Hunter x Hunter: Infinite Growth.

Hearing the voice from the side, Kevin nodded: "It is indeed very interesting that there is such a unique form of existence."

“This is a sample of the Shadowworm.” Moagu handed over a long, thin crystal slice.

Kevin took it with great curiosity. Inside the transparent sheet was a specially treated specimen of a shadowy larva, which looked like a long black shadow.

A faint longing welled up in his heart. This longing was so weak that it was the most subtle longing Kevin had felt at this stage.

Is this an endangered species?

"I guess so. Almost all the endemic species in the Smeile Wetlands are endangered. But relatively speaking, this species is relatively safe."

Kevin could understand the reasoning behind those words.

The reason is simple: unless one is a Nen user, it is difficult for ordinary people to detect this kind of creature. Moreover, this kind of creature does not pose a high danger to humans, especially after the Shimeile Wetlands were designated as a forbidden area.

At present, this insect mainly uses its shadow to lure other small animals and mosquitoes for prey. Due to its special survival method, it is difficult to catch and has almost no natural enemies.

Although they have a limited food supply, their numbers have remained relatively stable thanks to their safe living environment.

"The boss is busy elsewhere, so let me show you around here and take you to see where you can rest."

Kevin nodded, got up, and followed Moagu away.

After touring the base, Kevin saw all sorts of strange species and got to know some of the staff.

After that, he returned to his resting place.

Because the base had a small number of staff, Kevin was assigned a spacious single room with a small laboratory next to it.

This space is perfect for Kevin, since he's only staying here temporarily for two or three months.

……

Since we have already explored the area and collected a lot of species samples and information, no exploration activities will be scheduled for the next week.

Besides studying the various knowledge within the research base and consulting archives, Kevin's only remaining activity was exercising.

Just as Kevin finished a simple warm-up exercise, there was a knock on the door.

Kevin looked towards the door and saw a middle-aged man, about thirty or forty years old, wearing black-rimmed glasses, smiling and waving at him.

Kevin remembered this person; they had met several times that week.

"Dr. Beirut, what brings you here?"

Beirut smiled gently. "It's like this, Mr. Kevin. The food supplies for the individuals I found on my last outing have run out. Hmm... I'd like to go and collect some more. I wonder if it would be of your trouble..."

Kevin waved his hand dismissively and laughed heartily, "Of course, no problem, Doctor. When do we set off?"

Beirut smiled with delight: "If possible, let's go now."

"Please wait for me a moment."

Soon, Kevin got dressed and set off in an off-road vehicle with Beirut and his two assistants.

The car drove all the way to the end of the small road, where there was a sign with a warning sign.

"If we continue forward, we will enter the wetlands. Once inside, it is best to proceed on foot. Driving a vehicle could easily disturb the creatures inside and lead to danger."

It was nearly noon, but the wetland was shrouded in thick fog.

The group took out a specially made machine and fastened it to their waists. This machine served as both a signal transmitter and a distress call device, and it also had a scanning screen so that if they accidentally got separated, they could see their respective directions through it.

Dr. Beirut walked in front, with Kevin beside him, and two other assistants following behind.

The four were very close together, and Kevin, standing on one side, was able to quickly support the other three.

At this moment, Kevin is manipulating his "circle," releasing it one moment and retracting it the next.

This is both to remain vigilant and, to some extent, to train. He is trying to control the [circle] to disperse irregularly.

Although there have been no obvious results yet, after listening to Kim's analysis, Kevin felt that this attempt was feasible, and he had a vague feeling that success was just around the corner.

"This awful place makes me feel uncomfortable, whether it's day or night," Toby, the assistant following behind, couldn't help but complain.

“The scenery might be even more beautiful at night, but of course, it’s also more dangerous,” another assistant, Hakka, replied.

Kevin asked curiously, "You guys came here at night?"

Dr. Beirut nodded and replied, "We came at night once before, and the creatures that are active at night are very different from those that are active during the day. I even suggested that we come back to explore again at night."

The reason people are reluctant to explore at night is simply because wetlands are more dangerous at night, especially in such a wilderness environment.

Kevin hadn't walked far when he saw a series of footprints on a patch of soft mud. The footprints stretched forward in the mist and eventually disappeared.

Beirut walked over with great interest, squatted down, and took out his camera to take pictures of the footprints.

