Inconspicuous clue

Unlike at the cavern and Lord Tasar's farms, these trees gave Mika a sense of looking at death. Especially with the contrast of beautiful healthy trees standing only fifty feet from them.

Plugging her nose with scrap pieces of cloth, Mika walked into the section of diseased trees.

The first few she came across didn't have that much damage to them.

"It looks like these trees just recently contracted the sickness." Taking a few samples, Mika didn't stay long.

Wanting to find trees that were more like the one in the cave, she walked deeper inside.

When she finally reached the mid-section, the scraps of cloth stuffing her nose could no longer stop the stench from getting through.

Her eyes started to water and her breath became shorter. The stink was suffocating her, she didn't realize how hard Yumsa was working to purify the air for her in the Steppes.

If Yumsa wasn't with her in that cavern, she highly doubts she'll be alive right now.