Guild Boss's Ambition

If a person is without water and food for too long, he will definitely die.

And what's even worse is...

That invisible big hand didn't seem to want to force me to death.

Whenever I was hungry and thirsty, a red fox would always come and bring me food and drinks.

The food there is as exquisite as that in the stone house, and the drinks are usually sweet spring water and high-end tea.

It was because of this generous hospitality that I thought I was lost.

Someone wants to imprison me.

very scary……

very scary……

There was no one around, just the dark woods and myself.

"anyone there?"

I stood beside the dinner that Red Fox had brought and shouted into the forest, "Why did you trap me here?"

However, no one responded to my question.

"Why... do you... want to trap... me... in... this... place..."

The empty forest only echoed my voice after a few seconds.

A feeling of loneliness and trembling suddenly crept into my heart. The fear made me instinctively want to find a place to hide, so I turned and ran back the way I came, and finally ran back to the poplar tree. Its gray trunk and yellow-green leaves brought me a familiar sense of security.

"Oops, I didn't take the food the fox gave me just now!"

"Which path we take later may not get us back to where we were just now..."

When I calmed down, I realized that I had made a nearly fatal mistake. With the mentality of mending the fence after the sheep had been lost, I ran to the path where I had just encountered the fox. Unfortunately, just as I predicted, the place where the path led to had changed to a different scene, not to mention those precious survival resources.

"Ugh... Furuyama, you idiot! Eh? That's──"

I was walking back, cursing myself, and I ended up back under the poplar tree. Under the poplar tree was a red fox. The fox put down the basket of food in front of me again, and then moved its nimble figure, with spotless and light steps, and turned around to sneak into the dark forest under the moonlight.

The being that trapped me seemed to value my life very much.

The issue is……

He doesn't dare to let me die?

Or……

Is he letting me live for the time being?

If it is the former, maybe I can threaten him with death?

“Well, let’s just forget about this kind of idea…”

"If no one comes to hang me later, wouldn't that be asking for trouble?"

Because I was already in a strange dilemma, I didn't want to be dragged down by my own fantasies. Since the other party wanted me to survive in this forest, there was no point in me doing anything that might irritate the other party. On the other hand, almost two days had passed, and I guessed that everyone in the stone house had noticed my abnormality.

"Annie-senpai and the others will definitely come to see me!"

"I have to remain patient and wait for their rescue!"

I ate the dinner that Red Fox brought me in big mouthfuls, letting the food satisfy my taste buds and preventing the feelings of hunger and thirst from straining my nerves too much. Today's bread was also very delicious. In addition to being baked to the right softness and hardness, the layer of basil green sauce on it was fragrant and spicy, and it tasted very appetizing.

After drinking up the spring water in the bamboo bottle, I stood up resolutely.

"Gu Shan, you can't just sit there and wait for death! No one knew you were in the forest park from the beginning to the end! You must find a way to escape by yourself. Although the other party doesn't want you to die, there is no guarantee that they will not do anything else to hurt you. In short, given the current situation, you must escape from this place without committing suicide!"

After eating, I felt a little braver and set out on my journey of exploration again.

However, at this time, thick fog rose in the woods.

As it was getting late and there was fog, I had no choice but to retreat back to the poplar tree.

At this time, I gathered some sticks and started a fire with the fire crystal.

The bonfire emitted bursts of gray smoke...

"Gray smoke?"

An idea suddenly struck me, and I went to collect more firewood, so that the firewood could create a bigger fire, making the gray smoke from the campfire thicker and more conspicuous. Even though it was a foggy night, the gray smoke was still quite conspicuous. As long as other tourists in the forest park saw this huge column of smoke, someone would definitely be curious and come over to check the situation here.

"Hoohoo! I'm so awesome!"

"Actually, as long as I can use my brain correctly, I'm pretty smart."

"Hmm? Wait..."

"Why does it feel like this fire is getting bigger and bigger?"

After the surprise, I gradually realized that the situation was not good. The bonfire that was expected to burn only to the height of a person had unknowingly burned to the height of the poplar tree. Coupled with the evening breeze in the air, the huge column of fire swayed its burning body like a mad snake. In just a short while, the fire column burned all the surrounding trees -

“Oops…Oops!”

“Run! Run!”

Smelling the pungent smell of smoke, my brain began to send me danger signals.

