After a period of observation and analysis, Li Fan reached a conclusion regarding why only the fat layer was injured.
It was because Ye Ye was too fat, with her abdomen being a prime area for fat accumulation.
The once nimble assassin, the Night Bird, had now become a heavy-duty assassin.
The main reason was that Ye Ye was a natural predator. The Coral Highlands where she lived were not only rich in resources but also lacked any monsters that could restrain her.
This resulted in her spending her days eating and sleeping, with absolutely no physical activity.
"I didn't expect that being too stealthy wouldn't be entirely advantageous," Li Fan mused, considering this situation a form of ecological incompatibility.
If Ye Ye hadn't mutated and could be visually targeted by most monsters, she would have had some level of activity during hunting or when encountering threatening monsters.
The next day, after the coastal camping trip, the team returned to the Crimson Glow.
Li Fan found Eudora and informed her of his alternative plan in the cabin.
"Uniting with other Elder Dragons on the new continent? ...You mean forming an alliance with the Elder Dragons?" Eudora asked in surprise.
"That's right. When the Zorah Magdaros visited, there was already a trend towards unification," Li Fan stated.
"But capturing Elder Dragons isn't easy. What if something goes wrong?" Eudora voiced her concern.
"It's not necessarily about capturing them. If the Black Dragon truly intends to come, the Elder Dragons, even if they want to protect their native ecosystem, will be willing to participate in the battle. My role is to relay information and unite them all," Li Fan explained.
"Oh! This way, the feasibility is much higher," Eudora agreed.
"Since we'll be contacting Elder Dragons, there's a possibility of danger. This is the main reason I came to you."
"I understand. It means being mentally prepared. I'm fine with that," Eudora assured him.
"Alright, let's set off for the Coral Highlands immediately. We'll start with the Vaal Hazak," Li Fan announced.
"Why not the Nergigante? We already have a lot of information, and the success rate should be much higher," Eudora asked, confused.
"For the Nergigante, we can just have Xiao Ming notify them when we go to the Elder's Recess," Li Fan replied.
"Okay, I'll tell Felyne to change course."
The reason for vigorously preparing an alternative plan was that the conventional plan of having Hui Hui lead them to escape required no preparation.
However, after the Black Dragon visited the new continent, the locals would inevitably make preparations for the Elder Dragons, even if Li Fan had never appeared.
Li Fan felt that since a battle was inevitable, he might as well find a suitable entry point to participate.
If they won, Xiao Ming could continue to develop with peace of mind, and the new continent would remain a paradise for the monster team.
With the thrusters at full power, black smoke billowed everywhere.
The Crimson Glow reached the research base in the Coral Highlands in just two days.
At this point, whether the Vaal Hazak truly existed was not very clear, so relevant literature could not be found. The team had to start from other aspects.
Under the guidance of a scholar, they arrived at the filing cabinets related to the ecosystem in the lower reaches of the Rotten Vale.
The two people and one cat rolled up their sleeves and began searching for valuable information.
"The瘴气 (zhàngqì - miasma) in the lower reaches has been very active recently, with its concentration and coverage area gradually increasing. There have also been multiple sightings of miasma leakage near some of the deeper cliffs in the Coral Highlands," Eudora handed a report she deemed valuable to Li Fan.
"The Radobaan active in the Coral Highlands have also increased, meow. The base has even issued hunting contracts for them," Palico said, also handing over a report.
After reading several related reports, Li Fan said with some helplessness, "It seems the ecosystem in the lower reaches of the Rotten Vale is currently unstable."
He wasn't sure if it was bad luck, but now that they were about to investigate the Vaal Hazak, problems were starting to occur frequently. This was definitely not a good sign.
After a morning of investigation, the team headed into the wilderness in the afternoon, intending to gather more information from the monsters.
On a pool of water on a coral mound, bathed in sunlight, Puff, with a rainbow sheen at the end of its dorsal fin, rested in the shallow water.
"Roar~"
Looking at the sky full of glowing jellyfish, Puff yawned lazily.
"Hoo~ hoo~..."
A Water Wyvern, with red and yellow markings, slowly descended from the sky.
It twisted its neck, its fish-like eyes blinking as it scanned, finally locking onto the pool of water beneath Puff.
"Thump~ thump~..."
The Water Wyvern slowly approached the edge of the water, then turned sideways, presenting its rear to Puff.
Its retractable, tube-like tail rapidly inflated, and the suction-cupped base of the tail landed in the water.
