Start as a Spiritual Planter: I Have a Game Panel

Chapter 181: Escape? Where to?

Only now did Ram truly understand the overwhelming power of the attribute bonuses when combining his physical and spiritual strengths with Groot's who had also become General grade.

His body felt like it had shattered its physical limits, surging with the raw energy that pushed his capabilities to a whole new tier.

"I might not stand a chance against peak Tier 4 professionals," Ram muttered, his brow furrowed in thought, "but handling ordinary Tier 4 professionals or creatures should be manageable.

Even so, escaping from here is the priority. Against someone like Shane, a Tier 5 professional, I'm still outmatched."

The memory of the fight between Lord Bae and other Tier 5 Lords still played in front of his eyes, just thinking about facing another Tier 5 sent a cold shiver down his spine.

He quickly pushed the thoughts aside, knowing hesitation would only invite disaster. Time was not on their side, and information was his best weapon.

Turning his attention to one of the gang members they'd captured, Ram used the sheer disparity in power between them to his advantage.

The captured gang members, clearly intimidated, spilled everything they knew without much resistance.

Ram pieced the situation together during the interrogation.

Not long ago, Shane discovered that Liam and Esha were not with their group.

Seeing this as the perfect moment for revenge, Shane mobilized his gang, ordering them to search the city for their hideout.

For two days, the Blood Hawk gang had been searching relentlessly.

Today, their luck had turned when one of Shane's men identified Mai and Sid during a supply run.

Recognizing their target, the giant warrior and Shasha launched a secret ambush on them.

According to their plan, they seriously injured Sid and let both of them escape, so that they could lead the gang members closer to the subway station where Ram and Su Mu are hiding.

"These captives claim that they were supposed to inform others and wait for reinforcements before acting," Ram summarized, "but their captains got greedy when they sensed the rich reiki in this area and attacked prematurely. That's probably the only reason we weren't overwhelmed."

A sense of relief washed over him. The premature attack had bought them precious time, though not much.

"Master, we still have a window to escape before the stronger members of the Blood Hawk gang arrive," Linger's calm voice rang in his mind, snapping him out of his thoughts. "We need to act quickly."

Ram nodded, though his mind wrestled with indecision. Should he reveal the existence of his personal space and use it to escape, or should they find another hiding spot to avoid tipping his hand?

"We'll need to move fast regardless," he said, steeling himself. The decision would have to be made soon, but for now, he needs to discuss this with others.

In the end, Ram chose not to kill the remaining captives. Instead, he knocked out the few still conscious and left them there, deciding they posed no immediate threat.

There was no time to waste; he hurried back toward Mai and the others, with Linger perched on his shoulder and Thorny trailing close by.

As they moved, Ram noticed Thorny acting strangely. Her face was scrunched up in an angry pout, and she occasionally kicked at small rocks in frustration.

Curious, Ram glanced at her and asked, "Hey, what's wrong?"

Thorny, arms folded, turned her head away dramatically. "Hmph! Master is bad! He didn't let Thorny have any fun," she huffed, her voice filled with mock indignation.

Ram blinked in surprise before realizing what she meant. Chuckling, he said, "Haha, there weren't many enemies this time, Thorny. I promise I'll let you fight next time, okay?"

Thorny wasn't so easily appeased. "Hmph! I'm not talking to you," she grumbled, picking up her pace slightly as if to leave him behind.

Linger, rolled her metaphorical eyes and spoke from Ram's shoulder. "Master, don't waste your time on her. You're too soft-hearted, and now she's getting naughtier by the day."

Ram laughed again, scratching his head. "I guess you're right, Linger."

Their banter continued as they approached the subway entrance. It only took two minutes for them to arrive, and Ram was relieved to see that the fight here had already ended.

He scanned the area and confirmed that none of their sides had suffered any casualties, but only some minor injuries, and already started recovering.

This didn't surprise him in the least. Every member of his group was of 'Rare' quality or higher—individually strong enough to lead their own small squads of similar professionals.

In gaming terms, they were similar to boss monsters, each one a force to be reckoned with.

Ram couldn't help but imagine the scenario: a team of boss monsters ganging up on ordinary players. The result was an absolute crushing victory. That's precisely what happened here.

This also validated his initial thoughts of focusing on quality over quantity.

Just imagine what might have happened if it had been the cavemen, rather than the Rare-quality Half-Drows, who had faced the gang members.

"Even if a hundred cavemen had fought against those professionals, the gang members could've wiped them out without breaking a sweat," Ram muttered to himself. His decision to invest in higher-quality subordinates was proving its worth time after time again.

Now, with the immediate danger handled, Ram turned to Mai, Sid, and the others. "Everyone alright?" he asked, his gaze scanning the group for any signs of injury.

Mai stepped forward, her calm and commanding presence reassuring. "We're fine. Korrin needs some rest, but we've handled the situation here."

Ram nodded, relief flooding his expression. "Good. Let's regroup quickly. We might have bought ourselves some time, but we're not safe yet."

"Yes, we also found some information," Mai said, nodding as she glanced at Ram. "For now, it's best to escape from here." Her voice was steady but carried a sense of urgency.

Ram opened his mouth to suggest a plan, but Mai cut him off, her tone firm. "I know a place where we can hide for now," she said.

"However, this place is on the opposite side of the city. With Shane and the rest of the Blood Hawk gang already on our tail, I'm not sure we can make it there safely."

Her words made Ram pause. "How far is this place?" he asked, his brow furrowed in thought.

"About fifteen miles from here," Mai replied, crossing her arms thoughtfully. "It's inside the city. Sid and I grew up there when we were kids—it's an old, abandoned part of town that most people avoid."

Ram raised a brow. "Won't that be risky? The city's bound to be crawling with those gang members."

Mai's eyes narrowed slightly, as she answered. "Inside the city, the Shadow Society and other powerful factions have a tight grip there."

"Once we are inside the city we can try contacting Liam, maybe with some help from Esha, Shane won't dare act recklessly with so many eyes watching. He'd risk more than just losing face this time."

Ram nodded, considering her words. He glanced at the others. Mai was clearly confident in her plan, but reaching there was not easy.

Sid, lying on the ground nearby, was still unconscious despite the healing from the small saplings. His breathing was steady, but it was clear he wouldn't be waking up anytime soon.

Ram's thoughts raced as Mai's plan took shape. A distance of fifteen kilometers wasn't insurmountable for their group, especially given their mobility as Tier 3 professionals.

As Ram stood there, considering Mai's suggestion, a sudden thought struck him. He took out few seeds from his inventory, which he had recently purchased from the Alliance Store.

They were small, almost unassuming, but they had the potential to make their escape easier. He had done some research on it, and it seemed like the perfect solution for creating confusion and disrupting the Blood Hawk gang's pursuit.

"This might work," Ram murmured to himself, turning the seed over in his palm. He glanced at Mai, who was still waiting for his response.

"Mai," Ram said, breaking the silence, "I might have a solution to help us escape unnoticed."

Mai raised an eyebrow. "What kind of solution?"

"This is a Confusion Pollen Creeper seed. It's a spiritual plant—well, a seed for one, at least."

"Once it blooms, it releases bursts of pollen pods into the air, creating a dense, disorienting mist that interferes with a person's senses caught in it. The effect doesn't last long, but it should buy us enough time to make our way out of here unnoticed."

Mai looked at him with mild curiosity, her gaze skeptical but intrigued. "You think it will work against the Blood Hawk gang? I know you're a spiritual planter and all but how long does it take to grow? We don't have time."

"Hehe... You don't need to worry about that..." Ram grinned, "We don't have much time, just gather whatever you need, we will leave in ten minutes."

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