The moment she stepped onto land, Li Yue felt a sense of stability she hadn't experienced in a long time. She wasn't obsessed with it like characters in some sci-fi novels, and she hadn't been at sea for that long, but she simply loved the feeling of her feet on solid ground.
She took off her shoes and socks, walking a few steps aimlessly. The sand was warm, and it warmed her feet as she walked. When she lifted them, quite a bit of sand clung to her skin. She gave her feet a little shake, and the sand fell away. Her nearly stainless body was difficult to get dirty unless she went out of her way to swim in a mud pit.
She put her shoes and socks back on, ending her childish behavior. Doing this once in a while was pleasant, but being alone without anyone to accompany her made it feel a bit boring and awkward. A sudden, inexplicable loneliness welled up in her heart. Only when the crew finished packing the first batch of coconuts did she call back her wandering thoughts.
She bathed in the sunlight, waiting for the others to finish their hunting and gathering. She didn't go to help, and it seemed they didn't need her to. She stood alone in the sunlight, her eyelashes reflecting a faint glow. She was as beautiful as a painting.
Inside a snow-white room, warm sunlight illuminated the furnishings, making them glow faintly. Clo held a photo album filled with magic recordings of herself. In every image, it looked as though there was someone else beside her.
Now, a silhouette of a person sat on the table. It was a duplicate recording Li Yue had sent her. Clo had cut out Li Yue's figure and combined it with a solo photo of herself to create a single image.
The clock ticked away. She gently stroked the thing she cherished most in the world.
You are as beautiful as a painting; I am speechless.
She leaned against the headboard, her body tilted slightly. She didn't want to do anything. It seemed that everything in the present was meaningless; she only wanted to lie there and become a vast expanse of pure nothingness.
However, she couldn't seem to stop now. She changed her clothes and deactivated her facial disguise magic. Her other identity was that of an assistant professor. Although Professor Stephenson handled most of the daily affairs in advance, there were still some occasions where she had to appear. It was a hassle, but when she thought about the future, Clo felt that her current suffering was inconsequential.
She tidied her outfit and walked out the door. This was her final month as a resident director. She decided to do nothing; after all, no one dared to say anything to her. Last time, she had helped deal with the descendant of a god. Although its blood had been repeatedly mixed and diluted, its strength had still been formidable.
But she had simply smashed it to death in one go.
She let out a yawn, checked the mirror she carried with her, and touched up her eye makeup, trying her best to look energetic. Her eyes lacked spirit, yet they were as moving as autumn waters.
...
"Boom!" A massive tremor echoed from deep within the forest. Li Yue was startled and turned her head. She faintly sensed an aura that was both familiar and strange.
"What was that?!" Sharon's nerves, which had just relaxed, tightened instantly. She looked toward the dense forest, feeling a wave of unease and fear.
"That... is the aura of a God of Death..." Li Yue murmured, sensing it carefully. This feeling didn't seem like skeletal remains; it carried a bit of a bloody scent. It was likely God's remains in the form of internal organs or flesh.
This type had a greater corrosive effect on the human body. After all, the residual, massive vitality constantly sought to assimilate the host's flesh. If there was a strong rejection, it wasn't impossible for the host to turn into a puddle of gore. However, that was considered a relatively merciful way to die.
"God's remains?" Sharon swallowed hard. "The professor said that if we encounter wild God's remains, we should try our best to seal them if we are capable."
Li Yue nodded.
"Sealing God's remains is one of my goals for this trip. I don't want to see some black mage using these things to stir up trouble, only for me to have to make a special trip to kill him later." Li Yue sighed. "It's too much trouble."
"Do you intend to hand them over to the Academy?" Sharon thought for a moment. "The school has collected many pieces of God's remains. Many are sealed separately. Several important organs of a single god wouldn't be stored in the same campus; the powerful ones are all kept apart."
"That sounds very reliable." Li Yue nodded and gave a thumbs-up.
"And bringing them back can earn you academic credits. When your academic credits are full..." Sharon's tone suddenly became much more excited. "Could you spare me some? I want to graduate early..."
"..." Li Yue was speechless. Well, student workhorses were all the same. "Why are you in such a hurry to graduate?"
"Ah... once I have my diploma, I can apply to the Mages' Association to be a resident member." Sharon thought it over. "If I submit an application, I can be stationed in my hometown. I haven't been back to see my parents in a long time. If the position there is taken before I graduate..."
"Then I'll have to be assigned to the surrounding regions..." Sharon sighed, looking quite troubled. Li Yue could empathize a little; after all, she had been the same way before coming here.
Now she was alone, wishing only to complete everything and live a normal life. In the days to come, she would slowly find a way back with the person she loved, and then, if possible, live a happy life together.
Clo knew and understood everything about her. In this world, besides Clo, there was no one else she cared for most.
She stretched, pulling herself back from her beautiful fantasies. Regardless, what lay before her was a piece of God's remains. Although its tier wasn't as high as hers, it was still worth taking seriously.
A small exploration team was quickly formed. It was actually a three-person team consisting of Mende, Sharon, and Li Yue. Blan and the ship's doctor stayed behind, responsible for managing the ship and tending to those injured in the previous days.
As for themselves, Li Yue didn't need healing, and Mende and Sharon had their own healing abilities. Furthermore, a smaller group made it easier to move.
They headed deep into the forest. Since Mende knew about her God's remains, she didn't bother hiding it anymore. She simply released a tiny bit of its power, and a faint Death Abyss appeared beneath their feet.
Sharon couldn't help but look down. The bottom of the abyss gradually reflected images of countless people dying. She was so terrified she didn't dare move for a moment.
"Don't look... focus on your current situation. Don't become one of them through a moment of carelessness," Li Yue said calmly. They arrived at the outskirts of a structure.
It was a lush green temple. Complex patterns were carved into the walls, and a slight touch would trigger yellow magic runes that seemed to be protecting the building.
"It looks like destruction won't work. Let's find the main entrance." Li Yue thought for a moment and decided not to use the Death Abyss to destroy it for now.
The temple was covered in a layer of lush green moss, yet it seemed to emit an aura of death at all times, making one's blood run cold.
Mende steadied his mind. Now was the time to stay calm. The more one feared God's remains, the more powerful they became.
He stepped forward, walking behind Li Yue and in front of Sharon.
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