Read Eternal Labyrinth :: Floor 3 Part-6

The early morning sun filtered through the dense canopy of trees, casting dappled light onto the forest floor. The group was stirring, each person dealing with their own mix of exhaustion.

Li Yun stretched and glanced around the makeshift camp. Most of the group was already awake, preparing for another day of survival and token hunting. However, he noticed one figure sitting apart from the rest, her golden eyes staring off into the distance. Arial, usually so spirited and full of energy, looked lost.

With a frown, Li Yun made his way over to her. "Hey, Arial," he said softly, sitting down beside her. "You look like you’ve got a lot on your mind."

Arial glanced at him, her eyes reflecting a deep sadness. "I just... I miss my parents," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I keep thinking about them and wondering if they're okay. It's hard not knowing."

Li Yun sighed. There really is a lot going on and we know nothing about the future so worrying about those who are left behind, those dear to us...That's really normal.

He reached out and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It’s normal to miss them, especially in a place like this," he said gently. "But you’re strong, Arial. Stronger than you know."

She looked at him, tears brimming in her eyes. "How do you do it, Li Yun? How do you keep going?"

Li Yun leaned back against a tree, looking up at the sky through the leaves. "I think about my family too," he began, his voice steady but soft. "I lost my parents and my sibling... it was sudden. One moment they were there, and the next, they were gone."

Arial’s eyes widened. "Li Yun, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know."

He smiled, a bittersweet expression. "It’s okay. I don’t talk about it much. But what keeps me going is knowing that they’d want me to live my life, to find happiness and make the most of it. And right now, that means surviving this place. And...I have my own goals. I want to fulfill them."

Arial wiped at her eyes, nodding slowly. "I just feel so helpless sometimes."

"I know the feeling," Li Yun replied. "But you’re not helpless. We’ve all seen what you’re capable of."

Li Yun meant it, Arial may look wild, come of as rude or sometimes even a bit irresponsible however, she is capable. She knows what to do in emergencies, how to react in danger. She helps and is caring in her way.

She managed a small smile at that. "Thanks, Li Yun."

Li Yun smiled too, "Now, let’s focus on the tasks ahead. We still have tokens to find and a lot of ground to cover. And remember, you’re not alone in this."

The two of them stood up and joined the rest of the group, who were busy preparing for the day. Li Yun’s words had a noticeable effect on Arial. She looked a bit more relaxed.

As the group set out, Li Yun couldn’t help but keep an eye on Arial, making sure she was doing alright. She was smiling more, interacting with the others, and seemed to have regained some of her usual energy. He was glad to see it.

The morning passed relatively uneventfully as they navigated through the forest, searching for more tokens. They had a few close calls with dangerous animals, but thanks to Arial’s Beast Sense, they managed to avoid them.

By late afternoon, they had found several more tokens and were nearing their goal. The forest was growing darker, and they knew they needed to find a safe place to camp for the night.

"Look over there," Kim Woojin pointed to a rocky outcrop. "That looks like a good spot to set up camp."

"Good eye," Li Yun said. "Let’s check it out."

As they approached the outcrop, they found a small cave, just large enough to provide shelter for the group. They quickly set up a makeshift camp, gathering wood for a fire and preparing their minimal supplies.

Sitting around the fire, the group felt a sense of accomplishment. They had made it through another day, found more tokens, and were one step closer to completing the floor.

"It's 34 tokens!" Alex laughed.

Su Mingji pours cold water. "And only 2 more days to go."

The next morning, they set off early, climbing higher into the mountains. The terrain became steeper and more challenging, but they pressed on, determined to find the remaining tokens. As they climbed, the group encountered several small troubles along the way.

At one point, Alex slipped on a loose rock and grabbed Xie Zhili for support, but the two of them tumbled down a short slope together.

"Alex, you idiot!" Xie Zhili groaned, rubbing his bruised arm. "Watch where you're stepping!"

"Sorry, sorry!" Alex apologized, scrambling to his feet. "I didn't mean to pull you down with me."

Xie Zhili sighed, "If you meant it, do you think I will let you go so easily?"

Alex:..

Lisa saw an insect scurrying across her path and let out a loud scream. "Ahh! A bug!" she yelled, startling everyone.

"Calm down, Lisa," Kim Jae-In said, shaking his head. "It's just a bug."

"Yeah, it’s not like it’s going to eat you," Lin Xueyin added with a chuckle.

Lisa huffed, crossing her arms. "You guys just don’t understand!"

Ayesha nodded, guys don't know how disgusting these weird and creepy creatures are!

Meanwhile, Lin Xueyin had his own trouble. He kept bumping into trees as he walked, too focused on looking for tokens to watch where he was going.

"Ow! Not again!" he exclaimed, rubbing his forehead after his latest collision.

"Brother Lin, pay attention to where you're going," Li Yun advised, trying not to laugh. "The trees aren’t going anywhere."

By midday, they had climbed quite high, the air cooler and thinner. The forest around them had started to thin out, giving way to rocky slopes and sparse vegetation.

Li Yun called for a short break, and the group gathered around, sipping water and catching their breath.

"We’re making good progress," he said, looking at the tokens they had collected so far. "Just a few more to go."

They had collect a total of 42 tokens just by going up the mountain, if they keep this up, they might just get 50 tokens by end of the day.

"Yeah, but we still need to be careful," Kim Woojin reminded them. "The higher we go, the more dangerous it gets."

"Agreed," Li Yun said. "Let's stay focused and keep an eye out for any more tokens."

They set off again, climbing higher into the mountains. The terrain became even more challenging, with loose rocks and steep slopes making every step treacherous.

Late in the afternoon, they reached a narrow ledge overlooking a steep drop. Li Yun led the way, carefully navigating the precarious path.

"Watch your step, everyone," he warned. "One wrong move and you'll be tumbling down the mountain."

Su Mingji from the side added, "And become a meatpie and the dinner for wild animals."

As they carefully made their way across the ledge, Alex slipped again, this time narrowly avoiding a fall by grabbing onto a small shrub.

"Seriously, Alex?" Xie Zhili called out from behind him. "Do you have a death wish or something?"

Alex:...Not my fault!!

"Just be more careful," Li Yun advised. "We don’t need any more accidents."

They continued their climb, finally reaching a flat plateau just as the sun began to set. Exhausted but relieved, they decided to make camp for the night.

As they set up their makeshift camp and gathered around a small fire, the group reflected on their progress.

"We’ve come a long way," Su Mingji said, looking at the tokens they had collected. "Only a few more to go."

"Yeah, but we still need to stay vigilant," Arial reminded them. "This floor is not much difficult as we didn't get caught by some wild animals or fell in traps or got kidnapped etc."

"Do you have a crow mouth?" Li Yun said.

Arial smiled. "Don't know, never tested it."

Others:.......

As the fire crackled and the group settled in for the night, Li Yun’s thoughts drifted back to their situation. We’ve made it this far, but there’s still so much ahead of us, he thought, the flickering flames reflecting in his deep blue eyes.