"Gulp~ gulp~..."
Spheres bulged on the tail tube, pumping into the Water Wyvern.
"Roar!"
Seeing the water level in the pool rapidly decreasing, Puff roared unhappily.
Indicating not to suck anymore.
"Roar~"
The Water Wyvern responded helplessly, stating that it was becoming increasingly difficult to find pools of water recently and hoping Puff could help.
"Roar~" Puff indicated that helping had a price.
The Water Wyvern froze, the water spheres in its tail tube halting their transmission.
"Roar?"
You mentioned a price, is it that? the Water Wyvern asked uncertainly.
"Roar~" Puff gave a positive answer.
A moment later, the Water Wyvern, its abdomen distended from sucking water, approached Puff, raised its neck, and angled it towards the sky.
"Sss~" A stream of water was sprayed from the Water Wyvern's mouth.
Sunlight shone on the water stream, and a rainbow arc immediately appeared.
Puff crossed its front paws, leisurely admiring it, when a airship emitting thick black smoke suddenly entered its field of vision.
"Roar?"
The Water Wyvern asked curiously, "Is the enemy coming?"
"Roar~" Puff indicated no.
Before long, the two people and one cat descended from the sky.
Seeing that they were hunters, the Water Wyvern immediately retreated, watching them warily.
Puff created a pile of tiny bubbles, indicating a welcome to the team.
"Puff, it's been a long time," Li Fan greeted.
"Roar~" Puff indicated it had been much longer, feeling forgotten.
"This is the Super King Salmon we caught while camping by the sea, meow," Palico said, pushing a fish larger than itself across the coral mound.
Watching the King Salmon spin and approach on the slippery surface, Puff gently slapped its tail, and the soft coral surface sent the King Salmon flying into the air.
Puff tilted its head vertically and opened its mouth.
"Crunch~ crunch~..."
After a series of chewing sounds, a fish skeleton fell from the air.
"Puff, has there been a lot of miasma leaking from below recently?" Li Fan inquired.
"Roar~" Puff confirmed, stating that if it was nearby, it would have to change its habitat.
"Are there any other abnormalities?"
Puff looked at the sky, pondered for a moment, and said that rainfall had also significantly decreased recently and was not as concentrated as when it first arrived.
Many monsters that had lived comfortably were now struggling.
"Previously, localized rainfall would occur with the rise of miasma. Now, not only is there no localized rainfall, but even normal precipitation is in short supply," Li Fan felt that some of the ecological indicators he had previously summarized were now completely ineffective.
"I understand. If you need to migrate, remember to contact me."
If the ecosystem of the Coral Highlands truly became imbalanced and no longer suitable for habitation, the only option would be the coast outside the Ancient Forest. Although the ecosystem there was not as prosperous as here, it could at least provide basic sustenance.
However, the two areas were separated by the Great Sand Sea, and Puff could not fly. The safest method, of course, would be to capture it in a ball and take it away.
"Roar~"
Puff indicated it would.
"Could it be due to the conclusion of Nergigante's molting?" Eudora speculated as they returned to the cabin.
This was because Li Fan had always theorized that the new continent's ecosystem was designed.
If that theory held true, then the successful birth of the Nergigante would signify that the ultimate goal of the ecosystem's operation had been achieved.
Some operational components would naturally no longer be necessary to maintain.
"I don't think that makes sense. This ecosystem's operation is beneficial to the new continent and to all living beings. Terminating it abruptly would cause many problems," Li Fan refuted.
The biggest beneficiary in the Elder's Recess was, of course, Xiao Ming.
However, through the flow of Ley Lines, life energy had also successfully spread to every corner of the new continent.
Its intensity could cause giant trees to grow in clusters in the Ancient Forest, and this was in the outer regions of the new continent.
Such an extreme ecological operation would certainly not be something any creature within it would willingly terminate.
"Then I don't understand," Eudora sighed helplessly.
"Li Fan, are we still going to try entering the lower reaches of the Rotten Vale today, meow? If so, we need to set sail soon," Palico reminded them, looking at the schedule.
"The lower reaches of the Rotten Vale... Could it be that the miasma is also harmful to it?" Li Fan suddenly thought of a possibility.
"Are you referring to the Vaal Hazak?" Eudora realized, though this deduction seemed rather far-fetched.
"Exactly. If the miasma is also harmful to the Vaal Hazak, then everything becomes very simple."
