023 The Treehouse

Sunlight slanted down from above the Emerald Forest, piercing through layers of trees and foliage to cast beams of light onto the leaf-strewn forest floor. Thanks to the dust in the air, these pillars of light appeared before the adventurers, lending an even more fantastical quality to the woods. However, at a certain moment, the light began to fade. Before Duan Qing could figure out why, droplets of water seeped through the canopy, passing through the dense leaves to land on their heads.

Accompanied by a soft rustling sound, a fine spring rain descended upon the vicinity of the remote mountain village.

Except for Meng Zhu, who had a hooded cloak, the others had no choice but to walk on through the downpour—they truly hadn't prepared any rain gear. Duan Qing and A-Niu seemed indifferent, but E-Shao wore a crumpled expression, bitterly cursing the god-forsaken weather. His tattered clothes, filled with holes, couldn't puff up like a balloon and instead clung wetly to his skin.

As the gloomy weather seemed to foretell, the initial stretch of their journey into the forest was far from smooth.

First, they encountered a few stray monkeys. Although they weren't particularly strong, their constant darting and leaping were incredibly annoying, costing Duan Qing and his companions quite some effort. E-Shao, in particular, proved to be the least effective in combat; he was led around in circles by a monkey for ages until the others, having finished their own tasks, came over to help him put the creature down.

Later, as they pressed on, a rustling sound emerged from the bushes. Duan Qing stopped to listen. Before he could shout a warning, the unlucky E-Shao was pounced upon by a leopard that had been lying in wait. If not for A-Niu’s quick reflexes and a well-placed blow to the beast's forehead, E-Shao’s life would likely have ended right there.

Having bragged so loudly earlier, E-Shao felt quite dejected after making a fool of himself repeatedly. Though he blustered about how he would show them what he was made of if they didn't resort to sneak attacks, he was much more restrained afterward. Duan Qing and Meng Zhu exchanged knowing smiles, offering superficial comfort, while the simple-minded A-Niu nodded along, appearing to be in total agreement.

"Of course, when we get the chance, we'll definitely settle the score."

He truly was a stand-up guy, both loyal and somewhat naive.

Up to this point, the group’s mood had remained relatively light; they hadn't encountered any real danger or anyone else jumping out to pick a fight. However, as they ventured deeper, that sense of ease finally abandoned them.

They ran into a black bear.

This black bear was a giant version, appearing just as difficult to deal with as a wild boar. While Duan Qing was confident he could hold his own for a while, he considered the safety of the others and, following Meng Zhu’s suggestion, led the group in a frantic sprint. Had the encounter not been a chance meeting—meaning the bear didn't hold a deep grudge—their forest expedition would have ended right there.

Yet, this aimless fleeing caused them to lose their bearings in the vast forest. They had come to find someone, and although they lacked clues, their original plans—such as conducting a systematic search—were now shelved due to these mishaps. The group offered each other a few words of comfort to bolster morale, but a sense of frustration began to spread among them.

This feeling fermented as the rain fell, eroding their resolve. Some even began to grumble about why no one had brought rain gear.

If the rain intensified, visibility would drop, not to mention the fact that walking would become a luxury; the soil, mixed with dead leaves, turned into a muddy mire once soaked. Having already lost their way due to their flight, if they were to get stuck in a forest swamp, their situation would be dire.

The cheerful atmosphere from their departure slowly evaporated, replaced by a growing silence. The competitive girl tried several times to say something encouraging, but in the end, she couldn't find the words—the feeling of not knowing what to say was stiflingly uncomfortable. It wasn't until they climbed over a few fallen logs and carefully dodged a passing wild boar that Duan Qing, leading the pack, finally stopped.

By now, the trunks of the surrounding trees were too wide for two or three people to encircle. Duan Qing turned around, leaned against a trunk, and clapped his hands. The sharp sound echoed through the woods. Seeing the other three stop and look his way, he cleared his throat.

"Alright, I’m officially announcing that our plan has failed."

After saying this with a serious expression, Duan Qing switched to a sunny smile. "Don't be so down, everyone. I know things aren't looking great, but..."

