Chapter 10: The Road Ahead

Chapter 10: The Road Ahead

After walking for hours, the vast, barren land stretching endlessly before them, Lin Yue glanced at Li Wei and spoke decisively. "We can't keep traveling on foot like this. It's too slow, and we might get discovered by those people sooner or later. I have a car in my inventory. We can use it to cover more ground faster."

Li Wei gave her a thoughtful look, then nodded. "That makes sense. Let's not waste time."

The two entered Lin Yue's magical space. Once inside, Lin Yue went straight to check on her babies. She fed them, holding their tiny forms gently as they nuzzled against her. After ensuring they were settled and secure in their swaddling, she placed them back into their crib. Jian Yu, who had been watching over them, had fallen asleep on the couch nearby.

Lin Yue smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair from Jian Yu's face before pulling a blanket over him. Her heart warmed at the sight of his small, peaceful form. Through her mind link with Fei Feng, she gave him a quick instruction:

"Jian Yu is asleep. Watch the space and keep the children in line."

Meanwhile, Li Wei wandered outside the house and discovered the quadruplets near the ocean at the edge of the mountain. They were digging soil and playing in the sand while Fei Feng stood nearby, yelling at them to stop fooling around and start training. Li Wei chuckled at the sight, shaking his head at their antics.

Returning to the house, he found Lin Yue tidying up after feeding the babies. He leaned against the doorframe, watching her for a moment before asking, "Are we ready to move?"

Lin Yue nodded, picking up a jeep from her inventory. The two left the space and appeared back on the barren land with the car.

Li Wei's eyes widened as he inspected the vehicle. He touched the shiny surface, knocked on the door, and peered inside, curiosity etched on his face. "What is this thing? It moves without animals pulling it?"

Lin Yue laughed softly, leaning against the jeep. "It's called a car. It's a machine from the modern world. It runs on fuel—kind of like... a fire in a controlled space that makes it move."

Li Wei looked skeptical but intrigued. "And you can control it?"

"Of course," she replied, opening the driver's door. "Come on, get in. I'll show you."

He climbed into the passenger seat, still examining everything. "It doesn't look like it should move. Are you sure this isn't some kind of magical beast?"

Lin Yue chuckled as she started the engine, the low rumble startling Li Wei. "Trust me, it's not alive. Sit tight."

With that, they began their journey, the jeep speeding across the dry landscape. The wind whipped past them, and with the help of the car, they were able to cover significant ground in a few hours.

After two hours of driving, they spotted a lone tavern in the middle of the desolate terrain. Lin Yue slowed the car, eyeing the building with curiosity. "It's strange to see a tavern out here," she murmured, reaching for the door handle.

Before she could open it, Li Wei grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. "Don't."

Lin Yue looked at him, surprised. "Why not?"

Li Wei's gaze was sharp, scanning the area. "Think about it. The land around here is barren. No people, no food, no water. How is a tavern functioning here? It's likely a trap, or worse, it belongs to them."

Realization dawned on Lin Yue's face. She quickly sat back, restarting the car. "I didn't think of that," she admitted, driving away without hesitation.

Li Wei leaned back in his seat, murmuring to himself, his thoughts guarded. He said nothing further, but Lin Yue's mind drifted to the past.

She remembered the time when her stubbornness had nearly cost her life in captivity. She'd tried to escape and was caught, but Li Wei had taken the blame. For days, he endured punishment while she cried and treated his wounds. Though there wasn't love between them, there was mutual trust—a bond forged in pain and survival.

She trusted him when he said he had a plan to escape, just as he trusted her when she brought out the drug that helped them subdue the guards. He hadn't questioned where she got it, just as he didn't ask too many questions about her magical space now.

As the sun began to set, they came across a small town. Lin Yue parked the jeep, storing it back into her inventory. They changed into coarse clothes and donned masks to blend in with the locals. Moving through the crowded marketplace, they quickly realized that the natives all seemed to know each other.

Lin Yue whispered to Li Wei, "They're too familiar with one another. We'll stand out."

Li Wei's sharp eyes scanned the crowd before he replied, "We're not staying. It's too risky."

Though it was already dusk, they left the town without hesitation. Returning to the jeep, they drove further until they came across another village. This time, they didn't even attempt to enter. Instead, they re-entered the space to rest.

Inside, they found Fei Feng had already microwaved food for the children and put them to bed. Lin Yue went straight to check on her babies, finding their bottles empty. She prepared fresh formula and placed it aside for the next day.

Finally, she sank onto the couch, exhaustion weighing heavily on her. Beside her, Li Wei sat quietly, his presence steady and reassuring. Despite the uncertainty of their journey, Lin Yue felt a flicker of hope.

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In a dimly lit room within the depths of the mist-shrouded forest, an old man sat on a simple wooden bed. His frail form was draped in a worn robe, but his eyes gleamed with a sharpness that betrayed his apparent fragility. Before him, a young man knelt, his posture rigid and respectful, the markings on his armor hinting at his role as a warrior.

"Have you found those two?" the old man asked, his voice raspy but commanding.

The young man lowered his head further, his voice tinged with regret. "Your Holiness, I deserve punishment. We couldn't locate them."

The old man sighed, his thin frame sinking languidly back onto the bed. He waved a hand dismissively. "They are likely dead by now. That cursed forest devours all who wander without knowing the way out—unless, of course, they had help."

He paused, his gaze drifting to the dark ceiling above. A bitter smile tugged at his lips. "Still, search for their bones. Even their remains would serve a purpose for me."

His voice dropped to a murmur, as though speaking more to himself than to the guard. "Perhaps I should not have kept them together. A miscalculation on my part."

With that, the old man closed his eyes, his expression unreadable. The young guard bowed deeply, then rose to his feet and quietly left the room, the door creaking softly as it closed behind him.