The Wolf Lord's golden gaze remained steady, watching Zixin's every move with intent. Its ears drooped down, letting its guard down, as it tried to understand the human before it.
Although Zixin had just shown disrespect towards its authority, it couldn't care less because the moment Zixin's fingers brushed past its fur, it felt like Zixin had just delved into its deepest memories.
With its attention locked onto him, Zixin was wary, his hands secretly trembling. Shooting a glance at the Wolf Lord, Zixin thought: I've already seen enough from the Wolf Lord's memories to conclude that its intelligence rivals that of a human being. All I can do right now is negotiate with it, but it still holds a grudge against humans, which decreases the chances of successful cooperation. However, this is the safest course of action. I've already collected enough data from its memories to raise my chances by roughly forty-three percent.
Thankfully, monsters have a certain level of understanding of human speech; otherwise, negotiating with a wolf would be pointless. Zixin sighed, shaking his head.
After mustering all the formalities that he had, he spoke solemnly, "I understand that from the previous showings that I may appear as a reckless killer to your kind, but I am here to say otherwise. You must understand that I only fought back because your own kind was a threat to my safety. In truth, there's no reason for me even to dare attack any of you, after all, I am but a mortal in the face of those blessed by the mountain."
One wolf roared, silencing Zixin, but the Wolf Lord merely cast it a glance, letting it have a dose of its own medicine.
"My only desire is to uncover the secrets lurking deep within this mountain. If possible, I would avoid all forms of conflicts leading back to your kin. It's my honor to meet the mighty Lord of the mountain." Zixin continued, lowering his gaze and taking a deep bow.
The Wolf Lord stood up, casting one last glance at him before departing shortly. With a thunderous howl, the ground beneath them shook furiously. The Wolf Lord's troops gathered, surrounding it and leaving.
Zixin let out a deep sigh of relief while his thoughts ran: That howl just now was an order to never harm a single wolf from his pack. That was actually scary, I almost can't believe it. Sigh, I need to stay calm; my heart is already beating more than it should.
Zixin's legs gave him, his body falling to on gravity's command. Like a broken doll, his body landed on the hard stone ground, but although it was cold, he still felt warm. Perhaps it was the adrenaline he felt after surviving, or perhaps it was the excitement of a scholar who gained a deeper understanding of the world. Whatever it may be, it caused his lips to curve upwards, forming a smile filled with the joy of learning.
And with that, his eyes slowly closed, but not before he heard the sounds of branches cracking and a rhythm of heavy footsteps. There, his eyes landed on Hope's worried expression.
…
Back in the cabin, Zixin lay on his bed, his lay drooping ever so slowly.
Hope gave him a look of concern, her eyes ready to tear up at any second. After managing to keep her cool, she asked, "Do you feel well? I've already used most of my herbs to speed up your healing, and because of that, the concealment side effect will be greatly enhanced."
After scratching her cheeks, she spoke, "Well, if you haven't already noticed so far, the common folks can't recognize you, and that's because of the herbs' concealment side effect. Only individuals with incredible willpower can see through the illusory veil, and it just so happened that when your hood was opened that one time when you were inside a ring where dozens of such individuals watched with intent." She paused, continuing, "There's no need to worry about it too much. It's not so important."
Zixin tilted his head, replying, "The only pain I feel right now is the back pain, but I'll get used to it."
Hope nodded vigorously, her eyes gleaming with a sudden spark of light, "So, how did you manage to negotiate with the Wolf Lord? You're not secretly part animal, are you?"
Zixin's lips twitched at her strange remark, shaking his head as he thought: How should I tell her? Speaking vaguely might arouse her suspicion, something that I would rather not occur. Then, do I tell her about Snowdrop? I trust that she can keep this a secret… unless Fang Hau asks her about it. Either way, trust must be built, so I'm willing to take the risks.
Locking his eyes onto her, he probed, "It's a matter pertaining to my ability, but first, I have to ask, what do you know of my ability?"
Hope rubbed her chin, her mind slipping deeper and deeper into her memories. She spoke, "I could barely recall anything. Don't tell me you thought I paid that much attention to your every sentence?"
Zixin let out an exasperated sigh before speaking, explaining the key details of his sub-ability, Snowdrop, to her. With each word he spoke, memories of all the times when he had used it drifted throughout his mind.
From Elmer's tragedy, his life falling into ruin because he trusted the wrong person, eventually perishing at Zixin's hands and destroying all the dreams he had of living a peaceful life with his fiancée, Charlotte, and his best man, Michael.
To the pride and arrogance, the mighty tree's presence conveyed with its very existence. But soon succumbing to mankind's will, becoming tattered to pieces and sold across the land as furniture.
And now, the most recent–the Wolf Lord's memories that showed Zixin the pain of losing someone dear to you, and how it could drive one to the brink of insanity.
Sigh, looking back, Snowdrop now seems less of a curse but more of a blessing. What I once called a terrible ability is now my most precious gift. Zixin smiled bitterly, having understood what it meant to live life in others' shoes.
After concluding his explanation, Hope shot him a worried glance, asking him with full concern, "But haven't you thought about the danger of using this ability too often? The more you do, the more memories you would take, and perhaps all of them would assimilate with yours, changing who you are for the better or worse."
Zixin lifted his gaze, staring at the ceiling before speaking, "Yes, I have thought long and hard about this, and I understand the consequences, but to me, this is what I must do to survive and understand. Think of it as a necessary sacrifice for my own desires. And if I had died back then, I wouldn't feel regret, knowing that what I did was somewhat stupid."
"Sigh, at times like these, you have to hope that luck is on your side because aren't we powerless to save ourselves?" Hope commented, tilting her head.
"But wouldn't we stay powerless if we relied on luck?"
"Come on now, a capable person would work themself to the bone to never fall under such situations." Hope grinned, a wave of confidence erupting from her.
After pondering for a second, Zixin probed, "Then, what would you have done if I had died?"
Hope's eyes dimmed momentarily before the light returned even brighter as she shouted, "Obviously, I'll cry!"
She paused, continuing with a lighter tone, "But I would move on because by then, I would have witnessed your ending, something that I would cherish till my moment to join you."
Zixin smiled lightly, but she soon noticed this, asking, "Don't tell me you would have preferred if that happened?"
Shaking his head, he replied, "No, I only smiled because you were so honest."
"Would you have preferred it if I were sarcastic?"
…
After a few more hours, Zixin took a bath, followed by their dinner, and eventually, they returned to lie on his bed.
With his back leaning in, he stared at the ceiling, muttering, "I wonder if things will go well from now on."
A wave of drowsiness kicked in, causing him to slowly slumber, but before he fell asleep, he spoke one last time, "The current turn of events is indeed a fascinating tale."