I Live on the Land in Global Games
Chapter 141 - 140: Lantern in the Night

Chapter 141: Chapter 140: Lantern in the Night

Twilight enveloped everything, and Mu Ying gradually fell asleep.

Two people on night watch sat beside the bonfire, whispering to each other.

When the time came, they were to wake up the second group to take over the watch.

After an unknown number of shifts, a lantern-like orb of light suddenly appeared in the pitch-black forest, highly conspicuous.

"What is that?" one of the night watchmen asked, shivering as he pointed towards the forest.

The other looked over, "Don’t know."

"What do we do? Should we call someone?"

"It’s swaying back and forth as if it’s calling us over!"

"You can’t be that gullible. You wouldn’t really dare to go, right?"

"Of course not. Curiosity killed the cat. Let’s just sit here and watch what it’s going to do. If it dares to come closer, we’ll immediately shout for help."

The two men stared at the light source without daring to take their eyes off it, but their gaze gradually became blurry, and they stood up and walked towards it.

"Thud~"

"Thud~"

At the edge of the encampment, in front of a simple barrier made of tree branches, both men took a spill.

"Hiss~ that hurts!"

"Huh? How did we get here?"

"Don’t look at it, it’s strange. Quickly, go back and call for help," he said with his head hung down, not daring to look outside, pulling his companion to run back.

His companion yelled at the top of his lungs, "There’s a situation—"

The people nearby were startled.

That person chuckled, "So soon."

When the voice sounded, Mu Ying’s eyes snapped open, and she quickly pushed open the tent flap.

The night watchmen were no longer by the bonfire!

She quickly got up and went outside, where she saw two people supporting each other as they walked in.

"What happened?"

"There was lantern light over there. We watched and watched until our eyes were dazzled. If we hadn’t tripped over the branches outside, we definitely would have followed that light without knowing where it would lead us," the two said, still shaken.

In the wild, it was rare for anyone to sleep very soundly, so after that shout, most people came outside.

But when they looked towards the forest, it was pitch black. There was no sign of any lantern light.

"It really was there just now. Look, my knees are all bruised," he said, fearing that others wouldn’t believe him, and rolled up his pant leg as proof.

Mu Ying didn’t think they were lying. Lantern fires that seduce people—she wondered if it was what she thought. However, that thing wouldn’t have caused them to become dazzled after just a few glimpses. She would have to see it with her own eyes to confirm.

After thinking a bit, she said, "That thing probably didn’t show up because it saw we have many people and didn’t dare to appear. Its power is probably not that strong; otherwise, it wouldn’t use such deceptive tricks. Everyone go back to sleep now. If the night watchmen spot that thing again, call me directly, and remember, two people should not look at it at the same time."

There was no other choice. Everyone went back to rest, and the next group on watch replaced the two who had been scared.

No one knew how long had passed, and the watch had changed several times again.

"It probably won’t appear anymore."

"I don’t know what that thing is, so strange."

"Anyway, it’s probably not anything good... Hey? Look over there, doesn’t that look like the light of a lantern?"

The person pointed to a flickering orb of light in the forest, hesitating as if it were beckoning to them.

Having said that, he immediately shivered, "Don’t look yet, I’ll turn my back first, then you can look."

The other person did as told, "It does seem like it..."

Mid-sentence, the person stood up, and the companion grabbed his arm, dragging him to Mu Ying’s tent. Before they could call out, the entrance of the tent was lifted.

Mu Ying, hearing footsteps, got up, "You’re out?"

"Over there!" He hurriedly pointed in that direction.

Mu Ying’s pupils constricted, "Ghost Fire, a level 4 tiny Undead Creature, a delicate orb of light that from afar resembles a swaying lantern, capable of changing colors or extinguishing itself at will. When illuminated, it brings hope, enticing others to follow it to a safe place. Creatures of a lower level than it will lose their wits and follow it into peril, experiencing a painful death while providing the Ghost Fire with a feast. Occasionally, it even cooperates with other malevolent creatures, forming symbiotic relationships."

It was indeed a Ghost Fire, just two levels higher than the previous one, thus it could confuse those of a lower level than itself, rather than just indirectly affect them like last time.

"You two stay here, I’ll go meet it," she said, confident she wouldn’t be charmed due to her higher level, while the others might be in danger.

As she looked at the Ghost Fire, she not only probed its information but also noticed a faint black aura enveloping it.

So, even though she knew it wouldn’t be easy to handle, Mu Ying still approached it, protected by Nature’s rejection of such creatures; despite its fragility, it was simply a fast energy form that was difficult to damage with purely physical attacks.

Mu Ying pretended to be enchanted, following it into the woods with measured steps.

Of course, she didn’t want to see the so-called dangerous place the Ghost Fire was leading to, or to find out if it had any accomplices. That would go against her consistently cautious approach.

So, after a short walk, Mu Ying began to slow her pace.

The Ghost Fire approached her from time to time, urging her on. Each time it did, Mu Ying would quicken her steps for a moment then slow down again.

Not enough, just a bit closer, a bit closer would do.

She waited for the right moment, slowing down to a near stop after a few steps, only continuing when the Ghost Fire got closer.

Gradually, the Ghost Fire grew comfortable with the especially slow pace of her prey, coming closer each time it urged her on.

This time, Mu Ying stopped once more, as the Ghost Fire lazily approached to nudge her.

But this time, the prey didn’t hasten her steps. Instead, a black Giant Scythe carrying a cold breeze struck, cleaving the Ghost Fire in two.

Its flame—a warm color, rapidly shifting—suddenly flared up in unnamed fury, the Ghost Fire inside diminishing rapidly until it vanished in a few seconds.

Scattered particles of colorful glittering dust fell to the ground. This must be the Ghost Fire’s loot. Mu Ying slapped her waist, materializing a piece of paper in her hand, capturing all the dust on it, folding and sealing it away.

She opened the Player Manual.

[You have killed Ghost Fire×1, obtaining 10 Professional Experience, 20 Slaughter Experience, and 1 Glowing Dust.]

As expected, killing such a creature reviled by nature granted not only Slaughter Experience but Professional Experience too, and the Glowing Dust was the dust she had caught.

[Glowing Dust: The residual ashes from the death of a Ghost Fire, an excellent dye component, able to be formulated into any color.]

Mu Ying: ...

It doesn’t seem very useful, but she could consider experimenting with integrating it into hair dyeing magic potions for a variety of colors.

However, hair dyeing magic potions can’t be eaten, drunk, or used against enemies, so spending time on this research seemed rather backwards at the moment.

Real life is not the Emerald World, where time is precious and must be used wisely.

"After returning, I’ll ask the pawnshop about the price; if Copper Coin Trading Company has fashion publications, then the outside world’s culture clearly values enjoyment, and dyeing materials should certainly have a market."