Chapter 39

Although the screen had returned, it was still very dark because there was no lighting.

All that could be seen in the darkness was a blurry outline slowly moving.

Yan Ning had fallen into the cave. As she fell, she instinctively grabbed onto a root that extended from the rock wall.

With a momentary buffer, she avoided injury.

She felt that her hat must have fallen nearby. The hat hit the ground first, and the light only went out after it landed.

In the darkness, she fumbled around and touched something with a familiar texture.

It was smooth overall, and with careful inspection, she could feel tiny ridges, which were very much like the hat Meng Qing had given her.

She picked it up, felt all over it, and found a small protrusion— the switch.

She pressed it, and the little cat on the brim of the hat lit up, instantly illuminating a large area in front of her.

She looked up. The cave was somewhat deep, and the space inside was larger than she had expected.

From where she was standing, the cave extended further in, and the light didn’t reach the end.

If Shu Yue really had fallen into here and wasn’t around the entrance, she could have gone deeper into the cave.

Yan Ning put the hat back on, stood up, and patted her small backpack behind her to make sure nothing had fallen out.

She casually picked up a twig about the thickness of her thumb, holding it in front of her like a scanner to probe the path ahead. She was preparing to explore the deeper parts of the cave.

When seen from the outside, the entrance was damp and covered with decaying plant roots and leaves, giving the impression that the situation inside the cave was very bad.

After entering, the interior walls of the cave were surprisingly dry, even quite clean. Aside from some plant roots hanging overhead, the surroundings consisted only of soil and rock.

Yan Ning estimated she had walked about 200 meters when she encountered the first obstacle— a fork in the path, leading to the left and right.

On the right side, she saw several distinct drag marks on the ground, as if someone had been pulled into the cave by something, with the heels of their shoes scraping along the ground, leaving these marks.

What was strange, however, was that aside from these drag marks, there were no other traces on the ground.

If Shu Yue had been dragged into the cave by some animal, there should have been animal footprints at least.

Could it be…?

An answer sprang to Yan Ning’s mind, and the next moment, this thought was confirmed.

She heard the sound of wind rushing past, and something grabbed the strap of her backpack, dragging her deeper into the cave.

As she was walking deeper into the cave, the creature attacked from behind, dragging her by her feet with only her toes touching the ground.

Yan Ning tightly gripped the strap of her backpack, afraid it would snap. If the little sweets and milk that Lu Fengfeng had prepared for her spilled, she would be heartbroken.

Once she ensured the backpack was safe, she looked up, trying to see what kind of creature it was.

What met her eyes was a pair of large, dark gray wings with a gradient color, resembling a bird of prey, like an eagle. However, its size was much larger, with wings that spread about two meters wide, and its claws were sharp.

She had never seen such a creature before, so she couldn’t be sure if it was a monster synthesized by collecting data on interstellar species or a completely virtual creature.

The monster seemed to notice her gaze. When Yan Ning looked up, it tilted its head, its amber-colored round eyes briefly meeting hers.

Then it turned its head back, letting out a sharp cry, and increased its flying speed.

No wonder this cave was so deep and wide— it was likely designed for this creature to hide and fly freely while carrying its prey.

Yan Ning did not resist. If the previous drag marks were left by Shu Yue being dragged, then she, too, might be taken to the same place, saving her the trouble of searching for her.

The deeper Yan Ning went into the cave, the more spacious it became, with some crystal stones embedded in the stone walls, emitting light.

Even without the headlamp, she could clearly see the surroundings, and she guessed she was close to the monster’s usual lair.

She did something a little cheeky. The monster appeared very powerful, with an imposing and strong physique, seemingly very fierce, but it kept dragging its prey.

At one point, it seemed dissatisfied with the thinness of her backpack, so it stopped and tightened its claws around her shoulder. A few sharp claws even dug into her flesh.

Still, she was dragged along, leaving two long marks on the ground.

Yan Ning felt like the toes of her shoes were probably about to wear through.

As she felt herself getting closer to the center, the surroundings gradually became clearer. She quietly curled up her legs, lifted her toes off the ground, and hung suspended in the air.

The monster, originally flying steadily, suddenly collided with the side of the rock wall. Its flying height faltered, descending in jerks as it tilted left and right, almost crashing to the ground.

But it seemed unaware of the problem, continuously flapping its wings, trying to continue flying.

Yan Ning, with her toes touching the ground, felt the monster’s flight slowly stabilize again.

