Chapter 140: 169

"...Viel?"

168. One hundred and sixty eight dungeons…

...Just to find Viel.

She entered and cleared that many dungeons, just for the chance that maybe… she could see Viel.

But by the 100th dungeon, she already knew. The dungeons do not repeat.

Some might have similar creatures and civilizations, but they were totally different worlds. Some weren't even worlds at all.

They were just that, as their name suggests, dungeons.

So by the 100th dungeon, she already knew.

She knew that she was never going to find Viel. But still, she did not stop.

Like an unlit incense, time froze for her. Before she knew it, she was already stuck inside a dungeon that she created herself.

But she didn't stop.

Even when she almost died, and not just once.

But still, she didn't rest.

Because maybe, just for a maybe that he will one day pop out and say,

"Hello, sister Xing Cai"

"V...Viel?", a loud echo rumbled in the cave as Xing Cai dropped her sword.

"Viel!?", Guang Yan's eyes widened as she relaxed her bow, "That's the boy you've been trying to find!? He's really here!?"

"What is goi-"

Guang Yan was about to say more, but she felt someone dragging her away.

"Wir sollten sie nicht stören", gibberish was the only thing Guang Yan heard from the woman as she was dragged away to the side, near the corpse of the Manananggal Queen.

Xing Cai's whole body was stiff, her breaths ceased. She could almost hear the beat of her own heart as she slightly opened her mouth.

"A...are you vi-"

But before any words could come out from her, Viel ran towards her and embraced her.

Her eyebrows moved as she saw the golden hair that was flowing in front of her. The rough but at the same time smooth feeling that touched her cheek. The warm feeling that wrapped her body.

One hundred and sixty eight dungeons.

And now at her one hundred and sixty ninth dungeon… She finally found what she was looking for.

And the only thing that was in her mind was…

...All of it was worth it.

"...Viel", her jaw trembled as stuttered breaths came out from her mouth. There were hundreds of words that she wanted to say.

Are you crazy!? Suddenly entering the dungeon on your own!?

Where have you been all this time!?

Why didn't you go back as soon as you could!?

Did you think that no one will worry for you!?

Why did you come back only now?

Have you been well?

I missed you.

Welcome back.

But none of those words were said. Instead, just a single tear leaving a trail on her face and a tight embrace came out.

And perhaps a silence that said it all.

The cave felt like it was frozen as they did not move at all.

But for Xing Cai, an incense was finally lit, allowing her time to move again.

*sniffle*

"...Xing Cai", Guang Yan, who was watching from the side, could not help but sniffle and bite the string of her bow as she tried to stop herself from crying.

Sofia only glanced with a smile, then continued getting blood samples from the Manananggal Queen's corpse into her vial.

Guang Yan could not help but twitch her eyes as this stranger keeps on ruining her mood.

Half an hour.

Viel and Xing Cai hugged each other for half an hour before they separated from each other.

And with a light sniffle and a deep breath, Xing Cai was finally able to talk, "Viel, how… did you find us here?"

"Miss Mei told me you were inside"

Xing Cai narrowed her eyes in confusion, "So you were not in this world?"

"Eh?", Viel also had a confused expression on his face, "No, I was in Sofie's", he said as he pointed at Sofia, who was now trying to take the Manananggal Queen's eye off.

"Ah, she's a drifter!?", Guang Yan, who was now immersed in what Sofia was doing, quickly backed away.

There were still a thousand questions in Xing Cai's mind, but this was probably not the best place to have a conversation.

"Let's go outside the dungeon first before we-", Xing Cai abruptly stopped her words as she stared at Viel's eyes.

"W-what's wrong, is there something in my face?", Viel's eyes widened as he touched his face all over the place.

"It's nothing, let's go", Xing Cai chuckled. She no longer needed to turn her head downwards just to look at Viel, and somehow, she found it funny.

"Eh…", Viel hummed as he continued to touch his face. He then called for Sofia who was still busy getting different samples from the Manananggal Queen. The bag she was carrying, wherever it came from, was now bulging in… monster parts.

Sofia hesitated at first before walking away from the monster with a disappointed sigh.

Guang Yan could not help but look at Sofia with squinted eyes. This drifter was weird even by drifter standards, she thought.

"Sister Xing Cai, this is Sofia, my-"

Before Viel can introduce Sofia, a disgusting sound rumbles behind them, coming from the corpse of the Manananggal Queen.

The four of them all looked at the gigantic monster, only to see the weird looking fetus crawl out of its stomach.

"W-what…", Guang Yan backed away as shivers also crawled all over her body.

"Ah!", she then shouted and pointed at Sofia, "It's because you desecrated its corpse! Return its blood now! Return it now!"

Sofia, however, looked at her like she was a crazy bumbling woman.

The muscles of the gigantic monster's offspring started to bulge, its body, which was split in half by Xing Cai's great sword, started to pull each other and heal.

And once it was fully healed, it stood up, and screamed. A scream that was loud enough to reach the entrance of the cave.

And the only thing that was in Guang Yan's mind was…

"Why are we just watching it!?"