The white-clad girl, barefoot, sits in front of a black Nuo mask, looking afar at Zheng He, "It's been a long time. You're still as useless as ever."
Zheng He squinted his eyes and couldn't make out her expression. She waved to Zheng Daozu, "Don't sit so high, be careful or you'll fall. Where are the stairs? Be careful, wait for me to come down and fetch you!"
Zheng Daowu snorted in derision, the tip of his foot barely touching the ground, and he hovered down from above the Nuo mask's head like mist, landing before Zheng He. He floated mid-air, drifting gracefully with flowing robes and untouched dust.
"Materials gather with like, people and dogs take different paths. Do you think I'm like you, a useless thing?"
Zheng He's eyes widened in disbelief as she gazed at her.
She reached out and fished in the air above Zheng Daowu's head.
Zheng Daowu took a step back and furrowed his brow, "What are you doing!"
Zheng He looked at her empty hand and muttered to herself, "No wires...…"
"So you really did just ... fly down?"
Before she could finish her sentence, a snow-white Nuo mask at a distance slowly opened its mouth, and a thin stream of clear spring water poured out. The spring water landed just where Zheng He had been drinking from.
Zheng He realized that the ground she was standing on was a huge spring. Seven Nuo masks surrounded this dry spring.
However, besides the white Nuo mask, all the other masks had their mouths closed.
"Xian Nuo?"
Zheng Daowu rolled his eyes and said in a sour tone, "I knew it. Only Xian Nuo, with their soft hearts, would feel sorry for you."
The Xian Nuo with its white face, though the spring water in its mouth is only a thin stream, still slowly gathers at their feet into a small puddle.
No long time, the Xian Nuo's mouth slowly closed, no longer pouring water out.
Zheng He lowered her head, she could feel that her feet seem to have a mouth, at this moment, she extended her tongue and greedily drank these spring water, the cool feeling spread from the sole of the foot all over the body. If it was not because Zheng Daowu was still in front of her, she would have wanted to lie down and soak herself in the water.
The spring water slowly seeped into her body, where the water had passed and disappeared, transparent stains outlined a twisted and eerie text:
[Derelease Value: 66%]
Derelease Value?
She curled her toes, "Dangdang, what is this?"
"Don't call me Dangdang!" Zheng Daowu glared at her.
"You're so useless, of course only Xian Nuo would accept you and give you some benefits."
Zheng Daowu snorted coldly, "But if you want to live, these springs are far from enough."
"You can also feel it, only the spring water here can make you feel better."
Zheng Daowu let out a cold smile, "If you don't want to die, you'll need to get this 'Derelease Value' to the highest point, got it?"
Zheng He suddenly understood, "Getting it to the highest can allow us to leave this world?"
"Do you have a Derelease Value?"
As soon as the words were spoken, Zheng He saw a line of transparent bright red subtitles appear above Zheng Daowu's head:
[Derelease Value: 1%]
"Dangdang, how can your Derelease Value be so low!"
Zheng He reached out with a worried expression, wanting to touch the subtitles on her head, "Can you go back like this?"
Zheng Daowu pointed her toes behind her, lightly floating above half-way, avoiding Zheng He's hand. She coldly laughed, "You still care about me? Why don't you look at your own chest!"
Zheng He lowered her head and saw her empty chest cavity. Her fingers could even penetrate this big hole and touch the muscle that was beating.
Is she still alive now?
"Where is my heart?"
Zheng Daowu snorted coldly, "Such an idiot, just now realizing that your heart is gone?"
She waved her hand, and a display appeared above her head, displaying several bright red words:
[Find your heart within 72 hours]
The words were followed by a countdown.
[71:59:59]
"Go find your heart outside!"
Zheng Daowu swept her sleeves widely, a whirlwind sprang up from nowhere, slapping Zheng He right in the center of the spring.
An enormous amount of spring water instantly transformed into living creatures, with legs, and scrambled into Zheng He's body one after another. The spring dried up once more.
Zheng He only felt a blackout, and when she opened her eyes, she was already back on the bed.
"Dangdang······"
Zheng He looked at the wood grain on the ceiling and murmured something.
"Why don't you go find your heart and call out like this here?"
Zheng He sprang out of bed in a flash. She was overjoyed to see Zheng Daowu with bare feet, propping her arms on the wooden table beside her, rolling her eyes at her when she looked over.
It's really Zheng Daowu!
Zheng He felt that the world became even more beautiful.
She got up from the bed, turned over from under the bed, and found a pair of dry shoes. She walked over to Zheng Daowu and squatted down in front of her to put on the shoes.
"If we have to reach 100% to leave this world, what will you do, Dangdang?"
Zheng Daowu raised her eyebrows and kicked off the shoes that were still unbuttoned.
Zheng He was a bit angry. She grabbed Zheng Daowu's ankle, swaying back and forth, not allowing her to move, "There is a lot of humidity at sea. Your body is weak, and if you don't pay attention, you are very likely to catch a cold or fall ill."