It turned out it wasn’t deliberately dragging her— it just couldn’t drag her properly…

The structure of the cave became more complicated, with small branching caves appearing around. Yan Ning was tossed into one of these smaller caves.

After the monster threw her on the ground, it slapped the back of her head, knocking her unconscious.

Then it circled around her, repeatedly poking her with its wings, seemingly confirming that she was truly knocked out.

Yan Ning lay on the ground, breathing carefully, waiting for the silly monster to leave. Slowly, she sat up, brushing the dirt off her.

She picked up her little backpack, which she had been holding onto tightly, and carefully opened it. After confirming that her candied sweet potatoes and hot milk hadn’t spilled, she closed it again, then stood up and started moving.

In the commentary area, Sese was puzzled by Yan Ning’s actions.

【Sese: Why does she keep looking at that box? It’s just a few pieces of sweet potato. Is it more important than her life?】

【Tutu: That candied sweet potato must be really delicious, to make her so concerned about it. Now I’m curious, should I ask Xiaojue to bring me a plate too?】

【Sese: Hmm, why not? Xiaojue, Xiaojue, could you please bring two portions of candied sweet potatoes to the commentary booth~】

In the maintenance room underground, Zhao Xiaojue: “…”

These two penguins are really something. How am I supposed to find them candied sweet potatoes at a time like this?

—

Yan Ning leaned against the wall, peeking outside. The cave was empty, with no monsters patrolling like she had expected.

She listened carefully. It seemed like there was some sound coming from the neighboring cave. Crouching low, she cautiously stepped out of her own cave and made her way toward it.

The closer she got, the clearer the sound became. It sounded like someone was crying— a girl.

After walking a bit, she stood up straight and quickly walked to the next cave, where she saw Shu Yue sitting in the corner, crying uncontrollably.

It was clear that she was deeply immersed in her emotions. Yan Ning slowly walked toward her, but Shu Yue didn’t react at all.

It wasn’t until Yan Ning stopped two steps in front of her that Shu Yue finally noticed her.

The crying stopped abruptly, and her body instinctively shrank back. Her gaze slowly moved from the tips of Yan Ning’s shoes upwards.

When she saw that it was Yan Ning, her pupils shrank, and her eyes widened in shock. She stared blankly at her, without saying a word.

Shu Yue looked a mess. Her clothes were dirty, her hair was disheveled, and her face was a mix of mud and tears, making her look especially shabby.

It wasn’t clear how long she had been crying. Her eyes were red and swollen, and she appeared both pitiful and somewhat comical.

Yan Ning was satisfied with her silence. If Shu Yue had screamed earlier, she would have had to cover her mouth.

But seeing Shu Yue now— tears, snot, and saliva all mixed together, with swollen red eyes— made Yan Ning feel a little uneasy.

Unless absolutely necessary, she didn’t want to reach out.

Shu Yue stared blankly at her, not moving. Yan Ning had no choice but to crouch down and softly ask, “Are you hurt? Can you stand up?”

The next moment, the soft body of the girl crashed into her arms, her neck tightly wrapped in her embrace. Yan Ning could hear her faint sobs, her voice pitiful: “Why did it take you so long to come… woo woo… woo woo…”

The girl curled up entirely in her arms, trembling faintly, and the soft sobs sounded like a little beast crying right next to her ear.

Yan Ning could imagine that all the bodily fluids she had been reluctant to touch earlier must have gotten onto her clothes.

She was stunned for a moment. Yan Ning thought that Shu Yue might have mistaken her for Fengfeng. Otherwise, there was no reason she would be so… should she call it clingy?

Since coming to the island, this girl had never given her a good look. She always spoke with a sharp tongue and looked down on her. How could she suddenly be so obedient?

Could it be a hallucination?

Yan Ning couldn’t understand what caused such a drastic change in Shu Yue, but since she wasn’t interested, she had no intention of digging deeper into it.

Now that she had found the person, it was time to get out.

Shu Yue didn’t look well, and Yan Ning decided to send her out first before looking for the key.

Yan Ning felt that Shu Yue had calmed down a bit, so she cautiously pushed her, hoping she would loosen her grip.

Shu Yue tightened her hold a little more, and in broken sentences, whispered in her ear: “I was so scared. I fell into the hole by accident. Yan Wan said she was going to find someone, but she left and never came back.”

