Leave Some Leeway

Shane and Elon walked over to the edge of the pit Sara had dug and looked inside. The first thing they saw was a patch of grayish-white.

Shane then squatted down and squinted to examine the object in the pit. It was a strange-looking thing, about the size of three adult fists. It had an irregular, flat oval shape, and its exterior looked like a seedpod that had been squeezed by an external force.

Its overall outline was asymmetrical, with natural depressions and protrusions along the edges. The surface was also grayish-white, covered in dark purple fissure-like patterns.

Under the moonlight overhead, Shane discovered that these patterns were actually moving slowly, as if some kind of light were flowing inside.

“What is this?”

Shane asked as he looked at Elon, but Elon didn't answer. He was also frowning and carefully studying the object in the pit, clearly having no clue either.

Left with no other choice, Shane leaned in closer and noticed that the object wasn't completely sealed. There was a narrow opening on the side, its edges curling inward like a half-open eye.

He tentatively peered into the opening, only to see a deep, violet-black void within that seemed to capture one's soul.

“Hiss...”

Shane immediately pulled his head back, refusing to let himself be drawn into it. This naturally drew Elon's concern. “Are you all right?”

“I'm fine.”

Shane shook his head and looked back at the seedpod-like object, his eyes filled with wariness. “This thing... is a bit sinister.”

Since Shane had voiced his concerns, Elon didn't dare take it lightly. He looked at Sara, who was standing to the side, and gestured. “Can you bring it up?”

Sara let out a short hiss in response, then carefully reached her two giant pincers toward the "seedpod." A moment later, she retrieved the object.

However, when Sara held the object out to Shane, he still hesitated instinctively. Only after a brief moment of thought did he reach out to take it.

It felt cool to the touch, though not freezing. After a while, it actually began to feel somewhat warm, as if it adjusted its temperature to match that of a human body.

It felt smooth, its surface like polished jade, but a gentle press revealed a slight, springy elasticity. It was highly unusual.

“It's much lighter than it looks.”

Shane bounced it lightly in his hand as he looked at Elon. “It's as if the inside is completely hollow, with only an outer shell.”

Elon leaned in as well, observing it in greater detail for a long time, but he still couldn't draw a conclusion. “I have no memory of anything like this. This thing doesn't fall into the category of any natural product or magical creation that I know of.”

“What should we do then?”

“Keep it for now.”

Elon reached a decision after a brief moment of thought. “This object appeared after the sand spirit was eliminated. There might be a connection between them. After all, when it comes to records of surviving an encounter with a sand spirit in the Golden Sea, we're probably the only ones.”

“So, we can only study it slowly ourselves.”

Shane nodded in agreement, untied the pouch from his waist, and placed the object inside.

The moment he tied the pouch shut, it twitched slightly, but the movement was so fleeting that Shane didn't notice. He then fastened the pouch back onto his waist.

Afterward, he looked down at the bottom of the pit once more.

Earlier, his attention had been entirely captured by the "seedpod," causing him to miss the changes at the bottom of the pit. Looking down again now, he suddenly realized that the soil at the bottom seemed different from before.

The sand around the grayish-white base was darker in color and slightly damp, completely unlike the dry state of the sand they had always encountered underneath.

Shane let out a sound of surprise, bent down to reach into the bottom of the pit, and grabbed a handful of soil.

Hearing the sound, Elon leaned over too. When his gaze fell upon the soil in Shane's hand, his eyes lit up.

He immediately took a pinch from Shane's hand and squeezed it. With a firm squeeze, the soil instantly clumped together into a solid lump. When he rubbed it, it felt soft and moist, with excellent cohesion between the particles.

He even brought the soil to his nose to sniff it. A faint scent of humus entered his nostrils, mixed with the smell of a forest after a fresh rain.

“This soil... this soil is miraculous!”

Elon looked up at Shane, his eyes filled with wild joy and wonder. “Not only is it mixed with trace amounts of the force of death and the force of life, but the ratio of mana particles is also perfectly balanced. Honestly, it's even better than the black soil I've seen in the North of the Empire.”

