C117 The Little Girl!

No one knew exactly what had befallen Lin Suzhen, but his disappearance from the world turned him into a legend over time.

The vanishing of Lin Suzhen was a source of sorrow, yet humanity's desire for progress and a life basked in sunlight meant they could not remain indefinitely within the confines of the Dusk Forest.

Subsequent human efforts to locate Aerilon proved futile, as they were unable to overcome the formidable monsters guarding the formation, leaving Aerilon inaccessible.

As the years passed, the quest for Aerilon was nearly abandoned, and humans resigned themselves to a life within the Dusk Forest.

A century later, what once was reality faded into myth, and the plight of humans worsened. Monster attacks had overrun numerous human strongholds, leaving only one standing. It was during a mushroom gathering expedition that Chu Xiaohong encountered a wolf pack and was carried off.

Had Zhang Liting's team not intervened, Chu Xiaohong would have likely ended up as wolf excrement.

Wolves posed the greatest threat to the human stronghold, preying on children like Chu Xiaohong and adults alike. Conversely, human warriors would frequently hunt the wolves, skinning and consuming their flesh in a brutal cycle of predation.

Neither species could eradicate the other, leading to a century-long conflict. Humans might have stood a chance against the wolves alone, but the presence of witches and werewolves in the Dusk Forest severely tipped the scales against them.

Now, with the last human stronghold reduced to just over a thousand individuals and their numbers dwindling, it was clear that within a decade or two, humanity would face extinction in the Dusk Forest.

Despite her gratitude to Zhang Liting's team for saving her life and her willingness to share much information, Chu Xiaohong kept silent on two critical details.

The first was the precise location of the human stronghold—a piece of knowledge she possessed but chose not to divulge, unable to assure the safety of her fellow humans should she reveal their sanctuary.

In such a perilous environment, not even a little girl could fully trust a stranger.

The second piece of information concerned Aerilon. Chu Xiaohong was familiar with the legends surrounding Aerilon, but she was clueless about how to reach it or what kind of monsters guarded its magical array.

The secrets of Aerilon were closely guarded by a select few leaders and elders within the stronghold, classified as top secret.

"That's the crux of it... The Gate of Myriad Realms within Aerilon must be the one we're searching for. It's not too far from our Beginner Village. Logically, the system wouldn't assign us a mission that's impossibly far away," Zhou Tao summed up.

"I can now confirm that you've located the Gate of Myriad Realms. You've spared me a great deal of trouble. I wouldn't let you work for me without proper compensation. Here, accept this modest reward as a token of my appreciation," Chen Guo offered.

With that, Chen Guo handed out 250 thrombin pills among Zhang Liting's team, distributing 50 pills to each member.

At this stage in the game, 50 thrombin pills represented a significant fortune. Chen Guo's generosity in giving such an amount was noteworthy.

"Many thanks, Boss Guangcheng!"

"Many thanks to Boss Guangcheng for your generous gift!"

"Boss Guangcheng is truly magnanimous!"

Members of Zhang Liting's team voiced their thanks in turn.

Chen Guo nodded, then made his way to the corner where Chu Xiaohong was shivering with increasing intensity.

"Did you intimidate her?" Chen Guo inquired.

"She's human, not a monster. We just asked her a few questions. She was recently snatched by a pack of wolves and is now in the frightening Dusk Forest, likely still traumatized," Zhang Liting explained, "Keep in mind, Chu Xiaohong is just a child."

Chen Guo understood the situation.

Now, Chen Guo faced the challenge of uncovering the secrets of Aerilon and devising a way to enter and access the Gate of Myriad Realms to fulfill the system's main quest.

It was an inevitable task.

To learn the secrets of Aerilon, one would need to seek assistance from the upper echelons within the human stronghold. Chu Xiaohong, unfortunately, was not privy to such secrets.

First, they needed to make a trip to the human stronghold.

For the trial challengers, Chu Xiaohong might as well have been an NPC, but that was merely a figure of speech. She was, in fact, a living, breathing person.

Despite having faced life-and-death situations, everyone still maintained a moral baseline; harming children was simply out of the question.

"Little girl, don't be scared. I'm not a bad guy, hehe..." Chen Guo said, offering Chu Xiaohong a warm, friendly smile.

"Waw..." Chu Xiaohong was so frightened that she burst into tears.

"This..." Chen Guo winced in embarrassment. With my dashing charm and noble demeanor, it's clear I'm a paragon of virtue and gallantry. How could I possibly frighten a little girl?

Amidst his discomfort, Chen Guo pondered for a moment and produced a string of Tyrande's dried bananas from his spatial storage.

These dried bananas still carried the fruit's natural aroma and could be stored for a long time, making them a kind of sweet treat.

Given the lack of sunlight in the gloomy Dusk Forest and the consequent scarcity of resources, a string of Tyrande's dried bananas should be enough to soothe the little girl's tears.

"Dear little sister, please don't cry. These bananas are both fragrant and sweet. I'd like to offer them to you!" Chen Guo said with a playful grin, radiating the sunny disposition of youth as he handed the dried bananas to Chu Xiaohong.

Chu Xiaohong hesitated briefly before taking the bananas, unable to resist the alluring scent.

Her slender frame was a clear indication of the tough life humans led in the Dusk Forest, living meal to meal without the luxury of fine foods.

Humans have an innate craving for sugar, and Chu Xiaohong, unable to resist, popped the banana into her mouth, peel and all, and savored it with gusto.

The sweetness enveloped her taste buds, bringing an immense sense of joy and contentment to her, a feeling that filled her mind with happiness.

Chu Xiaohong had never tasted anything so delightful, never known such bliss. She devoured the bananas eagerly, and Chen Guo couldn't even find a moment to suggest she peel them first. She was like a whirlwind, making short work of the treat.

But then again, he thought, in a place like the Dusk Forest, even the banana peel might be a delicacy. Besides, the dried peel had no adverse effects and was packed with a rich supply of vitamins A, B, C, and D.

Chu Xiaohong devoured several bananas in quick succession, yet she managed to curb her craving, leaving half of the fruit uneaten, her appetite not quite satisfied.