After listening to Sam describe those lunatics, Lu Jianyi nodded pensively.
"I believe I understand the situation you encountered."
She produced her terminal and performed a quick search, projecting the results onto a nearby wall. Four words appeared in bold: Forest Wrath.
"The organization you mentioned is likely this one. They are a cult. Anyone who encounters them in the forest is targeted for death to be used as fertilizer, regardless of whether that person actually caused any damage to the environment."
"Furthermore, they are extremely sensitive to fire and related elements. If any trace of fire appears in the forest, they become like sharks scenting blood, swarming the area in a frenzy."
After reviewing the detailed description on the wall, Firefly nodded. She turned back to Lu Jianyi to continue her inquiry.
"According to the intel, every squad leader of Forest Wrath possesses the ability to manipulate parts of the forest. The higher their rank, the greater their control."
"Where does this organization get so many Wood-element ability users? Are they truly just a simple cult, or... is it actually the forest that is controlling them?"
"I have had similar suspicions." Lu Jianyi was not surprised by Sam's conclusion. "There are simply too many Wood-element users in Forest Wrath. Initially, I wondered if their leader possessed an ability to grant powers to others, but I was wrong."
"I conducted a deep investigation and risked entering the Forbidden Zone. Relying on the unique nature of my own ability, I successfully broke in. What I saw there is an image I will likely never forget as long as I live."
Lu Jianyi picked up a bottle of water from the desk and took a sip. Even the mere memory seemed to weigh heavily on her.
"In the center of the Forbidden Zone, surrounded by towering trees, there is a grotesque giant tree growing from deep underground. I could see it contracting slowly, exactly like a beating heart. With every pulse, a dull vibration shook the ground. Countless Forest Wrath believers were kneeling around this giant tree, hands clasped in prayer, their faces filled with absolute devotion..."
"I reached a terrifying conclusion. The forest is actually alive!"
Lu Jianyi took a deep breath and drank from her bottle again.
"The forest is alive?"
Inside Sam, Firefly frowned. Some unpleasant thoughts flickered through her mind.
'A living forest? I feel like I have only seen settings like that in the "weird" sections of the library. No, no, it probably is not a forest made of flesh and blood. I should stop overthinking it.'
"I know this may sound unbelievable, but it is a scene I witnessed with my own eyes."
Lu Jianyi switched the screen on her terminal, and a commission appeared on the wall.
[Investigation of the Forbidden Zone]
[Commission Difficulty: S]
"I am the one who posted this commission. Although I successfully sneaked in and saw that sight, I was discovered before I could record any evidence. Immediately, several A-rank powerhouses and countless B-rank combatants attacked me, coordinated with a literal tide of vines."
Lu Jianyi sighed.
"I do not quite remember how I managed to escape back then. Since that day, I have never been able to successfully infiltrate the Forbidden Zone again. I encounter Forest Wrath cultists every single time. I suspect my aura was memorized during that first incident. So, I issued this commission in hopes that a powerhouse could enter the zone, bring out the secrets within, and make them public. Only then will the government take this Forbidden Zone seriously."
"Understood."
Firefly acknowledged the explanation before asking the obvious:
"You told me all of this because you want me to accept this commission, correct?"
"Correct," Lu Jianyi admitted frankly. "Several A-rank powerhouses accepted this commission before. I explained my experience to them in detail and warned them to take photos and flee rather than engage in combat. Unfortunately, not a single one of them returned."
"Because the commission remained uncompleted after several A-ranks went missing, the difficulty was gradually raised from A-rank. Three days ago, it was officially reclassified as S-rank."
"Currently, you are likely the only S-rank powerhouse in the entire city."
"I accept."
Firefly accepted without a second thought. To her, this was a simple choice. Now that she possessed such immense strength, should she not explore unknown places to satisfy her desire for discovery? Revealing secrets and witnessing wonders was a perfectly valid pastime while she waited for a worthy opponent.
Relief and joy spread across Lu Jianyi's face. She turned to open a drawer and produced an antique-looking camera, handing it to Sam.
"Take this with you."
"This is?" Firefly looked at the retro camera with confusion.
"It is a specially made camera. It can effectively shield against the magnetic interference of the Forbidden Zone to take clear photos... wait."
Lu Jianyi paused, looking up at Sam's silver-white armor.
"The Forbidden Zone has intense magnetic interference... will your armor lose its functionality because of the magnetic field?"
"It will not." Firefly shook her head. "Magnetic fields cannot interfere with my armor. You do not need to worry about that. If you do not believe me, we can test it now."
"That will not be necessary. While I cannot tell which organization or megacorporation manufactured your armor, if you are that confident, you must have tested it before. There is no need for me to be redundant. Once you complete this commission, I will reward you with ten million Credits."
'Ten million... what a terrifying number. I think all the Credits I have earned since arriving add up to only about ten million in total.'
Although Sam remained cold and stoic on the outside, Firefly was internally reeling from the massive sum.