Chapter 88 The Spear of Courage Still Presses Forward (Part 11) Our Mission...

"Is there a problem?" Sirius looked at Feng Feng with a blank expression.

"Of course not." The latter tried to put on a polite smile.

Sirius suddenly smiled shyly, two suspicious blushes appearing on his cheeks. He scratched his head sheepishly and said, "Ah, it's like this. Meow Meow and I set off from the orc village a while ago, but we've been traveling alone and have encountered many crises like today's. What I mean is, since we all have the same goal... how about we travel together? I..."

Feng Feng stretched out a hand, stopping him from continuing.

"Wait a minute."

Then she quickly returned to the group, and the six of them formed a circle with their heads touching, and began to discuss.

Feng Feng: "Is this a spirit? This must be a spirit!"

Xia Zhu: "The main character's aura is so strong." She covered her nose and frowned.

Ji Wuchou: "The idea of ​​a hero playing a game and a person and a dog traveling the world with a sword, defeating the demon king and rescuing the princess at the end of the world, is logically correct."

Ying Ya: "Kill him?"

The remaining five people all turned their attention to the little crow.

A jarring silence followed.

Ji Yinxiu spoke first: "Actually, I really want to finish this mission and see what the future holds."

Xia Zhu raised her hand: "Isn't the flow of time in dreams relatively static compared to the real world?"

The four people nodded in agreement.

Ying Huo: "..." crossed her arms and left the group chat. "Whatever."

So Feng Feng, as the representative, walked back towards Sirius with a hearty laugh.

"Um... how did your discussion go? Can I join?"

"Of course, of course, hahaha..." Feng Feng said with a forced smile. "Not only will I have to join, but I'll also keep you tied to my belt. Otherwise, where will I find you when things get tough?" Feng Feng gritted his teeth.

"Huh? What do you mean, 'tied up'?" Sirius asked blankly.

"It's nothing, you misheard."

And so, the hero Viserion Serasiris Frostmourne joined the adventure party. The six of them tacitly agreed, occasionally glancing at this young hero who constantly chanted about the Holy Sword Knight, supreme glory, and world peace, as if looking at a dying man.

Sirius diligently led Meow Meow to collect dry branches everywhere, lit a campfire in the center of the temporary camp, took down the package hanging on Meow Meow, distributed the food inside to everyone, and even took out a pot, fetched clean water from the river, tore off pieces of bread and threw them into the pot to cook until soft.

He seemed to have inexhaustible energy, jumping around even more restlessly than Feng Feng, often showing off his muscular physique while doing so.

Feng Feng covered his mouth and chuckled, saying, "It's good for a man to be strong, unlike some people who are all show and no substance but are actually weak and can't do anything." His eyes darted back and forth between Ying Huo and Sirius, then he shook his head sadly.

Ying Huo was so angry that he kept rolling his eyes.

Sirius, however, disagreed and stood in front of him with righteous indignation, actually rebuking Feng Feng.

“Ah, Miss Feng, you are mistaken. Everyone has their own ambitions. Brother Ying Huo is not without merit. He is a handsome man just like me. Being handsome does not mean being useless. He must have some extraordinary qualities.”

Now it was Feng Feng's turn to roll his eyes, but Ying Mou didn't appreciate the handsome Sirius's gesture. He gritted his teeth and stared at the strong, ox-like back, silently thinking that he would definitely find an opportunity to kill this big-breasted, brainless man on the way, and then leave the dream and make Xia Zhu keep talking about saving some princess.

The group planned to rest in the forest for the night and set off again early the next morning. Sirius then pulled out sleeping bags from his seemingly ordinary but actually very useful leather bag, and each of them got one.

Feng Feng asked him in confusion, "Why are you carrying so many sleeping bags, just the two of you and your dog?"

Sirius paused, scratching his nose in realization: "Oh right, I don't need that many myself. But in the newbie village, that old merchant said they were essential for home and travel, and that he was really short of money. Business is tough these days, and he hasn't had a proper meal in a long time. So I traded ten bags of honey mercury with him for these sleeping bags."

