[Udan: "Waaah... I just heard from big brother Alfonso before that there are really big mushrooms here! I wanted to pick some fresh mushrooms for big sister, so if big sister eats them, she'll be full of energy..."]
This... this was truly a case of good intentions leading to bad outcomes. Itto couldn't help but sigh.
He wanted to be angry—and he was still angry—but faced with a child's innocent kindness, he couldn't vent his anger on him.
No choice then—Fatui, I @#￥%!
Itto and most readers were venting their emotions, targeting the Fatui directly.
In the story, however, the Traveler keenly caught something off.
[The Traveler asked: "Did Alfonso tell you to come here?"]
[Udan refuted: "No... Big brother Alfonso also said not to casually run outside."]
[Rana: "Alfonso wouldn't do something like that; he's Udan's big brother..."]
Yeah, Udan was an orphan, and Alfonso seemed to have always treated Udan like a little brother.
Seeing both of them say this, most readers relaxed their suspicions of Alfonso, just like the Traveler.
But people with many suspicions like Tighnari and Alhaitham weren't so easy to convince.
Alfonso, huh? International friend, huh? Long time no see! Cyno wants to welcome you a bit.
Ayato was even angrier—he could naturally see that all this was planned. Udan, as the only child who hadn't "gotten lost" in the forest, was clearly being used.
A child's thoughts are easily manipulated—not everyone is as cute as the Traveler, who can't even get words out of kids when chatting.
If Alfonso really didn't want Udan to come to the forest, he wouldn't have mentioned things about the forest.
Once mentioned, it's the Pandora effect—the box will inevitably be opened; it's just a matter of time.
A "prohibition" without clear explanation only arouses curiosity and rebellion, especially when the other party is a child.
So Ayato could be certain: Alfonso definitely had a problem. This made him very furious—how could such a person be a big brother!
Does he deserve the word "brother"?!
In the story, Udan was followed by those Gilded Brigade people all the way, forcing him to run into this cave to hide.
As a result, he was trapped by the "Avatar of Wurudha" (the Withering).
In fact, the term "Avatar of Wurudha" was unfamiliar even to Sumeru people; only some children knew it clearly, but they don't read books.
Strangely, Rana also knew that "Avatar of Wurudha" meant the Withering, but she didn't know why she knew this.
This was very contradictory—readers always felt like a piece of Rana's memory was missing; she would always remember some strange things.
Besides the Withering, Udan also revealed the name "Aragalaraa," which protects humans from the Withering's erosion.
So Udan truly lived up to being the one with the loosest mouth among the three kids—this short time revealed more and more information.
In terms of tight-lipped-ness, he's just slightly better than the Raiden household.
But this was normal—at this moment, he felt very guilty, so naturally it was easy to reveal information; he just wanted big sister Rana to be okay.
Udan promised he wouldn't run around anymore, hoping Rana would forgive him.
Perhaps in a child's mind, as long as he apologizes, Rana will be fine.
That said, everyone was still very annoyed at his behavior; instead, the victim in the story, Rana, wasn't angry at all.
[Rana said: "Mm, big sister knows. You have to become smart and healthy, know what's good and what's bad... just like you know which mushrooms you can eat and which you can't..."]
["Know that 'Wurudha' is bad, and then... the forest is good... become a strong, upright person, help those who need help... like the Traveler and Paimon..."]
["And then, don't forget... the forest will remember everything..."]
Rana's metaphors were still so apt, but at this moment, readers only felt their noses a bit sore.
She's really so gentle—no more saying you're like Yoimiya; you're you, you're called Rana.
Everyone's noses felt sore because Rana's words sounded too much like last words—every sentence like a farewell instruction.
Now it was really unbearable, because they had just gone through Dunyarzad's story.
Both are gentle and strong girls—why must they be hurt?
God, we're willing to let Lucian bear this for them; he's strong anyway and won't die.
Lucian couldn't feel the readers' devout prayers—and even if he could, it wouldn't matter, because he's currently quite "invincible."
Brain mining and the Withering—Lucian doesn't care about them at all; this is much simpler than curing Eleazar and eradicating the Withering.
Unfortunately, he can't bear it for her. In the story, Rana couldn't stand anymore; she lay on the ground asking the Traveler to take Udan home first.
The Traveler did so, first sending Udan back to Vimara Village, then returning to the cave without a moment's stop—it was clear she was extremely anxious.
Yeah, how could she not be anxious? That was someone she had truly spent time with.
Even just reading the story, everyone was worried for Rana—how much more the Traveler?
But when the Traveler returned to the cave, she found Rana had disappeared.
Seeing this, readers not only stopped worrying but actually breathed a sigh of relief.
Before, low blood pressure from Udan's behavior had been cured; then worry for Rana kept hearts in throats.
Now seeing Rana disappear, everyone stopped worrying.
How to say it—if returning now and seeing Rana lying on the ground, that would be truly dangerous; whether she could be saved would be hard to say.
But if Rana disappeared, that probably meant some unknown force had intervened—at least there's hope.
This kind of reasoning was reasonable—after all, Rana couldn't suddenly recover on her own and stand up to leave; the only possibility was being taken away by someone.
Whoever it was, since they took Rana, they wouldn't let her die—otherwise, why take her?
Even if it was The Doctor who took Rana, for research purposes he wouldn't let her die just like that; at least research first—then there's still time.
Sure enough, the Traveler discovered a green light; following the green light, she finally saw Rana enveloped in green light in an ugly little house.
That light shield was the same as the one protecting Udan—precisely the work of an Aranara.
Now everyone knew it was an Aranara's doing because the Aranara formally appeared.
One named "Aranara" appeared.
Again Aranara and Aranara—really unfriendly to people who can't distinguish n and l.
Fortunately, everyone was reading a book; reading in their minds doesn't feel problematic, but saying it out loud would tie tongues in knots.
This couldn't help but mention one person: Iron Tongue Tian, who was currently storytelling.
Iron Tongue Tian, you better really have an iron tongue.