"We’re all here to play a game, so why take it so seriously?" He crossed his arms, looking relaxed. "Even though we made some... er, naive plans, we’re here now, aren't we? So don't feel constrained by the task of finding Terry. Just treat it like sightseeing. If we run into monkeys, we bully them; if we run into bears, we run away. Who knows..."

He winked. "Maybe we’ll stumble into some strange place, have an adventure, gather a pile of loot, return with greatly increased power, become top-tier players, marry a beauty, and reach the pinnacle of life..."

What started as a careful attempt to lighten the mood became increasingly absurd. As the others stared at each other, the young girl, bundled tightly in her hood, jumped in front of him. "W-we aren't that fragile! You old jerk, stop trying to act cool..."

"Oh? And who was it just a moment ago with a sour face, signaling me constantly?"

"Ugh, I was actively thinking of countermeasures! And you were pouting too, so what right do you have to talk..."

"Hey, you little brat..."

Amidst their routine bickering, the heavy atmosphere finally lifted. Jiecheng E-Shao caught his breath and, imitating Duan Qing, clapped his hands. "Yeah, yeah, it’s just spring rain—such beautiful scenery! We’re out here touring and hunting, which is a fine thing in itself. Why be so cautious and fearful? We’re all experts. If it weren't for the surprise, we wouldn't have been so embarrassed by that old black bear. If we run into it again, we’ll definitely teach it a lesson! Er..."

"Huh, you can't even finish your own bluff?" Meng Zhu asked in surprise.

"Shh, do you hear that?" Duan Qing pricked up his ears.

"Hear what?"

"Sounds like something is pounding the ground..."

"Hmm, it actually has a rhythm..."

"Hey, hey, why don't I hear anything? Don't lie to me. Even though I haven't read many books..."

As they searched for the source of the sound, a black shadow suddenly lunged from the woods behind them: "ROAR!"

"Waaaaah! The old black bear is here!"

"Damn, you have to be kidding me, I was just talking!"

"Shut up! What do we do now..."

"Maybe it’s not the same one, so you don't have to take the blame, but... let’s run!"

Amidst the creaking of trees being snapped, the group began their frantic escape once more. But this time, their spirits were light. They even joked and bantered as they ran.

"Looks like this bear is much slower than the wild boar. Should we kite it?"

"The moment you dare to go up and cut it, that’s when we’ll do that."

"Do you think it can climb trees? Should we find a tree and test it?"

"I don't know about bears elsewhere, but I believe the bears in the Emerald Forest could probably fly... And did you forget about the snake bite on the way here? You still want to climb a tree..."

In the midst of their thrilling and dangerous escape, the group’s spirits finally rebounded. Duan Qing ran with abandon, secretly rejoicing.

He wasn't happy about their morale recovering; he was happy about escaping his own inner confusion.

During the journey, there had been a moment where he felt like a failure: perhaps this mission would yield nothing, perhaps impulsively accepting a request from an unknown little boy would drag them all to a dead end...

Perhaps he shouldn't have come here at all... Hm?

When had he started becoming so anxious about gain and loss? He had entered Free World to enjoy the game. If he had to be so cautious and overthink every quest, would he still be the person who played games freely? If he backed down because of a minor setback, how would that be any different from the failures of the past three years...

Stay true to your original intention, and follow your heart. He had used those words to teach many others before...

"It’s just a game, the most important thing is to be relaxed..." Duan Qing muttered to himself while running.

"What did you say?" Meng Zhu asked from beside him. "Did you think of a good idea?"

"No..." Duan Qing looked up, letting the raindrops fall onto his face. "Maybe not having rain gear was a good thing. It feels pretty refreshing to be soaked like this..."

"Even if I thought of it, I wouldn't buy it!" the girl shouted. "Those raincoats cost 10 Ebri coins each..."

"Pfft." Duan Qing stumbled. "You little miser..."

It was unclear how much time had passed when the black bear finally vanished from sight. The group leaned against a tree, gasping for air, before continuing their aimless exploration—after two escapes, they had completely lost their sense of direction.

However, perhaps the heavens took pity on their plight and turned Duan Qing’s words into a prophecy. They hadn't gone far before they discovered a treehouse.

