commander trusts us too much or doesn’t care at all.

Half Moon Outflow: Let’s assume the former.

Half Moon Outflow: I’ve mastered this flamethrower. Seasonal Wolf, will you escort me?

Ink River: Against beasts like Molehogs? I can handle that.

Half Moon Outflow: Day High will stay airborne with the retardant. Li Weishe and Seventh Ju—can you take a different route?

Ink River: Depends if Li Weishe can "play with fire" responsibly.

Seventh Ju: Really trusting me as bodyguard, huh?

Ink River: Within the "Fall of the Stars" perimeter? Absolutely.

Seventh Ju: Guess so. Thanks for the vote of confidence.

Half Moon Outflow: Don’t get careless just because you survived the Great Rift. This is different.

Seventh Ju: I know. Nobody jokes with their own life.

Half Moon Outflow: Then let’s go, Ink River.

Ink River: Since you’re not scared of me anymore… I’ll humor you.

Day High: Woah—stay safe out there!

After watching Half Moon Outflow and Ink River leave, I turned to Li Weishe—still tinkering with his Fire Dragon.

Seventh Ju: —HOLY CRAP!!! You took the Fire Dragon apart!?

In a blink, Li Weishe’s device lay scattered—just loose parts and a fuel tank.

Special forces might reassemble guns lightning-fast, but who knew if Li Weishe could rebuild this?

Li Weishe: Eh—these parts are useless to me anyway!

He lifted the fuel tank, grinning at me.

Li Weishe: This is all I need.

Seventh Ju: …?

On the move, I finally understood Li Weishe’s plan.

He’d gathered wild plants earlier, peeling onion-like membranes into transparent sheets.

He poured fuel onto them, tied the corners like pouches, and strapped them to arrowheads—crafting fuel arrows.

With a large bow slung on his back, Li Weishe now looked like a seasoned wilderness hunter.

Seventh Ju: When did you make all these arrows…?

Li Weishe: Wish Power, silly.

He flashed a blade, snatched a stalk from the ground, and *shhk-shhk*—in two flicks, an arrow with a razor-sharp tip and fletching appeared. I hadn’t even seen the blade move.

Li Weishe: Xiao Ju, hold the fuel tank for me.

He dipped half his remaining arrows into the tank, coating the tips.

Seventh Ju: What’s this for?

Li Weishe: I’ve got candles and matches. When we start, light these arrowheads and hand them to me.

Seventh Ju: Oh…

Talking and preparing as we walked, we neared the "Fall of the Stars" boundary.

Ten meters ahead, man-made markers stuck out of the ground. The perimeter signal posts.

Seventh Ju: This distance good enough?

Li Weishe: No. Closer.

We advanced five more meters.

Seventh Ju: Now… okay?

My nerves were fraying, but Li Weishe shook his head.

Li Weishe: I’ll take two more steps. You follow right behind me.

Seventh Ju: …Fine.

Three meters from the signal post—the edge of "Fall of the Stars"—the jungle ahead erupted in rustling and scraping sounds.

I could clearly make out the flickering patches in the dim tree shadows—a sure sign of danger.

Seventh Ju: Fall back! It’s way too dangerous now!

Li Weishe: …

Li Weishe: Perfect distance!!

Whoosh—

A whip-crack roar burst from the woods, threatening to shred us apart.

I dropped flat instinctively. A chilly breeze swept over my head—I’d just dodged the strike.

Looking up, it was that same vine from yesterday’s balloon attack!!

Frustrated vengeance overpowered my fear of losing Wish Points and abilities. I grabbed the vine’s body with my right hand, clutching it tight.

Whoosh—hum! A plant-stem arrow slammed into the vine two meters away.

Something burst open, splattering its length. The thick stench of combustible liquid flooded the air.

—The arrowhead’s impact had torn a makeshift combustible pouch, spilling its contents.

Li Weishe: Let go! Light the candle! Prep fire arrows!

Seventh Ju: —On it!

Snap! I ripped the vine free, struck a match to light the candle, and held combustible-soaked arrowheads to the flame.

Before the fire caught, Li Weishe snatched the arrows. He drew and released his bow in under a second.

The wounded vine recoiled—crack!—as the arrow struck. Flames leaped onto the liquid, roaring into a crimson blaze.

Li Weishe: Heh, off to a good start!

Seventh Ju: You really are fast and precise…

He bantered casually while igniting more arrowheads over the candle.

Seventh Ju: —Watch out! More attacks coming!

His words hadn’t faded when Li Weishe flipped away from my side. Another vine slashed through his former spot.

Before he landed, two arrows whizzed skyward. Sparks ignited the splattered liquid, engulfing the vine whole.

By the time Li Weishe steadied, his bow already held fresh combustible and fire arrows.

Dual shots! Mid-flip!!

In under ten seconds, the second vine burned motionless.

Seventh Ju: …………

Seventh Ju: Why are you so damn skilled?

Li Weishe: Ha, this is all I’ve got left.

Li Weishe: Move, Xiao Ju. Standing still as a target isn’t our style.

Seventh Ju: Then… should we fall back to shoot?

Li Weishe: Retreat? No—we move along the boundary line.

Seventh Ju: Eh…………

Li Weishe: Xiao Ju, do you think an “archer” is just some guy standing a hundred meters off, blindly shooting skyward?

Li Weishe: To me, a true archer strikes close targets while moving lightly.

Li Weishe: Five to ten meters is the kill zone. Beyond fifteen? Not my hunt.

Seventh Ju: …………

His words reshaped my idea of an “archer.”

I might’ve doubted it if I hadn’t seen Li Weishe’s performance. That short-haired guy was far stronger than I’d imagined.

Li Weishe: Relax. With this speed and aim, those green whips will never land on me.

Li Weishe: Years of getting beaten taught me “avoiding vital hits.” If priced in Wish Points? Probably 100!

Li Weishe: Ahahaha—

Seventh Ju: So…

Seventh Ju: —That’s nothing to brag about!