rainforest

Nonai stopped in his tracks.

"There's a boy with green eyes and black hair in a closet in one of the rooms on the cruise ship. I've tied him up. Can you help me get him out? He's just here to earn money. I hope you won't make things difficult for him and will let him go, okay?"

“Of course.” Nonai nodded with a smile, without asking why.

In the days that followed, Milo lived a peaceful life. A doctor came to his home to re-examine his body, and his fracture had almost healed, so he no longer needed to wear a splint.

No one was watching him; he was allowed to walk in the rainforest and occasionally visit Yuzuru. Yuzuru wasn't seriously injured, but he was very depressed. Milo didn't want to force him to see him and just told him to calm down on his own.

For three days in a row, the business deal that was supposed to be discussed was nowhere to be seen. Milo asked Miles and learned that he hadn't met with the person in charge of the Gan Valley either. Blaise seemed to have been taken away to deal with some dispute, leaving the rest of them, outsiders, to go on vacation in the teak cabin, where they were well taken care of with meals delivered three times a day. The peaceful tranquility was unsettling.

Just as Milo was thinking about which rainforest to stroll through today, Yuma, who had been refusing to see him, finally showed up.

"Milo, can you come for a walk with me?" Yuma stood at the door, her face covered with bruises.

Milo hurriedly got up and gave a perfunctory reply.

The rainforest they were in was very pristine, with babbling brooks, fresh air, and a very pleasant atmosphere.

As they walked, Yuzhen finally broke the silence: "It must have been hard for you to see that kind of thing. Actually, I didn't tell you that my mother died of cardiomyopathy. It's hereditary, I don't have it, but my younger brother got it. He's so pitiful. He's the only one in the family who can earn money. I want to save him. He's my only family left."

Milo shook his head: "Yuuma, my opinion of you won't change because of those things."

Yuzhen pursed his lips, tears glistening in his amber eyes, which he wiped away imperceptibly: "But actually, I'm a terrible person. Milo, maybe one day you'll regret knowing me."

Milo stopped this time. He looked up into Yuzhen's eyes and said, "Regret is regret, that's for the future. I'm going to walk the path I've chosen now, and I feel that knowing you was worthwhile."

Yuuma lowered his head even further and murmured, "Milo, why are you so good to me?"

Milo lowered his head, extended his wrist to Yuuma, and whispered, "Do you remember this scar?"

Yuma nodded.

"Actually, I was lying to you. This scar wasn't an accident; I cut myself. At that time, I encountered a difficult situation that I couldn't overcome. I felt that life was too painful, and for a moment, I couldn't think straight. Fortunately, I met a policeman who saved my life, but I still didn't want to live. Later, I met you, and I don't know why, but I felt that having someone with me made it possible to live again."

Milo chuckled: "You probably don't know this, but actually, I had been secretly observing you for a while before you took the initiative to talk to me. I thought, how can there be such an unlucky person who is bullied every day and still lives so strongly? Then I must live well too."

Yuma lowered her head.

“Suffering cannot be compared, but seeing someone living a life of just as much hardship as yours still subconsciously brings a sense of comfort… You see, if I say that, am I being a bad person?” Milo sighed. “Living is hard, but being able to support each other is even harder. So, it’s not that I’m being nice to you; on the contrary… you are my pillar of support. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Yuuma nodded, a surge of emotion driving him to twitch his fingers, wanting to reach out and touch Milo's cheek, but he forcibly restrained himself from doing so.

“I will no longer go to fashion shows. I have made up my mind that once my brother’s surgery is completed, I will leave Wudong Port for good.”

"Okay." Milo felt genuinely pleased.

“Milo, I can see that you have hatred between you and these people, so I no longer dream of you leaving with me, because I know you have things you have to do. I just want to tell you that if one day you have nowhere to go, come find me. My hometown has a beautiful fireworks festival, you will like it.”

Milo lowered his head, and after a long while, he raised the corners of his lips and nodded: "Okay."

The two walked silently for a while, exchanging glances. Before they knew it, Milo realized that they seemed to have entered the depths of the rainforest and could no longer see the way they had come.

Milo felt a natural sense of unease and suggested turning back. Yuzhen agreed, and the two had only taken a few steps when they heard a rustling sound, as if something was moving through the grass.

A thick, white python appeared like a ghost, its cold, vertical pupils locking onto the two of them. It flicked its tongue, and the rustling sound of its scales rubbing together was chilling.

Yuzhen was terrified and grabbed Milo's hand, running forward as fast as she could.

With a "snap," a sharp pain instantly spread throughout his body, and Milo fell to the ground. He looked down, trembling, and realized that he had stepped into an animal trap hidden in the grass.

For a moment, Yuzhen forgot about being afraid and tried to pry open the animal trap, but the trap didn't budge.

At that moment, the white python snaked closer.

"Run!" Milo's forehead was beaded with sweat.

Yuma realized what was happening, quickly picked up Milo, and ran away.

The python was hot on my heels, and tree branches lashed my face, cold and terrifying.

After running for an unknown amount of time, a burst of intense gunfire shattered the deathly silence of the rainforest.

