Chapter 26 Embarking on the Journey...
The day of departure arrived. "Your Majesty, don't be afraid, we will protect you," Yunmu said.
"Mmm, I won't let anything happen to you," Cai Cai replied.
...
As Easter listened to the little firemen's words, he smiled and raised his eyebrows. "I'm not afraid, don't be nervous." To be honest, he felt that his players were more nervous than he was.
"Mmm, we're not nervous." Yunmu was just deceiving herself with these words.
“Temperament only makes things worse. Calm down, let’s go.” Easter’s gentle and soothing voice flowed over, strangely calming all the little fire people.
"I'm going to start a live stream. Does anyone mind?" Chunye asked. He wasn't quite sure why he was given a spot, but it was fine. He had done live streams before, though not in gaming, but it was pretty much the same thing.
"What's there to mind?" said a small, sea-blue fireman with the ID [I'm a Hero, Not a Shrimp] (male). "We all look like this, we don't know each other, it's not at the point of talking about privacy."
"Go ahead and show it off, make them envious." Her image is quite interesting; it's modeled after a panda, with a pair of funny-looking panda eyes. Her ID is [Panda Cat] (female).
Nobody seemed to mind. After completing the actions on his personal interface, Chunye started a live stream and even gave it a name: "[The Journey of Eighty-One Tribulations in Another World]".
"Alright, let's go."
There's nothing wrong with Easter, the main focus is on the players, he's just a side character.
There are also system navigation markers in front of Ister, though players can't see them.
The first part of the path is relatively easy to walk, with some traces of pedestrians, but as you go deeper, the path becomes more difficult.
Many of the little fire people would glance at Easter from time to time. Easter casually patted the little bird, Matsuue Yuki, who was walking beside him. "Don't worry too much about me, my constitution isn't that bad." Easter wasn't just standing there like a motionless NPC. He would use the system to avoid the players and do some exercise for himself. Physical fitness was still very important. Wouldn't it be fun if he didn't die from various conspiracies and dangers, but from a cold?
Matsuue Yuki awkwardly avoided Ister's hand. "Your Majesty, what are your thoughts on this expedition?"
Easter smiled. He didn't really want to answer the question because, in his opinion, it was an unnecessary activity. If he weren't forced to do it, he would prefer to stay where he was.
"Probably to reclaim what belongs to me, so as not to bring shame upon the family." What East was thinking was one thing, but what he said was another, official and polite, even somewhat formulaic.
"Your Majesty, do you think we will win?" Matsushita Yuki asked earnestly.
“Nothing has happened yet, and the outcome is still uncertain,” Easter said, then changed the subject, “but with you all here, I think I’m destined not to lose.”
Suddenly, there was some unusual activity in the forest, so the conversation couldn't continue. There were twenty young men who had set off together today. The others were either delayed by other matters or had gone to Meimei's place. However, this was not because they didn't value Ist. Rather, the larger the group, the more monsters they attracted.
Yunmu went forward to investigate. As soon as she parted the bushes, a dark figure darted out.
"It's nothing, it's just a rabbit," Yunmu said after examining it carefully. It was probably a rabbit, a dark, black blob with long ears, red eyes, and a pair of large front teeth. It was a pity it was too fast; otherwise, it would have been nice to catch it to amuse the king.
After a minor hiccup, we continued along the route.
Players with minimaps and those guided by the system can avoid most dangers. The players know that their primary task is not to kill monsters or improve their own strength, but to safely lead King Ist out of the dangerous forest. There will be plenty of opportunities to kill monsters, but if the king is gone, the game will most likely be over as well.
Chunye spent most of her time on the journey, but also some time watching the live stream. The barrage of comments was dizzying, and she almost slipped. Luckily, someone helped her up. "Thank you," she said, turning around to see who had helped her. After glancing at the comments, she wished she could disappear into the crowd.
[The streamer is terrible! There was no danger at all, and she just tripped and fell on flat ground.]
[Let go of the streamer, let me have him! Lick him! Is this the king I'm meant to worship? So beautiful!]
Wow~ Just for His Majesty the King, I have to experience the game's spiciness. When will they finally release more slots?
This is truly a case of using a lecherous man to get himself into the army.
...
"Be careful." Before letting go, Easter squeezed his hand again; it was soft and bouncy, with a fantastic feel.
[Was the streamer being flirted with by the king?! I saw it clearly.]
[This king is so cute, moving so stealthily, as if afraid of being discovered.]
[Baby just wants to play with some dolls! Mommy will let you play when she goes inside.]
The comments upstairs are so strange, they're downright offensive.
[Those who are lewd see lewdness; the child is still young, don't slander the good boy.]
...
Random comments scrolled by, but Chunye only glanced at them twice before turning off the barrage of comments. If he were to fall flat on his face again, he would probably just quit the game without hesitation; he couldn't bear the embarrassment.
Ister walks in the center of the little firemen, as arranged before the start. If an unexpected accident occurs during the journey and the player doesn't have time to react, the player will be the first to be attacked.
Easter accepted the offer, but he couldn't refuse it; the firm stance left him no room to turn down the offer.
