The Dawn of the New World Chapter 1632

Hao Xuan couldn't help but repeat the words in a daze as if trying to recall a memory that had been lost to time.

"A forest with a white scar in the sky where people lived?"

"Un. Do all forests have them?"

"White scars in the sky with people living inside them? Of course not."

But Che Yun wasn't so quick to believe his words.

"Are you sure? Have you even seen a forest?" he asked with narrowed eyes full of doubts.

But Hao Xuan was dumbstruck, "The hell kind of a question is that?? Of course I've seen a forest, who hasn't??"

"I haven't," the boy pointed at himself and then in the direction of the carriages, "I asked some of the guards too and they said the same thing. There are no forests here."

"Well- yeah, I guess..." Hao Xuan admitted his mistake, "That makes sense. I forgot you people have never left this damn wasteland so it's very much possible..."

Che Yun crawled over out of interest, "So have you really seen a forest? What is it like??"

"It's what you think it is. A bunch of trees in one place, there is nothing special about them-"

The boy's face instantly fell and he turned away in disappointment.

"Ohh...okay..."

Hao Xuan sighed inwardly, "-At first glance I mean. If you look from afar then there is nothing special about a forest but the closer you look the more you see."

Che Yun's head swiveled back with glittering eyes, "Really?! Like what??"

"A lot. Like shade for example. The leaves provide cover from sunlight and shade for countless smaller creatures to live in. Some even make the trees their home by burrowing inside them or eating them. It is also much colder there and a lot more enjoyable. It's usually never that quiet in a forest either because so many things live there."

The more Hao Xuan talked the more he got into the topic himself.

"The trees make the soil fertile so all kinds of plants and herbs can grow in them which you can forage for food. Their roots even make the land stronger so it doesn't get washed away during floods-"

"What is a flood?"

"A flood is a..."

Over the next fifteen minutes he answered all of Che Yun's questions in great detail, even going as far as to mention a few examples from his own past.

"Wow! A forest that was alive?!"

"Mhm, it's not as rare as people think."

"That sounds AMAZING!" the boy hopped around in his excitement- probably the first time he had ever acted his age.

But even that was not long-lasting as the truth of his circumstances came crawling back in.

Che Yun quickly settled down and with a deep breath mumbled, "I wish in the next life to see a forest with my own two eyes..."

Hao Xuan flicked him on the forehead, "Why the next life? Is this one over, brat?"

"Oww! Sir~ that hurts!" Che Yun quickly rubbed the spot.

"Then don't say stupid things," Hao Xuan berated, "You were born yesterday and have many years yet to live. Who says you won't see a forest or two?! Maybe even ten or a hundred! Anything is possible as long as you're alive and well so...don't give up hope."

Che Yun certainly wasn't expecting such a response and was taken aback for obvious reasons.

"Do you...really think so?"

"Yes, I do. Trust me, things will be different by the time we get to our destination in the first layer so keep your head down and stop worrying about useless stuff."

He patted the boy on the head and pointed towards the tunnel, "Now do me a favour and go check if things have settled down in there. You are small and light so it won't make as much trouble."

Che Yun jumped to his feet with the helmet in tow, "Yes sir! Leave that to me!" and ran towards the tunnel.

"Put that thing on your head, it's not for show!" Hao Xuan yelled as the boy disappeared into the tunnel.

Then he stood up and walked outwards- to the edge of the array where the flags were placed alongside the outer boundary. With a light tap on the flag a figure suddenly appeared right in front of him.

"You there, slave! Thank the gods, I thought I'd die out here!" the disheveled guard shouted.

The side of Hao Xuan's brow rose, "What are you doing out there?"

The guard pointed to the northern side of the mine, "That thing threw me out!"

Following his line of sight Hao Xuan finally saw the "Dust Devil" that was now bigger than 30 meters.

"What is that?"

"I don't know!" the guard exclaimed, "We went to check it out but somehow ended up on the other side. There were two others with me but something killed them! It was hiding in the sand waiting for us!"

"Ahan, and what do you expect me to do about that?"