38 - Dungeon Growth Log

"…你说你是墨家村的？你叫什么名字？” Xia Ge's grip on the scythe was unsteady, causing the blade to tremble, "Who do you know?" The beauty looked at him, her eyes shimmering with an almost ethereal luminescence, and replied in an extremely aggrieved tone, "I am Achan, a bride-to-be from Mo village. My hometown is in Taohuawu. My parents joined the Lingxi sect as outer disciples, so we left our home and settled here in Mo village..." "Who do you know?" "I was secluded growing up, rarely stepping outside." Seeing Xia Ge’s face full of skepticism, Achan hesitated, "If anyone... it would be Miss Mo Qiu Ran from the inn." ...Mo Qiu Ran? Xia Ge was momentarily taken aback. "I truly am not a ghost... Sire, I have already been here for two days without food or water." As she said this, Achan’s eyes welled up with tears, sobbing, "I fear I may never get to see Ji Gongzi again... If you manage to get out, please tell Ji Gongzi that Achan will remember him even if she turns into a ghost, sob sob sob..." Ji Gongzi? Another suitor? Xia Ge bluntly remarked, "If you turn into a ghost... I doubt he'll want you to remember him." Immediately, Achan burst into tears, her face a picture of sorrow. System: "Can you not be a bit gentler with your words?" Xia Ge: "..." "Sob sob sob..." The beautiful woman in red covered her lips as she cried heart-wrenchingly, looking truly pitiful. Xia Ge noticed her face was pale, possibly due to lack of water, and her red lips were slightly parched. He hesitated and whispered to the system, "Fine, I'll be gentler... But wouldn’t a ghost’s lips not be chapped?" Achan: "..." System: "...They wouldn't." She probably heard you. Achan forced a smile, her face still pale and streaked with tears, "You are quite the joker, Sire..." "I’m not joking... so long as you’re not a ghost." Xia Ge sheathed his scythe, his wide, hempen sleeves covering his hands as he made a motion of taking something out from within them. His fingers brushed against the ring at his tail finger, producing a fasting pill. A golden fasting pill. Xia Ge did not approach her, instead tossing the pill from a distance, "This is a fasting pill. Eating it will quench your hunger." The golden pill traced a beautiful arc in the air. Achan reached out to catch it, her red sleeve fluttering gracefully as her slender fingers, tipped with crimson lacquer, gently caught the pill with the elegance of a swan. Xia Ge’s eyes flickered slightly before he composed himself. Holding the pill, Achan looked troubled, "Sire, giving me such a miraculous pill... What will you do?" "..." A pill that sustains for a year is simply too frightening. Xia Ge put on a disingenuous smile, "I am not hungry. Please, you should eat it first." "Then... thank you for your kindness." Achan’s face revealed a slight, apologetic smile as she gently placed the pill in her mouth, her small tongue briefly peeking out, a sight stunning enough to enchant. Even Xia Ge, as a woman, found herself entranced. With such a beauty to marry, Ji Gongzi truly was fortunate. But before Xia Ge could fully appreciate the sentiment, the stone chamber suddenly shook! The light from the night pearls flared up abruptly as countless black vines burst forth from the walls, lunging towards Xia Ge! The sudden tremor caused him to stagger, but he swiftly regained composure, eyes sharp as he swung his scythe, mercilessly severing the approaching vines! A sharp scream rang out; Xia Ge slashed through a thrusting spike, his pupils contracting as he saw the densely packed, thorny vines tightly binding Achan, lifting her high against the wall! The golden pill rolled unheeded to the floor, Achan's eyes wide open, "Sire, the pill—ah..." The thorny vines embedded deep into the beauty’s pale skin, crimson blood oozing out and staining her already vibrant bridal dress a deeper shade! The air was thick with the scent of blood. Xia Ge's pupils contracted sharply! No matter who she was— If she bled, she was human!! "Hey!" Xia Ge's heart tightened as the black, thorny vines erupted from the walls and floor wildly, the heavy scent of blood filling the air. Gritting his teeth, Xia Ge shouted, "Hold on!!" "Sire... don't worry about me," Achan, her breath weak, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, her long lashes trembling slightly, whispered, "If you can get out... please give Ji Gongzi a message... Achan... loves Ji Gongzi deeply... so deeply... even as a ghost, I would not leave him..." The black vines continued to extend and tighten. "Not being able to marry him... is Achan's lifelong