《Rhombus — Candy Town》


 Chapter 1

    Life in the Diamond-shaped Base was even more dull than Yun Ge had anticipated. As a result, aside from eating and sleeping, Yun Ge could only spend his time on the spacious square, contemplating life. However, it was frustrating that due to his memory loss, he was unable to reflect much on his past experiences. Consequently, he spent most of his time gazing at the sky, which was deeply concealed by mysterious clouds, and passed the time by letting his thoughts wander.


    Since the Diamond-shaped Base was located in a mysterious space, there was no concept of time here. Therefore, Yun Ge had no idea how long he had been in the Diamond-shaped Base since he last woke up. However, it seemed that it was precisely because there was no concept of time in the Diamond-shaped Base that Yun Ge was able to continue staying here despite finding life monotonous. Especially after that eccentric green light suddenly had a change of heart and added several pieces of fitness equipment on the square, allowing Yun Ge to have an outlet for the restless energy within him, he became even more at ease living in the Diamond-shaped Base.


    Sleeping, daydreaming, eating, and working out had now become the entirety of Yun Ge''s daily life. Apart from these activities, what Yun Ge looked forward to the most was the irregular physical examinations conducted by the green light. This was because during this period, Yun Ge could only see the green light during the physical examinations, and he could not see him at any other time.


    "Hey! Can you tell me the truth? What crime did I commit that led you to imprison me in this prison?" Yun Ge took the opportunity when the detection instruments were checking his physical condition through the data cables inserted into his body to ask the floating green light in the air again.


    "Hey! I''ve told you so many times already. You haven''t committed any crime, and you''re not a criminal! This is not a prison, and you''re not being imprisoned here! This is a base exclusively for you, and everything here is at your service!" The green light''s electronic synthesized voice answered with an impatient tone.


    "Wow! You sure are tight-lipped! There''s nothing here, and apart from staying in my room, I can only go to that square surrounded by high walls to get some air. You still say I''m not locked up?" Yun Ge said, pursing his lips.


    "I''ve explained to you so many times! The reason your access area is limited is that you haven''t yet reached the ability to access those rooms. It''s not a good thing to let you know too much in advance! If you want to enter other rooms in the base, you must at least recover some of your memories first!" The green light explained patiently once again.


    "Phew! You always say you hope I can recover my lost memories soon. But how exactly can I do that? Moreover, since the equipment here is so advanced, why can''t you use these devices to cure my amnesia?" Yun Ge continued to ask.


    "I''m not unwilling to try, but your amnesia is very tricky. Considering your unique situation, I have to be cautious. Otherwise, any reckless move could lead to irreversible consequences," the green light said.


    "Even they can''t cure my amnesia, can they?" Yun Ge asked again.


    "That''s right. All they can do is build this base for you and assist you in repairing your damaged memories as much as possible while accompanying you in your growth," the green light said.


    "Phew! Is my memory really that important?" Yun Ge sighed.


    "Yes, it''s very important. The memories you''ve lost are not only very helpful for their work but also crucial for your future. In simple terms, your memories����"


    "Oops! I know! My memories are related to how high I can grow in the future and also determine whether they can entrust me with important tasks in the future! You''ve already said these things countless times! Can''t you give me a different answer?" Yun Ge interrupted the green light impatiently before it could finish speaking.


    "But I''m telling the truth! I can''t just make up lies to answer your questions, can I?" The green light returned to a calm tone.


    "Humph! Even if they are lies, I don''t want you to always give me answers that I can''t understand! Forget it! Forget it! You''re just too tight-lipped! I''m too lazy to talk to you anymore!" Yun Ge waved his hand and said, then gave up asking questions and lay back on the bed again.


    Seeing that Yun Ge was lying on the bed and no longer speaking, the green light took the initiative to ask, "By the way, how have you been feeling recently? Have you remembered anything more related to the last mission?"


    Yun Ge shook his head and answered very crisply, "No."


    Then, Yun Ge sat up again and said with a puzzled look on his face, "Apart from what I told you last time, I really can''t remember anything else. However����, recently I often have a strange feeling. Once this feeling comes over me, I always feel like I remember who the person who accompanied me on the mission last time was. But as soon as the information about that person reaches the tip of my tongue, it gets stuck, causing me to instantly forget what I wanted to say."


    "At least you can be sure that when you said ''we'' at that time, you were referring to you and another person," the green light said.


    "Phew! This feeling is really strange. I''m very sure that I know that person, but I just can''t remember who that person is, not even whether that person is male or female. Moreover, every time I try to recall the details about that person, an indescribable pain spreads all over my body," Yun Ge said.


    "Well! Since you can''t remember who that person is, don''t force it, or it might affect the system''s physical examination of you," the green light floated to the system''s light screen to check for a while, then floated back to Yun Ge''s side and persuaded.


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    Yun Ge nodded to show his agreement with the green light''s words, and then the two fell silent again. However, Yun Ge didn''t stay silent for long before he suddenly raised his head and asked, "Green Light, do you think I will encounter that person again during a mission in the future?"


    The green light, emitting a faint mint green glow, stared at Yun Ge for a few seconds before asking, "Why do you say that? Do you think you will see that person again?"


    Yun Ge thought very seriously for a moment, then answered cautiously, "I feel like I might encounter that person again because I don''t know when it started, but when I try to recall the matters related to the last mission and that person, I suddenly feel a strong sense of familiarity towards that person. Since you said there are only the two of us in this base, if my feeling is correct, then that person must have appeared in my dreams more than once, or rather, in my missions."


    After listening to Yun Ge''s words, the green light stared at him for a few more seconds before saying, "Very interesting. It seems that everything is developing in a good direction."


    Yun Ge frowned, somewhat dissatisfied, and said, "Can you not always say that things are developing in a good direction? Can you specifically explain which good direction things are developing in?"


    Yun Ge had thought that the green light would reply evasively as before, but unexpectedly, this time the green light said, "This is the first time you''ve been able to remember something immediately after waking up and then also remember something related to the last mission. Although the additional information you remembered is only a little bit, this situation does indicate that your memory is recovering in a positive direction."


    "Phew! I hope so!" Yun Ge lightly frowned, then immediately smoothed it out.


    "By the way, Green Light. Speaking of missions, when can I go on another mission? I don''t even know how long I''ve been cooped up here! I also want to go out and get some fresh air!" Yun Ge continued to ask.


    "Even if the mission is a nightmare, do you still yearn to go out and get some fresh air?" The green light asked jestingly.


    Yun Ge shrugged his shoulders and said nonchalantly, "Sigh! A nightmare is still a nightmare, but at least I can go out and get some fresh air, right? Even if it''s just to refresh my spirit, it''s better than being suffocated here, isn''t it?"


    The green light bobbed up and down twice to indicate nodding in agreement, then said, "Rest assured! You will soon be going on another mission! The next suitable world for you to enter has been locked in. Once I complete the final stability test on that world, you can go there to carry out the mission!"


    Hearing that he could soon go on another mission, Yun Ge immediately became excited and wanted to jump off the bed, and he also inquired in detail about the details related to the next mission. Seeing this, the green light immediately released a burst of dazzling strong light to stop Yun Ge, while reminding him, "Hey! Can you not move around recklessly? Don''t forget that you still have data cables inserted into your body! You know, the purpose of this comprehensive physical examination is to ensure that your health condition is sufficient to support you in carrying out the next mission. If you affect the results of the detection instruments, it might lead to the next mission being postponed!"


    Upon hearing this, Yun Ge quickly lay back on the operating platform again, and after making sure that his previous actions had not affected the work of the detection instruments, he said expectantly, "Finally! I can go out and get some fresh air again! I really wonder what kind of mission I will be carrying out this time?"


    "Actually, it doesn''t matter what mission you will be carrying out next time. What''s important is that you must try to remember more of the mission''s content. This will help you recover your memory and also help us better complete our work," the green light said.


    "I guess you still won''t tell me who ''we'' are, right?" Yun Ge glanced at the green light and asked.


    "That''s right," the green light answered very crisply, then shifted its attention to the detection instrument that was sorting out the detected data.


    After completing this physical examination, Yun Ge had thought that he would soon be able to go on a new mission. However, after leaving the operating room, the green light did not come to notify him of the mission, which made the anxious Yun Ge feel a hint of unease in his heart, fearing that this was because the green light had found some problem with him through the physical examination. With this mix of anticipation and anxiety, Yun Ge waited for several more days before the green light finally appeared.


    As soon as Yun Ge saw the green light appear, he immediately got up from the bench in the center of the square and went over, while to conceal his anxiety, he deliberately raised his voiceand asked, "Green Light! You finally showed up! Didn''t you say that I would soon be able to go on a mission after the physical examination? Did something go wrong?!"


    The green light then slowly floated over to Yun Ge''s side and answered leisurely, "I just said that you would soon be able to go on a mission, but I didn''t specify when exactly. Moreover, according to the concept of time in the Diamond-shaped Base, when I said ''soon,'' it doesn''t mean that you can set off to carry out the mission immediately after the physical examination."


    Yun Ge impatiently waved his hand, indicating that he didn''t want to listen to the green light''s explanation of the concept of time, then asked, "Alright! Alright! I got it wrong, okay? Then tell me, when can I go on a mission? Staring at these high walls and the starry sky above every day is about to drive me crazy!"


    The green light patting its mint green glowing body said, "Rest assured! Everything is normal. In fact, the purpose of my coming this time is to inform you that you can start preparing to set off. Because after a series of tests, I have established a stable spatial connection channel at the location where you are about to carry out the mission. You can safely and boldly go to carry out the mission."


    After confirming that his concerns were unfounded and learning that he could leave again, Yun Ge couldn''t help but wave his fistsand said excitedly, "Great! I can finally go out and get some fresh air! By the way, Green Light, can you tell me what mission I will be carrying out this time?"


    As the green light led Yun Ge back to the operating room, it answered, "I can''t disclose that. You must explore on your own to understand the mission you need to complete, as this is more conducive to repairing your memory."


    Yun Ge curled his lips and said, "Haha! You probably don''t even know the content of the mission, do you?"


    The green light nodded ambiguously, which made Yun Ge quickly stop in his tracks and chase and ask, "Hey! Are you really saying that you don''t even know what mission I''m going to carry out? Are you trying to harm me?!"


    The green light turned around and continued to float forward backward while seriously answering, "Of course not. I don''t know the mission content for two reasons: one is that my authority is insufficient, and the other is that the mission itself has a certain degree of randomness. But you don''t have to worry because I can monitor your physical condition in real-time through the detection instruments. Once you encounter a life-threatening danger, I will, as I have done every time before, pull your consciousness back to reality before the fatal threat can cause you harm."


    Yun Ge could tell and also hear that the green light spoke these words very sincerely, and a sense of familiarity also made him feel a sense of security from the bottom of his heart after listening to the green light''s answer. Therefore, Yun Ge didn''t continue to dwell on this issue and instead followed the green light back to the operating room with excitement and nervousness.

 Chapter 2

    After confirming that all the pipelines were properly connected to Yun Ge''s body, the green light activated the mission transfer program. Then, the green light flickered with a mint green glow that was reassuring and reminded, "Yun Ge, relax your mind. Because you will soon feel a strong sense of sleepiness, and then your spirit will enter the target world through mental transmigration and reshape your body there to facilitate your mission execution."


    Yun Ge asked with some concern, "What if I fail to complete the mission successfully?"


    "Don''t put too much pressure on yourself. Remember, no matter what situation you encounter next, you just need to strive towards solving the problem! As for success or failure, it''s up to luck!" The green light did not directly answer Yun Ge''s question but reminded him again.


    Yun Ge felt that there must be a reason why the green light did not directly answer his question, but he didn''t want to think about it anymore, after all, he was already fixed on the operating table and unable to move. So he said, "Alright! But we have to make it clear in advance, if I fail to complete the mission, you can''t punish me!"


    "Of course not. After all, so far, you haven''t successfully completed a single mission! But look at you, aren''t you still living comfortably?" The green light said, making Yun Ge involuntarily shrink his neck, then grinned and showed an awkward smile.


    "Alright. It''s about time, relax your mind, I''m going to send you over to carry out the mission! I hope you can remember more things when you wake up this time!" The green light urged again.


    Yun Ge nodded, took a deep breath, and then closed his eyes, trying to relax and lie on the bed. Soon, Yun Ge felt an overwhelming sense of fatigue sweeping through his body. Before he could react further, he instantly lost consciousness.


    He didn''t know how much time had passed before Yun Ge''s consciousness finally recovered in a drowsy state. Although the fatigue still clung to him, he was too lazy to open his eyes and just curled up to fall back into a slumber. As Yun Ge was about to sleep again, a sudden coldness on his face startled him, causing him to jump up with a scream. At the same time, the woman who was about to splash water on Yun Ge''s face from her hand also screamed in fright.


    "Ah����!" The two of them screamed and fell back, one sitting on the bed and the other on the ground, staring at each other in panic.


    The young and beautiful woman, after catching her breath and calming down, complained with a frown, "Hey! I just wanted to wake you up and tease you a bit! Your scream almost scared the soul out of me!"


    "Wake me up? Where am I? And who are you?" Yun Ge asked after regaining his composure, still looking at the beautiful woman warily and occasionally scanning the surroundings to quickly assess his situation.


    Seeing Yun Ge''s vigilant and somewhat confused look, the woman''s beautiful eyebrows couldn''t help but wrinkle: "Yun Ge, what''s wrong? Don''t you recognize me?"


    As she spoke, the woman got up and wanted to walk up to Yun Ge, while reaching out to touch his forehead. Seeing this, Yun Ge quickly moved back and avoided her delicate hand, asking, "What are you trying to do?!"


    The woman, seeing Yun Ge''s wary avoidance, couldn''t help but ask with concern, "I just wanted to see if you have a fever. Are you okay, Yun Ge?"


    "Yun Ge? My name is Yun Ge? Do we know each other?" Seeing that the woman didn''t seem to pose a threat, Yun Ge asked with a puzzled look.


    Then, Yun Ge began to recall who he was and where he was, only to find that his mind was completely blank, and he couldn''t remember anything at all.


    "Yun Ge, you can''t have amnesia again, can you? Your name is Yun Ge, my name is Lily, and this is Candy Town. Think carefully," the woman said anxiously.


    But after trying hard, Yun Ge still couldn''t remember anything. So, Lily could only walk to the door with a painful look and call out helplessly, "Brother! Come quickly and take a look at Yun Ge! He seems to have a problem again!"


    Soon, a strong and handsome young man, who bore some resemblance to Lily, ran over upon hearing the call. Lily led him back into the house and quickly recounted what had just happened. Then, the man blamed Lily with an unhappy look, "You naughty girl! The town chief has said so many times that Yun Ge has just recovered and must be allowed to rest well, especially not to be frightened, or it''s easy to cause his old injuries to relapse!"


    "Ah! I didn''t do it on purpose! I just saw that he wouldn''t get up, so I wanted to wake him up quickly! After all, you guys are going to take turns working in the work area soon, and I was afraid he would be scolded by our father for being late! Brother����, think of a way quickly!" Lily explained with a wronged look, and finally pulled the man''s arm, shaking it while acting coquettish.


    "Alright! You''re really not someone I can rely on!" The man helplessly shook off Lily''s hand and said. However, it was obvious that the man doted on his sister very much, so although he looked unhappy, he couldn''t bear to really scold Lily.


    The man raised his arms and spread his five fingers to make a defensive posture while signaling to Yun Ge that he meant no harm. Then he slowly moved closer to Yun Ge and said in a soothing tone, "Yun Ge, don''t be nervous at all! We won''t hurt you! My name is Luke, and I''m Lily''s older brother. It was the two of us who found you in the forest and saved you back then! We''re friends! Don''t you remember us?"


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    "Luke?" Yun Ge rubbed his temples with both hands and fell into thought again. But he still couldn''t remember who Luke was.


    "Don''t worry, it must be because your injury hasn''t fully recovered, causing your memory to malfunction again. Come, drink some water to calm down, and then we''ll go to the town chief''s place for a check-up, okay?" Luke continued to speak in as amiable a tone as possible, while handing the water cup on the bedside to Yun Ge, signaling him to drink something to ease his nervous emotions.


    Although Yun Ge couldn''t remember who these two people were at all and had completely forgotten where this place was and how he had appeared here, he could tell from Lily and Luke''s words and expressions that these two indeed meant him no harm. Moreover, his subconscious strongly suggested that these two were very familiar with him.


    So, Yun Ge boldly took the water cup and, after making sure there was no strange smell in the water cup, cautiously took a small sip. As a result, Yun Ge found that the liquid in the water cup had a pleasant fragrance and sweetness that lifted his spirits, so much so that after just one sip, he couldn''t help but drink up the fragrant and sweet nectar.


    "How are you feeling now? Are you better?" Seeing that Yun Ge''s frown gradually smoothed out after drinking the liquid in the water cup, Luke asked again.


    Yun Ge nodded, burped a fragrant and sweet belch, and then said, "Wow! What is this drink? It tastes really good!"


    "This is the honey water we make by collecting flower nectar. It''s not only refreshing and thirst-quenching but also invigorating and refreshing. It''s a very healthy natural drink," Luke answered.


    Then, Luke sighed with apparent relief and said, "Although you''ve forgotten who we are, at least you still remember that this thing is called a drink. This at least indicates that your condition is improving and you haven''t forgotten everything again due to the onset of the disease. Maybe your memory will recover soon!"


    After drinking the honey water, Yun Ge''s emotions also stabilized completely. So he asked, "Again? You mean this isn''t the first time I''ve had amnesia?"


    "That''s right," Luke answered.


    "Then, how did I lose my memory?" Yun Ge asked.


    It seemed that Luke was not the first time answering Yun Ge''s question, so as soon as Yun Ge raised the question, he immediately fluently introduced the situation at that time.


    According to Luke''s description, Candy Town was hidden in the illusionary Lost Woods. The reason why the forest outside the town was called the Lost Woods was that this forest was very mysterious and dangerous. Even the residents living in the town would get lost in the deep forest if they stepped into it.


    Therefore, after several incidents of townspeople getting lost, the deep forest became a forbidden area for the townspeople, and no one dared to venture too far into the forest from then on. The residents of the town could only rely on the trade caravans regularly dispatched by the town chief to maintain contact with the world outside the forest.


    "How do your caravans manage to cross this forest, then?" Yun Ge asked in confusion.


    "Because the town chief himself is an excellent shaman, it is he who ensures that we can still live safely in this town. The town chief has mastered an ancient witchcraft that can dispel the illusions of the forest and ensure that a few people can safely cross within a limited time. ��


    ��However, due to the limited strength of the town chief, the number of townspeople his witchcraft can protect is very limited. Moreover, those who are subjected to this witchcraft must have extremely strong witchcraft talents to withstand the town chief''s magic. ��


    ��So, for safety reasons, the town chief currently only releases the witchcraft on his attendants, allowing them to bring the candies we make into the forest and exchange them with the outside towns for goods," Luke answered.


    Luke paused for a moment, then continued, "It is said that the forest we live in is so dangerous that it is famous in the outside world and has become a daunting forbidden zone. Unless it is necessary to pass through this forest, people from the outside world are basically unwilling to approach the roads on the outskirts of the forest. Especially at night, people from the outside world are even more terrified of this forest when they talk about it."


    "Nighttime? You mean the forest is very terrifying at night?" Seeing Luke shiver as he spoke, Yun Ge became even more curious and pursued the question.


    Yun Ge also turned his head to look out the window. But at this moment, the outside was sunny and full of vitality, as if every leaf was whispering the secret of vitality, which didn''t feel scary at all.


    Luke seemed to see what Yun Ge was thinking, so he warned, "Yun Ge, you must remember! The forest at night is very scary! Not only does the forest sometimes suddenly blow up strange winds at night, bringing the deadly mist from the depths of the forest to the town."


    "The town at night has to face the threat of wild beasts, and sometimes it is even more attacked by ghosts and monsters. If anyone runs onto the street at night, they may encounter misfortune! So you must remember, no matter how curious you are, never leave the room at night. Otherwise, you will end up like those guys, eventually being swallowed by the mysterious night."


    Yun Ge gasped again, "Ssss��, so there really have been people who met with misfortune at night?!"


    Luke nodde daffirmatively and pointed to Lily beside him, saying, "That''s right! For example, Lily''s former classmate, Troy! That child was naturally mischievous and rebellious since childhood. He once, in order to prove that the town at night was not dangerous and that the so-called danger was just everyone''s rumor, took advantage of the adults in his family sleeping, and in front of his younger siblings and several classmates staying at their home, he secretly jumped out of the window and ran out."


    "It is said that Troy originally only planned to run around the town by himself and then return home the same way. But until the next day, everyone waited and didn''t wait for Troy to come back. After the whole town learned about this, they immediately conducted dozens of searches for the town and the surrounding forest. However, they didn''t even find the traces of Troy''s actions in the forest. Troy just disappeared mysteriously and completely."


    "So, you must not be lucky and want to challenge the night here! Otherwise, if you really have an accident, it would be a waste of our care for you!" After speaking, Luke also glanced at his sister. Lily, under Luke''s gaze, couldn''t help but blush and glare at her brother fiercely.


    Luke put away his teasing gaze and continued, "Not only does this forest have the ability to make townspeople who can walk at night in the forest disappear without reason, but it can also make the travelers camping on the outskirts of the forest disappear without reason. Although the travelers camping on the outskirts of the forest are only occasionally taken away by the mysterious power of the forest at night, this is enough to make them unwilling to approach this forest."


    "Of course, some adventurers will enter the forest at night for various purposes. Coupled with the unique location of this forest, the roads outside the forest have also become a must-pass road for many travelers. Therefore, there are frequent missing incidents on the outskirts of the forest. What''s even stranger is that sometimes after missing incidents occur on the outskirts of the forest, we will find unconscious survivors in the forest surrounding the town."

 Chapter 3

    "Wait a minute, are you saying... are you saying that this forest sends people it devours inside to the outside, and also brings people swallowed by the outskirts of the forest into the forest? Are you saying that I am someone from outside the forest?" Yun Ge interjected.


    "You were indeed an outsider found by Lily and me during a collection task, but you are not from outside this forest," Luke immediately shook his head.


    "What do you mean?" Yun Ge asked puzzledly.


    "According to the town chief''s contact with the outside world, after several incidents of townspeople going missing at night without permission, no one was found in the outskirts of the forest. Moreover, apart from the town chief''s attendants, no one can withstand the town chief''s witchcraft and leave the forest. But every time the town chief finds an unconscious outsider, he will draw a certain amount of blood from the outsider."


    "Then, the town chief will send those attendants to bring these blood samples to the towns outside and ask the doctors there to compare these blood samples with the blood samples left by the missing persons or their family members to determine whether the outsiders we found here are the missing people outside. But the result is that there is no relationship between them," Luke said.


    Seeing Yun Ge''s disappointed expression after hearing this news, Luke patted his shoulder and said, "Sigh! We also very much hope to find those missing people and know where people like you come from. But so many years have passed, and we still can''t find any clues."


    "How to say? Sometimes I always feel that this forest is like a mysterious dimensional passage, it sends the people it devours to another place, and then grabs some people into the forest from that place. Of course, we don''t know how many people the Lost Woods has grabbed into the forest. We can only save the outsiders we find within our ability. As for others����, sigh! We really can''t help them!"


    It seemed that Luke really wanted to help all the people in danger. But there was no way. Because the deep forest was too dangerous. So even though he knew there might be other outsiders in the deep forest, he could only watch them struggle to survive there due to his limited ability.


    Seeing the guilt and helplessness on Luke''s face, Yun Ge got up and patted his shoulder, comforting him in return, "Hey! Everyone has their own destiny! And you are already very great for insisting on saving people in such a dangerous situation! So, don''t feel guilty!"


    Then, Yun Ge changed the subject, "By the way, you just said that you found me in a coma when you found me? Could this be the main reason for my amnesia?"


    Lily, who was also comforting Luke, answered, "From the situation when the town chief treated you, it is highly likely that the way the forest sent you outsiders here caused serious damage to your brains, causing you to fall into an unconscious state in an instant and thus suffer from amnesia."


    "It is also because the treatment of your brain damage is a long process, coupled with the limited ability of the town chief, which leads to the occasional recurrence of your amnesia. And after the recurrence of amnesia, you will forget what happened after waking up, and even the new friends you met after waking up."


    Lily said here, couldn''t help but pout her delicate lips, showing a hint of disappointment, which was enough to stir anyone''s heartstrings and make them want to immediately put her in their arms to protect her.


    Seeing Yun Ge''s gaze fixed on Lily''s face, and Lily''s eyes gradually softening, Luke hurriedly stepped into the middle of the two and coughed, "Cough cough cough! I said, Yun Ge, since your emotions have stabilized, we should also go to the town chief''s place to have you checked again! Otherwise, if your condition continues to deteriorate, it will really be troublesome!"


    Hearing Luke say this, Yun Ge immediately realized that it was very impolite for him to stare at someone else''s sister. So he quickly retracted his gaze and scratched his head, saying, "Ah haha! Luke is right! Then I''ll trouble Brother Luke to take me there for a check-up!"


    Since Luke was going to take Yun Ge to the town chief''s place to check his condition, Lily went to the workstation alone and also asked for leave for the two of them. After saying goodbye to Lily, the two continued to chat about the interesting things in Candy Town, trying to help Yun Ge recall his lost memories by letting him understand more things.


    Yun Ge learned during the conversation that because the most famous product of this town was a colorful candy. Due to the special effect of this candy, under the joint initiative of the proud town residents, the town''s name was changed to Candy Town many years ago.


    "What''s so special about the candy here?" Yun Ge asked curiously.


    Luke pointed to the vast forest surrounding the town and said, "Although the deep part of this Lost Woods is full of danger, the surrounding areas near the town are relatively safe during the day. In this relatively safe area, there grows a very special wild flower, which we call the Sweetaurum."


    "Sweetaurum? That name sounds sweet," Yun Ge said.


    "It''s not just sweet, but extremely sweet! The Sweetaurum is actually a wild flower with light pink petals and golden spots on the petals. After maturing, it secretes a golden nectar under sunlight, which tastes extremely sweet. We hand over the collected nectar to the town chief, and the town chief will process the nectar into unique honey using his exclusive recipe."


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    "Then, we process this honey into candy. Since each Sweetaurum can only secrete a small amount of nectar, we must carry out collection work every day to ensure that we have enough nectar to make candy. However, fortunately, the growth speed of the Sweetaurum is also very fast, so we have never run out of supplies," Luke said.


    "What does ''running out of supplies'' mean?" Yun Ge asked.


    "It means exactly that. The candy we make is not only an important resource for us to exchange goods with the outside world but also an indispensable important food in our daily lives," Luke answered.


    "So you mean we usually rely on eating candy to satisfy our hunger?" Hao Yun (Yun Ge) asked again.


    "It''s not just about satisfying hunger. You have to know that the candy we make is extremely nutritious. Moreover, as long as you eat this candy, it can not only arouse a deep sense of fullness but also awaken the joy in your heart, as if a group of touching symphonies were playing on your taste buds. These candies are absolutely unique and irreplaceable delicacies!"


    "More importantly, this candy also has the effect of prolonging life. As long as we eat this candy regularly, we can delay aging and gain a longer life!" As Luke spoke, he took out a piece of candy wrapped in a soft leaf from his pocket and ask) Yun Ge to taste it.


    Yun Ge took the candy and, after unwrapping it, saw a rainbow-colored candy. Although this rainbow-like candy looked simple, it exuded an intoxicating sweetness, and just the scent was enough to make one''s mouth water. Yun Ge put the candy into his mouth, and as the candy melted, the honey juice soon flowed down his throat into his stomach.


    Then, Yun Ge felt the sweet floral fragrance contained in the honey juice burst in his body, and it penetrated into his skin without any obstruction, making him feel an indescribable sense of happiness and satisfaction because his whole body was completely wrapped by the sweet fragrance from the inside out.


    "Wow! I didn''t expect this candy to be so delicious," Yun Ge couldn''t help but exclaim, and then he forcefully sucked in a few breaths of air again. Because he found that even the air he was breathing now seemed to be soaked in the rich sweetness of the honey juice.


    Seeing Yun Ge''s refreshed look after taking the candy, Luke nodded satisfactorily and said, "What did I say? You now agree with me, don''t you? Don''t you think that with such delicious candy, we don''t need to eat other foods anymore?"


    Yun Ge shook his head and then said with some regret, "You''re right! After eating such delicious candy, it''s probably really hard to taste other foods! Alas! It''s such a pity that I actually forgot such delicious candy! I''ve really lost out a lot!"


    "Haha! You''re overreacting! Although the amount of candy we can distribute is limited, we''re not to the point of not being able to eat it. So, even if you''ve lost your memory, it''s okay. You can just enjoy the freshness that the candy brings to you again! You know, I still can''t forget the feeling of eating this candy for the first time. That feeling was really too happy!" Luke said.


    Then, Luke enviously joked, "Hey! If that''s the case, I''m a bit envious of you being able to repeatedly experience the freshness of tasting candy for the first time!"


    Yun Ge gave Luke a disdainful look, "Humph! You''re really someone who is full and doesn''t know the hunger of others! If I could, I would definitely exchange my amnesia with you without hesitation!"


    "Hey! What am I? You have to know that although the amount of honey we can collect is limited, under everyone''s hard work, we can still make a considerable amount of candy every day. However, the amount of candy that we townspeople can distribute is extremely limited, sometimes even to the extent of only being able to fill our stomachs," Luke said.


    "Why is that?" Yun Ge asked in confusion.


    Luke shook his head and said in a slightly dissatisfied tone, "Because all the candy in the town belongs to the town chief. Coupled with the town chief''s high demand for candy, the need to reserve some candy for emergencies, and the use for trading with the outside towns, the town chief controls the amount of candy we can obtain."


    Yun Ge frowned and said, "I understand the points you mentioned later. But these candies are made through the joint efforts of the townspeople. Why does the town chief take a large amount of candy for himself? Does he really have such a high demand?"


    Luke hurriedly waved his hand to signal him to speak quietly, "Hey! Keep your voice down! You''re discussing the town chief so loudly, aren''t you afraid of being reported by someone?"


    "Although it''s uncomfortable not to be able to distribute more candy, there''s nothing we can do about it! Didn''t I just say that? There is a very necessary process in making candy, which is to hand over all the collected nectar to the town chief, and the town chief will first turn these nectar into a unique honey using his exclusive recipe. Then, we process the honey to make this delicious candy."


    "Since turning nectar into honey is a very complex process, the town chief has to consume a lot of mana each time. Therefore, the town chief must supplement more nutrition to ensure that he can continue to work. Without the town chief''s skillful hands, this sweet honey would not exist, and we would never be able to eat this candy again!"


    "Moreover, this town was originally created by the town chief, and we are able to survive in this forest thanks to the town chief. So, even if the town chief takes away most of the candy, what can we do? We still have to live here with gratitude, don''t we?"


    Yun Ge naturally heard the helplessness in Luke''s words and understood why they endured the town chief''s actions in silence. But a sense of justice suddenly arose in his heart, and he still couldn''t help saying, "Even so, the town chief shouldn''t exploit the candy that you deserve, right?"


    Hearing Yun Ge say this, Luke was so scared that he hurriedly pulled Yun Ge to the side of the street while making a silence gesture with his finger, "Shh��! What''s wrong with you, kid? Could it be that your brain has completely broken down because of your amnesia? How can you say anything without thinking? The town chief has never exploited us!"


    "In fact, the town chief is a kind person who likes to help others. Otherwise, why would the town chief support us in rescuing people like you and even personally treat you?"


    Considering that the town chief had indeed saved himself, Yun Ge couldn''t refute Luke''s point of view. So, he could only stubbornly say, "Sigh! Okay! The town chief did save me, and I''m not an ungrateful person. However, I still reserve my opinion on the distribution of candy."


    Seeing Yun Ge give up arguing about that overly sensitive issue, Luke let out a long sigh of relief, "Hahaha! No problem! Candy Town is a very free place! You certainly have the right to keep your own thoughts! Just don''t casually express those ideas that are not conducive to unity in public, okay? ��


    ��After all, it''s not easy for us to live and work in peace in this dangerous forest. Here, compared to conflicts, we should maintain unity more. Only in this way can we live here better, don''t you think?"

 Chapter 4

    Since Candy Town wasn��t very large, it didn��t take long for the two of them to arrive at the town hall, located in the southwest corner of the town. When Yun Ge saw the town hall, he couldn��t help but show a surprised expression, because the building in front of him looked more like a factory than a municipal office. ��Are you sure the town chief really works here? This place looks like a factory,�� Yun Ge asked uncertainly.


    ��That��s right! This is actually a factory. However, it��s a factory exclusive to the town chief. The town chief not only works here but also lives here,�� Luke answered as if it were a matter of course. He then approached the guard at the factory gate, briefly explained their purpose, and the two were led into the factory by a receptionist.


    Of course, the receptionist didn��t lead them into the factory area but along another corridor into a two-story building on the side of the factory. Even though Yun Ge didn��t enter the workshop behind the factory, he could still smell a strong floral fragrance in the corridor of the office building. Although the whole town was filled with the sweet floral fragrance due to the long-term collection of nectar and the making of candy, the fragrance here was obviously much stronger than that outside, and it was also more likely to make people feel refreshed and, at the same time, stimulate their appetite, causing them to keep swallowing their saliva involuntarily.


    The receptionist pushed open the double wooden doors at the end of the corridor and led Yun Ge and Luke into a spacious and bright room before leaving. Luke, familiar with the place, led Yun Ge through a partition outside the room that looked like a laboratory. They passed through a hidden door and entered the ward behind.


    There were more than a dozen hospital beds in the ward, and several patients were still lying on the beds resting. At the same time, there were three doctors, one male and two female, in white coats talking to one of the patients in a low voice.


    Luke signaled Yun Ge to follow and then walked quickly towards the three doctors, saying in an extremely respectful tone, ��Town Chief, I��m sorry to disturb you.��


    ��Hey! Luke, how come you��re here? What a coincidence! Come over here! We were just talking about you!�� The male doctor in the middle, with colorful hair and a burly figure, immediately greeted with a surprised look when he saw Luke appear.


    ��Town Chief, you were talking about me?�� Luke hurriedly ran a few steps to the town chief��s side and asked in a low voice with a puzzled look.


    ��Yes! Come on, let me introduce you. This girl is named Jamei. She was found by the seventh nectar collection team in the eastern forest a while ago. Although her memory hasn��t been restored, her spirit has recovered well, and she has also adapted to our work here very well,�� the town chief first introduced the woman lying on the bed to Luke.


    Then, the town chief pushed Luke in front of Jamei and introduced, ��Jamei, this is the guy I��ve been telling you about. This guy is honest, energetic, and quite handsome. What do you think? Why don��t you two get to know each other and see if there��s a possibility of developing a relationship in the future?��


    Jamei, upon hearing this, pulled the quilt covering her legs up to her face, shyly covering her cheeks, and gently lowered her gaze, neither responding to the town chief nor daring to look at Luke with her watery eyes. Luke, obviously not expecting the town chief to introduce a love interest to him, stood there awkwardly for a moment before finally forcing a wry smile and saying, ��Town Chief, this, this isn��t quite appropriate������


    ��Huh, what��s not good about it? You can��t stay single forever, can you? Since you��ve met such a good girl, you should look forward and see if there��s a possibility! You can��t always live in the memories of the past, can you?!�� The town chief criticized in a feigned stern tone.


    After speaking, the town chief looked at Luke and Jamei again and immediately laughed heartily, ��Hahaha! I knew I wouldn��t be wrong! Judging from your reactions, you two must be very satisfied with each other! You two are both the shy types in terms of feelings, so it��s normal to be a bit awkward when you first meet!��


    ��How about this? Jamei, after you recover, I��ll transfer you to Luke��s Thirty-sixth Collection Team. What do you think? In this way, you two can have more private contact outside of work and cultivate your feelings properly!��


    ��I��ll follow the town chief��s arrangement,�� Jamei hurriedly answered. After speaking, she buried her head even deeper.


    ��Yes, I��ll follow the town chief��s arrangement!�� Luke also quickly responded. However, in Yun Ge��s eyes, the embarrassment Luke showed at this time was not because he suddenly met a potential love interest, but rather because he didn��t dare to refuse the town chief and wanted to quickly muddle through.


    Sure enough, after Luke ambiguously responded to the town chief, he pulled Yun Ge, who was standing behind the crowd, to his side and said, ��Town Chief, actually, the reason I came to find you this time is because of Yun Ge��s matter. He had another memory problem after waking up this morning!��


    ��Oh? How could that be? It shouldn��t be, should it?�� The town chief frowned slightly upon hearing this, and the look he cast towards Yun Ge also revealed a sharpness as if scrutinizing a criminal.


    Yun Ge hurriedly said, ��Reporting to the town chief, what Luke said is true. I just woke up with a blank mind, and I can��t even remember my own name. Although I��ve lost my memory of this place, I always feel that I��m very familiar with the things here. But no matter how hard I try to recall, I can��t remember why I��m here.��


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Luke then told the town chief in detail the process of him and Lily discovering Yun Ge��s amnesia. After asking a few more questions, the town chief stroked his colorful long hair and said, ��Oh dear! I just helped stabilize your condition, but I didn��t expect you to fall into amnesia so soon again! Moreover, even if you have amnesia again, it shouldn��t be serious enough to forget everything, right? I really don��t understand. Could it be that there was a problem with the medicine I gave you?��


    While muttering to himself, the town chief pulled Yun Ge to the window and carefully examined Yun Ge��s eye condition under the bright sunlight coming through the window.


    Then, the town chief also checked Yun Ge��s tongue coating and simply felt Yun Ge��s pulse, and then said with a puzzled look, ��Strange, your physical condition seems to be normal. Usually, when you guys have an episode, many parts of your body will also have pathological changes. How is your situation this time completely different?��


    The town chief thought for a while, then ordered the two female doctors, ��You two immediately go to ask the other rescued outsiders, especially those who were found at the same time as Yun Ge. You must carefully check their current physical conditions and strengthen the monitoring of their health during this period to see if they will also have problems like Yun Ge��s.��


    Then, the town chief first told Jamei to rest well, and then turned to Yun Ge and said, ��Come with me to the medical room inside. I need to conduct a more detailed examination of you.��


    Yun Ge and Luke followed the town chief through the small door behind the ward and entered another spacious medical room. As before, Yun Ge still felt that this place was more like a laboratory rather than a medical room because, although there were many medical devices here, most of the space was occupied by experimental equipment. This made Yun Ge feel a sense of discomfort as if he were an experimental subject. However, the pervasive floral fragrance here as always relieved Yun Ge��s nervous emotions.


    Yun Ge lay on the diagnostic chair as instructed. After the town chief took his blood, he cooperated with the town chief��s use of a series of strange detection methods to ensure that his mental and nervous systems were not problematic.


    After checking Yun Ge��s complexion and pulse for the fifth time, the town chief sat beside Yun Ge and said self-deprecatingly, ��Sigh! I always thought my research on the pathological characteristics of your amnesia was thorough enough! I didn��t expect to gain new insights today! The world is so vast and full of wonders. It seems I really need to be more humble and not always think that my medical knowledge is sufficient to cure your amnesia!��


    Hearing the town chief say this, Luke immediately asked anxiously, ��Town Chief, are you saying there��s still hope for Yun Ge?��


    The town chief glanced at Luke and said, ��Luke, don��t say those discouraging words all the time, okay? When did I say Yun Ge was beyond help? I��m just making a remark because I encountered Yun Ge��s performance for the first time!��


    ��So, the town chief means that there��s nothing wrong with me?�� Yun Ge immediately breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.


    ��Hmm. For the time being, it seems so. Although I��m not sure what caused your amnesia, according to my careful examination, your physical health is in good condition. Amnesia can be caused by various factors, including psychological factors or brain damage. So, for the time being, I can only attribute your condition to a sporadic failure of the medication��s control.��


    ��Of course, there is another possibility. It could be that there was a slight deviation in the dosage of the medicine I gave you last time, or it could be that your body is prone to developing drug resistance, resulting in a significant decrease in the effectiveness of the same dosage of medicine on you.��


    ��In short, according to my examination, your amnesia this time will not affect your health. However, to be safe, I need to monitor your health closely in the coming days to prevent your abnormal amnesia from causing irreversible damage to your body. In addition, I will prepare a new treatment medicine for you. Hopefully, after you take the new medicine, you won��t have such severe amnesia anymore,�� the town chief said.


    After the medical examination ended, Yun Ge left the town hall. As soon as he walked out of the town hall, he saw Lily waiting at the door.


    ��Yun Ge, what did the town chief say? You��re not going to have any more problems, are you?�� Lily immediately ran over to Yun Ge as soon as she saw him and asked with a worried look.


    Seeing Lily��s beautiful figure standing outside the door, a sense of indescribable happiness welled up in Yun Ge��s heart.


    So, Yun Ge also hurriedly walked up and said, ��Hey! I��ve made Lily worry! The town chief conducted a comprehensive physical examination on me, but he didn��t find out why I had amnesia again. However, the town chief confirmed that my current physical condition is very good.��


    ��So, the town chief is going to prepare a new medicine for me first, and I need to take it on time during this period, while also coming here regularly for check-ups to further confirm my condition,�� Yun Ge said, and then detailed the process of the town chief treating him.


    After confirming that Yun Ge was not deliberately concealing his condition, Lily finally breathed a sigh of relief and said, ��Phew! I hope the town chief��s new medicine will work this time! But it��s really strange that the town chief��s treatment medicine actually failed to work on you.��


    ��Is the town chief��s treatment medicine really that effective?�� Yun Ge asked.


    ��Yes. For a long time, all the surviving outsiders found in the Lost Woods have been treated by the town chief and have taken his carefully prepared mysterious medicine. Because, if these outsiders do not take the treatment medicine, their memories will become very short due to brain damage, and they may even fall into a persistent coma.��


    ��Therefore, you must take the town chief��s treatment medicine regularly. Although you will still lose all your memories before entering the forest after your brain damage recovers, at least you won��t lose your future memories as you gradually recover,�� Lily explained.


    "So you��re saying that we, the surviving outsiders, must take the town chief��s treatment medicine for a long time?" Yun Ge asked, rubbing his stomach.


    Because when Yun Ge had just swallowed the treatment medicine, he felt that although the medicine had a sweet taste and a strong floral fragrance when it entered his mouth, it immediately turned into a bitter medicinal liquid after it was absorbed into his stomach. This made Yun Ge feel nauseous whenever he thought of the treatment medicine.


    Of course, the advantage of this bitterness was that the medicine would spread through his body the moment it was absorbed, making him feel refreshed and energetic. This made Yun Ge, despite his aversion to the medicine, have to admit that the town chief was right in saying that good medicine is bitter but beneficial for the illness.


    "Here! Eat this piece of candy, and you won��t feel so bad!" Seeing that Yun Ge��s face turned ugly when she mentioned the treatment medicine, Lily took out a small piece of candy and handed it to Yun Ge.


    Because Yun Ge knew that these candies were Lily��s food for hunger, he immediately refused, saying, "I��m fine. The reason I have such a strong reaction to the taste of the treatment medicine must be because I��ve completely forgotten its taste. Once I get used to it, this discomfort should disappear."

 Chapter 5

    Lily forcefully placed the candy into Yun Ge��s hand and said, ��Here, take it! You used to be more decisive! Besides, this bag of candy originally belonged to you. I found it on your bedside table when I returned home just now. You must have forgotten about it after your sudden amnesia.��


    ��I��ll keep these candies for you temporarily, so you don��t lose them again due to another sudden memory loss. You know, even though Candy Town has an abundant supply of candies, the amount that ordinary townsfolk like us can receive is extremely limited. We must cherish these candies!��


    Hearing Lily say this, Yun Ge once again felt dissatisfied with the town chief��s candy distribution system. However, he then thought that the town chief was actually very kind and approachable, which made him question his own doubts. Perhaps there were some unknown difficulties behind the town chief��s decision to limit the distribution of candies?


    After thinking about this possibility, Yun Ge shook his head and decided that he shouldn��t suspect a gentleman with a petty mind without knowing the real reason. So, he put aside this thought and said, ��Then, I��ll trouble Lily to keep my candies for me temporarily!��


    Lily then said with a playful expression, ��Hey! Can��t you just call me Lily? Calling me Miss Lily makes our relationship seem so distant! You should call me Lily like before!��


    Yun Ge scratched his head embarrassedly and replied, ��Okay, okay, Lily! I understand!��


    Then, Yun Ge asked worriedly, ��By the way, the town chief mentioned before I left that I can come with you and Luke for blood tests in two days, and he��ll also conduct the first review of my condition. Why are you and Luke coming for blood tests the day after tomorrow? Are you guys sick too?��


    ��Of course not. But the day after tomorrow isn��t just Luke and I getting blood tests; all the residents of Candy Town will go to the designated location for blood tests,�� Lily corrected.


    ��Why?�� Yun Ge asked in confusion.


    Lily sighed helplessly, ��Sigh! It��s all because Candy Town is located in the Lost Woods! Although we��ve been living safely in the Lost Woods, the deep forest outside Candy Town is full of dangers and is surrounded by mysterious fog all year round. This fog at night is a deadly danger to us.��


    Lily paused for a moment, then continued, ��Of course, even the fog during the day won��t harm us, but it��s said that if we inhale too much fog during the day, it will still pose a serious threat to our physical and mental health. Fortunately, after the town chief��s relentless efforts, he finally developed a unique medicine that can neutralize the harm, and this medicine has also been incorporated into the candies we make, ensuring that we have the ability to resist the harm of the daytime fog.��


    ��In this way, as long as we keep taking the candies, we can maximize the offset of the fog��s harm to us. However, to be safe, the town chief still requires us to have regular blood tests. This is to ensure that he can discover any potential health problems in a timely manner and immediately provide targeted treatment when someone��s resistance to the fog decreases, thus avoiding the worsening of the patient��s condition and even threatening the patient��s life.��


    Speaking here, Lily looked at Yun Ge seriously and said, ��So, you must listen to the town chief��s words and have blood tests on time, understand?��


    Yun Ge nodded and replied, ��Understood! I��ve already caused everyone a lot of trouble. So, I will definitely try my best to cooperate with everyone��s work and not become a burden to everyone!��


    Lily nodded satisfactorily, then raised her hand to Yun Ge and said, ��Good to know! Let��s go! Since you��re fine now, I��ll take you around and tell you where the town��s borders are!��


    Yun Ge naturally agreed to Lily��s invitation with pleasure because, after hearing about the dangers hidden in the forest, he felt it necessary to understand the surroundings well to avoid unnecessary risks. Besides, who would refuse the opportunity to tour around with a beauty like Lily?


    ��Then I��ll trouble Miss Lily!�� Yun Ge said with a pretentious arch of his hand.


    Lily��s corner of her mouth twitched, and she feigned anger, shaking her fist at Yun Ge, ��Hey! We just agreed, and you actually still dare to call me Miss Lily? Tell me, was that intentional or just a slip of the tongue?��


    ��Miss, don��t be angry! I��m just afraid that if I suddenly have amnesia again, I won��t know how to address you, so I think you should get used to my way of calling you, in case you have that reaction again next time,�� Yun Ge said with a grinning expression, deliberately not defending himself.


    Of course, Yun Ge didn��t think of defending himself at all because he just wanted to joke with Lily to ease the slight awkwardness between them during their alone time.


    After a round of bickering, the atmosphere between the two immediately became much more relaxed. So, the two strolled and chatted, letting their thoughts run free, wandering through every corner of the town. They walked out of the town along the main road paved with stones that ran through the center of the town.


