Bear School Astartes-Chapter 866 - 849: Forest, Lumberjacks

With the tinkling sound of the harness, the Qilin deftly stepped out from the rift in the celestial sphere, as if glass had shattered.

The Demon Hunter, while soothing the little cat lying on the Qilin’s neck in front of him, also clutched his head with a frown.

The Qilin beneath him seemed uncomfortable as well, its feline-like face kept shaking, and there were noticeably fewer sparks across its pale mane.

Its large, moist nostrils kept exhaling hot air, and Lann felt it was about to retch.

"Damn it."

The Demon Hunter murmured, complaining.

This time crossing through the celestial sphere rift felt awful, and was very different from usual, reminding him of the time he first went to Yan’an.

However, when he went to Yan’an, passing through the celestial sphere rift felt like a strong sense of dreaming and intoxication.

But now... Lann just felt like he unknowingly went through a sauna.

Unlike the usual dizziness and nausea caused by crossing the ’enhanced portal’, there was an unexplainable thirst, yet his body showed no signs of dehydration.

"Is this what the Lady meant by... ’very different’?"

It took Lann a moment to shake off that inexplicable thirst and return to normal.

Rong Buqiu and the Qilin also took a few sips from a water bottle, but physical hydration felt pointless, so they reluctantly gave up, and the parched feeling gradually faded away.

Before they arrived, the Lady, who was waiting by the rift, had reminded him that the foundation of this world’s existence differs from past worlds.

So this time, Lann not only filled the Alchemy Pouch with supplies but also packed more on the Qilin’s back.

This was to prevent arriving in a place without suitable food and drink for humans.

"I’ve rarely seen such a world myself," the Lady had said.

"Normally, from this side of the rift, even I wouldn’t know what the other world is like. But for this world, just as it connected to the rift, it suddenly evaporated part of my power."

Lann had once glimpsed the true nature of the Lady of the Lake through [Spiritual Vision], a golden and warm lake in the deep layers of the world.

So, he could understand the use of ’evaporated’ in her words.

"Only a fundamental difference could allow this world to affect my power through the celestial sphere rift."

The Lady was half serious and half curious as she reminded Lann.

-----------------

"The air is fine, meow!"

Rong Buqiu stood on the Qilin’s back, eyes closed, her pink nose twitching as she spoke.

"Neigh."

The Qilin shook its head, looking a bit resigned.

Lann understood its meaning: We’ve been breathing for several minutes now, of course, it’s fine.

The Demon Hunter frowned, observing the scenery around them.

They were now situated in a lush, mist-filled forest.

Even in the forest’s low-lying areas, the moisture had gathered into shallow swamps.

This made their recent bout of thirst seem more unusual.

Scattered on the ground were patches of green grass and flowers, which, though seemingly well grown, gave off an aura of decline.

The leaves were wilting, which seemed odd in such a humid forest.

On one side of the forest, there were many people who looked like lumberjacks working.

They wore simple, rough hemp shirts and overalls, with some donning frayed straw hats.

It was evident that they didn’t live affluent lives.

But these people were tall and thin, their build giving their movements an awkward, stick-like appearance.

"Luckily they’re all focused on their work, or else we’d be discovered right away, meow."

Rong Buqiu sighed in relief.

"Indeed."

Lann dismounted, patted the Qilin on its back, and instructed the Qilin and Rong Buqiu.

"It’s good there’s humans in this world. Just as we planned, I’ll make contact first to gauge the situation. You two find a hiding spot. Especially you, Qilin. Don’t wander off this time."

"Understood, meow!"

"Whoosh!"

Rong Buqiu’s energetic reply mingled with the Qilin’s breath, and soon the Qilin, with Rong Buqiu, trotted off to a spot out of the lumberjacks’ sight.

Seeing his cat and mount leave, Lann slightly stretched his neck and shoulders before heading toward the lumberjacks.

He didn’t bother to quiet his footsteps, so the sound of his boots crushing the ground and trampling plants was quite audible.

In this forest, the trees’ trunks were already covered with moss and vines, indicating their age and the constantly humid environment.

As he walked, Lann passed a group of strange creatures.

They looked like hermit crabs, with a big shell under which many limbs emitted a creepy rustling sound.

Except their shells were purple and mushroom-shaped, and each was about half a person’s size.

Lann initially thought they were local large mushrooms until they spurted purple gas from holes in their shells, revealing they were animals.

Luckily, these creatures were sluggish, allowing Lann to quickly distance himself from this group of local lifeforms.

By right, this commotion wasn’t small.

Yet, Lann noticed the lumberjacks continued their mechanical work as if unfazed.

This mechanical work seemed eerie enough to induce a chill.

... Are these people still normal?

"Could I be this unlucky?"

Lann pondered, the sight before him inevitably recalling the night he first arrived in Yan’an.

Then the Demon Hunter shook his head.

Yan’an was dire because many Ancient Gods gathered there, constantly clashing, with too much ’blessing’.

Where else would there be so many ’blessed’ places?

Could I really keep encountering them?

Impossible!

Not until Lann was within three meters of the lumberjacks did they finally seem aware of his approach.

Pulling away from their mechanical work, they turned stiffly to observe him.

"Good morning, gentlemen."

Lann greeted politely first.

He wasn’t sure if it was morning or afternoon.

For the sky here was a murky yellow, much like during the plague in Athens, making it difficult to tell the exact time.

The sun, which should have been at its brightest, was blurred and insignificant in the yellow sky.

So much so that its exact location couldn’t be determined.

But fortunately, these lumberjacks, seemingly stiff as the wood they felled, still responded to Lann’s courteous greeting by removing their frayed straw hats and clutching them to their chests.