From a high vantage point, one side was densely lush with forests, while the other side was abundant with shrubs. It seemed as if someone had drawn a line on the ground, abruptly halting the flourishing forest to be replaced by thickets of shrubs. This peculiar phenomenon had captivated numerous scholars from the outset. Despite the constraints of research materials, scientific equipment, and even the limitations posed by the small human size and the threats to survival, human curiosity for exploration remained unquenchable.
Initially burdened by the pressures of survival, people had to primarily focus on construction. Once the base was established to meet their needs, the surveying and exploration of the surrounding environment became a priority.
It had been a little over a year since their arrival, and scientists had conducted studies from various angles such as topography and soil composition, yet the reason remained elusive. There were several attempts where people even planted tree seeds within the thicket-covered grasslands, but a year passed without any seedlings sprouting.
Various hypotheses floated through people's minds, with some even suggesting the possibility of humans being bred and experimented upon. This notion remained prevalent then and now, as the reduced size of species and the growing suspicion towards the environment forced people to consider all possibilities seriously. The limited variety of plants and animals that sustained the ecosystem through various stages, the inexplicable array of intelligent creatures, and other anomalies. An environment resembling Earth but not quite Earth had scientists joking that it was fortunate the laws of physics and the principles of mathematics and chemistry still held, otherwise, they would be truly at a loss.
From the top of the forest, one could gaze into the distance. At the treetops along the forest's edge, lush leaves formed a dense canopy of green. Standing here, one could observe a green expanse of grass, bushes, extending into the distance. Suddenly, these vegetation stretched across a distant slope, as if an invisible force between the forest and the shrubs had forcefully carved out a sparse area. Further in the distance rose sheer cliffs, with the base situated atop them. However, they were too far away, and it would require an enormous telescope to catch a glimpse of the base perched on the colossal cliffs.
From atop these forest trees, the view was an endless expanse of green. The undulating treetops seemed vast to the present-day humans, yet this was the place they felt safest. Here, there were no carnivorous insects, and the birds harbored no ill intentions towards humans. Their only adversary was the wind!
Aside from a few flying insects, the treetops were almost a pristine haven. However, within this area teeming with humanity, a myriad of tiny individuals bustled about. They discovered that by conquering the wind, they could find stability on these treetops that could be easily swept away at any moment. Here, there was drinking water, fruit juice, delicious bird eggs, and fruits. There were no fearsome carnivorous insects, not even ants dared to casually approach these treetops. With the mastery of wind manipulation, this place was practically a paradise.
"Over here! Hurry!"
"I got it!"
A young lad responded, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he dragged a grasshopper several times his size. The grasshopper seemed uninterested, leisurely following behind.
This lad was Xiao Fang, the very person who, along with numerous personnel from the base, had been sent into the underground cave to find a plant resembling dandelions. Feeling alert and discontent, he had vigorously questioned Li Xiaodong, a lackey of Liu Xing. When the latter was caught faltering in his justifications, more individuals joined in soul-searching his actions.
After all, lackeys were not wolves; even though they held weapons, fear eventually overcame them. They looked earnestly as these people walked out to question Liu Xing. However, they hadn't gone far when Xiao Fang and the others, upon discovering that all were individuals ostracized by the committee, keenly sensed something amiss. They were soon encountered by Han Tiaotiao's team, riding on locusts, and naturally, they followed and arrived at this place.
If coming here back then was truly a last resort, upon Xiao Fang and the others seeing Su Lao and the rest, their mindset of taking things step by step immediately transformed into ecstasy.
Xiao Fang and the others were already aware of Su Lao and their story. Now, the people who had grown disheartened by the base seemed to have found a haven, instantly merging into this newfound community.
This was a recently established treetop base, made possible by the assistance of the Mountain Village Base. Those who had lost their loved ones retreated to the mountain village, not to hide away from the world, but rather to cultivate locusts suitable for riding. After the initial group, including Han Tiaotiao, began using them, the subsequent locusts grew even more docile and obedient.
Generation by generation of cultivation had improved the locusts' genes, raising the success rate from one in a hundred to nearly fifty percent today. Coupled with the locusts' rapid reproduction, they had reached the point where several of them could be managed by hand. They had now become the primary "livestock," a result of family planning; otherwise, there would have been too many "livestock" and not enough humans to manage them.
Aside from the Northwest Base, Wei Lao's faction was also equipped with a large number of "livestock." These creatures were gentle, easy to care for, and non-picky eaters. This had significantly liberated people from physical exertion, transitioning them from manual laborers into coordinators.
Currently, Xiao Fang was guiding a grasshopper through the trees, transporting building materials. The second piece of cutting-edge technology from the mountain village base was silkworm cultivation. These silkworms were similar in size to their counterparts in the human world but produced significantly more silk. What was even more surprising was that they spun cocoons once they matured. However, as long as you took the cocoons away or extracted the silk while they spun it, they would continue to eat leaves and accumulate silk fluid. This process could be repeated more than ten times, until their silk fluid diminished, at which point they could be left to spin their cocoons, molt, and lay eggs. The strength of their silk surpassed even that of human-world silkworms, approaching the strength of steel wires while maintaining excellent elasticity.
Looking down from a branch, Xiao Fang observed grasshoppers in the distance, pulling strands of silk in circles. Guided by people's commands, they enclosed sections of treetops with leaves and branches, creating nest-like structures. These formed interconnected pathways in the branches people often walked on, like protective nets, weaving a web-like network. As long as you were within this network, there was no need to worry about falling from the branches. Completed pathways on the treetops allowed people to walk within them, swaying like they were walking on suspension bridges.
These interconnected pathways were linked together, and unless a disaster occurred that was powerful enough to break apart this small forest, blowing everything away, there was no need to worry about any problems. In this era, people were no longer concerned about falling from the trees and perishing; the thick layers of leaves below would cushion any fall. What worried them was being isolated and blown away by the wind. Solitary tiny humans would find it tough to survive within the forest.
For the past few days, Xiao Fang had spent most of his time atop the trees working alongside everyone else. Although tired, he felt happy; he had found his place within the team. Simultaneously, he inquired and exchanged thoughts with those around him. Unlike the current base, conversations here flowed freely; there was no need to consider the committee. He learned that among those who had come together, there were scholars, experts. Su Lao had invited them to inquire about the base's situation, and after their return, they would discuss among themselves. From their exchanges, Xiao Fang learned that the current base was in grave danger. From the outside, there seemed to be no defenses, as anyone who came close would be too far away to be approached.