Chapter 8

Chapter 8 The Path Ahead

The light from the torches was getting closer, and voices could be heard.

Who’s there?!

I instantly lost all drowsiness, jumped up, and curled up like a vigilant cat, hiding behind a cluster of leaves, pricking up my ears to listen carefully.

“… I really don’t know what Lady Yannes wants. She made us search for a fifteen-year-old girl in Woodward Forest in the middle of the night…”

Damn, they’re looking for me!

Has the commander gone mad? Sending people to search the forest at night! Why do these people still want to catch me…

I squinted and peeked over. An eight-man knight squad gradually approached my direction.

“I don’t know. But I heard that during the day, Captain Nick led his men here to fight the Abyss. Could this have something to do with it?”

“Don’t joke around. What does a fifteen-year-old girl have to do with the Abyss! Besides, we arrived after the battle had already ended, didn’t we?”

“Lady Yannes said that this girl is extremely dangerous. She told us not to act rashly if we find her, but to signal for backup instead.”

“How dangerous can a little girl be? Don’t be silly. I think it might just be some noble’s mischievous daughter who got lost.”

The knight squad chatted idly as they held torches and searched around. Soon, they reached a spot very close to where I was hiding.

“… It’s possible. Let me take a quick piss, you guys wait here for a moment.”

Suddenly, one of the knights walked under the tree where I was hiding, removed his helmet and leg armor, unbuttoned his pants, and aimed his gun at the tree.

Ugh. I gave him a roll of the eyes, but suddenly remembered something. I had just thrown the leftover fruit core down there.

If they found it, it would be bad!

“Stop talking nonsense. Who’s little girl comes here for no reason? This is Woodward Forest! The one rumored to have a white dragon!”

“That’s true… hehe, then what do you think is going on? Not only us, but even the Seventh Army is here too. Including the Third Army that came first, the Church has mobilized three armies for this! What kind of girl needs three armies to search for her like this? A goddess?”

The knight who finished urinating felt relieved and started putting on his leg armor again.

“… Don’t joke about the goddess, Duke. Go back and accept your punishment yourself.”

“Yes, yes, yes, Captain, don’t be so serious. I was just talking out of turn.”

“Less questions about the Church’s upper echelons. We just need to follow orders.”

The fruit core wasn’t discovered. The knights’ figures gradually moved away.

“But I heard that Captain Nick seems to have been attacked by someone and is still unconscious…”

“Could this girl be the assassin?”

“… Alright, keep your voices down! Are you afraid of attracting some wild beasts?”

“Captain, we’re eight men. What wild beast would dare mess with us…”

“It’s always better to be careful.”

“Isn’t there a white dragon?”

“Do you believe such rumors…”

…………

Only when I couldn’t hear their voices anymore did I finally let out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, I wasn’t discovered.

I really don’t want to fight anymore.

But from what the knights said, this search operation seems to have mobilized quite a few people. I need to be more careful.

Captain Nick… Is the knight leader who chased after me later named Nick? I originally thought he was as tough as a swordsman or an old man, but after fighting him, I realized he wasn’t that difficult. Although his strength and speed were impressive, they were still within human limits, unlike that swordsman who was inhuman. He was merely experienced in combat.

Is he alive? I thought he was done for with that hit… I wonder if he saw my face.

It doesn’t matter. That swordsman already knows what I look like anyway.

Not only does he know what I look like, but he also knows what my body looks like.

Thinking of this, a hint of anger rose in my heart.

Sigh, what’s wrong with me? It’s just a body. Is a grown man really going to fuss over this…

Could it be that not only had my body turned into a woman, but my thoughts were also becoming more feminine…

I don’t want to think about it anymore. The more I think, the more frustrated I get.

But those knights did mention a white dragon… Does this world have dragons?

Thinking of the flying dragons in movies, spitting flames in the sky, I felt a slight yearning.

It would be cool to turn into a dragon too, why does it have to be like this…

Forget it, I’ll find an opportunity to catch one and use it as a mount.

My mind was in a jumble, and I must have fallen asleep without realizing it.

…………

I slept deeply and woke up when the sun was high in the sky.

I woke up because of the heat.

Still feeling dazed, I sat up, rubbed my eyes lightly, and listened quietly for a while, sensing no one nearby.

The knights didn’t find me after searching all night, they must have given up by now, right?

I stretched and picked a few more fruits. After eating them, I climbed down from the tree and walked to the stream. The clear water reflected my face, and I finally got my first proper look at myself after rebirth.

Without any makeup, my cheeks were clean and natural, almost too perfect to be real. My dark eyes were bright and clear, and my long black hair reached my back, resembling some expensive silk. My mouth was small, and my eyes weren’t the traditional beautiful almond shape. Slightly drooping corners added a touch of unshed sorrow to my face, easily evoking a protective instinct. Although I still looked young, there was already a hint of a beauty that could topple nations.

I saw a trace of Xiao Xi on this face.

“**Abyssal Language** has been with me all along…”

How I wish I could have your resilience in facing life.

Suddenly, I understood the hesitation of the **swordsman** back then. Any man would hesitate to strike someone with such a face. Even I was somewhat stunned by my own appearance.

A fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl… tsk. If no one pointed it out, no one would ever guess that this was a monster that crawled out of the **abyss**.

With a complicated feeling, I clicked my tongue.

The hot and humid climate of the forest made me sweat, which was very uncomfortable.

Might as well take a bath.

I took off my cloak and folded it aside, then slowly unwrapped the cloth tied around my waist. Overnight, the wounds had started to scab over; the bruise on my knee had already faded last night, indicating that this body’s recovery speed was frighteningly fast.

I dipped my feet into the stream to test the temperature, found it suitable, and jumped in with a “splash.”

It was so cool and comfortable.

“Giggling.”

The water only reached my waist, its coldness bringing joy. As I washed myself, I hummed a tune in a language no one here could understand.

“…Those who always repeat their mistakes… Only know the color of the azure sky… Although the endless road seems to continue forever… This hand can surely embrace light… Hm hm hm, la la la la la…”

When I forgot the lyrics, I just hummed randomly. After a while, I felt that splashing water on myself wasn’t refreshing enough, so I sat down in the stream.

The gentle flow of water over my skin was so soothing that I closed my eyes.

A new life begins. How should I plan for the future?

Who knows?

Just live like a wild person in this forest. It might not be bad. Anyway, there’s no WiFi anywhere in this world.

What if I get bored after a long time?

I’ll decide when I feel bored. I can travel wherever I want, see more of this world, and choose a town I like to settle down, find a job to support myself.

I wonder if there’s a place like an adventurer’s guild in this world. Being a barmaid seems like a good choice. Every day, I can meet all sorts of adventurers, have a beer with them, and listen to their stories.

If someone encounters difficulties, I can use my strength to join their team and help them overcome their challenges, earning what I deserve. Without using the **black smoke**, no one would notice that I’m a monster, right?

As long as I don’t have children, I can do whatever I want.

Let me abandon those meaningless desires and pursuits of the past. With this monster’s body, let me live a meaningful life.