    Within dozens of meters outside the town, there was a relatively flat grassland. It was obvious that there were no towering trees in this area because the townspeople had leveled this woodland. Yun Ge understood this. After all, Candy Town was surrounded by dense forests. This open grassland allowed the town��s guards to have a good view when on duty, so they could promptly detect any dangerous creatures attempting to invade the town. However, Yun Ge felt that this approach was equivalent to completely exposing Candy Town to the forest, making it easier for Candy Town to become the target of attacks.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ��Hey! You��re really stupid! We��re not intellectually challenged, how could we not guard against creatures invading the town? Look at those wooden poles stuck in the grass over there,�� Lily said, pointing to the nearest wooden pole not far from them.


    Yun Ge had already noticed many wooden poles stuck in the surrounding grass, and he also saw that there was a round tray on top of each pole. So Yun Ge asked curiously, ��I see them. What are those wooden poles for? Could they be your secret defense devices?��


    Lily shook her head and answered, ��No, no, no! Those wooden poles are just ordinary wooden poles, and they are also a kind of marker. Around those wooden poles, the grassland is filled with carefully designed hunting traps. Once dangerous creatures attempt to enter the village, they will inevitably be captured by those traps, which will scare off other companions who want to enter the town. So, you must never enter the grassland on your own. Otherwise, if you step on a hunting trap, it will be dangerous!��


    ��Then, what are the trays on the wooden poles for? Are they torches for night lighting?�� Yun Ge asked again.


    ��Hehehe! You��ve only guessed half of it,�� Lily said, showing a mischievous and cute expression to Yun Ge.


    Then, Lily pointed to the tray on top of the wooden pole and explained, ��Actually, those trays are specifically used to hold nectar. Because the nights in the Lost Woods are very dangerous, the town��s guards naturally won��t stand guard at night. So, in addition to relying on the hunting traps arranged around the town to deter wild beasts wandering around the town at night, the guards will also rush to place the sweet nectar collected that day into the trays on each wooden pole before nightfall. Then, when night falls, the fireflies in the forest will be attracted over.��


    ��Then the fireflies will gather around the trays all night, tasting the fresh nectar while forming light clusters on the wooden poles. Although the lighting effect of these firefly clusters is very limited, the light they emit can deter the wild beasts that come out at night, making them dare not approach the borders of the town.��


    ��Although the mist forest is the biggest threat to the town at night, scaring away the wild beasts that come out at night with fireflies can further ensure the safety of the town��s residents through the night.��


    Yun Ge listened to Lily��s explanation carefully and found that she did not mention anything about ghosts and monsters, so he asked, ��Then, how do we defend against those ghosts and monsters?��


    Lily shook her head with some fear and said, ��Phew��! Those ghosts and monsters come and go without a trace, and no one has seen their true faces.��


    Then, Lily bitter smiled and said, ��In fact, there are quite a few skeptics among the townspeople who question the existence of these legends. However, given that the townspeople who went out at night and disappeared never left any clues, most people still believe that they were taken away by the ghosts and monsters hidden in the mist.��


    ��Since we can��t stop the mist in the forest from drifting into the town with the night, we naturally can��t stop those ghosts and monsters from entering the town either. So no matter how tight our precautions are, avoiding going out at night is the best way to protect ourselves. Unless������


    ��Unless what?�� Yun Ge asked.


    ��Unless you have the ability to bear the witchcraft that the town chief casts to avoid the dangers of the night, you can completely avoid the harm of the hidden dangers in the forest at night,�� Lily answered.


    ��Then, what do I need to do to have such ability?�� Yun Ge pursued the question.


    ��Every three years, Candy Town holds a selection event. The town chief will personally select some talented young people, tailor-made growth plans for them, and continuously develop their potential. The town chief will continuously assess these candidates and cultivate those who meet the requirements into his personal attendants,�� Lily answered.


    Lily looked at Yun Ge, who was eager to try, and said, ��Hey, I��m afraid you shouldn��t even think about it. Because you are an outsider survivor with brain damage, you are not qualified to participate in the selection event before you recover. Moreover, your condition today is so severe that the town chief is even less likely to choose you! Otherwise, what if you have another episode and forget the skills the town chief taught you? Wouldn��t the town chief��s efforts be in vain?��


    Lily was right, so Yun Ge had to put down his waving fists and droop his head, sighing about his bad luck.


    Lily comforted him, ��Hey! Don��t think that being the town chief��s personal attendant is that easy. So far, apart from the attendants who followed the town chief to establish Candy Town back then, no one has been able to pass the town chief��s assessment and become his personal attendant.��


    ��Moreover, even the town chief��s personal attendants are not all capable of bearing the town chief��s witchcraft, responsible for economic and trade exchanges with the outside or patrolling the town at night. In short, even if you want to participate in the selection event, you must first cooperate with the town chief��s treatment and ensure that you no longer have amnesia episodes.��


    The two continued their conversation as they walked along the path and soon entered the forest at the edge of the grassland. As soon as Yun Ge entered the forest, he was immediately overwhelmed by an indescribable freshness, causing him to stop talking and involuntarily inhale the sweet fragrance floating in the forest into his chest.


    ��Ah! It smells so good! This is the unique aroma emitted by fresh Sweetaurum flowers! How about it? Don��t you feel your mood has instantly improved after smelling this fresh fragrance?�� Lily spread her arms and also took a big breath of the sweet air, then asked with a delighted look.


    Yun Ge nodded and replied, ��Wow! The air here is much sweeter than in the town! This smell is really magical! Gosh! It��s so blessed to work in such an environment every day, as if in a fairyland!��


    The two followed the temporary road signs placed by the collection team and walked in the forest for a while, then vaguely saw a group of honey collectors in orange work clothes in the distance. Lily led Yun Ge through the busy collectors, introducing the process of honey collection to Yun Ge so that he could better collaborate with her in honey collection work when he resumed work tomorrow. After following the road signs and walking deeper into the forest for a while, they finally stopped in front of a horse-drawn carriage equipped with a honey collection box.


    Then, Lily walked up to a staff member who was checking the quality of the honey just collected and said, ��Uncle Shawn, I��ve brought Yun Ge back to report! Yun Ge, this is Uncle Shawn, the captain of our Thirty-sixth Collection Team. But you can call him Uncle Shawn like me. Come on, say hello!��


    ��Uncle Shawn, I��m Yun Ge, and I��m very glad to meet you!�� Yun Ge hurriedly stood up straight and said to Uncle Shawn.

 Chapter 6

    The tall man named Uncle Shawn turned around and said with some surprise when he saw Yun Ge, ��Hey! Little buddy, you recovered so quickly? I thought you��d need to rest for a while longer before you could get back to work! I��ve already called in other team members to temporarily take over your duties!��


    Before Yun Ge could respond, Lily spoke up, ��Oh! Uncle Shawn, don��t worry about it! The town chief just checked Yun Ge, and said that apart from his memory loss, there��s nothing wrong with him. So, I thought I��d bring him over to get familiar with his position, so he won��t hinder my work efficiency when he resumes work tomorrow.��


    Hearing that Yun Ge��s amnesia was quite severe, Uncle Shawn expressed his concern, ��Sigh! Since Yun Ge has amnesia again, he should stay home and rest. There��s no need to rush back to work.��


    Yun Ge hurriedly patted his chest and assured, ��It��s okay, Uncle Shawn! Actually, apart from not remembering the past, I feel quite energetic. And since I��ve lost my memory, I still feel a sense of familiarity with everything here. So, I don��t think I need to spend more time adapting to the work rhythm here.��


    ��In fact, I feel I can return to my post immediately! I��ll work hard and won��t be a burden,�� Yun Ge added, showing his determination.


    Lily sneered and said sarcastically, ��Huh! I can��t trust you! You were clumsy before you lost your memory! I don��t believe that now that you��ve forgotten your work, you can suddenly become competent in a short time!��


    ��Hey! Why are you so sharp-tongued, girl? Collecting nectar is a delicate job that requires practice to master! Any collector with less than five years of experience is bound to be clumsy! If you��re just using this to criticize Yun Ge, that��s being unfair!�� Uncle Shawn responded with a hint of reproach.


    ��Humph! You��ve watched me grow up, yet you always favor him! It��s not fair!�� Lily, unable to find a retort, just glared at Uncle Shawn and complained.


    ��I��m not favoring anyone. Yun Ge has been performing well in his work. And since his condition hasn��t fully recovered, I can��t expect too much from him, can I?�� Uncle Shawn��s big hand affectionately rested on Yun Ge��s shoulder, and he continued in a tone of praise.


    Then, without waiting for Lily to speak again, Uncle Shawn asked first, ��Hey! By the way, Lily. Didn��t you say that Luke took Yun Ge to see the town chief? Why didn��t he come with you? Is that boy playing hooky again?��


    ��Don��t even mention it! I heard from Yun Ge that the town chief just introduced a girlfriend to Luke! It��s said that the girl��s name is Jamei, and she��s also a survivor from outside. She currently works in the Seventh Collection Team. So, after checking Yun Ge, the town chief specially kept Luke behind. The purpose was to let them get to know each other and see if there��s a possibility for development,�� Lily said with a schadenfreude smile.


    ��Oh? Is that so! Well, it��s about time for Luke to move on from his past sorrow! After all, there are so many good women in the world, so he doesn��t need to hang onto one tree!�� Uncle Shawn said with a emotional tone.


    ��Uncle Shawn, rest assured. From what I��ve seen, the girl named Jamei is very gentle and likeable. I��m sure Luke would be very willing to get along with her!�� Yun Ge said.


    ��Humph! You men are all the same! You��re all fickle when you see pretty girls! Uncle Shawn, when I see Auntie, I��m going to tell her all about this!�� ��Uncle Shawn, that��s not right!�� Lily kicked Yun Ge angrily and then complained to Uncle Shawn.


    ��Hey! Don��t misunderstand! I mean, since so much time has passed, Luke should also look forward! I didn��t mean for Luke to be fickle! You mustn��t say anything to Auntie, or I��ll be in trouble!�� Uncle Shawn hurriedly clarified, pushing all the blame onto Yun Ge.


    ��And the culprit is the one who should be held responsible. It was Yun Ge who said that the girl was cute! So, he��s the one who��s fickle! If you��re going to blame someone, blame him!�� Uncle Shawn quickly shifted the blame to Yun Ge.


    ��Oh! Let me explain. I didn��t mean to say that the girl was gentle and cute! Although the girl is indeed very cute. What I wanted to express was that from Luke��s perspective, he would also think that the girl is gentle and cute������ Seeing Uncle Shawn shift all the blame to him, Yun Ge also hurriedly tried to explain.


    ��Pfft! Why are you so flustered? Why are you explaining this to me? Who are you?�� Seeing Yun Ge��s face turn red as he struggled to explain, Lily also blushed and gave him a disdainful look, then asked in an indifferent tone.


    ��Uh����, I������


    Yes! Lily and I are just friends, and for Yun Ge, who has lost his memory again, we��re practically just acquaintances. So, why am I in such a hurry to explain to Lily and prove that I��m not attracted to the girl named Jamei? But if I don��t defend myself and Lily distances herself from me, what should I do?


    Seeing Yun Ge stuttering and not knowing how to explain, and Lily clearly pretending to be angry, wanting to hear something that would satisfy her.


    Uncle Shawn seemed to suddenly understand something and hurriedly walked to the middle of the two, rubbed each of their heads, and then said with a smile, ��Alright! Alright! You two young people are acting like children, quarreling at the slightest disagreement! That��s enough! Let��s put an end to this matter! Lily, let��s take Yun Ge around and let him get more familiar with our work. Then tomorrow, you can bring him to join the nectar collection!��


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    ��Oh! Let��s hurry up with the tour! After work, we��ll go back to your house together! I��m planning to have a few cups of sweet wine with your dad tonight, and also hear about how Luke��s meeting with the girl went today,�� Uncle Shawn added with a gossipy look, then led the two towards the nearby nectar collection area.


    Uncle Shawn took them through the sea of flowers in the collection area, inspecting the work of the nectar collectors for the day, and let Yun Ge get a detailed understanding of the Sweetaurum flowers. To Yun Ge��s surprise, the Sweetaurum flowers were much larger than he had imagined. Especially the mature ones, which were about the size of an adult��s palm.


    The petals of the Sweetaurum flowers were full and plump, shimmering like stars in the sunlight, giving off a golden glow, making them easily noticeable in the daytime forest. According to Uncle Shawn, the nectar collectors needed to use specially made straws to carefully insert into the golden spots on the petals of the Sweetaurum flowers and extract the nectar, then squeeze the nectar into specially made nectar storage boxes for preservation.


    Although the size and shape of the Sweetaurum flowers were very convenient for the collectors to extract nectar, the amount of nectar in each petal was limited. Plus, to avoid damaging the flowers during collection, which could reduce the nectar production or even cause premature death, the collectors could only gently extract a fixed amount of nectar from each petal according to the growth condition of each Sweetaurum flower.


    This is why, even though the residents of Candy Town sent out many people to collect nectar every day, and despite their diligent work over the years, the actual honey reserves of Candy Town were quite substantial, the candy made from the nectar of the Sweetaurum flowers was still considered a scarce and important resource.


    After all, the Sweetaurum flowers could only grow wild in the forest and could not be artificially cultivated. So, in essence, Candy Town relied entirely on the natural resources of the forest to sustain life. If the ecological environment of the forest were severely damaged, their lives would inevitably suffer a heavy blow.


    After visiting the collection site, Uncle Shawn also took Yun Ge through the collection area and into the deeper part of the forest. There, Yun Ge saw a small piece of land where Candy Town had set up an outdoor planting area. According to Uncle Shawn, the soil in this area was very suitable for growing a unique fiber plant, so the residents of Candy Town had fenced off some land here to grow a plant called Silkweed.


    The three of them walked through the Silkweed planting area and continued deeper into the forest. After a while, Yun Ge began to see colorful ribbons tied to some of the trees around them. These ribbons were carefully tied in different ways, making Yun Ge feel as if he had entered a sacred place of prayer, filled with awe for the blessings of heaven.


    ��Yun Ge, do you see these warning ribbons? They��re a sign that we��re approaching the edge of Candy Town. Remember, once you see these warning ribbons, you must stop immediately. Because, once you cross this forest warning zone, it means you��ve officially entered the Lost Woods.��


    ��There, you��ll lose the safety zone that the town chief has set up for Candy Town. Believe me, that��s definitely not a good thing!�� Uncle Shawn touched the ribbon tied to the tree trunk and warned in a tone full of reverence for the forest.


    ��Understood! Uncle Shawn, rest assured, I absolutely will not cross this area and enter the Lost Woods without permission!�� Yun Ge also replied with a serious look. Even standing here, Yun Ge could already feel a completely different temperature from the previous forest. This coldness was not just a drop in temperature, but an indescribable chill that penetrated to the heart, making every step of Yun Ge��s accompanied by an unexplained tremble.


    ��Hmm! Very good! Let��s go! It��s getting late, and we need to hurry back! You know, if we can��t leave the forest before sunset, we��ll be in trouble too!�� Uncle Shawn patted Yun Ge��s shoulder with satisfaction, then waved to the two and led the way back to the collection area.


    After Uncle Shawn confirmed that all the collectors who had come today had returned, he ordered everyone to pack up their collection tools and, stepping on the setting sun that slanted into the forest, they lined up and returned to Candy Town. Then, after counting the day��s collection results and sending all the nectar collected today to the town hall where the town chief lived, Uncle Shawn eagerly followed Lily and Yun Ge towards their home.


    Because Uncle Shawn had just inquired with the staff at the town hall, Luke had been in the medical room all day, assisting the town chief in taking care of the patients. This meant that Luke had likely spent most of his day with the girl named Jamei. So, Uncle Shawn could hardly contain his gossipy thoughts and just wanted to find Luke as soon as possible to ask if the matchmaking arranged by the town chief today had made any substantial progress.


    Since Uncle Shawn often drank with Lily��s dad, he naturally knew the location of Lily��s house very well. So, Uncle Shawn, filled with gossip, eagerly led the way to Lily��s house. Yun Ge, unable to resist his curiosity, asked Lily from behind, ��Hey! Why is Uncle Shawn so eager for Luke��s matchmaking today to succeed?��


    ��Sigh! Don��t mention it. Because my brother has never moved on from his last relationship, he��s been single all these years, unlike others who, after the baptism of time, have found new love and made it work.��


    ��In short, my brother��s situation is a bit special, and since he��s always been very close to women of his age, everyone has been worried about his love life and hopes he can quickly get out of the gloom, find new love, and build a happy family,�� Lily said with a hint of sadness.


    ��Oh, I see! It seems Luke was deeply hurt by that past relationship!�� Yun Ge said. Actually, hearing Lily say this, he immediately felt a strong urge to ask more about Luke��s past relationship. However, seeing the sadness and a bit of sorrow in Lily��s expression, Yun Ge gave up the idea.


    But Lily sighed and said, ��Sigh! It can only be said that things are impermanent! Who can predict that the beloved at this moment won��t suddenly leave you tomorrow? So, when we have a relationship, we must hold onto it tightly and enjoy the happiness it brings us! Yun Ge, don��t you think so?��


    After Lily finished speaking, she looked at Yun Ge with a slightly sad look that hid an indescribable complex emotion. Yun Ge blushed under Lily��s gaze, which made him speechless for a moment, not knowing how to respond to comfort Lily.


    So, Yun Ge could only scratch his head and laugh foolishly, ��Haha! Right! You��re absolutely right! Especially when facing a beautiful woman like you, only a fool wouldn��t want to hold onto you and bring you happiness!��


    Hearing Yun Ge say this, Lily slightly turned her beautiful face, her beautiful hair lightly covering the shy crimson on her cheeks, and she disdainfully hummed, ��Humph! Men always talk a better game than they play! Who knows, when a man meets another young lady, he might also tell the same lies to deceive her feelings?!��

 Chapter 7

    s the sun was setting rapidly, Yun Ge and his two companions also bought some wine and dishes along the way, then hurried back home. By this time, Luke had already returned home and was helping his mother prepare dinner. Luke��s father had just finished cleaning the room and was leisurely reclining in a rocking chair, enjoying the unique Sweetaurum flower-scented leaf rolls of Candy Town while waiting for the meal.


    During the dinner, Uncle Shawn, who kept toasting with Lily��s father, was in high spirits. After persistent questioning, Luke finally admitted that he had a fondness for Jamei. After an afternoon of interaction, he also found that Jamei and he had a lot in common, making them get along very well. So Luke had decided to get to know Jamei better and see if they could be together.


    Then, Luke told Uncle Shawn that he would personally bring Jamei over the next day to handle the transfer to the Thirty-sixth Collection Team. After that, Luke also shyly asked Uncle Shawn to arrange for him and Jamei to work together when scheduling, so that he could get to know Jamei better through their work.


    Uncle Shawn naturally gladly agreed to Luke��s request and said that even if Luke hadn��t mentioned it, he would definitely bind Luke and Jamei closely together until they achieved a positive outcome. Lily, while happy that Luke had finally emerged from the shadow of his previous relationship, kept teasing Luke, saying that he was indeed a typical man.


    Lily then said that starting from the next day, she would remind Jamei to be cautious so as not to be taken advantage of by Luke. She also stated that she would start supervising Luke��s every word and deed to prevent him from deceiving others�� feelings.


    The whole table engaged in a series of enthusiastic discussions about Luke��s matchmaking topic for the day, making the dinner very lively. However, in contrast to the noisy scene, Old Xing appeared rather quiet. Apart from toasting with Uncle Shawn or occasionally agreeing with everyone, he just ate the candy fragments mixed with wild vegetables in his bowl in silence.


    ��Dad! Don��t just eat candy fragments mixed with wild vegetables! Let me scoop a bowl of wild egg flower soup for you to drink,�� Lily said, noticing her father��s low spirits and being particularly concerned about him.


    ��Hmm.�� As a result, her father still just responded with a single word without even lifting his head, and continued to pick the candy fragments in his bowl.


    ��What��s going on? Did you do something to make Dad angry today?�� Seeing his father��s coldness towards Lily, Luke leaned over to Lily and asked in a low voice.


    ��No! When I made breakfast for Dad this morning, he seemed quite happy! Everything I did afterwards is known to you and Uncle Shawn, right? I really didn��t do anything that would make Dad angry, did I?�� Lily replied, puzzled.


    Given the special circumstances of the day, Luke and Lily had been in contact almost all the time, so Luke indeed didn��t know that Lily hadn��t done anything to anger their father. Therefore, Luke asked with concern, ��Dad, are you feeling unwell? You seem to be speaking very little tonight.��


    ��No, I��m just a bit tired today, so I don��t feel like talking much.�� Old Xing responded indifferently, seemingly trying to conceal something, and then he picked up his wine glass and drank alone.


    ��Hey! Old Xing! Weren��t you just sitting in the office in a daze all day? Why are you suddenly so tired? What are you trying to pull here? Or is it that you��ve secretly done something wrong to your wife, which has made you so exhausted?�� Uncle Shawn, seeing that Old Xing, who usually cared for his children, was being very cold towards Lily and Luke tonight, got annoyed, stood up, stopped Old Xing��s wine glass that was about to reach his mouth, and then loudly questioned.


    ��Yeah! Old Xing! You didn��t really do something wrong to my sister outside, did you?! If you dare to treat my sister that way, I��ll definitely report you to the town chief!�� Uncle Shawn��s wife also said with a frown.


    Since Uncle Shawn��s wife, Hui Zhen, and Old Xing��s wife, Hui Min, are sisters, and Uncle Shawn and his wife don��t have a daughter but really like girls, Lily has become the apple of their eye, and their affection for her far exceeds that for their own sons. Therefore, seeing Old Xing��s repeated coldness towards Lily tonight, Hui Zhen also became angry immediately.


    ��Hey! Can you two stop overthinking things! How could I do something wrong to Hui Min? Sigh! I��m really just a bit tired, which has affected my mood tonight!�� Old Xing said in a very reluctant tone. It was evident that he didn��t want to talk much tonight.


    ��Forget it! Forget it! Do whatever you want! Anyway, I��m not afraid of any rumors! I��m really a bit tired today, I��m going to my room to rest first! You all continue eating!�� Then, Old Xing stood up, dropped this sentence, and turned around and left the dining room without a second glance.


    �� Humph! What kind of attitude is this? Hui Min, tell me the truth! Have you two had any conflicts these past few days? Did Old Xing bully you? If so, I��ll immediately let Old Shawn teach him a lesson!�� Hui Zhen, seeing Old Xing leave without looking back, glared at him, then hurriedly sat down next to Hui Min.


    Then, Hui Zhen reached out to lift Hui Min��s hair and sleeves, starting to look for any signs of domestic violence on her body.


    Hui Min slapped Hui Zhen��s hands away and said, ��Hey! What are you doing?! You two are really suffering from persecution complex! Why do you always think I��m being bullied by Old Xing? Old Xing treats me much better than Old Shawn treats you! He doesn��t have time to take care of me, let alone hurt me! Old Xing is indeed affected by work-related matters, just let him be for a while, and he��ll be fine once he��s calmed down!��


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    As sisters who grew up together, Hui Zhen naturally knew Hui Min wasn��t lying. So, Hui Zhen glared in the direction where Old Xing had left and said, ��Humph! It��s best if nothing��s wrong! If he really dares to bully you, I��ll make him pay!��


    Then, Hui Zhen dissatisfied patted Hui Min��s arm and asked with a tone of reproach, ��Hey! What do you mean Old Xing treats you much better than Old Shawn treats me? With that bad temper and stingy attitude of yours, where can he be good to you? Our Old Shawn treats me very well! Even though we��ve been married for so many years, Old Shawn still treats me like his first love, taking care of me in every way, and never throws a tantrum at the dinner table like Old Xing!��


    As Hui Zhen spoke, she wrapped her arms around Old Shawn��s sturdy waist and began to caress his well-defined pectoral muscles through his clothes. Old Shawn, with a look of pride, puffed out his chest to make it more comfortable for his wife to touch.


    Lily laughed and pretended to be disgusted, covering her eyes and saying, ��Hey! You two, that��s enough! Why do you always show your affection in front of us younger people? Isn��t that disgusting ?! If you keep publicly feeding us dog food, I��ll never welcome you to my home again!��


    As everyone turned their attention to Uncle Shawn and Hui Zhen��s public display of affection, the atmosphere became lively again. Everyone chatted and laughed, completely unaware that the town outside was gradually being enveloped by fog.


    ��Don��t worry, little brother! As long as we close the doors and windows at night, our houses can keep the night fog out as much as possible! Because our houses are all under the long-term witchcraft protection of the town chief. ��


    ��So, as long as we stay at home and don��t run around, these houses will protect us from the harm of the fog!�� Seeing that the wind blowing in from outside sounded like ghostly howls, making Yun Ge move to sit away from the window, Uncle Shawn said with a smile to comfort him.


    Hearing Uncle Shawn��s words, Yun Ge��s nervous mood relaxed a lot. So, he asked again, ��Luke and Lily both said the town is dangerous at night, but I didn��t expect it to become so eerie and terrifying at night.��


    Uncle Shawn shrugged his shoulders and replied, ��Actually, the town��s nights aren��t always like this. Sometimes, the town is just covered by fog, with the strange wind blowing outside all night, howling like wolves and ghosts, but unable to disperse the fog.��


    ��Of course, this kind of ghostly weather at night isn��t really scary in itself. What��s truly frightening is that if you can��t help but keep staring at the fog outside, you might be deeply attracted by the magic of the mist and unable to extricate yourself. It��s said that sometimes, you might even see a grimacing face smiling at you through the fog! This can lead to a terrifying illusion that your soul is about to be taken away by that face.��


    As Uncle Shawn spoke, he looked out the window and signal Yun Ge to follow his gaze. Then, taking advantage of Yun Ge��s focused listening, he suddenly turned his head and gave Yun Ge a ferocious grin. At the same time, Luke, who had already signaled with Uncle Shawn, quietly walked behind Yun Ge unnoticed. As Uncle Shawn turned his head, Luke let out a shrill scream behind Yun Ge, scaring him into jumping up from the sofa with a scream.


    Seeing Yun Ge��s panic-stricken appearance, everyone burst into laughter. Only Lily, with a displeased look, glared at Uncle Shawn and Luke, then hurriedly got up, walked to the window, and drew all the curtains in the room.


    ��You guys! All you know how to do every day is bully Yun Ge! You��re well aware that he just had a relapse of his amnesia today. Aren��t you afraid of making his condition worse by scaring him again?!�� Lily criticized with her hands on her hips and a huff of anger.


    Yun Ge��s scream was so shrill that it could be associated with a timid woman��s voice. Coupled with the fact that, after being frightened, Yun Ge��s hands involuntarily formed a orchid fingers gesture, making his current grimacing expression quite comical. Therefore, Lily��s angry look only lasted for a moment before she couldn��t help but join in the laughter at Yun Ge��s ridiculous appearance.


    Although everyone was in high spirits tonight, with the arrival of night, they also became noticeably more tired. So, even though the group, still eager to continue chatting, wanted to keep talking, in order not to affect the next day��s early work, everyone, despite their lingering interest, chatted for a little while longer under the weight of sleepiness and then returned to their rooms to sleep.


    In his dreams, Yun Ge kept dreaming that the sunny town suddenly turned gloomy. Then, the townspeople quickly turned into zombies, baring their teeth and lunging towards him.


    Yun Ge had similar nightmares all night, causing him to wake up from his dreams multiple times. Fortunately, Yun Ge was sufficiently exhausted, which allowed him to fall back asleep quickly after each awakening, thus avoiding the impact of sleep deprivation on his mental state the next day.


    The next morning, Yun Ge slowly woke up at Lily��s call: ��Ah Yun, Ah Yun? Wake up! It��s time to get up!��


    Yun Ge barely opened his eyes, lazily stretched his body, sat up, and said with sleepy eyes, ��Ha����! Lily, good morning! Why are you up so early?��


    ��You����, do you still remember who I am?�� Obviously, because Yun Ge had suddenly lost his memory the previous morning, Lily was worried that he would wake up and find his memory gone again.


    ��Of course! Why are you asking such a strange question first thing in the morning? Ha����!�� Yun Ge said, yawning again.


    ��Phew����! That��s good! It seems my worry was unnecessary!�� After confirming again that Yun Ge remembered the events of the previous day, Lily finally breathed a sigh of relief and said.


    ��Hey! I remember everything that happened yesterday! I feel very energetic, so I think I won��t have any more memory loss!�� Seeing Lily��s worried look, Yun Ge immediately said with a spirited tone, patting his chest.


    Lily covered her mouth and laughed, ��Alright, alright! Since you��re fine, that��s the best! Otherwise, I��d have to waste my breath introducing everything to you again. What a hassle! Hurry up and get up for breakfast! We still need to go to the forest to collect nectar today!��


    After Yun Ge got up and finished washing up, he joined everyone at the table for breakfast. However, Lily��s father seemed to still be in a bad mood early in the morning, so he didn��t sit down to eat with everyone. Instead, he briefly greeted everyone at the table and then left for work with a breakfast in hand.


    Old Xing��s continued indifferent attitude cast a shadow over the good mood everyone had early in the day, causing the originally lively atmosphere to dissipate instantly. Seeing this, Yun Ge quickly changed the subject, ��Hey? By the way! Why isn��t Luke out for breakfast? That��s not like him!��


    ��He? Because he��s going to take that girl named Jamei to Uncle Shawn��s place to report today, he got up early and went to the girl��s house to pick her up! It seems Luke really cares about that girl! It��s making me curious about her too! How about this! After I finish my chores, I��ll come to your workplace to see what she looks like!�� Lily��s mother, Hui Min, replied.

 Chapter 8

    Thanks to Yun Ge��s successful diversion of everyone��s attention from Old Xing using Luke, everyone quickly started gossiping about Luke��s budding new romance. The atmosphere of breakfast was instantly reignited with laughter.


    After breakfast, Hui Zhen stayed behind to help her sister with the cleaning at home, while Uncle Shawn, along with Lily and Yun Ge, returned to the workstation to join the other members of the Thirty-sixth Collection Team.


    Uncle Shawn officially announced the good news of Jamei��s joining the team and, after a brief introduction of Jamei, held a short morning meeting for the team members. Then, the Thirty-sixth Collection Team went back into the forest and started the day��s collection work.


    The honey collection work today was as busy as ever, but since everyone had rich experience in collection, the entire process was still carried out in an orderly manner. Of course, everyone was quite interested in their work today. The reason was that Luke and the newly joined Jamei had become the focus of everyone��s attention. Whenever people looked at the two of them, their eyes would uncontrollably reveal a strong curiosity.


    What made Luke even more speechless was that Uncle Shawn was also a person who loved to watch the lively scene ��. In order to let all the team members better enjoy the gossip, he even adjusted the number of collectors in Luke��s team, directly reducing the originally four-person collection team to only Luke and Jamei.


    Uncle Shawn claimed that this was to allow Jamei to be less influenced by others and better receive Luke��s guidance, so that she could quickly adapt to the working style of the Thirty-sixth Collection Team. But in reality, his true intention was to make Luke and Jamei the most eye-catching focus on the collection field, so that everyone could better enjoy the sweet interactions between the two.


    Today was absolutely a very tough day for Luke. Especially when his mother came to visit with tea snacks made of crushed candies, and loudly praised Jamei��s youth and beauty without considering the impact, and even held Jamei��s hand to invite her to their home for a visit tonight, so that she could try the future mother-in-law��s cooking skills in advance.


    With Luke��s matchmaking through work today, everyone felt that time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was time to get off work again, and Luke could finally breathe a sigh of relief. However, Luke��s mood had only relaxed halfway when he again felt the pressure of helplessness, because he would have to take Jamei home for dinner later.


    Seeing Uncle Shawn eagerly urging Lily and Yun Ge to finish work quickly, he knew that he would definitely be the object of everyone��s teasing tonight! Luke now only hoped that everyone would show some mercy tonight and at least leave him some face in front of Jamei!


    Because it was the first time Luke had brought a girl home for dinner after so many years, the atmosphere of the dinner was still very cheerful and lively. Fortunately, everyone knew that the protagonist of the night was Luke.


    So, everyone��s overall performance tonight was quite restrained, and they all unanimously started a awkward praise mode targeting Luke, making Luke so embarrassed that he almost used his toes to scratch a three-bedroom apartment on the ground.


    Today��s dinner also lasted until late at night. Overall, everyone��s performance tonight was very satisfactory. However, the only slightly out-of-place thing was still Luke and Lily��s father, Old Xing.


    Although he was obviously more willing to talk tonight than last night, it was clear to everyone that his interest did not seem to increase with time. Moreover, when people took the initiative to communicate with Old Xing, he always put on an impatient look, which made Lily feel her father��s coldness and her mood became dim.


    Since it was already late at night, Jamei stayed and lived with Lily. The others, after teasing Luke again after Jamei left, went back to their respective rooms to rest. The next morning, Lily still woke Yun Ge up and confirmed again that Yun Ge had not lost his memory.


    Everyone still sat together to enjoy the breakfast prepared by Hui Min, and Old Xing still did not join them, but left home first with breakfast, saying that he needed to get to the office early to deal with official business.


    Seeing this, Lily sighed innocently, because she had carefully recalled her behavior in the past few days last night and confirmed again that she had not done anything to anger her father.


    Uncle Shawn, who had been staying here for the past two days, obviously noticed Lily��s disappointment and angrily slapped the table and said, ��What��s wrong with Old Xing these past two days? Why does he always look like he��s half-dead?��


    ��I don��t know either! Every time I ask him, he just says that he��s in a bad mood because of work. He doesn��t tell me anything else,�� Hui Min said, shaking her head.


    ��How about this, Old Xiao, you find some time today to have a good talk with Old Xing! Ask him why he��s been so cold to our girl these past two days?�� Hui Zhen said to Uncle Shawn.


    ��Sure! I��ll take the time during lunch break to talk to him. Wife, would you like to come with me? After I finish talking with Old Xing, I��ll take you to the gift shop in the town center. I heard that they��ve designed several very nice headpieces, and you can see if there��s anything you like, and I��ll buy it for you!�� Uncle Shawn said eagerly, holding Hui Zhen��s hand.


    ��Great! Great! I heard that the headpieces they��re launching this time are inspired by the sacrificial activities of the new year, and they��re very collectible!�� Hui Zhen immediately responded with a beaming smile.


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    But the next second, Hui Zhen raised her eyebrows and then pinched Uncle Shawn��s ear and asked, ��Hey! Wait a minute! Didn��t you give me all your salary? How can you still buy such expensive things? Could it be that you want me to pay for the gift you��re giving me?��


    �� Or have you secretly hidden a petty cash fund from me? Tell me the truth, or I won��t let you off easily!��


    Although Uncle Shawn��s public questioning by Auntie was quite ridiculous, everyone felt more physically uncomfortable about their public display of affection. We haven��t even finished breakfast yet, and you two are already forcing us to eat dog food? Can��t you two have some public morality and consider our feelings? Yun Ge silently complained in his heart.


    The honey collection work is essentially repetitive labor, so there��s not much to recount about the daily work content. The new combination of Luke and Jamei seemed to inject a sweet breeze into the ordinary work, making today��s atmosphere particularly filled with joy and a subtle gossip vibe.


    After Uncle Shawn confirmed that everyone was working in an orderly manner, he hurried back to Candy Town during the lunch break and went straight to the office adjacent to the town hall, preparing to have a good talk with Old Xing.


    Uncle Shawn originally said that he would return to the collection area before the end of lunch break, but by the time work was over, the team members still hadn��t seen him.So, the Thirty-sixth Collection Team returned to Candy Town under the guidance of the deputy team leader, officially declaring the end of the day��s work.


    Since Luke and Jamei were still in the early stage of their courtship, Luke decided to take Jamei for a walk and see her home after work, so that the two could further understand each other during their alone time. As a result, Yun Ge had to return home alone with Lily.


    ��Mom? Dad? We��re home!�� Lily pushed the door in excitedly, her call echoing in the empty house, but there was no response.


    Lily walked around the house and found no one there, so she said with a puzzled look, ��Strange? It��s okay that Dad didn��t come home on time. Why isn��t Mom home either? And she didn��t even prepare dinner.��


    ��Could it be that because Uncle Xiao and Auntie have been showing their affection in front of us these past two days, they also went to enjoy their own world?��


    Lily thought for a moment and said to herself, ��But that shouldn��t be the case, right? If they were going to enjoy their own world, they would definitely prepare dinner in advance or let us know to eat something outside.��


    ��Maybe they forgot to prepare dinner for us? Or maybe they just finished shopping and are on their way back?�� Yun Ge speculated.


    Since Uncle Xiao had said in the morning that he would talk to Lily��s father at noon and then go shopping with Auntie Hui Zhen, it was possible that Lily��s father also decided to accompany Auntie Hui Min shopping to please her and enjoy their own world.


    Lily obviously thought of this quickly too, so the two of them looked at each other, then both blushed and avoided each other��s eyes. Because when they thought of ��their own world,�� they realized that from a certain point of view, everyone going to enjoy their own world also gave them a chance to spend some alone time together.


    Thinking of this, the atmosphere on the scene became more awkward. Because after these two days of contact, Yun Ge indeed found that he and Lily got along very well and had a relationship that was more than friends but not quite lovers.


    At least in Yun Ge��s view, he and Lily were in this kind of subtle relationship. This made Yun Ge feel more nervous at this time, so much so that he just stood there stiffly with a silly smile on his face, and his mind went blank as he didn��t know what to say.


    Finally, it was Lily, who also looked embarrassed, who spoke first, ��Oh, oh dear! I really can��t do anything about them! It seems we can only make something to eat ourselves! You sit here for a while, and I��ll go to the kitchen to see if there��s anything to eat!��


    ��Right! Right! Oh dear! We��ve worked all day, and if we don��t eat something, we��ll starve to death! You go prepare something to eat first! I��ll clean the house here!�� Saying that, Yun Ge also hurriedly ran into the storage room, took out a cloth, and started to imitate Auntie Hui Min��s way of cleaning, wiping the dust in the house.


    One of them was busy making dinner in the kitchen, and the other was cleaning the room outside. Soon, the awkwardness in the air was eliminated, and they gradually enjoyed the current atmosphere and started chatting again.


    But just as they thought they could have a pleasant time, the front door of the house was suddenly opened. Yun Ge ran to the door and saw that the elderly woman who opened the door was Auntie Hui Min. Following her were Lily��s father, Uncle Xiao, Auntie Hui Zhen, and Luke.


    ��Hey? You��re back?�� Lily, who heard the sound and ran out from the kitchen, asked with a hint of disappointment in her tone.


    ��Well, what else? It��s getting dark soon. If we don��t come back, are we supposed to stay outside overnight?�� Old Xing responded with a slightly impatient tone.


    ��Hey! How can you talk to your daughter like that? Didn��t you remember what I just said?�� Seeing that Old Xing spoke to Lily in such a serious tone, Hui Min immediately turned around and knocked on his chest, then scolded him.


    ��Daughter! Don��t take your dad��s words to heart! Your dad has had some problems at work, which has made him a bit irritable these past two days, and he always puts on a bad temper when talking to anyone!�� Hui Min lovingly helped Lily tidy up the hair on her forehead, then explained.


    ��What problem did Dad have at work? Is it serious?�� Lily asked with great concern.


    Realizing that he had been rude to Lily again, Old Xing hurriedly answered with a smile, ��Oh, don��t worry, daughter! These problems can��t defeat your dad! In fact, I��ve almost solved the problem! Come, come, come! My dear daughter! See what Dad bought for you?��


    Lily took the gift from her father, opened it, and immediately exclaimed in surprise, ��Wow! What a beautiful headpiece!��


    ��See, I told you Lily would definitely like this headpiece! Come! Auntie will help you put it on! This afternoon when we were shopping, your mom and I each bought a new headpiece.��


    �� Then, your dad said he wanted to buy one for you too. But he and Uncle Xiao, two big men, know nothing about fashion! The headpiece they initially chose for you was really ugly! If your mom and I hadn��t intervened, who knows what a mess they would have made of your appearance?�� Auntie Hui Zhen said, while not forgetting to disdainfully glance at Old Xing and Uncle Xiao.


    ��Hey! What are you saying! My own daughter, don��t I know what kind of headpiece suits her? Girl, don��t listen to your auntie��s nonsense! Come, let Dad help you put on the headpiece!�� Old Xing retorted with a displeased look, then took the initiative to help Lily put on the headpiece.


    Uncle Xiao whistled in admiration and said, ��Hey! Look at how beautiful our girl is! The man who can marry our Lily in the future will really be blessed!��


    Upon hearing this, Auntie Hui Zhen immediately poked Uncle Xiao��s stomach with her bracelet and scolded, ��You talk too much! Hurry up and give the food to Lily, or our only precious daughter will be hungry!��

 Chapter 9

    Uncle Shawn, reprimanded by Auntie Hui Zhen, naturally dared not say another word. Instead, he hurriedly handed the takeout he was carrying to Yun Ge and said, ��The four of us have already eaten outside. This is the takeout we specially brought back for you three. You can heat it up a bit and then eat quickly! The four of us have some work matters to discuss and will go to your dad��s study first!��


    After speaking, Uncle Shawn gave Luke, who had been silently following behind, a push, signaling him to hurry up and help heat the takeout. Auntie Min instructed Lily and the other two to remember to clean up the kitchen after eating, and then she led Uncle Shawn and the others into the study located at the far end of the first floor.


    ��Can you hear what they��re saying?�� Yun Ge, who had been listening at the door for a while but couldn��t make out the conversation inside, turned his head and asked.


    ��No idea! I never realized the soundproofing of our home study is so good that we can��t hear a word they��re saying inside!�� Lily, who was also pressing her ear against the study door, replied.


    ��I say you two should stop this! Eavesdropping on others�� conversations is extremely impolite!�� Luke, who was standing by, scolded with a serious look on his face.


    ��Hey! Luke! You��re usually more mischievous than anyone and love to dig into others�� gossip! Why are you playing the good guy today? Could it be that you want to reform yourself and appear as a gentleman in front of Jamei, so as to win her over more easily?�� Lily said sarcastically.


    ��Pfft! I��m not that kind of person! I just think that Mom and Dad are probably discussing something very important. So, it��s best for us not to disturb them,�� Luke defended.


    ��Ha! I��d be surprised if I believed your nonsense!�� Lily said with a look of disdain.


    ��Whatever! Believe it or not! Anyway, I��m not the least bit interested in what Mom and Dad are talking about! If you want to eavesdrop, just stay here by yourselves! I��m going to heat up some food to eat!�� With that, Luke turned and headed towards the kitchen outside.


    Yun Ge and Lily had noticed from the moment Luke entered the house that he seemed a bit off. However, the two of them, with great tacit understanding, did not ask Luke why he looked so down. Because they both thought that this matter might have something to do with Jamei.


    It was likely that something unpleasant happened between Luke and Jamei during their outing just now, causing his mood to drop so low that he was a completely different person from when he had just gotten off work.


    Thinking of this, Yun Ge and Lily exchanged glances, and then both gave up on eavesdropping, following Luke back to the kitchen. One reason was that they shifted their focus to Luke, wanting to find out what had gone wrong between Luke and Jamei. The other reason was that the two of them were genuinely hungry.


    ��Luke, why are you so quiet tonight? Is there something on your mind?�� Yun Ge asked casually while eating a small portion of the candy fragments mixed dish in his bowl.


    ��Oh, I don��t have any worries. I just feel a bit tired after a busy day,�� Luke replied in a somewhat downcast tone while picking at the candy fragments in his bowl.


    ��You �C didn��t have a fight with Jamei, did you? You seemed quite happy just now. Why did you suddenly start to quarrel?�� Seeing Luke like this, Lily decided to ask directly.


    ��Hey! Which eye of yours saw us fighting? Don��t make wild guesses, okay?! You��re really annoying when you do this!�� Luke immediately glared at Lily and responded loudly upon hearing this.


    ��Sigh! Forget it! I don��t have much appetite tonight! I��m going back to my room to rest first!�� Luke continued, then put down his rice bowl, got up, and turned back to his room.


    ��What��s going on here?�� Lily glared at the back of Luke as he left.


    Then, Lily poured the mixed dish from Luke��s bowl into her own and Yun Ge��s bowls, and said, ��What a coward! Since he had a disagreement with a girl, why didn��t he go and argue with her instead of coming back and putting on a foul face in front of us? ��


    ��Humph! If he doesn��t want to eat, forget it! The amount of candy we can eat each day is already very limited. We might as well divide his share of candy fragments!��


    Since everyone��s emotions were off tonight, the dinner that Yun Ge and Lily had was also very uncomfortable. After the meal, Yun Ge wanted to find Luke to chat and ask him what had happened. But under Lily��s scolding and the threat of her raised fist, Yun Ge had to give up the idea and return to his room, leaving Lily alone in the hall to continue tidying up while muttering in anger.


    When Yun Ge woke up, the outside was already bright with morning light and filled with the sounds of birds. He stretched lazily, then after tidying up his room a bit, he went downstairs to help Auntie Hui Min and Lily, who got up the earliest every day, prepare breakfast for the others.


    ��Hey? Good morning! Everyone is up so early today?�� As soon as Yun Ge came downstairs, he found everyone already seated around the dining table. So, he hurriedly greeted everyone with great embarrassment, then turned to look out the window to make sure he hadn��t overslept due to lying in bed.


    ��Hahaha! Little brother, good morning! Come over here and sit down! We��re about to have breakfast!�� Seeing Yun Ge still standing there in a daze, Uncle Shawn immediately waved his hand to beckon him.


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    ��Uncle Shawn, why is everyone up so early today? Is there some special occasion?�� Yun Ge asked in a low voice after taking his seat.


    ��Hey! There aren��t that many special days! Everyone just got up a bit earlier today! Besides, we��ve been staying here for two days, and it��s about time we got up early to help with some chores! Hahaha!�� Uncle Shawn said in a casual manner.


    ��Pfft! You old rascal, you��re just good at talking! If you want to help, why don��t you come over and help me crush some candy fragments?!�� Hearing Uncle Shawn say this, Auntie Hui Zhen immediately complained. At the same time, she was pressing down hard on the tool specially used for crushing candy, trying to turn the few pieces of candy on the cutting board into fragments.


    ��Hey! Let��s not! How many times have you scolded me for getting in the way when I tried to help cook with good intentions? I dare not risk my warm face against your cold butt again!�� Uncle Shawn said with a feigned look of fear.


    �� Humph! Hypocrite! Has your ugly face ever stopped pressing against my cold butt? If you have the guts, move to the living room to sleep starting tonight!�� Auntie Hui Zhen said, giving Uncle Shawn a disdainful look.


    ��Hey! I say, do you two have to be so disgusting first thing in the morning?! We��re sitting here waiting for breakfast, not waiting for you two to feed us dog food!�� Upon hearing Auntie Hui Zhen��s unabashed words, everyone in the room immediately protested loudly.


    Amidst all the noise, everyone finished the relatively hearty breakfast. However, in Yun Ge��s eyes, this hearty breakfast seemed a bit meager. Because the so-called hearty breakfast was nothing more than everyone having a cup of light milk sprinkled with a few candy fragments and an extra slice of bread sprinkled with a few candy fragments.


    But Yun Ge had to marvel that although the amount of food everyone could eat at each meal was very limited, thanks to the small amount of candy fragments mixed in their food, they would quickly feel full under the magical effect of these candy fragments, and they wouldn��t feel hungry even after several hours of physical labor.


    After breakfast, Yun Ge and the others said goodbye to Old Xing, then went to work respectively. Auntie Hui Zhen stayed behind at Lily��s house to help Auntie Hui Min finish the morning chores before returning to her own home.


    ��Lily? What��s wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?�� On the way to the collection area, Yun Ge noticed that Lily, who usually chatted with him, was unusually quiet today, so he took the initiative to ask.


