He started carefully observing those seemingly ordinary objects, trying to find some hidden value or something special about them.
However, no matter how he looked at them, these things just seemed like nothing more than the most common, everyday materials.
He thought for a long time but just couldn't figure out what kind of strange use these things could possibly have.
Seeing Notch staring so intently at that pile of junk on the ground, the player captain shook his head, let out a long sigh, and said, "Stop staring. You won't find anything from that."
"Our boss, and so many of our brothers, have studied this stuff for so long and found nothing. You think you're gonna find something?"
"Anyway, it's just weird."
Hearing that, the player captain waved his hand, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness.
"Forget it, forget it, let's not talk about it."
After saying that, the player captain turned his gaze toward the distant rainforest. A mysterious smile appeared on his face, as if he'd just remembered something amusing.
Then, with great excitement, he spoke up.
"You know what? Inside the rainforest, there's this super cute Bread Sheep!" His voice was full of excitement and joy, like that Bread Sheep was the most precious treasure in his heart.
"Every time that Bread Sheep shows up, its wool is stuffed full of bread, and it even has one hanging out of its mouth! Cracks me up every time!"
The more the player captain talked, the happier he got. His eyes sparkled, clearly showing how much he adored that Bread Sheep.
"A few of us brothers have wanted so many times to go over and rua it a bit. It must be so soft and so good to rua!!"
At this point, the player captain's mood obviously brightened. It was as if just thinking about that Bread Sheep brought him endless joy.
"Oh, right, right!" He suddenly clapped his hands, like he'd remembered something important, and continued.
"Every time before we see the Bread Sheep, we make a bet. Whoever loses has to eat the bread it's holding in its mouth, right in front of all the brothers."
As he said this, he couldn't help but laugh, like he could already picture how ridiculous and funny the scene must've looked.
But the smile hadn't been on his face for long before the corners of his mouth drooped down on their own.
He paused for a moment, and the brightness in his eyes suddenly dimmed.
"Actually, we didn't need to retreat this far in the first place…" His voice carried a touch of helplessness and bitterness.
"But the boss's intentions were obvious… In the end, no matter what, we're still going to have to attack the rainforest region…"
"So… it's better to keep some distance…"
Saying this, the player captain looked toward Notch and Stephen.
"Once you get too close, it's hard not to feel soft-hearted… right?"
The rules of the rainforest region had been in place for quite some time.
At first, when players made trades, they would put the traded items into the trade box, then all take a few steps back to keep their distance.
This wasn't just out of fear that animals or monsters in the rainforest might suddenly attack, it was also because they were worried that getting too close would make the trading animals and monsters nervous.
So, after delivering the goods, players would always keep a safe distance, waiting for the animals or monsters to finish the trade before stepping closer to retrieve their materials.
After all, when the rule was first set, everyone, animals, monsters, and players alike, were filled with uncertainty toward one another.
During the early stages of following the rule, both sides stayed on high alert.
But as trades became more frequent, an invisible force began to build between the rainforest creatures and the players, trust.
This trust didn't form overnight. It slowly sprouted and grew through countless days of interaction.
The players gradually noticed that those animals and monsters coming to trade didn't seem as sensitive as before.
At first, even the slightest movement would send them running deep into the rainforest like startled birds.
But as more and more trades succeeded, they started to relax.
They were no longer easily frightened by small disturbances. Some bolder animals and monsters could even stay calm when players came closer.
The players began to test things by approaching them a little more, and the animals and monsters didn't react as strongly as before.
Because of this, the trading system between them slowly changed.
Originally, players would back off to a distance of over 100 yards after delivering goods, but now that distance had shortened.
First to 80 yards, then 50, and eventually, just 20.
Sometimes, players could even wait quietly less than 10 yards away while the trade finished.
Before, animals and monsters would always wait for the players to retreat far away before coming out to place their materials.
But as time went on, they slowly lowered their guard, and some of the braver ones even began trading right in front of the players.
After many rounds of testing and back-and-forth, both sides finally began to let go of their wariness. Because of that, they grew closer and closer.
And when the distance between them shortened, naturally there were more chances to interact.
Before this, the animals and monsters had always been hostile toward the players, so they didn't really understand them.
To these creatures, players were strange and unfamiliar beings, which naturally made them curious.
Many animals and monsters wanted to study these strange "players" up close.
As for the players, it went without saying, they had long wanted to interact with the self-aware creatures of the rainforest.
Under the rules' protection, both sides could finally drop their guard and satisfy their curiosity.
Their interactions became more and more frequent, and over time, feelings began to form between them.
The player captain was one such case.
When he made his first trade, he was both nervous and excited.