“My foot twisted when I fell, and I couldn’t move, so I could only curl up in the corner and wait for someone to rescue me. But no one came, and Yan Wan didn’t come back. Later, the monster caught me, and I couldn’t escape.”

“The monster was so scary, ugly and could fly, and it was so strong. I thought I was going to be eaten.”

“Yan Ning, thank you for coming to save me.”

So she was awake this whole time. This made Yan Ning feel even more confused.

Since she knew it was Shu Yue, why wasn’t she acting the same as before? Why had she become so obedient? Was she scared?

Yan Ning thought for a moment and roughly understood Shu Yue’s state of mind. Once she calmed down, she would probably return to her usual attitude.

She didn’t take pleasure in others’ misfortunes, nor did she overthink Shu Yue’s emotional shift.

Given her own experiences, Yan Ning understood better than most how fragile humans were compared to many other species.

It was only natural to feel scared when encountering things beyond one’s comprehension.

She just didn’t know what to say to make Shu Yue stop.

Comforting others had never been her strong suit, and she wasn’t sure if Shu Yue even needed that kind of comfort.

Half an hour ago, Yan Wan’s actions had made her hesitant, afraid of unintentionally triggering Shu Yue’s fragile emotions.

She really didn’t have the energy to deal with another crazy person like Yan Wan.

In the end, Yan Ning quietly waited for Shu Yue’s emotions to calm down before speaking: “Let go for a moment.”

Only then did Shu Yue realize she had been huddled in the other’s arms, crying non-stop. Thinking of all the rude things she had done and said to Yan Ning, she silently released her hold and lowered her head, too embarrassed to look at her.

Her eyes were already red and swollen, and now, because of her shame and regret, her cheeks had turned bright red.

Seeing her like this, Yan Ning thought she might be ill: “Your face is so red, are you sick? Are you cold?”

Yan Ning touched her hand, which was indeed cold, and took off her jacket to drape it over her.

Shu Yue didn’t even have time to refuse. Wrapped in the warmth of Yan Ning’s jacket, she could still smell the fresh, comforting scent of her.

Shu Yue’s face turned even redder.

“Are you… really okay?” Yan Ning asked, her gaze filled with hesitation. Shu Yue’s reaction was completely unexpected.

Shu Yue shook her head repeatedly. “I’m fine, I’m fine. I’m okay.”

Then a series of sounds suddenly came from Shu Yue’s stomach.

She lowered her head, feeling embarrassed, wanting to immediately hide in a nearby small cave.

“Are you hungry?” Yan Ning thought for a moment, took off her backpack, and pulled out a thermos food container. When she opened it, a sweet aroma wafted out.

Shu Yue glanced at it, unconsciously swallowing her saliva.

Her food had been finished when she fell into the cave. Being alone and scared, she had no way to relieve the stress, and could only rely on food to support herself.

After several days, her remaining food had run out, and she had eaten it all in a short time.

Yan Ning lowered her eyes, looking at the sweet potato strands inside the thermos with a gaze that wasn’t quite focused on the food. Her expression was warm and affectionate, as if she were looking at a child.

After a few seconds, she handed the box over and softly said, “I brought some candied sweet potatoes. If you don’t mind, would you like to have some?”

The thermal effect of the box was indeed impressive, and it still felt hot to the touch.

Shu Yue looked at the golden, translucent sweet potato pieces. Her mouth unconsciously watered, but she also noticed Yan Ning’s previous expression. “Did Lu Fengfeng make this for you?”

“Mm, there’s also some hot milk in the bag. You eat this first, and I’ll pour it for you.” After saying that, she placed the thermos box in Shu Yue’s hands and handed her a set of utensils.

Shu Yue looked down at the tempting food in her hands, but didn’t move. “I can see your expression. You clearly treasure it, and it’s something made by someone you like. Why would you want to give it to me?”

“Mm?” Yan Ning’s hand froze as she reached for the milk, feeling a sense of embarrassment as if a secret had been exposed.

But when she saw Shu Yue looking down and refusing to eat, her heart sighed. Both of them were so troublesome. After thinking for a moment, she said, “You figured it out. I really do treasure these candied sweet potatoes. Not just because they were made by Fengfeng for me.”

“When I was younger, I ate at school every day. Many of my classmates would eat lunch brought by their mothers in class, but I always ate cafeteria food. Maybe because I didn’t have that, I really wanted it.”