    ��Oh, I��m fine. I probably didn��t sleep well last night, so I felt a bit tired as soon as I got up this morning,�� Lily replied indifferently.


    ��Since you��re not feeling well, you should ask Uncle Shawn for leave and go home to rest!�� Yun Ge said with great concern.


    ��No! Ah Yun! You don��t need to ask for leave for me! I��m actually okay. I��m just a bit tired from lack of sleep, and I��ll feel better after I rest a bit more!�� Seeing this, Lily hurriedly grabbed Yun Ge��s arm. Then, she kept holding onto Yun Ge��s arm without any intention of letting go.


    Although Yun Ge was very worried about Lily��s health, since Lily said so, he had to give up the idea of asking for leave for her. More importantly, noticing that Lily kept holding his arm, a indescribable sense of happiness welled up in Yun Ge��s heart. This pleasant feeling was enough to make him thrilled and forget all his worries.


    However, since Lily just held onto him and kept her head down without wanting to talk, Yun Ge also kept quiet, just letting Lily hold him, while making sure his pace matched Lily��s, and then quietly accompanied Lily all the way to the collection area in the forest.


    In the following period, Yun Ge��s days were both happy and busy.


    The busyness was because he had to do the repetitive nectar collection work every day, and the happiness was because Lily was by his side every day. Moreover, Yun Ge increasingly felt that Lily��s attitude towards him had become gentler during this time, and she was very willing to stay by his side.


    Yun Ge thus became emotionally dependent on Lily. Even if he couldn��t see Lily for just a few minutes, he would feel uncomfortable all over, and even his mood would become restless.


    Yun Ge knew that the reason he felt this way towards Lily was not because he had always had a good impression of her, but because he seemed to have truly fallen in love with Lily, this gentle, considerate, beautiful, and generous girl.


    I guess Lily must have the same feelings for me! Otherwise, why would she stay by my side every day, completely disregarding others�� opinions?


    You should know that many families in town have taken a liking to Lily, so Lily��s behavior of staying with me every day has indeed brought her a lot of gossip and rumors.


    Thinking of this, a warm feeling of happiness welled up in Yun Ge��s heart again. But then, this warmth was immediately doused by a cold water of uncertainty.


    Lily must have the same feelings for me, right? But why does she always politely interrupt me when I want to further confirm our relationship or confess to her, in a way that seems coincidental but is actually intentional?


    Could it be that Lily doesn��t want to clarify our relationship? Or am I just a temporary emotional outlet for her?


    Yun Ge couldn��t help but sigh. The happy warmth that had just filled his heart was now gone, leaving behind only a sense of loss due to many uncertainties.


    ��Hey! Ah Yun! Why are you daydreaming again? If you don��t hurry up and give the nectar storage box to Uncle Shawn, and if these nectars spoil as a result, won��t I have worked in vain for half the day?�� Just as Yun Ge was feeling melancholic, Lily suddenly appeared from behind and knocked on his head, questioning him.


    ��Oh! Oh! I was just thinking about the nectar collection process and got distracted,�� Yun Ge hastily made up an excuse to answer.


    ��Ha! I��m well aware of the tricks up your sleeve! Tell me! Are you secretly glancing at that new female team member again? Humph! You men are all big pigs! Not a single good one among you!�� Lily continued to knock on Yun Ge��s head and scolded.


    It was at this moment that Yun Ge realized the young female team member who had just joined the Thirty-sixth Collection Team was right in front of him.


    While fending off Lily��s attack, he hurriedly explained, ��Ah! It��s a misunderstanding! I really was just daydreaming here. I didn��t mean to sneak a peek at any other female team members!��


    As Yun Ge spoke, he turned around, grabbed Lily��s hands that were knocking on him, and pulled Lily over, saying, ��Hey! Stop hitting! Stop hitting! Don��t you know what I��m thinking? With a beautiful woman like you by my side, how could I possibly pay attention to other women?!��


    Lily was clearly startled by Yun Ge��s bold move, but even so, she didn��t immediately struggle to pull away from Yun Ge. Instead, she just meekly let Yun Ge hold her hands and pull her close.


    Seeing that Lily didn��t dodge this time and was looking at him with somewhat flustered eyes at close range, a surge of courage welled up in Yun Ge��s heart. He brought his mouth close to a distance almost touching Lily��s lips and said with somewhat rapid breathing, ��Lily, I������


    But as soon as Yun Ge opened his mouth, Jamei suddenly appeared from somewhere and interrupted, ��Hey! What are you two doing? Lily! Why can��t I collect any nectar from that flower no matter what I do? Could you come over and see if there��s a mistake in the collection procedure?��

 Chapter 10

    Jamei��s sudden appearance really startled Lily, and it immediately brought her back to her senses. She hastily struggled to free herself from Yun Ge��s grasp and said with a blush, ��I-Is that so? Then I��ll go over and help you take a look right away. Ah Yun, why are you still standing here? Hurry up and take this box of nectar to Uncle Shawn! Be careful that Uncle Shawn might deduct your wages if the nectar spoils!��


    With Lily��s words, Yun Ge also snapped out of his somewhat excited state and immediately realized how disrespectful his previous action had been towards Lily. So, he didn��t dare to say anything more, quickly picked up the nectar storage box, and, under the murmuring of the onlooking team members, jogged to report to Uncle Shawn.


    It seemed that this incident had passed. Lily��s attitude towards Yun Ge afterwards remained the same as before, as if that embarrassing moment had never happened. Yun Ge also felt embarrassed to bring up the previous disrespectful attempt to forcibly kiss Lily.


    However, it was precisely because of his impulsive behavior last time that Yun Ge realized Lily did not actually reject his attempts to get closer to her physically. Thus, Yun Ge, with renewed hope in his heart, tried on several occasions in the following days to express his affection to Lily. But each time, Lily skillfully evaded the topic, causing Yun Ge��s surging desire to confess to vanish into thin air.


    It seemed that Lily truly enjoyed the current ambiguous feeling between her and Yun Ge, and she did not wish to disrupt their existing relationship. Perhaps Lily felt that she was not yet good enough.


    Or maybe, because Lily was a rather traditional girl, she wanted to maintain a safe distance between them before committing to marriage. Or could it be that Lily was afraid that Yun Ge might lose his memory again, causing him to forget their relationship once more? This would undoubtedly make Lily, who had invested her emotions, feel a sense of defeat.


    Given this, Yun Ge thought to himself, I should actively cooperate with the town chief��s treatment for my amnesia and ensure that my condition is eliminated as soon as possible. Additionally, I should work even harder and patiently wait for Lily to accept my love when the time is right. Despite the mixed feelings in his heart, Yun Ge still wore an optimistic smile on his face.


    Day by day, time passed. Unconsciously, Candy Town was once again enveloped by the festive atmosphere of welcoming the New Year. The townspeople, besides their hard work, were also making various preparations for the New Year��s Eve party.


    According to Lily, this was actually the third time Yun Ge had participated in Candy Town��s New Year celebration. Had it not been for his recurrent amnesia, which caused him to completely forget his previous memories, he would have received an invitation from the town chief to perform a wonderful dance for all the townspeople during the grand New Year��s sacrificial ceremony.


    ��Me? I can dance?�� Yun Ge asked in surprise.


    ��Yes! Before this amnesia, you had demonstrated your exceptional dancing talent on multiple occasions and even performed solo dances twice at our sacrificial events! ��


    ��Unfortunately, after this severe memory loss, it seems you��ve completely forgotten how to dance. Otherwise, you would definitely be invited to perform your unique dance steps on stage again this year!�� Lily replied with a hint of regret.


    ��Unique dance steps?�� Yun Ge pondered for a moment, then, with a body language that was far from coordinated, he began to dance in a rather ridiculous manner.


    Yun Ge clumsily spun around, his face beaming with self-contentment, ��Huh? It seems I haven��t forgotten my unique dance steps after all! Didn��t I perform this dance for everyone before? What do you think? Should I volunteer myself now? The town chief might gladly give me another chance to perform on stage!��


    Lily, who was laughing heartily at Yun Ge��s ridiculous dance moves, immediately scorned him, ��Pfft! How can you be so narcissistic?! You��re dancing like a little monkey. How could the town chief possibly let you embarrass yourself on such an important stage as the sacrificial ceremony! ��


    ��In my opinion, if you really want to perform on stage, I could recommend you join the town��s acrobatic troupe. I bet you could definitely find a place there! Hahaha!��


    Hearing Lily��s words, Yun Ge immediately transformed into a monkey, hopping and jumping around for quite a while, which made Lily laugh so hard she could barely close her mouth. After the commotion, Yun Ge, looking exhausted, sat down next to Lily to rest, and the two of them once again fell into a tacit silence.


    Then, in an attempt to liven up the atmosphere, Yun Ge curiously asked, ��By the way, Lily. Besides dancing, what other performances can there be at the sacrificial ceremony? I think my singing is pretty good too. If dancing isn��t an option, I might as well go up and sing a song for everyone! If that doesn��t work, Luke and I could perform some crosstalk on stage!��


    As Yun Ge was about to showcase his singing, Lily suddenly interrupted him with an annoyed tone, ��Enough! Do you think the sacrificial ceremony is a joke? The sacrificial ceremony is a very solemn event! It��s crucial for whether Candy Town can have favorable weather and continue to harvest nectar to make enough candy to ensure the survival of the townspeople next year!��


    ��Therefore, please put away your playful mindset! You must treat the sacrificial ceremony with seriousness and respect! Do you understand?��


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    In Yun Ge��s memory, this was the first time Lily had truly lost her temper with him. So, he quickly put away his smile, sat up straight, and nodded to show he understood. With a sincere expression, Yun Ge apologized, ��I was being too disrespectful towards the sacrificial ceremony just now. I��m sorry!��


    Seeing Lily��s sudden emotional outburst, Yun Ge asked with concern, ��Lily, are you alright?��


    After calming down a bit, Lily replied, ��Phew! I��m fine. I just get emotional when I think about the upcoming sacrificial ceremony����


    Lily stopped speaking here and pursed her lips tightly. Yun Ge immediately realized that if she continued, she might burst into tears. So, he quickly reached out to put his arm around Lily��s shoulder and asked, ��Lily, what��s really going on?��


    Lily shifted her position to avoid Yun Ge��s embrace and said softly, ��Don��t worry! I��m fine. You know how girls are��our moods can change frequently. You just need to learn to read the situation and not provoke me when I��m in a bad mood!��


    Then, Lily sighed deeply and continued, ��Ah Yun, remember this. The sacrificial activities held in Candy Town every year are very important! Especially the large-scale sacrificial events that are held only once every three years are even more crucial for us! Everything we do is to ensure that the residents of Candy Town can live safely in the Lost Woods.��


    ��Until the town chief can master greater power and lead us to safety out of this forest, we must be grateful for the gifts this forest gives us and also fill our hearts with reverence for it. ��


    ��Therefore, in order to ensure the happiness and safety of the townspeople, we must understand the mission we bear at all times. And we must also be brave enough to make a small sacrifice at critical moments.��


    As Lily spoke, she stood up and, with a smile on her face again, said to Yun Ge, ��Alright! As long as you remember that the purpose of our hard work now is to let the residents of Candy Town live a happier life in the future, that��s enough! Let��s go! The lunch break is almost over, and we should go back to work!��


    Yun Ge had no idea why Lily was suddenly saying all this to him. Although he verbally responded to Lily, saying that he had already remembered her words and would definitely work even harder in the future, in reality, his mind was completely occupied by the scene of Lily rejecting his hug just now, leaving his mind still in a blank state.


    In Yun Ge��s view, given their current ambiguous relationship and Lily��s emotional state just now, which was almost on the verge of tears, it should have been a natural progression for him to comfort Lily and embrace her.


    But the result was that even in that vulnerable moment, Lily still rejected his hug. This cast a shadow of frustration over Yun Ge��s heart again, making him doubt whether their feelings were deep enough.


    Although this sense of frustration was hard to bear, life still had to go on. However, perhaps due to this conversation or for some other reason, Yun Ge noticed that Lily was intentionally keeping her distance from him in the following days.


    Although the two still went to work and came home together every day and worked together all day, Yun Ge could feel that the ambiguous feelings of the past were fading from Lily.


    Nowadays, when Lily interacted with him, her politeness and restraint made it seem like she was interacting with an ordinary friend. This made Yun Ge no longer dare to chat casually with Lily about life, but instead, he was always cautious, for fear that he might offend the girl who seemed close but was actually distancing herself.


    The increasingly evident change in Lily��s attitude towards Yun Ge was naturally seen by those around them. Yun Ge also discovered a new problem again: although Lily��s family did not openly approve of the closeness between Yun Ge and Lily, they never stopped them either.


    When Lily threw some tantrums at Yun Ge, her family members would actively persuade Lily not to treat Yun Ge that way and would inquire about the situation with Yun Ge in private. Sometimes, Lily��s family members would even jokingly give him some advice, hoping that he could quickly win Lily��s favor again.


    But now, even though everyone saw that Lily was becoming obviously cold towards him, they chose to ignore it. This made Yun Ge start to reflect on himself, trying to figure out where exactly he had offended Lily��s family.


    After much thought and no clear answer, Yun Ge had to turn to Luke for help. So, after dinner, when Lily��s family was discussing household expenses, Yun Ge found Luke, who was pretending to clean up in the kitchen to avoid being scolded for exceeding the budget last week, and asked, ��Luke, may I ask you something?��


    ��What is it?�� Luke responded while keeping an eye on the family members who were calculating the expenses from last week.


    ��Well��, actually. Luke, have I done something wrong recently that might have offended you and your family? If so, please let me know, so I can correct my mistake immediately and sincerely apologize to you and your family later,�� Yun Ge asked in a very formal tone.


    Upon hearing this, Luke looked at Yun Ge in confusion for a while, then suddenly seemed to understand something and gently patted Yun Ge��s shoulder, saying, ��Hey! What are you thinking! My family and I really like you. Why would we be angry with you for no reason? In fact, my parents have already regarded you as their own son! And I��ve also considered you as my own brother!��


    After spending time together, Yun Ge could naturally tell that Luke was speaking the truth. So, Yun Ge��s nervous mood instantly relaxed a lot.


    He finally mustered enough courage to bring up his relationship with Lily for the first time: ��But��, uh, Luke. Why do I feel that Lily has been deliberately keeping her distance from me during this time? Are you sure I haven��t offended her?��


    ��How could that be! We��ve all seen the relationship between you and Lily. It��s just that���� Luke��s words were cut off halfway as he seemed unsure of how to continue.


    ��What��s the matter?�� Yun Ge anxiously pressed.


    After some thought, Luke explained, ��It��s just��, well, you know! Patience is a virtue! Lily is originally a traditional and rather slow-to-warm-up girl. Plus, she likes to think about the future a lot, so it��s inevitable that she becomes extra cautious when facing some major issues, even to the point of becoming more and more reserved!��


    Then, Luke patted Yun Ge again and said, ��So, my advice to you, buddy, is not to push too hard. You must give Lily enough space to think. This will be beneficial for both of you. If you��re lucky enough, maybe you��ll really be able to achieve your wish soon��right?��


    So that��s it! It turns out that my eagerness to confirm our relationship has put too much psychological pressure on Lily, causing her to choose to keep her distance from me! It seems that I should also take the initiative to keep my distance from Lily in the coming days, allowing her to establish a comfort zone in a spacious enough space! Yun Ge thought with a sudden realization.


    However, precisely because Yun Ge had been tormented by emotional issues during this period, his subconscious, after raising the question just now, focused more on the part of Luke��s answer that was favorable to him.


    This led him to completely overlook the fact that when Luke said the last sentence, his tone had become quite complicated. As a result, Luke��s last sentence, which should have ended with an affirmative tone, ultimately turned into a sentence full of worry and concern when it was spoken.

 Chapter 11

    However, since Yun Ge��s face once again showed passionate anticipation and firm determination after hearing Luke��s explanation, Luke gave up the idea of further elaborating on the reasons.


    With a hint of helplessness in his smile, Luke let out a soft sigh, then changed the subject, saying, ��Hey! Could you go over and see if they��ve started calculating my expenses from last month? Also, help me observe if there��s anything off with their emotions when they��re calculating my expenses. If there��s any issue, give me a signal right away.��


    Luke paused for a moment, turned his head to look at the street outside the window which had completely darkened, then, as if making a difficult decision, he clenched his fists tightly and said, ��If their faces look too ugly when calculating my personal expenses, I might as well take advantage of the night to escape!��


    ��Yeah! As long as I run fast enough, I might still have a chance to make it to Jamei��s house alive to seek refuge! That would be better than staying here waiting for a death sentence! Otherwise, our Xing family might be left without an heir!��


    ��Oh come on! It��s not that exaggerated, is it? How much candy did you spend last month? Moreover, you��ve been in a passionate relationship lately, so it��s normal to have higher expenses!�� Seeing Luke��s determined-to-die expression, Yun Ge couldn��t help but joke.


    ��Oh man! Brother, hearing you say that makes me even more upset! There��s no problem with higher expenses during a passionate relationship. But I��, in order to win Jamei��s heart, I didn��t hold back and ended up with a particularly huge expense. This expense is enough for my father to demand that I repay it with my life!�� Luke said in a tone slightly choked with emotion.


    ��Hey! Don��t be afraid! If you really spent too much candy, then I��ll plead for you later, asking Uncle Xing to show mercy. And if it comes to it, I��ll take responsibility for part of the expense, and we��ll share the punishment together!�� Yun Ge said, slapping his chest in a show of loyalty. Luke nodded gratefully, while also reminding Yun Ge to keep his word and not to be a coward when the time comes!


    With the information provided by Luke, and after Luke��s repeated guidance, Yun Ge also began to make changes. He turned his focus to working with the town chief to treat his amnesia, in order to alleviate the anxiety caused by the estrangement period in his relationship with Lily.


    The effect of Yun Ge��s change was very noticeable. Lily, who gained more personal space, obviously became much more relaxed in her mindset, to the point where she once again showed that long-missed, amiable smile when interacting with Yun Ge.


    Although Lily no longer had an ambiguous feeling towards him, at least the two could resume their pleasant conversations like old friends. And unlike before, the atmosphere when they were alone together no longer felt awkward.


    Seeing Lily��s mood gradually improve, Yun Ge was naturally very happy, and he once again ignited the hope of rekindling their previous ambiguous relationship.


    This morning, Yun Ge once again got up early full of hope, and after quickly finishing his morning routine, he ran downstairs to help Lily and Auntie Hui Min prepare breakfast. But to Yun Ge��s surprise, he found the house empty after coming downstairs.


    Then, Yun Ge saw a prepared breakfast on the dining table, as well as a packed lunch, and on the packed meal box, he saw a note: ��Yun Ge, our family has important matters to handle today. After you finish breakfast, go to work by yourself first. Remember to bring the lunch Lily prepared for you! We��ll have dinner together when we get back in the evening! Auntie Hui Min.��


    Yun Ge picked up a slice of bread sprinkled with some candy fragments on the surface and took a bite, then said, ��What��s going on? Why did they suddenly have to leave for something?��


    However, considering that he was, in essence, just an outsider taken in by Lily��s family, it was indeed none of his business if something private happened in their family, and he had no right to interfere in others�� private affairs. Therefore, Yun Ge stopped overthinking, and after quickly finishing the breakfast prepared by Auntie Hui Min, he went to work with his lunch.


    With the training Lily had provided in the past, Yun Ge could now independently complete the nectar collection work. Plus, Lily and Luke, and even Uncle Shawn didn��t come to work, so Yun Ge just worked diligently by himself until the end of the workday.


    After handing over the nectar he had collected that day, Yun Ge went straight back home. As soon as he entered the door, he saw Lily��s parents, Uncle Shawn, and Auntie Hui Zhen talking in the living room.


    ��Oh! Yun Ge is back! How was your work today? Didn��t anything happen in the group, did it?�� Uncle Shawn greeted as soon as he saw Yun Ge.


    ��Hello, Uncle Shawn! Everything in the group is normal, and everyone completed today��s collection task as planned,�� Yun Ge said, then briefly reported the work situation of the day.


    ��Hmm! You��re doing really well! Yun Ge! I��m gradually seeing that you��re a promising talent!�� With a commendatory tone, Uncle Shawn asked, ��Keep up the good work, and when you have more work experience, how about I promote you to be a team leader?��


    ��Thank you for your praise, Uncle Shawn! Actually, I don��t think I have the ability to be a team leader. I feel that I��m more suited to working under Lily��s command,�� Yun Ge said modestly. His words were partly because he truly didn��t think he had leadership skills, and partly because he just wanted to work with Lily.


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    ��You��re right! Everyone needs to learn to face challenges independently.�� You can��t always have Lily cover for you at work, can you? Anyway, you must work hard in the future, and Uncle Shawn will definitely not treat you unfairly!�� Uncle Shawn said with a wave of his hand.


    ��Yes! I understand, Uncle Shawn. Hey? By the way, where are Lily and Luke? Haven��t they come back yet?�� Seeing that Uncle Shawn was persistent, Yun Ge could only first agree in a vague tone, then quickly changed the subject.


    ��Lily and Luke are upstairs. Go find them, don��t let them wait too long.�� We few are still discussing important matters here.�� At this moment, Lily��s father spoke. But judging from his somewhat serious tone, he seemed more like he was ordering Yun Ge to go upstairs immediately.


    Yun Ge knew that Lily��s father had been in a very bad temper recently, so he naturally didn��t linger downstairs. Instead, after greeting the people present, he went upstairs with the dinner prepared by Auntie Hui Min. However, after going upstairs, Yun Ge didn��t hurry back to his room.


    As soon as he walked into the second-floor corridor, he faintly heard Lily��s crying. So, Yun Ge quickly walked towards Lily��s room, and after pushing open the slightly open door, he saw Lily sitting on the bedside sobbing softly, and Luke standing in front of the window with his hands behind his back, looking at the street outside.


    Yun Ge asked anxiously, ��Lily! What��s wrong with you?��


    Lily didn��t answer Yun Ge, but instead cried more violently after he appeared. Luke, while shaking his head and sighing, quickly stepped forward, pulled Yun Ge into the room, closed the door tightly, and then said in a low mood, ��Sigh! Ah Yun, take a seat first. I have something to tell you.��


    Yun Ge knew at once that what Luke was about to tell him must be related to Lily, and it was definitely not good news. So, after sitting down, he kept rubbing his thighs with both hands, ��Luke, what exactly happened? Why is Lily like this?��


    Faced with Yun Ge��s question, Luke lowered his head and remained silent for a while, then finally said, ��Here��s what happened. In just over ten days, Candy Town will hold its annual sacrificial event. The purpose of this event is to pray to the Lost Woods, hoping that this forest will continue to protect us and provide us with the necessary food and wealth for our lives.��


    Yun Ge nodded to show that he was very clear about these things, then impatiently waved his hands, signaling Luke not to beat around the bush and to quickly tell him the important reason that made Lily cry.


    Luke then cast a loving glance at Lily, who was crying with her face covered, and then looked at Yun Ge with the same loving eyes, saying, ��Because your amnesia this time is too severe, causing you to completely forget the content of the sacrificial event. Actually��, at the end of the annual sacrificial event, there is a very important sacrificial ceremony. This is also why this annual evening is called a sacrificial event.��


    Luke sighed again, then continued in a tone slightly choked with emotion, ��Sigh! In the final sacrificial ceremony, the most important part is to pray for the prosperity of the Lost Woods next year and to offer a life to the Lost Woods. And this year, the sacrifice chosen by Candy Town is Lily.��


    ��What?! What did you say?! You mean Lily has become the sacrifice?!�� Yun Ge immediately stood up with a shout upon hearing this.


    ��Ah Yun! Don��t get excited! Human sacrifice has been a tradition in Candy Town for many years! We do this to ensure that all the residents can live more safely and happily in the Lost Woods! Sacrificing the individual for the greater good. For the sacrificer, this is a great honor that can bring glory to their family!��


    ��Honor? Humph! If Lily becoming a sacrifice makes you feel honored, then why are you all sitting at home with frowning and looking miserable instead of celebrating with joy?�� Yun Ge forcefully shook off Luke��s arm and said excitedly. After speaking, Yun Ge grabbed Lily and strode towards the door without any hesitation.


    ��Ah Yun! What are you doing?!�� Luke called out.


    ��No! I will never let Lily become a sacrifice! Lily, let��s go! I��ll take you away from here!�� Yun Ge said.


    ��Yun Ge! Come to your senses! You can��t destroy the tradition that Candy Town has always followed! What you��re doing will anger the town chief and bring severe punishment upon yourself! Moreover, even if you leave Candy Town, where can you two go? You��re not only harming yourself but also Lily!�� Luke hurriedly persuaded in a loud voice, while blocking the door with his body to prevent Yun Ge from leaving.


    As the quarrel between Yun Ge and Luke became more intense, the four people downstairs were soon drawn upstairs. Upon hearing that Yun Ge was trying to take Lily away from Candy Town, Lily��s father rushed up and punched him without saying a word. Unprepared, Yun Ge was immediately knocked to the ground and, feeling dizzy, couldn��t even get up for a moment.


    Seeing this, Lily��s father angrily wanted to rush forward and continue beating Yun Ge. Lily hurriedly held her father back and pleaded loudly, ��Father! Father, please stop hitting him! Yun Ge didn��t mean it! He just doesn��t want to see me become a sacrifice!��


    ��Humph! Lily being chosen by the town chief as a sacrifice is a blessing she cultivated in her previous life! Our whole family will become the honored family of Candy Town because of this, loved by all the townspeople, and we��ll be able to receive more candy in the future as a result!��


    ��Besides, Lily is my daughter! What right do you have to question my decisions regarding her! Who do you think you are?! How dare you meddle in our family��s affairs?!�� Old Xing scolded without any mercy.


    ��Humph! What if I��m nothing? Lily is the girl I like! So I must do everything I can to protect her! And you guys, just to pursue some nonsense honor, are willing to push your own daughter into the abyss? Are you even human?!�� Yun Ge said fervently.


    ��Outrageous! You ungrateful wretch! Our family kindly took you in, and this is how you repay us?! How can you be so selfish? Just because you like my daughter, are you willing to risk the safety and happiness of our entire family, the future of all the residents of Candy Town, for her alone?!�� Old Xing continued to berate.


    Then, Old Xing pointed downstairs with his trembling finger and said, ��Get out! Leave our house this instant! You��re not allowed to step into our home again, nor are you allowed to see my daughter ever again! If you dare to disobey my order, I��ll tell the town chief and make you regret it!��


    Faced with Old Xing��s expulsion order, Yun Ge naturally had no room to argue. However, as he got up to leave, he naturally still wanted to take Lily with him. But Lily��s mother had already pulled Lily to her side in advance, and Uncle Shawn and Auntie Hui Zhen also stood in front of Lily to prevent Yun Ge from forcibly taking her away.


    With a sad look on her face, Lily said to Yun Ge, ��Ah Yun, don��t do this. Even if you take me away from Candy Town, what then? Your actions will not only harm us but also involve my family. I��m just a weak woman without any talents. ��


    ��To be able to repay the protection that Candy Town has always given me and my family in this way, perhaps this is the most meaningful thing I can do in my life!��


    Lily forcibly held back the tears in her eyes and managed to force a smile, ��Ah Yun, leave! Forget about me and live well! Believe me, one day you will completely forget me and find a girl who can truly be with you for a lifetime, and start a new life happily!��

 Chapter 12

    After Lily finished speaking, she buried her head in her mother��s embrace. No matter how much Yun Ge called out to her, she no longer responded. In the end, unable to persuade Lily to leave, Yun Ge could only choose to turn around and leave with a heavy heart. However, not long after Yun Ge walked out of Lily��s house, Luke chased after him.


    Luke handed a key to Yun Ge, telling him to stay in a warehouse at their house for the night, so that Yun Ge wouldn��t encounter any danger while wandering alone in Candy Town at night. Then, Luke also persuaded Yun Ge to stay calm, promising that he would come to find him early the next morning and help him find a new place to live.


    For Yun Ge, this night was destined to be a sleepless one. He hid alone in the warehouse, listening to the howling wind outside that sounded like ghosts wailing, while recalling the entire incident. Yun Ge��s mind was filled with images of Lily crying, as well as the scenes he imagined of Lily being led to the sacrificial altar, causing him to completely lose track of time. It wasn��t until a ray of sunlight shone through the small window above the warehouse and landed on his face that Yun Ge realized he had been sitting in this small warehouse for the entire night.


    Yun Ge walked out of the warehouse and breathed in the fresh morning air. At this moment, there was no sign of fatigue on his face, only anger and reluctance. Of course, after suppressing his emotions for the entire night, Yun Ge didn��t want to rush into Lily��s house and cause trouble again. Instead, he immediately set off for the town hall where the town chief lived.


    After a whole night of contemplation, Yun Ge had come to an understanding: since he learned during the confrontation with Lily��s father yesterday that the selection of the sacrificial offering was the responsibility of the town chief, he might as well go directly to the town chief to reason, demanding that the town chief cancel Lily��s status as a human sacrifice and allow her to regain her freedom.


    Yun Ge, whose head was filled with anger, naturally didn��t consider how to persuade the town chief. He only thought of expressing his dissatisfaction to the town chief and even using some more intense methods to force the town chief to abandon the idea of using Lily as a sacrificial offering. This led to Yun Ge causing a commotion right there in front of the town hall when he couldn��t convince the guards to let him see the town chief.


    Fortunately, the town chief had always governed Candy Town with a people-oriented approach, and since the residents of the town were all familiar with each other, the guard on duty that morning happened to know Luke quite well and quickly understood why Yun Ge had come to protest so early.


    With the coordination of this guard, the other guards who arrived on the scene did not make things difficult for Yun Ge. Instead, they escorted him into the town hall and reported the situation of Yun Ge��s disturbance to the town chief, waiting for further instructions from the town chief.


    After waiting for not long, a receptionist from the town hall walked into the lobby and said, ��Yun Ge, the town chief wants to see you. Please follow me.��


    With that, the receptionist signaled for two guards to escort Yun Ge and follow her towards the end of the corridor on the first floor. Yun Ge soon realized that the direction the receptionist was taking him was to the medical room he had visited multiple times for the treatment of his amnesia. Feeling a sense of strangeness, Yun Ge cautiously asked, ��Excuse me, isn��t this the way to the medical room?��


    The receptionist replied politely, ��Yes. Whenever there are patients in the medical room, the town chief always makes it a point to visit the medical room first thing in the morning to ensure that he can understand the patients�� conditions immediately after they get up.��


    Seeing that the receptionist was being courteous to him, and considering that she had also received him multiple times during his treatment visits, Yun Ge didn��t feel right about losing his temper with her. Instead, he patiently followed closely behind her, hoping that this would prompt her to quicken her pace.


    The group passed through the clinic in front of the medical room and entered the spacious ward that Yun Ge had visited on several occasions. As soon as Yun Ge entered the ward, he saw the town chief inquiring about a patient��s condition. At the same time, on a hospital bed in the middle of the room, a patient was quietly eating breakfast that a nurse had brought over.


    The receptionist led Yun Ge behind the town chief, then stepped forward and whispered a report into the town chief��s ear.


    The town chief slowly turned around and, with a smile, nodded at Yun Ge and said in a low voice, ��You��ve come to my place to cause a disturbance early in the morning. I suppose you haven��t had anything to eat yet? Come, find a hospital bed to sit on and have something to eat. After I finish checking on this patient��s condition, we��ll discuss your matter.��


    Since the town chief had already spoken, and considering that Yun Ge hadn��t eaten or drunk anything since the night before, and after causing a commotion at the town hall early in the morning, his stomach inevitably growled loudly when he heard the town chief offer him breakfast.


    Thus, Yun Ge could only nod awkwardly, then randomly found a hospital bed to sit on, wolfing down a piece of toast sprinkled with candy fragments while waiting for the town chief to complete his morning rounds of the ward.


    ��Good morning, Yun Ge. I heard you have something to discuss with me? Let��s go. We��ll talk in the medical office inside,�� the town chief said in a very amiable tone after finishing his rounds and walking over to Yun Ge. At this moment, Yun Ge, who had eaten something, seemed to have calmed down a lot. So, to avoid disturbing the patients resting in the ward, he got up and followed the town chief into the medical office behind.


    ��Town Chief! Why do you use human sacrifices?!�� Yun Ge impatiently questioned as soon as he entered the medical office.


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    The town chief didn��t rush to answer the question. Instead, after washing his hands and changing into a set of medical scrubs, he said, ��I thought you were going to question why Lily was chosen as this year��s sacrificial offering.��


    ��What��s the difference between these two questions? Please answer my question!�� Yun Ge didn��t want to discuss the nuances of his wording with the town chief, so he somewhat rudely urged for an answer.


    ��There��s certainly a difference. If I��m willing to consider your request and cancel Lily��s status as the Heaven��s Chosen Virgin, would you stop causing trouble?�� the town chief said.


    Yun Ge had anticipated a rather intense argument with the town chief, so when he heard the town chief��s immediate concession, he couldn��t help but ask suspiciously, ��You��, are you really willing to cancel Lily��s status as a human sacrifice?��


    The town chief nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders, ��That��s right.��


    ��What��s the price for this?�� Yun Ge asked again.


    ��No price at all. Lily isn��t the only option, after all,�� the town chief said.


    ��What do you mean by that?�� Yun Ge frowned and asked.


    ��Exactly what I said. You should know that Lily isn��t the only candidate for the Heaven��s Chosen Virgin. She was fortunate enough to draw the lucky sign during our Heaven��s Chosen Virgin revelation ceremony, which is why she became the Heaven��s Chosen Virgin.�� The town chief explained while gesturing for Yun Ge to sit on the examination chair.


    Yun Ge, completely focused on the town chief��s words, didn��t realize that he was being led to sit on the examination chair.


    The town chief continued in a somewhat disappointed tone, ��Although Lily became the Heaven��s Chosen Virgin through a random draw, if she truly wants to give up this identity, we can��t do anything about it. We can only hold another ceremony and select a new lucky girl!��


    ��Alas! It��s just a pity that once Lily gives up her identity as the Heaven��s Chosen Virgin, her family will no longer receive additional subsidies, and they won��t be able to continue living in their current house as comfortably as they do now! After all, the Heaven��s Chosen Virgin bears the mission of blessing Candy Town to continue to prosper for the next three years. ��


    ��So, if Lily gives up this identity, she will be seen by all the townspeople as unwilling to consider the future of Candy Town, and thus will face the resistance of the entire town.��


    As the town chief spoke, he handed a cup of fragrant hot drink that he had just brewed to Yun Ge. Yun Ge subconsciously took a sip of the hot drink, then questioned, ��Town Chief, what do you mean by that? Are you accusing my actions of endangering Lily��s family? Are you threatening me?��


    ��Hahaha! I��m just stating a fact. Because Candy Town doesn��t discriminate against anyone, nor do we make such aggressive regulations. ��


    ��However, if the townspeople themselves unite to resist something or someone, as the town chief, besides mediating, I can only solve the problem from the perspective of the majority.�� The town chief quickly explained, then handed a plate of biscuits baked with candy fragments to Yun Ge, gesturing for him to try the taste.


    Yun Ge picked up a small piece of biscuit and took a bite, immediately nodding involuntarily as his mouth was filled with a baked flavor mixed with a rich floral aroma. This taste flowed down his esophagus into his taste buds, then spread throughout his body, giving him an indescribable sense of pleasure and comfort.


    So, Yun Ge couldn��t help but eat another piece of biscuit and drained the cup of fragrant hot drink in one go. Then he leaned back contentedly on the examination chair.


    Although his anger had subsided a lot with the help of the food, Yun Ge still continued to ask, ��I don��t understand, why do you have to use human sacrifices? Don��t you think this is very cruel?��


    The town chief said after taking away the cup from Yun Ge��s hand, ��For the young maidens of Candy Town, being able to become the Heaven��s Chosen Virgin is a great honor, and for their families, it��s an even greater blessing.��


    ��And for the residents of Candy Town, the sacrifice of the Heaven��s Chosen Virgin is the guarantee that Candy Town will continue to have favorable weather in the coming year. So, this is clearly something that can satisfy everyone. How can you say it��s cruel?��


    ��Humph! You��re just trying to whitewash the evil act of human sacrifice! In my opinion, such sacrificial activities shouldn��t exist at all! At the very least, you shouldn��t continue to sacrifice living beings to some nonsense deities!�� Yun Ge wasn��t buying it. At this moment, his mind was filled with the image of Lily��s sadness and pain.


    If Lily truly took pride in this, why would she cry so heartbreakingly?


    Lily was forcibly chosen as the sacrificial offering by the town chief!


    At the same time, Yun Ge finally understood that Lily��s sudden distancing from him during the past few days must have been because she knew she was likely to become the sacrificial offering, so she deliberately kept her distance to prevent him from being too heartbroken after losing her!


    The town chief dismissively said, ��It��s the Forest Spirit, not deities. The only one that protects us in the Lost Woods is the Forest Spirit. If there really were deities, wouldn��t they save us from this forest and let us return to the human world?��


    ��Besides, human sacrifices aren��t our choice, but the forest��s choice. We��re just following the forest��s will to offer sacrifices in exchange for the Forest Spirit��s protection.��


    ��Sophistry! What you��re doing is no different from killing the innocent! Lily, Lily was forcibly chosen as the sacrificial offering by you! Lily never wanted to become a sacrificial offering!�� Yun Ge said.


    However, at this moment, the tone of Yun Ge��s voice had long lost the momentum of his initial rage, and he was breathing extremely unevenly while speaking. It was precisely because of this sudden significant change in his emotions that Yun Ge finally realized something was wrong.


    So, Yun Ge hurriedly tried to get up from the examination chair. But he found that his body had become weak and powerless, leaving him unable to move at all and could only collapse back onto the examination chair.


    ��What! What did you do to me?!�� Yun Ge stared at the town chief, whose expression remained gentle, and asked with great difficulty.


    The town chief stepped forward and leaned close to Yun Ge��s ear, gently pressing his palm against Yun Ge��s forehead, and whispered, ��Don��t worry. I won��t harm you. I just thought that your angry emotions just now posed a risk of triggering another episode of your amnesia, so I gave you some biscuits containing sedative ingredients. What you need to do now is to relax and rest well. I��ll take care of the rest!��


    The sedative took effect quickly, and Yun Ge fell asleep under the strong urge of fatigue as soon as the town chief finished speaking.


    After sleeping for an unknown amount of time, Yun Ge finally regained consciousness. However, since his regained consciousness was very limited, he was still in a semi-conscious state. Moreover, apart from his hazy awareness, he couldn��t perceive the existence of his body at all.


    But fortunately, Yun Ge could still hear the conversations of the people around him with the bit of consciousness he had regained: ��Town Chief, how is Yun Ge? Should we������


    Before the person could finish speaking, the town chief said, ��No need. From the current situation, Yun Ge is indeed different from others. Therefore, I need to observe him more. Moreover, even if he is special, I can still reset his memory by increasing the strength of the spell. So there��s nothing to worry about. I just need to make him forget this experience.��

 Chapter 13

    After the town chief finished speaking, Yun Ge felt someone pricking his arm with something like a needle. Then, he heard the town chief quickly chant an ancient-sounding spell. Soon after, he smelled an extremely strong and putrid floral fragrance.


    It was an indescribable odor, with the unsettling foreshadowing of death hidden in the floral scent, so much so that as soon as he smelled it, he immediately wanted to hold his breath to prevent the smell from invading his body further.


    Unfortunately, Yun Ge was now completely unaware of his own existence, so he couldn��t control his body to stop the smell from entering. Yun Ge could only let the unpleasant odor drill straight into his brain unimpeded. The strange smell was like an invisible hammer, smashing his thoughts into chaos and causing him to fall into a coma again.


    ��Town Chief, Yun Ge has been asleep all day. Is he going to be okay?�� After Yun Ge��s consciousness returned, he heard someone speaking again. Moreover, even though he still couldn��t open his eyes, he could tell that the speaker was Lily��s father.


    ��Everyone, please rest assured. I��ve already given him the healing potion. He��ll probably wake up after some more rest,�� the town chief said.


    ��Oh! Town Chief, we��re so sorry! We didn��t expect that Yun Ge would come here to cause trouble! We��ve really caused you a lot of inconvenience!�� This time, it was Lily��s mother speaking.


    ��Sigh! Don��t say that, you two. As the town chief, my responsibility is to help everyone with their worries and difficulties. Moreover, I��ve heard a bit about Yun Ge��s feelings for Lily. So, I can understand why he was so emotional upon hearing that Lily was chosen as the Heaven��s Chosen Virgin. After all, people are selfish when it comes to matters of the heart!�� The town chief said magnanimously.


    The couple expressed their gratitude for the town chief��s magnanimity and praised him further. Then, Old Xing asked in an extremely respectful tone, ��Uh��, may I ask, Town Chief, what should we do next? Sigh! To be honest, we actually quite like Yun Ge. So, even if he can��t be our son-in-law now, we still very much hope to raise him as our own son.��


    ��Hahaha! That��s great! That��s great! I was afraid that after this incident, you would drive him away! You see, I��ve been looking for a new home for Yun Ge these past few days! If you��re willing to continue taking him in, that would save me a lot of trouble!�� The town chief said with a smile.


    At this moment, Yun Ge, whose consciousness was gradually returning, also started to remember what had happened before, especially the terrifying feeling when the town chief used sedative-laced biscuits to paralyze his body and attempted to erase his memory with some evil spell.


    Yun Ge was certain in his heart that the town chief��s amiable appearance was definitely just a disguise. In reality, he must be a sinister person who had mastered some evil spells and was ruthless.


    Meanwhile, through the conversation among the three people, Yun Ge also realized that the town chief had never intended to cancel Lily��s status as a sacrificial offering from the beginning.


    The town chief��s previous words were just to make him let his guard down, to make it easier for him to eat the food that the town chief had tampered with, and thus allow the town chief to take advantage of his weakened mental state to use that evil spell to destroy his memory.


    This despicable guy! I was really too careless back then, to fall into his trap so easily! Yun Ge cursed in his heart. However, after cursing for a few sentences, he suddenly seemed to realize something, and then he felt overjoyed in his heart. Because it was only then that he realized his previous memories had not disappeared, and were still clearly imprinted in his mind.


    Did the memory-erasing spell the town chief used on me fail? Or did it never work from the start?


    Yun Ge quickly thought about strategies while continuing to pretend to be confused. Because the current situation was that he was in the open, while the town chief, who was good at disguising himself, was in the dark.


    Plus, having personally experienced the town chief��s spell, he understood that if he acted rashly again, he would not only fail to save Lily but also put his own life in danger due to the disparity in strength. Therefore, Yun Ge now had to pretend to have amnesia to eliminate others�� suspicions and buy himself more time to explore ways to save Lily.


    So, after carefully recalling his behavior the last time he lost his memory, Yun Ge first pretended to be in great pain, tossing and turning on the hospital bed for a while, then slowly opened his eyes to look around, and asked in a tone full of confusion and fatigue, ��This, where is this place?��


    Upon hearing this, Luke immediately pressed down on Yun Ge and asked in a trembling voice, ��Yun Ge? What��s wrong with you? It��s me! Don��t you remember me?��


    Yun Ge pretended to look at Luke with a bewildered expression and said, ��Yun Ge? Are you calling me?��


    ��Town Chief! What��s wrong with Yun Ge? He can��t have amnesia again, can he?!�� Luke immediately asked anxiously upon seeing this.


    The town chief put on a puzzled look, quickly walked over, and after carefully examining Yun Ge��s condition, feigned incomprehension and said, ��That doesn��t make sense! He was fine before. Why did he lose his memory again after fainting?��


    Upon hearing the town chief confirm that Yun Ge had lost his memory again, everyone hurriedly asked the town chief to treat Yun Ge. The town chief worked hard to calm everyone��s emotions, while also stating that he would definitely find out the reason for Yun Ge��s recurring amnesia and do his best to stabilize Yun Ge��s condition.


    Since the town chief had made such a statement, everyone��s anxious mood gradually stabilized. However, Yun Ge, who was watching with a bewildered look on his face, couldn��t help but sneer in his heart. Because only he knew that all the town chief��s actions were just for show.


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    After calming the emotions of Luke and the others, the town chief took Yun Ge back to the consultation room behind the ward in a hurry, preparing to conduct a thorough examination of Yun Ge.


    As a result, after the town chief closed the consultation room door, he first symbolically checked Yun Ge��s pupils, then told Yun Ge to lie down on the consultation chair, and while leisurely feeling Yun Ge��s pulse, he enjoyed the flower tea and desserts brought by the nurse.


    Yun Ge was very clear in his heart that the town chief hadn��t even touched his pulse; he was just putting on an act to buy time. However, Yun Ge remained unfazed, continuing to pretend to be confused and guarded, carefully observing the surroundings.


    Seeing Yun Ge in this state, the town chief naturally thought he had successfully erased Yun Ge��s previous memories. So, the town chief nodded with satisfaction and once again put on a kind expression, patiently explaining Yun Ge��s current situation to him.


    The so-called comprehensive examination lasted for a while before finally ending.


    The town chief walked out of the consultation room, and said to Luke and the others waiting outside in a rather helpless tone, ��Sigh! Unfortunately, after my preliminary assessment, Yun Ge��s memory has disappeared again. I speculate that this is largely related to his incomplete recovery from before and the intense emotional fluctuations.��


    ��In short, Yun Ge��s condition is more complicated than I imagined. So, to further stabilize his condition, I think it��s best to have him stay here for a while longer, to prevent him from having another episode due to some stimulus.��


    Then, the town chief looked at Luke and the other two with a meaningful glance and said, ��You should understand what I mean, right?��


    Not to mention Luke and the others, even Yun Ge immediately understood the town chief��s implication. To put it simply, the town chief intended to prevent Yun Ge from seeing Lily again before the sacrificial event ended, to stop his emotions for Lily from flaring up again and causing more trouble.


    Luke��s parents naturally strongly agreed with the town chief��s decision. So, after handling some necessary procedures, they temporarily left Yun Ge in the hospital.


    The town chief, under the guise of ensuring that Yun Ge could recover better, specially arranged a private ward for him. But Yun Ge was well aware in his heart that the town chief��s move was not to ensure that he could rest undisturbed, but to closely monitor him and strictly restrict his range of activity.


    Because outside Yun Ge��s ward was the office of the town chief and several other doctors. Having Yun Ge stay here alone served two purposes: one was to better restrict visitors from seeing Yun Ge without the town chief��s permission; the other was to allow the town chief to better monitor the effect of the memory-erasing spell on Yun Ge, so that if there were any issues with the memory elimination technique, he could take remedial action at the first moment.


    From this, Yun Ge also realized another issue: the town chief, although confident in his memory-erasing spell, seemed to have doubts about its effect on Yun Ge.


    Sure enough, because the town chief indeed had doubts about the effectiveness of his memory-erasing technique, in the following days, the town chief cast the memory-erasing spell on Yun Ge multiple times.


    However, fortunately, the town chief��s spell still failed to shake Yun Ge��s memory. So, Yun Ge gradually eased from his nervous state, began to play the role of an amnesiac patient with a more composed attitude, and eventually made the town chief believe that he had indeed erased Yun Ge��s previous memories with the memory-erasing spell.


    After being certain that Yun Ge��s previous memories had been erased, the town chief also relaxed a lot. But even so, Yun Ge��s range of activity was still severely restricted. The feeling of being imprisoned was very uncomfortable, and since no one told Yun Ge how long he had been unconscious this time, he had no idea what the date was.


    This intensified Yun Ge��s inner anxiety because he couldn��t determine whether the sacrificial event had already arrived quietly, nor did he know how Lily was doing now.


    Yun Ge had tried several times to use the opportunity of Luke visiting him to extract some information about Lily through conversation. However, Luke, as if Lily didn��t exist, never mentioned anything related to Lily in their talks.