"Wait a minute, how could a monster be deeply immersed in an environment harmful to itself and stay there for who knows how many years?" Eudora shook her head.
"I'm not sure about that yet, but at least we've found the node causing the ecological imbalance... Palico, immediately tell Felyne to set sail. We're heading to the lower reaches of the Rotten Vale tonight," Li Fan instructed.
Departing for the lower reaches of the Rotten Vale late at night was a very dangerous act, but the team was unconcerned.
The anti-miasma respirators had been developed to the fifth generation, yet they were still unable to resist the miasma corrosion in some high-concentration areas.
These were precisely the areas where Li Fan believed the Vaal Hazak was most likely to exist.
"Li Fan, according to Master Field's map, the area with the thinnest miasma is ahead, that's the best entrance," Eudora warned from the bottom of the cliff.
"No one knows when the Black Dragon will arrive, and that method is too inefficient. To protect the living beings of the new continent, we must use the most advanced methods," Li Fan stated.
"You've thought of another unconventional method?" As soon as Eudora finished speaking, a fierce roar of a Rathalos echoed from above the cliff.
"It's not exactly unconventional, just utilizing existing capabilities." As Li Fan finished speaking, the ground suddenly began to tremble.
"I have a bad feeling this is going to be a problem..." Eudora had a premonition.
"Boom!" A large hole erupted in the rock face above, and as countless stones cascaded down, the head of the Great Serpent Wyrm City emerged.
"No way, are you going to drill a hole in the lower reaches of the Rotten Vale?" Eudora asked in astonishment.
"That's right."
"This will cause a lot of miasma to leak out."
"I've already told Little Foolish Mischief to drive away the surrounding monsters."
"Uh... is it really worth doing this just to find the Vaal Hazak?" Eudora couldn't quite understand.
"Ecological imbalance has already occurred. If the Vaal Hazak truly intends to give up, we are helping to expose the crisis," Li Fan explained.
"Boom~ boom~ boom..." Under the spiral cutting of the fan blades, the rocks were pulverized like tofu.
The body of the Great Serpent Wyrm City rapidly surged in, and a large amount of miasma gushed upwards from the cracks.
At this point, observing from above the cliff, a giant pillar of yellow mist was gradually taking shape.
"Whoosh~" As the tail joint of the Great Serpent Wyrm City entered the circular pit, all sounds abruptly ceased.
In the distance, the two people and one cat, wearing protective masks, vigilantly observed the movements at the pit's opening.
"Whoosh!" A large purple orb suddenly leaped out of the pit, startling the team.
"Tigrex? What are you doing here?" Li Fan asked in surprise.
"Roar~" Tigrex indicated it had come by the nearest route upon receiving the summons.
"Then jump back in and help me find an Elder Dragon covered in rotten flesh," Li Fan instructed.
"Roar!" Tigrex roared to the sky, shouting "My turn to shine, Emperor of the Crooked Neck!" and leaped into the giant pit.
"Won't Tigrex be affected?" Eudora asked curiously.
"It will, but the purple ghost fire burning on Tigrex's body is extremely effective at clearing miasma. So, theoretically, as long as the ghost fire doesn't extinguish, the miasma will have difficulty reaching Tigrex," Li Fan explained.
"Then will the Vaal Hazak really have monster carcasses hanging all over its body?" Eudora tentatively asked.
"Yes, those carcasses can make the miasma more active, and the Vaal Hazak uses miasma as energy. You can consider it a form of energy reserve," Li Fan explained.
"What an incomprehensible monster..." Eudora marveled.
Lower reaches of the Rotten Vale.
On a giant corpse mountain formed by countless piled-up skeletons, wisps of rising miasma were all flowing rapidly in the same direction, guided by the giant pit.
Several Banbaros, emitting gray energy, seeing the miasma flowing away uncontrollably above them, began to frantically scratch at the corpse mountain.
As if finding something buried deep within, they believed they could stop the miasma from escaping.
"Hiss~ hiss~..."
Slight scratching sounds were heard, and gray energy was drawn from the Banbaros' bodies and injected into the corpse mountain.
The Banbaros seemed oblivious, digging even more frantically.
"Crack~"
A fissure cracked open on the lizard-like skin of a Banbaro, and fresh flesh emerged, immediately turning black and necrotic.
A gray vein extended outwards from the wound, connecting to the bone pile below.
This Banbaro's movements became increasingly slow, and soon its eyes dimmed.
Its stiff body, emitting a gray mist, then collapsed onto the corpse mountain.