Following The Yellow Brick Road

"Ah~"

Han Ming was already sweating buckets, placing his hands on his thighs and leaning forward for support while also giving his friend the envious eye.

"Damn! Where is the sweat? Why are you still like that? It would be good if I could be like you. No way! After this, I must go for a run every morning to ensure I become like you... Luckily, I'm still very good-looking."

Pfft~

The online barrage was amused by Han Ming's narcissistic honesty. He too made a good pair with the anchor, with both sometimes becoming comedic relief for the audience.

The duo didn't need to do anything extra since their difference in fitness was enough to make the barrage laugh endlessly.

It's only been 2 hours since they entered the forests yet, their Brother Ming was already on the cusp of dying, according to his words.

Many were also amazed by how strong Glen Chu's physique was.

Understand that even if one isn't running but walking, it has already been 2 hours!

So for them not to find so much as a sweat stain on his clothes or forehead was enough to show how crazily fit his body was.

It meant this much was nothing for him, and his body had not been subjected to any difficulties yet.

On the other hand, Han Ming's forehead was already covered in a thick layer of sweat.

The amazing thing was that his clothes weren't very sweaty either.

Once again Glen Chu was amazed by these adventure clothes provided by the system.

They had a cooling effect, ensuring no one seated heavily or fainted from heat strokes.

Trust him, if Han Ming took off his clothes right now he would be sweating 10 times more than he already was.

The same went for him.

The airy but high-quality specially made fabric cooled his body temperature down, allowing him to not even break a sweat, especially when considering he already had very strong physical attributes.

When he first contracted the system, it gave him a +2 novice attribute points, resulting in his strength rising to 17.

(**Average human is 10, with some military personnel like prime special soldiers, reaching 26.)

During the 4 days before leaving for the Azbian forest, he has been working out and running every single day to increase his attribute points.

As of right now, his primary attributes were as such:

> Strength: 21.3 (Special soldier level).

> Agility: 13 (average 10).

> Endurance: 16 (average 10).

---

For 2 hours, Glen Chu ensured the online group was entertained, by explaining the uses of many plants they met along the way.

So far, there wasn't anything dangerous yet, making the online barrage feel complacent, thinking he exaggerated about the forest's danger level.

Little did they know that in just under a day, their jaws would be slapped from fear and shock.

For now, they were still joking around in amusement when suddenly, the camera's view became fish-eyed and zoomed in a peculiar elongated view, making the atmosphere immediately tense.

[Anchor, what's wrong? Why did you stop moving?]

Han Ming also froze, now recalling he was actually in a forest and not a park.

"Brother Chu, is there something in the bushes?"

--Silence--

No response.

For a moment, the world seemed to freeze for everyone, as all they could hear were the sounds of birds, animals, and mother nature calling from afar.

Gulp.~

Many swallowed hard, not noticing they were leaving into their phone screens with open eyes.

"Everyone, pay attention... Han Ming, you too."

"Now, do you see these trees? They are called Upas, and are very toxic."

"When people are walking in the Azbian forest, they must be extremely careful, because if they don't take care, they may bump into the most poisonous plant of the world, the Upas."

"The milk-white liquid secreted by them contains toxic substances. As soon as it touches the wounds of people and animals, it can make the poison paralyze the heart, having the victim's blood veins close, their blood congealing, leaving some to even choke to death."

"This is why it's called <killer at blood> to the locals."

Glen Chu's words instantly caused chaos in the barrage.

[Let me go, this... Isn't this too scary?]

[Worthy of its big name. My mom asked me why I rushed to wash my hands after leaning on the tree in our backyard and I just gave her the death stare.]

[Once again, the actor has shot me with his insane bullseye knowledge. I just searched for this tree and it's completely true.]

[Me too! It's exactly as the actor says. There have even been thousands and thousands of deaths related to this tree.]

[Question. Is the anchor a walking textbook? How does he know so much?]

[Lying trough. I've learned more from the anchor than my school teachers in a single year.]

[Strong! The anchor is just too smart! He is the son my parents wish they had.]

[Pfft~... Upstairs, you stole my words. But what about this insane tree? Who can tell me why such a dangerous thing exists?]

[Scary! My mother was right. The world is indeed a scary place.]

Sure enough, mother nature was the scariest existence one had to worry about.

Didn't you hear that once the liquid touches open wounds it can block veins from blood flow and even cause one to choke to death?

Even a tiny fraction of the white liquid it released was deadly. So how can their stomachs not churn in worry?

Just imagining it, made the color from their faces drain.

[Anchor, Brother Ming... you both should be careful.]

[Yes, yes, yes! Make sure you stay far away from these trees!]

(`^`)

----

Han Ming was agitated, throwing his head manically around his surroundings, not wanting any white liquid to somehow fall on his body from tree branches.

"Brother Chu, are we safe standing here?"

Glen Chu nodded. "Provided we don't have any cuts or open wounds and don't get very close or clean on the trees, we have nothing to worry about."

Glen Chu had a stern expression, his eyes still peering into the far distance.

"Han Ming... I told you to remain vigilant, not because of the tree's deadly white liquid but because of what these trees signify here."

"Take a look around you. These trees divide our precious path from where we are destined to go."

"In other words, these streets are the borders between the tourist/calm regions of the forest and the deadly zones."

Boom! A thunderous explosion erupted in Han Ming's mind.

"So-so-so once we cross the sea of Upa trees, we will be in the true parts of the jungle, right?"

"Yes. And in there, life and death always intertwine with each other on a thin line... In there, anything goes!"

Watching Glen Chu bravely march forward, Han Ming took a deep breath and followed closely, no one knowing what he now thought.

But one thing was for certain.

They were no longer in Kansas anymore. Now, they were Dorothy, following the yellow brick lines to meet the Wizard of Oz.