“It’s not just sleeping bags!” He slapped his forehead and poured out a bunch of household items from his leather bag, including a mirror, a barbecue grill, and even a thing that looked like a hairdryer.

Feng Feng stared in disbelief, clapping his hands and mimicking Sirius's tone: "It's not just sleeping bags."

With these things, everyone could finally get a good night's sleep in the wild. Sirius even volunteered to keep watch for everyone, and since no one objected, he happily climbed onto Meow Meow's fluffy back, sat cross-legged, hugged his sword, and went off to keep an eye on everything around him.

Birds chirped, and the first rays of morning sunlight filtered through the treetops, illuminating Xia Zhu's face. She wasn't awakened by the sun, but rather by a deep, repetitive "heave-ho" sound that she kept hearing.

She raised her eyebrows and glanced at the open space, where Sirius had picked a basket of mushrooms from somewhere and was setting up a pot and starting a fire.

"Ah..." He glanced at the sleepy-eyed Xia Zhu and greeted her warmly, "You're awake! How about mushroom soup for breakfast?"

Xia Zhu nodded blankly.

A cold snort came from the right.

Offering unsolicited favors.

"Hey, Brother Yinghuo, that's not right. We're all in the same team now, and we'll all be friends from now on. Shouldn't we look out for each other?" He then turned to Xia Zhu and asked if she preferred a light or strong flavor.

Their commotion caused the others to stop sleeping as well. They quickly packed up, ate, and set off.

Following the location marked on the map, the group traversed a lush forest, parted the vines hanging from the treetops, and a crystal-clear lake unfolded before them.

On the lake, the sky and the earth appear vast and boundless, surrounded by green trees, with a gentle breeze blowing, yet not a single bird can be seen.

Sirius excitedly rushed out of the group, his poetic inspiration bursting forth as he raised his arms in praise of nature, with Meow Meow following behind him, meowing enthusiastically. He lay down along the lakeside, scooped up some water, and put it in his mouth. Meow Meow imitated him, bending down as well.

"Ugh——" ("wer o!")

"So salty!" ("wer wer!")

Ying Huo stood calmly to the side, "What character do you think the 'salt' in Salt Lake refers to?"

Feng Feng found a large rock, took up a high vantage point, and surveyed the salt lake by covering his eyebrows with his fingers.

"Where are the birds? I can't see a single feather!"

The lake was wide and calm, not even a ripple could be stirred by the wind, as if an invisible barrier had been erected around it, isolating it from all external things. Not even a single fallen leaf could be seen floating on the water, let alone any other living creatures.

“There seems to be a small island in the middle.” Xia Zhu squinted and pointed to a small green hill in the center of the lake.

The hill has a rather strange shape. From a distance, the edges are not clear, but rather appear to be blurred or rough. The overall outline is rounded and does not resemble a naturally protruding tip of an iceberg.

“Something’s not right!” Feng Feng stroked his chin thoughtfully.

Xia Zhu was about to test something with something when Miao Miao, who had been obediently squatting to the side, suddenly started meowing loudly. With its head facing the green island in the center of the lake, its big ears flapped up and down, and it even anxiously spun around in place several times, almost pushing Sirius into the water.

"Good dog, can you keep it down? You're giving me a headache." Feng Feng reached out to soothe Miao Miao, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that the small island in the lake moved slightly.

Xia Zhu also noticed something was wrong and subconsciously placed her hand on the small sword at her waist.

The green island was expanding rapidly. Its once smooth edges gradually rose into wavy lines. After a few trembling moments, the small hill became a half-sized hillside. Only then did Xia Zhu realize that what covered it in layers was not plants, but emerald green feathers. The thing shook a few times, and the feathers seemed to be renewed, shimmering with a silk-like luster in the sunlight.

The green, unidentified creature slowly turned 360 degrees, revealing a pair of large, lifeless eyes on its mountain-like back.