But the moment he saw the Bread Sheep carrying goods appear in his view, he was instantly captivated by its adorable appearance. All his defenses vanished on the spot.
The Bread Sheep was round and fluffy, with loaves of bread stuck all over its soft wool, blinking its big innocent eyes.
That perfect look struck right at the player captain's heart.
What fascinated him even more was its naive and silly personality, so pure and curious about the world.
Without even trying, the Bread Sheep completely stole the player captain's heart.
To get closer to the Bread Sheep, the player captain racked his brain and tried every possible way.
Before this, whenever the Trial Grounds paused for an hour, he'd spend about half an hour resupplying and taking care of personal needs.
The rest of the time he'd use to browse the game forums and check on the main world's latest happenings.
But after meeting the Bread Sheep, he cut his resupply and bathroom time down to barely ten minutes.
All the rest went into researching sheep online, everything from basic facts to obscure trivia.
His determination was so strong that, honestly, even during his college entrance exams, he'd never studied that hard.
He really put his heart and soul into the Bread Sheep, and heaven rewards the diligent. His efforts didn't go to waste.
As days passed, the bond between him and the Bread Sheep grew stronger and closer.
Every time he met it, he'd do his best to bring its favorite berries.
The Bread Sheep would always rush to eat them, too eager to chew properly. Berry juice would run down the sides of its mouth, staining its lips red, like it was wearing bright lipstick. Every time he saw that, the player captain couldn't help but laugh.
Originally, he wasn't someone who liked taking screenshots.
But ever since he met the Bread Sheep, his entire game album was filled with pictures of it.
Each photo captured a beautiful moment between them, showing the Bread Sheep's cuteness from every angle.
And it wasn't just one-sided. The Bread Sheep noticed all of his efforts.
So it treated him differently from other players.
Whenever it traded with him, it would always try to bring a few extra beets just for him.
Sometimes, even when it wasn't its turn to trade, it would still come to the rainforest's edge, quietly waiting for him.
It wasn't waiting for the berries, there were plenty inside the rainforest.
But somehow, the berries he brought always tasted sweeter.
And it really liked the look on his face after it finished eating them.
The connection between the player captain and the Bread Sheep wasn't unique. Many players had formed bonds with the rainforest's creatures during trades.
And that was exactly what troubled them all.
Just like the player captain said, they would eventually have to attack the rainforest. When that time came, they'd have to face the very animals and monsters they'd grown close to.
But when that moment arrived, could he really bring himself to strike the Bread Sheep?
The answer was obvious, no.
The player captain's deliberate effort to keep his distance from the Bread Sheep made it clear that he couldn't bear to hurt it. He knew that if he kept seeing it, his feelings would only grow deeper.
Even after such a short time, he already felt too attached to let go.
If it went on, the outcome would be unthinkable.
Even if he told himself that this was just a trial ground, and that the animals and monsters here didn't truly "die" but only lost their qualification to continue the trial, he still couldn't harden his heart.
Because deep down, he knew that partings here might be forever.
The main world was full of dangers and lacked any rules to protect them.
The Void, the players, the other factions, all could become threats to the Bread Sheep's life.
Once it left the trial ground, its fate would be uncertain.
Even if it somehow survived, would the player captain ever find it again?
The main world was so vast. Where would he even start looking?
Every time he thought about that, the player captain didn't dare think any further.
If he hadn't grown attached to that cute Bread Sheep, maybe he wouldn't be so worried and troubled now.
But if someone asked him at that moment whether he regretted getting close to it, his answer would still be no.
He never once regretted meeting the Bread Sheep, nor did he regret the feelings he had for it.
Every moment spent with the Bread Sheep was the happiest, most unforgettable time he'd had since entering the game.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that this experience became one of his most cherished memories.
He longed to keep staying with the Bread Sheep.
He wanted to tell it his real name. He wanted to feel the warmth of its fluffy wool.
He wanted to bring it to his secret base and share his own little world with it.
Sometimes, he even wished the trial would never end, so he could have more time to do fun things with the Bread Sheep.
Thinking that far made his nose sting with sadness.
He gazed silently at the dense rainforest in the distance and whispered, "If only this trial could last forever…"
His voice was soft, almost inaudible.
But Stephen was a llama, his hearing was far sharper than a human's.
The player captain's words fell clearly into his ears.
Hearing them, Stephen froze in surprise.
Before he and Notch had entered this tropical rainforest, he had once said those exact same words himself.
If the one saying them now had been an animal or a monster, Stephen wouldn't have been surprised at all.
After all, the world outside was full of noise and chaos. For animals and monsters, peace and quiet were almost impossible to find.
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