Chapter 46: Castle Exploration (Part 4)
In the image, all the beast-people were going about their daily activities. Through their enthusiastic, radiant smiles, one could see they were living peacefully and contentedly. The entire painting was bathed in warm, comforting tones, with only one area in the very center standing out—a dark, vortex-like phenomenon. Black mist swirled around the center, obscuring whatever lay within.
The black mass wasn't frightening at all; rather, it added an air of mystery to the entire painting. Whether beast-people or wild beasts hidden in the forest, their bodies were all tilted toward it. They seemed to want to get closer to it, their eyes showing neither fear nor surprise—only satisfaction.
The beast-people closest to the center of the painting smiled the brightest, their faces radiating a happiness that was impossible to hide.
"In there..." A girl couldn't resist reaching out to gently touch the painting. Just as her slender fingers were about to brush against the black vortex, the bear-like youth immediately grabbed her wrist and said coldly, "Don't touch it."
"Why?" The tall少年的 face was as cold and expressionless as ever. Because he was gripping so tightly, a bruise was already forming around the girl's wrist. She looked dazed.
"..." The bear-like youth didn't respond, just continued holding the girl. The bruise deepened, and no one around made a sound to intervene. The girl could only say somewhat wronged, "Fine, I won't touch it."
"Don't touch it, don't touch it." The only old man in the group suddenly bellowed. His strange clothing rippled without wind.
The old man cackled, revealing his yellowed, unsettling teeth. Like a madman, he absurdly placed his wrinkled index finger against his lips and spoke in the lowest, most breathy voice, "Can't touch it. This is Master's..."
His expression was incredibly vivid, his eyes bulging wide, his entire face pressed close to the painting, as if revealing some shocking secret.
After drawing everyone's attention to himself, the old man finally satisfyingly continued his sentence, "...Master's treasure. If you really touch it, Master will get angry."
"Master?" Getting sprayed with saliva, the girl standing before the painting dumbly repeated the two words she couldn't understand.
"Yes, Master... He's quite a formidable person." The old man's gaze fell on the girl's pale, frightened face. Then he pulled the girl away from the bear-like youth's grasp, stroking her hand almost有意无意地. "If he gets angry, none of us can escape. None of us can escape."
The old man's hand traveled from her palm up her fair arm. His dull, spotted hand formed a stark contrast with the girl's smooth, white skin. His rough hand kept stroking along her arm. The old man's wide eyes narrowed, and a glimmer of moisture appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"Is he deliberately acting crazy to take advantage of her?!" A boy who couldn't stand it anymore, disgusted by the old man's lascivious appearance, quickly stepped in front of the girl and pulled her away.
"Acting crazy..." The old man seemed reluctant to stop touching his fingers, his gaze firmly fixed on the girl's face as he shook his head, "No, no. You'll understand later. I was just... protecting her."
"Can't touch it, can't touch it." The old man's gaze swept over everyone present. He licked his dry, cracked lips until his eyes landed on Qi An at the very back of the group. A flash of light crossed his eyes. "Master's treasure... cannot be touched."
[An'an, the old man's gaze toward you seemed a bit off.] The system was startled by that inhuman look.
[It seemed like he was speaking to you...]
The fair-faced youth stood at the very back of the group, his delicate features hidden beneath his slightly bowed head and the fine, black strands of hair falling across his forehead. Upon hearing the system's words, Qi An didn't respond. He simply stared again at the familiar image before him.
Since everyone had been frightened by the bear-like youth and the old man's actions, the people around the painting had gradually moved away from it. This allowed Qi An to see every detail clearly.
In the center of the image, the thing shrouded in black mist was beloved by everyone in the painting, whether beast-people or wild beasts. Even the surrounding environment was the most beautiful of all the environments—it was loved and favored by all.
Recalling what had happened in the previous world, Qi An's eyes slightly glazed over.
The originally harmonious atmosphere had turned cold because of the old man. The justice-defending boy kept muttering under his breath. The old man, however, seemed completely unaffected. He stared at the back of the group, repeatedly muttering about not touching it, not touching it.
His voice was low and hoarse, carrying the sense of weariness that all elderly people possessed. If it weren't for the way his peripheral vision kept darting toward the girl he had just taken advantage of, his words might have drawn even more attention.
[Can't move... Master...? Qi An slightly curved his lips, a hint of deeper meaning appearing in his eyes. [This is quite interesting.]
In the past, no matter how Qi An smiled, it was always timid and weak, making him appear soft and fragile. But seemingly because something had piqued his interest, the weakness that radiated from his very bones had mysteriously faded. His black eyes were no longer the clear, transparent kind that one could see through at a glance.
Inky black. Profound. Like an abyss drawing people down into darkness.
He possessed a completely different temperament now.
Unfortunately, this captivating beauty vanished in an instant. No one had捕捉到 it.
Everyone's attention had been drawn to the raving old man. The previous team leader, Bai Jing, furrowed his brow and opened a message he had received earlier. He walked up to a trembling short-haired girl, asking with practiced ease and a gentle tone, "What happened to you all before?"