Chapter 6 – The Riddle (6)
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The two of them felt like they had fallen into a bottomless abyss, surrounded by a silence that could make a library seem like a rock concert, with dark shadows stretching out as far as the eye could see.
No matter how much they yelled or screamed, all they got back were cold, monotonous echoes, as if there were invisible walls blocking their way.
They were tightly embraced in mid-air, spinning around like two dizzying top toys. They even shed a few tears as they shared their second kiss, soaking in the last warmth they could feel from each other.
At that moment, their brains were completely blank, leaving only one thought:
They wished the fall would last just a bit longer so they could forever remember this beautiful moment, dying together in their happiest time.
“Bang!”
Just when they thought they had hit rock bottom, a powerful force interrupted their descent, making them feel like they had landed on a fluffy, oversized marshmallow, bouncing up and down like a couple of hyperactive rubber balls.
Eventually, when their backs finally made contact with the hard gravel ground, the falling force vanished. But even so, they felt a tremor coursing through their bodies, and dizziness engulfed them, leaving them feeling too woozy to get up for a while.
After lying there for what felt like an eternity, the male character suddenly sprang up, jolting to a sitting position.
The scene around him was astonishing—it was hard to believe his own eyes.
He and Luo Ying were lying at the edge of some unknown forest, where the sun shone bright and breezes were gentle, a veritable paradise hidden from the stresses of reality.
He could even see a bunch of small creatures curiously peeking at them, as if they’d never laid eyes on a human before.
Luo Ying, rubbing her sore head, sat up too, her surprise matching his.
“Another Small Thousand World?”
The male character stood up, surveying the area, and after a good long look, he nodded, “Maybe, but something about this place just feels… off.”
“Why’s that?”
“Did you notice? All the animals here are walking on two legs!”
“Whoa, really?”
At his remark, Luo Ying immediately paid attention to the tiny critters around, standing upright on their hind legs, paws clutching onto nearby objects as they leaned forward to spy on them.
The little animals acted like a bunch of adorable kids, giving off a vibe that they were harmless and just curious.
Luo Ying took a step closer, only to find that they had a strong sense of caution; as soon as she crossed their invisible line of safety, the little critters scattered in a flash to find another vantage point for their spying.
“What do we do now?” Luo Ying sighed in exasperation.
The male character also attempted to communicate with the animals, but unfortunately, these furry critters seemed to be on a strict “no humans allowed” policy. While they posed no threat, they certainly weren’t helping the duo understand this bizarre new world.
From what they could gather, these so-called animals were entirely new species, never seen before in either the real world or the Asking Dao Continent.
They were roughly the height of a human’s waist, but walked upright most of the time, only using all fours when they decided to sprint off like tiny furry rockets.
“Whatever this crazy place is, our number one priority is to find a way out.”
The male character looked up at the blazing sun overhead. “Clearly, the flow of time here isn’t the same as in the Small Thousand World.”
“Why don’t we scout the skies? We might discover something useful.”
Luo Ying summoned her flying sword, and the two hopped on, rocketing upward through the air.
The little animals watched in awe, mouths agape, simultaneously emitting “Whoa!” sounds like they were witnessing a magical circus act.
Soaring high above, the view opened up dramatically.
Almost simultaneously, they spotted a sizeable courtyard a few kilometers away, containing modest houses, but the expansive garden looked absolutely stunning, shrouded in a light mist that made it appear almost ethereal.
“Let’s head there!”
In this strange world, seeing a place where someone lived surely made it the top destination for exploration.
They hadn’t forgotten they had come from a cave where the Monster King was imprisoned.
Surely, this place had some kind of secret, though they just hadn’t figured it out yet.
“Knock knock!”
They quickly landed at the entrance of the courtyard.
Out of courtesy, they didn’t just leap into the garden but opted to stroll through the front gate instead.
“Zila…”
The door swung open to reveal a small creature about half the size of a person.
This fellow, who bore a striking resemblance to a large squirrel, peeked out like a mini human, and, to their astonishment, spoke, “Can I help you two?”
The male character and Luo Ying exchanged excited glances.
The male character clasped his hands, “We seem to have lost our way, and upon seeing your lovely abode, thought we’d come for a visit. We apologize for any disturbances.”
The large squirrel examined them closely, then nodded, “Alright then, come on in.”
They followed the large squirrel through the gate.
The scenery before them was indeed as dreamlike as it appeared from above! Now they were close enough to smell the aromatic flowers, which left them utterly enchanted.
Luo Ying, in particular, was nearly unable to move!
The large squirrel wasn’t rushing them; instead, it let them wander around in a daze amidst the floral paradise.
The male character figured if he had his smartphone from the real world, he’d be snapping tons of breathtaking shots of Luo Ying frolicking among the flowers.
For now, he could only etch this beautiful scene into his memory.
After a moment, they suddenly realized that enjoying themselves without acknowledging their host was quite impolite, so they quickly turned to the large squirrel.
“Sorry about that! This place is just too beautiful for us to handle.”
“It’s alright. Most newcomers react the same way—we’re used to it,” the large squirrel shrugged nonchalantly.
“The master is in the inner courtyard; please follow me.”
They gradually lowered their guard, thinking that the owner of such a lovely garden couldn’t possibly be a bad person.
Just as they had presumed, the master the large squirrel mentioned turned out to be another small creature of half-human height.
It was covered in a soft layer of golden fur, resembling a cat-like being without any patterns. Its eyes were not large, but the deep blue pupils sparkled like precious sapphires, giving anyone who locked eyes with it an overwhelming sense of calm.
After gesturing for them to sit cross-legged, the master introduced itself, “I go by the surname Si, with just ‘Ling’ as my given name.”
“Ah, the esteemed Si owner, a pleasure,” the male character replied, clearly trying not to underestimate the seemingly harmless-looking master.
“Flattery doesn’t suit you; you two are clearly from another world,” Si Ling smiled knowingly.
Both of them jumped at his words.
Luo Ying’s right hand discreetly rested on the hilt of her darklight sword, ready to spring into action if things took a wrong turn.
“How do you know?” the male character asked, furrowing his brow.
Si Ling shrugged, looking rather nonchalant.
Seeing these little creatures make such human-like gestures, the male character was momentarily convinced they had accidentally stumbled onto the set of a children’s cartoon.
“It’s simple; there are no humans like you here.”