    Moreover, not only Luke, but also Luke��s parents, Uncle Shawn, and Auntie Hui Zhen, when visiting him, avoided mentioning anything about Lily. Everyone seemed to be deliberately avoiding talking about Lily, which increased Yun Ge��s worry about Lily��s condition.


    Yun Ge endured in the ward for more than ten days, and finally this morning, he heard the noisy sound of gongs and drums coming from outside the window. Coupled with a doctor telling Yun Ge that the town chief wouldn��t come to check on him personally because he had special matters to handle today, Yun Ge immediately realized that today must be the day of the sacrificial event.


    After understanding the situation, Yun Ge eagerly wanted to participate in the sacrificial event to find an opportunity to save Lily. Because he knew that this might be his last chance to save Lily. However, to Yun Ge��s helplessness, he soon found that the windows and doors of the ward were all locked from the outside.


    According to the explanation of the on-duty doctor, today was a special day, and there were too many residents going out on the streets. To prevent people from taking advantage of the limited number of guards at the town hall to sneak in and steal things, they had specially closed all the doors and windows of the town hall. Their purpose was also to ensure that patients could recover in peace without being disturbed by the outside world.


    Yun Ge, of course, knew that the doctor��s explanation was very far-fetched, but what could he do now?


    Moreover, considering whether the doctor��s action might be another test of his amnesia by the town chief, Yun Ge could only continue to be anxious in his heart, while on the surface, he still pretended to be curious, standing by the window and watching the noisy crowd gradually move away. At the same time, he was quickly thinking about how he could escape from this ward.


    Time passed very slowly in the anxiety, yet it seemed so insufficient when Yun Ge was diligently thinking about ways to escape. Unconsciously, all the noise had already moved away from the town hall, and it seemed as if all the noise had long since ceased. Yun Ge also gradually fell into despair because he couldn��t find a way to leave the town hall.


    At this moment, the door of the ward was suddenly opened. Yun Ge looked up and saw that the person who entered was Luke, so he once again suppressed the various emotions in his heart, then pretended to be curious and asked, ��You��re here? Hey! It��s really lively outside this morning! Are you celebrating some festival?��


    Luke nodded with a wry smile and replied, ��Yes! The annual festival! It��s already over! Everything is over! Let��s go home early!��


    Upon hearing Luke say this, Yun Ge��s heart immediately felt like it had skipped a beat. Because he understood that what Luke meant by everything being over was that Lily had been sacrificed to the Forest Spirit by the townspeople.


    Seeing that Yun Ge had no reaction after hearing his words, Luke no longer paid attention to him, but instead busied himself with packing up Yun Ge��s things. After packing up Yun Ge��s belongings, Luke quickly handled the discharge procedures for him and hurriedly took him back home.


    ��Our parents will be back later today because they have to attend a commendation and thank-you meeting after the sacrificial event ends. So, I��ll take you back to your room to rest first. When they come back later, we��ll have dinner together to celebrate.�� Luke��s voice clearly choked a bit when he mentioned celebrating. But he soon adjusted his emotions through heavy breathing, then took Yun Ge upstairs.

 Chapter 14

    Since Yun Ge��s room was located at the far end of the second floor, he had to pass by Lily��s room to return to his own. However, as he walked past Lily��s room, he noticed that the door was wide open. Yun Ge immediately turned his head to look inside and found that the room was completely empty, as if no one had ever lived there before.


    Seeing this, Yun Ge couldn��t help but walk into Lily��s room. Although everything in the room had been moved out, he still caught a whiff of the floral scent that Lily loved so much. Luke, noticing Yun Ge entering the room, hurriedly followed him in and said, ��Yun Ge, you can��t go into this room. Come on! Let��s go back to your room and pack up!��


    After speaking, Luke reached out to pull Yun Ge out of the room. However, no matter how much Luke tried to persuade him, Yun Ge refused to budge.


    Realizing that something was amiss, Luke asked, ��Yun Ge? What are you doing? This isn��t your room! Come back to your room with me!��


    Yun Ge, who had been suppressing a mix of sadness, despair, and anger for a long time, finally lost control.


    He broke free from Luke��s grip with a forceful twist of his hand, then quickly grabbed Luke��s collar with both hands, pulling him close and roaring, ��Luke! Where��s Lily? What have you guys done to her?!��


    Luke was clearly startled by Yun Ge��s actions and could only stare at him in fear, unsure of how to respond. A look of horror flashed across Luke��s face, but after a few seconds, he said in a trembling voice, ��Yun Ge, you�� your memory hasn��t disappeared?��


    ��No! My memory is intact! Luke, tell me quickly, where is Lily?�� Seeing that Luke didn��t seem to intend to break free and report to the town chief, Yun Ge softened his tone and continued to press for information.


    Upon hearing this, Luke��s shoulders slumped, and he collapsed to the ground, weeping. Seeing Luke��s reaction, Yun Ge felt a chill in his heart and realized what had happened to Lily.


    However, he still wasn��t willing to give up the last sliver of hope. So, he squatted down, grabbed Luke��s trembling shoulders with both hands, and asked, ��Luke! Tell me, how is Lily now? You know how I feel about Lily. I can��t just lose her like this! Even if Lily is already dead, I have to see her one last time!��


    Luke nodded, first crying and saying, ��Wah wah wah! That��s great! Yun Ge! I��m so relieved that you haven��t lost your memory! I can��t bear to lose you as a friend too!��


    Then, after composing himself a bit, Luke stammered, ��L-Lily, she��s been taken away as a sacrifice! Wah wah wah!��


    Yun Ge, assuming that ��taken away�� meant Lily had been killed, took a deep breath to prevent his grief and anger from erupting, and continued to ask in as calm a tone as possible, ��Lily, can I see her again? I need to confirm, even if it��s just one last glance.��


    Luke shook his head and said, ��It��s no use! You won��t find Lily��s body! Because Lily has been taken away!��


    ��Where has she been taken?�� Yun Ge asked anxiously.


    ��Sigh! Lily has been taken to the sacrificial altar deep in the Lost Woods! She will wait there for nightfall, and then the Forest Spirit will take her life after the night arrives!��


    Hearing this, Yun Ge looked puzzled and asked, ��Wait a minute! Are you saying Lily isn��t dead?��


    ��For now, she isn��t. But by tonight, Lily will����, wah wah wah.�� Luke wiped away his tears, but his sorrowful sobs quickly overwhelmed his voice again.


    ��Luke! Tell me where the sacrificial altar is! I��m going to save her right now!�� As soon as he heard that Lily was still alive, Yun Ge��s emotions became even more agitated.


    Luke shook his head and cried, ��Wah wah wah! It��s no use, Yun Ge! The sacrificial team escorting Lily to the altar won��t let you near her! Moreover, the members of the sacrificial team are mainly the town chief��s followers.��


    ��Because the sacrifice is very important, the town chief will cast spells to ensure that his followers can stay safely in the forest after nightfall and remain by Lily��s side until they leave just before midnight. It is at midnight that the Forest Spirit will take Lily��s life.��


    ��So, even if I can��t save Lily in front of the sacrificial team, I can save her after the town chief��s followers leave!�� Upon hearing Luke��s words, Yun Ge immediately pondered.


    ��It��s no use! Yun Ge, you��re just an ordinary person. Venturing into the Lost Woods at night is akin to courting death! You hardly have any chance of survival, let alone the opportunity to save Lily! Yun Ge! Listen to me! It��s over! You should accept the reality just like we have!��


    Upon hearing this, Yun Ge once again grabbed Luke��s shoulders and shook him forcefully, ��Luke! Can you bear to watch your own sister be killed like this? Has your conscience been eaten by dogs?!��


    Luke choked out, ��Of course I don��t want to see Lily lose her life! But what can I do? This has been the tradition of Candy Town all along. My parents have also received praise from the town chief because of this, allowing our family to be allocated more candy.��


    ��More importantly, at the cost of losing just Lily, it brings prosperity and abundance to the entire family and spares an entire generation of future female members from the fate of becoming sacrifices. It��s a deal my parents can��t refuse. Wah wah wah!��


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    Yun Ge naturally felt great dissatisfaction towards Luke��s parents, but considering Luke��s feelings and knowing that the town chief was the real culprit behind all this, he directed his anger towards the town chief, cursing fiercely, ��That damned town chief! He��s the one responsible for all of this!��


    Seeing Yun Ge��s disrespectful remarks towards the town chief, Luke, to prevent Yun Ge from causing trouble, hurriedly persuaded him, ��Yun Ge! You mustn��t act impulsively! The town chief had no choice but to do this! He did it to ensure that Candy Town can continue to have favorable weather under the protection of the Forest Spirit and that the residents of Candy Town can live here more peacefully!��


    ��Yun Ge! You mustn��t disturb the town chief again! Otherwise, our entire family might be implicated by you!��


    Yun Ge naturally didn��t want his actions to implicate Luke��s family. Coupled with the lesson learned before, he dared not recklessly confront the town chief again. However, although he couldn��t provoke the town chief, he also couldn��t bear to stand idly by while Lily was in danger.


    Thus, Yun Ge made up his mind and said to Luke, ��Luke! No matter what, I have to find Lily! I must find a way to save her! I can��t just watch her die!��


    At this moment, Luke��s emotions had also gradually stabilized. After witnessing Yun Ge��s resolute attitude, he asked, ��Yun Ge, are you really going to save Lily? You should know that if you do this, there��s a high chance you��ll risk your own life!��


    ��Even at the cost of my life, I will rescue Lily! I can��t lose her, absolutely not!�� Yun Ge replied resolutely.


    Hearing Yun Ge��s determination, Luke also seemed to make up his mind, took a deep breath, and said, ��Yun Ge! You should understand that, not to mention whether you can save Lily before the Forest Spirit takes her, you might not even make it alive to the sacrificial altar.��


    ��Moreover, even if you do manage to save Lily, you two can��t return to the town! You��ll either have to hide deep in the Lost Woods and fend for yourselves or find a way to leave the forest. In short, once you choose to rescue Lily, it��s like embarking on a one-way journey of death!��


    Upon hearing Luke��s words, Yun Ge immediately realized that there was still hope for saving Lily. So, he nodded vigorously and pursued, ��Luke, do you know any way to save Lily?��


    Luke shook his head and sighed, ��Sigh! If there was a way to save Lily, would I still be here talking to you about these useless things? I��d probably have gone to the sacrificial altar to rescue Lily already!��


    Luke went to the window and said, ��Yun Ge, although the sacrificial evening has ended, the entire town is still under control. The guards won��t leave their posts until nightfall. So, if you want to leave the village and go to the sacrificial altar, you can only act at night.��


    ��But the dangers of going out at night don��t need much explanation, do they? The forest at night is full of wild beasts hunting for food. Without the town chief��s special spell protection, even if you��re not taken by the forest��s mist, it��ll be hard for you to escape the sharp teeth and claws of those beasts!��


    Yun Ge, determined, dismissively said, ��How do we know if I can make it unless I try? Moreover, even if I die on the way, it��s better than staying here and doing nothing!��


    Upon hearing this, Luke sighed again, ��Sigh! Watching Lily become a sacrifice has already been unbearable for me. I really don��t want to lose you, my good brother, too!��


    Then, Luke pointed to a direction outside the window and said, ��Yun Ge, the sacrificial altar is in that direction. Normally, it would take you just over two hours to get there. Because of the sacrificial event, the townspeople have tied many prayer ribbons along the path leading to the sacrificial altar. So, once you enter the forest, you should be able to easily discern the direction of the sacrificial altar.��


    Luke paused for a moment, then continued, ��The guards in town will all return to their barracks for the night shift after the evening, so as long as you��re not swallowed by the outside mist, you can easily reach the main city gate and then use a rope to climb down the city wall and out.��


    ��Additionally, to commend my parents�� selfless dedication of Lily, and also for the subsequent celebration and prayer rituals of the sacrificial ceremony, the vast majority of Candy Town��s residents will gather in the auditorium tonight, and the entire sacrificial event will last until the sun rises tomorrow.��


    ��So, before everyone realizes you��re gone, you actually have ample time to head to the sacrificial altar to save Lily. Of course, the prerequisite is that you can make it alive to the sacrificial altar. And by then, Lily is still alive.��


    After speaking, Luke started rummaging through Yun Ge��s room. However, Luke wasn��t tidying up the room but deliberately messing up Yun Ge��s bed to create the illusion that Yun Ge had left in a hurry.


    After arranging Yun Ge��s room, Luke looked at the setting sun outside the window and said, ��Let��s go! We��ll head downstairs first to eat something, and I��ll also prepare some necessary self-defense weapons for you. Then, once the sky is completely dark, you can set off!��


    On their way downstairs, Yun Ge asked, ��After I leave, how will you explain to your parents?��


    Luke answered without a second thought, ��Hey! We��ll deal with that when the time comes! Anyway, they won��t be back until tomorrow morning. Moreover, they won��t sleep at all tonight, and they��ll definitely go straight to bed to catch up on sleep as soon as they get home. So, even if they notice you��re missing, it��ll probably be after tomorrow noon.��


    ��As for me����, hum! I��ll pretend to sleep until my parents get up. Then I��ll say that before going to bed, I specifically followed the town chief��s instructions and gave you the healing potion again, and I went back to sleep after seeing you fast asleep.��


    ��No matter how they press me for answers, I��ll insist that I don��t know when you escaped. After all, the town chief said that after taking the potion he provided, you��d sleep for at least 14 hours. So, if they want to blame someone, they might as well ask why the potion provided by the town chief didn��t work as it should have?��


    ��In short, I��ll try my best to buy you some time. The later everyone discovers you��re gone, the later they��ll inform the town chief. Naturally, the town chief will also send people to search for you later, giving you more time to evade the town chief��s pursuit. Of course, the prerequisite is that you��re still alive by then.��


    After Luke prepared some essential self-rescue tools for Yun Ge and brought him a bundle of old rope and a somewhat rusty sickle found in the basement��s tool chest, the two sat in the kitchen and had a simple meal. Then, they sat in the living room, waiting for the town to be completely enveloped by the night��s mist.


    ��It��s about time, I need to get ready to leave!�� After making sure there would be no more pedestrians outside, Yun Ge got up and said.


    Luke then led Yun Ge to an inconspicuous corner at the back of the first floor, opened the small window there, and said, ��Although this window is small, if you squeeze a bit, you should be able to get out from here! Then I��ll just say that I might have been careless and forgot to lock this window tightly, allowing you to take the opportunity to escape through it.��


    ��Hey! In the worst case, I��ll just accept the punishment from my parents and the town chief! Anyway, apart from scolding me, they won��t do anything too severe to me!��

 Chapter 15

    "Thank you for helping me! My good brother!" Yun Ge hugged Luke once again before he jumped out of the window.


    Luke said with a painful smile, "Hey! What''s there to thank me for? You''re the one who''s willing to risk your life for Lily''s safety, so you''re the one who should be thanked!"


    Luke sighed heavily and continued, "Sigh! Actually, I did this not just to help you, but also to help myself. Because my first love left me in the same way. And I''ve regretted it ever since because I didn''t have the courage to escape and save her."


    Yun Ge looked at Luke in surprise, clearly not expecting him to say such a thing.


    Seeing this, Luke patted Yun Ge and forced a smile, saying, "This is why I can understand your pain, and even though the chances are slim and it''s extremely dangerous, I''m still willing to let you go and save Lily. Because I really admire your courage, and I''m a coward who doesn''t have the courage to face danger and save a loved one."


    As Luke spoke, he couldn''t help but shed tears of regret, "So, go bravely! My dear brother! If you succeed, be sure to tell Lily that I will always love her. If you fail, and if you meet her in the other world before I do, please tell her for me that I will always love her!"


    Then, Luke handed a handmade stone pendant to Yun Ge, "Yun Ge, this is a small pendant I made myself. Wear it! I hope it brings you good luck! Uuu! When they left, I also gave them small pendants, praying for their good fortune. Uuu!"


    Yun Ge took the pendant and hugged Luke tightly once more, then turned and jumped out of the window. After jumping out, Yun Ge said to Luke, "Trust me, Luke! I will definitely find Lily!"


    "Also, you have to promise me that after everyone finds out I''ve escaped, don''t impulsively take all the blame onto yourself! That mayor is not a good person! He''s very cunning! ��


    ��Don''t anger him! No matter how angry he is, let him direct his anger at me! You just protect Jamei and continue to live happily here, dedicating all the emotions you felt guilty about towards your first love to a new love and a new life!"


    Luke nodded and then instructed, "Yun Ge, you must also be very careful! If you really get a chance to enter the Lost Woods, remember to follow the ribbons tied to the trees. However, you must be wary of the mayor''s attendants, as they will also return to town along that path. You must avoid them at all costs and under no circumstances engage in conflict with them, for you are no match for them!"


    Yun Ge tapped his forehead twice to show that he had taken Luke''s words to heart. Then he turned around without hesitation and left, disappearing into the foggy streets in the blink of an eye. Luke sighed again with mixed feelings as he watched Yun Ge disappear, then he closed a window, made sure it wasn''t completely shut, and turned back to his room.


    Yun Ge cautiously made his way through the foggy streets. After making sure there was no one else around, he began to run towards the town''s exit. Along the way, he passed the town hall where the residents had gathered, seeing it lit up and filled with townsfolk celebrating.


    Among all the townsfolk, the most noticeable were Lily''s family members standing on stage with the mayor��Lily''s parents, Uncle Shawn, and Aunt Hui Zhen. All four of them had flower garlands and medals around their necks. Uncle Xing and Uncle Shawn were singing at the top of their lungs, while Aunt Hui Min and Aunt Hui Zhen were dancing with joy on their faces. There was no sign of sadness on any of their faces, only expressions of pride and happiness.


    The reaction of Lily''s family clearly angered Yun Ge, but he also knew that now was not the time to hold it against them. So Yun Ge spat in disgust, then turned around and left the lively town hall with a heart full of anger. He silently vowed to himself once again that he must reach the altar before midnight and flee far away with Lily after saving her.


    As for whether his actions would anger the spirit of the forest? Humph! Yun Ge now wished that the spirit of the forest would be thoroughly provoked and vent its wrath entirely on Candy Town!


    Just as Luke had said, although the gate to the forest from the town was closed at this time, there were no guards around it at night. So Yun Ge ran straight up to the town''s wall and easily climbed out of the town using a rope.


    Since Yun Ge had not encountered any danger while moving around in the town, it gave him more confidence for the unknown journey ahead. Without hesitation, he ran into the forest and quickly found the newly tied ribbons on the tree trunks with the help of the moonlight.


    Thus, Yun Ge followed the direction of the ribbons deeper into the forest. As he was worried about encountering the returning sacrificial team on the way, he did not dare to proceed along the temporary path that was clearly trampled by passers-by between the two ribbons. Instead, he carefully made his way along the side of the ribbons, walking through the forest.


    As Yun Ge got further away from Candy Town, the temperature around him began to drop significantly, to the point where he could see his own breath as a thick mist. At the same time, the sweet smell that permeated Candy Town gradually disappeared. The damp and cold air became increasingly bitter and pungent, causing Yun Ge to tear up uncontrollably after inhaling it.


    In addition to the changes in the air, Yun Ge also began to sense danger at this point. The faint growls of wild beasts that could be heard in the distance while he was in the town had now become much louder.


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    Judging by the red and green lights that kept flickering in the surrounding darkness, the beasts emitting the roars were now no more than ten meters away from Yun Ge, making him feel as if he was in the midst of a pack of beasts. He hurriedly held his breath, not daring to breathe heavily at all.


    Fortunately, Yun Ge was quick-witted enough to climb up a large tree with lush branches and leaves in time, which spared him from being attacked by the pack of beasts immediately. Then, he squatted on a branch, gripping his sickle tightly, and kept guard against the pack of beasts gathering beneath the tree.


    Yun Ge squatted on the branch and confronted the wild beasts hiding in the surrounding forest for a while. He noticed that the beasts were just circling around the tree he was hiding in, but none of them jumped out from the darkness to launch an attack on him.


    Seeing this, Yun Ge frowned and couldn''t help but ponder: Could it be that these beasts are not good at climbing trees? That''s why they can only wander around at the base of the tree and are unable to attack me?


    Then Yun Ge had a second thought: No, that doesn''t make sense. I remember Uncle Shawn once said that some beasts in the Lost Woods love to climb trees to steal bird''s eggs. Moreover, some beasts even like to sleep on thick tree trunks during the day and only jump down to forage at night.


    Thinking of this, Yun Ge realized that something seemed amiss. Since many beasts in the forest can climb trees, why didn''t they attack him immediately after seeing him climb up a tree? If they did attack him, wouldn''t he be trapped in the tree with no way to escape?


    Could it be that the powerful beasts below have scared away those that can climb trees?


    Yun Ge quickly dismissed this guess and thought of another possibility: Perhaps they do not intend to attack me but are waiting for me to come down, or are protecting me? Or maybe, what seems like a siege is actually just to drive me away to prevent me from harming them?


    Yun Ge didn''t know why he had this thought, but after it occurred to him, he didn''t want to consider whether it was possible. Instead, he somehow gained a strange confidence that he would not be attacked by the beasts. Coupled with his eagerness to save Lily, he was unwilling to continue entangling with the pack of beasts. So, he made a bold move and jumped down from the tree.


    "Come on! You pack of beasts! If you want to eat me, then come and try! I''ll make you pay the price! Whoever dares to stop me from rescuing Lily, I''ll surely make them bleed on the spot!" As soon as Yun Ge jumped down from the tree, he immediately brandished his sickle and confronted the surrounding beasts.


    To Yun Ge''s surprise, after seeing him suddenly jump down from the tree and assuming a stance for a decisive battle, the pack of beasts roared and retreated into the surrounding jungle one after another. They kept roaring but none of them leaped out from the darkness to attack Yun Ge.


    This led Yun Ge to increasingly believe that the reason these beasts were emitting menacing roars was not to attack him, but because they sensed some terrifying aura from him and wanted to use their roars to intimidate him into retreating.


    After the standoff continued for a while longer, seeing that the beasts were just staring at him with their red and green eyes flickering and still had no intention of attacking him, Yun Ge boldly took large steps and ran deeper into the forest again. The beasts continued to surround him as he moved forward in the dark, as if they were monitoring his movements.


    Yun Ge ran for a long time under the watchful eyes of the terrifying beasts before finally stopping in his tracks. He had caught sight of a row of flickering lights in the forest ahead. Since the lights were coming from the direction of the altar, Yun Ge had reason to believe that those flickering lights were most likely the sacrificial team sent by the mayor.


    After all, the members of this sacrificial team were all the mayor''s attendants. Moreover, to ensure they could navigate the forest at night, the mayor had specially cast a protective witchcraft on them. So, no matter how one looked at it, engaging them in direct combat would be disadvantageous for Yun Ge. Therefore, hiding to avoid being discovered by them was his top priority at the moment.


    More importantly, after Yun Ge spotted the flickering lights in the distance, the pack of beasts that had been following him in the dark also became restless. This immediately made Yun Ge realize that something was amiss. So, without hesitation, he quickly climbed back up a tree to secretly observe what was about to happen.


    Sure enough, just after Yun Ge hid well in a lush tree, the beasts'' eyes flickering with blood-green light became eerily still. They shifted all their attention to the approaching sacrificial team, and after another brief period of agitation, they all ceased their low growls. Then, the misty forest fell into a deathly silence.


    Seeing this, Yun Ge felt a chill run through his body. Because he knew that the beasts hidden in the darkness had quietly entered a hunting state and had set their sights on the approaching sacrificial team.


    However, Yun Ge had no intention of warning the sacrificial team to be careful. He just wanted to quietly watch the impending struggle. After all, these guys were also accomplices in pushing Lily into the fire pit, and Yun Ge was more than happy to see the beasts punish these evildoers on his behalf!


    As the distant lights drew closer, Yun Ge gradually made out the approaching team, which was indeed the sacrificial team from Candy Town. There were nine people in the sacrificial team, each holding a torch formed by gathering fireflies together.


    Normally, such torches also had the function of dispersing beasts at night. But now, the beasts lying in ambush in the jungle were not at all afraid of these light sources and had instead prepared to ambush the sacrificial team. This further made Yun Ge realize the abnormality of the current situation.


    Yun Ge, realizing that something was wrong, held his breath and nervously watched the sacrificial team about to walk into this jungle. Because he had already anticipated what was about to happen, he also began to prepare to take advantage of the ensuing chaos to leave the area immediately.


    Because he knew that since the sacrificial team had already started their return journey, it meant that Lily, who was tied up alone at the altar, was now in danger. If he didn''t hurry to find the altar, Lily would truly be in peril!


    The sacrificial team soon strode into the area where the beasts had set their ambush. It was evident from the state of the sacrificial team that they were not at all apprehensive during their walk, knowing that the firefly torches in their hands could deter the surrounding beasts, coupled with the protective witchcraft cast on them by the mayor.


    It was precisely this careless attitude of the sacrificial team that caused them to completely lose their composure and quickly fall into a dangerous situation of being passively bitten when they saw the beasts charge out from the surrounding darkness.


    Although the sacrificial team was caught off guard and suffered a large-scale surprise attack by the pack of beasts due to their carelessness, it must be said that the protective witchcraft cast on them by the mayor was indeed remarkable.


    Because, not long after a few beasts knocked down the sacrificial team members, these beasts immediately fell to the ground as if they had been electrocuted, all struck by some energy released from the sacrificial team members'' bodies. They then began to convulse violently and wail in pain.

 Chapter 16

    Although the beasts that charged first were all knocked down, how could the already ferocious pack of beasts be intimidated by what had just happened?


    Immediately after the first batch of beasts was knocked down, the second batch pounced and launched another attack on the sacrificial team. The sacrificial team, which quickly grasped the situation, had also entered a state of combat at this point, each grabbing the machetes they carried and engaging in a fierce battle with the frenzied pack of beasts.


    Under the moonlight, the beasts with darker and brighter fur kept launching fierce attacks. But the members of the sacrificial team were not ordinary people either. They seemed to be battle-hardened, not only skillfully dodging the beasts'' attacks but also inflicting fatal injuries on the huge beasts with powerful and heavy strikes.


    The two sides fought fiercely under the pale moonlight, and soon the bitter and pungent fog was mixed with a strong smell of blood. When Yun Ge smelled it, he immediately felt a strong urge to vomit.


    Therefore, after making sure that both sides'' attention was fully focused on the battle, Yun Ge decided to jump down from the tree he was hiding in and leave the area as soon as possible.


    This was not only because the unbearable smell was becoming increasingly strong, but also because Yun Ge felt that the battle between the nine people and the pack of beasts not far away was gradually getting out of control. As for why he felt it was getting out of control, Yun Ge couldn''t say the exact reason. He just subconsciously thought that it was not advisable to stay here for long!


    So Yun Ge hurriedly jumped down from the tree, planning to take advantage of the chaos to shake off the pack of beasts and the sacrificial team and continue on his way. But as soon as he jumped down, he just happened to come face to face with several beasts that were rushing over to join the hunt. Because Yun Ge''s jump was too sudden, it also startled the beasts.


    The beasts soon realized that the living creature in front of them was not a member of their own kind, and then they all growled and approached Yun Ge, who was sitting on the ground.


    Seeing this, Yun Ge felt a sense of foreboding in his heart. He quickly retreated backward while sitting and at the same time raised his sickle with one hand, ready to fight to the death with the beasts in front of him, which had bared their teeth and were drooling with foul-smelling saliva.


    What Yun Ge didn''t expect was that after sniffing his smell several times, the beasts hesitated and stopped their approach. Then, they looked back and forth between the sacrificial team members in the distance and Yun Ge, seemingly falling into a dilemma of which side to attack first.


    After hesitating for a while, the beasts finally roared and rushed past Yun Ge, pouncing on a sacrificial team member who had his back to them. At this moment, other beasts that had quietly approached from the dark also chose to ignore Yun Ge, without exception, selecting the nine sacrificial team members who were fighting desperately as their targets.


    Seeing that the beasts rushing out from the dark forest around him did not attack him, Yun Ge finally let out a long breath and put down his arm holding the sickle. Because the situation just now was too dangerous,


    Yun Ge''s whole body was now soaked with cold sweat, and his body was shaking violently because the intense fear in his heart had not yet dissipated. Fortunately, Yun Ge had extremely strong mental resilience, which enabled him to quickly steady his nerves amidst the lingering fear.


    Yun Ge stood up unsteadily, confirmed again that the nine people and the beasts fighting not far away did not notice him, and the beasts rushing out from the dark forest around him also ignored him and ran towards the battlefield, he immediately gritted his teeth, dragged his still weak legs, quickly crossed the battlefield not far away, and did his best to continue running towards the distance along the ribbons tied to the trees.


    Finally, Yun Ge ran into a relatively open space in the forest along the ribbons tied to the tree trunks all the way. In the center of the open space, there was a wooden sacrificial platform.


    The platform was wrapped with colorful ribbons and covered with a thick layer of flower petals. Among these petals, there were also various foods made of candy shards. These foods were obviously prepared as offerings for this sacrifice, and in the middle of these foods, that is, in the center of the platform, there stood a thick wooden stake abruptly.


    Yun Ge immediately realized that this wooden stake should be the sacrificial platform for tying up live human sacrifices!


    But where was Lily? Why was Lily gone?


    Yun Ge was in a state of confusion and instinctively leaped onto the platform, calling Lily''s name while searching for her traces among the thick petals piled on the large stake.


    To Yun Ge''s disappointment, he did not find Lily in the thick petals on the sacrificial platform, but found several ropes that had been roughly torn apart under the stake. It was evident that Lily had been snatched away by some beast with strange strength!


    So, Yun Ge hurriedly jumped down from the platform and began to look for traces of the beast snatching Lily in the jungle under the platform. But to Yun Ge''s surprise, except for the footprints he left around the sacrificial platform, he did not find any traces left by anyone or any beast. This led Yun Ge to have an even stranger thought, that is, Lily was not snatched away by a beast, but just disappeared into thin air!


    Anxious, Yun Ge jumped onto the platform again and looked up at the night sky covered with thick fog. Because he thought that since Lily was not snatched away by some beast from the ground, it must be some flying beast that took her away from mid-air.


    If that was the case, then the top of any tree in the forest could be the hiding place of the flying beast. How could he find out where Lily was? Thinking of this, Yun Ge couldn''t help but fall into despair and helplessness.


    At this moment, there was a sudden rustling sound from the forest not far from the platform. Then, several beasts crawled out from the fog-shrouded forest. When Yun Ge saw these beasts, his heart was instantly filled with a chill.


    He quickly put away his feelings of despair and helplessness, drew his sickle again, and stared closely at these beasts. Then he found that they were the same beasts that had just happened to meet him when he jumped down from the tree.


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    The beasts growled and slowly approached, but they seemed to be full of fear of Yun Ge, so they did not dare to launch an attack rashly. The two sides confronted each other for a while, and then Yun Ge heard a rustling sound coming from the distant forest. Yun Ge immediately realized that it was the sound of more beasts rushing towards him.


    The beasts in front of him, which still did not dare to attack him, began to slowly move their feet and prepare to form a surrounding formation around him as soon as the rustling sound appeared. It seemed that they were preparing to attack Yun Ge together after more beasts came to support!


    Yun Ge did not know why these beasts were so afraid of him, but he also knew that this was not the time to think about these things. What he needed to do now was to take advantage of the opportunity that the beasts in front of him did not dare to attack him rashly and escape immediately! Only by evading these beasts first could he have a chance to continue looking for Lily''s whereabouts!


    So, Yun Ge suddenly swung his sickle forward and let out a roar. As expected, the beasts in front of him were frightened by Yun Ge''s sudden move and retreated in a panic. Seeing this, Yun Ge did not dare to hesitate. He decisively turned around and ran towards the depths of the forest while the beasts were retreating.


    Yun Ge ran all the way, trying to evade the several beasts that were in hot pursuit, and as a result, he ran into an area with even heavier fog unconsciously. By this time, the distance that could be seen in front of Yun Ge was only one meter.


    But even so, Yun Ge did not dare to slow down his running speed, for fear that if he was not careful, he would be knocked down by the ferocious beasts behind him.


    The good news was that the vision of the beasts was severely disturbed, and after Yun Ge turned a few corners in the forest, he shook off the entanglement of the beasts. But the bad news was that Yun Ge also completely lost his way as a result.


    However, the good news was that the beasts'' vision was severely disrupted, to the point where Yun Ge managed to shake off their pursuit after a few turns in the forest. But the bad news was that Yun Ge had also completely lost his way.


    Yet, Yun Ge still did not dare to be negligent. Because the beasts'' sense of smell was beyond that of ordinary people, so even if they temporarily lost their target, they might track down Yun Ge based on his scent.


    Yun Ge, who did not dare to slow down, was still running forward at a fast speed. As a result, while he was dodging and hiding around the trees in the forest, he suddenly felt a void under his feet, and then he lost control and fell into a deep pit.


    This pit was very deep, but fortunately, the pit was not vertical, but a pit like a slope. So after falling into the deep pit, Yun Ge quickly adjusted his posture and then slid all the way to the bottom of the pit along the somewhat slippery pit passage.


    The soil of the pit was unexpectedly soft and smooth, but suddenly falling into such a deep pit and rolling down all the way made Yun Ge feel that the framework of his body was on the verge of falling apart during the rolling. Yun Ge, who was battered and dizzy, did not know how long he had rolled before falling to the bottom of the pit.


    At this time, Yun Ge was lying at the bottom of the pit, in so much pain that he could not move at all. Coupled with the fact that Yun Ge had been in a state of excitement and high tension all night, which caused a huge consumption of his energy, he lay down at the bottom of the pit and fainted as soon as he realized that he had finally escaped the pursuit of the beasts.


    During his coma, Yun Ge had many strange dreams. He dreamed that he was running on a sunny prairie, running on a bustling street he had never seen before, and even running on hills covered with magma.


    However, no matter in which lively and hot environment Yun Ge ran, he could not feel any warmth. The cold air hit his face, and the icy spikes were deeply branded into his marrow, making his body so cold that it was about to stiffen completely on the spot.


    As another unimpeded cold current invaded Yun Ge''s chest, he finally convulsed violently under the pressure of a strong sense of suffocation, and then opened his eyes wide.


    At this time, Yun Ge found that he was lying in a pit covered with damp soil and a large amount of rhizome plants. Not far from the place where Yun Ge was curled up, there was also a thin stream like a thread.


    Above the stream, there were densely hanging unknown creeping plants, which were covered with densely packed honeycomb-like fruits, making Yun Ge feel uncomfortable all over his body as soon as he saw them.


    However, thanks to these honeycomb-like fruits that made Yun Ge''s whole body stand up with goosebumps as soon as he saw them, there were actually some fireflies sporadically appearing here. It was also because of these fireflies that Yun Ge''s vision quickly understood the general environment here after adapting to the light in the cave.


    Yun Ge, who had finally recovered some strength, quickly checked his body. He was very lucky. Although he had sprained his right foot and had many bruises all over his body during the fall into the deep pit, these injuries were not fatal. As a result, after resting for a while longer, Yun Ge stood up again.


    Yun Ge staggered to the place where he had fallen to check the place where he had fallen and tried to climb back to the ground along the original road. But soon Yun Ge found that the slope of the pit was steep, and the ground was as slippery as if it had been coated with oil, making it impossible for him to climb back to the ground in his injured state.


    Therefore, Yun Ge had to temporarily give up the idea of climbing out of the deep pit along the original road and sat down again in a relatively dry place.


    Yun Ge took out a piece of candy cracker bread that had been cut into small pieces for easy carrying from his backpack, spat out the blood residue left in his mouth, and then put the bread in his mouth and started chewing slowly. After eating several pieces of bread in a row,


    Yun Ge finally had some strength and gradually got used to the soreness coming from his body from time to time. So, he got up again and walked to the side of the small stream that he wished he could block with a slap, and slowly washed his face with the cold stream water.


    The underground stream water felt much colder than Yun Ge had imagined, but it was precisely because of this bone-chilling stream water that Yun Ge''s spirit became much clearer after washing up. Yun Ge got up, looked up, and saw several fireflies flying around the honeycomb-like fruits above his head.


    Yun Ge looked into the distance along the way, using the faint light reflected on the stream by the fireflies, and found that this small stream not only wound all the way into the darkness in the distance, but also the stream water was slowly moving towards the distance. This made Yun Ge immediately realize that if he followed the stream forward, he might also be able to find an exit to leave this cave.


    Thinking of this, Yun Ge rested in place for a while, then picked up a relatively straight branch in the cave as a walking stick, and continued to walk deeper into the cave along the stream.


    Because he was in a relatively closed environment, coupled with the fact that he had been unconscious for an unknown amount of time before, Yun Ge had no idea whether it was day or night.


    He, who had lost his sense of time, had no idea how long he had been walking along this stream. He only knew that this cave was much deeper than he had imagined. Moreover, judging from the feeling of his feet while walking, the slippery cave path under his feet seemed to have become a slightly downward sloping slope, which made Yun Ge have to be more careful when passing by.


    He was afraid that the slope of the cave path ahead would suddenly increase, causing him to lose his center of gravity and fall down all the way like when he came.


    Although the slippery cave path ahead was still winding downward, this time there was no sudden appearance of a large slope that made people unable to stand firm. However, Yun Ge, who was in an unfamiliar environment, still did not dare to be careless.


    Instead, he felt that after the slope under his feet increased, he hurriedly approached the wall of the cave path, so that he could grab the plants growing on the humid cave wall in time in case of an unexpected situation and falling, thus avoiding accidents.

 Chapter 17

    It was precisely because Yun Ge was now walking close to the cave wall that he soon realized the passage seemed to be turning downward, with some sections making rather sharp turns. This led Yun Ge to think that perhaps this tunnel might lead somewhere.


    What delighted him even more was that shortly after this thought crossed his mind, after following a sharp downward bend in the tunnel, he felt a bone-chilling gust of wind blow straight towards him.


    The wind was so penetrating that it instantly pierced through all of Yun Ge''s defenses, freezing him so much that his teeth chattered and his gums trembled. However, despite the biting cold of the wind, Yun Ge still felt a surge of excitement within him.


    This was because not only did he feel the strong wind here, but he also noticed that the tunnel ahead was significantly brighter than before. All of this seemed to suggest that not far ahead in this tunnel, there might very well be an exit to leave this place!


    Seeing hope, Yun Ge couldn''t help but quicken his pace and move forward. The oncoming wind grew even stronger, making him shiver uncontrollably. But even so, Yun Ge did not stop moving forward and was filled with curiosity about where the wind was coming from. As Yun Ge continued to advance, he gradually noticed that the originally damp cave was becoming dry.


    Not only did the soil in the cave seem to be frozen and gradually hardened, but even the surface of the creek beside him, which had noticeably widened, began to show signs of ice chips. These changes in the surroundings made Yun Ge extremely curious about what lay beyond the tunnel, prompting him to once again increase his speed.


    After walking for a while in the tunnel, which had clearly turned into permafrost with a layer of white frost on the surface, Yun Ge finally, after turning a sharp corner, saw light shining towards him from the distance. Yes, Yun Ge had reached the end of the tunnel and, as he had wished, found an exit large enough for two people to pass through on the other side of the tunnel.


    Yun Ge did not feel joy for having made the right guess. After walking for an unknown duration in a highly focused state, he was utterly exhausted. All he wanted now was to quickly leave this cold tunnel, return to the embrace of nature, and once again enjoy the pleasure of basking in the sunlight.


    Although the faint light created by the fireflies prevented the tunnel from being too dark, it was obviously no match for the strong natural light outside. So when Yun Ge first stepped out of the tunnel, he still couldn''t help but squint his eyes due to the discomfort.


    After Yun Ge was sure his eyes could adjust to the brightness, he moved his hands away from his face and looked up to examine the scene before him. As a result, when Yun Ge saw the sight clearly, he was stunned speechless.


    This was because, after opening his eyes, Yun Ge first found himself on a cliff covered with thick snow. Then, looking down the cliff, he saw an vast forest blanketed in white snow. It was obvious that he had entered an entirely new and unknown forest. What surprised and delighted Yun Ge even more was that he actually discovered a path leading down the mountain on the side of the cliff where he was standing.


    Although the path, covered by the continuously falling snow, showed no signs of use, the stone slabs laid on it indicated that it was definitely man-made. This meant that there must be people living in this area.


    Since Yun Ge had entered here through this tunnel, he had reason to believe that this was a mysterious forest unknown to Candy Town. Thinking of this, driven by curiosity, Yun Ge cautiously began to move down the steep mountain path towards the cliff, entering the green forest covered in snow.


    As expected, after descending the cliff, Yun Ge found another forest path with clear signs of human construction. So, he continued to follow this path deeper into the forest.


    Of course, Yun Ge was extremely careful along the way. Firstly, because he was very unfamiliar with this forest and did not know what kind of beasts might be lurking here.


    Secondly, the thick snow on the ground made it impossible for him to know whether his next step would be on solid ground or if he would suddenly fall into a pit.


    Thirdly, he was afraid that the people who built the road might have set hunting traps along the way, so he had to first use the branch in his hand to probe the reality of the path ahead before he could confidently step forward.


    Although Yun Ge was walking very cautiously, since he did not encounter any threatening beasts along the way and the forest was not filled with dangerous fog, he soon relaxed.


    Of course, Yun Ge knew that he had not encountered any beasts likely because it was daytime. So he did not dare to delay and quickened his pace, striving to find a place to hide before nightfall to ensure he could safely get through the cold night.


    If Yun Ge could not find a place where other humans lived before dark, then the best choice for shelter would naturally be a cave. Because the temperature here was really too low, Yun Ge did not think he had the ability to endure such a cold night in a tree. Of course, although a cave was more conducive to surviving the icy snow night,


    Yun Ge also had to consider whether the caves in the forest were inhabited by beasts. If he rashly entered a cave where beasts were hiding, wouldn''t that be like delivering dinner straight to the beasts'' mouths?


    In addition to the above two points, Yun Ge now had another worry. Looking at the white woodland covered by snow around him, he couldn''t help but sigh helplessly, "Alas! There''s thick snow everywhere. How on earth am I supposed to know where there''s a cave to hide in?"


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    Thinking of this, the sense of worry and crisis replaced the relief that Yun Ge had just felt. Fortunately, by judging the sunlight falling on the forest, Yun Ge thought it was still morning, and he had plenty of time to find a place to stay for the night. So, Yun Ge stopped worrying about his situation and quickened his pace again.


    Success favors the persistent, and Yun Ge was ultimately very fortunate to find a dilapidated wooden cabin by the side of the path. In the cabin, Yun Ge found a notebook, and through the diary-like entries in it, he learned that this small wooden cabin was actually a temporary shelter prepared for hunting trips.


    Yun Ge felt much more at ease, not only because he had incredibly found a place to hide before nightfall, but also because he could understand the content recorded in the notebook. This further indicated that there were people living here!


    He wondered if the people living here were also from Candy Town. But he had never heard of such an unknown forest covered in eternal snow beyond the borders of Candy Town. So, who on earth were they?


    Sigh! Regardless of whether the people living here were enemies or friends, he had to find them as soon as possible and ask for their help to return to the altar. If he delayed too long, he might really miss the chance to find out where Lily was! Yun Ge thought anxiously while watching the forest outside the window gradually darken after lighting the cabin''s stove.


    The first night in this snowy forest was safe. Although the night was accompanied by howling winds and heavy snowfall, Yun Ge did not seem to hear any beast''s howling. However, he soon discovered that in the nights of this forest, what was more terrifying than the frightening beasts was the low temperature in the deep night.


    Had it not been for Yun Ge''s luck in finding this small wooden cabin and being able to keep a fire burning all night for warmth, he might have been frozen to death in this forest before the next morning!


    At the break of dawn the next day, Yun Ge woke up in a chill. The stove fire had gone out, causing the temperature inside the cabin to drop again. But Yun Ge didn''t mind, as he had originally planned to stay here for just one night.


    Moreover, since Yun Ge had already found a cabin, as long as he continued to follow the path in the forest, he would surely find new places to stay. So, after simply tidying up and digging a passage in front of the doorway blocked by the night''s heavy snow, Yun Ge set off to continue walking deeper into the forest.


    Because the snowfall last night was heavy, making the forest path extremely difficult to recognize and much harder to walk than the day before. Therefore, to ensure that he could at least find the next place to stay before nightfall, Yun Ge spent the entire morning striving to make progress and did not dare to stop and rest easily. It was also because of Yun Ge''s relentless efforts that he finally found a three-way intersection at noon.


    Yun Ge was certain it was a three-way intersection because the path he had been following was suddenly blocked by a towering giant tree. Due to his work in honey collection, he was very familiar with the various markers set up by his colleagues in the forest.


    This allowed Yun Ge, upon seeing the giant tree at the end of the path and noticing a triangular symbol carved on its trunk, to immediately recognize it as one of the markers commonly used by the collection team.


    The meaning of this triangular symbol was: as long as you went around to the back of the giant tree, you could find a sign for a three-way intersection within ten meters.


    Strange, this was clearly the way the residents of Candy Town designed their trail markers! Could it be that there were indeed residents of Candy Town living here? Yun Ge thought as he walked around to the back of the big tree, and soon he found a familiar marker on the trunk of a relatively thinner tree about ten meters away from the giant tree.


    It was a cross-shaped marker. The vertical line of the marker was facing the direction of the giant tree, and on this vertical line was an additional pattern composed of two opposite arcs. Yun Ge knew this pattern represented the towering giant tree dozens of meters away.


    In the direction pointed by the slanting downward vertical line of the cross marker, and in the directions pointed by the two ends of the horizontal line of the cross marker, about twenty meters away, one could find the starting points of three relatively hidden paths.


    In addition to being able to determine the exact directions of the three paths through this cross-shaped marker, Yun Ge could also determine what areas these three paths led to by distinguishing the circular and wavy patterns carved on the left, right, and bottom of the cross-shaped marker.


    To put it simply, the wavy lines carved on the left and bottom of the cross-shaped marker indicated that these two paths led to the collection area. While the side with the circular pattern, the right side, indicated that that path was the way home.


    After determining the direction indicated by the cross-shaped marker, Yun Ge naturally chose to go to the right without hesitation. Relying on his experience,


    Yun Ge quickly found a hidden path paved with stone slabs in the snow about twenty meters away from the cross-shaped marker. So, Yun Ge immediately bucked up, carefully checking for any traps in the snow ahead while moving forward along the path as quickly as possible.


    After striving to move forward for an unknown period of time, Yun Ge finally saw a stone embedded in the trunk of a tree he passed by.


    Upon discovering this stone, which was clearly man-made and embedded in the tree trunk, Yun Ge''s heart was immediately filled with hope. Because this stone indicated that there was a town about five hundred meters ahead in the direction of its more prominent side, which was the correct direction to the town.


    Seeing this, Yun Ge immediately left the path and walked towards the forest in the direction indicated by the stone. After walking for more than ten minutes in the snow-covered jungle, he found another tree with a circular pattern carved on it. Then, under the tree directly opposite the circular pattern, Yun Ge discovered a path paved with a single row of stone slabs.


    While clearing the snow on the path, Yun Ge continued to move forward. After walking for a while, he came to a small hill covered with thick snow. Yun Ge first climbed to the halfway point along the path, then followed the winding route to the other side of the hill. And at this moment, Yun Ge also joyfully saw white steam rising from the mountains not far away.


    Finally found them! Seeing this, Yun Ge immediately shook off his fatigue and hunger and quickened his pace towards the direction of the rising smoke. Then, in the sheltered mountain recess behind the hill, Yun Ge saw a group of caves carved along the mountain. These caves were very primitive, but with the addition of wooden doors and windows and the clothes and food dried outside the doors, they still exuded a strong sense of life.