Kevin was also observing curiously from the side.

"Has anyone been here?" Toby asked.

Haka, standing next to him, gave him a look as if he were an idiot.

Beirut turned around and scolded him with exasperation, "You idiot, didn't we encounter this plant last time? I even had you take notes."

"Huh?" Toby looked puzzled; he had no recollection of this at all.

Haka couldn't help but interject, "Mentor, he was already paralyzed at that time, don't you remember?"

Beirut seemed to remember something, silently turned his head, and said, "Go back and review the rest of the records for me."

Then, he began a brief explanation: "These footprints are an illusion, simulated by a plant. Judging from the shape, they should be the footprints of someone in our research institute, and the pattern on the sole is the same as the style of the boots we are issued."

"I guess it's because we've been frequently using this road lately, and it detected our presence, so it conducted a simulation."

After speaking, Beirut straightened up, indicating that the photo session was over.

Dr. Kuze named it "Pseudofoot Fern," a plant that mimics footprints; what appear to be footprints are actually its leaves.

The underside of the leaf can undergo subtle deformation, changing its shape according to the surrounding environment to form a footprint-like pattern.

Those tracking it may mistake it for the tracks of their companions and be led into dangerous areas. It is also said that it can transform into other tracks to lure larger animals.

However, the environmental conditions it requires for growth are currently unclear, so we did not collect samples to bring back to the lab.

As they talked, the group continued on their way.

Just then, cries for help came from the distant white fog.

"Help! Is anyone there? I'm trapped."

This made Toby roll his eyes and complain, "Didn't you say the same thing last time you came? Can't these deceitful crows come up with something new?"

Chapter 48 Sulfuric Acid Pool X Capture

"Is it alright to kill them?"

In the swamp, Kevin knocked three enormous monster boars to the ground.

These strange pigs were as big as two or three adults combined, and their skin had a camouflage-like color that allowed them to cleverly hide in the swamp.

However, it seems to be just a simple disguise; their original skin is pink.

Instead of fangs, its nose, which is upturned like a pointed shoe, makes its charge extremely threatening.

The protected Professor Beirut stood up with the help of his assistant. He had been quite startled when the three giant boars suddenly rushed out of the bushes.

The professor patted his behind and waved his hand, saying, "These are monstrous boars. Don't be fooled by their ferocious appearance and huge size; they are actually at the bottom of the food chain in this area."

"Really?" Kevin asked, somewhat surprised.

“That’s right. They are one of the few non-endangered species here. They reproduce quickly and are omnivorous. They are often lured into traps by all sorts of plants and animals and become food for other creatures.” As he spoke, Beirut listed several creatures that specifically prey on these wild boars.

"As long as there is no deliberate large-scale hunting, their numbers will basically not become extinct."

Moreover, they don't just live in this swamp; they inhabit the entire forest park, although they camouflage themselves in the swamp.

"This is all thanks to the fact that they live in this dangerous area. It is said that their meat is firm, delicious, and has no odor, making them a rare and expensive ingredient outside."

"It's just that this area is too dangerous, so very few people dare to venture in to hunt," Toby explained simply from the side.

Even though we are at the bottom of the food chain here, it's still better than the endless hunting and killing by greedy human desires outside.

Upon hearing this, Kevin selected a wild boar that looked to be of good quality, carried it on his shoulder, and planned to take it back to eat.

Fortunately, I can continue using the digestive medicine recently.

The group followed Beirut deeper into the swamp.

The journey was filled with constant battles, and all sorts of strange and dangerous creatures appeared one after another.

There were even one or two creatures that had never been seen before, keeping Beirut busy taking photos and collecting samples.

Kevin finally witnessed just how terrifying the "Trickster's Nest," known as a forbidden area, truly was for ordinary people.

Every creature here is worthy of being recorded in a fantasy biographies.

In Kevin's view, this ghost world is simply a fantasy world disguised with a modern worldview.

"We're here, just ahead."

Upon hearing this, Kevin looked up and could feel a faint warmth emanating from the distance, and the surrounding fog was noticeably lighter than in other places.

After taking a few more steps, Kevin noticed signs of movement in the shadows of the plants.

The shadows of these plants began to move, converging in front of the group to form a human-shaped silhouette, which slowly moved forward.