“Gradually, the wish to have a homemade lunchbox became an obsession. Today, Fengfeng unexpectedly made this for me and packed it in a thermal container, in a small backpack. I feel like a long-held wish has been fulfilled without me realizing it, so I want to find a suitable place later to slowly enjoy it.”

“However, you need this candied sweet potato more than I do right now, so go ahead and eat it. Otherwise, I might change my mind.”

Yan Ning casually reworded a small story from her time in the starry realm and shared it with Shu Yue. By the end, her tone suddenly turned sharp.

Shu Yue slowly picked up the chopsticks, took a piece of sweet potato, and put it in her mouth. As she slowly chewed, the soft texture of the sweet potato combined with the sweetness of the syrup filled her heart. She felt as though her heart was swelling, and tears began to fall, hitting the ground like little beads.

Yan Ning sat nearby, seeing that Shu Yue’s eyes were so swollen she could barely see, still unable to stop crying. It seemed she really liked Fengfeng.

Just eating the food he made had moved her so much.

After Shu Yue had replenished some energy, Yan Ning put the thermal box and the milk container back into the small backpack. She then went to help Shu Yue up. “We’ll head out now. I roughly remembered the way in. It’s a bit far, but we should be fine.”

Shu Yue’s right ankle had been sprained, and there was a large swelling.

Although walking was painful, she didn’t want to burden Yan Ning anymore. She kept the pain to herself, hobbling along without saying a word.

The two of them exited the cave, and Yan Ning recognized the path, ready to lead Shu Yue out.

Suddenly, a sharp scream echoed, and the giant figure of the monster appeared.

Yan Ning quickly shoved Shu Yue back into the cave and ordered, “Wait here for me. I’ll come back to get you.”

Shu Yue clutched at Yan Ning’s clothes, wanting to say not to leave her behind. She was afraid Yan Ning would end up like Yan Wan and never return.

Yan Ning glanced at the approaching monster, then pushed Shu Yue gently. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

She then stood up and ran toward the monster, still holding the small, intricate spring-loaded knife in her hand.

Shu Yue couldn’t help but lean out, wanting to see what Yan Ning planned to do. She saw that the spring-loaded knife in Yan Ning’s hand seemed even smaller in comparison to the monster’s massive form.

How could she possibly kill the monster with such a tiny knife?

The monster’s sharp eyes fixed on Yan Ning, its wings flapping rapidly as it made sounds to intimidate her.

Yan Ning tightened her grip on the dagger. She wasn’t interested in talking, her movements were quick and precise.

The monster’s amber eyes spun around twice before suddenly turning and flying into another cave.

Yan Ning’s killing intent flared. Seeing it try to escape, she decided not to let it get away and chased after it.

As she entered the cave, she immediately smelled a strong, foul odor.

This was likely the center of the monster’s nest, the place where it rested.

Inside the cave, she saw a giant bird’s nest made of many dry branches and grass. She took a few steps closer but didn’t see the monster bird. Her gaze then stopped abruptly.

In the nest lay an exquisite little wooden box, the same as the one she had seen in the Jealousy dungeon.

Could that be the key?

Yan Ning walked over and reached for the wooden box. A sharp screech came from behind her, followed by a gust of wind.

Instinctively, she crouched down into the nest, stretched out her hand, and grabbed the box. With a quick flick of her fingers, she retrieved the second key.

Her action completely enraged the monster. It flapped its wings furiously, and a tornado began to form around them.

Yan Ning’s gaze sharpened. She took large strides toward the monster and leapt about two meters in front of it.

Landing on its chest, she grabbed the feathers on its breast with one hand and plunged the dagger into the monster’s chest with the other.

The spring-loaded knife was too short and seemed to miss the vital spot. The bird struggled wildly, trying to shake Yan Ning off.

Without hesitation, she turned her finger into a knife, and with the same swift precision she had used to deal with the illusionary flowers in the flower field, she drove it straight through the monster’s heart.

Shu Yue had been waiting in the cave for a long time, but there was no sign of Yan Ning returning, and she began to feel uneasy. Supporting herself against the wall, she moved slowly out of the cave, intending to find her.

“Where are you going?” Yan Ning’s cold voice came from ahead.

Shu Yue froze and looked up to see her.

It seemed like she wasn’t injured, but her clothes and body were covered in a lot of blue liquid, especially her right hand. The exposed half of her arm and hand were stained with dark blue marks.

Shu Yue already knew that the monsters on the island had blue blood. “Did you kill it?”