    As Yun Ge approached, he also saw two women cleaning the snow on the corridor outside the caves. Fortunately, these caves were built in a recessed part of the hill, and the protruding part of the mountain surface just happened to become the roof of these caves, cleverly blocking the heavy snow from last night outside.


    Therefore, at this moment, the two women only needed to sweep the snow that had fallen on the outer side of the cave corridor into the relatively flat open space below the circular hillside.

 Chapter 18

    While the two women were sweeping the snow, two other women were cooking something on the corridor on the third floor of the cave. The white steam that Yun Ge had seen earlier was coming from there. In addition to these four women, Yun Ge also saw two male guards outside the open area.


    The two guards, armed with crossbows, stood on the watchtowers on both sides of a stone-and-wood-stake wall. Although Yun Ge couldn''t see the expressions of the two guards, their vigilant posture suggested that this cave was not a place anyone could approach casually.


    Just as Yun Ge was about to wave to get the attention of the two guards, he suddenly felt a hard object pressed against his waist. At the same time, he heard an order from behind: "Stop! Don''t move!"


    Yun Ge immediately stopped in his tracks and raised his half-raised hands, saying, "Please, don''t hurt me! Help me! I beg you, help me!"


    "Help you? Tell me, who exactly are you?" the cold voice continued to question.


    "I, I really mean no harm! I accidentally entered this forest! Then, I just kept following the path and found my way here," Yun Ge explained.


    Then, Yun Ge quickly added, "Oh! Right! Actually, I followed the trail markers and unintentionally entered this forest! Because I can understand the trail markers you left in the forest! Because we use the same trail markers in Candy Town!"


    "What? You say you''re from Candy Town?" At this moment, another voice asked with a tone of surprise and caution.


    "That''s right. I, I am from Candy Town! No! To be precise, I ran away from Candy Town to look for a woman! In the process of searching for her, I accidentally fell into a deep pit. Later, I stumbled through the underground path of the pit and blundered into this mysterious forest."


    "I really didn''t mean to disturb you! I just want you to help me return to the Lost Woods so I can continue searching for the woman! Because if I can''t find her in time, she will����, sigh!" Yun Ge continued to explain, and when he mentioned Lily''s situation at the end, he sighed helplessly, not knowing whether he would have a chance to save her.


    " What does the woman you''re looking for look like? How did she go missing?" the second man''s voice asked again.


    "The woman I''m looking for is named Lily. She has long hair with a slight natural curl, and she''s very young and kind! She was chosen as a sacrifice by Candy Town and was forced to offer herself to the spirit of the forest to seek its protection."


    "I had planned to rush to the altar at midnight on the night of the sacrificial ceremony to save her, and then escape from Candy Town and the Lost Woods with her! But I accidentally fell into a deep pit while trying to evade the beasts. ��


    ��I, I must return to the Lost Woods as soon as possible to continue searching for Lily! I beg you, please help me get back to the Lost Woods quickly!" At the end, Yun Ge pleaded urgently with a voice that clearly had a crying tone.


    However, the two people behind Yun Ge did not respond but said in a commanding tone, "Put your hands behind your head and keep walking forward! When we return to the village, the Candylord will decide how to deal with you! Remember! Keep walking along this path towards the village! Don''t even think about playing any tricks, or I''ll shoot an arrow through your head with my crossbow!"


    After the man finished speaking, Yun Ge felt a cold weapon pressed against the back of his head. With both his head and waist held by others, Yun Ge naturally dared not move, and since he had no ill intentions and just wanted to seek their help to leave quickly, he obediently followed their instructions and was escorted towards the village.


    During this time, Yun Ge learned through questioning that when he saw the village, the guards in the village had also spotted him and immediately notified the two who had just left to patrol around the village. Then, the two used the information provided by the guards and their familiarity with the surrounding terrain to quickly approach Yun Ge from behind and successfully captured him.


    Yun Ge was soon escorted into the village by the two patrolling guards. As soon as he entered the village gate, he noticed that everyone in the village had come out of the caves. They were either standing on the corridor or in the open area in front of the village. It seemed they had all heard about the patrolling guards capturing a stranger and came out to watch the commotion.


    In the middle of the village open area stood a man who was obviously much taller and more burly than the others, and slightly plump. However, since the man was wearing a thick leather robe, Yun Ge couldn''t see his face clearly at first glance.


    The patrolling guards escorted Yun Ge to the man and said respectfully, "Candylord, this is the guy we found earlier. Although he was carrying a sickle with a slightly rusty blade, it seems to be just for self-defense and poses no threat. Also, he said his name is Yun Ge and that he ran away from Candy Town."


    Then, the two patrolling guards told the Candylord everything they had learned while escorting Yun Ge back. Yun Ge noticed that after the guards mentioned his name and the reason for his arrival, many women in the crowd let out gasps of surprise. The men, on the other hand, started inquiring about the situation from the women around them, and then everyone began to whisper and discuss among themselves.


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    Ignoring the murmurs of the crowd, the Candylord listened to the guards'' report and then said with a simple and honest tone, "Hohoho! So you are a guest from Candy Town! Welcome! Welcome!"


    After speaking, the Candylord removed the wide hood that covered most of his face and combed his black-and-white, thick, and dirty braids, continuing, "Hohoho! Welcome to Honeysnow Village! I am the leader of this village, named Tang Tang Xiong. But everyone is used to calling me Candylord, and Brother Yun Ge can call me that too! Hohoho!"


    "Hello, Candylord! My name is Yun Ge, and I''m from Candy Town. No, to be precise, I ran away from Candy Town," Yun Ge quickly replied, while staring in disbelief at the Candylord standing in front of him.


    Yun Ge was extremely surprised to see the Candylord''s true appearance because his face was covered with thick hair, and he had a set of teeth that sent chills down one''s spine. Moreover, even though the Candylord''s appearance looked like a black bear evolving towards a human form, Yun Ge could still tell at a glance that his features closely resembled the mayor of Candy Town.


    Seemingly noticing Yun Ge''s reaction, the Candylord awkwardly combed his black-and-white braids again and said, "Hohoho! It seems Brother Yun Ge must have been reminded of someone else upon seeing my appearance! Hohoho! To be honest, that guy and I are actually biological brothers, but it''s because of our different ideologies that I ended up here."


    Hearing this, a look of confusion crossed Yun Ge''s face as he waited for further explanation from the Candylord. However, the Candylord showed no intention of elaborating and instead revealed an extremely sorrowful expression, standing still and looking up at the sky where heavy snow was falling. The others present also stopped their conversations because of the Candylord''s words, and the scene fell into an uncomfortable silence. But this silence only lasted for a dozen or so seconds before it was broken by a woman standing in the open area.


    The young woman, who was quite attractive, mustered her courage and approached Yun Ge, asking with a tone full of caution and confusion, "Yun Ge, what����has happened to you? Don''t you recognize us?"


    Yun Ge didn''t expect such a question and looked at the other women the woman was pointing to, then replied in confusion, "Who are you? Should I know you?"


    Upon hearing this, the woman seemed to understand something, sighed disappointedly, and nodded affirmatively towards the Candylord. After exchanging a glance with the woman, the Candylord smiled simply and said to Yun Ge, "Hohoho! Since you are indeed a friend from Candy Town, please come inside and talk in detail! Oh dear! It''s been snowing for the past few days, and it''s quite cold. Everyone should hurry back inside too!"


    "By the way, Lauren, quickly prepare some hot food. I''m sure Brother Yun Ge must be hungry and cold after his journey. We must treat him well and not neglect our guest!"


    The woman named Lauren responded and left, and the Candylord walked up to Yun Ge, patting him on the shoulder amicably, then said, "Let''s go! We''ll talk inside. It''s quite cold, and we wouldn''t want you to catch a chill."


    With that, the Candylord politely stepped aside to indicate that Yun Ge should follow him.


    Seeing that the group had no hostility towards him, Yun Ge first expressed his gratitude to the Candylord with a polite gesture, then said, "Thank you for your kindness, Candylord! But I really can''t stay here for long! The reason I fled from Candy Town was to rescue a woman named Lily. She was forced by Candy Town to be a human sacrifice and sent into the Lost Woods. I must save her before the spirit of the forest takes her life!"


    "Therefore, I can''t linger here. I implore you, Candylord, to show me the way out of this forest as soon as possible!"


    "Ah! Even if the spirit of the forest truly exists, it may not be interested in the so-called sacrifices from Candy Town! Moreover, strictly speaking, you haven''t left the Lost Woods. This place is also part of the Lost Woods, but it''s a different area, which is why the climate here is so different from the Lost Woods where Candy Town is located," the Candylord said in a tone that seemed to see through everything.


    Then, the Candylord gave Yun Ge a mysterious smile and said, "As for the girl named Lily����, she''s very lucky, so you don''t need to worry too much about her life! Let''s go back inside and warm up, and you can also explain your situation in detail. Then, when Lily wakes up, I''ll take you to see her."


    "What?! Lily is here?!" Hearing this, Yun Ge couldn''t help but become excited and shouted loudly.


    "Hey! Can''t you speak a little more softly? Aren''t you afraid that your voice might resonate with the snow on the mountain, causing an avalanche?" the Candylord said, rubbing his ears and scolding him in annoyance.


    Yun Ge bowed apologetically, feeling very embarrassed, and then asked in a lowered voice, still anxious, "I''m sorry, Candylord! Did you really save Lily? The woman you saved, is she really����"


    "It''s her! We rescued her from the altar three days ago and brought her here. Plus, several people, including Lauren, know Lily, so we definitely wouldn''t mistake her. Since you''re so curious, why not come inside and talk in detail? I''m not keen on chatting outside in the cold," the Candylord said, feigning impatience before Yun Ge could finish his sentence.


    Since the Candylord had spoken, and Yun Ge was eager to learn more about Lily''s condition and why they had saved her, he didn''t hesitate any longer and quickened his pace to follow the Candylord back to his cave on the third floor of the village.


    The cave where the Candylord lived was much larger than Yun Ge had imagined. Although the furnishings were very simple, it could be said that all kinds of household items were available.


    These household items were completely different from the products of Candy Town, all meticulously handmade by the villagers according to local conditions. Although these items were roughly made, they had a unique charm when paired with the distinctive living environment of the cave.


    Yun Ge took a cup of hot tea from the Candylord, but instead of sipping the fragrant hot tea immediately, he cautiously sat down on a handcrafted wooden chair and then looked out the window. He noticed that the two guards who had escorted him inside earlier hadn''t left but were standing outside the cave with two other soldiers who had arrived subsequently.


    Seeing this, Yun Ge couldn''t help but feel a bitter smile in his heart; it seemed that although the Candylord had confirmed his identity, they still had doubts about his story of fleeing Candy Town.


    "Hohoho! After all, we still can''t be sure of the real reason you ran away from Candy Town, so for safety''s sake, I have to keep a close watch on you for the time being. If my order offends you, please forgive me," the Candylord said with a smile.


    Since he was now essentially under the control of others in this cave, and Yun Ge didn''t think he could defeat the Candylord, who was a bear-like yet human-like creature, in his current state, he could only force a smile in response, "I understand. After all, I''m a stranger who suddenly arrived here, and it''s only natural for you to be cautious."

 Chapter 19

    The Candylord nodded in appreciation of Yun Ge''s pragmatic attitude, then took another sip of his hot tea and said, "Good. Now, hurry up and drink that cup of hot tea! You know, this hot drink made from snow region herbs is very helpful in dispelling the cold from your body. Please taste it quickly! Otherwise, with such a low temperature, the tea will cool down soon."


    To be honest, although Yun Ge was thirsty and cold, he really didn''t want to drink the hot tea offered by the Candylord. This was because the mayor''s previous drugging of him and the attempt to erase his memory with witchcraft had made Yun Ge wary and resistant to food and drinks provided by strangers.


    However, considering that the drugs and witchcraft the mayor had used on him during this period had not been effective, Yun Ge had gained some confidence in resisting any tampering the Candylord might have done in the hot tea. So, after a struggle, Yun Ge drank the hot tea in one gulp.


    Of course, Yun Ge was still cautious while drinking the tea. He exaggeratedly acted as if the tea was too hot for his mouth, skillfully spilling most of the tea onto the ground. Then, with an embarrassed look, he apologized, "Oops! I''m really sorry! I drank too hastily and didn''t expect the tea to be so hot, resulting in this mess."


    The Candylord saw through Yun Ge''s little trick and couldn''t help but laugh, "No problem, no problem! I''ll have someone come and clean it up later! Hey! It''s good to be cautious when you first arrive! After all, these days, people''s hearts are unpredictable, and even those closest to you might betray you. How can we trust a stranger so easily?"


    Then, the Candylord gestured for Yun Ge to change seats and handed him a plate of steaming noodles, saying, "Forget it! Since we can''t trust each other for the time being, let''s establish some mutual trust through communication!"


    Naturally, Yun Ge didn''t eat the food offered by the Candylord. Instead, upon hearing his suggestion, he immediately asked, "Who are you people? Why did you save Lily? How is she now? What are you going to do to her?"


    The Candylord explained in a calm tone, "Lily was given a kind of psychoactive drug before the sacrificial altar, which caused her to be still in a state of confusion when she was found. This is because the drug affected her brain function, leading to a decline in her attention and memory."


    "Moreover, when we took her through the Venomvine tunnel, her nervous system was still somewhat attacked by the toxic gas released by the Venomvine''s fruit flowers. This is why she is still in a coma."


    The Candylord further elaborated, "Of course, since the dose of the psychoactive drug given to Lily by your mayor was not large, and we specifically cast a spell to resist the toxic gas on her before the return trip to ensure her survival through the Venomvine tunnel."


    "So, overall, Lily hasn''t suffered any fatal injuries. It''s estimated that she will wake up soon! After that, as long as she recovers her physical strength slowly, she can live like a normal person, just like the other women in the village!"


    Upon hearing this, Yun Ge couldn''t help but furrow his brows, "At least? Does that mean Lily will have a chronic illness in the future?"


    The Candylord said helplessly, "There''s no other way! You should know that the Venomvine tunnel we entered is inhabited by an extremely dangerous vine. The vine blooms a peculiar fruit flower all year round. The name ''fruit flower'' comes from the fact that this flower looks like a fruit."


    "The fruit flower secretes abundant nectar and releases a colorless and odorless toxic gas. Except for those fireflies, all other creatures will become paralyzed and gradually lose their ability to breathe after inhaling this gas for a long time, eventually dying of suffocation."


    "Given this, how did Lily manage to pass through that deadly tunnel?" Yun Ge asked.


    "Lily was able to survive passing through there because the psychoactive drug given to her by your mayor happened to help her withstand my protective spell. However, even so, Lily was attacked by the toxic gas while passing through the Venomvine tunnel and fell into a coma, thus leaving her with a chronic illness," the Candylord replied.


    "But you don''t need to worry too much. This so-called chronic illness will only manifest in Lily''s mental state and physical strength. Her vitality and mobility will be greatly reduced, and her reactions may also appear slower. But apart from that, she can still live as usual."


    "Moreover, through my many years of clinical research, the other women in the village can still recover their mental state and physical strength as long as they rest more and take the medicine I developed regularly. It''s just that this recovery process is very long. So, you must have enough patience with her," the Candylord added.


    Hearing this, Yun Ge slightly relaxed. Then, he asked again, "Why do the other women also have the same chronic illness? Could it be that they were all brought through that Venomvine tunnel by you?"


    Upon hearing this, the Candylord immediately extended a furry finger with hook-like nails and said solemnly, "First, I need to clarify that not every woman in the village has this problem. Because some of the women here, and all the men except my attendants, are survivors we found in the forest."


    "This forest is covered with snow all year round, so it''s actually very fortunate for them to be discovered by us in time. After all, the majority of people who appear here for no reason have lost their lives due to prolonged exposure to the harsh snowy region."


    The Candylord continued, "The rest of the women, like Lily, were ''lucky ones'' chosen as sacrifices by Candy Town and then rescued by me from the sacrificial altar."


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    "What?! They were all sacrifices too?" Yun Ge didn''t expect the Candylord to say this and stood up in surprise.


    "Otherwise, why do you think Lauren knows you?" the Candylord retorted nonchalantly.


    "So, your so-called rescue of them is not really for their sake?" Yun Ge ignored the Candylord''s retort and pursued with a tone full of caution.


    Upon hearing this, the Candylord immediately understood what Yun Ge meant and quickly waved his hands to explain, "Hey! Don''t get the wrong idea! I''m not the Forest Spirit that Candy Town worships! These women are not lives sacrificed to me! I won''t do anything to them!"


    "I just took the risk to save them for the sake of living better. If Rainbow Bear finds out that all his sacrifices have been secretly intercepted by me, my days will really be tough!"


    "Rainbow Bear? Who is he?" Since the Candylord''s talk contained a lot of information, Yun Ge didn''t know where to start asking. So, he could only ask about what he was most curious about at the moment.


    The Candylord pointed to himself with a smile and asked, "May I ask, Brother Yun Ge, what do you think I am? Or should I ask, what animal do I resemble?"


    "You resemble����, you look very much like a black bear that hasn''t fully evolved into a human form," Yun Ge replied with some apprehension.


    "That''s right! Because I am a black bear. It''s just that after years of cultivation, my realm has been elevated to the level where I can transform into a human. Rainbow Bear is the same as me, also a black bear spirit that has become human. But some things happened later, ��


    ��leading to a significant loss of my magic power and my regression to this current unfortunate state that''s neither human nor bear," the Candylord said with a touch of sadness.


    However, amidst his sadness, the Candylord didn''t forget to add, "Oh, by the way! Rainbow Bear is the mayor of Candy Town."


    Upon hearing this, Yun Ge jumped up from his seat again and exclaimed, "What? You mean the mayor of Candy Town is a black bear transformed?!"


    "Hey! Can''t you stop being so surprised all the time?" The Candylord dramatically clutched his chest, gasped for air, and complained with great displeasure.


    Seeing that Yun Ge was still very excited, the Candylord gestured for him to sit down first, then said, "Remember! We are not bear monsters! We are practitioners who have suddenly attained enlightenment after years of absorbing the forest''s spiritual energy!"


    "Our diligent cultivation is not for doing evil, but to comprehend the secrets of the laws of nature. After achieving the Great Dao, we will first transform into human forms and then strive to ascend to immortality in the future. It''s just that some things happened during our cultivation, causing our practice to deviate and slowing down our progress."


    Then, the Candylord began to tell the story of his past with Rainbow Bear.


    The Candylord and Rainbow Bear were originally two little black bears living happily in the deep forest. Every day after waking up, they would run and play in the forest without a care in the world.


    If they were hungry, they would suck nectar from wildflowers by the roadside, pick wild fruits or nuts from trees. If they were tired, they would hide in a secluded tree�� (cave) or simply lie on a tree trunk with lush branches and sleep.


    The two little black bears thought they would spend their lives happily like this, but after a stormy night with thunder and lightning, they suddenly found themselves with a certain degree of spiritual wisdom upon waking up. From then on, they gradually learned to think and study, and thus conceived the idea of cultivation.


    So, the two little black bears no longer played around but began a long journey of cultivation by walking in the forest from time to time and sitting down to quietly absorb the forest''s aura.


    Since entering the state of cultivation, the growth rate of the two black bears began to slow down, and they gradually lost the concept of time. Day after day, year after year, they focused on their practice, and time flew by until they finally transformed into two strong and mighty adult black bears.


    At this point, the two black bears could easily control their inner wildness and had also mastered the ability to communicate with simple language. So they used their newly understood communication methods to give themselves very primitive names. The Candylord named himself Celestial Way, and Rainbow Bear named himself Terranom.


    Later, as Celestial Way and Terranom made new breakthroughs in their cultivation, their bodies also began to change. They not only learned to stand and walk on their hind legs but also started to shrink in size and gradually shed their dark fur, revealing dark and shiny skin.


    Looking at the new achievements gained from breaking through their realm again, Celestial Way and Terranom were overjoyed and beyond words. However, with the emergence of their new forms, they soon realized the troubles brought by the changes in their bodies. The days of eating fruits raw and sucking nectar could no longer satisfy their appetites, and they also gradually grew tired of sleeping in tree caves every day.


    Since they couldn''t think of a way to improve their living standards for the time being, they could only continue with their current lifestyle. At the same time, they also began to study magic that could enhance the deliciousness of food and tried to use stones, broken wood, and weeds they found to decorate the tree caves they lived in, making their living environment more comfortable.


    Of course, if these problems could still be overcome by Celestial Way and Terranom through their efforts, then the following changes would only make them live in fear every day.


    As their human forms became more and more complete due to cultivation, they also found a very serious problem. That is, their aversion to the forest mist grew stronger, to the point where they had to cast spells at all times to resist, in order to ensure that their spirits would not be confused by the mist. Especially when night fell, they dared not leave their tree caves anymore.


    They did this, firstly, because the mist at night had a greater impact on their spirits; secondly, because they found that the wild beasts that used to coexist peacefully with them at night now regarded them with hostility. It seemed that as long as they were not careful, the beasts would swarm and tear them into pieces.


    Fortunately, they accidentally discovered that fireflies active at night could disperse the beasts. So, to avoid the beasts that surrounded them every night, they placed several wooden stakes filled with nectar outside their tree caves, using the nectar to attract fireflies to circle around the tree caves at night and drive away the beasts, thus preventing their tree caves from being attacked by the beasts at night.


    Therefore, Celestial Way and Terranom stayed hidden in their tree caves with peace of mind, focusing all their attention on casting spells to resist the more aggressive invasion of the mist under the night.


    Although with the mutual support of Celestial Way and Terranom, the mysterious mist of the Lost Woods never disturbed their minds, they had to continuously consume their magic power to resist the mist, causing their years of hard-earned magic power to nearly dry up, leaving them physically and mentally exhausted and suffering greatly.


    Fortunately, facing the setbacks on the path of cultivation, Celestial Way and Terranom did not blindly question but realized that these hardships might be an inevitable part of the cultivation process. Therefore, they never thought of giving up but persisted and continued to deal with these difficulties.

 Chapter 20

    Diligence pays off. After a period of effort by Celestial Way and Terranom, the two finally broke through to a new minor realm. With this breakthrough, a longing for something emerged in their hearts. However, at this point, they were not sure what it was that they so desperately desired.


    It was not until one day, when Celestial Way and Terranom went out to pick some fruits after daybreak and happened to encounter a beast that had been bitten by other beasts while fighting for food at night, lying in the jungle in pain and despair, that they suddenly realized what their desire was.


    Celestial Way and Terranom quietly looked at the beast, which had been bitten on one front paw and one hind leg, and both of them involuntarily inhaled the air, which carried a slight bloody smell. This was because they both sensed a taste of power from the bright red blood flowing from the beast''s wounds.


    Therefore, instead of letting the injured beast live or die on its own in the forest as they had done before, they decided to take advantage of the beast''s weakness and join forces to end its life. Then, the two of them pounced on the beast and greedily sucked its blood.


    The beast''s blood turned into power within them and quickly restored their magic power. From then on, the two learned to set traps to capture beasts and began to supplement their magic power by sucking the beasts'' blood, thus giving themselves the means to resist the fog for a long time.


    However, the crisis was not completely resolved. Because Celestial Way and Terranom were still constantly perfecting their human forms during their cultivation, the magic power they gained from sucking the beasts'' blood was decreasing. As a result, for the sake of safety, the two became cautious again.


    More importantly, the two also found that as their human forms became more complete, their magic power soared like an unbridled horse when they fought against the fog, causing their magic reserves to quickly run dry and soon falling into a difficult situation.


    This time, even with their good mental state, Celestial Way and Terranom could no longer hold on. The two began to review their cultivation journey, trying to find mistakes from the clues, and questioning their path of cultivation.


    Of course, only Celestial Way and Terranom knew how hard it was to cultivate to where they were today. Therefore, when they became more and more powerless against the invasion of the fog, the two doubted whether they had gone astray on their cultivation path, but at the same time, they were unwilling to see their hard-earned cultivation wasted.


    So, the two hiding in the tree cave continued to look for ways to fight against the fog while devoutly praying to the spirit of the forest. They hoped that the spirit of the forest would forgive their mistakes and guide their cultivation back on track, allowing them to completely get out of this crisis.


    Perhaps the sincerity of Celestial Way and Terranom really touched the forest spirit they believed in. In any case, after a stormy night with thunder and lightning, the two, who had fallen asleep at some point, entered a dream at the same time. In this dream, they listened to the teachings of an unidentified voice and learned through conversation with this voice that a magical flower called sweetaurum, which grew deep in the Lost Woods, could help them escape their predicament.


    Celestial Way, who always had a more unique understanding of cultivation, even mastered a technique of making candy using the nectar of sweetaurum flowers. According to the voice, as long as they made this kind of candy and tried it, they could resist the invasion of the fog without consuming magic power.


    "Are you saying that our candy-making technique comes from you? But why does the mayor always claim that the candy-making technique was invented after his dedicated research?" Yun Ge couldn''t help but ask.


    "Hey! Since I''ve already fallen to this point, Rainbow Bear naturally wants to take all the credit for himself!" The Candylord answered with a very open-minded tone.


    Although the Candylord seemed to be indifferent at this moment, Yun Ge still saw his reluctance from the fleeting evasive look in his eyes and realized that there must be some irreconcilable contradiction between the Candylord and Rainbow Bear.


    So, Yun Ge wanted to continue asking. However, the Candylord preemptively said that he would mention the matters between the two later and asked Yun Ge not to worry for now.


    The topic then shifted to the Candylord''s mastery of candy-making. In fact, this candy-making technique was a unique form of witchcraft, which just looked like candy-making when performed.


    Celestial Way and Terranom were naturally overjoyed when they saw this witchcraft after waking up. So, the two quickly packed up their things and began to pursue the mysterious place indicated by the voice in their dream.


    After a long and arduous search, the two finally discovered the first sweetaurum flower in a forest. Then, they soon found more sweetaurum flowers in this forest. So, the two immediately collected the nectar according to the technique they had learned in their dream.


    Celestial Way first integrated the blood they sucked from the beasts into the nectar, and then used witchcraft to slowly refine the collected nectar into a unique kind of honey. Finally, the two placed the golden candies, which were made strictly according to the size told by the voice in their dream, under the sun to dry, and thus obtained colorful candies.


    After making the first batch of candies, Celestial Way and Terranom were very excited. The two immediately ate a candy each according to the dosage told by the voice in their dream, and then something magical happened.


    Not long after eating the candies, the two experienced an intoxicating sense of satisfaction. At the same time, they also felt a significant increase in their bodies'' resistance to the surrounding fog, giving them the wonderful pleasure of finally being able to stand up straight and breathe deeply as they used to.


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    Moreover, the forest before their eyes seemed to have changed a bit. Although it was still the same forest, when the two saw it again, they also clearly felt an indescribable sense of happiness.


    A series of refreshing feelings made Celestial Way and Terranom couldn''t help but dance joyfully in the forest. It was at this moment that the two decided to settle down in this forest, where flowers bloomed like brocade, so that they could continue their cultivation with peace of mind from then on.


    However, the good mood of the two did not last long and was hit again at nightfall. They found that although the candies could resist the thick fog that spread at night, their effectiveness had greatly decreased and could no longer protect them from the harassment of the beasts at night.


    Therefore, the two could only hurriedly hide back in the cave and then use their own magic power to fight against the fog that constantly attacked their spirits all night.


    Fortunately, after taking the candies, the two''s ability to resist the fog at night was greatly enhanced, making this night not too difficult to get through. However, this situation did not make the two let their guard down, so after daybreak, they immediately started making new candies to verify whether there was a problem with the production process and technology of the first batch of candies.


    As a result, after eating the candies made in the second batch, the effectiveness still severely decreased at night.


    Celestial Way and Terranom tried their best to recall the knowledge they had mastered in their dream, and repeatedly confirmed whether there was any deviation in the candy-making process and procedures, but they still could not find a solution.


    After multiple attempts, they found that this kind of candy had a more significant effect in resisting the fog during the day, but its effectiveness seemed to significantly decrease at night. Therefore, the two still had to hide in the cave and not go out at night.


    Of course, as usual, the cave where the two hid could block a large amount of fog outside, but the remaining fog that drifted into the cave could still mentally attack the two. Therefore, the two began to look for ways to reinforce the cave, so that the cave could better resist the invasion of the fog at night.


    After some thought, the two quickly thought of the waste produced by Celestial Way during the honey refining process. This waste was rich in viscous colloid and could be easily diluted with water before it was completely dried.


    So, Celestial Way and Terranom decided to collect these waste materials, dilute them with water, and then mix them with soil to make a viscous paste. Finally, they smeared this paste on the wooden door shell of the cave and the soil layer outside the cave, forming a protective layer that could resist the invasion of the fog.


    The idea of the two was very simple: since honey candy could neutralize the mental attacks of the fog and reduce the impact of the fog on them at night, perhaps smearing the cave with waste containing honey ingredients could also prevent more fog from entering the cave, thereby further reducing the pressure on them to cast spells to resist the fog every night.


    Celestial Way and Terranom did not know whether their approach was reliable. But the fact proved that after they smeared this special clay on the outside of the cave, the fog at night really rarely entered their cave. Moreover, even if the fog entered the cave, it would not mentally affect the two at night.


    This layer of clay was like an indestructible shield, not only seamlessly blocking the invasion of the fog, but also miraculously greatly reducing the aggressiveness of the fog in the cave to the two. Now, the fog in the cave would only make the two more easily tired at night and very likely to have strange dreams when sleeping.


    "No wonder we suddenly become tired at night, it''s because of the influence of the fog!" Yun Ge said with a sudden realization.


    "That''s right. Although the candy''s effect in resisting the fog at night is greatly reduced, with the protection of the house built with clay mixed with honey waste, as long as we do not actively expose ourselves to the fog at night, we will still not be mentally disturbed by the fog.��


    ��In this way, the only thing the fog can affect is our mental state at night. However, since there is no fog in this Lost Woods, we don''t need to take candy, and we don''t have to worry about such things!" The Candylord answered first.


    Then, the Candylord said in a tone full of admiration, "So, you are really a very special guy! Because you actually managed to run all the way to the altar under the attack of the fog at night? You really surprised me!"


    Although the Candylord was praising him, for some reason, Yun Ge felt extremely uncomfortable with the praise.


    So, after hastily thanking the Candylord for the compliment, Yun Ge quickly changed the subject, "By the way, Candylord. Didn''t you say that you used to live in a cave? So, how did you later master the skill of building houses? Also, why don''t you lead the residents here to build houses to live in, but instead choose to live in the cave with everyone?"


    "Alas! I don''t want to live in the cave either! But considering that the terrain here is easy to defend and hard to attack, it is very suitable for our current situation. So, for everyone''s safety, we naturally chose to live here instead of ostentatiously building a village for ourselves!" The Candylord answered helplessly.


    Yun Ge thought about it and felt that the Candylord was right. After all, many of the women here were saved sacrificial offerings, so in order not to let Candy Town find out that their sacrifices were still alive, they could only choose a reclusive life. Thinking of this, Yun Ge couldn''t help but sigh again about the misfortunes of these women and also gained more respect for the Candylord''s righteous deeds.


    Then, the Candylord continued to tell his story along the topic of building houses.


    Celestial Way and Terranom thought they had solved all the problems in their lives and could finally continue their cultivation with peace of mind. But to their surprise, their good days did not last long before they faced a crisis again.


    After Celestial Way and Terranom cultivated into human forms, they also possessed the physical functions of humans, making their human forms closer to real humans. This change should have been a good thing for Celestial Way and Terranom, who had become refined, but as time went on, the two increasingly felt that the effect of the candy on them seemed to have weakened a lot.


    Originally, taking one candy was enough to ensure that they could resist the fog in the forest without pressure for the next three days. But now, they had to take at least five candies every day to ensure that they would not be disturbed by the forest fog within a day.


    As a result, Celestial Way and Terranom now had to spend a lot of time every day on collecting nectar and making candy to ensure that they could eat enough candy to resist the invasion of the fog. This made the two have no time to focus on cultivation, resulting in their cultivation speed slowing down again and again. Over time, the two even vaguely felt that their cultivation success had a slight regression trend.


    Celestial Way and Terranom would naturally not accept this situation, so they hurriedly sought ways to solve the problem. Finally, after the two explored, they concluded that the reason for the decrease in the effect of the candy was likely due to a tolerance reaction caused by their long-term use of the candy.


    In addition, their human forms became more and more solid, which weakened the effect of the candy on them, resulting in their current need to take a large amount of candy to effectively combat the spiritual attacks of the forest fog on themselves.

 Chapter 21

    There was no other way! Since the candy-making process and procedures were indeed correct, and they did not know how to improve the candy, Celestial Way and Terranom had no choice but to continue investing a large amount of time in candy production.


    They aimed to first make enough candy for their own use for a period, and then focus on cultivation for a while. Although this approach would still slow down their progress in cultivation, switching to a focused cultivation mode would be much more effective than the intermittent cultivation.


    While diligently working, Celestial Way and Terranom also devoted themselves to cultivation. Days passed by unknowingly, and gradually, the two finally felt a slight improvement in their realm again. However, they did not feel happy about this, and instead showed bitter expressions after the slight improvement in their realm.


    Because, although their realm had improved, their witchcraft power remained stagnant. More precisely, even though their realm had improved again, they were still unable to exert more powerful witchcraft.


    The two could feel that the power within their bodies had changed, but it seemed that there was always an intangible force restraining them, making them unable to fully utilize their strength and truly exert the full power they had gained.


    After carefully sensing it, the two found that this intangible suppressive force seemed to be the mysterious fog that filled the forest. However, sadly, even after knowing who the culprit was, they still had no power to fight against it. Because, after their realm improved slightly again, they soon found that the effect of the candy had dropped off a cliff.


    This led to the situation where they now had to take more than ten candies every day, and at the same time, mobilize their newly enhanced magic power to combat the fog''s attack on their spirits.


    It seemed that the higher the two''s realm became, and the more substantial the human forms they had transformed into, the greater the pressure the fog exerted on them. The more effort they had to spend to resist the fog''s invasion. As a result, the two couldn''t help but have a bad thought.


    It seemed that it was precisely because of the human forms they had cultivated that the effect of the candy became increasingly reduced, making it more difficult for them to resist the fog''s attack.


    "Since that''s the case, why don''t you reveal your original forms? If you appear in your original black bear forms, would you no longer be troubled by the fog?" Yun Ge interjected.


    "Hohoho! Terranom and I have naturally considered this, but we can''t do it," the Candylord replied with a simple laugh.


    "Why not?" Yun Ge asked in confusion.


    "Because, once we revert to our original forms, it would be equivalent to forcibly abandoning the results of years of hard cultivation. This is a near-suicidal act of breaking one''s cultivation, which is a great taboo for us," the Candylord said.


    "But if that''s the case, why are you now����" Yun Ge immediately pointed at the Candylord''s current half-human, half-bear appearance and asked.


    "Hey! So, this is also a choice made out of helplessness! Brother Yun Ge, let me slowly tell you, and you will soon know why I have become what I am now!" The Candylord said with a touch of helplessness.


    After realizing that the higher their realm became, the more problems they encountered, Celestial Way and Terranom inevitably felt a strong sense of frustration, making them gloomy all day long. However, the hardships and achievements of their cultivation journey so far still made them unwilling to give up.


    So, after readjusting their mood, the two once again prayed to the spirit of the forest, begging for mercy for their predicament and hoping to find a way to combat the fog and cultivate with peace of mind.


    To express their respect and devotion to the spirit of the forest, Celestial Way and Terranom not only continuously performed prayer rituals for the next ten days, but also, to demonstrate their sincerity, respectfully offered the beasts they hunted and the candies they carefully made as sacrifices during the daily rituals, placing them on an open space in the forest for the spirit of the forest to enjoy.


    Through the unremitting efforts of Celestial Way and Terranom, the two finally received a response again. One night, the two once again dreamt of that mysterious voice. The voice told them not to give up hope and informed them that in the following period, they should further expand the range of nectar collection. Perhaps, they could then find a way to optimize the candy and have the means to resist the fog''s harassment!


    Believing that the mysterious voice they heard in their dream was the spirit of the forest, Celestial Way and Terranom naturally did not dare to be negligent after waking up. Instead, they immediately started the new day''s nectar collection work with full energy. Then, following the guidance of the spirit of the forest, the two bravely went to more distant places to collect nectar.


    Why is it said that Celestial Way and Terranom had to muster up courage to go deeper into the forest to collect nectar from a distance from their cave? This is because the two had discovered a long time ago that since they had been cultivating in their cave, over time, they had formed a unique aura within their cave.


    This aura would diffuse outwards from the cave, forming an intangible field in the forest. As long as Celestial Way and Terranom were within the range of their own aura, they would be full of energy and spirit, and the effect of the candy would be maximized, allowing the two to better resist the invasion of the fog.


    At the same time, this kind of aura would also form an intangible deterrent to the beasts in the forest, driving them away from the area where Celestial Way and Terranom lived. This made the beasts unwilling to enter the core area of this aura even at night.


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    But once the two stepped out of the range of this aura, the effect of the candy would plummet like a cliff, forcing them to expend more effort to resist the harassment of the fog. Moreover, even the beasts that hid and slept during the day would immediately wake up after the two stepped out of the aura.


    Then, the restless beasts would constantly emit warning growls, as if they would seize the opportunity to launch a surprise attack on the two as long as they were slightly careless.


    Therefore, even though Celestial Way and Terranom had cultivated into refined beings, since they had not learned any witchcraft with actual offensive capabilities, and their cultivated human forms were much weaker than before, the forest outside their comfort zone had become a forbidden area that the two were unwilling to easily enter. It can be seen that for the two, the voice''s instruction to go to a more distant forest to collect nectar was indeed a considerable challenge.


    Hearing this, Yun Ge still couldn''t help but interrupt, "Excuse me, I would like to ask, why is it that during your long cultivation, apart from successfully transforming into human forms and mastering the witchcraft of making candy, it seems that you have not gained any substantial improvement?"


    "Alas! We were also very troubled by this at the time. Fortunately, later, when we began to follow the spirit of the forest''s will and expand our collection range, we finally understood why," the Candylord replied with a shrug.


    "So, what exactly was the reason?" Yun Ge eagerly pursued the question.


    "Well����, to put it simply, the cultivation we were engaged in at the time was just laying the foundation. After our foundation became solid, we would then have the ability to comprehend true witchcraft.��


    ��This foundational stage is very important and requires a very long time. In fact, even now, Terranom and I are still in the stage of solidifying our cultivation foundation," the Candylord answered after a moment of thought.


    Then, with a self-mocking tone, the Candylord said, "Of course, my current state requires me to spend more time solidifying the foundation. Sigh! I have fallen too far behind in this competition! If I don''t hurry up and cultivate, I''m afraid I won''t have a chance to turn things around in my lifetime!"


    Although Yun Ge was not clear about what the Candylord meant by the competition, he had already sensed from the Candylord''s words that there seemed to be an irreconcilable contradiction between the Candylord and Rainbow Bear. Naturally, Yun Ge was very curious about what the problem was between the two.


    However, since the Candylord did not want to answer too many questions before finishing the story of him and Rainbow Bear, Yun Ge simply continued to listen to the Candylord''s memories, hoping to find the answers he wanted from the story.


    The Candylord poured himself another cup of hot tea and then fell into reminiscence once again.


    Celestial Way and Terranom cautiously left the range of the aura formed by their long-term cultivation and embarked on a dangerous nectar collection mission. To ensure they would not be ambushed by beasts, the two not only set up temporary traps along the way while collecting nectar to guard against beasts but also maintained a back-to-back collection method at all times to avoid being ambushed by beasts due to facing the forest.


    Since the two had not left the range of their own created aura for a long time, they were both very nervous throughout the day''s collection.


    However, fortunately, apart from occasionally hearing the low growls of beasts, they did not actually see any beasts appear. They firmly believed that it was the protection of the spirit of the forest that made the beasts dare not act rashly, so they gradually let go of their nervousness and more boldly went to more distant places to collect nectar.


    Gradually, as the range of nectar collection by Celestial Way and Terranom continued to expand, the two were surprised to find that the aura they had created through cultivation was slowly spreading to the newly expanded collection areas. So, while the two continued to boldly go to more distant places to collect nectar, they also seized the time to focus on cultivation.


    Finally, after several dangerous explorations where they nearly suffered beast attacks and almost failed to return to the cave before nightfall, the two successfully expanded the area covered by their aura several times.


    At the same time, Celestial Way and Terranom also comprehended a new kind of witchcraft. The two could jointly cast this witchcraft to impose a restriction on the area covered by their cultivated aura, ensuring that the aura covering these areas would not be consumed, thereby turning these areas into their own territory. This allowed the two to at least not encounter beast attacks when entering these territories during the day.


    But once night fell, it was because this restriction would be quietly eroded by the forest fog at night, forcing the two to still hide in their cave at night and wait until the next morning to recast the witchcraft to reinforce the restriction in the area.


    In addition to collecting nectar, making candy, and cultivating, the two now also had to cast witchcraft every morning to reinforce the restrictions within their territory, which naturally meant that they had to spend more time cultivating to ensure they had enough magic power. However, facing the daily high demand for candy, the two naturally could not reduce the time spent on collecting nectar and making candy.


    This back-and-forth led to an even more tense life for Celestial Way and Terranom. To the point where they now had to further sacrifice their sleep time to make a large amount of candy, ensuring they had enough candy to support themselves for long periods of cultivation in the following days.


    Although their pace of life became faster and their lives became much more laborious after following the will of the spirit of the forest, the two did not complain at all this time. Because they believed that the spirit of the forest would not make them do this without reason, and there must be a deep-seated reason behind it.


    Therefore, what the two needed to do now was to continue to persevere and work hard. As long as they persisted and did not give up, they would surely find a way to escape their current predicament.


    Celestial Way and Terranom gradually adapted to this busy lifestyle. However, adaptation did not mean acceptance. The power of the candy was waning day by day, to the point where even though the two increased the number of candies they took daily, they still found it increasingly difficult to cope with the fog''s impact on their spirits.


    This led to the two experiencing mental dispersion and even a loss of consciousness. But even so, Celestial Way and Terranom did not experience a mental breakdown this time. Because the two firmly believed that the will they received in their dreams was correct, and as long as they persisted, they would surelyӭ��ת�� (ӭ���D�C) (welcome a turning point).


    And indeed, that was the case.


    When Celestial Way and Terranom, full of hope, entered the forest at the edge of their territory to collect nectar again, they unexpectedly discovered a new creature in a meadow where a sweetaurum flower grew. Since the two creatures lying in the grass looked exactly like the forms they had transformed into, Celestial Way and Terranom initially thought that these two unconscious strangers were also beasts that had cultivated into humans, just like them.


    But the two quickly dismissed their guess. Because they did not sense any spiritual energy on the two unconscious individuals, making them appear to be very ordinary creatures, only coincidentally sharing the same appearance as themselves.


    However, Celestial Way and Terranom soon revised their assessment of the two unconscious individuals. Because, as they checked the condition of the unconscious individuals and tried to wake them up, they noticed a deep wound on the back of one of them.


    The wound on this person was clearly inflicted recently, so bright red blood was still continuously flowing out from the wound, to the point where the clothes on her back had been largely soaked red by the blood.

 Chapter 22

    At the sight of the unconscious individual''s shocking wounds, Celestial Way and Terranom immediately fell silent. However, their silence was not due to the severity of the person''s injuries, making them feel incapable of healing them. Instead, it was because they sensed a unique, life-affirming, and hopeful aroma from the blood of the unconscious individual.


    This distinctive scent ignited a strong desire for possession in Celestial Way and Terranom, prompting both of them to momentarily want to rush forward and drain the unconscious person''s blood completely. But soon, they simultaneously recalled the guidance from the spirit of the forest in their dreams and realized that these two unconscious individuals were likely the turning point granted to them by the spirit of the forest.


    Thus, the two forcibly suppressed their urge to consume the blood and brought the two unconscious individuals back to their cave. Then, an even more gruesome scene unfolded.


    After tying up and setting aside the other unconscious person, Celestial Way and Terranom proceeded to extract blood from the wounded unconscious individual. They drained as much blood as possible from the unconscious person and then mixed it with nectar, handing it over to Celestial Way to use witchcraft to process the blood-infused nectar into honey. They quickly used the newly processed honey to make a batch of candies.


    With a mix of hope, anxiety, and nervousness, Celestial Way and Terranom each consumed one of the newly made candies, and then something magical happened. They soon noticed a subtle change within themselves��the fog''s power, which had once plagued them like a nightmare, was gradually diminishing until it completely vanished. The two couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief as the inexplicable pressure that had been imposed on them disappeared without a trace.


    Finally free from the fog''s harassment, Celestial Way and Terranom could once again travel through the forest with ease! Liberated from the fog''s���� (harassment), the two couldn''t help but embrace and cheer. Then, without delay, they turned the remaining honey into candies and began further testing the effects of this new candy.


    The good news was that Celestial Way and Terranom found that they now only needed to take one of the newly made candies to ensure they could resist the fog''s harassment for three consecutive days without casting any witchcraft.


    However, the bad news was that the effectiveness of these newly made candies still significantly decreased at night, forcing the two to expend a great deal of magic power to protect themselves from the fog''s invasion in the night forest. Therefore, they still had to choose to stay in the cave at night.


    But this outcome was enough to satisfy Celestial Way and Terranom. After all, they now only needed to take a candy every three days to ensure they could freely wander without obstruction during the day, and no longer had to expend magic power to struggle against the fog. In this way, they could naturally reduce the time spent making candies and thus devote more energy back to their cultivation.


    Of course, knowing how hard-won all of this was, the two immediately expressed their gratitude to the spirit of the forest through sacrificial activities after the problem that had long plagued them was resolved. They also promptly drained the blood of the other person who was still in a coma and made it into candies. In this way, the number of candies they had on hand was sufficient to last them for a considerable period.


    However, Celestial Way and Terranom did not let their guard down. Since they had discovered that the blood of these creatures, who looked like themselves, was an important material for optimizing the candies, they naturally made time to search the edge of their territory for the mysterious unconscious individuals they encountered from time to time, in between their cultivation.


    In this way, over the following period, the two discovered unconscious individuals in the depths of the forest on multiple occasions and, using the same method, mixed the blood of these unconscious individuals into the nectar to make a considerable amount of candies. Finally, they could let go of their worries and focus on their cultivation with peace of mind.


    However, after this period of good fortune, Celestial Way and Terranom faced a new dilemma. As time went on, they gradually found that the number of unconscious individuals they could find in the depths of the forest was decreasing. Sometimes, they couldn''t find a single unconscious person for dozens of days in a row. This once again plunged the two into deep anxiety.


    Because they feared that the situation would worsen, eventually leading to a point where they couldn''t find anyone. In that case, even though their current candy reserves were substantial, they would inevitably face the situation of being unable to effectively resist the fog due to a shortage of candies in the near future.


    After all, during the intervals when the two consumed the new candies, they also tried to intersperse the consumption of the old candies to test their effectiveness against the fog.


    Moreover, they attempted to make candies using a mixture of a small amount of the unconscious individuals'' blood and a large amount of beast blood, in order to reduce the amount of the unconscious individuals'' blood used. However, they found that after consuming the completely new candies, the candies mixed with beast blood no longer had any effect.


    Therefore, they had to continuously find new unconscious individuals and make new candies to maintain the status quo. Alternatively, the two could quickly cultivate to a completely new realm, allowing them to resist the fog''s invasion without needing to take candies. Otherwise, they would eventually fall into difficulty again due to the depletion of the raw materials for making candies.


    Thus, Celestial Way and Terranom had to return to a tense state of life, starting to search for unconscious individuals as much as possible during the day and only cultivating at night to ensure that the making of candies and cultivation did not interfere with each other. From then on, anxious emotions once again became an inescapable gloom in the hearts of the two.


