0143 The Vanishing Quarter

Days slipped by one after another. Burdened with an injured companion, Moumou had no choice but to slow her pace. Her daily routine, originally planned as a straightforward trek to their destination, transformed into a long, arduous journey of wandering: searching for medicinal herbs, cleaning and dressing wounds, managing bandages, hunting for food, cooking, moving slowly, seeking shelter for the night, and practicing her craft. Throughout this journey, Moumou had to remain constantly vigilant, eyes and ears sharp, dodging any suspicious creatures of unknown intent while silently subduing the aggressive ones that could not be avoided. Meanwhile, she had to keep moving toward their set route, inching ever closer to the lake—the only landmark known to both her and Huanluo.

In this short span of time, Moumou had instantly transformed from a timid young woman who spent her days hiding behind crowds and plotting minor schemes into a peerless, capable leader. She was optimistic and proactive, charging into the fray when necessary, caring for her teammate, scouting from afar, and managing their sustenance close at hand. What was even more remarkable was that in the sweltering heat of the southern forest, even someone as composed as Huanluo occasionally struggled with emotional instability and foul moods. Yet, Moumou maintained an inexplicably high spirit. From the moment Huanluo woke in the morning, Moumou was smiling. She smiled while cooking, drenched in sweat, and she even kept that smile while being chased by massive magical beasts.

Those curved, smiling eyes and upturned corners of her lips were like a mask fixed upon Moumou’s face. Even Huanluo’s well-intentioned advice was no match for Moumou’s innocent, "I'm fine." Her light, airy tone and smiling face blended so seamlessly that it seemed as if no tragedy had ever touched this girl, as if her life were naturally filled with such sunny, smiling warmth.

Though Huanluo often wanted to shout at her, "This is nothing but a mask of strength," she lacked the courage and standing to demand that Moumou overcome an obstacle she herself could not. Both girls were of the same age, both had suffered deep sorrows; they simply chose different ways to face the pain. There was no "correct" way. As long as these smiles could hold back the agony and side effects of those dark memories in their current crisis, it was enough.

After the first failed attempt to dissuade her, Huanluo stopped trying, choosing instead to adapt to Moumou’s sudden change. She turned this transformation into a goal for her own recovery. Whenever the pain of her wounds or the crushing loneliness of losing her loved ones surged, Huanluo learned to close her eyes, force her lips into a smile, and compel herself to recover her spirits, refusing to add to Moumou’s burden during these trying times.

The journey, originally slowed, picked up a bit of speed thanks to Huanluo’s persistence. In return, Moumou became even more meticulous in her care, and their meals improved as her skills grew. As they ventured deeper into the forest, most of their days were spent either running or struggling to find their way back to the main path.

It couldn't be helped. Although Huanluo’s unusually resilient constitution allowed for a swift recovery, she still could not act as a full combatant against the large magical beasts. While Moumou’s strength grew through constant battle, flight, and cultivation, it was difficult to withstand the endless cycle of beast encounters. Even though she could use earth elementals to disguise them both as the terrain or hide them quickly in the forest, such feats required vast amounts of magical energy. Seeing Moumou’s face grow more exhausted and her smile more strained each day, Huanluo could only worry in silence.

One night, the weary Moumou finally collapsed, too exhausted to perform her nightly magical cultivation, and fell into a deep sleep immediately. By silent agreement, Huanluo took over as the temporary sentry. While it was inhumane to have an injured person keep watch, our tough Huanluo was full of energy and thought nothing of pulling an all-nighter. She sat cross-legged on the large net they used as a bed, remaining perfectly still throughout the night.

The next morning, before the sun had fully claimed the sky, Huanluo looked at the sleeping Moumou and decided not to wake her. With a graceful movement, she rolled off the net, landed silently, and set off to find something to cook. As mentioned before, as Moumou’s skills improved, the ingredients she brought back became increasingly diverse. She didn't limit herself to harmless beans or wild vegetables; she could use wind or earth elements to effortlessly and silently unearth high-hanging berries or deep-buried edible roots. Not to mention the "four-legged walking meat" in the forest—Huanluo had been fortunate enough to taste everything from herbivorous monsters and small, gregarious carnivorous beasts to winged ones that tasted excellent when roasted.

Their dried rations had long since been finished, paired with Moumou’s special homemade fruit jam, but Moumou never let Huanluo go hungry. With limited resources, she ensured every meal was rich in protein—something Moumou claimed was good for healing—and managed to invent several cooking methods to keep things palatable despite the lack of tools and seasonings. It was truly worthy of praise.

The only mystery was that every time Moumou cooked a full pot, after they each served a portion, half of the remaining food would vanish. Looking at the bowls that consistently held only a quarter of the total, both were baffled. They had tried to investigate, but no matter how vigilantly they watched their surroundings, they couldn't detect a single thing. Unless they held the pot in their laps, the moment their focus wavered, the food would instantly disappear.

The thief was so clean and efficient that it was impossible to guard against. Eventually, Moumou and Huanluo gave up, silently agreeing to leave that quarter of the food for the creature that came and went without a sound. The creature remained as mysterious as ever, never appearing and never causing any trouble. Had it not been for that daily disappearing portion, they might never have felt the creature's presence at all.