Chapter 30

29. The Final Note

They were already outside the storm scar, but the giant snake's remains were still nearby. Li Ang slowed his pace and led Zoe and the elemental beast into a blind spot against the snake-body cliff wall.

The shadows approached and revealed their forms; they were two wasteland beasts.

No, they were no longer wasteland beasts; they had been completely altered by the power of the earth's core.

【Gem-Mine Beast】

【A monster that has grown closer to the earth after consuming precious ores and gems】

【Species: Wolf-type】

【Combat Intelligence: Rank 1】

【Servant: None】

【Energy Source: None】

【Body Strength: Gem Claws, Rank 4. Hard-Ore Fangs, Rank 3. Hard-Ore Skin, Rank 3.】

【Special Attack: Sharp Cutting】

【Skill: Sand Adaptation】

【Combat Power Boost: 0】

They still retained the low intelligence of wasteland beasts; by habit, they had certainly become servants of the Star Soul.

Zoe held her breath, her body accumulating strength, swaying slightly from side to side.

"Should we fight?" she asked softly.

"Yes."

"Okay!"

The girl lunged forward.

After taking a few steps, she trotted back, stuck her tongue out at Li Ang, and said, "Um, are there any precautions for fighting these monsters? Almost forgot, hehe."

"……No."

"Then here I go!"

The girl leaped out from their hiding spot, holding her wind-type treasure. The wind protecting her body became her aid, pushing her to sprint swiftly, catching the two evolved wasteland beasts almost completely off guard.

They let out shrill roars and split left and right, attempting to flank Zoe.

Li Ang sent the elemental beast into action. This gem-covered elemental construct leaped, carving a shining, colorful arc, and kicked up a massive amount of dust upon landing. Within the dust, one Gem-Mine Beast was already pinned beneath it.

The Gem-Mine Beast immediately tried to roll away to escape the suppression, while simultaneously launching dense attacks on the elemental beast with its sharp claws and fangs.

However, while both were strengthened by the environment here, there was a qualitative difference between them; its sharp claws and fangs could not damage the gem armor at all, only producing teeth-grinding friction sounds.

The girl stepped forward, assaulting the other Gem-Mine Beast with wind sword techniques.

The Gem-Mine Beast rolled on the ground to dodge her horizontal slash and jumped sideways to avoid the vertical one, but the girl hadn't fully committed to these moves. She kept some strength in reserve, followed up with light steps, and seized an opening to stab the Gem-Mine Beast in the neck.

With a 'clang', its mineral-strengthened skin blocked the sword's thrust, the tip only piercing the skin slightly.

"Still more!"

Zoe gave a sharp shout, her agile figure assuming a perfect stance for generating force. Both arms pressed the sword blade forward simultaneously, while driving the elemental energy of the Wind-Breath Sword.

As the sword tip pierced in, wind blades erupted in unison. The cutting sound brought out the noise of tearing leather and shattering rock; the wolf beast's neck was instantly pierced through. It swayed a few times, collapsed, and died completely.

Li Ang looked at the crack behind the giant snake's head in the distance.

It was indeed a sword technique passed down through the same lineage.

Under his direction, the Gem-Mine Beast pinned by the elemental beast also had its neck bitten through by the merciless giant maw.

Having killed the two monsters, Zoe panted as she sheathed her sword and turned back to give Li Ang a victory V-sign.

"Well done. Now, I don't know whether to praise you for remembering to stay calm, or to scold you for not being calm."

"Oh my~"

Zoe trotted over to Li Ang, humming and shaking his arm.

Being too close, feeling the girl's lightness and breath, Li Ang felt like he was sinking into a cloud and quickly broke free from her coquetry.

He rubbed his temples, thinking to himself that his judgment must not be influenced bit by bit like this.

Having dealt with the Gem-Mine Beasts and having the elemental beast harvest the usable materials from them, the two continued toward the ruins.

The stone outline became increasingly clear, and Zoe suddenly asked, "What else did the note say later on?"

"Do you want to read it now?"

Li Ang was somewhat surprised; it was her idea to come to the ruins first, yet now that they were at the door, she wanted to read the note.