    With their previous experience, Celestial Way and Terranom naturally preemptively prayed to the spirit of the forest again, hoping that the spirit of the forest could once again show them the way forward. However, this time they did not receive a response from the spirit of the forest as they wished. But before the two could feel disappointed, the situation took another significant turn.


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    Speaking of which, on this day, Celestial Way and Terranom finally had a stroke of great luck and discovered two unconscious individuals. So, the two quickly brought the two unconscious individuals back to the cave and immediately began the process of drawing blood from them. But to their surprise, while they were collecting blood from the first unconscious person, the other unconscious person suddenly woke up.


    After regaining consciousness, the person witnessed the horrifying scene before them and immediately let out a terrified scream. Celestial Way and Terranom, who were focused on drawing blood, were startled by the sudden scream and immediately moved to subdue the unconscious person who was trying to get up and escape from the cave.


    Given the strength of Celestial Way and Terranom, dealing with a weak unconscious person required no effort at all. However, the two only subdued the person and did not want to harm her further.


    This was because they found that the unconscious person not only spoke a language they couldn''t understand but also appeared to possess a certain level of intelligence. It was then that the two realized that the unconscious individuals they had been finding in the forest were not lowly creatures like other beasts, but a unique species with mature minds.


    This also made the two realize that there must be a reason why they would transform into the form of these creatures after cultivating to a certain realm. So, Celestial Way and Terranom decided to temporarily stop collecting blood from this unconscious person, named her Survivor, and attempted to communicate to find out the reason behind their transformation into the form of a Survivor during cultivation.


    Although the language used by Celestial Way and Terranom was not exactly the same as that used by the Survivor, there was a subtle connection between the two. Therefore, Celestial Way and Terranom quickly understood the Survivor''s language using the wisdom accumulated from their daily cultivation and, after a period of learning, mastered this language.


    Since mastering the Survivor''s language, Celestial Way and Terranom have further understood the identity and origin of this Survivor through communication.


    It turned out that this Survivor belonged to a species called humans. Like the beasts in the forest, humans are divided into two genders: male and female. However, humans highlight the uniqueness of their wisdom by creating two entirely new terms for their two genders��male and female. The two individuals found by Celestial Way and Terranom were both females of the human species.


    According to the Survivor, her name was Xiao Qing, and she was a pharmaceutical bio-researcher. The woman killed by Celestial Way and Terranom was named Xiao Jing, a senior civil designer, and Xiao Qing''s younger sister.


    Upon hearing that the woman they had killed was Xiao Qing''s younger sister, Celestial Way and Terranom''s expressions showed endless regret and apology. Because since they were two little black bears, they had grown up alone in the forest, relying on each other for survival. Thus, they cherished their bond deeply and naturally understood the heart-wrenching pain Xiao Qing would feel upon seeing her sister''s withered corpse.


    It was for this very reason that Celestial Way and Terranom felt compassion for Xiao Qing. Not only did they completely abandon the thought of killing Xiao Qing, but they also, out of guilt, decided to protect her safety. If given the chance, they even hoped to cultivate into immortals with Xiao Qing, thereby making amends for their crime of killing her loved one.


    Perhaps it was the sincere apology from Celestial Way and Terranom that moved Xiao Qing, or maybe it was because she knew she was no match for them and thus, to survive, she forcibly suppressed her anger and reluctantly accepted their apology.


    In any case, from that moment on, Xiao Qing became a new resident of the cave. Consequently, Celestial Way and Terranom, who did not want to turn Xiao Jing''s corpse into food, honored Xiao Qing''s request and buried Xiao Jing under a large tree at the edge of their territory.


    During the process of personally burying her sister, Xiao Qing naturally cried her heart out, to the point where she was too distraught to participate in the burial. Therefore, Celestial Way and Terranom naturally took over the entire burial process and even used specially made clay to build a protective barrier around Xiao Jing''s grave, preventing beasts from destroying her resting place in search of food.


    Of course, the specially made clay used by Celestial Way and Terranom here was, of course, the waste produced from processing honey with the blood of other people. However, given the terrifying origin of this clay, the two naturally had no intention of revealing the truth to Xiao Qing.


    In their efforts to bury Xiao Jing, Celestial Way and Terranom were so busy that they neglected Xiao Qing, who had been kneeling and crying behind them. It was not until they had finished burying Xiao Jing and concealed her grave with various branches and leaves that they suddenly realized Xiao Qing''s weeping had ceased at some point.


    So, Celestial Way and Terranom turned to look at Xiao Qing, who was still kneeling on the ground, only to find her collapsed and convulsing.


    The two hurried over to check on Xiao Qing and discovered that her consciousness was becoming blurred. Upon seeing them, she immediately pleaded with them in terror not to harm her.


    It was then that Celestial Way and Terranom realized that Xiao Qing''s mental state had been stable after regaining consciousness, causing them to overlook whether they should have given her a candy. Thus, Xiao Qing''s sudden confusion must have been due to the fog''s invasion of her mind.


    With this in mind, Celestial Way forcibly gave Xiao Qing a candy to eat. Then, something magical happened. Shortly after Xiao Qing swallowed the candy, her emotions gradually calmed down. Subsequently, her body relaxed, and she soon fell into a coma. Seeing this, Celestial Way and Terranom felt a great sense of relief and immediately carried Xiao Qing back to the cave.


    In the following days, Xiao Qing remained in a coma. Although Celestial Way and Terranom were uncertain whether Xiao Qing would ever wake up, the two, having decided to spare her life, still took meticulous care of her. They fed Xiao Qing candy on schedule every day to ensure that she would not die in her sleep due to the fog''s invasion.


    Of course, there was another purpose for this: they wanted to use Xiao Qing as an experiment. They were curious to see if she could withstand the fog''s invasion by taking only one candy per day.


    Fortunately, despite Xiao Qing''s continuous comatose state, as long as Celestial Way and Terranom fed her candy on time, her vital signs miraculously remained in a healthy state. Thus, with their minds at ease, Celestial Way and Terranom refocused their main efforts on cultivation and searching for other humans.


    During Xiao Qing''s coma, Celestial Way and Terranom traversed the forest day after day but still could not find any trace of humans. Although their candy reserves were sufficient, the fact that they did not use the blood extracted from Xiao Jing and did not kill Xiao Qing caused them great anxiety during this period due to the lack of raw materials for making candy.


    Therefore, when Celestial Way and Terranom finally discovered another unconscious man deep in the forest, their joy was evident. They quickly carried him back to the cave and immediately used his blood to make candy. However, just as Celestial Way and Terranom were about to slit the man''s throat and drain all his blood, a scream suddenly came from behind them.


    The two turned around to see Xiao Qing, who had awakened at some point, looking at them in horror. Because of Xiao Jing, Xiao Qing naturally understood in an instant what the two were about to do. Thus, Xiao Qing naturally screamed in an attempt to stop the two from killing the man.

 Chapter 23

    Celestial Way and Terranom expressed their helplessness, stating that although they were not bloodthirsty demons, in order to ensure that they could continue to live without being affected by the fog and to cultivate with greater peace of mind, they had no choice but to continue harvesting the blood of other humans.


    Then, the two also took the opportunity to explain the reasons for their actions and the dangers of the forest to Xiao Qing.


    After understanding the difficulties of Celestial Way and Terranom, Xiao Qing thought for a moment and then persuaded them not to kill humans indiscriminately. If they agreed to her request, she would be willing to assist them in continuously obtaining human blood to ensure that they could always make candy.


    Celestial Way and Terranom were very interested in Xiao Qing''s proposal, but they also questioned whether she could continuously provide them with human blood. Xiao Qing calmly stated that she was a researcher in the field of biomedicine and naturally had a deep understanding of the human body, as well as knowledge of how to collect blood reasonably.


    Xiao Qing further explained to Celestial Way and Terranom that as long as they could provide her with the necessary blood-drawing tools and ensure that the frequency and amount of blood drawn were appropriate, she could regularly and quantitatively draw blood from herself and the unconscious man to continuously supply them with blood.


    In this way, Celestial Way and Terranom would no longer need to harm lives continuously, nor would they have to worry about a lack of raw materials for making candy.


    To convince Celestial Way and Terranom of her ability to help them, Xiao Qing also introduced a lot of medical knowledge to the two, completely dispelling their concerns. Since it was the first time they had heard such rich and professional knowledge, Celestial Way and Terranom were both very intrigued and developed a greater desire for human knowledge.


    Therefore, while agreeing to try Xiao Qing''s method, the two expressed their hope that Xiao Qing could teach them more about human knowledge in the future to help them grow better. Seeing that Celestial Way and Terranom were willing to spare the man, Xiao Qing naturally agreed to their request.


    After reaching a consensus, both parties began to prepare for the upcoming blood-drawing work. The most important issue was how to make the blood-drawing tools. However, this problem was not difficult for Celestial Way and Terranom, as there was a unique vine growing in the forest.


    This vine had slender, hollow thorns and, in some parts, had tough, barrel-shaped, hollow seed pods with resilient skin. Xiao Qing cleverly combined these two natural materials with the sticky byproducts left from making honey to create exquisite blood-collection tools, collecting 100 milliliters of blood from herself and the unconscious man respectively.


    After successfully completing the first blood draw, Xiao Qing specifically explained the reason for drawing so much blood from the two of them. She stated that in the future, blood would be drawn strictly according to her requirements and quantitatively, and she asked Celestial Way and Terranom to provide her with enough food to ensure that she could regularly provide healthy blood while taking in sufficient nutrients.


    Of course, since Xiao Qing and the man could only provide blood regularly and in fixed amounts, the number of candies that Celestial Way and Terranom could make each time was very limited. However, considering that everyone only needed to take one candy every three days, and after Xiao Qing''s tests, it was found that she and the man recovered much faster than ordinary people after taking the candy.


    Therefore, even if Celestial Way and Terranom could only make candy regularly and in fixed amounts in this way, as long as they increased the frequency of candy making, they could still ensure that they had enough candy to combat the fog in the forest.


    Although the man''s coma lasted much longer than Xiao Qing''s at the time, thanks to timely and effective treatment, he eventually woke up smoothly. After experiencing the same emotional changes as Xiao Qing upon waking up, he finally gradually accepted the reality with Xiao Qing''s guidance.


    After that, the man introduced his situation. His name was Chen Qiang, who used to live in the mountains with his family, making a living by farming and raising livestock. According to Chen Qiang''s account, he was attacked by a dense fog while checking the growth of crops on the mountain alone, causing him to lose his way in the forest.


    Then, he was knocked unconscious by the increasingly pungent smell in the fog. When he woke up, he found himself lying here.


    Xiao Qing nodded and said that her experience was similar to Chen Qiang''s.


    Xiao Qing''s sister, Xiao Jing, was participating in a construction project in the countryside. Since Xiao Qing was on vacation at the time, she decided to accompany her sister to the countryside for a few days.


    Then one morning, while the two were climbing a mountain path used by villagers for leisure, they were suddenly attacked by a dense fog. The two quickly lost their direction and fainted in the suffocating fog, only to wake up shortly after being saved by Celestial Way and Terranom.


    Hearing Xiao Qing''s words, Chen Qiang asked her in confusion why he didn''t see Xiao Jing if she had disappeared with her sister. Xiao Qing replied with a sad expression that Xiao Jing had fallen and was severely injured during the ordeal, and had died of excessive blood loss before being saved by Celestial Way and Terranom.


    Upon hearing this, Chen Qiang immediately apologized for bringing up Xiao Qing''s sad past. Celestial Way and Terranom, who were processing honey at the side, looked at Xiao Qing in surprise, not knowing what to say for a moment.


    Because the two understood that Xiao Qing must not want Chen Qiang to know that they had killed many humans, so as not to worry that he would also fall victim to their actions, and thus deliberately concealed the true cause of Xiao Jing''s death.


    Celestial Way and Terranom were very grateful for Xiao Qing''s response, and from this, they saw the kindness in human nature, deciding that they would never harm any humans again in the future.


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    At the same time, the two seemed to understand why they had transformed into human forms during their cultivation. As black bears, their hearts were filled with the primal wildness of beasts, but they lacked the unique compassion of humans.


    Thus, they realized that if they truly wanted to continue advancing on the path of immortality, they must grasp the essence of human thought and first become two excellent humans themselves.


    The Candylord couldn''t help but laugh at himself when he said this. Yun Ge immediately realized that the Candylord must have suffered a setback because of this thought at that time.


    The Candylord''s story continued.


    As an experienced mountain farmer, Chen Qiang naturally adapted to life in the Lost Woods with ease. Thanks to his knowledge of wild vegetation and the environment, he quickly found more useful things, thereby helping to improve the quality of life in the cave.


    But that was not all. Since Xiao Jing had been a civil engineer and loved to build small houses by herself, Xiao Qing had also accompanied Xiao Jing on multiple occasions to build many small houses for people to live in, which made Xiao Qing knowledgeable about the skills and techniques of house construction.


    Adding to this, as a farmer living in the mountains and forests, Chen Qiang often built simple houses by himself. Thus, the two shared the same���� (concept) and soon found a flat and pleasant woodland area near the cave, where they quickly built a small house with a yard for everyone to live in.


    Since the arrival of Xiao Qing and Chen Qiang, the knowledge of Celestial Way and Terranom has been enriched. Moreover, the two also very much enjoyed participating in the work of Xiao Qing and Chen Qiang, which made their originally monotonous life, which was nothing but cultivation, nectar collection, and candy making every day, become much more interesting. Celestial Way and Terranom also experienced the joy of being human for the first time.


    After that, Xiao Qing and Chen Qiang also joined the ranks of nectar collection. The two also constructed a more efficient nectar collection strategy based on Chen Qiang''s years of experience in collecting crops and herbs in the mountains.


    In this way, Celestial Way and Terranom only needed to ensure the quality of the processed honey, and then hand over the work of collecting nectar and making candy to Xiao Qing and Chen Qiang, so that they could spend more time on cultivation.


    Later, as Xiao Qing and Chen Qiang occasionally found survivors while collecting nectar, the team around Celestial Way and Terranom had quietly grown to more than twenty people.


    And around the first small house they built, more than a dozen small houses had been constructed one after another. The prototype of Candy Town, a small village called Heaven and Earth Village, thus emerged in this forest.


    After more than twenty people joined Celestial Way and Terranom, they haven''t found any new survivors for a long time. However, Celestial Way and Terranom were not particularly concerned about this.


    Because under the scheduling of Xiao Qing and Chen Qiang, the twenty-person blood donation team could provide them with a stable supply of blood in an orderly manner, ensuring the raw material needs for candy production.


    Moreover, these people, under the leadership of Xiao Qing and Chen Qiang, have completely taken over all the work of candy making except for honey processing. And they have also fully assumed the construction and operation of Heaven and Earth Village with their respective knowledge and skills.


    So now, Celestial Way and Terranom don''t have to worry about daily life at all, but can instead focus almost all their energy on cultivation. Celestial Way, by learning the medical knowledge taught by Xiao Qing, continuously improved his level of witchcraft in medicine and potions, making the quality of the honey he processed higher and higher, and the medicinal effect of the candy stronger and stronger.


    As a result, the bodies of the more than twenty people became increasingly strong, and their lifespans were significantly extended due to the medicinal effect of the candy. Celestial Way also developed a kind of hallucinatory witchcraft using candy as a medium.


    This allowed the more than twenty humans to experience hallucinations after eating the candy, transforming the simple little village in their eyes from a dilapidated place into a dreamland shining with brilliance, filled with warmth and laughter.


    Although Xiao Qing and the others knew that the prosperity they saw was an illusion, the group, who had been away from home for a long time, were happy to accept these illusions because they brought them a sense of belonging, and they lived happily in this illusion.


    Seeing Xiao Qing and the others living so happily in the illusion, Celestial Way and Terranom were naturally very pleased. On one hand, they were delighted that they had helped everyone regain the feeling of home; on the other hand, they knew that in this way, Xiao Qing and the others would be more at ease living here, and they would no longer have to worry about losing the blood supply for candy making if these people suddenly left.


    Everyone lived in a harmonious atmosphere, and Terranom, whose cultivation achievements were not as great as Celestial Way''s, finally comprehended an ancient puppet witchcraft through cultivation.


    This ancient puppet witchcraft seemed to be intricately connected to Xiao Qing''s medical skills. As a result, after comprehending the puppet witchcraft, Terranom finally understood some of the medical knowledge that Xiao Qing had taught him.


    In addition, since the more than twenty villagers of Heaven and Earth Village generously taught all the knowledge they had to Celestial Way and Terranom, the two also generously shared their witchcraft with them, hoping that they could become new companions on their path to leisure.


    However, since Xiao Qing and the others were just ordinary humans, even though Celestial Way and Terranom had been trying to lead them into the world of immortality, they could never truly grasp the essence of cultivation.


    Although they could not grasp the essence of cultivation due to their limited talent, Xiao Qing and the others, after gaining an in-depth understanding of many knowledge related to cultivation, still developed a great interest in this very mysterious discipline. As a result, whenever they had time, they would gather around Celestial Way and Terranom, meditating with them and continuously trying to comprehend the path of cultivation.


    At this point, life in Heaven and Earth Village appeared to be very harmonious and happy. However, in reality, there had always been hidden dangers in the life of Heaven and Earth Village.


    With the joint efforts of Xiao Qing and others, not only was Heaven and Earth Village being built to increasingly resemble a human civilized society, but Celestial Way and Terranom also experienced the beauty of human life. At this moment, Celestial Way and Terranom truly believed that they would continue to live happily without worries until they cultivated into immortals.


    However, what Celestial Way and Terranom did not know was that the villagers, who had completely won their trust and were even regarded as family, had quietly developed the idea of breaking free after their lives became stable.


    Speaking of Xiao Qing and Chen Qiang, as the earliest survivors to follow Celestial Way and Terranom, they had gained a fairly deep understanding of the two through long-term contact. In their eyes, although Celestial Way and Terranom were two monsters that had cultivated into human forms from black bears and possessed magical powers unmatched by humans, their nature was not evil.


    Moreover, although Celestial Way and Terranom had transformed into humans, since they had never lived in a real human society, their thinking was actually very naive.


    In addition, out of curiosity and a desire for mysterious power, Xiao Qing and others had always been asking Celestial Way and Terranom for methods of cultivating immortality.


    Although Xiao Qing and others were limited by their talent and could never truly grasp the path of cultivation, through long-term contact, they also gained a fairly in-depth understanding of the current cultivation status of Celestial Way and Terranom.

 Chapter 24

    Although Celestial Way and Terranom had cultivated from black bears into human forms and mastered some witchcraft beyond human knowledge, in reality, the witchcraft they mastered was not as powerful or terrifying as one might imagine.


    In fact, during their cultivation into human forms, their originally strong physiques had significantly weakened. It was precisely because Xiao Qing recognized these issues with Celestial Way and Terranom that she saw hope in dealing with them.


    Speaking of this, the Candylord sighed with a tone of obvious regret before continuing, "Sigh! I actually understand what Xiao Qing and the others were thinking. They are, after all, from another world and naturally want to escape the Lost Woods and return to their own homes. We, on the other hand, were too naive, mistakenly believing that they had settled for the status quo and were willing to live with us in this forest forever."


    "Moreover, with the magical powers we gained from cultivation, we considered ourselves superior to them. This led to a lack of vigilance on our part, and ultimately, we stumbled and fell for Xiao Qing''s tricks."


    "So, what exactly happened later?" Yun Ge asked.


    "Sigh! It all starts with Xiao Qing, that cunning woman!" The Candylord sighed regretfully again, then continued to recall the events of that year.


    Xiao Qing was a young woman full of wisdom. Possessing an unparalleled learning talent from a young age, she had already obtained her Ph.D. in biology in her teens and became a senior researcher in biomedical studies in her early twenties.


    This was why Xiao Qing could impart a wealth of knowledge to Celestial Way and Terranom, becoming the person they respected and trusted the most, and thus becoming the village head of Heaven and Earth Village.


    However, as mentioned earlier, because Celestial Way and Terranom did not know what the real human society was like, they were unaware of the complexity of humans. This led to the naive duo pouring out all their secrets to Xiao Qing without reservation, making her fully aware of every detail about them. It was for this reason that Xiao Qing learned that the true strength of the two was not invincible.


    Furthermore, one day at a village gathering, Celestial Way and Terranom casually mentioned the mysterious teleportation technique they had accidentally realized during the gathering, and informed the villagers that they planned to attempt to cast this spell to take everyone to another world more suitable for their further cultivation when they achieved the Great Dao.


    This immediately stirred Xiao Qing''s heart, who originally only had a longing for home, with a strong desire to return to her hometown using this spell. So, Xiao Qing, with a sudden thought, began to discreetly inquire about the details of the teleportation technique.


    Celestial Way and Terranom, who had always been unguarded with Xiao Qing and the others, generously shared the specific information about this teleportation technique.


    According to Xiao Qing''s understanding, this teleportation technique was, overall, actually very easy to activate. However, to make the teleportation spell effective, Celestial Way and Terranom needed to use themselves as a medium, sacrificing their physical bodies to transform into the powerful force driving the teleportation spell.


    This was why Celestial Way and Terranom planned to wait until they had achieved the Great Dao and could transcend their physical bodies to become immortals before offering their bodies to activate the teleportation array, then taking all the villagers away from the forest to another world more suitable for immortals to live in.


    After confirming that Celestial Way and Terranom were not just daydreaming but had indeed realized through their cultivation that their ideas could be achieved, Xiao Qing put on an eager-to-learn expression and asked if she could also activate this spell.


    Celestial Way and Terranom, with the intention of sharing their cultivation success with their friends, told Xiao Qing without reservation that activating this teleportation spell was not difficult at all. Any mortal who could accurately chant the incantation could give it a try.


    Moreover, although Xiao Qing had not yet grasped the way of cultivation, having long accompanied Celestial Way and Terranom, she had quietly developed a bit of spiritual nature within her.


    Coupled with her exceptional intelligence and linguistic talent, Xiao Qing had long since mastered the witch''s Omen Language necessary for casting witchcraft. Therefore, Xiao Qing could naturally easily activate this teleportation spell as well.


    Hearing this, the restless emotions in Xiao Qing''s heart could no longer be suppressed. So, after the gathering ended and she confirmed that Celestial Way and Terranom had returned to their room and entered a state of cultivation again, she secretly gathered all the villagers and openly shared her thoughts with everyone.


    As Xiao Qing had anticipated, although the villagers acknowledged that Celestial Way and Terranom had treated them well, and although they had adapted to life here and, because of trying the candy, not only were their bodies exceptionally healthy, but their rate of aging had also become extremely slow, who would be willing to miss the opportunity to escape the bewildering forest and return to their homeland?


    So, after listening to Xiao Qing''s thoughts, everyone immediately voted unanimously on the spot, willing to follow Xiao Qing''s lead to find a way to leave here as soon as possible. Of course, before formally devising the escape plan, the villagers needed to confirm one thing.


    That was, as Celestial Way and Terranom had said, if they wanted to use this teleportation spell to go to the next cultivation sanctuary after achieving the Great Dao, they must concentrate their thoughts on the same destination upon entering the spell. Otherwise, the teleportation spell would fail due to the lack of unified belief among the spell''s users.


    Considering that the villagers came from different human worlds, everyone now had to ensure that they could work together with a single purpose, concentrating their beliefs on one person''s world, in order to ensure that everyone had a chance to escape this world using the teleportation spell.


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    This issue was naturally quite thorny. After all, everyone wanted to return to their own world, but according to Celestial Way and Terranom, with their current abilities, they could only cast the teleportation spell once.


    Therefore, if the villagers wanted to return to the human world, many people would have to make sacrifices, concentrating everyone''s will on going to one person''s world, to ensure the successful casting of the teleportation spell.


    This matter was indeed very perplexing, as everyone desired to return to their own homes and embrace their families and lives once more. However, one must give to receive.


    After this period of communal living, the villagers, who had become united, naturally did not wish for individual selfishness to affect this rare opportunity to escape. Thus, the villagers decided that since they could only go to one person''s world, they might as well choose a world that could offer them a better life.


    After lengthy discussions among the villagers, everyone ultimately agreed to go to Xiao Qing''s world. Comparing the living conditions and status of the villagers in their respective worlds,


    Xiao Qing''s original world clearly offered a higher standard of living. Therefore, if everyone went to Xiao Qing''s world, they could naturally, with Xiao Qing''s help, all live much happier lives than before.


    Why did everyone ultimately decide to go to Xiao Qing''s world?


    Apart from Xiao Qing being the most intelligent person in Heaven and Earth Village, possessing unparalleled debating skills that allowed her to easily persuade everyone, we must also mention another identity of Xiao Qing in her own world��she was a senior researcher at a special organization.


    In fact, Xiao Qing was a senior researcher at an organization dedicated to studying supernatural forces. Her research topic before coming to the Lost Woods was to seek innovative medical technologies to enhance human medical standards by studying extraterrestrial biological samples brought back by humans from outer space.


    Due to the uniqueness of Xiao Qing''s work, she not only had extraordinary social connections but also had control over a substantial research fund. Therefore, as long as Xiao Qing personally persuaded her superiors, she could ensure that these villagers would receive government protection upon arriving in her world. Moreover, everyone could obtain well-paid positions at the organization where she worked, based on their experiences, and thus live a life without worries.


    Since Xiao Qing was diligent in her work and had a kind personality with strong leadership abilities, coupled with her extensive knowledge that made her a mentor and friend to Celestial Way and Terranom, and even at times made them follow her arrangements, she had become, to a certain extent, the most prestigious figure in Heaven and Earth Village. As a result, the villagers naturally placed absolute trust in Xiao Qing.


    However, what the villagers did not know was that Xiao Qing''s wisdom and unique professional experience made her strategies far superior to her peers. The reason Xiao Qing tirelessly persuaded the villagers to go to her world was fundamentally out of self-interest. She planned that once she returned to her world with the villagers, she would have sufficient evidence to prove that she had visited another world.


    In this way, Xiao Qing would undoubtedly become a prominent figure in her organization, gaining the attention of the higher-ups, and thus obtaining a position with richer research resources and higher remuneration!


    Of course, what was important to Xiao Qing was that bringing these people back would not only benefit her career but also allow her to completely escape her current department, especially its leadership. Every time Xiao Qing thought of the lewd look on her leader''s face, she couldn''t help but feel a wave of nausea.


    "So, how did you come to know about Xiao Qing''s plans?" Yun Ge interrupted, puzzled.


    "Because Terranom and I naively regarded Xiao Qing and the others as our family, we never doubted their loyalty, nor did we detect their secret plotting," the Candylord replied with a touch of irony.


    "But fortune favors the prepared mind. Just as we didn''t expect Xiao Qing and the others to betray us, they naturally didn''t anticipate that a traitor would emerge among the villagers. This leads us to another individual who had been with us from the very beginning," the Candylord continued with a sardonic tone.


    Apart from Xiao Qing, Chen Qiang was the one who had been with Celestial Way and Terranom the longest. In contrast to Xiao Qing, who was always in the limelight assisting Celestial Way and Terranom, Chen Qiang remained discreetly by Xiao Qing''s side, content to be the supporting leaf to her blossoming flower.


    More importantly, since Xiao Qing had been single before arriving in the Lost Woods, and Chen Qiang, hailing from a poor background, had also remained single.


    Thus, after supporting each other as survivors for a period and discovering many admirable qualities in one another, they naturally became a couple. Shortly after the establishment of Heaven and Earth Village, the couple was blessed with twins, a boy and a girl.


    The birth of these twins was another strong motivation for Xiao Qing to return to her world after seeing hope. After all, who wouldn''t want their children to grow up in a better environment?


    However, what Xiao Qing did not anticipate was that Chen Qiang, who had always supported her silently, genuinely did not wish to leave the Lost Woods. As mentioned earlier, Chen Qiang was a mountain farmer who cultivated crops in the wilderness. The reason he chose to stay in the mountains and farm at the prime age of thirty-something was related to his family background and personality.


    Chen Qiang was born in a remote rural village nestled in the mountains, which made the village''s economy underdeveloped and its people''s thinking and living conditions far behind the outside world.


    Coupled with the fact that Chen Qiang''s family was the poorest in the village, he became the object of ridicule among the village children from a young age, leading to a life of inferiority and an increasingly reclusive personality.


    Later, with the construction of new roads, the village was no longer cut off from the outside world. As villagers strengthened their connections with the outside, their economic conditions gradually improved.


    However, since Chen Qiang''s family had long been unwelcome among the villagers and no one was willing to help them out of poverty, their economic situation not only failed to improve but also fell further behind compared to other villagers.


    Finally, the village head, under the guise of helping Chen Qiang''s family escape poverty as soon as possible, allocated a piece of land on the mountain for them to cultivate. But in reality, the village head merely wanted to create a new image for himself and forcibly relocated Chen Qiang''s family to the mountains.


    Although Chen Qiang''s family could farm on this land, the limited conditions of the mountainous area meant that the variety of crops they could plant was very limited, and their annual harvest was barely enough to feed their family.


    Now, other villagers were either working outside to earn money or planting higher-quality crops on better land to make a living, all bustling with activity. This made Chen Qiang''s family, living on the mountain, seem even more out of place, further distancing their lives from the village.


    Under such circumstances, naturally, no one was willing to play matchmaker for Chen Qiang. Well aware of his own poor prospects, Chen Qiang did not dare to dream of a happy life with a wife and children, and thus early on accepted the fate of spending his life with his parents.


    Of course, although Chen Qiang accepted his life, it did not mean that he would stop yearning for a better life. This was why, when Chen Qiang found himself trapped in the Lost Woods and unable to return home, although he was worried about his parents, after finding love, he resolutely chose to stay in this other world.

 Chapter 25

    After learning there was a chance to leave the Lost Woods, Chen Qiang naturally wanted to take his wife and children back to his world. He longed for his parents to hold their grandchildren, for Xiao Qing to meet his family, and for his parents to stand tall with pride among their fellow villagers.


    But then what? Would a woman as outstanding as Xiao Qing really be willing to live with him in the impoverished deep mountains? Would she really subject their children to the same life of poverty?


    At this thought, Chen Qiang couldn''t help but hesitate.


    In fact, it''s not entirely Chen Qiang''s fault for thinking this way. His living environment and level of education had severely limited his vision and way of thinking, confining him to extremely traditional and conservative ideas. Thus, Chen Qiang believed that as long as he could spend his life with his wife and children, that would be enough.


    However, although Chen Qiang was not good at scheming and had a rather slow mind, after spending so much time with Xiao Qing, he could still understand her well enough to know that she was not one to be content with the status quo.


    It could even be said that if Xiao Qing also possessed the ability to cultivate into immortality, she would never, like Celestial Way and Terranom, be singularly focused on ascending to immortality and then continue to comprehend the Dao to pursue higher realms.


    Xiao Qing would definitely, after achieving some success in her cultivation, continue to comprehend the Dao while also thinking about using her newly acquired powers to seek more benefits for herself.


    Therefore, after Xiao Qing told Chen Qiang that if the villagers followed her back to her world, it could bring her so many benefits, Chen Qiang finally saw Xiao Qing''s ruthlessness and ambition. This made Chen Qiang realize that once Xiao Qing returned to her homeland and obtained what she wanted, she would naturally enter a higher social class, and the gap between himself and Xiao Qing would grow larger and larger.


    Would Xiao Qing abandon him then? Chen Qiang couldn''t help but have this terrifying thought.


    In fact, under the influence of his inferiority complex, Chen Qiang had always believed that the reason Xiao Qing chose to be with him was because their predicament in the Lost Woods had prompted her to select him as a partner for procreating offspring. So, upon learning that everyone had a chance to leave the Lost Woods, Chen Qiang began to worry about their future relationship, especially the two children under his care.


    If Xiao Qing, after returning to her world and achieving her goals, became an even stronger woman, would she still look upon him, a man from a poor background? Would Xiao Qing leave him then? Take the two children and leave him?


    Yes! Xiao Qing definitely would!


    The venomous and possessive nature Xiao Qing displayed in private, coupled with her domineering personality, made Chen Qiang certain that once Xiao Qing decided to leave him, she would take the two children with her. Even worse, he might never see his children again!


    In Chen Qiang''s eyes, Xiao Qing and the two children were like treasures, a gift from fate, a precious wealth that Chen Qiang was willing to protect with his life. Naturally, Chen Qiang couldn''t imagine how he would face life each day if his wife and children were to leave him.


    Therefore, Chen Qiang grew increasingly worried that Xiao Qing would leave him after returning to her world, and consequently, he became more and more afraid of leaving the Lost Woods. It was precisely because of Chen Qiang''s unexplained worries about the future that a time bomb was quietly embedded in Xiao Qing''s plan to deal with Celestial Way and Terranom.


    Let''s return to Xiao Qing''s plan. With her extensive knowledge of biomedical science, she became an important source of information for Celestial Way and Terranom to understand human anatomy, thereby better transforming into a more perfect human form during their cultivation. It was also for this reason that after a long period of analysis and observation, Xiao Qing gained a fairly in-depth understanding of Celestial Way and Terranom''s situation.


    Xiao Qing thus learned that although Celestial Way and Terranom had transformed into human forms with extraordinary mystical powers and possessed physiological advantages unmatched by humans, this did not mean that they were invincible, nor did it mean that humans had no way to deal with them. At least for Xiao Qing, there was a way to deal with them.


    "What method?" Yun Ge asked curiously.


    "Hohoho! How could I possibly tell you what the method is? I can only say that this method is another formula discovered by me and Rainbow Bear while processing honey.��


    ��This formula is the opposite of the candy-making recipe. Eating it will not help us resist the fog''s invasion but will instead infinitely amplify the fog''s attacking power. Moreover, the stronger the strength, the greater the impact of this poison," the Candylord replied.


    The Candylord continued to recall the situation at the time.


    In reality, since the work of processing honey was mainly carried out by Celestial Way, this highly toxic formula was also discovered by Celestial Way while researching better methods of honey processing. However, considering the formula''s extreme danger, Celestial Way hid it away.


    Nevertheless, because Celestial Way and Terranom trusted Xiao Qing so much, coupled with the help Xiao Qing had consistently provided them, the two inadvertently mentioned this matter to her.


    Thus, after Xiao Qing and the villagers decided to leave the Lost Woods, she conceived the idea of using this formula to confront Celestial Way and Terranom. She planned to first poison Celestial Way and Terranom, then sacrifice their bodies to activate the teleportation array. In this way, the villagers could smoothly leave the Lost Woods.


    Of course, Xiao Qing had another plan. That was, after sacrificing the bodies of Celestial Way and Terranom, she would find a way to bring the two''s corpses, or at least parts of their bodily tissues, back to her world. The purpose of doing so was naturally to have more samples to study the structure of Celestial Way and Terranom in the future, and to use these samples to gain more benefits for herself.


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    Since Xiao Qing had free access to Celestial Way and Terranom''s rooms, and coupled with the unconditional trust Celestial Way and Terranom had in her, Xiao Qing easily used various topics to guide Celestial Way and Terranom into revealing where this formula was hidden. After understanding the formula, Xiao Qing''s scheme quietly took shape, and she began to plan how to skillfully poison Celestial Way and Terranom.


    Xiao Qing first mobilized the villagers to collect materials for making poison in the forest during their nectar-collecting time. Then, using her knowledge in biomedical science, she extracted toxins from these materials and incorporated them into the candy-making process.


    Subsequently, Xiao Qing secretly used the wild beasts captured by the villagers to test the toxicity of these candies. It was not until the beasts died a painful death with blood flowing from their seven orifices just a few seconds after swallowing the candies, and then turned into a pool of blood within the next few seconds, that she confirmed the toxicity of the poison candies had achieved the effect described by Celestial Way and Terranom.


    Now that the poison candies had been successfully manufactured, the next crucial step was to have Celestial Way and Terranom eat the poison candies without any guard, and then sacrifice their flesh to activate the teleportation portal.


    So on this day, Xiao Qing and Chen Qiang still entered Celestial Way and Terranom''s room on time with the snacks as usual. Then, while Xiao Qing caring asked about the two''s cultivation achievements in the past few days, she recommended that they try the newly baked pastries sprinkled with candy shards.


    Having been hungry after several days of continuous cultivation, Celestial Way and Terranom ate all the food handed over by Chen Qiang without any hesitation.


    After the meal, Celestial Way and Terranom planned to go out and let the fresh forest air refresh their minds and bodies. However, the two had just reached the doorway when they successively fell to the ground convulsing. Seeing the villagers rushing in with various ropes,


    Celestial Way and Terranom immediately realized something was wrong. But since both of them had been poisoned, they could only concentrate all their energy on fighting the toxins in their bodies, thus allowing the villagers to tie them up and take them to a large courtyard in the village.


    This was a large courtyard for villagers to live in, and Celestial Way and Terranom did not pay special attention to the situation here. So the two had no idea that the villagers had long set up the venue for casting the teleportation spell on the open ground of the courtyard.


    At this moment, the villagers only needed to place Celestial Way and Terranom on the altar one after another, and then, as Xiao Qing used the flowing blood of the two to activate the teleportation spell, they could leave the Lost Woods with everyone!


    Under the eager anticipation of the villagers, Chen Qiang first dragged Celestial Way onto the altar. Then, with a nod from Xiao Qing, he inserted a specially made long stick into Celestial Way''s abdomen. After confirming that Celestial Way''s body had indeed lost its strong defensive power under the effect of the poison, he inserted four more long sticks into Celestial Way''s limbs, thus nailing Celestial Way firmly to the altar to bleed.


    As soon as Celestial Way''s blood touched the ground, it quickly intertwined with the magical energy, forming a strange resonance. Moreover, it soon created a mirror-shaped teleportation portal, three meters high, on the open ground.


    Seeing that their plan had already succeeded halfway, the villagers could hardly contain their excitement, with cheers rising and falling. Xiao Qing was also extremely excited. She urgently signaled Chen Qiang to drag Terranom to the altar to blood-sacrifice and open the mysterious teleportation portal. But this time, Chen Qiang did not move. Instead, he looked at Xiao Qing with a reluctant expression and smiled.


    Xiao Qing was puzzled, a wave of annoyance rising in her heart, and she wanted to scold Chen Qiang. But before Xiao Qing could speak, she heard the villagers exclaiming in surprise. Xiao Qing quickly turned her head to look at the crowd, and then she couldn''t help but gasp in shock.


    Because Xiao Qing discovered that while everyone was focusing on the teleportation array in the center of the field, Terranom had somehow awakened and broken free from his bonds. Moreover, Terranom had killed the villagers who were guarding him and used witchcraft to turn those villagers into puppets under his control. Immediately after being turned into puppets, these villagers began to indiscriminately slaughter the surrounding villagers.


    Due to the suddenness of the event and the fact that the puppet villagers were incredibly strong and swift in their movements, even the villagers who quickly grabbed their weapons to resist were no match for them. Standing behind these puppets, Terranom was also busy. He continuously cast witchcraft, converting the corpses of those killed by the puppets into new puppets to join the battle.


    In no time, a large number of villagers were killed or injured. Except for Xiao Qing, who was still casting the teleportation spell, Chen Qiang, who remained standing on the altar, and the younger children, the rest of the villagers were either lying in pools of blood or had been twisted by Terranom''s witchcraft into grotesque puppets.


    Xiao Qing clearly did not expect such a turn of events and could only stand there stunned, watching the bloody and terrifying scene unfold before her eyes. She was so shocked that she forgot she was still guiding the teleportation spell, causing the spell to collapse and disappear rapidly.


    Xiao Qing tried in terror to recast the spell and reopen the teleportation portal. However, before she could even open her mouth, a wooden stick was thrust into her chest, sending her flying far away.


    Faced with Terranom''s all-out attack, Xiao Qing, being an ordinary person, had no defense at all. Therefore, by the time Xiao Qing fell to the ground with the stick piercing through her body, she was already dead. From the expression on Xiao Qing''s face as she lay dead on the ground, still looking towards the direction of the teleportation array, it was evident that she was extremely unwilling to accept this sudden turn of events.


    At this moment, Terranom had already walked up to Xiao Qing''s corpse. With a look of disgust, Terranom kicked Xiao Qing''s head to confirm whether she was truly dead, and then he cast a spell to turn Xiao Qing into a puppet as well. After completing the transformation of Xiao Qing, Terranom turned to check on Celestial Way''s condition.


    Using his medical knowledge, Terranom cast a spell to treat Celestial Way and, after ensuring that Celestial Way''s life was not in danger, sat cross-legged on the ground, drawing in all the blood that had flowed from Celestial Way''s body.


    The reason Terranom took this action was that the immense energy expenditure from casting the puppet witchcraft had left him extremely weak. In order to protect himself, he had to use Celestial Way''s blood to replenish his depleted vital energy.


    However, it was precisely this all-out use of the puppet witchcraft that nearly caused Terranom to lose his cultivation realm, making him realize the danger of this witchcraft. Coupled with the significant damage to his vital energy from extensively using this witchcraft, Terranom decided, for safety''s sake, to abandon the practice of this witchcraft and instead focus on cultivating other witchcraft with relatively weaker internal consumption.


    "Are all those followers around Rainbow Bear puppets?" Yun Ge couldn''t help but ask again.


    "Yes. They are actually the villagers of Heaven and Earth Village. Later, to ensure that they could draw attention again, Rainbow Bear cast the puppet witchcraft once more, perfectly combining these puppets with the human skin stripped from the human corpses we re-discovered, making these puppets at least appear indistinguishable from ordinary humans on the outside," the Candylord said.


    "But why does he insist on making those puppets look like humans?" Yun Ge asked in confusion.


    The Candylord sighed and said, "Sigh! We did this to create an illusion of a paradise, ensuring that the humans who later joined Candy Town could live here with peace of mind."

 Chapter 26

    Then, the Candylord continued, "Oh, right. Because of Xiao Qing''s leading the rebellion, both Rainbow Bear and I lost a lot of our magical powers. This also made us realize our true strength, and we found that although we have cultivated for many years, we are not as powerful as we imagined."


    "Therefore, we unanimously felt that we were not worthy of such grand names as Celestial Way and Terranom. Moreover, due to our impaired vision causing instability in our transformed bodies, and even the embarrassing situation where our human and black bear forms intertwined, we decided to change our names."


    "Since making candy requires me to process the nectar into honey first, I named myself Sugar Bear. Terranom, due to the dual influence of long-term candy consumption and cultivation, gradually grew a head of colorful hair, so he simply changed his name to Rainbow Bear. At the same time, we also renamed Heaven and Earth Village to Candy Village."


    "Of course, the new names we gave ourselves also serve as a reminder that if we do not diligently consolidate our realm during our cultivation in the future, when our realm collapses, our true forms will be revealed, leading to a further significant decline in our strength."


    "Additionally, we want to use our new names to remind ourselves that we are black bears who have transformed into humans through cultivation, and we have a world of difference from real humans. And real humans are not worthy of our trust!"


    "We must always be wary of humans and keep them living in the lies we fabricate. Only by using deception can we more skillfully control humans and ensure that we can live with them relatively safely."


    Yun Ge, after listening to the Candylord''s thoughts, nodded with a complex expression. In fact, he did not agree with the Candylord''s definition of humans, but felt that Sugar Bear and Rainbow Bear indeed should be cautious of humans after experiencing such a dangerous situation. Thinking of this, Yun Ge couldn''t help but shake his head with a wry smile. Because, wasn''t his current downfall also due to the complexity of human nature?


    The Candylord did not know why Yun Ge shook his head with a wry smile, but he was obviously not interested in it. Because at this moment, the Candylord only wished to continue his story.


    So, he continued, "Sigh! Of course, we would never refer to ourselves by these names in front of others. So I would tell others that my name is Old Sugar, and Rainbow Bear stepped forward to better control Candy Village, becoming its permanent village head.��


    ��Besides me calling him Rainbow Bear in private, everyone else would only address him as Your Excellency the Village Head. Later on, Your Excellency the Village Head became Your Excellency the Town Mayor. From then on, no one knew that his real name was Rainbow Bear."


    The Candylord ate a piece of refreshment and continued to tell his story.


    To the amazement of Sugar Bear and Rainbow Bear, ever since that malicious incident occurred, the two began to discover new survivors in the forest again. So, the two combined their previous experiences to create a new set of rules and regulations, ensuring that their village never experienced a similar situation again after that event.


    The village continued to prosper and gradually grew into a town. Throughout this process, the important role was played by Sugar Bear''s new discovery when using witchcraft to process honey, which was that this honey was actually a medium for casting spells.


    Shortly after Sugar Bear made this discovery, he triggered a kind of hallucinatory spell that could weave mental illusions, as well as a kind of amnesia witchcraft that could make humans lose their memories, during his deep contemplation.


    With these two kinds of witchcraft, Sugar Bear could eliminate the memories of the new survivors and let the survivors live peacefully according to the illusions woven by him and Rainbow Bear, ensuring that the survivors could provide blood for them in a stable and long-term manner according to the rules set by the two.


    Over time, as Sugar Bear''s ability to weave illusions and Rainbow Bear''s ability to govern the village improved, Candy Village gradually developed from a small village to the scale of today''s Candy Town. The two could finally cultivate with peace of mind because the survivors living here no longer caused any trouble.


    "So, how did you end up like this?" Yun Ge interjected.


    The Candylord sighed and then gestured for Yun Ge to listen to him continue.


    In order to ensure that they could still regularly obtain human blood after that rebellion, Sugar Bear and Rainbow Bear chose to keep all the children who did not pose a threat.


    At the same time, they also kept Chen Qiang, so that he could better assist the two in managing these children and in the reconstruction of Candy Village after its renaming. The reason why the two did not kill Chen Qiang was because he was the key person who reported Xiao Qing to Sugar Bear and Rainbow Bear. Therefore, Sugar Bear and Rainbow Bear spared his life as promised.


    "Why did Chen Qiang betray Xiao Qing? Isn''t leaving this world a good thing?" Yun Ge asked in confusion.


    "As I just said, Chen Qiang''s hard life made him dare not covet the emotional life of ordinary people. Coupled with the influence of his original living environment, he became extremely self-conscious and his thinking was extremely old-fashioned and conservative, which led to a distorted possessiveness that entangled him like a venomous vine."


    "Under the dual influence of this twisted possessiveness and inferiority complex, it led him to dare not return to the human world and not want Xiao Qing to have the opportunity to live a more colorful life.��


    ��In short, it was because Chen Qiang was afraid that Xiao Qing, who was far more excellent than him, would abandon him after returning to the human world. He was very afraid of losing Xiao Qing and the two children."


    "Therefore, Chen Qiang, who gradually developed a rebellious mentality towards the plan of leaving the Lost Woods, eventually chose to betray Xiao Qing and the other villagers, revealing their plan to us in advance," the Candylord replied.


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    Then, the Candylord further corrected his statement, indicating that Chen Qiang did not actually report Xiao Qing''s plan to the two of them, but to Rainbow Bear.


    When Chen Qiang found the Candylord and Rainbow Bear and was about to report Xiao Qing, the Candylord was in the process of casting a spell to process honey. So, in order not to disturb the Candylord''s work, Chen Qiang first leaked Xiao Qing''s entire plan to Rainbow Bear, and then Rainbow Bear relayed this matter to the Candylord, asking the two of them to come up with a way to stop the rebellion.


    Upon learning this news, Rainbow Bear naturally expressed that he would deal with it seriously. But at the same time, Rainbow Bear also warned Chen Qiang not to mention this matter from now on, so as to prevent the news of Chen Qiang''s betrayal from leaking and causing Rainbow Bear and Sugar Bear to fall into a passive situation again due to Xiao Qing and the others changing their plans temporarily.


