NOVPUBChapter 929: 446 Silver Ring_3 Chapter 929: 446 Silver Ring_3 Aubree Groove’s gaze was fixated on the totem as she slowly unsheathed her sword.
In an instant, light splintered in all directions, and a resonant hum filled the air.
Aubree abruptly replaced the scabbard, restoring everything to calmness.
The stone door in front of them was wide open, allowing sunlight to flood in, nearly blinding them.
Aubree stepped out and heard the soft murmur of a stream, the beautiful scenery of lake and mountains within reach.
It turned out they were on the other side of Phoenix Mountain.
The cave entrance was concealed behind a waterfall that cascaded from the top of the mountain, flowing into the stream down the slope.
...
Aubree crossed the waterfall and stream.
The side of the mountain was complex, covered in undergrowth that would easily lead to getting lost.
But to Aubree, it was like being in uncharted territory.
She looked up at the position of the sun and discerned the route down the mountain.
Patting her body, Aubree was startled to realize she had lost her phone, probably in the cave.
However, instead of turning back, she quickened her pace down the mountain.
“Such a lousy place.
No phone signal.
No one responds when I call out.
When has Miss ever suffered such humiliation?
I wish I would have died before coming to this godforsaken place.”
“Complaining won’t do any good, let’s try to find our way back.”
“Phoenix Mountain is so vast, where do we even start?
It will be dark soon, and we will be done.
We’re waiting for death.”
“Waaaaaah~.”
“Sob, sob, sob, that’s all you know.
If it wasn’t for you, would we be lost in the mountains?
So annoying.”
“Lexi, it isn’t Maddy Miss’s fault.
There’s no point blaming her now.
We should focus on finding our way down the mountain.
As I recall, Phoenix Mountain faces south while sitting north.
We should be on the northern side.
If we head northwest, we will surely get out of Phoenix Mountain.”
Lexi glared at teary Maddy Spinter, feeling exasperated.
“You go ahead, don’t mind me.
Just let me wait here for death,” Maddy Spinter responded with a sob.
Her foot was sprained, and she couldn’t walk.
Solene Moore shook her head: “We came here together; we should leave together.”
Maddy cried even harder.
She originally just wanted to take a stroll around Dreamy Villa.
However, she got lost somehow and accidentally ran into Lexi and Solene, who were also lost.
Try as she might to make a rescue call, her phone had no signal.
As a result, the three of them went further astray until they were completely out of Dreamy Villa’s bounds.
As such, three distressed girls, ideally seeking solace in each other, ended up squabbling instead.
Lexi glared at her smartphone, which had no signal at all, “What useless gadget!
Thousands spent only to fail when needed the most.”
Instead, Solene was the calmest: “Three missing guests at the feast should spark some concern.
I’m sure someone must be looking for us.
Don’t lose hope.”
Maddy, the youngest and most delicate, was crying her eyes out.
Suddenly, Maddy’s eyes bulged in terror, staring at something behind Lexi.
“Snake…there’s a snake,” she stammered, turning ghostly pale.
At first, Lexi didn’t take Maddy seriously.
But upon hearing the word ‘snake’, she froze instantly.
“You…you’re kidding, right?
Where did a snake come from?”
God knows her worst fear was snakes.
Solene frowned, but upon seeing it, her hand flew to her mouth, eyes wide with shock.
Lexi glanced at Solene’s reaction.
She was shaking in fear.
This unknown fear was driving her insane.
Until her calf was wrapped in something slimy.
Lexi’s eyes rolled back in her head, and she fainted.
Yet, she didn’t fall down.
Instead, a pair of hands caught her by the waist.
Soon after, a delicate hand effortlessly grabbed the little snake coiled around Lexi’s calf.
The snake writhed between the slender, fair fingers.
Solene stared wide-eyed, her expression changing from shock to astonishment to relief.
“Aubree?
What are you doing here?”
Seeing the snake in Aubree’s hand, she swallowed nervously, taking a step back.
But Aubree was calm the entire time, as if the creature in her hand wasn’t a snake, but a plaything.
Lexi regained consciousness, her eyes opening to find a snake hissing at her face.
She let out a scream, landing with a thump on the ground.
“It’s just a little Silver-ring Snake, not venomous, so don’t be scared.”
A clear, yet gentle voice fell upon their ears, instantly calming their fears.
As much as Lexi hated to admit it, at that moment, Aubree gave her a potent sense of security.
Aubree’s delicate finger groomed the snake’s head, displaying its surprising creature-like intelligence as it coiled around Aubree’s fingers, flicking out its tongue to lick her fingers.
The sight had the girls’ eyes bulging.
Aubree smiled slightly, stroking the snake’s head tenderly.
“They disturbed you, didn’t they?
Allow me to apologize on their behalf.”
As Aubree’s words fell, she placed her finger on the ground.
“Go on.”
The little snake seemed reluctant, once again licking Aubree’s hand.
Its small eyes, it seemed, bore countless unsaid words.
Smiling gently once again, Aubree said, “Go on.”
The little snake rapidly disappeared into the grass.
“We can’t let it go.” Lexi, coming to her senses, threw off her shoes and tossed them in the snake’s direction.
She had been terrified by this little snake and hadn’t had a chance to settle the score.
There was no way she’d let it leave.
There was a slight narrowing of Aubree’s gaze.
She held up a hand, stopping Lexi.
