Echoes of the Past

Chapter 5 Touch Your Horns

Nan'an didn't use any particularly special techniques; if I had to say, it was a bit like bullfighting.

The moment Suiyue charged at him, he reached out and tugged at Niujiao's horn. Her unstable lower body was the main reason she rolled on the ground. The sweeping kick he received was just an extra touch that allowed her to perform a somersault in the air.

"You only rolled around twice and started 'howling'? You're a minotaur, don't make wolf or dog noises."

He was not very satisfied with Suiyue's ability to withstand blows and her lower body stability.

These words seemed to activate a built-in fast-forward function, turning Suiyue's slow ascent into a jump.

"Who's the minotaur? Who's the minotaur? Who's the minotaur?!"

After repeating the important point three times, Suiyue abandoned her respect for the seniority and aggressively leaned forward, revealing her shiny horns, which were almost touching Nan'an's nose.

"These are antlers, antlers! I'm a hybrid of the Evergreen Deer clan!"

Nan'an fell silent.

Six years was enough time for him to learn the basics of the Nora continent.

Beyond magic, he also explored areas that are difficult for visitors from other worlds to master, such as races and folk cultures, religions and literature.

The nerd's exact words were, "It feels good to be a scholar in your presence."

In an old game where max-level players are everywhere, a newbie suddenly appears in the beginner's village, instantly attracting many veterans to offer guidance, eager to feed the newbie and enjoy the fun of nurturing them.

However, none of the evergreen deer that Nan'an had ever encountered had antlers with such a full W-shaped curve.

What exactly is the difference between this and the buffalo horns he saw in the countryside in his previous life?

Nan An couldn't help but exclaim, "The changes brought about by the black mist are truly terrifying. I've learned something new."

Suiyue blushed: "It's something I was born with!"

"..."

"..."

"Let me touch it."

"what?"

"I've never touched this breed before. In the past, I would kill it, grab its horns, and lift it up. The feeling of it growing on a living person's head is worth trying."

Suiyue felt a chill run down her spine: "Is this how people from the Gray Star era communicate? How crude!"

Just from Nan'an's words, she could picture the veteran turning into a headhunting maniac.

"It's just the way things are in the adventurer's group; I'm the most refined and tactful one," Nan'an said. "After being resurrected, I have no one to chat with, so I need to adjust... So, can I touch you?"

"Touch it."

Suiyue looked completely indifferent, even slightly turning her body and tilting her head to make it easier for Nan'an to make his move.

The texture is surprisingly delicate.

Nan'an has a large number of headhunters, and experience has taught him that whether it is deer antlers or cow antlers, the surface of the horn is mostly covered with a layer of fine hairs. It is fine to touch with the direction of the hairs, but if you touch it against the direction of the hairs, you can clearly feel the tiny, slightly resistant friction.

The horns of the half-dragons are the opposite.

It is cool and hard, with a strong metallic texture. Whether it is the cold luster of the eyes or the heavy weight when playing with it, it is enough to satisfy the collector's obsession.

The only drawback is that it lacks luster and has a noticeably dull feel. It needs to be worn for a while to achieve a sufficiently attractive luster.

Suiyue's horn is magically somewhere in between.

There was no cold, hard feeling where the fingertips touched.

The base of the horn fits tightly against the skin, radiating a fresh, warm body temperature. As you stroke upwards, the smooth, lustrous texture evenly envelops the entire horn.

From its thick root to its sharp tip, it appears as if it has been meticulously polished, with a warm and translucent luster like jade from the inside out. There is only one evaluation of Nan'an.

Jade!

"How is it?"

Seeing that Nan'an was delighted with it, Suiyue proudly said, "How about it? My horn is great, isn't it?"

Nan An nodded: "That's great. If I were still alive, I really hope you were my enemy."

"?"

Nan An coughed once: "It needs to be corrected through continuous chatting."

The way of praising was strange, but Suiyue still felt Nanan's admiration for her horn.

The distance had narrowed somewhat, which made it easier for Nan'an to put forward new proposals.

"What? You broke my hand?"

Suiyue's eyes widened, and she subconsciously took two steps back.

The topic has taken too big a leap. Not long ago, Nan'an was happily touching her horn, and now they want to break her hand!

"The combat trial we just went through was child's play. If you want to advance further as a magic warrior, real combat experience is essential," Nan An explained. "Only by facing death head-on can you improve rapidly."

"What does this have to do with breaking my hand?"

"Because I don't know if this eerie space will reflect the damage back into reality," Nan'an continued. "Whether there are consequences to your free entry and exit is something we need to explore carefully."

