The gates to the High-Risk Ecological Isolation Zone had barely opened when melodious music drifted out from within, soothing the mind and spirit.
A look of surprise crossed Yang Yi's face.
Only now did he remember that, seemingly, neither on the way here nor even now, standing before these gates, had he sensed the Gramophone's malice.
The group walked in. This time, no concentrated artillery barrage greeted them as the gates opened.
Once they entered, the forest obligingly opened a path. Although the soldiers in powered protective suits still held their weapons at the ready and maintained the appropriate vigilance, their expressions were far more relaxed than before.
"Please come in," a clear voice called from ahead.
A Forest Fairy about thirty centimeters tall stood on a branch along the passage and extended the invitation.
The fairy bore some resemblance to Shen Guanquan, but seemed larger than the one at the earlier meeting. The two might not have been the same individual.
Yang Yi gave the fairy a curious look, feeling that some kind of change must have come over Shen Guanquan.
Then he noticed Zhao Tie's tense expression, clearly different from the other seemingly vigilant soldiers. He alone harbored a faint hostility toward these plants.
Walking among the soldiers and following the Forest Fairy ahead, Yang Yi finally reached the former Hope Wreckage Site.
This place, too, was rather different from before.
Almost no trace of the ship remained. In its place stood a small garden formed from a tangled mass of interwoven branches, covering no more than a hundred square meters. Countless brightly colored flowers bloomed here, and even the surrounding trees were laden with blossoms.
For a moment, the fragrance of flowers filled Yang Yi's nose. Warm light even shone down from above, coming from a familiar