Mila gazed at Alain, seemingly pondering something.
Her thumb rested against the tsuba of her blade, making a faint zzzt sound accompanied by a flash of silver light.
Her thumb retracted, and the katana returned to its sheath.
She repeated this motion—slightly drawing the blade and immediately closing it again. Who knows how many times she cycled through this...
Before long, she took a deep breath, as if letting go of some burden, and walked quickly to stand in front of Alain.
"Stay close to me."
"?"
While Alain was still puzzled, he saw her abruptly draw the katana from its sheath.
Swish—the sound of wind sliced through the air as she slashed at the bushes blocking the path ahead.
The bushes rustled loudly as leaves and branches fell to the ground, becoming stepping stones for the pair.
"This is... what I can do for you." She stepped onto the broken branches on the ground, not looking back, maintaining her stance with the sword.
Alain looked at the young girl's back with slight confusion, and Mila said no more...
She took the lead, guiding Alain as they moved quickly through the dense forest.
Whoosh—Whenever troublesome bushes blocked their way, they would be slashed horizontally by a silver crescent, turning into broken twigs on the ground.
Zzzzt—
Their footsteps trampled over the branches that had originally barred their way, traveling through the dense forest.
Alain clearly saw the light filtering through the lush forest leaves, shimmering on the girl's indigo hair, making it sparkle brilliantly.
Swish—
Another bush fell under Mila's katana.
Looking at the girl's hardworking figure ahead, Alain chuckled softly, moved to her side, and they headed toward the path ahead together.
"What? Came back to your senses?" Mila glanced at Alain out of the corner of her eye.
"No... not really." Even now, Alain's brow was still clouded with heavy gloom.
But Mila's words were like a fresh breeze, blowing away many of the dark clouds... The pressure and anxiety had decreased significantly.
Indeed, as an enemy in the Game World, Yang Wanhua was extremely dangerous, but did Alain not have means to deal with her?
As long as he found her—found her physical body in reality... then he would have a way to deal with her.
Alain didn't think he would have a single shred of mercy.
It was true that he and Yang Wanhua used to be lovers who poured their hearts out to each other, their relationship even reaching the point of discussing marriage.
But the current him was different.
Alain could feel the 'Hatred' for Yang Wanhua overflowing from the bottom of his heart, like a muddy swamp, almost drowning him.
In addition, his feelings for the Mitas acted as the "boosters" within that swamp, driving Alain forward.
The current him was in the most perfect state.
With hatred as his goal, and everyone as his fuel...
At no moment had he ever thought he would be this 'Strong'.
Whether it was Yang Wanhua, the viruses, or some "Deus Ex Machina" that suddenly popped out—
Let them all come.
He would sever the chains hindering him from obtaining the life he yearned for, just as Mila helped him cut down those bushes.
"You... will help me, right?" He turned his head to look at Mila.
Hearing this, the girl looked at him with slight surprise, then turned her head away.
"R-Really, can't do anything with you. You just can't function without me, can you!"
Alain could see her slightly reddened ears and the faint smile hanging on her lips.
The Tyndall rays slipping in through the forest shade shone on her body, outlining a rim of aesthetic light on the girl's slender yet powerful frame.
This was an opportunity only nature could grant, and Alain saw it at this moment.
If he wasn't afraid Mila would get arrogant, Alain really wanted to praise her right now.
"W-What? Don't look at me like that, it's embarrassing..." Mila glanced at Alain bashfully, her gaze continuing to focus on the branches ahead.
"Nothing. I just think you're very beautiful," Alain said frankly.
The girl glanced at him and nodded gently.
"Oh..."
"Mn." Alain replied briefly.
Snap!
His foot stepped on a broken branch, crushing a slightly yellowed leaf, his sole sinking slightly into the soft soil.
Alain, holding Mila's hand, stopped temporarily.
"What's wrong?" While the girl was puzzled, she saw Alain raise his hand and point to the scene ahead.
"Eh?" She tilted her head. If the path they originally took into the woods could barely be called a "trail," there were still countless bushes blocking the way along the journey.
But before their eyes was a stone path that could truly be called a "forest path." Although there were still many overgrown branches on the sides that hadn't been trimmed in time, they didn't obstruct the road itself.
"It seems we've come to the right path," Alain said.
It wasn't in vain that their previous trial and error hadn't gone in the wrong direction.
As long as they followed this stone path, they would surely be able to smoothly find the entrance, or perhaps...
The exit.
He lamented that this crappy residential district was really hard to find, actually built in such a desolate wilderness. But he had finally found it.
Alain grumbled inwardly, then led Mila along the stone path, walking forward.
Tap, scuff, tap.
Occasionally, leaves fell on the road, making crisp sounds when stepped on.
Alain could feel that the short ten-minute journey on the stone road was probably smoother than their previous half-hour of scrambling through the bushes.
Neither spoke, just looking straight ahead, hoping for the answer that might come.
Ahead, was it the entrance to the stone path, or its end?
If it was the entrance, then he and Mila definitely didn't have enough time today. It was pitch black here at night; it would be better to go back as soon as possible.
But if it was the exit... that is, the 'Mansion', Alain might have to face those ensuing facts.
However—
He glanced at the girl beside him.
Fortunately... Mila had come along. Having someone to help him share these pressures.
He tightened his grip on her hand and scratched her palm.
Mila used her free hand to slap his shoulder coquettishly.
Snap!
As Alain stepped over a tree branch, as if it were a dividing line—he smelled a slightly pungent odor.
"Ugh... so smelly!" The girl covered her small nose and looked with disgust at the source of the pungent smell on the ground.
Orange sparks burned through the paper, revealing a touch of charred black. It was a cigarette that hadn't been finished.
Undoubtedly, smoking in the woods was wicked to the point of being criminal.
But it also pointed out the way ahead for Alain:
Ahead, there was the aura of the living!
"Let's go." He turned back and spoke to Mila, and the two walked shoulder to shoulder toward the path ahead.
As the canopy above their heads became sparser, the sunlight flowing in became more intense, and the scent of nature gradually faded.
They couldn't help but quicken their pace, going from a leisurely walk to a brisk stride.
After passing through a place resembling a fork in the road, a finely decorated building appeared before Alain and Mila's eyes.
___
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