I changed the world.

Page 233

The Izko Rainforest is a famous rainforest region in the southern part of the New World, covering an area of ​​over 250 million square kilometers and spanning several colonies. The rainforest has an extremely diverse and complex ecosystem, and to this day, a large number of unnamed organisms still exist within it.

This rainforest was first discovered by an expedition led by Lord Izko, an explorer from the Kingdom of Gasol, and was named after him. Lord Izko himself entered the rainforest many times, and eventually died of illness while exploring it.

According to the myths passed down orally among the local indigenous people, deep in this rainforest lies the lost golden city of Tizosak. Legend has it that its inhabitants are descendants of gods, and the kingdom they built is rich and powerful, with inexhaustible gold and no worries about daily food...

In short, there are various legends surrounding the golden city of Tizosak, leading the colonists who arrived there to conclude that there is a possible city or ruins of an indigenous civilization deep in the rainforest.

Of course, these colonists scoffed at the so-called divine lineage, regarding it as a fabrication by uncivilized natives. After all, when Western colonists first arrived on this land, the people here didn't even know how to smelt iron and were completely in a primitive tribal society.

Driven by a thirst for wealth, for over a century, many adventurers have ventured into this rainforest in an attempt to find the legendary "City of Gold," but many of them have never returned.

If we were to rank the world's rainforests by their level of danger, the Izko Rainforest would definitely be among the top three. Its vast area and extremely complex terrain mean that there are many "unexplored areas" within the rainforest. Since its discovery, this rainforest has swallowed up countless explorers hoping to get rich overnight, but no one has ever made a profit. In recent decades, few expeditions have been willing to venture deep into the heart of the rainforest.

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Chapter 433 Lord Izko's Relics

“Sir, we can’t go any further,” the guide said, adding that he was unwilling to continue.

“Tell him I’m willing to pay more—run pounds—enough to get him plenty of food!” Chadwick emphasized to the translator, glancing helplessly at the guide in the distance, shirtless, with braided hair adorned with feathers. He had hired him two days earlier when passing through an indigenous village.

Carlos, the translator, is of mixed race and works as a professional guide. His job is to lead tourists on hunting trips in the safer areas on the outskirts of the rainforest. Here, the colonial government will issue you a hunting license as long as you can afford it.

“Sir, I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I have to go back this time. We’ve gone too far. This is not what you said before. This won’t do, this won’t do…” Carlos said, shaking his head.

“Carlos, listen to me, let’s go in for one more day, just one more day. I want to see what’s inside…”

"No, sir, that's what you said yesterday, we can't go any further."

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“Alright, you beat Carlos. Now, how much more do you want?” Chadwick sighed, ready to settle the matter with more money.

"Sir, this really isn't about the money." Unexpectedly, the tried-and-true tactic failed this time. The translator, Carlos, said in a serious tone, an expression rarely seen on his usually cheerful face.

“We’ve gone too deep. The rainforest will devour anyone who gets too integrated into it…” Carlos said, glancing anxiously around the camp.

Chadwick was somewhat frustrated. In fact, he had used some less-than-honorable methods to get here. Nearly two weeks ago, while resupplying in Davao, the nearest town, he had tried to find a translator and guide who understood the local indigenous language. However, when he made his request—to "go deep into a certain area of ​​the rainforest's heart"—almost all the local guides refused him.

Finally, he had to change his tactics, pretending that he was just going into the rainforest for sightseeing and wouldn't go deep into it. This way, he successfully hired Carlos. After entering the rainforest, he used methods such as coaxing, paying extra, and even semi-coercion to slowly make his way towards his destination. Carlos accompanied him there under these circumstances.

However, all of this seems to have come to an end. Today, both Carlos and the native guide they hired in that village two days ago have shown unusual persistence, as if there were some unknown demons ahead that made them feel fear and afraid to continue forward.

After a pointless struggle of persuasion and argument, Chadwick ultimately failed to persuade the two guides to stay. He also refused Carlos's offer to return with them, and the two sides parted ways. Accompanying the two guides were two native porters, who had also been hired to carry the luggage.

After the others left one by one, Chadwick was left alone in the temporary camp. As a result, the items Chadwick could carry, especially supplies, were greatly reduced. He had to discard a considerable number of items, otherwise, he would not have been able to carry the loads that had originally been carried by four people.

When Chadwick first entered the rainforest, he brought a "large all-terrain load-bearing companion" made by Kroger, which is what many hikers call a "mechanical donkey". However, it turned out that the complex terrain of the rainforest far exceeded the carrying capacity of the mechanical donkey. In the first week in the rainforest, the unreliable thing Chadwick mentioned was completely scrapped. In the end, the team adopted a more primitive method: manual transport.

After repacking his luggage, prioritizing drinking water, high-energy food, and camping and self-defense tools, Chadwick packed his bags and discarded the excess items. However, instead of setting off immediately, he carefully pulled a map from the inside pocket of his clothes.

This is a hand-drawn map covered with a dense array of strange icons; no one but himself can understand it.

This map shows his true purpose for coming here.

Chadwick's true identity is that of a recent graduate with a master's degree in history from Rune St. Hearst College. His dissertation was on "The Geographical Influences on the Evolution of Ancient Civilizations in the New World," and his advisor, Professor Sanders, is an expert on the indigenous cultures of the New World.

As a result, Chadwick had ample opportunities to come into contact with strange and unusual "collections" discovered in the New World, such as obsidian swords, feather headdresses of indigenous chiefs, indigenous idols, and even textiles with strange illustrations, and so on...