Chapter 958: Chapter 151: In Bell, Belfast, the Most Prosperous Place on the Ailen Peninsula
Lu Li found the others at the edge of the gray fog, including the missing big sister.
They gathered together, preparing to delve into the gray fog to find Lu Li and search for the Artifact Shard.
“Already got it.”
Lu Li displayed the stone shard given by Socrates. Katerina felt nothing, but Ophelia and Puxiu recoiled, sensing the deadly power on the shard.
“When?”
“Mr. Luli, didn’t you encounter the statues?”
Katerina and Puxiu asked simultaneously.
“You encountered them when you were alone.”
Lu Li briefly recounted the three tests and the final Socrates contemplation statue.
“I think his implication was that we’re all not very smart.”
Katerina looked around at her companions who, like her, were trapped in the first test and said.
“Should we leave now? Or stay in the gray fog for the night?” Puxiu asked, as it was not long until dark.
“Probably shouldn’t.” Lu Li looked towards the depths of the gray fog.
Although Socrates seemed friendly, there were clearly other dangers present in the gray fog.
“It’s up to you.”
Katerina started putting on her clothes and walked out of the gray fog.
As they stepped out of the fog, a howling cold wind came, pushing them forward.
The tailwind on the returning road allowed them to reach Reilston City close to nightfall. However, they didn’t enter the city; instead, they skirted along the ancient city wall back to the gate they had first entered through, returning to the small house before the Mist of Strangeness enveloped.
The living room remained as it was when they left, Ophelia checked the house, and Lu Li stood at the door observing the street, closing the door and drawing the bolt after he saw their footprints gradually covered by wind and snow.
The cold little house gradually warmed up as they breathed out their cold breath.
Two oil lamps were set, one on the dining table, another at the foot of the stairs. The group sat around a “bonfire” stacked with dozens of pieces of Fluorite, pretending the heat from Ophelia emanated from the “fire.”
“How did you get it?”
Katerina pushed the kettle towards Ophelia.
“Socrates.”
Lu Li recounted his encounter after they separated.
“So that’s how it was…”
Katerina and the others were blocked by the first test and never experienced the later ones.
Speaking of their tests, Katerina paused briefly before saying, “It told me I was actually still in the Emerald Dream.”
Her concern that everything was false never disappeared.
In hindsight, Katerina’s life trajectory indeed changed after the Emerald Dream.
Besides death, what terrified her was waking up one day to find everything she experienced had vanished.
“It… it said I could never turn back into a human.” Puxiu lowered his face, seemingly sad.
Ophelia faced a different test. She was asked to fluently recite a maxim with the statue.
This was indeed a challenge for her.
The big sister’s test was that her mother came to catch her.
Even the merchant underwent Socrates’ test, a test of desires if the merchant had a heart: more merchants awakening.
“So… you don’t know what the cost of taking it is either.”
Katerina looked at the shard placed next to the Fluorite by Lu Li and, after receiving her answer, couldn’t help but complain, “Do wise guys all talk like this? Like riddles.”
The Prophet was like this, Socrates too, it seemed they all couldn’t speak normally.
Either way, they had obtained the Artifact Shard, and tomorrow they could return to resolve everything.
If the Artifact Shard could truly withstand Himfast’s corruption.
After having dinner, they lay in prepared soft blankets and entered the dreamland.
Puxiu and Ophelia read for a while, Puxiu yawned, “Miss Ophelia, I’m going to sleep.”
“Good night.” Ophelia said without lifting her head.
“Good night, Miss Ophelia.”
Puxiu lay down between Lu Li and Ophelia, curling up, two tails covering his face, shielding it from prying eyes.
The whimpering wind and snow sounded outside, the clattering wood like unending knocking.
The living room of the small house returned to silence for a moment, and the crouching Puxiu slowly crawled up to Lu Li.
Lu Li and Katerina were sound asleep, the big sister lying on Lu Li’s arm, and the merchant stood in the corner, while Ophelia was reading.
Nobody noticed Puxiu quietly took the shard from beside Lu Li and stealthily stepped into the dark leading to the second floor, slipping into the gap formed by tables and chairs.
A charred hand suddenly grabbed its hind leg, a hoarse voice sounded.
“Where are you going…?”
…
“And then… the murmurs coaxed me to take you back to Belfast.”
Puxiu sat by the oil lamp, drooping his ears guiltily.
He had nearly committed an unforgivable mistake.
“Why didn’t you tell us?”
Katerina coldly questioned, understanding why Puxiu had been having nightmares for several days.
“I… I didn’t dare, I was afraid you’d drive me away.”
Puxiu’s quiet sobbing made it hard for Katerina to continue her questioning; she couldn’t help but think of herself. Even for herself, it would be difficult to return to the days of survival hardship.
But betrayal couldn’t be forgiven.
“Why did you steal the Artifact Fragment?” Katerina gritted her teeth.
“Your goal is it, if I take it away, you would come looking for me…”
“What tempted you, is it related to the corruption?”
Lu Li, who had been silent, suddenly spoke.
“I don’t know…” Puxiu shook his head in confusion, youthful face showing pain as he raised his head saying, “Mr. Luli, you can drive me away, I’m afraid I can’t control it next time…”
Katerina was silent; she didn’t call the shots, only Lu Li could decide.
“No need, we’ll solve your issue once we find Anna.” Lu Li said calmly.
“Really… really?”
Puxiu lifted his head excitedly, but saw Lu Li had already laid down to rest.
Joy, excitement, and many emotions swelling were swallowed back.
“Being weak also has its advantages.”
Katerina muttered with a sigh of relief, returning to her blanket; they had a journey to start in the morning.
The episode named betrayal easily passed. Except for Puxiu, it seemed no one cared. Even Katerina merely sarcastically remarked to keep an eye on Puxiu causing trouble.
An uneasy night for Puxiu came to an end.
In the morning, the group woke, finished breakfast, put on bulky travel clothing, and stepped into knee-deep snow.
Puxiu, trailing behind, followed their footprints into the snow wall and suddenly found a letter hidden in the snow.
It had been placed at the small house’s door last night.
Ophelia opened it, read it, and handed it to Lu Li.
Lu Li reached out to take it.
[Dear Stranger Guest:]
[Hello, we sincerely invite you to our gathering at the square tonight]
“An invitation from the strangeness occupying this place.”
Lu Li answered under Katerina and Puxiu’s gaze.
The strangeness had noticed their intrusion, but hadn’t discovered there were two humans among them.
Quietly observing the blurry depths of the city, Lu Li withdrew his gaze.
“We must leave immediately.”