Chapter 91: Thoughts and Departure

Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Thoughts and Departure

Staring at the missing piece of the sky, Bao Yaoyao was suddenly overcome with a swirl of complicated emotions. But she knew staying here was definitely not a good idea, so she started walking, following the girl with the darts and her team.

The dart-wielding girl’s team had five members in total: three women and two men. The dart girl seemed to be the leader. Regarding her decision to invite Bao Yaoyao to join them and leave together, the rest of the team didn’t ask any questions.

They merely glanced at Bao Yaoyao and the long blade in her hand, then paid her no more attention.

"Hi, I’m Xia Wei! From Evergreen City!" the dart girl introduced herself.

"Bao Yaoyao, from Peony City!" Although her mind was completely preoccupied with Li Heng, Bao Yaoyao paid attention to her surroundings and remained slightly on guard.

Xia Wei explained that her island had merged with other islands a day ago.

After the islands merged, they met many people and slowly formed this group. Or rather, it wasn’t really a team; Xia Wei emphasized that they were all just looking out for one another.

After all, in the Mystic Realm exam, your final score was calculated individually.

Xia Wei’s group had headed in this direction because their island was drifting this way, and more importantly, they had spotted an island with mountains!

It was the first time they had seen a mountainous island since the exam began, so they came over out of curiosity.

But they hadn’t expected that right after merging with the mountainous island, they would witness the mountains collapsing and that whole scene in the sky. So, they immediately suppressed their curiosity and began to retreat.

"What about you, Bao Yaoyao?" Xia Wei asked. "Were you on the mountainous island all by yourself? What’s... on the mountain?"

When Xia Wei asked this, the other members of the group all turned to look at Bao Yaoyao with curious eyes.

"I wasn’t alone, I had a teammate... No! I’m not worthy of being his teammate! He never agreed to it, anyway... Wait..."

Bao Yaoyao had been thinking about Li Heng the entire time. Now, after exchanging a few words with Xia Wei, she seemed to have a sudden realization and quickly pressed on with a question.

"If! If there’s a guy who keeps refusing to team up with you, but he’s always considerate of your feelings, is willing to share his food with you, and even tells you to run first whenever there’s danger... even when he knows he might have to face a Soul Beast many times stronger than he is, he’s still thinking about your safety... what does that mean?"

Bao Yaoyao grew more and more agitated as she spoke, staring intently at Xia Wei.

Xia Wei was a little baffled by Bao Yaoyao’s intense gaze and emotions, but she could sense the urgency in her words and understood what she was asking.

Before Xia Wei could answer, however, another girl in the group interjected nonchalantly, "Where can you find a guy like that? Even a boyfriend wouldn’t be that good!"

---

!!!

The words were spoken casually, but to the listener, they were a revelation.

It suddenly clicked for Bao Yaoyao!

’If that’s the case, then everything makes sense!’

’So... that’s how it was all along...’

’Oh, Bao Yaoyao!’

’You should have realized this so much sooner!’

’Our first meeting was full of misunderstandings, but Li Heng, being a guy, had such a gentle and pleasant voice, and he took the initiative to explain everything.’

’He was clearly powerful, yet he rejected my requests to team up time and time again. I originally thought he looked down on me for being weak, or that he didn’t trust me because we didn’t know each other well.’

’That’s what I’d always thought, but just now, I finally understood everything!’

’His refusal to be teammates wasn’t because he didn’t trust me; it was so I wouldn’t feel the slightest psychological burden!’

’But even though he refused, wasn’t every single thing he did done from the perspective of a team?!’

’Li Heng clearly didn’t need one or two medicinal herbs, yet he went out of his way to make me barbecue—and it was usually roasted Soul Beast meat!’

’Shouting for help and mutual support when we encountered danger!’

’Taking turns to keep watch at night!’

’Chatting together, sharing our daily discoveries!’

’When those ten Tier One Soul Beasts appeared, Li Heng must have thought it was no problem, so he immediately rushed over by himself and took care of them all just to put me at ease!’

’Then, when we found the Ice Luan, Li Heng told me to leave first while he faced the powerful beast alone!’

’Before, I had always assumed Li Heng was just so overwhelmingly powerful that he completely crushed the Ice Luan in every way.’

’But thinking back on it now, no matter how strong Li Heng is, he’s only a Soul Apprentice! Back then... he probably wasn’t very confident either!’

’That’s why he told me to go first!’

’Besides, I saw the "battlefield" where he fought the Ice Luan afterward. The fight had been incredibly fierce. The terrain was completely wrecked, and there was blood everywhere!’

’Heaven knows what kind of hardship he went through!’

’That wasn’t a one-sided victory at all; it was clearly the result of an incredibly brutal battle!’

’And especially after the Ice Luan incident, when we met again, the very first thing Li Heng did—without asking anything else—was to ask me if I wanted barbecue!’

’I had only told him once that I liked to eat, and he remembered it so clearly!’

Bao Yaoyao understood. She understood everything now!

’Most importantly, just now, the moment he saw those two Black Feathered Lizards, Li Heng didn’t say a word—his first instinct was to tell me to run!’

’Li Heng... he had been prepared all along. If a danger appeared that he wasn’t confident he could face, he always told me to go first so I could escape in time, while he covered the retreat!’

’He kept refusing to team up so that I could escape with a clear conscience, without feeling that overwhelming guilt!’

’Even though we weren’t "teammates," Li Heng was constantly looking out for my feelings. He already knew about the altar, but he still found ways to comfort and encourage me!’

"So... so you... from the very beginning..."

Bao Yaoyao cried. It was only the third time she had cried since childhood. She no longer knew how to describe the emotions churning inside her.

They were just strangers who had met by chance!

Merely strangers who had met by chance!

And yet, they were only strangers who had met by chance!

Looking at the collapsing mountains and the billowing clouds of dust, a resolve suddenly hardened in Bao Yaoyao’s heart. The tears on her face instantly stopped. She had discovered the second firm conviction of her life, aside from eating.

At the same time, she looked at the two missing corners of the Array in the sky and prayed with all her heart, ’Li Heng, you have to live! I won’t let you die! You have to survive, no matter what!’

---

Li Heng, however, had no idea that Bao Yaoyao was having such a melodrama in her head at that moment.

Twenty minutes earlier, as Bao Yaoyao was hurrying down the mountain, Li Heng had been vigilantly scanning the surroundings, occasionally glancing at the two fighting Black Feathered Lizards.

’Do Soul Beasts always fight so recklessly? They even shattered a Rune Stone Block!’

Any other time, seeing two injured Soul Beasts, Li Heng would have already gone over to finish them off. But at this critical juncture, he chose to play it safe, clutching a Teleportation Talisman in his left hand and his Empty Cicada Longsword in his right.

After a minute or two, Li Heng suddenly saw the two Black Feathered Lizards abruptly stop fighting and bolt down the mountain. ’They’re bailing mid-fight?!’

Just as the two Black Feathered Lizards fled, the cacophony of beastly roars that had been echoing all around suddenly fell completely silent.

Seeing this, Li Heng’s instincts screamed caution for no apparent reason. ’Five more minutes... no... one hundred more seconds... another thirty... just ten seconds. If nothing happens, I’m using the talisman and getting out of here!’

The thought had barely crossed Li Heng’s mind when he saw the peaks of the ten mountains converge. The high platforms that had been constructed on them began to shine.

Seeing this change, Li Heng didn’t hesitate for a second. He tore the Teleportation Talisman and instantly teleported away!