Chapter 71: You can do it! Fight on!’’

Chapter 71: You can do it! Fight on!’’ Stone came to a sudden stop at the sight of the huge wolf beside Ethan. His eyes gleamed as he pointed at the wolf, gesturing his hands in egg form as he faced Ethan. ’’Is it?’’ a wide grin broke on his face as Ethan nodded. He moved closer cautiously, his fingers itching badly. ’Why is it huge? I want to see its biological makeup, run some tests...’ The wolf let out a low, threatening growl at Stone’s eerily glowing eyes. He rubbed his hands together, swallowing hard, nearly drooling as he stared at the wolf. The wolf’s hair stood on end, its growls getting louder but stopped when Ethan patted its fur. ’’Stop drooling after my wolf. I’m leaving.’’ Ethan felt his message was passed across and it was time to leave, already missing Eva. ’’Wait! Are you leaving just like that?! Aren’t you going to say anything about Julian and your wife beasts? Does the beast have any powers? Will it get bigger than this? How’s your bond with it? Have you checked its fighting strengths, what are its weaknesses?’’ Ethan was bombarded with so many questions that he got dizzy, he was about to mount his beasts but Stone grasped his hands tightly. His heart pounded with questions, fear forgotten in the presence of the massive predator. ’’Dear nephew, no need to rush home, let’s discuss this properly.’’ With a wretched smile, he dragged him inside. Ethan’s expression cracked, his gaze flashed with impatience—he wanted to freeze Stone and hightail it out of here, but he had to endure the chatter. ... Back in the mansion, Eva dragged Julian into her space. He blinked still dazzled by the sight of the trees and air. He inhaled deeply, but before he could fully enjoy the view, a finger poked his shoulder. Opening his eyes, he turned to Eva, who wore a sheepish smile—but for some reason, it made him suspicious. "Ahem... You see, my hands are so thin. I’m so delicate." For added effect, she shielded her face, attempting a frail look, and blinked cutely at Julian. He crossed his arms, his lips twitching as he watched her play-acting. Seeing she got his full attention, she pointed to the grass-covered ground, he stared at the ground, clueless at her meaning. Seeing his confusion, she acted out the motion of hoeing the ground, fingers curled as if planting seeds. Julian nodded in understanding, then froze at the sight of the massive field. Eva clapped her hands together as soon as he got her meaning. "You can do it! Fight on!’’ Her voice rose as she punched the air in a cheering motion. Julian was at a loss for words at her actions. He glanced at the endless field and sighed dejectedly. "I can’t work without farming tools," he muttered, a glimmer of hope in his voice. That hope died when Eva pointed in a direction. Looking over, he spotted the familiar farm tools from the mansion—it seemed she was well prepared, and there was no escaping farming today." Eva whistled as she ran off to the forest, leaving Julian to himself. ’’Haa...what a relief. Now what to plant? Meat.’’ She quickly shook her head at the unrealistic thought. It would be nice, though, if meat could be planted. She imagined it and giggled, nearly drooling at the thought of a field glistening with golden, fatty goodness. One can only dream, she glanced at the field longingly before entering the forest. The sunlight, shone into the trees, the leaves rustling slightly from the breeze. She strode through the forest; the surroundings were silent, without insects and bird chirps. It wasn’t eerily quiet with the occasional sounds of rustling trees. She plucked a fruit from the tree, eyeing the two colors in her hand. ’’Which is the ripe one?’’ She muttered and bit on the green one first. Her face scrunched up from the sourness, eyes watering. ’’Pah! Ugh!’’ She spat it out quickly, her tongue stinging from the tartness. She tossed the green fruit away and bit into the yellow one, hoping to erase the sour taste. ’’Ugh!’’ She grabbed the tree for balance as the sourness hit like a punch, layering over the first. ’’Dammit! Lemon!’’ She shouted in realization, tears spilling from her eyes. She had forgotten what Lemon looked like—making such a dumb mistake. Face wrinkled, she stared at the fruit in lingering fear, engraving its image firmly in her mind. After that ordeal, she cautiously took tiny bites of every fruit she found. After walking for a while without reaching the forest’s end, she kicked at dried sticks in boredom—then froze mid-step. Her ears perked up as she listened intently, eyes widening at the sound of running water. She sprinted toward it, weaving through the trees before emerging into a clearing. Water gushed from a rocky hill, forming a crystal-clear stream. Elated screams echoed into the clearing, Eva rushed to the stream, her legs splashing on the shallow water. ’’Hahaha.’’ She never wanted to leave her space ever again. ’Can’t I stay here when the air runs out?’ The thoughts flashed through her mind and her laughter stilled instantly. ’’Hmm... It might work. But can I stay in my space forever. What if it ejects us like the dungeon?’’ Eva muttered, dazed, as she squatted and ran her hand through the water. ’I should test it out.’ She beat the water and rose, darting into the forest in search of Julian. Meanwhile, Julian wiped the sweat from his face, staring at his work with exhaustion. Half the field’s green grass had wilted, dry as if at the end of its cycle. An idea struck him—he could speed up their growth with his powers, making them easier to weed. He stretched his shoulders before grabbing a rake. With a light motion, the grass uprooted effortlessly. The sight spurred him on, and he worked faster. Sweat drenched his shirt,so he pulled it off, wiping his eyes. He was so absorbed in his work that he didn’t notice Eva running toward him. "Julian!" Julian dropped the rake, startled by the sudden call. He patted his chest to calm his erratic heartbeat as he turned to the panting Eva. Eva waved apologetically, catching her breath. "I thought of something. We need to test it out.’’ Eva paused, caught off guard at the sight of the field. ’’Woah! So fast. I knew you could do it. Nice~’’ She praised him with a thumbs-up. Julian’s ear flushed slightly as he cleared his throat, gesturing for her to continue. ’’Oh, yes. Since my space has air, and water and could grow things—why don’t we live in my space?’’ Julian’s expression grew thoughtful at her words, thinking the idea was feasible. Noting his expression, Eva continued, ’’But we have to test if the space won’t eject us after a while.’’ Julian watched her bright, gleaming eyes and couldn’t resist ruffling her hair. ’’Alright, let’s do that.’’