As East breathed in the naturally humid air, he felt inexplicably at peace. He should have been nervous and uneasy, but he just couldn't feel nervous. He was more calm and serene than ever before.
Wildflowers and grasses grow everywhere, scattered and delicate, in shades of pale purple, pink, and white. Every now and then, a bird flies by or a rabbit runs by, creating a natural and rustic charm.
Eastman felt as if they weren't walking through a dangerous, dense forest where monsters might suddenly appear, but rather on a picnic or outing. There was beautiful scenery and people to amuse them, without a trace of danger or tension.
"Your Majesty, would you like to rest?" asked Ruoshengdigua.
Easter, reminded by the roasted sweet potato, looked up at the sky. They had been walking for at least three hours, and the sun was just beginning to rise high in the sky.
The path we're currently walking on has relatively sparse trees and plenty of open spaces, making it a suitable place to rest.
"My little king, take a rest, eat something and drink some water to replenish your energy," Cai Cai said.
East nodded. The smooth journey made East feel uneasy. He knew that the last time he entered the village, it was similar. The first half of the journey was peaceful, but then a big wave suddenly came and a demon ran out. Although it was a close call, who knew if it would be a close call this time?
Cai Cai first laid out a fur pelt before taking out the prepared rations from her system backpack. She said that rations were too good for her, since the items in her system backpack wouldn't spoil. Cai Cai prepared all sorts of roasted meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, and even some refreshing soup.
Not only was Easter surprised, but even the young man traveling with him couldn't help but glance at him, "Brother Cai, you... you're probably carrying a backpack full of food?"
Cai Cai replied, "No, besides food, there are also pots and pans we need. In case we run out of dry rations and haven't reached our destination yet, having these tools will make it easier to cook."
"Brother Cai, did this king save your life in his past life?" The little fireman didn't actually say the last part, but his eyes and expression conveyed the meaning.
“Anyway, I like cooking, so making more won’t hurt.” After saying this, Cai Cai looked at Ister and said, “King, come and eat.”
East looked rather embarrassed, a faint blush appearing on his face, which made his beauty mark even more striking and alluring. "And you?" he asked, lacking the composure to remain unfazed while dining in front of others.
“We don’t need to eat, you should eat,” Cai Cai said.
“We’ll keep watch around you, Your Majesty. Please finish your meal quickly so we can get going sooner,” Matsushita Yuki said, noticing Ist’s unease. She added, “But don’t rush. There’s plenty of time.” The first half of the day’s journey had gone smoothly, and they had covered much more ground than they had anticipated. Her words were not just empty flattery for the king.
Easter tugged at his sleeves, sat down in front of the food, blinked faster than usual, and seemed to lose his appetite.
Unbeknownst to East, Chunye's live stream exploded because of his actions.
Is this normal? He's not exactly the cute type, so how can he be so adorable? My heart is melting!
[The journey was already quite boring, I was even watching it like a hypnosis livestream, but this sudden turn of events instantly woke me up.]
...
[My baby, I'm a terrible mukbang streamer today~ Please forgive me.]
[Upstairs, you're incredibly audacious! This is clearly my baby! How dare you pick up someone else's child? Do you believe I'll call the police?]
I've already searched for how to get my baby to say "Mama" (or "Mommy").
...
[Huh!? That's a bit strange. Why does everyone want to be the king's mom? Such a handsome and beautiful guy, don't you guys have any other thoughts?]
[Holy crap!! I silently raised my hand, thinking I was the only one with such an inappropriate thought.]
[You're not the only one who silently raised your hand to add one.]
[Silently raising my hand to add two points: Although this idea is wrong, it's normal to have some other thoughts when the baby is so beautiful~]
[Silently raising my hand and adding my ID number, I admit I'm a womanizer, so what?]
...
[Hey everyone, please tone it down. Whatever you want to do, the prerequisite is that you can even log into the game.]
[Can you please stop saying hurtful things? Do you think I don't want to participate? Do you think I don't want to participate? I'm just asking, do you think I don't want to participate? He's the one who refused to give me a spot (crying.jpg).]
...
Junno looked at the countless comments scrolling by, his expression strange. He couldn't help but ask, "Besides the King, don't you guys have anything else to focus on?" Can't you talk about anything related to the game? Is the King the only character in the game?
[Don't be jealous, you're cute too!]
[Yes, yes, although you're not as cute as the King's son, you're cute in a different way, like a green apple that looks delicious.]
...
Junye couldn't bear to look at it. "This is a serious game that mixes adventure, exploration, and war. It's neither a pet raising game nor a romance game."
[The anchor's earnestness is so endearing; I just want to shower her with love.]
Sister, do you have that ability? Just tell me.
Who says it can't be?
...
If Chunye had a human face, it would definitely be a kaleidoscope of colors. After all, you could see the utter despair in his template-like little fire-man face right now. "Can you be serious? Be careful your live stream gets banned." He then turned off the chat. Why couldn't he understand why he agreed to the live stream? He didn't lack the money or the perks, but he had already agreed, so no matter how bad it was, he had to persevere.
