With Ling An clearing the way ahead, the normally dangerous swamp suddenly grew quiet.
September followed behind Ling An, looking somewhat uneasy.
"What's wrong?" Ling An asked.
"Nothing." September shook his head. "I just thought of my wife."
Ling An gave him a curious glance but said nothing more.
With that expression, and someone being brought up at a time like this...
More often than not, that person was already gone.
He understood September.
That was how people were. Everyone carried something in their hearts.
Ordinarily, everything was peaceful. Everything was fine.
But once they entered a certain setting, or something stirred their memories...
The past would surge like a tide, threatening to spill out of their hearts.
They advanced through the mist toward the first set of coordinates.
"Patroller Ling An, have you heard the story of Sorrowful Cry?"
"Yes, I learned about it just now."
"Sometimes I wonder whether Tacet Discords and humans really are worlds apart. I know I shouldn't be so sentimental as a researcher, but think about it. If Sorrowful Cry really is as the villagers describe, wouldn't that mean it has emotions just like humans... that it can feel happiness and pain?"
September seemed to have encountered a difficult question and wanted an answer from Ling An.
"Tacet Discords... can have emotions," Ling An answered after a moment's thought.
"Really? Is there any supporting data or a documented case?" September asked eagerly.
Ahead of him, Ling An shook his head.
"I can't tell you why, but Tacet Discords can indeed develop emotions. I'm certain of that."
Of course Ling An could be certain.
Because he was a Tacet Discord himself.
"All right, Patroller Ling An. I have to confess something," September said suddenly.
Ling An turned back to look at him. "Go ahead."
"I