A dozen meters away from the shore, the wooden boat rowed across the arc, returning along its original path with a wake that dissipated in the mud.
Gala Gala Gala
The rapid grinding of the model's teeth filled the surrounding area. It approached the edge restlessly, and then retracted due to the sudden boiling mire.
rustling
The model bounced up her limbs, jumped to the edge to throw away the debris of the swamp, and quickly followed the wooden boat from the edge of the swamp cave.
Passing three islands, the old woman holding a wooden bowl to lure passing boat passengers stopped waving. The girl in the white dress curiously looked at them as they passed by for the third time. The thin aliens disguised as humans moved slowly.
On the other side of the swamp, the model slowed down this time and did not overtake the wooden boat, jumping and following.
When the wooden boat was only a dozen meters away from the exit, the model was still on the edge a hundred meters away, seemingly too late to arrive.
"Back to where we came from."
Lu Li said to the wooden boat.
Just as the wooden boat arced along the shore and returned to the original route, the deliberately slow model accelerated its speed, moved its slender limbs like afterimages, and jumped over the broken mire.
It was still a step slower, and when it reached the exit, the wooden boat drifted away again, away from the shore.
The model raised her head and screamed, emitting a breath of terror, and jumped onto the rock wall as if she wanted to climb up and approach the wooden boat from above.
It only climbed seven or eight meters before it fell from the steep rock wall and fell to the ground.
Waving its limbs and rolling over, the alien creature waiting for the boat at the exit suffered a terrible disaster. The model attacked it in anger, turned its barb-filled mouth outwards, and swallowed its arm.
The alien abandoned its arm before its body was swallowed, melting into a puddle of goo and escaping.
"It must be very angry..."
Pusius, who was lying in the cabin with only his eyes and animal ears peeking out, trembled and whispered.
"Hopefully it will give up on us."
Catalina looked at the models in the distance who were frantically destroying the entrance and said.
This was obviously an extravagant wish, and the model resented them. After the violence, the model once again chased the wooden boat.
The weirdos wearing human heads were divided this time. Some were still pretending to be humans, and some were sitting slumped on the island, ignoring the wooden boat passing by for the fourth time.
The girl in the white dress no longer pretended to be a girl asking for help. She looked at the model chasing after her from the edge, and then said to Lu Li and the others: "You can come up to avoid it."
The figure of the old woman disappeared, and only the wooden bowl within reach was placed on the shore.
The wooden boat is about to dock.
At the entrance to the swamp branch dozens of meters away, restless models were lingering there, waiting for them.
"Continue to return." Lu Li said.
The wooden boat made an arc, but it did not return the way it came. Instead, it moved closer to a nearby island.
"Go back! Go back!"
Pusius quickly shouted that it didn't work. The wooden boat leaned against the shore and shook slightly.
"It's angry with us!" Psius exclaimed.
Lu Li lowered his eyes and stared at the wooden boat, trying to talk to it: "We are avoiding pursuit, and we are not teasing you by going back and forth in the swamp."
After waiting for more than ten seconds, the wooden boat was still leaning against the shore, and nothing happened. But something was brewing faintly under the swamp.
They had no choice but to get off the boat and board the island.
Stepping onto the ground, the wooden boat slowly sailed away.
The only good thing is that the wooden boat did not send them to the entrance where the models were waiting.
At this moment, they are faced with two good news and one bad news.
The good news is that the models cannot reach this isolated island directly, and a wooden boat sailing on the swamp is approaching the island below them.
The bad news is, the model is in that boat.
Looking around, the island is only a few dozen meters wide. There is nothing but dead trees in the middle of the island.
Lu Li looked at the mannequin on the wooden boat and asked for help: "Sister, can you help us?"
"Why should I help you!" The eldest sister's head appeared on Lu Li's back, climbed onto his shoulders and screamed sharply.
"Because we are going to take you to Midnight City and search for clay."
"Liar! Don't even think about it!"
The eldest sister's head slid down her back and was about to disappear.
"Miss Sister Tou, please help us, the models will eat us!"
Pusius was now lying on his hands and knees in the mud, pleading loudly.
There was a brief silence, then the eldest sister left a word and disappeared.
"...that tree might help you!"
Lu Li looked at the only dead tree on the island.
Catalina reminded at this time: "No matter what you are going to do... you'd better act quickly, it's coming soon!"
The wooden boat carrying the models was less than a hundred meters away from them.
Lu Li nodded and came under the canopy of the dead tree. A breath of consciousness quietly wrapped around Lu Li, talking to Lu Li in a strange language that was not a trembling sound in the air, but a direct soul communication.
It needs fuel, and if Lu Li is willing to give it fuel, it will help him solve the dilemma he encounters.
And the fuel... is human nature.
"How should I give it to you?" Lu Li asked.
"Touch and share."
A ray of reply came from the dead tree's consciousness.
Lu Li raised his right hand and touched the rough body of the dead tree, thinking to himself, "I want to separate my humanity."
A touch of warmth spreads in his chest, along his arms, and the place he passes by is as warm as being soaked in warm water. This is Lu Li's humanity.
Humanity flows into the dead tree along the palm, and the entangled consciousness suddenly exudes surprise.
When his humanity dropped to two levels, Lu Li took back his right hand.
His conscious body was not satisfied, but he was still grateful and asked Lu Li to wait for a moment.
Susu
A tree seed fell at Lu Li's feet.
The conscious body conveys emotions, hoping that Lu Li can take it with him and plant it in a safe place.
Lu Li picked up the tree seeds and agreed to its request.
"Share the fuel...why did you...how could you do it?"
The eldest sister appeared on Lu Li's shoulder and murmured in disbelief, even forgetting to scream.
"We'll talk about it later."
Lu Li left the tree canopy and walked towards Catalina on the shore.
The model is about to dock.
Catalina was about to pull out the homologue, and was mockingly whispering to herself: "I thought I picked up a treasure chest, but I didn't expect it to be a big trouble."
She just wanted to sell Lu Li for a big price, but she almost died several times.
"We are no longer needed, just retreat."
Lu Li's voice suddenly sounded next to him.
"Are you done?"
"Um."
Returning to the center of the island, they saw the wooden boat docking and the model stretching out her limbs huddled in the cabin and stepping onto the island.
The moment he left the wooden boat, the ground beneath him collapsed, and the model's hind legs fell into the mire. The entangled limbs under the mire boiled, pulling the model's hind legs into the sewage.
The model's forelimbs were stuck on the ground, and it could have climbed up, but several tree roots broke through the soil and wreaked havoc on the soil around the model's forelimbs.
With a low roar that shook the air, the model fell into the swamp. The whole water area was boiling and noisy, and more and more limbs wrapped around the struggling model's body, pulling it into the swamp.
Groups of dirty bubbles emerged, and the boil lasted for more than ten seconds before finally calming down.
"What the hell is in the mire..." Catalina couldn't help but say.
A piece of ashes fell faintly.
Lu Li turned around, and the dead trees in the center of the island disappeared in the breeze of the dark swamp.
