CHAPTER 145: CHAPTER 145: ENTERING THE DENSE FOREST

In the pitch-black shadow of the trees, a voice suddenly emerged, causing Wen Shu to pause and almost kick in surprise.

"You scared me to death, what are you doing here?"

She patted her chest, feigned fright, and retreated a few steps, staring at the figure hidden in the darkness.

Under the tree, Sai Yin stood with a straight back, looking up at her. His silver hair fell to the sides of his face, revealing a face that seemed somewhat pale in the dark.

His gaze swept over her, unconsciously clenching his fists; those purple eyes locked onto hers as he asked, "Where are you going?"

His voice was extremely soft, as if afraid to wake the others, but Wen Shu heard it quite clearly.

In a hurry to leave, she lied without thinking, "I’m just going to take a break."

"Xiao Wen, female."

Sai Yin slowly stood up, the distinct outlines of his face gradually illuminated by the cold moonlight.

His eyes were inscrutable as he took a few steps closer, blocking the light above Wen Shu’s head, and leaned down to say, "Are you going into the dense forest alone?"

Meeting his captivating gaze, Wen Shu felt a pang of anxiety, for even though he was asking, he seemed quite certain.

Understanding that he was not easily deceived, she pursed her lips, tears welling up as she nodded and said earnestly, "Thank you all for your help along the way, but there are things I really cannot tell you..."

Upon hearing this, Sai Yin seemed not surprised at all.

He took a few steps back, glanced thoughtfully at Wen Shu, noticing her broad robe billowing emptily in the breeze, making her figure appear even more fragile, and slightly frowned.

"Wait a moment."

Leaving these words behind, he went back by the campfire, rummaged through his bag for food, weighed it, and then returned to the tree to hand it to Wen Shu.

"Take this, I won’t stop you."

Wen Shu, her eyes still moist, glanced at the bundle in his palm, feeling a bit surprised.

Could it be... I really met a good person?

Her wariness was slightly eased as she wiped her tears and accepted the bundle, thanking him with a genuine smile, "Thank you, and please bid Jin Yu farewell for me."

In the chilly wind, her long black hair was lifted; her tear-filled eyes slightly raised, like a beautiful silver hook...

Sai Yin’s purple eyes slightly widened, feeling a strange agitation in his heart.

Finding it puzzling, he couldn’t help but frown and warned seriously, "The dense forest is dangerous; be careful and take care. Until we meet again."

Hearing his words of concern, Wen Shu felt touched, but... until we meet again?

Maybe not.

"Wish you a safe journey."

Wen Shu, holding her bundle tightly, waved eagerly before sprinting away into the distance.

Watching her receding figure, Sai Yin pressed his lips together, clutching his still unsteady chest, a hint of confusion flashing on his calm face.

After lingering for a moment, he shifted his gaze back to the group. As he circumvented the tree roots, however, he caught the scent of food where the female had slept.

He halted, kicked the earth aside, and his expression instantly turned somewhat grim.

...

In the pitch-black dense forest, Wen Shu moved swiftly southward, surveying the terrain and settling into a hole hollowed out at a tree trunk.

The brief night quickly passed, and upon awakening, it had begun to rain.

Cold raindrops slipped through leaves, slanting into the hollow, soaking the fluffy grass at the opening.

Wen Shu wrapped herself tightly, curled in a corner, watching the gentle rain curtain, waiting for the males to arrive.

However, this sudden rain lasted for three whole days, and in the deathly silence of the dense forest, not a single figure appeared.

As the warm sunlight pierced through the clouds, falling on her face, Wen Shu opened her eyes only to find her limbs ice-cold.

Did something happen?

Or...

She recalled the strange events at the court, involving Nan and Mious, her curled long lashes drooping slightly. After a moment of melancholy, she raised her pitch-black eyes again.

The mate bond was still there, and if they wanted to, they could always find her.

But as for Wu Xuan, who knows...

Wen Shu tidied her crumpled clothes, deftly leapt down from the giant tree, determining to leave the dense forest and find a safe place to wait.

"Ashu!"

A familiar voice suddenly called out from behind.

Her body stopped, and before she could turn around, she was pulled into a hot and firm embrace, "Ashu, I’m here!"

The male’s slightly trembling breath brushed past her ear.

Wen Shu felt his rapid heartbeat, her cold heart tightened, her eyes brimmed with warmth.

"Wu Xuan," she grasped his hand, pulsing with excitement, and turned to tightly embrace him, burying her face in his warm chest, "You came..."

In the lush green jungle, the moist rain vapor had yet to dissipate.

The two figures strolled among it, accidentally brushing past the grass, causing the sparkling raindrops to scatter, shining with hints of gold.

Once again pushed to the roadside, the tall female flicked the water from her hem and pushed the male’s face away with a sigh, "Wu Xuan, you’re heavy."

She quickened her pace, evading the clingy head on her shoulder, but Wu Xuan grabbed her arm, a hint of stubbornness flashing across his handsome face.

"No."

His golden eyes, still glistening with tears, settled his chin on Wen Shu’s neck pit; his hands loosely encircled her waist as if wishing to hang his whole body on her.

"You said it before, we will never part again."

Well, that’s not exactly what I meant...

The warm hands on her abdomen slowly tightened, making Wen Shu advance with difficulty, for each step was nudged by his knee, slowing her pace to a crawl.

Yet, the male was not only disrupting to delay the journey but refused to shift into beast form to carry her.

"Wu Xuan," she halted, gazing up at him with a long sigh, "if you keep this up, it’ll take us a lifetime to reach Rice Coast."

Beneath the dense shade of the tree, Wu Xuan’s mischievous eyebrows pretended to frown fiercely, replying stubbornly, "I don’t care..."

Halfway through his words, his eyes lowered slightly, his golden eyes reflecting her lifted face, worried he might tire her.

He scooped her into his arms and whispered in a rich voice, "It’s just you and me here... I like it here."

The chest against her cheek trembled gently, and as Wen Shu met his deep eyes, a soft sweetness lingered in her mouth, like she had bitten into a creamy cake.

She instinctively curved her lips into a smile, lifted her head to brush against his soft lips, and when he tried to pursue further, she covered his mouth, dissuading him, "What do you want to do? Let’s head to the pier; it’s too dangerous here, and the Beast City’s Hunting Team could be here any moment..."

The female’s warm touch still lingered on his lips, and Wu Xuan, feeling feverish, fixed his eyes on her red lips that opened and closed, his mind a blank, capturing only one notion.

Reach the pier, and then...

Seeing his face redden, Wen Shu hadn’t yet reacted before finding herself enveloped in the softness of fur.

The wind howled past her ear as trees flashed rapidly by. The Black Panther raced on tirelessly until nightfall, when the dense forest began to thin, and caravans appeared up ahead.

Wen Shu sat up to a gust of salty, cold wind hitting her face.

She gazed into the distance, finally seeing the shimmering water reflecting the bonfires and the endless expanse of deep blue rolling waves.

By the wide, boundless coast, nearly ten massive ships built from black iron stood like sleeping beasts, their sails reflecting the severe cold light as they swayed with the tide.

"Ashu, we’re here."

The Black Panther beneath her breathlessly spoke.

And as Wen Shu looked at the distant scene, holding the iron ticket in hand, observing the Beastmen gradually boarding the ships, she realized a problem.

"Wu Xuan, have you brought any Crystal Coins?"

The Black Panther lifted his head, his round golden eyes flashing with a complex emotion.

As their gazes met, Wen Shu covered her forehead and laughed, glancing sideways at the caravans, asking quietly, "Shall we rob them?"