Milo looked in the direction of the sound and saw two armed forces engaged in fierce fighting not far away, with bullets flying and smoke billowing everywhere.

Milo suddenly realized that war might be brewing here. These gunfights weren't like the mercenaries on the cruise ship who killed for money; these were real armed men, and anyone who ran into them would be riddled with bullets. And that white python… Milo remembered the giant brown python on the cruise ship and vaguely realized that this might be the one Blaze was raising in the Gan Valley.

Logically speaking, although white pythons do not have venomous fangs, they are capable of constricting their prey and suffocating them to death.

The two fled for their lives and spotted a temple hidden among the green trees.

Rushing into the temple, the pungent smell of gunpowder was replaced by the delicate scent of sandalwood. Yuzhen put Milo down, immediately turned around and closed the two large doors, locking them tightly.

There was a bald monk in the temple. He was dressed in simple traditional clothing, a slightly faded shirt, a light brown longyi, and bamboo flip-flops.

Upon seeing the stranger intrude, the old monk remained completely calm and continued with his work. He leaned forward, placed his hands on the ground, gently touched his forehead to the earth, clasped his hands together, raised them above his head, and then slowly lowered them, touching the ground again. He chanted scriptures in a low, hoarse voice that echoed in the silent Buddhist hall.

Yuzhen was covered in sweat as he examined the animal trap on Milo's foot. He noticed that purple blood was flowing from the spot where the trap was located, which terrified him. He instantly realized that it might be poisonous.

Milo, panting heavily, clearly realized the situation. He looked around and saw that there was no Buddha statue on the shrine, but instead a short knife. He paused for a few seconds, then spoke firmly: "Master, things have happened suddenly, I need to borrow your short knife to save my life."

The old monk slowly turned around, his face very kind, looking to be about sixty years old. He glanced at Milo, then simply clasped his hands together and took a step back with pity.

Milo turned to Yuuma and said, word by word, "Now, I need you to get that knife, burn it with the fire of an incense stick, and then cut off my foot from here. Be quick, understand?"

Yuma shook her head in horror: "No, Milo, I'll go find someone to save you!"

“It’s too late.” Milo was covered in cold sweat, his body trembling, yet he remained unusually calm. He grabbed Yuzhen’s collar. “I have to save my life. One leg is nothing. You don’t have to do it, but get me the knife, I’ll do it myself. But if I pass out, please finish it for me.”

Tears streamed down Yuzhen's face. For a moment, he almost didn't recognize the Milo in front of him. He hadn't roared, but the calmness in his words compelled Yuzhen to do as he was told.

Yuzhen trembled as she took the short knife from Milo, who snatched it without even bothering with a quick sterilization, and drew it immediately. A cold glint flashed, indicating it was a sharp, fine blade. He tried to calm his breathing, having Yuzhen hold his feet down. After gauging the position, Milo gritted his teeth and brought the knife down with deadly force.

With a clang, a Bodhi bead interrupted the direction of the knife, and the short knife flew out of Milo's hand.

Milo was panting heavily as he looked at the old monk.

The old monk slowly got up, picked up the short knife, wiped the dust off it, and said, "This knife will not draw blood."

Milo was about to speak when suddenly a loud crash was heard. The rustic wooden door was smashed to pieces, and a man with blood streaming from his mouth and nose stumbled into the house, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Immediately afterwards, a group of armed men entered the temple, wearing tight-fitting bulletproof vests with dark gold snake-patterned rice ears, loose work pants, black leather belts with snake-scale metal plates, and high-top combat boots.

A murderous aura filled the air.

The leader stepped on the man's chest and shot him dead. Meanwhile, the white python that had been relentlessly pursuing them slowly swam into the Buddhist hall and coiled around the burly man's leg, showing no aggression.

Milo's heart pounded wildly, and Yuzhen was also shocked, but the old monk remained calm.

The leading militant squinted to get a clear view of the temple, his gaze landing on Milo, his massive figure looming over him like the Grim Reaper.

There was no pain as expected. Milo opened his eyes shakily and saw the man crouching down, his gun tucked behind his waist, one hand gripping his ankle, forcefully prying open the animal trap.

The excruciating pain came and went quickly, and Milo didn't suffer. He watched as the man bandaged his wounds, then glanced at the stunned Yuzhen and the calm old monk beside him, and was completely bewildered.

After bandaging her wound, the man scooped Milo up in his arms, as if he were holding a little girl, which unsurprisingly provoked Milo's fierce resistance. The man, however, easily held down Milo's struggling hands, and a mischievous smile appeared in his dark eyes beneath his mask.

"Kid, you scared me." The old monk sighed and turned to look at Milo. "That animal trap isn't poisonous; it's just soaked in some grass juice. You won't lose your life."

The burly man removed the black cloth covering his face with one hand, revealing a cold and stern face.

Milo looked at Blaise in front of him and was speechless for a moment.

The old monk looked at the dead body on the ground with a hint of helplessness, turned his prayer beads with pity, and said, "Remember, don't get blood here again."

Milo suddenly realized who the person in front of him was.

The person in charge of the Gangunatawa family, whom they had waited for three days without seeing.

“That’s right, I am Sigun Natawa.” The old monk smiled kindly.