If I don't run, I'll burn to death!

I don't want to die! I don't want to die!

I don't want to die!

The most primitive fear of human beings immediately filled my heart, and my mind was filled with only a fiery red.

Because I didn't want to die, I ran wildly.

So I didn't want to die, so I gasped for breath.

However, the flame was not slower than me, it was always following closely behind me.

It mercilessly burned down the entire forest. Many innocent small animals cried out in panic and helplessness because of the fire, and the quiet night was filled with a life-threatening run.

Everyone was running away desperately.

The squirrels are on the run...

Wild boars are on the run...

I am also running away...

In the blazing fire, the originally peaceful forest suddenly turned into a terrifying Asura hell.

I saw birds with spread wings being swallowed by flames, and a mother monkey holding her injured baby helplessly trapped in a sea of ​​fire. The culprit who caused this catastrophe was none other than myself, who was so smart as to think I was smart. Looking at these scenes filled with the separation of life and death, a fear even stronger than death grew in my heart.

"If I could think more carefully..."

"If I had taken care of the flammable materials around the bonfire..."

“I’m sorry…I’m sorry…”

"I don't want this to happen..."

I blame myself.

Running forward with self-blame.

There was no way out waiting for me ahead, only a blazing fire.

Yes, just like during the day.

I saw the poplar tree again, and I was back to the starting point where I was lost.

the difference is……

At this time, the poplar trees had been burned by the flames and fell to the ground.

All around me was a sea of ​​fire with no way out.

“It’s over…”

"It's all over..."

"Dad...Mom...Gulin...Everyone..."

"Annie-senpai..."

In the thick smoke, the dizzy and uncomfortable feeling in my head suddenly expanded to an extreme.

I fainted in a heavy sense of defeat.

In dead silence...

I first saw endless blackness...

Then there was a flash of white light...

Then the faint light gradually grew stronger and became blindingly bright...

Then, as if being awakened by the sunlight in the morning, I opened my tired eyes again.

The scene after opening my eyes was still that poplar tree.

At this time, the poplar tree stood in front of me as usual, intact without any damage, and in front of it was a pile of firewood I picked up and a small bonfire. In my memory, they caused a terrible fire that burned down the beautiful forest and left me with no way out. In the end, I was trapped in the flames and on the verge of despair.

"Are those hallucinations telling me not to do stupid things?"

"Or is it afraid that I will light this bonfire and attract other people's attention?"

"If I had been more cautious, cleared away those flammable materials, and then strengthened this bonfire..."

While I was thinking, the red fox appeared in front of me again.

This time, it didn't bring me any food.

This time, it had a scroll in its mouth.

After putting down the scroll, it immediately turned around and ran back -

In a state of caution and confusion, I, still in shock, bent over and picked up the scroll left by the red fox.

There was writing on the scroll.

"Don't try to resist, we are watching you."

After seeing this text, my heart calmed down.

From this, I found a reason to accept that others arrange my own destiny.

Because we are weak, we can only endure in silence.

There is no point in trying to change because there is nothing you can do.

but……

"Will Annie-senpai give up at this moment?"

Staring at the perfume bottle hanging around his waist, he closed his eyes and fell into deep thought while resting.

……

……

85. Clues (Annie)

(Anne Princeton)

Wang Wang!

After I applied the perfume, Little Spot started barking violently.

As if eager to express something to us, it first made a few leaps on the spot, and then rushed out like an arrow in a certain direction in the forest. Could it be...

"Hurry up! Hurry up!"

"Miss, hurry up and chase that stupid dog back. Don't let it run around in the forest!"

Meng'er and Hai Lao immediately made corresponding moves. I was stunned for a moment, but soon came to my senses and quickly followed their pace. Because Xiaoban ran very fast, Meng'er and Hai Lao also walked very fast. Due to the difference in foundation, even an agile archer like me could only barely catch up with Hai Lao, and did not see Meng'er and Xiaoban at all.

"Spotted! Stop! Spotted!"

We followed Meng'er's voice for about two or three minutes, until we came to a thorn bush, where we found Meng'er, Xiaoban and her dog. At this moment, Xiaoban's behavior was very strange. It kept barking at a thorn bush taller than an adult, and was circling in place in annoyance. I don't know what stimulated it.

Meng'er asked, "Xiaoban, do you know where the ancient mountain is?"