Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 1025 - 1018: Mixed Feelings of Joy and Sorrow

Chapter 1025: Chapter 1018: Mixed Feelings of Joy and Sorrow

"What’s the matter, Chief, are you all right?" Luo’er, seeing him like that, couldn’t help but take a step forward, ready to help him up.

"She, she, she, she..." Feron pointed at Feng, stuttering so much that he couldn’t utter a complete sentence.

"She?" Luo turned his head to look at the innocent-faced Feng, then turned back and said, "She is our newly joined member Fengye, don’t worry, she won’t hurt you."

As he spoke, Luo’er helped the greatly frightened Feron to his feet. Feron stared at Feng with a very subtle expression on his face. Noticing this, Ziang looked around and saw that not many villagers feared Feng, except for a few elderly people.

"Strange, has Feng been here before?" Ziang withdrew his gaze and couldn’t help muttering.

"Well, since she’s a friend of Lord Luo’er, I should trust her as well." Feron nodded, then took a deep breath to calm his nearly exploding heart.

After some cordial exchanges, Chief Feron invited everyone to the village center square for a gathering held in their honor. Due to the abrupt visit of Luo’er and his companions, the gathering was hastily prepared. The villagers slaughtered two cows and a pig, turning the beef into dishes and roasting the pig whole on the fire, filling the whole village square with laughter and joy.

As honored guests, the Advance Team and others were warmly treated by Meila Village. Chief Feron personally brought over some fruit wine and respectfully handed it to Luo’er, saying, "Lord Luo’er, we have been worried about your safety since you left last time. Seeing you return now really makes us very happy. You saved our village once, and we will never forget your kindness, no matter what."

"You flatter me, stepping forward to help out is our duty," Luo’er said with a smile, reaching out to take the fruit wine and replying politely.

"And thanks to your suggestions afterward, we have barely survived till now and are just starting to see some new hope," Feron continued.

Luo’er took a sip of the sweet-and-sour fruit wine and then looked down at Feron to ask, "Chief Feron, the attacks by the Beastmen must have decreased a lot by now, right?"

"Yes, thanks to your excellent guidance, we have repelled several invasions by the Beastmen. During the largest encounter, we killed nearly a hundred Beastmen. Since this year, their attacks have obviously become much less frequent. But I’ve heard that nearby villages are still being attacked by Beastmen," Feron replied.

"I see..." Luo’er nodded and turned his head towards the village’s outer wall.

This was no simple wooden fence but a double-layered stake wall filled with earth and rocks in between, nearly one meter thick. Such a construction was obviously more than the village could handle, so he looked at Feron and asked again, "Chief Feron, did you build this wall yourselves?"

"Oh, the wall? We only did half of the work on the village’s wall. For the rest, we had craftsmen from the city build it. The military at Sunset Fortress felt sorry for our village being attacked, so they sent some soldiers to help. It took about two years to get it to its current state," he explained.

"It seems it’s always unsafe here..." Luo’er couldn’t help but remark.

"Ah, what can we do, where can we go? In this vast world, there’s no place for us," Feron sadly shook his head and sighed.

Watching his lament, Luo’er held his wine cup, seemingly thoughtful. He turned his head to look at Baiyue, who was constantly watching him, waiting for his news.

Luo’er lowered his head in thought, then slightly pursed his lips and coughed before speaking again, "Chief Feron, I have a question, I am not sure if it’s appropriate to ask."

"Please speak, Lord Luo’er, don’t say such things," Feron said.

"I remember, your daughter Aniya went to the Otherworld... the Prophetic War and then vanished without a trace. Has she returned?" Luo’er asked.

At the mention of Aniya, Feron couldn’t help but tear up, lowering his head and wiping his tears, he said, "Ah, don’t mention it. I’d rather believe she’s already dead, so I won’t have to worry about her day and night."

Luo’er looked down at him, sighed, and continued to ask, "Chief, do you know her whereabouts, perhaps..."

"With so many races participating in that war, even if Aniya did not die in the chaos, she couldn’t have escaped enslavement by other races. If she ended up in the hands of the Beastman Race, the consequences..."

"So, you also think Aniya might have been enslaved?" Luo’er continued to ask.

"Alas, our tribespeople here have no stable roots. Even if our people are enslaved, there’s no one who can help us. I’ve given up hope for her..." Feron said with an increasingly sad expression on his face.

Luo’er felt it was time to clarify the facts, so he turned his head, gave Baiyue a signal with his eyes, and then lowered his head to Feron, saying, "Chief Feron, could we find a quiet place to talk?"

"Of course, there’s no problem. May I ask what the honorable Luo’er would like to discuss?" Feron wiped his tear, looked up, and asked.

"About Aniya, I seem to know something..." Hesitating for a moment, Luo’er replied.

"Really?" Upon hearing Luo’er’s words, Feron’s eyes widened, hardly believing his own ears.

"I can’t guarantee it’s correct, but," Luo’er said, looking around hesitantly.

"Oh, okay, okay," seeing Luo’er’s intent, Feron eagerly took his hand and said, "This way, honorable Luo’er, please, let’s talk at my place."

Guided by Feron, Luo’er followed him to his house. Before entering, Luo’er turned back, gave Baiyue another signal with his eyes, indicating her to wait at the door.

Walking into the chief’s home, Luo’er was respectfully invited to sit on a chair, and then Feron served him a cup of fruit wine again.

Afterward, he sat opposite Luo’er, looking at him eagerly and asking, "Does the honorable Luo’er know where Aniya is, how she is doing now? Is she well or has she been enslaved...?"

"Chief, calm down, let me explain slowly," Luo’er gestured reassuringly.

"Sorry, sorry, I, I’m just too excited," Feron took a deep breath and said sadly with his head lowered, "Taran and Tara’s parents have already passed away. I only have these grandchildren. If I could know Aniya’s whereabouts, I would be so happy."

Luo’er coughed slightly and then took a deep breath, saying, "Well, I have some good news and some bad news. No matter which one you choose to hear first, I hope you can remain calm."

"Good news, bad news?" Upon hearing these two phrases, a hint of despair crossed Feron’s face, seemingly anticipating something.

"First, let me start with the bad news, well, what..." Facing Feron’s eager eyes, Luo’er hesitated for a long time before finally summoning the courage to speak, "Firstly, we found out about Aniya’s whereabouts, but, but..."

"But what?" Feron’s voice trembled, seemingly sensing the reason for Luo’er’s hesitation.

"Aniya... passed away more than twenty years ago..." Luo’er said softly, head bowed.

"Heh, heh, heh, sob..." Although guessing the outcome, Feron still visibly paused, then slumped down, sobbing, "I knew, I knew, I knew... ah, my poor daughter..."

"Chief, please calm down a bit. That was the bad news; there’s also good news," Luo’er comforted him somewhat frantically.

"What good news could there be, could Aniya possibly come back to life, ah ah ah..." Feron wept bitterly.

"Chief," Luo’er called out, then said anxiously, "Aniya was married before she passed away and had a child. That’s the good news I wanted to tell you!"

"What, you mean?" Hearing Luo’er’s words, Feron stopped crying and looked at him in shock.

"Although Aniya has passed away, their child survived. This ought to be considered fortunate amid the misfortune, please take care, Chief," Luo’er sighed.

"Aniya married and had a child, this, this..." Feron seemed at a loss for words.