Hearing the amusing stories shared by the system, Easter enjoyed his meal even more. As for the netizens' flirtatious remarks about him, Easter simply laughed it off. They might talk, but when it came to taking things seriously in real life, the ones who would run away first were definitely the ones with the most flowery words. Here, "flowery" is not derogatory; it's just an adjective.
He also knew that some people would have different ideas, those who were vulgar, obscene, and dirty. He didn't care about such people, since they couldn't possibly come to him. He could pretend they didn't exist.
East ate until he was about 70% full, then munched on a black berry, the kind of black berry that Cai Cai had picked that day—a priceless beauty and skincare treasure.
Ister didn't experience any beauty or skin-nourishing effects from the food, since players blindly praised his good looks based on that strange magic.
"Baby, are you full?" Cai Cai asked, blinking her bean-like eyes.
Easter nodded. "I'm full."
"Let's rest for a few more minutes and then continue," Cai Cai said.
No one objected to the decision. They dispersed to do their own thing, bending down to dig up a plant that looked out of place with its surroundings, its black and white color scheme making it look like it had been drawn on in two dimensions.
Just then, a snake that blended into its surroundings darted out and bit Suibianla's hand. Suibianla, used to this, pinched the snake's vital spot and turned to ask, "Caicai, do you want this?"
Cai Cai walked over to Suibianla and said, "This looks extremely poisonous. It's fine for us to eat it, but let's not harm the little king."
Seeing this, Easter silently turned his head away, but added a reminder: "That's a deadly flower, rumored to be extremely poisonous, even a little bit can be fatal."
The player, who was digging halfway through, paused. While the players were immune to certain poisons, they were unlikely to be able to withstand this kind of poison. So, the player became even more careful, trying not to get any poison on themselves.
Easter only offered this one point of advice. If it were him, he would make the same choice. It's valuable, and there's a certainty that it might be useful. Only a fool would give up something they have the ability to use.
Aside from the casual gathering, the other young men each had their own discoveries and finds, stuffing a bunch of odds and ends into their system backpacks. They picked up pretty branches, collected interesting and unusual stones, dug up unique flowers... trying their best to make sure no one left empty-handed. Since they were already there, they wanted to take some "local treasures" with them.
Setting off again, the overly peaceful journey made everyone a little relaxed.
Just then, the ground shook beneath his feet, and with a "thud, thud," two or three little firemen fell to the ground. East lost his footing and had to grab onto a tree beside him to steady himself.
The system was the first to react: "[Host, run! There's an earthquake!]" Holy crap, this is ridiculous! It came without warning; he couldn't help but suspect a conspiracy.
East's expression changed slightly. "Show me a way." In an unfamiliar environment, how much luck could he possibly have? The direction he was running in haphazardly might offer some cover.
The system immediately planned a suitable route. [Host, follow the arrows.]
The exchange between Ister and the system lasted only a few seconds. "It's an earthquake. Whether you log off first or come with me to find a place to take shelter is up to you." After saying this hastily, without waiting for the players' reply, he ran in the direction the system pointed.
As soon as Easter moved, all the little fire people followed suit. "You are our king, how could we possibly abandon you?" Panda Cat replied in a moment.
No one thought that Easter's actions were wrong. In the midst of a thrilling escape, it was good that King Easter was able to protect his own life. After all, the mission notice stated that if the king suffered losses, their mission rewards would be reduced.
Moreover, even without this reason, no one can question what Easter did. Easter could die or get injured, while the players would at most just log back in after dying, and their injuries wouldn't hurt much. In comparison, when facing danger and disaster, the most dangerous person was Easter himself, which is quite heartbreaking.
The ground was uneven and shaky, causing East to stagger and lose his balance after a few steps.
Suddenly, a huge rock rolled down, its speed increasing with inertia and its force growing stronger. It flattened the trees blocking its path and even the monsters that stood in its way suffered, carving a path through them.
The system alert came quickly, but the boulder was rolling down very fast. By the time East could react, the boulder was practically touching everyone.
Easter shouted, "Scatter!" He immediately lunged towards the direction perpendicular to the boulder, covering his head and face with his hands. Tree branches grazed his body, and he rolled over the rubble and dead branches as he landed. Unfortunately, there was a downhill slope ahead, and before Easter could stop, he rolled down it due to inertia.
East didn't roll to the bottom of the slope; he rolled about two-thirds of the way before hitting a boulder, which slowed his descent.
East's head was spinning, he was dizzy and felt like he might faint at any moment. Or rather, East was unconscious for a period of time.
His exposed skin was covered with countless tiny wounds, a truly shocking sight. Half of his face was smeared with blood that had spilled from his mouth, making him look extremely disheveled.
"Cough cough." The blood that had been stuck in his mouth was coughed up. Every part of East's body ached, so much so that he couldn't even describe where the pain was the worst. His vision was blurry, and he couldn't see clearly.
East had a thought in his mind, and sure enough, he wondered how things could have gone so smoothly. It turned out they were really saving up for him to do something big, which made things really messy and miserable, even worse than his first time fighting monsters.
[Host, use magic crystals quickly.] The system anxiously reminded me. Damn, this is so strange and inexplicable. Where did these stones come from? What caused the earthquake? Is someone targeting us?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com