regret..." "If not in this life... then in the next..." "To hell with the next life! I never believed in such nonsense! If you love him, live and marry him!" Xia Ge sharply hacked through the nearby vines, the scythe flashing, moving like a ghostly shadow, the dense thorns crumbling like paper under the sharp blade, her unbound black hair swirling around her— "Death extinguishes all—if there’s a next life, you wouldn’t remember him! Such corny lines—you should tell him yourself!!!" If you can’t even guard your happiness now, what’s the point of pinning hope on some illusionary next life. Who knows who you’ll be in the next life, or what you’ll love. This life’s love might differ entirely in the next. Even the same soul, once experiences change, so do thoughts, and love naturally follows. Thus, Xia Ge found words like "no fate in this life, meet in the next" rather laughable. He never believed in past or future lives. The next life is but a lost path in the present. Achan’s eyes widened slightly, looking at the youth wielding the black scythe, hair dancing wildly as he cut through the thorns. Fading hallucinations flashed by, finally settling on a lazily spoken phrase from the green-robed maiden with a bone flute at her waist. "Aren’t past and future lives just lost paths of the present? Rather than pinning hopes on the intangible, live well now. After all, having wine and meat now is the true way." Xia Ge slashed through the vines burgeoning from the walls, swiftly spotting the fallen golden pill amidst the chaos of broken branches and leaves. With a swing and a flash, he swiftly retrieved it— "Swipe swipe swipe—" The sharp scythe swept across, severing the vines binding Achan in an instant. Without the support of the puppeted vines, she fell from the wall like a broken scarlet butterfly, trailing blood down the stone surface! "Clang!" The black blade embedded itself deeply into the wall beside her, the fierce wind lifting her dark hair. Achan stared dazedly at the youth holding the scythe with one hand, lifting her by the shoulder of her red garment. The severed vines crumbled into ash and disappeared as Xia Ge pulled Achan up and hoisted her onto his back! "Hold on tight!" Achan’s fair hands instinctively gripped the youth’s lean shoulders. Though the fabric was dark night attire, it felt unexpectedly warm. This... is what it feels like to be protected. It had been a long time. Achan was momentarily lost in thought. The glow of the night pearls grew brighter and more dazzling, the light nearly piercing through the fallen vines and into her eyes. Meanwhile, the vines Xia Ge had severed from the walls began to regrow rapidly! Those night pearls were definitely the problem!! With strength, Xia Ge yanked the scythe out of the wall, kicking off it to launch into the ghostly shadows, finally landing with Achan on the opposite side of the stone corridor, settling her down, “Your hand, give it to me.” Achan looked at him, unsure of his intentions but still extended her hand obediently. Her hand, white as jade, seemed like it was sculpted by the finest artisan. Xia Ge didn’t linger, hurriedly placing the golden pill in her palm and closing her fingers around it, "Hurry and eat it. Don’t drop it again." Holding the pill, Achan could smell its sweet fragrance wafting gently. “You wait here.” With those words, he was about to dash out with his scythe, but his hand was suddenly grabbed. An icy touch. Xia Ge jolted and reflexively shook off the grip before realizing and feeling embarrassed, “S-Sorry…” A faint, luminous light flickered in Achan's eyes before she gently shook her head, her voice soft, “...It was presumptuous of me. Thank you for saving my life.” "No, no, just stay here and stay safe." “Aren’t you afraid that I might be a villain?” Sitting on the floor, Achan maintained her elegance despite her pale face. Even with her back straight, her red dress spreading across the ground, her eyes sparkled with an irresistible charm. Glancing at the wildly surging vines rushing towards them, Xia Ge was growing anxious. He dashed forward, the scythe blurring through the air— Before Achan thought he wouldn't respond, he did. "Snap—" With a sharp, shattering sound, the glaring light from the night pearls vanished entirely, and the youth’s figure flickered amidst the broken light. The sweeping scythe tore through the thorns, mercilessly crushing all the night pearls embedded in the walls— "You need to first be a living person." As the vines turned into ashes and vanished with the fading night pearl light, the