Stray

"Everybody take a break. Locke looked at each of them with small wounds, although the wounds were not large, but he knew that in the Giant Curtain Forest, any wound could cause a fatal infection.

Sunlight shone through the gaps in the tall trees of the Great Curtain Forest, dappling Ariel's body. She sat on a withered yellow leaf, her pretty blonde hair glistening in the sun, but disheveled from the fierce battle she had just had. With a hint of shyness in her eyes, she looked up at Locke.

Locke crouched beside her, intently bandaging her injured little hand. His eyes were gentle and focused, and every movement was cautious, as if he was afraid of hurting her. Ariel looked at him, and a warm current surged in his heart, which was the warmth of being cared for, and it was also the sweetness of unknown emotions.

When Locke bandaged her hand, Ariel gently withdrew it, and the well-bandaged little hand stood out. The corners of her mouth rose slightly, revealing a sweet smile: "Locke, you are always so careful. Her voice was soft, full of gratitude and affection for Locke.

Her words made Locke a little shy, but he responded with a warm smile. The tacit understanding and emotion between them have long surpassed the relationship between teammates, and that subtle emotion has quietly grown in the hearts of the two.

The air around is filled with the fresh smell of leaves, as if adding a touch of sweetness to the atmosphere of this crush. The sun shone through the gaps in the leaves on Ariel's face, and her bright smile brightened in the sunlight.

At this moment, time seemed to stand still.

Brooke leaned against the trunk of a stout tree with a tired face, his clothes in tatters, and his skin was scratched in many places by branches. His body was covered in mud and bloodstains, which had turned black, apparently from the battle. There was a hint of helplessness and bitterness in his eyes, he looked at Locke and said with a wry smile: "If we can find a quiet meadow, I think I'd rather stay there forever and never set foot in this ghost forest again." "

Hearing Brooke's words, Locke's heart was shocked, and he immediately came to his senses, turned around and walked to Brooke's side. With concern and concern in his eyes, he said softly, "How are you?

Brooke nodded slightly, revealing a wry smile: "It hurts a little, but it's bearable." "

Locke gently examined Brooke's wound and found a deep scratch on his left arm, blood clotting. He took a hemostatic herb from the herb pack and carefully applied it to the wound. Then he bandaged the wound with strips of cloth.

After the bandage, Locke looked up at Brooke and asked with concern, "How do you feel?

Brooke nodded, smiled and replied, "Much better, thank you for your concern." "

Bigg and Leo are in stark contrast to Brooke and Ariel. They were unscathed, their clothes clean and tidy, as if it was someone else who had just joined the battle. Bigg was leaning leisurely against a huge rock, his eyes closed, as if enjoying this rare moment of tranquility.

Ariel looked at Bigg's relaxed appearance and couldn't help but tease, "Bigg, did you use some exclusive secret recipe to keep it so clean?"

Bigg opened his bright eyes, a confident smile on the corner of his mouth, and responded, "Secret recipe? As an Assassin with a focus on speed, I always try to kill or retreat with one hit, trying not to get touched by the other side. There was a hint of smugness in his tone, and he was clearly very proud of his skills.

Leo was intently adjusting his energy bracelet, seemingly checking every detail. He glanced up at Ariel, his eyes flashing with a unique sparkle of wisdom, and said with a smile, "It's better for a shooter like you to have less hand-to-hand combat." The archer's greatest advantage is in ranged attacks, not melee combat. "

He paused, as if thinking about how to express himself, and then continued: "But then again, your combat skills are truly admirable, and I have never seen a shooter so proficient. There was a hint of heartfelt admiration in his tone.

Ariel frowned slightly when he heard Leo's words, and glared at Leo, as if he was dissatisfied with his contempt: "Don't think that you are safe because you are a long-range 'mage'. In this forest, there is no absolute safety, and sometimes it is necessary to learn some combat skills. "

There was a hint of determination and seriousness in Ariel's eyes, and she stared at Leo as if to remind him not to take it lightly. There was a hint of envy in her words: "But you are really rich, and your energy bracelet looks expensive!".

She held out her finger to Leo's bracelet, a shimmering purple glow that shimmered mysteriously in the sunlight. At that time, in front of her eyes, a huge doodoo bird suddenly rushed over, but before she could attack, she was hit by the lightning released by the opponent's bracelet, and fell to the ground in an instant, and now it has become a barbecue more than a meter long.

Brooke happily tore off a large bird's leg and devoured it. For those of them who are adventurous, the toot is just a meal. He touched his stomach contentedly and muttered, "The legs of the doodoo bird are so fragrant!".

Leo smirked, his eyes glinting with pride. He stroked the energy bracelet and explained, "Of course, this thing is a thunderstorm bracelet made in the Thunder Snow Kingdom that cost me half of my net worth and bought from the black merchant. As long as it has enough energy, it will be able to unleash a steady stream of lightning attacks!".

Ariel nodded thoughtfully, his eyes revealing envy and curiosity about Leo's bracelet: "It's from the Thunder Snow Kingdom, no wonder it's so powerful." But even in the Thunder Snow Kingdom, it's considered a high-quality product, right? I heard that they never sell their own products?"

"Hey, as long as you have money, I think there will still be a lot of black businessmen who are rich and dangerous. Bigg interjected, with a hint of cunning in his eyes.

Leo listened to Bigg's words and nodded disapprovingly, he obviously didn't take it seriously. He never thought that money was everything, but in this world, money can indeed buy many things, including some rare items.

"Since the Second World War of the Empire a hundred years ago, many countries have adopted a policy of seclusion. Although people can still come and go freely, many things are no longer in circulation, and countries are secretly developing their own power. Locke said slowly, his eyes gleaming with wisdom.

He and Ariel looked at each other, and the two seemed to know each other. They are experienced explorers with a keen insight into the situation in this world.

"Leo, I'm afraid that black merchant you came into contact with is not an ordinary person. Ariel added, with a hint of seriousness and warning in her tone.

Listening to the words of the two, Leo's eyes instantly sharpened. He understood what they meant, and realized that he might be involved in something not trivial.

But I can only wait until I go out, and after a few hours of rest, the group packed up their things and set off!

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