“Mm, and I got the key. We can go back now.” Yan Ning casually tossed a small, delicate wooden box into her arms.

Shu Yue leaned against the wall, raised her hand to catch it, and opened it. Inside was indeed a golden key.

“This is the key?”

“Mm, does it seem ordinary?”

Shu Yue lowered her gaze. “No.”

“I thought it was pretty ordinary too. When I first saw it in the Jealousy dungeon, I thought, ‘Is this it?‘” Yan Ning spoke in a calm tone, but there seemed to be a hint of a smile.

Shu Yue wasn’t sure, but she felt something was off. Her gaze couldn’t help but follow the tall figure standing in front of her.

There was only a small hint of a smile, but it seemed to lift her mood as well.

“Can you walk? I just found another cave next to its nest that leads outside. We can go out from there.”

Shu Yue nodded, a smile appearing on her face. “Mm, I can.”

Yan Ning watched as she took two steps, still struggling. Stepping in front of her, Yan Ning slightly bent down, and with a gentle motion, her arm went around Shu Yue’s back and under her knees. It seemed like she didn’t exert much effort as she effortlessly lifted the girl into her arms.

Shu Yue let out a soft startled cry. Once she regained her composure, she wrapped her arms around Yan Ning’s neck, burying her face in Yan Ning’s shoulder to hide the uncontrollable emotions in her eyes.

The omnipresent commentary once again voiced the thoughts of the audience, filled with agitation and discontent.

【Sese: Oh my god! Can it really be like this? Number One, aren’t you going a bit too far?】

【Tutu: Why does it suddenly feel so citrus-y? Number One, what exactly are you doing? Have you forgotten about Fengfeng waiting for you at home? So disappointing~~~】

【Sese: Wuwuwu~~~ Fengfeng is next door saving teammates, probably still unaware that his own backyard is on fire. How pitiful~~~】

Every time they said “disappointing” and “pitiful,” there was an unmistakable joyful tone at the end of their words. Undoubtedly, these two were having a blast over the current situation.

Yan Ning couldn’t help but imagine what kind of expression Number Two would have when they saw this scene in person.

Yan Ning’s thoughts were actually quite simple—since both the person and the key had been found, there was no need to linger here any longer. She needed to hurry and reunite with Fengfeng so he wouldn’t worry.

The island’s monsters were all part of the system settings, and after being killed, their bodies would quickly disappear, leaving behind a crystal.

Earlier, Yan Ning had already collected the monster bird’s crystal. Now, she placed Shu Yue on the ground and stood by the bird’s nest, contemplating how to climb up. Her gaze lingered on the vines hanging from above the cave and the plant roots protruding from the rock walls.

She tugged at the vines and roots, confirming they were secure before casually cutting off a section of vine.

Holding the vine, she walked up to Shu Yue and said, “You get on my back, I’ll secure you with the vine, and then we’ll climb up.”

Shu Yue thought she must have heard wrong. “You want to carry me up? You go up first and then find someone to save me. It’s fine, the monster is already dead, I’m not scared anymore.”

“It’s too troublesome. Just listen to me, don’t worry. I can carry you up.”

Shu Yue stared blankly at Yan Ning, feeling an unexpected flutter in her heart. Why did her strong-willed demeanor seem a bit… attractive?

Yan Ning noticed the strange expression on Shu Yue’s face and assumed she didn’t believe her, so she directly used the vine to lift her onto her back. With swift movements, she wrapped the vine around both of them several times and secured it.

Reaching the base of the cave, she tested the ground with her feet, grabbed the hanging vines and roots with both hands, and before climbing, she slightly turned her head to Shu Yue and said, “If you’re scared, just hold onto me tightly.”

Shu Yue suppressed the pink bubbles of emotion rising in her heart and gently wrapped her arms around Yan Ning, softly responding.

As Yan Ning steadily climbed step by step, Shu Yue could gradually see a small portion of the sky with twinkling night stars.

Shu Yue felt her emotions building up inside, her arms tightening around Yan Ning. She softly whispered in her ear, “Thank you.”

Yan Ning paused for a moment, suddenly thinking of something. She sensed that Shu Yue seemed to be in a better mood now, perhaps willing to answer her, so she cautiously asked, “Can I ask you a question?”

Shu Yue didn’t know what Yan Ning wanted to ask, but her heart began to race at the words: “Mm, go ahead.”