Chapter 1429 - Vivian’s Place of Hibernation (1/2)

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The valley after the pine forest originally had no name. In the untouched snowfield, the range of human activities was significantly limited. Only the most experienced hunter would dare to leave the small cabin in the pine forest. No adventurer was brave enough to pass through the entire jungle dominated by wolves and brown bears just to name a valley devoid of life. So Hao Ren simply named it the Valley of Death.

A stretch of diseased woods bordered the pine forest and valley. The dried and twisted plants seemed to remind rash adventurers not to get close to the place. After the woods was an open valley, which was not massive. Roughly triangular, two low and bare stone mountains flanked the valley on both sides. They gradually closed in and joined in the distance. So, crossing the pine forest was the only shortcut to the valley. The valley was lifeless, and there was no vegetation there. The barren landform extended from the rocky mountains on both sides to the valley below. It was all covered in thick snow. Black boulders and dead tree trunks peeked out from under the snow sporadically. In the snowy environment, dead trees remained unrotten longer than those in other places.

Hao Ren stood at the edge of the diseased forest and tried to find something that could be familiar, but he saw nothing except a land of death.

Would Vivian sleep in such an isolated place of death at all? Hao Ren asked himself.

From the intelligence that the wolves provided and the bizarre ecological environment of the place, the possibility was indeed quite high.

The husky maiden was gasping next to Hao Ren. There was a little nervousness on her face. “There’s this feeling like a great adventure is about to begin. I’ve never done such a thing before. I’m a little nervous.”

It seemed that Lily was strong when she met something weak, and weak when she saw something strong. It had been in her nature ever since half a century ago.

“There should be an energy field in the valley that continuously weakens life, or some kind of curse. It’s okay if you don’t understand. Just relax.” Hao Ren looked at the husky who was feeling intimidated. “That thing can only harm ordinary animals. It has no effect on you and me, especially you. You have a tenacious vitality.”

“Is that so?” Lily looked at Hao Ren in amazement. “You are impressive! You know so many things!”

“I know a lot more.” Hao Ren smiled and took the lead. “Come with me. Pay attention to the smell around you.”

The snow made a squeaky sound under their feet with the occasional cracking of twigs as they stepped on them. Apart from their footsteps and the sound of their breathing, the vast valley was almost completely silent. Not the slightest breeze was present despite the clear weather. Hao Ren stomped forward, feeling like he was walking in a static white world. Everything between heaven and earth felt so vast and empty.

Lily, who was on her first adventure, followed Hao Ren nervously from behind. The young “werewolf” maiden perked her ears, listening for any subtle sounds while continuously snuffling, much like a search dog.

Hao Ren stopped before a skeleton, which likely belonged to a large herbivore. The snow had buried most of it. The exposed parts were fragile and decaying. In frigid weather where scavenging organisms were lacking, it could take many years for a corpse to become such clean bones. But how long had the victim been lying there? Half a century?

Hao Ren bent down to examine the condition of the bones, trying to find out the creature’s cause of death. Lily mumbled next to Hao Ren, “Haven’t animals been too afraid to enter this valley, how could it die here?”

“Those with a sound mind would not have entered this place. But it’s been so many years, there are bound to be some accidents. Don’t you think so?” Hao Ren said, twitching his mouth. “Maybe an enemy chased it, and it had nowhere to go except to flee into this valley. Maybe it was starving and coming for food. Maybe it was simply insane. As soon as it entered the valley, it lost its way and could never get out again.”

“How did it die?” Lily curiously watched as Hao Ren examined the skeleton, finding that this man seemed like a professional in his field. The maiden could only identify a bone by its taste, and she was at a total loss when it came to examinations of a higher order.

Hao Ren got to his feet. “There are traces of black rot on the bones, which look like poisoning. Some distortions have formed due to high temperature. I suspect it was a blood boiling phenomenon. Put this on around your neck. It can protect you.”

While he spoke, Hao Ren fished a life-support collar from his Dimensional Pocket and handed it to Lily. The gadget was initially used in harsh environments such as space, but its protective functions could come in handy, especially to Lily who lacked experience.

Lily took the collar and put it on under Hao Ren’s instruction. It snuggled nicely around her neck. “Where do you get so many strange gadgets? What is a blood boiling phenomenon, by the way?”

“The boiling of blood; this friend of mine is an expert in manipulating blood. When she’s asleep, she could have released her power subconsciously so the creatures that came near her sleeping place may have died when their blood boiled in their veins. But fret not, this collar will protect you from blood boiling.”

Lily almost jumped out of her skin when she heard the first part of the sentence. But the second part gave her assurance. She calmed down and snuffled, turning around in a certain direction.

“What’s going on?” Hao Ren asked.