Suiyue suddenly shuddered: "The old veteran really thought this through... Speaking of which, you've been active in this space for so long, hasn't anything changed here?"

Nan An shook his head.

He studied time carefully, and because he had plenty of free time, he silently counted the time intervals between sunrise and sunset.

One round lasts approximately 27 hours, which is consistent with common knowledge from the Gray Star era.

This space is limited, and the only object capable of causing change is the orange grove.

If there are no omissions, they can complete fruiting and ripening every 60 days.

If left untreated, the oranges will rot and fall off on their own.

The cycle of fruiting, ripening, and rotting continues endlessly.

besides……

Nan An placed his hand on his chest, and the crescent-white Rubik's Cube sensed his thoughts, slowly rising from his body and radiating a warm, silvery-white glow.

"What's the deeper meaning behind keeping this position?"

Suiyue imitated Nan'an's actions, placing her hand on Fuyu's chest with a blank expression.

"Can't you see it?"

"What do you see?" Suiyue asked back, waving her hand in front of Nan'an. "Is there something here?"

Nan'an watched as Suiyue's hand passed through the Rubik's Cube, speechless for a moment.

Only he can see it.

Even the tangible sensation of touch is something only he can feel.

Nan'an was somewhat dazed. He rubbed his temples and composed himself.

Seemingly sensing that Nan'an didn't need it, the Rubik's Cube rolled on its own and disappeared back into its body.

Suiyue clearly didn't care much about the earlier incident and just kept eating her orange.

She really loves to eat. Ever since I met her in Nan'an, she's either eating or on her way to find food.

Even on her deathbed, her greatest wish was to have a hearty meal and die a well-fed ghost.

Is there a crop shortage outside right now?

In Nan'an's imagination, only one-sixth of the Nora continent remained unswallowed by the black mist. The arable land in this area needed to supply a massive population, so the food crisis was bound to be severe.

Suiyue's rush to eat is definitely related to this reason.

To everyone's surprise, she shook her head.

"Well, it's not particularly scarce."

"what?"

Suiyue ate a large bite of orange pulp and mumbled, "After the black fog, some extremely high-yield staple foods appeared, so we are quite abundant in terms of staple foods. It's just that, apart from staple foods..."

As she spoke, she licked her lips and looked towards the orange grove not far away: "Can I have a few more?"

"Please."

Without being told, Nan'an understood.

Fruits, vegetables, and meats have all experienced reduced production due to land scarcity, resulting in high prices.

Both Solize and Onze will inevitably implement a staple food strategy to ensure that famine does not occur.

For Suiyue, being able to eat fruit freely is a luxury.

She came back carrying a chest full of oranges, peeling them as she spoke.

"In your time, Nan'an, adventurers were living on the edge of a knife, while we were dancing on the edge of a blade."

Perhaps thinking that the orange grove belonged to Nan'an, she smiled, offered the peeled orange forward, and only after confirming that Nan'an didn't want it did she happily start eating it.

"If you want to reap a harvest, you have to take risks... Slurp, go deep, dangerous areas," Suiyue said. "The outer areas are looted clean every year."

"Don't tell me you risked venturing into dangerous forests and fighting high-level monsters for food just for a bite to eat."

"That's right."

Nan'an sighed, "What a ruthless glutton!"

However, it aligns with her mindset.

Either eat your fill and have a good time, or die and be done with it.

This guy's view on life and death is remarkably carefree.

"Be a good girl and listen to me. I'll find a way to feed you properly from now on, and I promise you'll eat well."

That's standard empty promise rhetoric; Suiyue must have heard it countless times.

After Nan'an finished speaking, she paused for a few seconds, looked down at Chengzi, and shrugged.

"Even though the oranges are fake, it's still nice to be able to come in and have a couple of bites every day... Hey, veteran, are you still going to keep your promise about the knowledge you gave me?"

"Save."

"Food and drink are provided, and I can even learn something about the Gray Star Era..." Suiyue said happily, "Deal!"

"Wait a minute."

"What's wrong? Do you want to back out?"

"No, just one more thing," Nan'an said, "I have to touch the horn."

Suiyue stroked her chin and looked at the oranges scattered on the ground: "That works too."

"Okay, now put your hand out."

"well?"

"It should be broken."

"I haven't finished eating yet!"

"To prevent you from being suddenly woken up by some strange person and brought back to reality, I need to prepare in advance, so just stick your head out obediently," Nan An said. "At worst, I'll feed you."

Suiyue activates her "Think Twice" skill.

"Can."

She didn't even think for a second longer.