The next morning, Shen Xinghui and Ignatius set out later than planned.
It was mainly because Shen Xinghui had trouble waking up.
After a whole night, his body ached, and he couldn't get up.
Ignatius had to use a healing spell, "Heal," to finally help him.
"It seems the physical damage was quite severe. I'm sorry I didn't notice it last night," Ignatius said with an apologetic expression.
"No, it's not your fault," Shen Xinghui replied. "I didn't even realize it myself."
With Ignatius's help, Shen Xinghui finally made it out of the forest.
Occasionally, he would heard howling sounds from distance, which made him flinch, but Ignatius who is walking beside him, would laugh and reassure him, saying, "It's quite far away."
"By the way, that plant that caught me yesterday—what exactly was it trying to do to me?" Shen Xinghui suddenly had the question and decided to ask.
Ignatius looked a little bit troubled and asked, "Do you really want to know?"
Shen Xinghui hesitated.
He had a feeling that he would be regret asking it, but his curiosity got the better of him.
"For the sake of knowledge," Shen Xinghui said.
Ignatius sighed and explained, "That plant is called the Wombroot Aphroshidite Vine King. It was a carnivorous plant that preys on small animals and monsters. Normally, it doesn't go after something as big as you, but right now is their breeding season. Only during this time do they hunt larger creatures."
"Why is that?" Shen Xinghui asked.
Ignatius continued, "They can't move from where their roots are planted, so they attach their seeds to large creatures and have them carry them far away."
Shen Xinghui froze, trying to process what that meant. "So, it was trying to plant its seeds in me?"
The thought sent a shiver down his spine, and he instinctively hugged himself, shuddering.
Ignatius looked at him with a sympathetic expression.
"Um, what happens if the seeds are planted?" Shen Xinghui asked, nervously.
Ignatius replied, "Once the seed is planted, it releases the creature. The seed will begin to sprout in about a month. However, that's when it's too late. The seed will sprout inside the body and start to break through the skin. The host will die, and their body will be used as nourishment."
"Ughhh!" Shen Xinghui recoiled in horror. "I was really in danger of losing my life!"
Ignatius smiled warmly and patted his head to comfort him.
Shen Xinghui felt profoundly indebted to him.
Ignatius had saved him yet again.
"Well, with a month, you'd have reached a town with people. If you go to a hospital, they'd be able to treat you properly," Ignatius said.
"Can they remove it with treatment?" Shen Xinghui asked.
"Yes, it's possible. If it's within a week, a medicine can dissolve it. It's painful, though. After two weeks, it becomes more complicated. By then, the roots would have started spreading inside the body. It would be harder to be removed. The roots need to be weakened with a special medicine before they can be removed. After three weeks, surgery is required. It's life-threatening."