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墨書 Inktalez
The flexible Glow Stick was transformed into a hat ring by Xiao Qiang, allowing him to carry Xiao Wu Yi as they continued their journey. This close physical contact was warm and gradually stirred up fragmented memories buried deep within his heart.
Xiao Wu Yi—Wu Yi! He was the one Xiao Qiang needed to save? Xiao Qiang felt puzzled; why was it that every time Matt sent out a budget timeline, there were so many discrepancies? Was it a mistake in timing? Or was there an issue with the reincarnation trajectory?
If he wasn't mistaken, it must have been when the Reincarnation Card detached from his neck that some object touched the intersection point of the Reincarnation Card. So, he entered the reincarnation track while others remained in the real world?
Aside from this helpless speculation, there seemed to be no other credible reason to convince himself that everything happening before his eyes had nothing to do with the Reincarnation Card.
Xiao Wu Yi enjoyed the feeling of being draped over Xiao Qiang's back. He pointed the way while pressing his face against the broad, sturdy, and warm back that seemed capable of sheltering him from wind and rain.
He mentioned that since that terrible war, many plants here were vastly different from those on the Ground. The Stratum's plants lacked sufficient sunlight. They resembled a child growing up in a nutrient-deficient environment, misshapen and unlovable—short and inconspicuous.
"This leads to the Ground?" Xiao Qiang was eager to see the Ground; standing on it felt entirely different from being nestled in the Stratum. On the Ground, the view was expansive, allowing for close contact with nature. He could feel the passage of wind between his fingers, especially when lying on the grass, resting on Dust, listening to the call of the wind—it made him nostalgic.
"Yes, but not many dare to go there..."
"Have you been? What’s so scary about it?" Xiao Qiang recalled that Wu Yi had never voluntarily shared stories from his childhood. Thus, he was eager to learn everything about him and understand what kind of environment he had grown up in and why he was a half-beast.
"I don’t really know what’s scary; I can’t quite describe that feeling. But I can take you to see."
"Weren't you saying this leads to the Stratum? How do we get to the Ground?"
"Shh! That’s what I told them to mislead them. There are two paths here: one is hidden among those deformed weeds, and the other leads to the Subterranean Platform."
"What about the Living Dead and monsters they mentioned?"
"Hey, hey, I told them about the Living Dead and monsters."
"You’re just a kid; how can you lie?" Xiao Qiang was angry and wanted to put him down.
"Wait, I'm not lying. It really happened. It's just that they ran away quickly; otherwise, they would have ended up like the people in Stratum Zone Five, with no place to be buried."
Xiao Qiang was half-convinced by Xiao Wu Yi's words. The Ground and Stratum were two different environments; the former seemed to possess a kind of magic, filled with an irresistible allure. "Let's go check out the situation in the Ground first!"
"It will take a long time to get to the Ground, and we won't be able to return before they wake up," Xiao Wu Yi hesitated, seemingly unwilling to take him there.
"Hmph! Lying at such a young age?" Xiao Qiang scoffed, poking him playfully. "Take me there."
"...What if they wake up and don't see us? What will they think?"
Xiao Qiang hadn't considered that. "Are you really that important to them?"
"A bit! Without me, they're like blind people without a compass..."
"You're just bragging!" Xiao Qiang couldn't help but laugh. He emphasized seriously again, "Take me to the Ground."
After a long silence, Xiao Wu Yi seemed to be contemplating. Finally, he relented and reluctantly agreed, "Fine!"
They approached a dark exit where faint, flickering light seeped through. Xiao Wu Yi said it led to Stratum, while another path was nearly invisible—presumably the thorny road he mentioned that led to the Ground.
The two chose the thorny path, enduring the pain of thorns piercing their skin as they sought the passage to the Ground.
Xiao Wu Yi was like a walking encyclopedia, curious about everything. Even an inconspicuous Dandelion caught his attention; he picked it and explained it in detail to Xiao Qiang.
"This is a Stratum Dandelion. In the Ground, a Dandelion can grow as big as a small sapling. In the Ground, especially in areas with hills and abundant water sources, there are many of these Dandelions; they look beautiful in fluffy white clusters."
Xiao Qiang nodded with a smile. With this little broadcaster accompanying him, the journey felt less lonely. He also gained insights into things he had never experienced during his own childhood.
Wu Yi's childhood was spent in areas of the Ground that had not been affected by Nuclear Radiation, while he himself had only seen the sky of the Ground once during a mission after his birth.
After traversing the thorny path, Xiao Qiang finally understood what danger truly meant. Describing this route as a narrow trail seemed like an exaggeration. There was barely a step's distance between them and the cliff. They had to press their bodies tightly against the steep wall, with only a narrow path beneath their feet, winding and twisting without a clear destination.
Fortunately, a peculiar plant grew on the stone wall, its resilient life force allowing it to root deeply into the crevices of the rock to absorb moisture and sustain its growth. The two of them clung to this tenacious life as they cautiously advanced step by step. Initially, he was worried about Xiao Wu Yi, but seeing her move with the agility of a monkey—or perhaps it was more fitting to compare her to a gecko—put him at ease.
Xiao Wu Yi was not any less capable than Xiao Qiang; she moved steadily, as if walking on familiar ground, occasionally glancing back at him with a calm demeanor.
As they neared the exit of Ground, the wind grew fiercer than before. With their faces pressed against the stone wall, they felt a chilling breeze, and the wind seemed to intensify around them. For a moment, Xiao Qiang feared that the wind might blow them off the cliff, which would surely lead to their demise without a trace.
Several times, they accidentally kicked small stones off the narrow path below them, startling both of them and causing cold sweat to break out on their brows. With each shock, their strength quietly ebbed away.
They had been walking for an indeterminate amount of time; to Xiao Qiang, it felt as though they were making no progress at all. It seemed that all his energy was being consumed in this cautious journey. The cold sweat on his face dried in the wind only to reappear, making him feel as if he were wearing a damp and frozen garment that clung heavily to his skin—cold! So cold that their teeth chattered incessantly, producing a creaking sound.
After some time, the path beneath them appeared to widen slightly. However, their legs felt numb and unresponsive. They moved in perfect harmony like geckos along the stone wall, afraid to look down or make any sudden movements; even a slight lapse in attention could lead to disaster.
A piercing horn echoed above them, seemingly rushing past from above. Xiao Wu Yi's face lit up with joy as she pulled on the vines and gave Xiao Qiang a thumbs-up.
Was Ground just above them? The negativity that had clouded his mind moments ago vanished instantly, replaced by renewed vigor.
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