I'll also work hard to conquer the dungeon today.

Chapter 324, 1.21-40: The Girl Imprisoned in the Tower
Mingxi's shoulder blade has a small piece broken.

Ming Jin, whose emotions were in sync with Ming Xi's, naturally felt the excruciating pain that made one break out in a cold sweat. It's easy to imagine that Ming Xi's calm demeanor at that moment was entirely due to her endurance.

"Does it hurt?" Ming Jin chuckled gently, his silver-rimmed glasses adding to his refined scholarly air, making him look extremely cultured.

"You felt it yourself, didn't you say!" Mingxi said angrily, her face dark.

The girl turned to look at Mingxi, her expression showing a hint of worry, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't utter a word.

Mingxi casually patted the girl's head. Even though he was pale and sweating profusely from the pain, he said in a nonchalant tone, "It's nothing. It won't cause any harm to someone with my constitution. Don't you think so, Mingjin?"

Ming Jin wore a faint smile, but her eyes were icy cold.

He gazed at Mingxi silently, without saying a word.

Unable to get a reply from Ming Jin, and seeing Ming Jin's seemingly smiling but actually gloomy expression, Ming Xi couldn't help but grin and shrink back, muttering guiltily to herself, "Damn it, this guy is definitely angry. Every time Ming Jin gets angrier, he becomes even less talkative. It seems this matter won't be resolved easily."

Don't let Mingxi's usual high-profile and unrestrained behavior fool you. When it comes to getting angry, Mingjin is definitely the most terrifying. Even Mingxi will cower and admit defeat in a second.

Perhaps it's because Mingjin usually seems so gentle and never gets angry that honest people can be so terrifying when they do get angry.

Ming Jin was mindful of the presence of the young girl, so she didn't say anything to expose Ming Xi.

"It might be a bit of a detour, follow me." Ming Jin gave Ming Xi a cool look, and the latter retreated and hid behind the girl guiltily.

Ming Jin grasped the girl's wrist and gently led her forward, seemingly having already discovered the fact that she was blind.

The surrounding trees were ablaze with flames. Some animals ran around in panic, while others hid in fear. Helplessness, panic, and despair filled this once beautiful forest of glimmering light, which had suffered an undeserved calamity.

This place should have been blooming with its own unique beauty, but now it is covered in scorching flames, its body being burned mercilessly, crying silently.

What they could hear before was the rustling sound of the breeze, but now it was the crackling sound of burning branches.

Suddenly, the two stopped. The girl, unable to see, took a few extra steps and bumped into Ming Jin's back. She looked puzzled, but then covered her mouth.

The scorching heat felt like it could burn her to a crisp...

“Holding your hand is too slow and might offend you. Don’t worry, I won’t let you get burned.” Ming Jin looked up at the raging fire blocking her way and said slowly.

They no longer had time to take the long way around; they could enter the forest goddess's territory simply by passing through the fence formed by flames, and by making a wish, the matter would be completely resolved.

But is it really necessary to make such a wish?

Mingjin suddenly had some doubts...

He had planned so much and seen so many futures, but the only future he could see that would allow Mingxi to live was here. He prayed to the goddess statue that Mingxi would live.

This is his only chance.

“Ming Jin.” Ming Xi turned to look at him, her tone carrying a hint of warning.

"I know, you don't need to remind me." Ming Jin smiled reassuringly at Ming Xi, but her heart grew heavier.

He really didn't want all his previous efforts to be in vain...

After all, he had lived his whole life just to fulfill his wish at this moment.

Giving up is just too hard.

Ming Jin gently picked up the girl and rushed towards the flames. Couldn't he be a little selfish?

Even if this choice goes against my conscience...

After crossing the barrier of flames, the three walked along the quiet avenue, where fireflies danced in the dark air like natural beacons.

The tranquility made it seem as if what had just happened was a dream.

Mingxi glanced back at the raging flames receding into the distance, and her heart sank even further.

Not a dream.

The fire is real, and it is burning the life in the forest right now.

"After we meet the forest goddess, should we wish for a heavy rain to extinguish the forest fire? After all, that's how it's written in fairy tales: the hero overcomes many difficulties to reach the goddess's territory, wishes to extinguish the fire, and resurrect the dead. It's a story of nature and courage," Mingxi joked with a grin.

Ming Jin remained silent, simply holding the girl's wrist and walking forward, showing no intention of answering Ming Xi.

Unable to get a reply from Ming Jin, Ming Xi smiled awkwardly, clearly not so easily fooled.

He raised an eyebrow, scratched his head, and said, "A spring should be a vibrant place, right? Maybe there's some special adventure there. Storybooks say that such places must have some magical plants that can heal wounds or something."

Ming Jin walked forward, her face dark, completely ignoring Ming Xi.

Mingxi pouted and said helplessly, "Brother, don't you want to talk to me anymore?"

Upon hearing this address again, Ming Jin sighed softly. This guy really did express all his emotions clearly through the way he addressed him.

Normally I call him 'Jin', when I'm angry or dissatisfied I call him by his name 'Ming Jin', when I'm happy or being cheeky I call him 'Brother', and when I want to get away with something, feel wronged, or act cute I call him 'Big Brother'.

What a cunning way of addressing him! As long as Mingxi calls him that, he has no way to get angry with him.

"Hey, can you change your behavior? Stop trying to shield yourself from everything with your body. Do you really think our physical constitution hasn't been weakened in this world?" Ming Jin asked, frowning.

"Hehehe, I'll change it next time," Mingxi said with a grin, clearly not listening at all.

Ming Jin: "..." It felt like punching a rock, but this rock was both smelly and hard. In the end, he couldn't break it, his hand hurt, and it smelled pretty bad.

Not knowing how long she had walked, Ming Jin stopped and looked at the shallow, lake-like surface of water in front of her, and slowly spoke.

The spring continuously gushed forth sweet and refreshing water, which poured onto the head of a goddess statue covered in moss, then slid down little by little and flowed into the water.

"I want to make a wish! Goddess! Can you hear me?!" Ming Jin let go of the girl's hand and ran into the water, which was just above his knees and very shallow.

Mingjin looked anxious and kept calling out, but received no response.

Mingxi looked down at the water. The water was shallow and clear, but he couldn't see any living creatures. He scanned his surroundings. The place seemed vibrant with life, but it was more like everything was asleep, unwilling to wake up.

Fireflies danced around the green plants, and sunlight streamed through the branches, illuminating the goddess sculpture as if draping it in a golden veil.

However, time stood still, and nothing moved an inch.

Is this really the territory of the forest goddess they are looking for?

(End of this chapter)