Chapter 37: Into the Water
"Hua Mi, have you captured the fugitive?" Hua Mi asked proactively.
Sindra sat down on the ground and threw a stone into the lake. She remained expressionless as she responded, "The mission failed."
Her voice carried no despair or complaints, only a calm statement of fact.
Hua Mi responded insincerely, "The Black Forest is so vast, are you sure you want to give up so easily?"
Sindra shook her head. "It's no use. I've completely lost the target. That guy has probably left this place by now."
This meant that War Hammer had successfully evaded pursuit.
Good.
He didn't let her down by helping her.
"Of course, there's also another possibility..."
"What is it?"
"He might have entered the Dark Realm."
Sindra pointed at the ground.
Hua Mi, during her time in this otherworldly place, had heard some fragmented information indicating that deep beneath the Black Forest, there was another separate space. This area was far from the surface, beyond the reach of the giant tree roots, and had a completely different ecosystem compared to the surface forest. It had almost no connection with the Black Forest, and there was little interaction between the two.
Even the long-lived Pseudo-Flower Spirits didn't know the specifics of what lay below.
They only knew that somewhere in the Black Forest, there was a way to reach the underground—an essential link between the two areas.
These underground regions existed not only beneath the Black Forest but also in other places. The indigenous inhabitants of this world collectively referred to them as the "Dark Realm."
The Dark Realm had a vastly different ecosystem compared to the surface world, and it was much more dangerous. Only when adventurers had no other choice and were fully prepared would they consider venturing into these underground areas, usually in teams.
Of course, the creatures of the Dark Realm wouldn't easily come to the surface; just the sunlight alone was enough to deter them.
"Are you planning to go down there to find him?" Hua Mi wondered if Sindra was asking about the entrance to the Dark Realm.
But I have no idea.
"That would be no different from suicide." Sindra denied his assumption. After a pause, she continued, "Next, I'll return to the Emerald Court, report the details of this mission, and accept punishment."
"That's tough for you; you must be feeling terrible right now."
Hua Mi reached into his toolbox and pulled out a bottle of Moon Slumber Flower Honey, handing it to the White Elf. "This is a product I developed called 'Honey.' It has a sweet taste and sleep-inducing properties, which can help your body recover quickly when you're not feeling well. Put a little in your mouth, and it will sweeten your mood."
Sindra stared at it for a moment, then asked, quite cooperatively, "How much does it cost?"
"It's free, consider it a gift between friends," Hua Mi said generously, "But please remember that this product comes from the Bee Speaker's Hut in the Black Forest, and it's the only one of its kind. There are no other branches. Furthermore, we will continue to produce new flavors and effects of honey. You and your friends are welcome to come and taste or place orders when the new store opens, with an opening discount of 20%."
"Alright, I'll accept it then."
The bottle of honey in Sindra's hand suddenly turned into light and disappeared into a ring on her left hand.
A spatial item.
It felt more convenient than the Magic Box for storing items.
However, hers was probably the common type that could only store inanimate objects.
Hua Mi's Magic Box could contain living creatures.
"This bow is quite unique." Sindra's gaze fell on his compound bow. "It doesn't look like human craftsmanship."
"I had it custom-made," Hua Mi casually replied.
Sindra didn't question further; she picked up the compound bow, drew the string a few times, and then took out an arrow, testing it out.
"It's finely crafted, but not flexible enough."
That was perfectly normal.
After all, compound bows were designed for sports, as sporting equipment, not weapons for hunting or combat.
Sindra seemed quite interested in the bow, examining it for a long time before finally leaving with the arrow.
The arrow was entirely green, translucent, as if made of jade. If you looked closely, you could see faint threads of light moving inside, swaying gently, like underwater algae.
"Wind Spirit Arrow, a specialty of the Emerald City."
"Is it for me?"
"It's for an exchange with your honey."
Since she said so, Hua Mi accepted it.
The two fell into silence.
One was engrossed in fishing, while the other quietly enjoyed the scenery.
Hua Mi suddenly thought of the Emerald City, which was the Emerald Court, and being the realm of the White Elves, it must be a bustling place.
He needed to build a greenhouse, and for that, he needed to use space extension magic. He couldn't do it on his own and would need external help. In such a populous place with skilled elves, it was an excellent choice.
"Have you heard of Space Extension Magic?" Hua Mi asked.
"I've heard of it but never practiced it," Sindra replied.
Hua Mi explained, "It's a very complex form of magic that is rarely used in everyday life."
"I want to build a greenhouse, and it requires a lot of space. I think there should be someone in the Emerald City who understands this magic."
Sindra contemplated for a few seconds, "I do know a master who excels in this field."
"Can you introduce me to them?"
"I can ask her for you when I return. However, she doesn't like humans very much, and her personality is quite stubborn. She may not be willing to interact with you."
"That's okay. I believe that with sincerity, even the hardest stone can be broken."
Hua Mi took another bottle of honey from his box and said, "Please give this bottle of honey to the master as a gift when you meet her."
Sindra accepted it without refusal and stored it in her ring, just like before.
"I'll send you a message through a raven."
"Thank you."
Sindra then got up and left the lakeside.
Hua Mi was in a good mood.
The greenhouse he had been thinking about was finally making progress.
His beekeeping farm was about to be on the right track.
Hua Mi was lost in his thoughts about the future when seven Pseudo-Flower Spirits approached him, all with mischievous expressions. Little Red led the way and sang, "Little bee, collecting honey."
"Beekeeper..."
"Shush! Don't mention me in your songs, or there will be no more honey for you in the future!"
Hua Mi guessed they had come up with a new teasing song, and he immediately put an end to their artistic performance.
It worked quite effectively.
The seven little spirits giggled and dispersed.
...
After sending Sindra away, Hua Mi returned to his peaceful daily life.
The sales of Moon Slumber Flower Honey were steadily increasing, and the new Feathered Flower Honey was about to be brewed.
It hadn't rained for days, and the weather had been consistently sunny. He was indeed lucky.
Two days later, the underwater drone he had ordered online arrived as scheduled.
Hua Mi familiarized himself with its operation by following the instruction manual. This device was amphibious, high-performance, and capable of capturing high-definition footage. It also had a built-in searchlight, and two small mechanical arms that could easily pick up a 500ml bottle of mineral water.
Furthermore, it could be used in the future for exploration.
Hua Mi felt the money was well spent.
On this day, he came to the lakeside but didn't go fishing. Instead, he brought out the beehive and operated the drone, sending it into the water.
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