    In exchange, Rainbow Bear agreed to spare the lives of Chen Qiang''s children and ensured that even if Xiao Qing died, she could stay by his side forever. Chen Qiang gladly accepted Rainbow Bear''s proposal and, after leaking the secret, continued to cooperate with Xiao Qing in preparing for the escape plan, while silently hoping that Rainbow Bear and Sugar Bear could stop Xiao Qing''s plan in time.


    However, what Chen Qiang did not know was that Rainbow Bear decided to keep this matter hidden from Sugar Bear. Because after learning about Xiao Qing''s rebellion plan, Rainbow Bear immediately also had the idea of taking the opportunity to deal with Sugar Bear.


    As for Sugar Bear, who had grown up with Rainbow Bear since childhood, supporting each other in cultivation until reaching today''s realm, why did he suddenly become the target of Rainbow Bear''s hatred? This has to start with the achievements of the two in their cultivation.


    Rainbow Bear actually had an extremely strong ambition for cultivation, and he did not just want to continue cultivating after becoming an immortal, but also wanted to gain the recognition of more people after becoming an immortal.


    This was why Rainbow Bear was the most supportive of Xiao Qing''s idea of establishing Heaven and Earth Village and was the most active in helping Xiao Qing establish this community where everyone could live together. Because in this way, he could better enjoy the feeling of being the center of attention and satisfy his vanity.


    However, perhaps it was because of Rainbow Bear''s various thoughts that his state of mind during cultivation was far less peaceful than Sugar Bear''s. So after a long period of cultivation, his progress gradually could not keep up with Sugar Bear, and the gap between the two became increasingly apparent.


    Especially after Sugar Bear''s comprehension of witchcraft played a crucial role in making candy, even though Sugar Bear was low-key and did not like to show himself, he naturally became the most important person in Heaven and Earth Village.


    Rainbow Bear, who was not willing to be left behind, was obviously very dissatisfied with this situation, but considering that his strength was at a disadvantage and his aptitude could not comprehend Sugar Bear''s witchcraft, he had to humbly become the second strongest person in Heaven and Earth Village after Sugar Bear.


    However, Rainbow Bear always had a strong desire in his heart. This desire kept urging him to work hard in cultivation, so that he could one day achieve his wish and hoped to be on par with Sugar Bear, or even surpass him one day to become the strongest person revered by the villagers.


    As Sugar Bear made significant progress in the witchcraft for processing honey and many medical-related witchcraft with the help of Xiao Qing, all the villagers, including Rainbow Bear, could completely ignore the spiritual attacks of the forest fog during the day after taking the candies made by Sugar Bear with continuously updated formulas.


    Seeing Sugar Bear''s achievements in the field of witchcraft and the prestige he gained in the hearts of the people, Rainbow Bear naturally envied him very much and also longed for the day when he could be the focus of the whole village like Sugar Bear.


    No, he must replace Sugar Bear and become the undisputed object of worship for the whole village!


    It was precisely because of Rainbow Bear''s extreme desire to surpass Sugar Bear''s cultivation achievements that his state of mind during cultivation gradually changed, and he finally comprehended the mysterious witchcraft of controlling puppets. After comprehending the puppet witchcraft, Rainbow Bear''s strength greatly increased, and he also began to have the idea of challenging Sugar Bear''s authority.


    However, since this witchcraft was very dark and would not play any positive role in the development of Heaven and Earth Village, but was likely to cause panic among the villagers, Rainbow Bear also wisely did not publicize the new witchcraft he had mastered.


    While quietly consolidating his own strength, he was looking for an opportunity to display his talents and become the pillar and respected strong person of Heaven and Earth Village.


    With these calculations in mind, when Rainbow Bear heard Chen Qiang''s betrayal, he immediately realized that this might be a good opportunity to strike Sugar Bear, and thus the subsequent events occurred.


    Rainbow Bear first inquired in detail about the poisonous medicine Xiao Qing had developed, then colluded with Chen Qiang, and cleverly switched the poisonous food prepared by Xiao Qing, so that only Rainbow Bear was poisoned, while he himself relied on acting to make Xiao Qing and the others think that he was poisoned.


    After that, Chen Qiang also followed the sequence pre-arranged by Rainbow Bear, first lifting the poisoned Rainbow Bear onto the altar to bleed, thereby severely injuring Rainbow Bear.


    Chen Qiang was confused by Rainbow Bear and Sugar Bear''s strategy, and he could not understand why they did not take direct action, but instead had to let Rainbow Bear take the risk of performing a bitter meat strategy, a stratagem where one intentionally harms oneself to gain the enemy''s trust.


    But out of unconditional trust in Rainbow Bear and Sugar Bear, and in order to keep Xiao Qing and the two children by his side forever, so that he would no longer have to worry about them leaving him, Chen Qiang still chose to dismiss his doubts and firmly support the actions of the two.


    To be honest, Rainbow Bear also felt that his plan had certain risks. Of course, he thought the risky part was not the inability to deal with Xiao Qing and the others, but the worry that using others'' hands would not be able to effectively kill Sugar Bear.


    The result that Sugar Bear did not expect was that although his realm was damaged under the dual attack of poison and fatal injuries, he unexpectedly gained part of Sugar Bear''s strength by absorbing the blood that Sugar Bear had lost, thus compensating to a certain extent for the part of his realm that he had lost due to the use of puppet witchcraft.


    It was also because of the unexpected acquisition of Rainbow Bear''s strength that he once again recognized that the witchcraft comprehended by Sugar Bear was far more malleable than his own, and for the first time realized that after comprehending the puppet witchcraft, his cultivation direction had deviated.


    So, he was determined to fully master this new strength to correct his mistakes in puppet witchcraft. Rainbow Bear then took the huge risk of gradually abandoning the puppet witchcraft he had comprehended, in order to get his cultivation direction back on track.


    Of course, at the last moment when Rainbow Bear gave up the puppet witchcraft, he not only restored the appearance of all the puppets to human form, but also further consolidated the witchcraft he had cast on the puppets, to ensure that the more than ten puppets that ultimately survived could exist for as long as possible under the support of the witchcraft.


    He also took advantage of the fact that his puppet witchcraft was about to completely disappear, and turned Chen Qiang, who was still happy because Xiao Qing, who had become a puppet, would never leave him, into a puppet as well.


    Yes. Rainbow Bear actually never intended to spare Chen Qiang from the beginning; Chen Qiang was just a pawn he used.

 Chapter 27

    Xiao Qing''s betrayal, along with the actions of her group, made Rainbow Bear and Sugar Bear realize the selfishness and inherent exclusivity of humans, leading them to conclude that humans were not worthy of their trust. Instead of befriending humans to exchange for mutual benefits, it was much safer to control them through certain means to obtain what they needed.


    Thus, after Chen Qiang happily fell asleep with his two children and his new wife, Rainbow Bear silently took his life in his sleep and transformed him into a mindless puppet to be controlled. On the bright side, now that Chen Qiang had become a puppet, he no longer had to worry about Xiao Qing and his children. Especially his wife, Xiao Qing. Because now, they could finally live together without any worries and never be separated again!


    Later, through repeated adjustments of the amnesia and hallucination witchcraft, Rainbow Bear and Sugar Bear not only completely erased the memories of Xiao Qing and the others from the minds of the surviving children but also finally found the best way to control the new villagers who joined Candy Village. They ultimately developed Candy Village into the scale of the present Candy Town.


    It was at this time that Rainbow Bear and Sugar Bear realized that their ability to discover new survivors again and, with the cooperation of the new generation of survivors, to build a healthy social system was undoubtedly closely related to the protection of the spirit of the forest.


    Therefore, Rainbow Bear and Sugar Bear established an extremely important sacrificial day in their later lives, through a series of specialized sacrificial rituals to express their reverence and gratitude to the spirit of the forest, and hoped that the spirit of the forest would continue to bless the residents of Candy Town to live and work in peace and contentment.


    Up to this point, everything in Candy Town seemed to be getting back on track and developing in the right direction. However, the reality was not so, because Rainbow Bear''s plan towards Sugar Bear made it difficult for life to return to normal.


    Speaking of Sugar Bear, although he managed to survive with Rainbow Bear''s timely treatment and could continue to cultivate after a period of rest, he was still severely weakened by the dual blows of toxins and external injuries. Sugar Bear''s increasingly weak body made it harder for him to maintain his human form, and he gradually transformed into a half-human, half-bear figure.


    To avoid suspicion from the townspeople due to his appearance, he stayed hidden in his room, wrapped in a large cloak, completely disappearing from the sight of the townspeople.


    For Sugar Bear at this time, healing his internal injuries had become far more important than cultivation and processing honey. Given Sugar Bear''s decline in realm, if he did not heal his injuries in time, it would definitely reduce the efficiency of the secret method of processing honey, thereby severely affecting the supply and demand balance of Candy Town.


    It would also prevent him from consolidating his cultivation due to the impact of internal injuries, causing most of his cultivation achievements to be wasted. Moreover, it would lead to Sugar Bear''s strength weakening again and again, and his realm dropping further and further.


    Fortunately, from the healing witchcraft he had comprehended, Sugar Bear had additionally grasped a kind of witchcraft that could be used to detoxify and strengthen the foundation. Sugar Bear only needed to extract a component from the petals of the sweetaurum flower, and then cast another witchcraft during the process of processing honey to obtain an amber-colored honey with a faint bitter taste.


    Finally, Sugar Bear just needed to make these honeys into detoxifying soft candies and take them on schedule to alleviate the pain brought by his internal injuries and effectively prevent his body from becoming weaker, thus ensuring that he could increase his strength through cultivation, heal his injuries as soon as possible, and recover his strength.


    Due to Sugar Bear''s injuries, his efficiency in processing honey was inevitably affected. Coupled with the fact that Rainbow Bear, while dealing with Xiao Qing and the others, had accidentally comprehended Sugar Bear''s witchcraft while absorbing his blood to survive.


    Therefore, Sugar Bear once again attempted to teach Rainbow Bear his witchcraft so that Rainbow Bear could master the witchcraft of processing honey and make up for the insufficient honey production caused by his own decline in strength during this period.


    Sugar Bear was overjoyed by this, and coupled with the fact that his comprehension ability had been enhanced after absorbing the power from Sugar Bear''s blood. Thus, even though Sugar Bear had dropped in realm due to the activation of the puppet witchcraft, he still quickly mastered various witchcrafts, including the witchcraft of processing honey, amnesia witchcraft, and hallucination witchcraft, through Sugar Bear''s teachings.


    Although the level of the new witchcrafts mastered by Sugar Bear was limited, it was enough for him to maintain the normal operation of Candy Town during Sugar Bear''s period of weakness.


    With a weight lifted from his heart, Sugar Bear began his self-healing cultivation with peace of mind. Rainbow Bear, having acquired these skills, naturally became the center of attention for all the residents of the town.


    For the first time, Rainbow Bear experienced the satisfaction of being the sole focus of everyone''s attention. At the same time, he was deeply fascinated by Sugar Bear''s witchcraft power. He then made up his mind to comprehend Sugar Bear''s witchcraft as much as possible, attempting to fuse their witchcrafts to create an even more powerful force.


    In this way, Sugar Bear could not only quickly return to his previous realm but also accelerate his cultivation speed, allowing him to cultivate into an immortal as soon as possible. By that time, Sugar Bear would surely let more people witness his strength, let more people submit to him, let more people worship him, and regard him as a deity.


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    In short, driven by various desires, Rainbow Bear gradually changed his attitude towards Sugar Bear. Now, Rainbow Bear regarded Sugar Bear both as a stumbling block on his path of growth and as the nourishment he must absorb on his journey.


    Thus, Rainbow Bear gradually harbored malicious intentions towards Sugar Bear. He wanted to seize more of Sugar Bear''s power and then eliminate this only obstacle that could restrain him, so that he could gallop freely on the path of cultivation like an unbridled wild horse.


    Although Sugar Bear''s current physical condition was very poor, even a dead camel is bigger than a horse, which made Rainbow Bear still dare not confront Sugar Bear directly.


    Therefore, Rainbow Bear decided to resort to the same trick again, planning to poison Sugar Bear with toxins once more and then defeat him while he was weak. So, Rainbow Bear took out a vial of poison that he had previously confiscated from Chen Qiang and divided it into several doses to poison Sugar Bear gradually.


    As for why Rainbow Bear did not directly use a full dose of poison to take down Sugar Bear, it was because Rainbow Bear wanted to have Sugar Bear teach him more of his witchcraft before the poison overcame him.


    Since Rainbow Bear controlled the dosage of each poisoning very precisely, Sugar Bear did not realize that his body was being invaded by toxins at first, and instead attributed the increasing weakness of his body entirely to his still-uncured internal injuries.


    However, as time passed, not only did Sugar Bear''s injuries not improve, but his body became weaker and weaker. At this point, Sugar Bear finally realized that something was wrong. So, he began to repeatedly check his healing witchcraft and the formula for making detoxifying soft candies to determine whether there was any deviation in the use of these two that caused them to lose their healing effect on his internal injuries.


    Yet, Sugar Bear did not find any issues with the healing witchcraft and the formula for making detoxifying soft candies. But this check revealed something alarming��Sugar Bear detected a faint trace of toxins on several completed detoxifying soft candies. Upon examination, the toxins meticulously applied to the surface of the detoxifying soft candies were identical to the ones that had previously poisoned him.


    This discovery sent a chill down Sugar Bear''s spine. The first thought that crossed his mind was that he and Rainbow Bear had not completely eliminated the previous villagers. It must have been one of the survivors who tampered with his detoxifying soft candies, aiming to render him defenseless once again due to poisoning.


    But he was certain that all the previous villagers were dead, wasn''t he?


    Could it be that the children who survived back then were taking revenge on him?


    But that couldn''t be possible, could it?


    Not to mention that the children who were not killed by him and Rainbow Bear were very young at the time, so most of them didn''t even remember what had happened back then. Moreover, over the years, the two had cast amnesia witchcraft on them multiple times, which should have completely erased their memories of the past, right?


    Could it be that there was a problem with his amnesia witchcraft, causing some of them to retain their memories? Were they pretending not to remember the past events to lower their guard, so that they could have a chance to take revenge on them?


    Sugar Bear was convinced of this and decided to immediately reveal this astonishing discovery to Rainbow Bear. However, just as Sugar Bear was about to stand up despite his weak body, he slumped back down. Because just now, a thought that chilled him to the bone flashed through his mind��the person poisoning him might be Rainbow Bear!


    The reason why Sugar Bear initially suspected others was because the previous rebellion had shown him and Rainbow Bear the untrustworthiness of humans.


    Therefore, even though the two could now control the newly joined humans with amnesia witchcraft and hallucination witchcraft, they still remained wary of these humans. Coupled with his unconditional trust in Rainbow Bear, he did not consider Rainbow Bear as a suspect.


    But after calming down, Sugar Bear immediately realized that something was amiss. Because the ingredients for the detoxifying honey were all collected by Rainbow Bear alone and were only for his own use.


    Moreover, the person who made these honeys into detoxifying soft candies was Rainbow Bear and himself. The detoxifying soft candies were all stored in his room for his convenience. Besides himself and Rainbow Bear, no third person could come into contact with these candies. So, since the toxins were deliberately applied to the surface of the candies, the culprit could only be Rainbow Bear!


    Sugar Bear did not understand why Rainbow Bear would poison him, but he knew that since Rainbow Bear had decided to take his life, there was absolutely no room for reconciliation between them.


    However, Sugar Bear, who had always been loyal to Rainbow Bear, could not accept the fact that the person he trusted the most would betray him. So, he decided to further confirm whether Rainbow Bear was the poisoner before making any plans.


    Time quickly reached evening, and Rainbow Bear, as usual, entered Sugar Bear''s room on time with some food to inquire about his recovery. The two first had a routine conversation, with Sugar Bear still enthusiastically guiding Rainbow Bear on the confusions he encountered in his witchcraft studies.


    Then, as they talked, Sugar Bear, dragging his weak body, paced to the door and asked Rainbow Bear to bring him a detoxifying soft candy, also suggesting that Rainbow Bear should take another one to consolidate his realm.


    As mentioned earlier, this kind of detoxifying soft candy was made using the witchcraft that Sugar Bear had comprehended, which could both detoxify and strengthen the foundation.


    Rainbow Bear, who had given up the puppet witchcraft during his cultivation and had dropped in realm due to the confrontation with Xiao Qing and the others, also needed to regularly take this kind of detoxifying soft candy to preserve the magical powers he had painstakingly cultivated.


    After their exchange, Rainbow Bear casually picked up four soft candies from the table and handed two of them to Sugar Bear. Sugar Bear smiled in return, but suspicion arose in his heart.


    As he unwrapped the two soft candies Rainbow Bear had given him, sure enough, both of them were the ones Sugar Bear had previously found to be coated with toxins. The two soft candies that Rainbow Bear kept were the ones that had not been tampered with.


    Sugar Bear naturally did not believe that the two toxic candies ending up in his hands was just a coincidence, so he immediately handed one of the candies back to Rainbow Bear and gestured for him to eat it first. As expected, Rainbow Bear just looked puzzled and asked Sugar Bear what this meant, but he refused to put the candy in his mouth. In the end, Rainbow Bear even pretended to slip and dropped the candy on the ground.


    Sugar Bear, who had witnessed Rainbow Bear''s reaction, felt a sharp pain in his heart. He could hardly believe that the only family member he had grown up with and trusted the most would betray him. Driven by intense sadness and anger, Sugar Bear could no longer contain himself and finally erupted.


    Sugar Bear directly exposed Rainbow Bear''s conspiracy and sternly questioned him why he would harm him?


    Seeing that his plot had been exposed, Rainbow Bear did not bother to argue further. Rainbow Bear openly spoke out the true thoughts that had been suppressed in his heart.


    Rainbow Bear admitted that he had always longed for the power that Sugar Bear possessed, which was admired by everyone, and had always desired to become a strong person worshipped by all the residents of the town. Then, Rainbow Bear bared his fangs and declared that since Sugar Bear already knew his intentions, he no longer wanted to pretend.

 Chapter 28

    Rainbow Bear commanded Sugar Bear to submit to him, forcing Sugar Bear to become a source of perpetual power, a loyal puppet. This would allow Rainbow Bear to continuously draw Sugar Bear''s blood to enhance his comprehension of healing witchcraft and further strengthen his control over the newly acquired spells, thereby swiftly restoring his realm to its former height.


    Although Sugar Bear cherished the bond he shared with Rainbow Bear, he would not back down in the face of a brother determined to kill him for personal gain. Thus, on a night when all the townsfolk were safely asleep in their homes, Sugar Bear and Rainbow Bear engaged in a life-or-death magical duel.


    As their battle intensified, the two tacitly moved the fight from indoors to the forest outside the town, avoiding the townspeople being awakened by the noise and ensuring their image would not be tarnished by the discovery of their conflict.


    Despite being described as a magical duel, both Sugar Bear and Rainbow Bear''s current cultivation focused on healing witchcraft, rendering their spells of little practical combat value. Therefore, their confrontation was essentially a contest of strength and strategy, with witchcraft serving only as a supplementary means of attack.


    Soon, Rainbow Bear realized through the battle that Sugar Bear''s body, riddled with injuries, was even weaker than he had anticipated. Sugar Bear should have been rendered completely defenseless under his continuous poisoning.


    This allowed Rainbow Bear, who was already more intent on killing, to quickly gain the upper hand in the fight. Sugar Bear, after a brief period of resistance, soon found himself at a disadvantage, forced to desperately parry Rainbow Bear''s fierce attacks while using the dense fog of the night to evade his pursuit.


    Both being in the heat of battle, their spirits were highly excited. Thus, even deep in the forest, they remained unaffected by the nightly fog. Additionally, the intense killing intent they displayed was so strong that the wild beasts roaming at night only dared to watch from the shadows, none daring to attack the two.


    The two continued to fight, unknowingly making their way to the vicinity of the sacrificial altar. This altar was deliberately built deep in the forest after Candy Town was officially established. The purpose was to hold sacrificial activities on specific days each year to express gratitude to the spirit of the forest and to pray for prosperity in the coming year.


    Furthermore, to demonstrate their reverence for the spirit of the forest and to instill a sense of awe among the residents of Candy Town, thereby strengthening Sugar Bear and Rainbow Bear''s control over the townspeople, the two had long ago issued a new sacrificial decree.


    It stated that during the large-scale sacrificial event held once every three years in Candy Town, a virgin of marriageable age must be selected as an offering to the spirit of the forest.


    Since Sugar Bear and Rainbow Bear were well acquainted with the terrain of this area, once they entered it, Sugar Bear found it difficult to use the landscape to evade Rainbow Bear''s relentless attacks.


    Sugar Bear, already covered in wounds, was slowing down in his movements to block with his blade. The killing intent in Rainbow Bear''s eyes grew stronger, and a gruesome smile couldn''t help but form on his lips.


    Rainbow Bear then increased the intensity of his attacks, aiming to defeat Sugar Bear completely with a series of rapid and merciless strikes. In this way, Rainbow Bear could then use the moonlight to bleed Sugar Bear''s corpse and feast on his flesh.


    However, what Rainbow Bear did not expect was that just as he began to consider how to deal with Sugar Bear next, Sugar Bear, who seemed to be at the end of his strength, suddenly dodged a heavy blow with extremely agile movements and then struck back, landing a blow on his chest.


    Although Rainbow Bear was wearing armor, the force of Sugar Bear''s counterattack was so great that it still managed to slash open a large gash in his chest armor and inflict a deep wound. Rainbow Bear was then sent tumbling backward by Sugar Bear''s strike.


    At this moment, Rainbow Bear finally realized that Sugar Bear''s seemingly exhausted appearance was merely a ruse to let his guard down. Sugar Bear''s true intention was to lure Rainbow Bear into a false sense of security and then seize the opportunity to strike back.


    Unfortunately, due to Sugar Bear''s severe injuries and his body being already too weak from the effects of the poison, even though he exerted all his strength in a counterattack at the critical moment, he still failed to defeat Rainbow Bear outright.


    However, Sugar Bear''s attack did manage to cause some damage to Rainbow Bear, leaving him unable to stand up and rejoin the battle for a while due to the intense pain from his chest and the dizziness from rolling over several times.


    Seeing this, Sugar Bear did not hesitate and immediately dragged his battered body back into the fog. Now, Sugar Bear only wanted to put as much distance as possible between himself and Rainbow Bear before the latter could recover, using the night''s fog to conceal his tracks and thus making Rainbow Bear completely lose sight of his target.


    Only in this way could Sugar Bear escape this disaster. As long as he could survive this ordeal, Sugar Bear could heal his injuries and then regroup to seek revenge on Rainbow Bear!


    Under the cover of the fog, Sugar Bear quickly put a great distance between himself and the sacrificial altar. Rainbow Bear, who resumed the chase, completely lost Sugar Bear''s trail amidst the fog.


    In his anger, Rainbow Bear began to roar furiously and ran around wildly in the surrounding forest, hoping to somehow discover the direction in which Sugar Bear had fled. But this time, Rainbow Bear had completely lost Sugar Bear''s tracks. He could only blindly charge deeper into the forest, wildly swinging his blade in frustration.


    Hearing Rainbow Bear''s angry roars growing increasingly distant, Sugar Bear couldn''t help but quicken his pace of escape, knowing that his roars had been completely blocked out by the surrounding forest. It was only then that the weight on Sugar Bear''s heart truly lifted.


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    However, not daring to let his guard down, Sugar Bear continued to push forward with all his might. He knew he had to run far enough to hide and ensure that Rainbow Bear would not find him again.


    It was precisely because Sugar Bear was still focused on evading Rainbow Bear''s pursuit that he neglected to carefully observe his surroundings, leading to an accident when he tried to circumnavigate a large tree.


    As Sugar Bear disappeared into the dense undergrowth at the base of the giant tree and used the jungle to conceal his tracks while circling around to the back of the tree, he suddenly felt his foot give way, followed by a strong sensation of falling.


    At first, Sugar Bear thought he had fallen into a trap hidden at the base of the giant tree. But soon, he realized he had not fallen into a man-made trap but into a slippery, vegetation-covered Venomvine tunnel.


    As soon as Sugar Bear fell into the Venomvine tunnel, he was assaulted by the toxic gas released by the fruit flowers. Fortunately, Sugar Bear was no ordinary being. He immediately cast a sustained healing spell on himself and, despite his injuries, began to search for a way back to the surface.


    However, Sugar Bear''s injuries made it impossible for him to climb back up the way he had come. So, he had to abandon the idea of returning the same path. But soon, Sugar Bear noticed the stream flowing inside the Venomvine tunnel.


    Realizing there might be another exit within the tunnel, he dragged his weary and aching body and walked as quickly as possible into the tunnel, hoping to leave this toxic gas-filled passage as soon as possible.


    Sugar Bear eventually managed to exit the Venomvine tunnel, but the effort to combat the toxins inside had nearly exhausted him, causing his realm to suffer further damage. After entering the forest covered in snow and ice, Sugar Bear temporarily settled down here. However, he remained vigilant every day, avoiding being caught off guard by Rainbow Bear, who might have come here to hunt him down.


    Once Sugar Bear had recovered from his injuries, he immediately used his previous experience to optimize the witchcraft against the toxic gas, ensuring he could more easily enter the Venomvine tunnel and climb back to the Lost Woods from where he had fallen.


    Of course, Sugar Bear''s intention to return to the Lost Woods was not to seek revenge on Rainbow Bear, but to collect more sweetaurum flowers and hunt more beasts to make candies, ensuring he could once again move about freely in the Lost Woods without worry.


    Only in this way could Sugar Bear find opportunities to secretly return to Candy Town to investigate the situation and formulate the best plan for his future revenge.


    Sugar Bear''s logic at the time was quite simple. The decline in his strength and realm led him to think that perhaps making honey from the blood of beasts and then making candies from that honey would be enough to protect him from the fog''s invasion in the forest. However, the reality was that the candies made in this way were completely ineffective.


    Thus, while cultivating in the snowy and icy realm, Sugar Bear meticulously calculated the timing of Candy Town''s sacrificial events. In this way, he could rescue the human sacrifices just after the live sacrificial ceremony held once every three years, before those beasts that only came out at night could tear them apart, and then use the blood of these women to make candies.


    On several occasions, the women he rescued unfortunately succumbed to the toxic gas of the Venomvine tunnel, which caused Sugar Bear great heartache. But after repeated failures, Sugar Bear finally found a way to ensure these women could survive and exit the Venomvine tunnel.


    After saving these women, Sugar Bear used the method of controlling the townspeople in Candy Town to require these women to donate blood regularly, so that he could have a stable supply of blood for making candies.


    However, things did not go as planned.


    Even though Sugar Bear, after much effort, finally managed to make candies that met the standards again, he was disappointed to find that even when entering the Lost Woods during the day, he still could not resist the fog''s invasion for long. It was then that Sugar Bear realized these candies no longer worked for him. From then on, he found that he could no longer resist the rejection of that fog-filled forest for long.


    This made Sugar Bear feel an immediate sense of loss, as if he had been expelled from his home. But he did not give up hope and continued to search for a way to return home.


    So, Sugar Bear persisted in regularly going to the Lost Woods above to rescue the women who had become sacrifices and to collect sweetaurum flowers, then returning to his newly established village to research new candy formulas.


    "So, have you made any new breakthroughs?" Yun Ge asked curiously.


    The Candylord scratched the fur on his face and sighed, "Alas! No progress at all. It seems that because we both passed through the Venomvine tunnel before entering this forest, the sweetaurum flowers in the upper forest no longer have any effect on us."


    "So you''re saying that we''re essentially trapped in this forest and can never leave?" Yun Ge asked again.


    "From the current situation, it appears so. Hey! But on the bright side, whether it''s the Lost Woods above or here, it''s all about living! As long as we can live without worries and in peace, that''s what matters!" the Candylord replied.


    Yun Ge looked at the Candylord with a skeptical gaze, indicating that he didn''t believe a word of his nonsense!


    Seeing this, the Candylord laughed heartily and said, "Hahaha! Of course! If given the chance, who wouldn''t want to return to their former home? Although we can live a more equal and mutually supportive life here, instead of spending our lives under the illusion of being oppressed by Rainbow Bear as before."


    "But who wouldn''t want to return to that warm and resource-rich forest above? After all, both I and the vast majority of the residents here were forced to leave Candy Town. We all have a blood debt that Rainbow Bear owes us. Therefore, we must keep striving, hoping that one day we can return to Candy Town and reclaim everything that was originally ours!"


    "But don''t forget, you were also the one who pushed them towards the altar! So why should they believe that you can lead them to reclaim what they''ve lost?" Seeing the Candylord speak so confidently, as if he were standing on the moral high ground, Yun Ge immediately poured cold water on his enthusiasm.


    The Candylord nonchalantly waved his hand and responded, "Just because I saved their lives and revealed the truth behind the scenes to them, allowing them to live with clarity and to break free from the shackles of lies, no longer indulging in an illusory life."


    "Moreover, it''s not just me who wants to go back and reclaim what''s rightfully mine. Those women who were forced to become sacrifices also wish to return to Candy Town. They are eager to go back and expose Rainbow Bear''s lies, to save the residents who have been kept in the dark from their illusions, and thus completely shatter Rainbow Bear''s control over everyone, reclaiming the lives that should have been theirs."


    "It is precisely because we share this common hope that they are willing to trust me and unite around me, working together for our shared vision."


    "Additionally, I''m not the only one who wants to return and reclaim what''s rightfully mine. Those women who were forced to become sacrifices also wish to return to Candy Town.��


    ��They are eager to go back and expose Rainbow Bear''s lies, to save the residents who have been kept in the dark from their illusions, and thus completely shatter Rainbow Bear''s control over everyone, reclaiming the lives that should have been theirs."


    "It is precisely because we share this common hope that they are willing to trust me and unite around me, working together for our shared vision."

 Chapter 29

    Although Yun Ge found the Candylord untrustworthy, judging from the Candylord''s confident demeanor and the obedience the crowd had just shown him, the Candylord was indeed the absolute leader here. Moreover, these women who had become sacrificial offerings indeed had reasons to resent Candy Town and the qualifications to seek justice for their misfortunes.


    Thus, it was understandable that they were willing to join the Candylord in seeking opportunities for revenge. After all, sometimes the enemy of one''s enemy is a friend. Only by uniting all forces that can be united do we have a chance to defeat that powerful opponent.


    Thinking of this, Yun Ge temporarily put aside his wariness of the Candylord and instead asked, "So, have you found any way to return to the upper forest to deal with Rainbow Bear during the past time?"


    The Candylord shook his head helplessly, "Due to some unknown reason, the candies I made with the original formula have lost their effectiveness in resisting the fog for a long time. Now, let alone the villagers here, even I can''t last long in the upper Lost Woods."


    "Unless we can find that special sweetaurum flower. Otherwise, no matter how hard we try, we still won''t have a chance to return to the upper Lost Woods. If we don''t even have the ability to stay in the upper forest, how can we think of ways to deal with Rainbow Bear?"


    "What is this special sweetaurum flower?" Yun Ge asked curiously.


    The Candylord first looked at Yun Ge with a meaningful gaze, then said, "This special sweetaurum flower is called the bloody sweetaurum flower. Whether you believe it or not, I indeed learned of the existence of this flower during a cultivation session when I entered a trance, guided by that familiar voice."


    "According to the voice''s guidance, as long as we can enter the Icy Abyss, we will have a chance to find an extremely precious bloody sweetaurum flower. With this flower, we can make a special candy that will allow us to never suffer from the fog''s invasion again!"


    The Candylord said with some excitement, "Of course, for me, this bloody sweetaurum flower has another benefit. That is, if I can make a potion from the flower''s roots and take it, I can cure the injuries in my body.��


    ��When that time comes, I will regain the realm I once lost through cultivation! After defeating Rainbow Bear and liberating everyone in Candy Town, I will let these humans become the true masters of Candy Town. I, on the other hand, will step back and live a reclusive life dedicated to cultivation."


    Then, the Candylord said in a tone that was both emotional and fearful, "Sigh! After going through so much, I have finally realized how terrifying humans can be. When faced with temptation, humans really can''t resist the greed in their hearts."


    "Therefore, to ensure that my cultivation can get back on track, I must stay as far away as possible from the world dominated by humans after solving the trouble. Then, I will quickly reach a realm through cultivation that is sufficient to ascend to immortality, thus shaking off the many troubles that being transformed into a human has brought me!"


    Just like before, even though the Candylord appeared sincere, he still couldn''t gain Yun Ge''s trust. So, Yun Ge ignored the Candylord''s display of great realization and focused on the bloody sweetaurum flower, asking, "Since you already know where to find the bloody sweetaurum flower, why are you still looking so sickly?"


    "Hey! Although I know where the bloody sweetaurum flower is, I don''t have the ability to collect it! In fact, many brave warriors in the village have tried, but they all failed without exception," the Candylord replied with great regret.


    "Why?" Yun Ge asked.


    "The voice told me that only the chosen one can enter the Ice Abyss and find the sweetaurum flower. And because we are not the chosen ones, we don''t even have the ability to survive in the Icy Realm for a long time, let alone go deep into the Icy Realm to search for the bloody sweetaurum flower!" The Candylord answered, while looking at Yun Ge with a gaze that seemed to see hope.


    "You����, why are you looking at me like that?" Yun Ge, feeling a bit uncomfortable under the Candylord''s gaze, asked vigilantly as he turned his body to one side.


    "Because, if I''m not mistaken, Brother Yun Ge, you are the chosen one we''ve been waiting for!" the Candylord replied, his tone gradually becoming more respectful.


    "Me? How could that be! Just because I managed to escape from Candy Town alive, you think I''m the chosen one?!" Yun Ge hurriedly argued.


    The Candylord shook his head and said in an extremely certain tone, "No. Your survival here is not a coincidence. If you were not the chosen one, you would not have been able to survive in the Lost Woods at night. The reason why the beasts didn''t attack you and the fog in the forest didn''t cause you fatal harm is because you possess a unique quality!"


    The Candylord pointed at Yun Ge''s body and continued, "It is also because of your uniqueness that the amnesia witchcraft Rainbow Bear cast on you had no effect. That''s right, the amnesia witchcraft Rainbow Bear cast on you is still in effect. This witchcraft was taught to him by me, so I can easily sense its presence."


    "More importantly, if you were not the chosen one, you would never have been able to walk out of the Venomvine tunnel without the protection of witchcraft. Brother Yun Ge, you are the chosen one we''ve been waiting for after countless months!"


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    Although Yun Ge firmly denied being the chosen one, upon reflection, he realized that what the Candylord said was true. Moreover, it did seem to explain why the amnesia witchcraft Rainbow Bear had cast on him multiple times had no effect.


    Could it be that it was because of his uniqueness that allowed him to easily escape from Candy Town and successfully pass through the Venomvine tunnel? Thinking of this, Yun Ge''s thoughts began to waver.


    Just as Yun Ge was pondering, You Lan suddenly pushed the door open and walked in, "Oh? I didn''t expect you two to be having such a lively conversation!"


    You Lan first made a jest, then said respectfully to the Candylord, "Lord Candylord, Lily has awakened. Please go and check on her condition as soon as possible!"


    Hearing that Lily had awakened, Yun Ge immediately stood up and exclaimed, "You mean Lily has awakened? How is she now? Is she alright?!"


    "Lily just woke up, but her consciousness is not very clear. That''s why I''m asking Lord Candylord to come and check on her condition right away," You Lan nodded and replied to the excited Yun Ge.


    Yun Ge urged anxiously, "Yes! That''s right! Lord Candylord! Let''s go and see Lily''s condition right away!"


    The Candylord, who hadn''t had his hot tea, smiled helplessly, then calmly got up, inquiring about Lily''s condition while being led by You Lan to the cave where Lily was.


    "Lily! It''s really you! Are you okay?!" As soon as Yun Ge entered the room, he saw Lily lying half on a large wooden bed, so he immediately rushed up, grabbed Lily''s hand, and asked excitedly.


    "Ah Yun? Ah Yun! It''s really you! How did you����huff! Huff!" Lily obviously didn''t expect Yun Ge to be here, so she spoke in an incredulous tone while trying to sit up to get a good look at Yun Ge.


    However, as soon as Lily sat up, she felt an unprecedented wave of fatigue. She was so dizzy that she collapsed back onto the bed before she could finish her sentence, and began to breathe heavily uncontrollably.


    "Lily! Lie down quickly! Your body is still very weak, so you must control your emotions and not get too excited!" You Lan advised with concern.


    "Huff����! Sister, I''m fine. I''m just a bit dizzy from just waking up. I''ll be better after I rest a bit more!" Lily said after adjusting her breathing.


    After speaking, Lily looked at Yun Ge and then asked both of them, "Sister You Lan, Ah Yun, why are you both here? Where is this place? Could it be that we''re all dead?"


    You Lan lovingly combed Lily''s slightly messy hair with her hand and gently replied, "Silly child, we''re all safe now. You just need to rest well and don''t worry about anything else!"


    "Yes, Lily! You''ve already escaped the fate of being a sacrificial offering and can now live freely!" Yun Ge continued.


    Upon hearing the word "sacrificial offering," Lily''s body trembled involuntarily. She gasped, "Sacrificial offering����, that''s such a terrifying memory! The town mayor, he''s really too terrible!"


    You Lan immediately held Lily tightly in her arms and comforted her softly, "Don''t talk about it, Lily. We''ve all experienced the witchcraft the town mayor cast on you before you were taken to the altar. But it''s all in the past now, and you''re safe."


    Lily, nestled in You Lan''s arms, responded softly, then turned to look at Yun Ge, whose face was covered in injuries, "Ah Yun, what happened to your face? You didn''t get into any more trouble after I was taken to the altar, did you? But the town mayor clearly said that you lost your memory again because you were too emotional!"


    To avoid making Lily overly worried, Yun Ge downplayed his response, "Hey! It''s not what you think. Actually, I didn''t lose my memory at all. I just pretended to have amnesia to lower the town mayor''s guard.��


    ��Moreover, the town mayor was the one who truly wanted me to lose my memory. After poisoning and controlling me, he cast the amnesia curse multiple times in an attempt to erase all memories of you."


    Then, Yun Ge told Lily everything that had happened to him after he was driven out of his home by Lily''s parents that day. After listening to the entire story of how Yun Ge had come to this place, Lily felt heartbroken and began to cry softly while gently stroking Yun Ge''s cheek.


    Seeing the atmosphere turn increasingly sad, the Candylord stepped forward and patted Yun Ge''s shoulder, saying, "Hey! You two kids, that''s enough! Since you''ve been reunited safely, why keep bringing up those past experiences? Yun Ge, you can see for yourself that Lily''s body is in no great danger, so you can rest easy now."


    "Come! Let me check Lily''s mental state again, and then let her get some good rest. There''s plenty of time ahead for you lovebirds to catch up!"


    "Ah! Right! Candylord, please hurry up and check on Lily''s condition! Lily, be sure to follow the Candylord''s guidance and let your body recover as soon as possible!" Realizing that he had spoken too much and might have interfered with the Candylord''s treatment of Lily, Yun Ge hurriedly said apologetically and stepped aside.


    Upon seeing the Candylord''s appearance, Lily couldn''t help but let out a scream and instinctively shrank back into You Lan''s arms.


    Seeing this, You Lan immediately comforted her, "Hehehe! Lily, don''t be afraid! The Candylord is not a bad person! If it weren''t for the Candylord''s rescue, we sacrificial offerings would have already become food for the beasts!"


    "Yes, Lily! The Candylord was also driven out of Candy Town by the town mayor. We''re all in the same boat. So don''t worry and let the Candylord examine you properly!" In order to get Lily to cooperate with the Candylord''s treatment, Yun Ge had to temporarily set aside his doubts about the Candylord and persuaded together.


    Although the Candylord''s half-human, half-bear appearance was quite terrifying, Lily, who had already experienced a life-and-death tribulation, quickly relaxed under everyone''s comfort and cooperated fully with the various examinations the Candylord conducted on her.


    According to the Candylord''s diagnosis, Lily''s overall physical condition was still acceptable. It was just that because Lily had been affected by the town mayor''s debilitating witchcraft and her spirit had been damaged while traveling through the Venomvine tunnel, her body was now very weak.


    The Candylord emphasized that Lily''s body had, after all, endured some destruction from the tunnel''s toxic gas. Therefore, even if her body recovered, her physical condition would be far from what it used to be. Lily''s fate would be similar to that of the other rescued women in the village, often feeling physically weak after recovery.


    Because their bodies were much weaker than before, they lost the ability to engage in high-intensity activities, or even to carry some heavier objects.


    The Candylord further stated that if he could make a new breakthrough in healing witchcraft, he might have the ability to completely cure Lily and the others. But to achieve this, the Candylord must first heal his own internal injuries and then improve his realm once again.


    More importantly, the Candylord needs to obtain the bloody sweetaurum flower and refine it into a new type of candy to dispel the lingering illnesses of everyone.


    Thus, the issue came back to how to find the bloody sweetaurum flower. Yun Ge, due to his distrust of the Candylord, would naturally not easily agree to help the Candylord find the flower.


    The Candylord seemed to understand why Yun Ge refused him, so he only mentioned once during the subsequent casual conversation that he hoped Yun Ge could help find the bloody sweetaurum flower, and after Yun Ge did not give a clear answer, he never brought it up again.

 Chapter 30

    In the days that followed, Yun Ge devoted all his energy to taking care of Lily. Under Yun Ge''s meticulous care and the Candylord''s diligent treatment, Lily quickly regained her spirit.


    Now, Lily could at least move around like a normal person and participate in some simple tasks. Of course, since Lily''s physical vitality was far from what it used to be, even light tasks would quickly leave her feeling physically drained.


    According to You Lan, Lily''s condition was perfectly normal, as everyone''s body would be like this during the recovery period, so she told Yun Ge not to worry too much. However, seeing the lively and lovely Lily become so weak, how could Yun Ge be at ease?


    Thus, after becoming familiar with the other women who had been sacrificial offerings, Yun Ge began to subtly understand their aftereffects and tried to find a way to cure them.


    After a series of inquiries by Yun Ge, the answer still pointed to the bloody sweetaurum flower. Everyone said that the nectar of the bloody sweetaurum flower was the only way for them to regain their former vitality, which made Yun Ge question the Candylord''s request for his help in finding the flower.


    Was the Candylord genuinely seeking help, or was he setting a trap to ensnare him as well? Yun Ge pondered in his heart. Although Yun Ge was also eager to find a cure for Lily, the thought that the Candylord and Rainbow Bear, as brothers, might be birds of a feather made him still hesitate whether to agree to the Candylord''s request.


    So, Yun Ge had to seek You Lan again, hoping to further determine from her whether the Candylord was trustworthy.


    Since their heart-to-heart talk, You Lan had almost become Yun Ge''s spiritual support. Not only would Yun Ge actively consult You Lan when encountering problems, but he was also very willing to listen to her advice. As for why Yun Ge was so close to You Lan?


    It was because Yun Ge learned from Lily that the reason You Lan took such meticulous care of Lily every day was not only because they had known each other before, but also because You Lan was Luke''s ex-girlfriend.


    It was this unique relationship that made Yun Ge and You Lan become very good friends at first sight, and it further shook Yun Ge''s idea of refusing to look for the bloody sweetaurum flower. Because every time he thought of You Lan as Luke''s ex-girlfriend, Yun Ge''s mind would once again bring to mind Luke''s painfully regretful and helpless expression.


    "Sister You Lan, do you think the Candylord is trustworthy?" After much deliberation, Yun Ge finally approached You Lan, who had just walked out of Lily''s room, and asked.


    "Ah! What''s there to trust or not trust? We''re all in the same boat now, and the most important thing is to stick together and survive in this forest. There''s no need for everyone to keep dwelling on the past," You Lan responded with a broad-minded tone.


    "But Sister You Lan, what if the Candylord is using you all to achieve his goal of retaliating against the town mayor? Aren''t you afraid he might treat you as pawns?" Yun Ge asked again.


    "Pawns? Haven''t we always been pawns?" You Lan countered.


    You Lan continued, "Moreover, the Candylord not only saved the lives of us who were about to be sacrificed but also openly told us the whole truth. Also, instead of controlling us with hallucination witchcraft as before, the Candylord has been working with us to build this village, and we are all on guard together against the potential harm Rainbow Bear might bring us again. With all these efforts the Candylord has made, isn''t that enough to earn our trust?"


    "But the Candylord still requires you to donate blood regularly. And he has been trying to heal his internal injuries and raise his own realm again, so that he can return to Candy Town and reclaim everything that belongs to him. Aren''t you afraid he might betray you after achieving his goal?" Yun Ge questioned.


    Upon hearing this, You Lan sighed and then said, "Betrayal. So what if he betrays us again? To be honest, if the Candylord decides to leave us here forever and return to Candy Town alone, that might not be a bad thing."


    "Because here, unlike the Lost Woods above, we don''t need to rely on the candies made by the Candylord to live freely. Although it''s always icy and snowy here, and resources are relatively scarce, even so, the resources in this forest can meet our daily needs, allowing us to stay away from the hustle and bustle and return to a peaceful life."


    You Lan glanced at Yun Ge and added, "The Candylord not only saved us but is also constantly looking for ways to cure us. Moreover, instead of deceiving us into donating blood regularly, the Candylord told us the truth, making us willing to provide him with blood regularly and live together with him in the real world. For such a person, and after experiencing all these events, would we still doubt his sincerity?"


    You Lan sighed again, "Sigh! If the Candylord succeeds, we will also have a chance to be completely cured. We believe the Candylord will definitely do this. After all, the ones who want revenge are not just the Candylord. We, the women who were chosen as sacrifices and ruthlessly abandoned, also want to get back our justice and reclaim the lives we lost."


    You Lan paused for a moment, and her gaze towards Yun Ge gradually became firmer, "Don''t you want to get back justice for Lily?"


    Faced with You Lan''s questioning, Yun Ge did not respond immediately. It wasn''t that Yun Ge didn''t know how to reply to You Lan, but rather that he realized at this moment that the Candylord had not lied before.


    Although these women living in the village were very gentle and virtuous, and their illness had made them even more soft-hearted, their inner hearts were extremely resilient, and they indeed harbored a strong hatred for Candy Town, always waiting for an opportunity to take revenge.


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    Thus, Yun Ge couldn''t help but ask himself, "Do I really want to watch these innocent women suffer from incurable injuries and illnesses for the rest of their lives? Do I really not want to get back justice for Lily?"


    The answer was naturally affirmative. Yun Ge once again remembered the ugly faces of Lily''s family, who were willing to watch their own daughter become a lamb to the slaughter for a better life. He also remembered what Rainbow Bear had done to eliminate him as a potential threat.


    Thinking of this, Yun Ge''s thoughts returned to Lily. Every time he thought of Lily''s various sufferings after becoming a sacrifice, an angry tide of rage would surge in his heart again, making him tremble with anger.


    After deciding to take a risk for Lily, Yun Ge continued chatting with You Lan on this topic. Then he learned that these women, who had been used as sacrifices, not only had incurable aftereffects but also their lifespans would be greatly shortened.


    As a fortunate one with a lifespan far exceeding that of ordinary people, he naturally did not want his lifespan to be reduced. So, everyone actually hoped that Yun Ge would go to the Icy Abyss to find the bloody sweetaurum flower.


    However, the journey to the Icy Abyss was too perilous, so everyone did not want to use Lily to persuade Yun Ge to take the risk for their own selfish interests. You Lan only mentioned this matter inadvertently during the conversation with Yun Ge, which made her, in a moment of urgency, tell Yun Ge more of the truth. But after telling Yun Ge everyone''s expectations, You Lan immediately regretted it.


    So, You Lan hurriedly explained that she did not mean to tell Yun Ge these things and warned him repeatedly not to venture into the Icy Abyss on his own.


