Chapter 45: Chapter 2: Dream Forest 2
The scenery is really beautiful.
The natural beauty of this world is incredibly stunning, easily rivaling the national parks Su Ziyu remembers, with many blooming exotic flowers along the way. The distant mountains are shrouded in mist, appearing almost like a fairyland. The Wasteland World simply cannot compare.
The coin is heads, walk south.
During his time idling in the Wasteland World, Su Ziyu wasn’t completely unproductive. Besides acquiring some useful knowledge, he also gathered some Gold Coins and Silver Coins, along with a dozen or so rare gemstones in various colors.
All of these were arranged by Pasha and the Brotherhood, and the quality of the gemstones is quite high.
If it were in his previous world, these things would be worth at least twenty to thirty million, but in the Wasteland Era, they’re not very valuable. You can almost find a bit in every city’s ruins. He’s unsure what the next world will be like, so it’s better to bring some gold and gemstones just in case.
He saw quite a few small animals along the way.
Rabbits, squirrels, deer, foxes, monkeys, etc. They didn’t seem very afraid of humans, and a squirrel even stood on a branch staring at him blankly.
The further he walked, the taller and lusher the trees on either side of the path became. The leaves made a rustling sound when the wind blew through. Perhaps it was an illusion, but about an hour ago he felt like someone was watching him, yet when he looked around, he found nothing.
Perhaps it’s an illusion.
But people often have some sense of being watched by others.
As he continued walking.
The light around him dimmed slightly, and the trees nearby turned into those ten-meter-tall giants, all lush and leafy. You couldn’t see clearly beyond thirty meters, as the view was obstructed by leaves and shrubs.
Rustle rustle rustle.
It seemed like the forest was making some noise when the wind blew, like a group of people whispering, inexplicably sending chills down one’s spine.
"Something’s not right," Su Ziyu placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
Just then.
Su Ziyu suddenly felt a breeze pass by, and it seemed like something touched his large backpack.
Swish.
Su Ziyu quickly turned around, but there was nothing behind him, just empty air.
Illusion?
He couldn’t help scratching his head, carefully observing his surroundings. Apart from trees, there was nothing around here. Although there appeared to be many small animals on the path ahead, none were present here—not even a rabbit or squirrel, only a few birds.
There’s definitely something strange here!
Su Ziyu quickened his pace slightly. The trees looked eerily sinister under the dim light, and the rustling sound of the leaves in the wind never ceased.
About ten minutes later.
Su Ziyu sensed something off again as he walked. He swiftly turned around to look behind, but again saw nothing. Yet, the feeling of being watched grew ever more pronounced, making him feel uneasy.
He took out a military canteen and took a sip.
In a glance from the corner of his eye, his gaze suddenly tightened. He then casually took off his large backpack and pulled out an Energy Bar, putting it in his mouth.
The backpack’s zipper had been tampered with.
Su Ziyu was certain he had zipped it all the way down to prevent things from falling out while traveling, but now the zipper was pulled up about five centimeters. This is a military backpack, and it’s impossible for it to unzip that far while simply walking. Everything he’d just sensed might not have been an illusion.
After drinking water and eating an Energy Bar,
Su Ziyu continued on his way. This time, however, the arc of his arm movements was slightly larger as he walked, though it was hardly noticeable to anyone not paying close attention.
As he walked.
Suddenly, the feeling of something touching his backpack returned. Su Ziyu reacted swiftly this time. In an instant, he turned around and grabbed back, his body moving faster than his sight could capture. Even before his head had fully turned, his fingers seemed to touch something.
Before him was still nothing but empty space, but it felt as though he’d caught something in his palm.
The touch was peculiar.
Cold and small, about half the size of his palm, almost like touching a leaf.
Hiss!
A sudden sharp pain pierced his palm, prompting Su Ziyu to reflexively release, letting the unseen small thing escape from his grip.
A trickle of blood oozed out.
An unseen set of sharp teeth marks appeared on Su Ziyu’s palm, with the skin broken and blood seeping out. Whatever the unseen small creature was, it had bitten him before escaping.
"What the heck is that?" Su Ziyu couldn’t see anything.
The rustling of fallen leaves nearby grew more distinct, yet there was still nothing visible. Su Ziyu’s back was facing a patch of air, but he was certain he’d caught something, something that had even bitten his hand.
The situation was growing eerie.
It felt as though his eyes had become useless.
Su Ziyu looked at the wound on his palm, a neat, sharp set of teeth marks less than a centimeter long, not knowing what strange creature had left them.
"I should leave this forest first."
Su Ziyu zipped his backpack and took another look around, quickening his pace significantly.
As he walked.
A vine appeared in front of him, potentially tripping him if unnoticed. But how could Su Ziyu be careless? He gave the vine a tug, finding nothing, only causing leaves to drift down around him.
About an hour later, the scene before him broadened.
The rest of the way was peaceful.
Su Ziyu didn’t encounter any more strange happenings. Glancing ahead, his expression suddenly froze, and he stood there, dumbfounded.
He saw stretches of golden sunflower fields.
On the low trees, vibrant red fruits hung abundantly.
Plots of land were filled with all sorts of large mushrooms.
Near the distant river appeared a waterwheel, with a rainbow suspended in mid-air, radiating dreamlike colors. The surroundings were scattered with low fences and charming wooden houses, each surrounded by flower beds filled with colorful blossoms. By the waterwheel were three peculiar windmill mills, and many tiny beings, only a little taller than his waist, were busying around there.
At this moment.
He almost believed he’d stepped into a fairy tale.
.........