Chapter 140

Chapter 140

The surrounding trees all looked identical, their branches blotting out the sun. Unable to tell which way was which, Tu Nan could only sprint forward to escape the encroaching fog.

From behind her came the faint, breathless shouts of Dennis.

“Wait… wait for me…”

After running for an unknown amount of time, the spreading mist finally came to a halt.

Tu Nan leaned against a tree trunk, gasping for air.

“Miss Judy, you run… so fast.” Dennis had somehow managed not to lose her. He followed her lead, bracing himself against a tree trunk while panting heavily.

Ever since she had the misfortune of entering an Instance, Tu Nan had made a conscious effort to train her physical strength and endurance every time she returned to reality.

Even if she could run just a fraction faster than others, it meant one more sliver of hope for survival.

She rubbed her chest, calming her ragged breathing slightly, and began to observe her surroundings.

Driven by the fog, they had run to an unknown location. The area was dim, filled everywhere with towering trees. Their trunks were incredibly thick, requiring three or four people joining hands to encircle them.

Dennis looked pale.

He had always been a man of pleasure, and his physical condition was far inferior to others his age. Being able to keep up with Tu Nan was already a feat of superhuman adrenaline; right now, he was so weak he wanted nothing more than to roll his eyes back and collapse.

However, he forced himself to stay upright.

For no other reason than his determination not to look pathetic in front of the young lady he was pursuing.

The muscles in Dennis’s cheeks twitched as he squeezed out a strained smile.

“Miss Judy, don’t be afraid. I’m right here.”

Tu Nan, however, was not as panicked as he had expected.

She walked over to the edge of the thick fog.

This mist was visibly unusual, with extremely low visibility. Once enveloped by it, one would surely lose their sense of direction immediately.

But as they were currently surrounded, they couldn’t find a way out anyway.

Dennis finally couldn’t hold out any longer. He sat down against a tree trunk, intending to recover some strength first.

“Miss Judy, you should sit down too. We might as well wait for the fog to clear before figuring out a way to leave. When the guards from the Royal Palace see that we haven’t returned, they’ll find a way to come looking for us.”

There really wasn’t a better option at the moment. Wandering around aimlessly would only be a waste of energy.

Tu Nan sat down against a tree.

Dennis propped his head up with one hand, looking at Tu Nan with great interest. “Miss Judy, for a noble lady, how is your stamina so good?”

“There’s no rule stating that a noble lady must be frail and weak.” Tu Nan leaned against the trunk, looking up at the layered branches above, her brow furrowing slightly.

“Miss Judy, you really are special.” The interest in Dennis’s eyes grew intense. “You’re not like the other noble ladies I’ve met.”

“Oh?” Tu Nan withdrew her gaze and looked at him with feigned curiosity. “How so?”

“You’re much more interesting than them,” Dennis said, winking at her and lowering his voice.

Tu Nan, on the other hand, found him incredibly dull.

Men like Dennis simply viewed every girl as prey, enjoying the thrill of the hunt. He had likely said these exact words to every girl he met.

She was forced to play along, covering her mouth as she gave a shy yet poised smile. Her voice was crisp as she said, “If Prince Dennis says things like that, I might actually take them seriously.”

“I never tell lies to lovely girls,” Dennis said affectionately. “In fact, the moment I saw you, I felt…”

Suddenly, a strange noise erupted from deep within the forest.

Tu Nan’s expression shifted instantly, and she stood up.

“What’s going on?” Dennis also stood up, looking confused. “Are the guards here to find us?”
Tu Nan tensed up, ready to flee at a moment’s notice.

The sound came from deep within the thick fog. It was faint and indistinct, sounding vaguely like…

Tu Nan furrowed her brows.

The voice grew closer, as if whatever was in the fog was approaching them.

Dennis finally realized the voice didn’t sound like a guard. His face turned pale as he suddenly recalled the legends of the forest.

Legend had it that a Forest Witch lived deep within the woods. She was said to be hideous and grotesque, with a long Hooknose and shriveled skin. The wrinkles on her face were like the weathered bark of an ancient tree, black blood flowed through her veins, and a single glance from her could suck out a person’s soul.

His legs began to tremble uncontrollably.

The voice in the fog felt as if it were right next to their ears, surrounding them from all directions. The strange pitch and the awkward, obscure phrasing surrounded him like a curse.

Tu Nan’s expression became peculiar.

“…You are my little, little apple, just like the most beautiful cloud in the sky… I planted a seed and finally harvested the fruit…”

“Judy.” Dennis’s legs felt weak, his voice was hollow, his face pale, and he was drenched in a cold sweat. “What… what is that sound?”

Tu Nan appeared much more composed and calm than him-so calm, in fact, that Dennis actually felt a sense of security in her presence.

He moved closer to Tu Nan’s side, feigning composure, though he couldn’t help but glance around nervously.

Tu Nan stared into the mist ahead, where a dark shadow was faintly emerging. The silhouette was exceptionally broad, resembling a bat with its wings spread wide.

Dennis’s breathing became shallow. Seeing the dark shadow, he nearly fainted.

He wanted to run, but his legs refused to obey his command.

“O foolish humans, who gave you permission to trespass into the Witch’s domain?” the shadow spoke in a deep, haunting tone.

This time, it spoke in a language Dennis could understand.

It seemed the rumors were true; the Witch was indeed mysterious and unpredictable, even knowing the language of devils.

Dennis swallowed hard, his throat feeling parched. He opened his mouth, but for a moment, no sound came out.

“Leave at once, and I shall spare your lives,” the shadow spoke eerily once more.

“We… we’re leaving right now!” Dennis blurted out, grabbing Tu Nan’s hand to pull her away.

“Wait a moment,” Tu Nan suddenly said.

Dennis was sweating profusely from anxiety. “What are you waiting for at a time like this! If the Witch gets angry, we’re all going to die!”

Tu Nan cleared her throat and said uncertainly, “What to Plant Today…”

Dennis was dumbfounded.

At a time like this, she was thinking about what to plant?

Could something be wrong with Judy Carter’s head?

At that thought, his gaze turned strange. He let go of Tu Nan and quietly took two steps back.

However, the dark shadow in the mist suddenly spoke again.

“Have I met this beautiful lady somewhere before?”

Dennis was completely bewildered, unable to make head or tail of the situation.

He hadn’t used such a cliché pickup line in ages.

A figure slowly stepped out from the mist.

To his surprise, the dark shadow turned out to be a young girl.

She wore a set of black robes and held an Oil Lamp in her hand.

Her skin was smooth and fair, not at all like the wrinkled mess described in the rumors.

The girl looked at them, her eyes unable to hide her excitement.

“Who… who are you…” Dennis asked stutteringly.

Tu Nan was almost certain that the person in front of her was Xu Duoyi, who had been separated from her at the start.

She discreetly gave Xu Duoyi a meaningful look.