To be precise, it was a wooden house built between trees. Hidden by the towering giants, finding such a cabin was a stroke of luck, and such a secluded spot likely held valuable things.

Duan Qing meant to warn them to check if anyone was inside, but before the words could leave his lips, the others had already cheered and rushed in. Meng Zhu, using her familiar experience, led the team in a thorough sweep of the two-story structure, but the results were disappointing.

Although the house remained intact and the furnishings were relatively complete, it was clear at a glance that it was old, perhaps even dilapidated. It had the feel of a place long abandoned. What was most annoying was the clear evidence that it had been rummaged through repeatedly.

If players had been here, there was no hope for loot.

Duan Qing suspected that more than one group had come through, ransacking it many times over. He looked at the short sword in his hand, recalling what Steel Ambition had told him when he gave it to him.

"I found this short sword next to a treehouse in the Emerald Forest... That place must have been visited by players many times..."

It really had been visited many times. Look at the wire under the porch—there must have been an oil lamp hanging there. How poor were these people to loot even the furniture...

Seeing the disappointment on the girl’s face as she walked back, Duan Qing shrugged. She looked at him with an expression that suggested someone was bullying her: "A bunch of robbers."

"Maybe a few bunches... but you weren't exactly slow to grab things yourself, missy."

"Is that the same thing? We’re already miserable enough..."

Amidst the girl’s complaints, Jiecheng E-Shao continued searching inside. A-Niu, brushing dust off his clothes, walked over with a book in his hand: "Hey, guys, look at this book I found."

It wasn't actually a book; it was a diary—Duan Qing checked and came to that conclusion. But whether it was a book or a diary, it had become unrecognizable under the erosion of time. The cover and pages were so fragile that a little pressure would likely crush it to dust. However, on the cover, a name was still legible: Phil.

So it was Phil, after all. Duan Qing recalled the text on his short sword and asked A-Niu: "Where did you find it?"

"On the second floor. A tree branch poked through and knocked down a wooden wall. I dug it out from under the broken wood and hurried over to show you. I don't know if we can find anything else..."

Since it was still drizzling outside, the group went back inside, intending to search one more time in case there were other valuable items like the diary. But they didn't stay long before they were forced to retreat.

Perhaps due to their rummaging, or perhaps because the treehouse finally succumbed to the weight of time and rain, a large portion of the roof on the second floor collapsed with an ironic creak.

They scrambled out in a panic and stood helplessly in the rain, watching the dying house. Although the whole structure hadn't fully collapsed, no one wanted to go back in. E-Shao, who had been on the second floor when it gave way, patted his chest in lingering fear: "Scared me to death. If I had been crushed to death like that, how would I show my face in public..."

"Alright, this is as much as we can find." Duan Qing looked at the diary, and after confirming there was nothing else, dropped it on the ground. "Since there’s nothing valuable, let’s go."

He called to the others, especially the reluctant girl, and picked a random direction to continue their seemingly aimless expedition. As their voices faded into the distance, Meng Zhu was still grumbling.

"I thought our luck had turned. The walkthroughs are full of lies..."

"Which walkthrough told you that this kind of place definitely hides loot? I’m going to have a word with them later."

"What? You’re going to stand up for me?"

"No, I just want to tell them that this kind of info is outdated..."

Above them, perhaps touched by the passing of the treehouse, the drizzle gradually thinned and finally stopped.

***********************

"The rain has stopped."

At the southern exit of the village, a woman in white armor said calmly. The people behind her straightened up, assuming a serious posture. Only the man standing to her rear-right kept his intense gaze fixed on the back of her head.

Seeming to sense the gaze, the woman frowned slightly, then put the distraction aside and began her declaration before departure without looking back.

Whenever she led a team, she had a habit of saying a few words to steady their resolve and boost morale. But this time, she clearly didn't want to say too much: "I don't think I need to explain the situation. Since the rain has stopped, we won't wait any longer. Everyone..."

"...give it your all."

She began to walk forward. Behind her, the sound of weapons and armor clashing rang out. Although their numbers were few, a sharp, solemn aura slowly emerged before they disappeared into the shadows of the trees.

That momentum surged forward, pressing toward the Emerald Forest, before vanishing into the woods.