The girl nodded earnestly, so he opened the pages.

"March 7, 293

"The day of departure is close at hand. I made a pile of farm tools to give to the villagers, but the enchantments on them scared them; they thought these tools were weapons meant to attack them. Only then did I notice their own farm tools were still very primitive.

"They mind the commotion we make when fighting the Star Soul and are very hostile toward us.

"Lily was so angry she went to scare them, making them fear us even more."

After reading this entry, Zoe chuckled softly: "Mom really is more like a child than I am."

The note was turned to the next entry.

"March 8, 293

"Lily is carefree, but I worry that the villagers' fear of us will turn into harm for Zoe after we leave.

"Lily, however, is not worried at all. I suspect she might have used mental magic on the villagers, but she just smiles and says nothing.

"Afterward, Lily gave Zoe suggestions to ensure she would always remember our instructions.

"Once she grows up and gains a self, she will no longer be bound by these suggestions."

Li Ang looked up at the girl beside him, whose expression was calm.

"It's nothing."

Zoe had no particular emotion. She looked at the glass dome and said slowly: "These days, I've found that many things I thought before were wrong, and then, suddenly, it seems like many things have become clear.

"I still remember Mom and Dad's instructions very clearly, but I know how to make my choices now."

The girl looked at Li Ang, her eyes flickering.

"This is all because Li Ang came."

"I'm just doing what I feel is right."

"Yeah, I know."

Zoe took her father's note from Li Ang's palm, her youthful fingertips, not fully covered by the sink-steel bracers, brushing over the paper.

"The last page," she said softly.

"March 12, 293

"The time to leave the island has come.

"There's nothing left to say. The days spent living here, though not long, were simple, but being with the one I love was a satisfaction I had never experienced in my life. This gave me the courage to fight again.

"The note is in the basement. We instructed Zoe not to come in, but if we didn't make it back and she broke free from the suggestions, she would likely find this note.

"I don't know if Zoe will face her destiny alone after awakening, or if she will be teased by fate and dragged into a bitter journey she must awaken for.

"Zoe, if you really see this note, I only want to say to you:

"I'm sorry."

The note ended there with only blank pages left.

Zoe stared blankly at the paper, then gently closed it.

This girl, who had been wearing a child-like expression just days ago, now had a demeanor that had gradually settled from complex layers into a kind of indifference.

"After reading the note, I understand now that everything they did was for me."

The girl hugged the note: "I suddenly want to know so, so much where they went and what they encountered."

"Parents are sometimes like that; they do a lot for their children," Li Ang said.

"So I don't hate them anymore; I understand what they are to me."

The girl raised her eyes, her ruby pupils reflecting Li Ang.

"Dad guessed what I would be like in the end; what does Li Ang think?"

"Neither, I think."

"Hehe."

An inexplicable smile appeared on Zoe's face: "If Li Ang hadn't come, I couldn't have imagined at all how I would have dealt with the Star Soul and the island core world.

"Why did you come down with me?"

Why?

A few days ago, Li Ang was still struggling with not wanting to get involved in the world's heroine's affairs, and then—

"Without realizing it, I just..." Li Ang felt as if he had forgotten this question halfway through.

"Was I too thick-skinned and pestering you?"

Maybe. But Li Ang always felt he couldn't answer this question at this moment.

"However, you being here, does that mean you've started to like me?"

"Uh, cough, cough, cough."

The girl looked up at the brilliant glass canopy and opened her arms.

"I'm very happy that we are here together.

"I can tell Dad now that it's neither kind of destiny, because Li Ang has appeared in my destiny.

"I also understand now how Li Ang is different from them."

Although the island core hollow was filled with corundum of all colors, the red in the girl's eyes was deeper than any ruby here at this moment.

"They are my mom and dad, but Li Ang is the person who will be a mom and dad with me."

"Uh, this, wait a second—"

The girl giggled, ran forward a few steps, then turned back, pointing at the ruins not far away.

"Let's go, let's go over and take a look."

She didn't continue the topic, and the upturned corners of her mouth and the smile in her eyes slowly faded, as if she had treasured it away alone, waiting for when she would pick it out again.