Who are you?

What are you doing here?

"Where are we going this time?"

A booming sound came from the center of the lake, echoing across the surface several times before slowly dissipating into the surrounding forest.

A barrage of questions immediately followed, taking the initiative. Feng Feng and Xia Zhu exchanged a glance, then stepped forward with their hands on their hips, also wanting to project an imposing presence.

"Are you the Skybird?"

The green hill paused for a moment, then grew considerably larger.

"The Sky-Questioning Bird? That's what people call me? That's right, I have indeed been here day and night, questioning the heavens." The Sky-Questioning Bird's pupils were a beautiful amber color, which contrasted somewhat with its rugged body, like two sparkling gems embedded in the hills. "I have answered your question, but you still haven't told me what your purpose is in coming here?"

Feng Feng's eyes darted around, and as if he hadn't heard it, he continued to ask, "Skybird, what are you questioning about the heavens?"

"What are you questioning her about?" The large bird slowly raised its head, its beautiful but lifeless eyes gazing at the vast sky above.

"I asked her why she gave me wings, but I can't fly."

"Why does it have the most cold-resistant feathers in the world, yet grow in the hottest south?"

"I've lost count of how many years I've spent here. Look at how my sweat and tears have gathered into a lake over the years, yet Heaven still hasn't given me an answer. I can't go anywhere."

Sirius, who had been standing quietly to the side, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine and his teeth chatter. He very slowly turned his head and met Meow Meow's desperate gaze. He felt as if a muscular bird covered in feathers was working out and lifting weights inside his stomach, sweating profusely. He quietly covered his mouth, suppressing the urge to vomit.

No one answered. It turned out that the feathers of the Tianwen bird had the effect of keeping warm.

"Do you have legs?" Ji Wuchou suddenly asked.

"What? But I'm a bird." Tianwen was taken aback and asked in confusion, "Birds are all free to fly."

So, do you have legs?

Xia Zhu glanced at Ji Wuchou, then at the Tianwen Bird. The latter fell into thought and silence. The next second, it spread its huge and heavy wings, completely exposing its body to everyone.

Beneath those numerous and complex feathers, two slender, stick-like legs emerged, a stark contrast to its robust body.

"Yes, I do have legs, but they are small and weak. How can they support me to travel long distances?"

"Since feathers are useless, why be so attached to the superficial identity they bring? I guess your body isn't bulky, but rather burdened by your feathers." Xia Zhu picked up a feather from beside her feet. It had just fallen from the Skybird. The needle-like feathers were thick and dense, indeed a treasure for keeping warm. No wonder the mission required them to collect them; their final destination was the Frozen Sea.

The Skybird seemed to have suffered a huge blow. It stared in astonishment at the group of strange-looking creatures before it. Xia Zhu and Ji Wuchou's words struck it like a dagger. In the past, it had been too fixated on the various contradictions it carried in its body, which gave rise to a slight lament about the injustice of fate. It would then bury its head deeper and deeper into the mire, only ever questioning the sky, never looking down to look at itself.

So this is another way to solve the problem.

It's that simple.

The Skybird threw its head back and laughed loudly.

"So that's how it is! That's how it is!"

It flapped its wings, creating ripples, and the north wind rustled the surrounding trees. The Tianwen Bird broke free from its restraints, shed all its feathers, straightened its thin, bony chest, and strode forward with its withered legs, like an immortal who had suddenly attained enlightenment and stood emaciated above the causes and effects of the past. It strode towards the crowd, causing the earth to tremble.

Xia Zhu and the others scattered to the side, and Tianwen Bird ran into the forest without looking back, leaving behind a thank you that sounded like a message from beyond the heavens.

Gazing at the mountain of feathers piled up in the center of the lake, Xia Zhu squinted his eyes and curled the corners of his mouth. From then on, a dashing, unrestrained, and unkempt bald chicken appeared on the continent of Xiaoyutan.

A bald chicken that can control its own destiny.