"Good girl."
Zheng Daowu didn't know what she was thinking about, and her eyes became serious. She let her wear the shoes.
[Derelease Value+1]
[Current Derelease Value: 67%]
Zheng He looked at the transparent blue text in the air with a confused expression, "How can wearing a shoe also increase some points?"
Her value is blue, Zheng Daowu's value is red. What's the difference in color?
This world is full of oddities.
Zheng He's room is not big, with only one bed, one table, one cabinet, and one chair.
While putting shoes on Zheng Daowu, Zheng He discovered a notebook sitting under her buttocks. The notebook was not thick, and she wondered if there might be some clues inside. Zheng He pulled it out and prepared to open it to take a look.
"I suggest you sit down and read it better."
Zheng Daowu was taken to the side by Zheng He and sat down on the other side of the table. She kicked Zheng He's clothes and smiled provocatively when she looked up, "Otherwise, you might be scared to death."
Zheng He sighed and reached out to rub Zheng Daowu's hair, not really caring in her heart.
Children are probably still in their rebellious phase, so it's normal for them to not sound very nice when they talk.
Perhaps because of the memory inherited by Zheng He, the words on the notebook were all understandable to Zheng He.
This is a sea voyage log.
The first part is a record of some data from this voyage, including the ship's speed, weather conditions, and the remaining food and cargo.
The cargo on board this ship is mainly alcohol. The original owner called the sea they sailed through a 'Forbidden Sea', and they set sail from a place called Hu Lu Island, planning to dock in Dan Juan Bay.
The diary has nearly one month of records. The crew seemed to treasure these wines very much. Over a month of sailing, more than 10 crew members only drank two or three barrels of wine water.
None of these things seemed abnormal, but as the diary was turned to the back part, Zheng He's eyes narrowed, and she couldn't help but grip the paper tightly.
[There is someone sick on board.]
I'm very worried about them.
I've told them several times that they were sick, but they wouldn't believe me. They even said I was possessed.
They call me the big sister, but they don't really trust me.
I'm very sad.
When they were having dinner, I saw movement inside their stomachs. Their eating speed was also very abnormal, none of them could eat a whole bowl of food like that. It doesn't make sense for people to stuff themselves like that.
They were going out to rain in the middle of the night. I was very anxious.
I went to care for them and again told them that they were sick, that I could help them.
They got even more angry.
They said I was strange. They said they would tell Lao Wen.
Huh? They're the ones who are strange, aren't they?
They can't see that their stomachs are already swollen?
They're filled with dirty things.
I don't understand. I really wanted to help them, why are they so angry?
So annoying.
They usually respect me very much and would never shout at me like this. I don't blame them, it's because they are sick.
They call me the Big Sister, and I want to help them.
I know, and I can cure them.
As long as they listen.
Sickness is painful, and I don't want my brothers to suffer like that.
So I walked up to them, but they still didn't recognize my good intentions. They even pointed knives at me.
Who gave them the courage!
It must be because they are sick.
It seems that they are so sick that it's already too late to cure them.
They are my brothers who have gone through life and death with me. I can't let them die in the Forbidden Sea because of their illness.
I must cure them.
I've promised to take them home.
I used an axe to break their bones and cut open their stomachs. It was this thing causing trouble, and I wanted to carve it out.
Their voices suddenly got louder.
A bit noisy.
Fortunately, the Forbidden Sea is raining heavily tonight, so no one will see them in their messy state.
After they're cured, they'll be strong men again.
I caught someone who wanted to run away and helped him cure his illness. When the thing inside his stomach came out, his voice suddenly became lower.
Bowing his head, he looked obedient.
See, I knew it. They were sick.
Only I can see that they're sick, and only I can help them.
They will thank me.
Three people were infected, and after I gave them preliminary treatment, they all quieted down. But I could tell that their illness was not cured, so I need to find a quiet place to continue treating them.
I want to cure them and then take them home.
The three of them were a bit heavy, but for some reason, their bodies became lighter and lighter.
Maybe it's because the thing inside their stomachs has finally left them.
Tonight is my turn to guard, and the illness might be contagious. I can only bring them back to my room.
But my room is really too small. It's helpless, so I can only let them suffer in the space under my bed.
They are so quiet.]
Zheng He suddenly jumped up from her chair. Her forehead was dotted with fine sweat, and her throat was so tight that it was hard to speak.
She held the diary in her hand and couldn't help but look towards the space under her bed where she had slept for a night.
What does that mean?
Could there really be a surprise under the bed?
Zheng He wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. She swallowed hard and shivered involuntarily.
She took a deep breath and crouched down cautiously. Before she fully bent down, she saw a blood-stained palm.
Zheng He sat down on the ground with a thud. As she lowered her gaze, she saw a pair of blood-red eyes staring back at her.
