One-Eyed Monster

With the power of the moonlight, Kadi’s tail could stretch indefinitely. Kadi tied one end of her tail to Igor, then started dragging her tail in search of food.

Igor listened quietly to the song of the Moonflow Stream, enjoying it greatly. Another chapter was added to the travel journal in his heart, though he hadn’t actually opened his physical notebook much to write in it since leaving the Yonder Travel Academy.

The Moonflow Stream’s song played for a time before falling silent. The gentle trickle of the spring water accompanied the night wind, very soothing. Though it was winter now, the Moonflow Stream showed no signs of harsh winter. The incessant gurgling sound of flowing water made Igor feel as if it were early summer.

That song was gentle, like a mother’s caress, a father’s murmur, warming Igor’s heart.

Igor paid no mind to Kadi, who had gone afar to find food. He sat methodically on the ground, thoughtfully savoring the earlier song. His careful attention had allowed him to hear every lyric clearly. The song was ethereal and very pleasing to the ear.

Igor heard the song sing:

LA LA LA...

Welcome, Living Beings from afar,

We are the leaping water sprays,

We are the rolling stones,

By the clear light of the moon,

Come and capture the night’s tranquility with us.

Remember, your steps must be light,

Carry your full confidence,

Dance with us,

Awaken the myriad stars in the sky...

LA LA LA...

The singer of this song seemed to be inviting Igor to join them; the melody was far-reaching and filled with passion.

But Igor was not the type to be easily tempted. He did not understand what the song was singing about, nor did he know why these stones and water sprays wanted to capture the tranquility of the night.

Igor remained seated, motionless. He wanted to understand what this singing river intended to do.

Before long, the moonlight grew paler, casting a mist-like layer upon the mountain; the entire ground was bathed in a layer of white luminescence.

The sound of the trickling stream quieted once more, replaced by the moving song from earlier.

This time, the song was more cheerful, more vibrant.

HEE HEE HEE, HEE HEE HEE,

Listen carefully, listen carefully,

The wind is still, the moon is bright,

The cold has grown wings and flies everywhere,

But alas, the flowing water won’t turn to ice,

Your heart is also restless,

Listen quickly, listen quickly, beasts are silent, birds do not sing,

Everywhere are my captives, everywhere are my prisoners,

Let’s see how you can still be smiling...

HEE HEE HEE, HEE HEE HEE.

The song ended abruptly with unsettling laughter. Igor shuddered uncontrollably after hearing it. The melody naturally brought a story to his mind.

He had heard this story in one of his classrooms at the Yonder Travel Academy. It was part of a lecture about the Vero Realm.

It is said that over sixty percent of the Vero Realm is water, and these waters are home to the magical Alien Species of Water Spirits from the Yowein Continent. The merchants of the Kayne Empire used to sail to the Vero Realm for trade with the Wensi Empire. The sailors of the Wensi Empire dared not sail at night and would block their ears. The Kayne People were puzzled and asked why they had to block their ears. The Vero People waved their hands, indicating that it was not appropriate to ask further.

The Kayne People later found out that the Water Spirits would lure ships with their enchanting songs at night. Their tempting songs were irresistible to many sailors, who, unable to resist, paddled towards the source, never to return, disappearing with their ships where the Water Spirits sang.

Although the story was rather cliché, it felt incredibly intriguing at this moment.

Igor felt like the first part of the song was the Water Spirit enticing him, and the second part was a warning.

Regardless, Igor was fascinated by the magic of the Moonflow Stream. The singing river had already surprised him greatly, making his future journey feel like an adventure he couldn’t wait to embark upon.

But his body was honest. No matter how robust his spirit, he couldn’t ignore his stomach’s Guru calls. At this moment, Igor finally felt hungry.

Although he had felt the intense sensation of hunger before, his excessive excitement had caused him to temporarily ignore it. But the mental numbness was no longer able to fend off his body’s protest. During the two songs, the Guru Guru sounds from Igor’s stomach had become louder than the gurgling of the spring water.

At this moment, Igor naturally thought of Kadi, who was supposed to be by his side but had disappeared. Where could she have gone? What happened to their guide and the promise of Grey Eagle Peak?

Just as Igor was on the verge of losing his mind, he felt something stirring around his waist.

Igor initially thought the hunger was gnawing at his waist, but when he touched the source, he was startled. It was soft and warm. What could it be? he wondered.

Igor hadn’t expected it to be Kadi’s tail. He was so engrossed in listening to the song that he had noticed Kadi moving around him without realizing what she was doing.

Kadi’s tail felt uncomfortable being squeezed by Igor. Luckily, she had found some food, so she wasn’t returning empty-handed. She had intended to bring back some Mountain Boar or wild rabbit to cheer Igor up, but her tail felt so itchy from being squeezed that she had to return early.

When Kadi returned to Igor’s side, Igor still had no idea what the soft thing was.

”That’s my tail!” Kadi answered the puzzled Igor impatiently.

”Why did you wrap your tail around me?”

”Because you’re like those singing stones, completely immobile. As long as I’m tied to you, I won’t lose you.”

”Huh? Why would you get lost? And what’s this about singing stones?”

”Don’t ask so many questions now. Fill your stomach first. There’ll be plenty to make your jaw drop later.” After fetching food, Kadi started bossing Igor around, almost as if she had taken on a new persona. Her original admiration seemed to have disappeared…

The food Kadi brought back consisted mainly of gourds and fruits, with a few mushrooms and bird eggs. Kadi never liked raw food, not even fruits. She preferred them cooked, a habit that puzzled Igor. She’s clearly a monster that devours raw flesh and blood, yet she insists on cooked food... he thought.

Igor started a fire, and soon the gourds, fruits, and bird eggs were thoroughly cooked by the roaring flames.

Under the moonlight, with the melodious song in the background, Igor and Kadi munched on gourds and chewed on fruit. From time to time, they snacked on a bird egg or two, so engrossed in their meal that they were sweating profusely.

”How are you finding the song of the Moonflow Stream?” Kadi grinned at Igor, showing her teeth.

”Hmm... some parts are a bit odd. For example, ’Capturing the tranquility of the night; my captives are everywhere.’ It sounds like the song is just a deceptive trick to ensnare people.”

”What?” Kadi was taken aback, as she had never heard anyone describe the song in such a way. Until now, she had never thought the song was strange. It was apparent that Igor was quite unlike anyone else.

”This song is similar to the story of the Water Spirits.” Igor then told Kadi the story of the Water Spirits from the Vero Realm.