    Because the fog there would consume his mind and make him lose his way. According to You Lan, there had been brave warriors from the village who, in order to find the legendary bloody sweetaurum flower to cure their beloved, had ventured into the Icy Abyss on their own and never returned alive.


    Yun Ge naturally had no intention of blaming You Lan. On the contrary, he was very grateful to You Lan for informing him of this matter. Otherwise, he would definitely continue to hesitate whether to agree to the Candylord''s request to go to the Icy Abyss. But now Yun Ge understood that if he did not do so, Lily would not only continue to be plagued by the aftereffects but also have her lifespan greatly reduced.


    Yun Ge certainly did not want to see this happen. So he made up his mind immediately, no matter how dangerous the Icy Abyss was, and no matter what ulterior motives the Candylord had in encouraging him to find the bloody sweetaurum flower, he would take the risk and go.


    After clarifying his goal, Yun Ge approached the Candylord again and expressed his willingness to go to the Icy Abyss. The Candylord, upon hearing this news, was naturally very pleased and immediately began to prepare for Yun Ge''s expedition.


    Time quickly arrived at the day of Yun Ge''s departure. Since the journey to the Icy Abyss was long, Lily and the others, unable to participate in such strenuous activities, could not accompany Yun Ge. So, after participating in the farewell ceremony held by the villagers for him, Yun Ge bid a reluctant farewell to Lily and then left the village under the escort of the Candylord and a group of strong villagers.


    Although the journey to the Icy Abyss was long, fortunately, the Candylord and his group had been to the Icy Abyss several times to investigate, making them very familiar with the environment along the way. Therefore, they were still able to follow the route that the Candylord had planned in advance and arrived at the Icy Abyss very smoothly.


    It was then that Yun Ge realized that the so-called Icy Abyss was actually a range of mountains covered in snow all year round.


    Since the altitude of this mountain range was not very high, Yun Ge only discovered its existence after passing through several forests that reached into the clouds. Just as the Candylord had introduced before, the upper half of this mountain range was enveloped by a dense layer of fog, making it impossible for Yun Ge to see the full view of the mountains.


    After walking for about half a day, the group finally reached the halfway point of the mountain range before noon. Then, at the end of this mountain path, Yun Ge saw a simple wooden cabin and a huge stone engraved with witchcraft spells. The mountain range behind this stone was completely shrouded in fog, so even if Yun Ge got closer, he couldn''t see what the mountains and forests in the fog looked like.


    The Candylord pointed to the fog ahead and said with reverence, "Brother Yun Ge, we can only escort you here! Because this is the entrance to the Icy Abyss. Entering the fog in front of you is equivalent to entering the Icy Abyss! As for the road ahead, you can only explore it by yourself!"


    "Remember, although your vision will be affected after entering the Icy Abyss, it won''t be so severe that you can''t tell the direction to return. So, never be stubborn when you feel your body and mind are being disturbed by the fog! You must return the same way as soon as possible to avoid endangering your life!"


    "We will be waiting here for you during this period. Even if we leave, we will leave enough food in this wooden cabin for you to replenish your energy. May the spirit of the forest protect you, and good luck!"


    After speaking, the Candylord sat down on a wooden bench outside the cabin and began to chant witchcraft spells, praying for the forest spirit to bless Yun Ge.


    Yun Ge bid farewell to his fellow travelers and then, with courage, strode into the fog ahead along with the sound of the Candylord''s witchcraft chanting.


    The first reaction Yun Ge had after entering the fog was that the dense fog was pungent, with a spicy taste mixed with a hint of bitterness, which instantly made his taste buds confused and caused a strong urge to vomit.


    However, Yun Ge quickly adapted to these adverse reactions. But the dizziness that followed made him a bit delirious, causing him to slip and fall to the ground due to his feet slipping.


    Yun Ge knew that his adverse reactions must be related to the fog''s attack on his mind. So he immediately gasped for air and kept rubbing snow on his face to refresh himself with the cold stimulation of the snow. After a simple treatment by Yun Ge, the dizzy feeling that made the world spin indeed lessened a lot, and the spicy and bitter taste in his mouth was no longer so unbearable. So, after a short rest, Yun Ge got up again.


    At this moment, Yun Ge realized that although he had only taken a dozen steps into the fog, he could no longer hear the Candylord''s loud chanting. Sensing something was wrong, Yun Ge immediately wanted to step on the footprints in front and return the same way.


    But to Yun Ge''s surprise, after walking more than ten steps into the fog behind him following the footprints, he did not walk out of the fog but saw more footprints on the snow ahead.


    After carefully distinguishing, these footprints were exactly the same as the ones he had guessed, but Yun Ge was very sure that he had not walked such a long distance after entering the fog. So Yun Ge immediately realized that his mind must have been disturbed by the fog, causing him to see illusions. He must be trapped in this mysterious dense fog now!


    Thinking of this, Yun Ge quickly checked his body to see if there were any other hidden injuries. After making sure there were no other abnormalities in his body, Yun Ge turned around and walked again along the footprints in the direction where he had just fallen.


    As a result, after walking another dozen steps, Yun Ge found that the snow pit formed when he had just fallen in the snow had disappeared. Now, there was only a long line of footprints in the snow leading straight into the distant fog. And when Yun Ge turned around again, he was surprised to find that the footprints behind him had all vanished, leaving only a expanse of untouched white snow on the ground.

 Chapter 31

    There was no way out. Since he was already deep in the fog, whether it was to continue searching for the bloody sweetaurum or to find a way out of the fog, Yun Ge had to keep going. The reason why Yun Ge stepped on the footprints in front was that he felt the footprints in front would not appear for no reason.


    Of course, to avoid traps around the footprints in front, Yun Ge walked very cautiously with each step. At the same time, he also kept a high level of vigilance during his progress, always ready to fight a sudden danger to the death.


    Yun Ge has been walking hard in the snow mountain shrouded in fog. Even if he was tired, he could only sit in place for a short rest, but dared not close his eyes for a nap. Because he knew that in such a cold place, once he closed his eyes, he might never wake up from sleep.


    Moreover, even if he would not be taken away by the cold wind in his sleep, he might also let his spirit be destroyed by the fog in a state of mental relaxation.


    Walking in the snow mountain is originally a very physically consuming thing. Coupled with the continuous harassment of Yun Ge''s spirit by the fog, as well as Yun Ge''s constant high mental concentration to deal with the danger, naturally led to his physical consumption further accelerated.


    As a result, after walking for a while, Yun Ge became more and more difficult to walk due to physical exhaustion, and his breathing also became more and more rapid. But Yun Ge knew he couldn''t stop. Because, he could only cure Lily''s sequelae by finding the bloody sweetaurum.


    Yun Ge leaned on the long knife in his hand, panting heavily while looking at the snow-covered mountains around him, and couldn''t help but sigh in his heart. Compared with this endless mountain range, he was such an insignificant existence. The snow on the mountain range was so thick, how could he find the trace of the bloody sweetaurum in this vast snow field?


    Moreover, does this bloody sweetaurum really exist? Is this a trap set by the sugar master? The purpose is to let himself stay away from the village and stay away from Lily?


    The more difficult the time, the more people tend to doubt the things and people around them. But even so, Yun Ge was still unwilling to give up, because he really liked Lily and really hoped to cure Lily''s injury. So, after a short rest, Yun Ge tried to stand up again and prepared to continue stepping on the footprints that seemed to have no end.


    Then, Yun Ge''s physical strength had reached its limit, so that he fell to the ground this time because of the weakness of his lower limbs, and had no strength to stand up again.


    Realizing the danger, Yun Ge was terrified in his heart, but still unwilling to give up. So he lie down on the snow and continued to crawl along the direction of the footprints.


    Yun Ge crawled along the footprints in the snow for a while, and then suddenly found that the footprints in front became smaller, and were turning from a pair of footprints into many smaller footprints. These small footprints looked very much like the footprints left by some small birds walking on the snow, like small footprints as thin as a needle.


    In addition, these small footprints were like black snow pits with life, and soon formed a road in front of Yun Ge. Obviously, this road composed of countless small snow pits as thin as a needle seemed to be telling Yun Ge the direction to go next. At least in Yun Ge''s view, the purpose of these seemingly living small snow pits was like this.


    Thus, with hope inexplicably reignited, Yun Ge once again mustered up his energy and prepared to continue crawling along this path. But this time, after only a few more difficult crawls forward, he collapsed completely in the snow due to exhaustion.


    At this time, a childish voice said playfully, "Hey! He seems to be really different!"


    " Yeah! Yeah! He actually made it here, which is really unexpected!" Another playful child''s voice chimed in.


    Then, another playful child''s voice shouted, "Tsk tsk tsk! If you hadn''t deliberately tripped him up, he would have gone much further than he did! So, you lost this round!"


    " Pfft pfft pfft! I didn''t cheat! I just couldn''t help sneezing just now!" The second voice argued. Then, more voices joined this quarrel. For a time, the scene became extremely chaotic.


    "Ugh����," Just as these voices were arguing, Yun Ge groaned and woke up.


    " Oh my! He''s awake! He woke up much earlier than you expected! I won! I won!" Seeing Yun Ge wake up, another playful voice shouted.


    Yun Ge used his hands and feet to lean against a snow-covered rock and sat up with difficulty. Then, after finally catching his breath, Yun Ge shouted at the snow-covered and empty forest in front of him, "Who was talking just now?! Where am I?"


    After a moment of silence, the childish voice rang again, "Hmm����, this is our home!"


    Yun Ge frowned upon hearing this, because he could clearly hear that the voice was not far from him, but when he looked in the direction where the voice came from, he didn''t see anyone or any creature.


    So, Yun Ge quickly grabbed the snow with his left hand to apply it to his face, trying to stay awake. At the same time, Yun Ge also hurriedly searched for the machete he had been holding in his right hand in the snow, in order to guard against the attack of this invisible voice.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    " What kind of demon are you? Show your true form quickly! Otherwise, don''t blame me for being ruthless!" Yun Ge shouted angrily at the direction where the voice came from, and at the same time, he raised the machete he had just found in the snow.


    However, just as Yun Ge held the machete in front of him to guard against the enemy''s attack, he suddenly let out a scream and immediately dropped the machete in his hand. Because, while Yun Ge was focusing all his attention on the voice that came from nowhere, he didn''t realize that he was not holding a machete, but a human tibia that was not completely rotten.


    After dropping the human tibia, Yun Ge, who realized something was wrong, hurriedly turned around to check the situation. Then, he saw a whole frozen human thigh remnant in the snow on his right.


    Seeing this, Yun Ge felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, and immediately subconsciously stepped back a few steps to keep a distance from the not completely rotten human thigh. Then Yun Ge was surprised to find that what he had been leaning on just now was not a stone, but a frozen corpse covered by snow.


    Because this place is covered by heavy snow all year round and the temperature is very low, the frozen corpse rotted extremely slowly. So, Yun Ge could still recognize that this was a frozen corpse of an adult male.


    The frozen corpse was in a kneeling posture like praying, curled up in the snow, which made the corpse look like an inconspicuous stone after being covered by thick snow.


    "Hahahahah! Hahahahah! He''s so silly!"


    "Pfft pfft pfft! His look is so funny!"


    "I guess he must have been scared to wet his pants, right? Cough cough cough!"


    Just when Yun Ge was too scared to speak by the frozen corpse, many childlike laughter sounds appeared around him again. Yun Ge hurriedly looked around, although he didn''t see anyone, but his brain might be affected by the ice poison, producing hallucinations, making him mistakenly think that there were people around.


    Listening to the laughter surrounding him, Yun Ge was greatly frightened in his heart. So he stood up in horror and fled in a certain direction aimlessly. As a result, after he ran just a few steps, an indescribable strong force rushed up from under his feet, blocking his way.


    Then, this irresistible force pushed up hard, easily flipping Yun Ge over, so that he somersaulted a few times in a row and fell on his head next to the frozen corpse.


    Yun Ge, who thought all this was caused by the frozen corpse in front of him, hurriedly got up, then raised his fists to the frozen corpse in a defensive posture, and shouted loudly, "Who on earth are you?! What do you want to do?"


    As a result, after hearing Yun Ge''s loud questioning, those childlike voices laughed even more happily! They kept laughing at Yun Ge''s embarrassed look, and Yun Ge just felt a tingling sensation on his scalp. Moreover, because Yun Ge didn''t know how to deal with such a weird scene, he was stunned on the spot while his brain crashed.


    Just when Yun Ge thought he was doomed today, suddenly a childlike voice shouted loudly, "Alright! Alright! Everyone, stop scaring Yun Ge! He is one of the few people who can see us alive! So, let''s hurry up and proceed to the next test!"


    After this voice sounded, the laughter around immediately stopped. Yun Ge then said to the surrounding air with a puzzled look on his face, "Who are you guys? How do you know my name?"


    "Hey hey hey! Why don''t we know your name? Not to mention your name? We know the names of everyone living in this forest! Moreover, we not only know your name, but also know why you intruded here. Hey hey hey!" The childlike voice answered.


    "What... What are you guys exactly?" Yun Ge asked with a trembling voice.


    "We? We are, of course, the legendary forest spirits! Boo hoo hoo! And this area called the Icy Abyssal is the exclusive area we have designated for ourselves." Another childlike voice said.


    "Yeah! Yeah! So you actually dared to intrude into this sacred���� (j��n q��, which means forbidden area), you are really bold enough! Hehehe!" Another playful voice said.


    It was obvious that Yun Ge was talking to many people at the same time. So, he immediately became suspicious of these guys who called themselves forest spirits, "Are you really all forest spirits? Shouldn''t there be only one forest spirit?"


    "Tsk tsk tsk! Who told you that the forest spirit can only be a single individual? Moreover, although we are numerous, who can say that we are not a single individual?" A childlike voice retorted.


    Upon hearing this response, Yun Ge immediately seized on his words and asked, "Individual? So, you also have physical bodies? If so, why don''t you dare to face me in your physical forms? Could it be that you are afraid of me?"


    "Hehehe! What a clever provocation! But the problem is, we have been facing you in our physical forms all along! It''s just that you haven''t found us!" An unknown playful childlike voice said to Yun Ge.


    Then, another playful childlike voice said, "Look carefully at your feet and the snow around you."


    Upon hearing this, Yun Ge immediately looked down at the snow around him. Then he found that there were many small black holes on the snow around him, like those made by a needle. What surprised Yun Ge even more was that after he found the small black holes on the snow, these small black holes began to move on the snow in a very weird way without leaving any traces, like black dots scattered on the white snow.


    All the small black holes the size of a needle quickly gathered together on the snow, then quickly moved to Yun Ge''s feet in a line. They circled around Yun Ge like dancing, and then moved in a line to the frozen corpse kneeling in the snow. Then, an even more weird scene unfolded.


    It was seen that all the small black holes turned into round black dots as they climbed onto the frozen corpse. Then, these black dots drilled into the frozen corpse like bugs. After that, the frozen corpse on its knees began to twitch and move. After the frozen corpse recovered its mobility, it turned sideways to pick up the tibia that Yun Ge had dropped and put it back on its leg.


    Finally, after making sure that its left leg could move, the frozen corpse stood up again with a series of terrifying clicks.


    After the frozen corpse stood still, it stiffly stretched its body, and its hollow eyes, as if torn apart, slowly swept towards Yun Ge.


    Then, the frozen corpse mechanically tugged at the corners of its mouth and gave Yun Ge an extremely twisted and stiff smile, "Cough cough cough! What do you think? Do we look more like a single individual now?"


    Yun Ge, looking at this horrifying scene in front of him, couldn''t help but step back and asked, "What on earth do you guys want to do?"


    "Cough cough cough! We don''t want to do anything to you! We just think that this way we can communicate with you better!" The frozen corpse explained while making stiff body movements and walking towards Yun Ge.


    Seeing this, Yun Ge naturally wanted to turn back, but he soon found that his feet seemed to be bound by some strong force, and he could no longer move. He could only stand in place and watch the frozen corpse slowly walk towards him.


    Yun Ge hurriedly looked down and found that at some point, there were many small black holes the size of a needle under his feet. This made Yun Ge immediately realize that the culprit who had flipped him over just now and now restricted his movement was these terrifying small black holes.


    Seeing that he could no longer move, the panicked Yun Ge could only wave his fists and try to scare the frozen corpse away, "Don''t come over here! If you get any closer to me, don''t blame me for being rude!"

 Chapter 32

    Yun Ge''s threat had no effect on the frozen corpse. The frozen corpse walked stiffly to Yun Ge''s side and nonchalantly slapped Yun Ge''s fists with its withered palms. Then, Yun Ge saw several small black dots appear on his fists, and soon felt his fists were as heavy as if filled with lead, drooping on both sides of his body, unable to be raised again.


    "Wh-What did you do to me?! Let go of my hands now!" Yun Ge continued to shout in fright.


    "Oh dear! Don''t be afraid! We mean no harm! We just want you to stop moving so we can continue our conversation! Hehehe!" The frozen corpse said, its mouth moving stiffly.


    Yun Ge knew that the voice definitely did not come from the frozen corpse. However, since the frozen corpse had restricted his mobility but had not actually harmed him, Yun Ge tried to relax and asked in a panting voice, "Alright! Since you want to communicate, why don''t you tell me what you really are?"


    The frozen corpse stiffly spread its hands and mechanically replied, "Didn''t we just say? We are the forest spirits you speak of. We live in the Lost Woods and have become the guardians here to ensure the forest can exist for a long time."


    The frozen corpse pointed to the small black dots on the back of Yun Ge''s hand, then squatted down beside Yun Ge, making its height shorter than his. It continued, "Of course, we have another name��Little Ones. As you can see, we are very small, so small that we are as inconspicuous as a tiny black dot! Pfft pfft pfft!"


    ''Little Ones,'' a name that aptly described these terrifying beings. However, Yun Ge felt that these creatures were far from harmless, as suggested by their name. Sensing the immense power from them, he thought it better to refer to them as forest spirits. Only by showing them respect could he avoid offending them and suffering their cruelty. After all, Yun Ge did not want to become a frozen corpse controlled at their whim.


    It was unknown whether the forest spirits had the ability to read minds, but they clearly understood Yun Ge''s thoughts through his gaze.


    The frozen corpse immediately waved its hand under the control of the forest spirits and said, "Hi hi hi! Don''t get any wrong ideas! We didn''t kill Kayne! Well, maybe we should take some responsibility for Kayne and other creatures that died here. But I must argue that this place is not a forbidden zone you should enter."


    "Moreover, the fog they encountered was not our doing, but a cruel trick of nature. These fogs are naturally formed in the Lost Woods, and we just prefer the environment here, choosing to live here rather than in the forest above."


    "Additionally, compared to the lofty title of ''forest spirits,'' I prefer to be called Little Ones by my friends. It''s just that few have the chance to call me that. Hahaha!" Little Ones added.


    Yun Ge immediately grasped the implication in Little Ones'' words and hurriedly asked, "So you mean I''m not the only one who has entered here alive?"


    "Yes, but not many. And they have nothing to do with you guys and your Candy Town matters. So I don''t want to tell you too much for now. I can only say that you are indeed the chosen one. Otherwise, you would have met the same fate as Kayne, perishing soon after entering the Icy Abyssal Realm!" Little Ones said, patting its withered face with the frozen corpse''s hand.


    "So, uh��Who exactly is Kayne? Can you reveal something about him? Do you know why he entered the Icy Abyssal Realm?" To ease the discomfort of talking with the frozen corpse, Yun Ge took a half-step back and asked.


    "Hehehe! Besides searching for the legendary bloody sweetaurum, what else could it be?" Little Ones said.


    "Is he from Honeysnow Village?" Yun Ge asked with some surprise.


    "That''s right! Kayne, like you, is from Honeysnow Village. The only difference is that you ventured here not only because of the entrustment from Candy Bear but also to save your beloved Lily and other women. He, on the other hand, came here solely to save his own lover." Little Ones replied.


    Then Little Ones continued, "Hey hey hey! Do you know for whom Kayne was willing to risk his life to find the bloody sweetaurum here?"


    Without waiting for Yun Ge''s response, Little Ones eagerly answered in a very gossipy tone, "He did it for Lauren."


    "Lauren? Which Lauren?" Yun Ge frowned and asked.


    "Besides that Lauren, Luke''s ex-girlfriend Lauren, who else do you know named Lauren?" Little Ones asked disdainfully.


    "Kayne was saved by the village patrol before Candy Bear rescued Lauren. So when Candy Bear brought Lauren back to the village, he was there too, and he fell deeply in love with Lauren at first sight. However, Lauren gave very limited responses to Kayne''s continuous courtship."


    "This directly led to Kayne, who kept showing his affection to Lauren, deciding to take a risk and go to the Icy Abyssal Realm alone to find the bloody sweetaurum.


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    Unfortunately, although we gave him a chance for his sincere love, he was not the chosen one, so he ultimately failed." Little Ones shook his head in regret while speaking, but his tone was filled with schadenfreude.


    After listening to Kayne''s story, Yun Ge sighed helplessly. He knew that Lauren did not accept Kayne''s love because she already had someone she loved. However, Yun Ge also admired Kayne''s courage and devotion, as he was willing to pay with his precious life for a woman he could never have.


    Thinking of this, Yun Ge suddenly felt that the frozen corpse in front of him was not so terrifying anymore. So, while examining the poor soul who died for love, he asked, "Why do you all say I am the chosen one? Just because I can enter here unharmed?"


    "Of course not. Because, as long as we are willing, anyone can come here without being harmed by the fog. Look, isn''t Kayne an example?" Little Ones said, pointing to the frozen corpse he controlled.


    "What then? Do I possess some unique ability?" Yun Ge asked, puzzled.


    "Hmph hmph hmph��The specific reason��It seems it''s not time for you to know yet. I can only say that your power is far from limited to this. They are all dormant and undefined.��


    ��So everything depends on your future development and the choices you ultimately make! However, you are indeed a very interesting guy! Whether you will remember us in the future or not, we will always keep an eye on you! Hohoho!" Little Ones smiled mysteriously, his voice full of deep meaning.


    Yun Ge naturally did not understand what Little Ones meant, but he felt that what Little Ones said must be very important, so he wanted to ask for a further explanation.


    However, Little Ones interrupted him before he could finish speaking and changed the subject, "Alright! There are many things we can''t say much about! After all, we don''t want to get into trouble! Come on! Let''s talk about the bloody sweetaurum!"


    Since Little Ones brought up the matter of the bloody sweetaurum, Yun Ge naturally put aside other thoughts and hurriedly asked, "Are you really willing to tell me where the bloody sweetaurum is?"


    Little Ones'' fingers, frozen and blue, fluttered in the air, "No no no! We won''t tell you where the bloody sweetaurum is. Because the bloody sweetaurum has always grown here! Cough cough cough!"


    Upon hearing this, Yun Ge immediately looked around, but apart from the snow-covered mountains and forests, he did not find any plants resembling flowers.


    "Don''t look! Actually, there is a bloody sweetaurum growing right under your feet. You just can''t see it now! Hahaha!" Little Ones said.


    "So, how can I see it?" Yun Ge asked, looking down. At this moment, apart from the snow under his feet and the tiny black holes on the snow the size of a needle, he did not find anything.


    "Because you are not yet qualified to obtain it, you naturally cannot see it! If you want to get it, you must pass our test." Little Ones said again.


    "What kind of test? No matter what the test is, I will do my best to pass it!" Yun Ge said immediately, with determination.


    Of course, since Yun Ge knew that Kayne had died here because he failed the test, he was very nervous about this test, which he knew to be very dangerous. But since things had come to this, he could only take the risk. Otherwise, let alone finding the bloody sweetaurum, he would probably have no chance of leaving here at all!


    Seeing that Yun Ge agreed to participate in the test without hesitation, Little Ones nodded with satisfaction, "Very good! In fact, our test is very simple. You just need to pass the test, and you can leave here with the bloody sweetaurum. But if you fail the test, you will be trapped in it forever until your life is exhausted! Hahaha!"


    Well! Little Ones'' explanation of the test was almost non-existent. Since that was the case, Yun Ge did not want to waste any more words and urged, "Alright! I know! Then let''s start the test quickly!"


    "Don''t be impatient! Don''t be impatient! Hmm��Let me think, what should we do next? Hey? How did we start the test last time?" Little Ones said, and the voices from the frozen corpse became many again. Then, these voices from all over the frozen corpse discussed in an incomprehensible chirping.


    Seeing this, Yun Ge immediately regretted it, because he did not expect these Little Ones to be so unreliable. As a result, Yun Ge began to worry that these Little Ones would make some mistakes in the upcoming test, putting him in danger and causing him to lose his life in vain.


    "Aha! I remember now! I remember now! So that''s how we started the trial before! Hehehe! Yun Ge, are you ready? If you are ready, please sit down where you are and close your eyes to try to relax. Because the test is about to begin! Hehehe!" After a lively discussion, these Little Ones said to Yun Ge excitedly.


    Given that Little Ones'' tone was somewhat lacking in confidence, Yun Ge couldn''t help but hesitate whether to follow their instructions to prepare. But then he thought that he really had no way out now. So, Yun Ge took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and slowly sat down on the ground.


    After Yun Ge sat down, he heard the voices of those Little Ones merge into one again, chanting an incomprehensible spell. Then, Yun Ge felt a cold and lifeless palm press against his forehead. Realizing that the palm pressing against his forehead belonged to Kayne''s frozen corpse,


    Yun Ge felt a chill in his heart and subconsciously wanted to open his eyes. But before he could react, he felt his body sink heavily, and then he quickly lost consciousness under the strong drowsiness.


    Yun Ge slept very soundly and comfortably. Because he felt that the environment around him was no longer cold, but gradually became warm. Moreover, the environment seemed too warm, to the point that he was panting from the heat.


    At this time, Yun Ge had not fully awakened from his deep sleep, but an indescribable sense of crisis pierced his heart like ice. Because Yun Ge thought of a terrible thing, that is, when a person''s core body temperature drops severely in a cold area, the brain''s temperature regulation center may misjudge, causing the body to mistakenly believe that it is overheating, thus creating an illusion of "getting hot."


    This is a very dangerous signal. If rescue measures are not taken quickly, he may soon be frozen to death in the snow. Therefore, when Yun Ge suddenly thought of this in his half-asleep and half-awake state, he immediately sat up with a loud shout.


    As a result, just after waking up from his sleep, Yun Ge was stunned immediately. Because he found that he was not suffering from hypothermia due to a severe drop in core body temperature, but was woken up by the heat because he had been sleeping in the scorching desert all along.


    "What is this place?" This was the first question Yun Ge asked after waking up.


    "Why am I here?" This was the second question Yun Ge asked.


    "Strange? Why am I asking such questions? How did I get here? Before this��Why don''t I remember anything?" Then, Yun Ge asked a series of questions. But apart from knowing his own name, he couldn''t remember anything else.

 Chapter 33

    Yun Ge stood up in a daze, looked at the boundless desert, and an overwhelming sense of thirst and hunger surged into his heart, making him extremely panic. Under the influence of this extremely unsettling emotion, the instinct for survival made Yun Ge realize that if he couldn''t find water and food soon, his life would be in mortal danger. Driven by the desire to survive, Yun Ge struggled to move forward under the scorching sun, heading towards the distant desert.


    It must be said that the difficulty of finding food and water in the boundless, scorching desert is comparable to climbing to the sky. And without any food and water, it''s even more difficult to search for them on foot in the desert.


    Not to mention that Yun Ge had encountered sandstorms in the desert for two consecutive days and had to endure the low temperatures of the desert at night. As a result, after walking in the desert for two days, Yun Ge fell into a great crisis due to excessive physical exhaustion.


    It can be said that Yun Ge was now moving forward solely relying on his primitive instinct for survival. At the same time, Yun Ge kept reminding himself in his mind not to stop and rest. He knew that once he stopped, he might not have the strength to stand up again.


    However, the development of things was contrary to Yun Ge''s thoughts. In the end, Yun Ge still fell to the ground accidentally due to unstable footing caused by physical exhaustion while trying to walk down a sand dune.


    Yun Ge tumbled down the sand dune, and fortunately, the sand dune was not very high, which prevented him from suffering serious injuries during the fall. But under the condition of great physical exhaustion, such a fall was enough to make him feel dizzy and unable to stand up again.


    Thus, Yun Ge, who was not willing to wait for death on the spot, could only continue to crawl forward. But in such a weak physical condition, how far could he crawl on the soft desert? The answer is naturally not far. However, it was precisely because Yun Ge crawled a short distance forward that he regained a glimmer of hope.


    Because soon, when Yun Ge tried to continue crawling forward with his hands, he touched a box covered by fine sand. Yun Ge���ѵ� (with difficulty) dug this box out of the sand pit and found that it actually contained a piece of bread and two bottles of drinking water. Overjoyed, Yun Ge opened one of the water bottles and drank more than half of the water, then gobbled up a small piece of bread, and finally lay on his back in the desert with satisfaction.


    "I''m alive! I''m finally alive! Thank heavens! I''ve finally found food and survived!" Lying on the ground, Yun Ge thanked the favor of fate and cried out of emotion. As he cried, Yun Ge finally fell into a peaceful sleep under the influence of extreme fatigue.


    The next morning, Yun Ge was woken up by the scorching sunlight on his face again. After replenishing a lot of energy and resting for a whole night, Yun Ge had recovered a lot of physical strength. So, he set off again with the remaining drinking water and bread. Because of the discovery of food the day before, Yun Ge''s mood had improved a lot at this time, and he also had more confidence in walking out of the desert.


    Encouraged by this positive mentality, Yun Ge walked in the desert for another two days. Although the nights in the desert were no longer hard to endure, and he didn''t encounter sandstorms during the day, the desert was still the same desert, and Yun Ge still couldn''t find any clues to leave the desert.


    Looking at the tiny piece of bread and the last bottle of drinking water in his hand, Yun Ge couldn''t help but let out a sigh of helplessness. Then, Yun Ge started to calculate how many days these food supplies could support him to walk in the desert.


    "Alas! If I can''t walk out of the desert or find other food before these things are gone, I''m afraid I''ll have to stay here forever. Alas! I said, God! Since you can''t help me leave here, why did you let me get these foods and give me the hope to survive? Wouldn''t it be better to just let me die here?" Yun Ge thought with great disappointment.


    "Save me, please��, save��" Just when Yun Ge was a bit discouraged, he suddenly heard a faint cry for help. Yun Ge hurriedly quickened his pace and walked forward, and then he saw an old man on the verge of death in a sand pit not far ahead.


    "Save me, please��" The old man, whose body was half buried in the fine sand, weakly cried for help again upon seeing Yun Ge.


    "Are you okay? Hold on!" Yun Ge shouted and quickly ran to the back of the old man, pulling him out of the sand pit with all his strength. Then he hurriedly supported the old man''s head and gave him some drinking water.


    After drinking a small half bottle of drinking water, the old man''s tightly furrowed brows slightly relaxed. Seeing this, Yun Ge quickly stuffed the remaining piece of bread into the old man''s mouth, and the old man''s breathing finally stabilized after eating the bread.


    "Thank you, young man! I haven''t had anything to eat or drink for three days! If I hadn''t met you, I might have died here!" The old man, who had finally adjusted his breathing, said gratefully.


    "You''re welcome! Elderly man, you should rest more and not talk too much for now!" Seeing that the old man was out of life-threatening danger, Yun Ge also let out a long breath.


    The old man nodded upon hearing this, then looked straight at the water bottle on the ground and said, "Water, I need more water��"


    It should be known that the food Yun Ge had just lost to save the old man was enough to support him for two more days of walking. Naturally, Yun Ge was heartbroken about this.


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    Moreover, Yun Ge didn''t know how long it would take him to leave this desert, and he also didn''t know whether he could find other food in the future. Even if Yun Ge could save the old man''s life, how long could the two of them survive in the desert without any supplies?


    In such an extreme situation, wouldn''t it be the most correct choice to leave enough water for the person who has a higher chance of survival? However, although this is the case, Yun Ge couldn''t bear to watch someone die. So, when the old man asked for water, he still handed over the water bottle without hesitation. The old man then eagerly drank up the remaining half bottle of water in one go.


    "Elderly man, why are you here alone?" Seeing that the old man''s spirits had obviously improved after drinking the water, Yun Ge asked.


    "Sigh! Don''t mention it! I''m a desert traveler who makes a living by transporting goods between desert stations. This time, I was supposed to transport a batch of goods to the Sandbar Station, and then transport the items I exchanged back to my hometown to sell for money.��


    ��But just as I was about to reach the Sandbar Station, I was unexpectedly attacked by a group of bandits. They not only took away my goods and camels but also killed all the people who were traveling with me."


    "Fortunately, I''m just an old and weak man, so I luckily survived. Then, those ruthless bandits kicked me into that sand pit and left me to die there! Cough cough cough!" The old man slowly recounted his experience, and then sadly looked at the desert not far away.


    Yun Ge walked in the direction the old man was looking. Soon, he smelled a foul odor. Then, Yun Ge found another deeper sand pit and saw several frozen corpses almost completely buried by the quicksand inside. Since these frozen corpses, like the old man, had been stripped almost naked by the bandits, it was impossible to find any food.


    So, Yun Ge covered his nose and returned to the old man''s side, then asked, "Excuse me, sir, are you saying that we are not far from that Sandbar Station now?"


    "That''s right. If we ride camels, we can get there in about half a day. But if we walk on foot, it will take at least two days at the fastest. And now, my movement is not very convenient, so it might take three days to get there!" The old man replied.


    Then, the old man said with some regret, "Sigh! It''s all my fault! I shouldn''t have been so greedy and eaten your food just now! In this way, at least you could have reached the Sandbar Station more smoothly! I''m already so old, I shouldn''t have caused you so much trouble!"


    "Elderly man, please don''t say that! Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda, this is what I should do! Besides, we are not far from the Oasis Station now. We might soon meet other travelers coming in and out of the station!"


    "Even if we don''t meet anyone, at most we only need to persist for three more days to reach the station! So, I will not abandon you! Please don''t give up either! We will definitely make it to the Oasis Station!" Yun Ge hurriedly comforted.


    After the old man rested for a while, Yun Ge helped him up and started the next journey. Although the old man was elderly and weak, and had suffered many superficial injuries after falling into the sand pit, which made their progress very slow, the old man was very familiar with the environment here, so he still played a very important guiding role for Yun Ge, ensuring that the two could avoid the dangerous areas in the desert while still moving in the right direction.


    The two walked for two days. Although they had replenished their water and food before, after walking in the desert without eating or drinking for two days, they quickly drained all the energy in their bodies again. So now, it was not so much that Yun Ge was helping the old man move forward, but rather that the two were now using each other as crutches, leaning on each other to continue moving forward.


    During this period, if one of them fell, the other would also fall due to the lack of support. Once the two fell, they would definitely not have the strength to stand up again.


    "I, I really can''t make it!" Finally, the old man said with a sinking body. At this time, although the old man was using all his strength to hold onto Yun Ge''s shoulder, his legs had become so weak that he could barely stand.


    "Elderly man! Please cheer up! We''ll make it if we hold on a little longer!" Yun Ge hurriedly encouraged, but he also had no strength to help the old man up, yet he didn''t want to let go because he wanted to support the old man, which eventually caused him to fall to the ground with the old man due to unstable footing.


    "Quick! Elderly man! Let''s get up quickly! Don''t lie down and rest! Don''t give up!" Yun Ge, who had fallen to the ground, was still encouraging the old man and trying his best to help him get up from the ground.


    The old man, on the other hand, had completely collapsed after falling to the ground and, at this time, was only gasping for breath heavily without any other response.


    Yun Ge was well aware of how dangerous the situation was, but he was indeed too weak to come up with any solution. Just as Yun Ge was also thinking of giving up, he suddenly heard the sound of camel bells ringing. Then, Yun Ge, whose eyelids were gradually getting heavier, saw a group of camels running towards him quickly in the scorching sun.


    So, Yun Ge said weakly with a hoarse voice, "Old, elderly man, hold on��, there are people coming ahead��"


    When Yun Ge woke up again, he found that he was lying on a big bed. Moreover, not only was he clean all over, but he had also changed into a set of soft nightgowns at some point without his knowledge. Yun Ge got up and looked around. Although the room was very ordinary, it was exquisitely decorated. And on a table beside the room, there were plenty of food and drinking water.


    Seeing this, Yun Ge immediately got out of bed, walked to the table, and then started drinking the water in the cup and eating the food on the table heartily. After a hearty meal, Yun Ge finally sat down on a chair nearby, feeling satisfied and touching his stomach.


    Then, he began to recall how he had come here. But just as he started to remember fainting in the desert, the room door was suddenly pushed open. Then, Yun Ge saw two young maids with graceful figures and spicy dressing walked in.


    "Young hero, you''re finally awake! The elder is waiting for you. Please hurry up and get dressed to meet the elder with us!" One of the young maids said to Yun Ge with an elegant bow. Then, without waiting for Yun Ge''s response, the two maids came forward and took off Yun Ge''s nightgown, dressing him in a more gorgeous set of clothes.


    "Where are you taking me?" Yun Ge asked shyly because he had to stand naked and be served by the maids after his nightgown was taken off.


    "Young hero, you are the great hero who saved our elder! So, the elder not only wants to meet you now but also wants to reward you!" The other maid answered softly while helping Yun Ge put on his pants.


    Hearing what the maid said, Yun Ge was naturally very surprised. He didn''t expect that the old man he had encountered in the desert by accident would actually be the elder of this city. So, after the two maids had dressed him, he eagerly followed them through the corridor and entered a more spacious room.


    "Hahaha! Welcome, my benefactor!" As soon as Yun Ge entered the room, he heard an old man''s voice greeting him.

 Chapter 34

    Yun Ge looked in the direction of the voice and soon saw an old man in a pool on one side of the room. This old man was the very one he had saved before. However, the old man now looked radiant and was in no way like the dying man he had been before.


    Upon seeing Yun Ge, the old man got up and stood up from the pool. The maids standing by immediately came forward to dry him off and then draped a magnificent robe over him.


    The maids here all had delicate skin, fiery figures, and were dressed in a way that left little to the imagination. As a result, the sight of them serving the old man was even more captivating than the two maids who had served him, causing Yun Ge to blush and have to quickly avert his gaze to avoid any embarrassing reactions.


    "Ha ha ha! Come! My benefactor! Please come and sit beside me quickly!" After getting dressed, the old man, with a ruddy complexion, beckoned Yun Ge to sit with him at the dining table on the other side of the room. Then, several maids brought a variety of delicious dishes to the table.


    "Ha ha ha! Benefactor! You''ve really suffered on this journey! If it weren''t for your constant encouragement, I might not have made it back! Come! Please eat more and replenish your strength!" The old man said after taking a bite of the fruit personally served by a maid.


    "Oh! Elder, you really shouldn''t say that! Anyone would have done the same in my place!" Yun Ge replied, feeling quite embarrassed.


    Hearing Yun Ge address him as "Elder," the old man took an even greater liking to him.


    So he gave Yun Ge a slight bow and said, "Young man, please forgive my rudeness for hiding my identity when we first met. In fact, Oasis Station is a large transit city built in the desert, and I am the Great Elder in charge of managing it. I concealed my identity before to avoid any ill intentions from you."


    "As for why I was there��ha ha ha! Besides being the elder here, I also really enjoy traveling. But due to my responsibilities, I can''t go far, so I occasionally use the pretext of inspecting my work to visit some nearby smaller stations and take short trips."


    "Since the surrounding environment has been peaceful for years, bandits dare not easily commit crimes around Oasis City. Coupled with the short distance to the station I was heading to this time, I was careless and only brought a few followers.��


    ��Little did I expect that on our way back, we would encounter a group of bandits passing through here, leading to our tragic defeat as we were unable to resist."


    The elder said, waving his fist in anger, "Humph! I don''t know where those bandits came from, but they actually dared to commit crimes on my turf and attacked my team! I will make them pay in blood for this!"


    Then, under the gentle caresses of two maids, the elder adjusted his mood and continued, "My benefactor, you may not know that my Sandbar Town is a vital transportation hub in the desert, and it is very wealthy. So, tell me! My benefactor! How would you like me to repay you?"


    Although Yun Ge had already learned from the two maids that the elder wanted to reward him, he really didn''t know what he wanted.


    So when he heard the elder''s question, he immediately fell into deep thought: "How to repay me? Elder, I''m already very grateful to be alive and well. Besides that, I don''t know what else I want for the time being."


    Upon hearing this, the elder laughed heartily and spread his arms, saying, "Ha ha ha! It''s okay! My benefactor can take your time to think about it and doesn''t need to answer me right away! Sandbar Town has everything! I will try my best to fulfill all your requests! Moreover, I really admire you! If you are willing, I can even hand over all the power to manage Sandbar Town to you in the future! Everything here can belong to you if you like!"


    As the elder spoke, he gave a meaningful look to the maids standing by, and several maids with fiery figures and revealing clothes immediately approached Yun Ge with their seductive movements. To be honest, in the face of beautiful women, wealth, and power, how many men can remain composed?


    So, when Yun Ge heard the generous rewards offered by the elder and felt the burning sparks produced by the touch of several young maids, his heart also involuntarily gave rise to a thirst for desire.


    However, even so, Yun Ge remained unmoved in the face of these temptations. Because he always felt that everything before him was not real enough. Moreover, he seemed not to belong here. It seemed that there were still many roads ahead that he needed to explore. Because Yun Ge really wanted to know why he couldn''t remember anything except his name.


    This strong desire to explore made Yun Ge feel that he must continue to move forward until he left this desert. Because only in this way could he find the answer he wanted but couldn''t voice.


    So, after a fierce struggle within himself, Yun Ge apologetically bowed slightly to the elder and said, "Elder, I actually don''t know what reward I want. If you really want to give me a reward, please give me a camel and some food and drinking water!


    Because my current wish is to walk out of this desert and see the outside world. Because I always feel that there are still some things I need to explore, I really can''t stay here with you all the time!"


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    The elder obviously didn''t expect Yun Ge to say this, so he looked at Yun Ge with a somewhat questioning expression for a while before responding, "Young man, this desert is much vaster than you think! If you want to walk out of it, you have to go a very, very long way! Besides, what''s there to see in the outside world? ��


    ��You might as well stay here with me and enjoy the happy life of power, fine wine and food, and the company of beautiful women!"


    As the elder spoke, he waved his hand, and two maids with fiery figures obediently sat on each of his thighs. At the same time, a maid dressed in a revealing outfit also sat on Yun Ge''s thigh with a sinuous waist.


    Faced with such a sensual scene, Yun Ge couldn''t help but swallow his saliva subconsciously. However, he quickly refocused and once again expressed his desire to continue his journey in the desert.


    Seeing that Yun Ge''s attitude was very firm, the elder waved his hand to have the maids retreat to both sides, and then he said with a rather regretful tone, "Sigh! Alright! Since you are so determined, I can only respect your choice! My benefactor, I will provide you with three camels and enough food to ensure that you can safely reach the next town in the desert."


    "When you get there, you can use the token I give you to obtain free supplies. In this way, you won''t have to worry about food shortages before walking out of the desert! As for whether you can successfully walk out of the desert in the end, it depends on your own fortune!"


    The elder continued, "I have to remind you that the further away from Sandbar Town, the more bandits there are outside. Coupled with the changeable climate in the desert, the road ahead is much more arduous than you think."


    "But you don''t have to worry too much. Because my invitation to you is always valid. Once you decide to give up your journey, you can return to Sandbar Town, and I am still willing to share everything I have here with you."


    After ending his meeting with the elder, Yun Ge rested in Sandbar Town for two more days and then set off on his journey again. Thanks to the elder''s generous provision of camels and food, Yun Ge''s subsequent travels became much easier.


    Yun Ge traveled in the direction indicated by the elder, and he was also very lucky not to encounter any bandit attacks along the way. At his current pace, it would take Yun Ge at most five or six more days to reach the place called Golden Honey Town.


    However, Yun Ge still thought this journey was too simple, because after traveling smoothly for several days, he forgot another reminder from the elder before he left. This directly led to Yun Ge having to struggle hard against the sandstorm in the following days without any preparation, and eventually lost his way to avoid the center of the sandstorm.


    Although Yun Ge was no longer in danger after avoiding the center of the sandstorm, he had to continue moving forward to quickly get away from the sandstorm, as he dared not stop for fear that the center of the sandstorm would move to the area where he was.


    But the problem now was that the overwhelming sand and dust had long made Yun Ge lose his way, so he could only choose a direction that could both stay away from the center of the sandstorm and not deviate too far from Golden Honey Town.


    Fortunately, Yun Ge had good luck this time. After a whole day of long journey, he finally found a small station on a hill with high terrain in the distance. Although this small station, covering an area of about twenty square meters, looked very dilapidated, it still stood firm in the desert, resisting the overwhelming sand and dust.


    Therefore, Yun Ge naturally didn''t complain too much, but drove his exhausted camels to the station as quickly as possible.


    Yun Ge eagerly opened the wooden door of the station and was about to lead the camel in when he saw three children in tattered clothes huddled under a table in the corner of the station, staring at him nervously with terrified eyes.


    Seeing this, Yun Ge immediately became alert, put one hand on the curved knife at his waist, and quickly scanned the inside of the station for any ambush while propping up the wooden door with the other hand. At the same time, he asked in a serious tone, "Who are you people?!"


    "Please, don''t hurt us! We are just wandering beggars, we have no money! We only have a little bit of food left! If you want it, please take it! But, but, please have mercy and don''t take all our drinking water! We really don''t want to die here! Wuwuwu!" The girl hiding under the table immediately answered with a cry full of fear.


    Seeing the girl crying, a boy who looked the most thin quickly held her. The boy who looked much older and bigger than the other two children hurriedly crawled out from under the table.


    The boy knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Yun Ge while pleading, "Yes, yes, sir! Please don''t hurt us! Please leave us a way to survive! We just want to take shelter from the sandstorm here! We don''t want to die outside like other children! We will leave here after hiding for one more day! Please, please spare us!"


    Although these three children started to beg for mercy as soon as they saw him, Yun Ge did not let his guard down. Because the elder had warned him that the desert is a place where no rules are followed, and any creature that looks harmless may pose a fatal threat to you.


    So, worried that these three children were just bait for those with ill intentions to let down his guard, Yun Ge still carefully searched the inside and outside of the station after stopping the children from moving. It was not until he was sure that there was no threat here that he finally felt relieved to lead the camel into the station.


    A small pile of firewood was burning in the center of the station. It was not only the only lighting tool in the station at night, but also the only heating facility in the station at night. But because Yun Ge was sitting beside the fire with a curved knife in his hand, the three children, who were now shivering from the cold, did not dare to approach the fire easily, but could only huddle together under the table in the corner to keep warm.


    Finally, Yun Ge, who couldn''t bear to watch the three children freeze at night, sighed helplessly and said, "Sigh! I said you three, come over and warm up quickly! But I warn you, if you want to harm me, I will definitely teach you a lesson and will not be merciful! Do you understand?"


    The three children nodded timidly, and then the little girl who was shivering from the cold tried to crawl out from under the table. As a result, the other two boys quickly pulled her back. Then, the boy who looked the oldest asked vigilantly, "Will you really not hurt us?"


    "As long as you have no ill intentions towards me, I naturally will not hurt you," Yun Ge replied.


    After listening, the three children fell silent again. But Yun Ge could see that they were not intimidated by his words, but obviously did not believe the promise he made.


    So Yun Ge sighed again, put down the curved knife in his hand, and raised his hands to beckon the three children, "Alright! I don''t think you look like bad people, and I''m not a bad person either. So, I believe we can definitely friendly share this shelter from the sandstorm together! Come out, all of you! If you really get frozen, that will be troublesome!"


    With that, Yun Ge took out a large piece of bread and a processed ham from his backpack, and then put them on the fire to heat up.