youth, carrying a scythe, landed steadily, his black hair flowing gently, his voice slightly hoarse, "Only then can I judge if you're a villain." Achan fell silent. The broken fragments of night pearls scattered across the stone room, their shattered light blending into the darkness. The night pearls in the stone corridor glowed softly, highlighting the red-clad beauty as if she were a celestial being within a painting. Xia Ge walked towards her, scythe slung over one shoulder, and extended his hand, "Here, can you stand?" Achan stared at the outstretched hand. Though somewhat petite, it radiated an unexpected warmth under the glow of the night pearls, resembling a piece of fine, gentle jade. — "You need to first be a living person before I can know if you're a villain." This kid was giving her endless opportunities to regret in the future but would never allow himself the chance to regret now. "Saving me, you’ll regret it, Sire." Ignoring his outstretched hand, Achan chuckled softly, pausing, "I'll just be a burden to you." Xia Ge grew slightly annoyed, "You're so troublesome. I've already saved you, whether I regret it or not is my business, what are you worrying about?" Achan’s smile blossomed, redolent like a blooming lotus, extraordinarily bewitching, "Then Sire must be a kind-hearted person." Xia Ge nodded, "You're right, that’s exactly what I think." System: "..." Achan then placed her hand in his, her crimson-tipped fingers contrasting against the paleness of her hand like delicate lotus roots. Under the glow of the night pearls, her hand was long and elegant, like a dream. With a gentle grip, she wrapped Xia Ge's hand in hers. Enveloped by her slightly cool hand, Xia Ge was momentarily taken aback, feeling as though he was touched by the refreshing coolness of a midsummer night, not cold, but rather comforting. "Sire has such small hands." The beauty smiled charmingly, her voice soft, "And they are very warm." Supporting her, Xia Ge helped her up, "Warm? Probably just sweat... Don’t talk now... let's move forward." System: "..." What is this nonsense about sweat?! How do you even converse with a beauty like this?! The beauty paused briefly, then continued nonchalantly. "My, little Sire is quite strong." Xia Ge: "Yes, born with extraordinary strength." Extraordinary strength? A glimmer of curiosity flashed in Achan's eyes, "Is that so... By the way, I have yet to know my savior's name." "Ah, me." Xia Ge supported her as they walked forward, "Don’t mention it, and please don’t offer yourself in gratitude, your Ji Gongzi is still waiting for you... I am Lei Feng." System: "..." At the mention of "Ji Gongzi," there was a hint of melancholy in the beauty's voice behind her, "Thank you, Lei Gongzi... though I do not know if I can survive this." "Of course, we'll get out." Xia Ge replied nonchalantly, "And if not, we’ll dig a hole upwards. If we dig through, we’ll be out." Achan: "...Really?" Xia Ge attempted to comfort her, "Relax, you just ate my fasting pill, right? You won’t feel hungry for a year. If I die by accident, just take my scythe and slowly chisel away, remember, one direction, a year of chiseling, you’ll be out." Achan glanced at the golden pill in her hand and silently tucked it into her sleeve. The system decided to be frank: "Host, I don't think she's being comforted." Xia Ge: "...You just talk too much." Author's Notes: Chen Su threw a landmine on 2018-06-04 00:02:02 Mao Da Laolao threw a landmine on 2018-06-04 06:31:13 Mao Da Laolao threw a landmine on 2018-06-04 06:31:26 Forty-Eight-Year-Old Plane threw a landmine on 2018-06-04 08:54:02 Forty-Eight-Year-Old Plane threw a landmine on 2018-06-04 08:54:28 Raise Your Hands threw a landmine on 2018-06-04 09:09:53 Don't Want to Be Quiet threw a landmine on 2018-06-04 21:26:07 Thank you to the landmine lords! = = Reader "Bu Xiao", irrigated Nutrient Solution 10 on 2018-06-04 15:24:59 Reader "Shi Ba Shi Zi", irrigated Nutrient Solution 1 on 2018-06-04 11:06:11 Reader "Chasing Fish Watching Lanterns", irrigated Nutrient Solution 10 on 2018-06-04 09:55:01 Reader "Chasing Fish Watching Lanterns", irrigated Nutrient Solution 10 on 2018-06-04 09:54:24 Reader "Bu Ji", irrigated Nutrient Solution 1 on 2018-06-04 00:04:57 Reader "Chen Su", irrigated Nutrient Solution 1 on 2018-06-04 00:02:38 Reader "Huan Zhe", irrigated Nutrient Solution 1 on 2018-06-03 23:49:07 Reader "Yi Tiao Yu", irrigated Nutrient Solution 3 on 2018-06-03 23:38:39 Reader "", irrigated Nutrient Solution 5 on 2018-06-03 23:20:16 Thank you to all the Nutrient Solution lords!