“Are you sure?”

“If I'm mistaken, I'm no longer a druid!”

Elon glared at him, then brought the handful of soil close to his eyes to examine it carefully. “If we use this soil to plant beans, the yield will definitely double. It might even increase the yield of the water beans.”

"Water beans" referred to the batch of mutated beans from after the quicksand incident. Their effects were excellent, but their yield was low. Elon had been searching for a way to increase their production, but due to the environment and soil quality, he had consistently failed.

But now, there might finally be a turning point.

With that, Shane turned his head and called out toward the side, “Ksaz!”

“Sir, did you call for me?”

“Take a few men, along with the skeletons I summon, and dig around the area.”

Shane raised his hand and summoned seven or eight skeletons. Pointing at the pit and then the surrounding area, he instructed, “Space yourselves out and see if there are any changes in the soil quality underneath. Digging about half a meter deep should do.”

Ksaz nodded without asking further questions. He turned around and called Karu and the other clansmen to action, while several skeletons followed behind them carrying tools.

About half an hour later, Ksaz ran back to report.

“Sir! We dug twelve spots. Within a range of about five or six paces outward from that ring of silver sand by the pool, the underground soil is all of this high-quality type.”

“But further out, as well as on the dunes, digging down yields the same sand as before. No change at all.”

Shane and Elon exchanged a look. To be honest, they were slightly disappointed. The area wasn't very large.

“It's still good news, even if it's not a large area.”

Shane looked blankly at Elon, whose expression was somewhat complex. Ultimately, Elon let out a long sigh. “Having some is better than none. The emergence of this kind of soil is already a miracle in itself. Thank the Goddess of Life for her blessing.”

“Leynas!”

A clear female voice rang out, interrupting Shane and Elon's discussion.

They turned around and saw Alicia walking over from the edge of the oasis. She wasn't riding a camel but was walking on foot, a detail that caused Shane's heart to stir slightly.

“Your Highness.”

Shane waited for the princess to reach him before bowing slightly, a gentle smile appearing on his face. “It is wonderful to see that you are safe and sound.”

Despite his words, the princess's figure stiffened, and her expression turned delicate. Her gaze didn't rest on Shane; instead, she looked toward Elon as if seeking help.

Elon merely gave a gentle nod without saying a word, but Alicia instantly understood the meaning behind it.

She looked back at Shane, her face solemn. Her lips twitched as if she wanted to say something, but the words lingered on the tip of her tongue and never came out.

Shane sighed softly to himself. Having observed Alicia's behavior, he had no intention of making things difficult for her. Straightening his posture, he pointed to the pool behind him and said, “Your Highness arrived just in time. Some new changes have occurred in the oasis. I think you should take a look.”

As he spoke, he took the lead and walked toward the pool. Alicia froze for a moment before quickly catching up.

Shane walked at a leisurely pace. Once Alicia was by his side, he said in a loud voice, “We defended the oasis while Your Highness was away.”

“Now that you've returned, the decisions that need to be made should still be up to you.”

His voice was loud—loud enough for the guards and attendants following them to hear. Hearing this, Alicia didn't stop. She continued walking alongside Shane, lowering her voice as she spoke, “You're giving me an out.”

There was no sarcasm or interrogation in her tone; she spoke with simple directness, but Shane could sense the trace of warmth in her words.

“Didn't Your Highness say that we are partners?”

Shane smiled gently once more. Looking at the gratitude in Alicia's eyes, he said, “In that case, partners should always leave each other some leeway.”

A few steps later, the two reached the edge of the pool. Alicia suddenly turned to Shane. With the moonlight reflecting off the water beside them, her violet eyes shimmered with light as she spoke softly, “Shane.”

“Thank you.”

Shane turned his head to meet her gaze, the corner of his mouth curving upward. “You're welcome.”

Watching this from a distance, Elon shook his head with a smile. He turned to look at the guards and attendants who were busy setting up camp again, clapped his hands, and shouted, “Pitch the tents to the south! Don't put the campfire too close to the water! Make sure to leave a spot reserved for Shane...”