Boonie Bears: Another World Fantasy

"Can I turn around now?"

Sharp, with his back to Naling standing on the observation deck, spoke with deep weariness. He had been leaning against the wooden frame for a very long time, so long that his legs were starting to ache.

They still hadn't received a single word from Na Ling.

"That's enough." Her voice was as calm as a stagnant pool.

Sharp turned around and climbed the steps to the platform, immediately seeing her body floating lightly, defying gravity. She wore a lightweight, form-fitting suit, a highly durable material typically used as innerwear for heavy armor, and also a unique form of traditional clothing. The suit was a deep, inky black, adorned with several silver symbols that shimmered faintly in the setting sun.

Sharp's gaze fell on the silver symbols, and a thought struck him. After a long period of understanding this unique people, he immediately recognized that these were deer patterns symbolizing the identity and status of the Deer Clan.

“You look much better.” Sharp’s gaze swept over her, sensing the radiant energy surging from Naling’s body; the powerful aura made him somewhat alarmed. He could feel that Naling’s body was recovering rapidly, and her originally pale cheeks were gradually becoming rosy.

She is undergoing self-treatment.

As the golden light around Na Ling gradually dissipated, she returned to the ground, lightly touching the ground with her toes, landing as lightly as a feather.

When she opened her eyes again, the light in them had vanished, replaced by a deep weariness. Her gaze towards Sharp was no longer cold and indifferent, but filled with a broken sense of powerlessness.

So... this is what you really look like?

He had never imagined that Na Ling, who always wore a mask of indifference, harbored so much pain and vulnerability deep within her heart. And now, these emotions were laid bare before him, making him feel an unprecedented sense of closeness.

Naling stood there quietly, like a solitary statue. Sharp walked over to her and gazed into the distance with her.

"What exactly happened in your past?" At this point, pretending not to know was pointless. Sharp thought it might be much better for her to pour out her past pain all at once.

It's better than having to numb yourself with drugs.

He felt a slight warmth on his lips; it turned out that Na Ling had placed two fingers lightly on his lips.

She shook her head and ran her hand down his lips.

“These traumas have shaped who I am today. I can’t completely heal them, so I can only silently endure them.” She lowered her eyes and tucked a few stray hairs behind her ear. “Forgive me for not being able to tell it like a story.”

"Can I take that as you opening your heart to me?" Seeing Na Ling speak so eloquently for the first time, Sharp leaned comfortably against the railing of the observation deck. The wind blowing from above stirred his long hair, which he hadn't styled in a long time, making him look like a young man full of vigor.

The white clouds on the horizon drift over the low mountains, relentlessly moving towards the skyline.

“I don’t know…” Na Ling gazed at Sharp’s profile for a long time, her heart filled with an indescribable feeling, “Perhaps it’s because I’ve always longed for someone to truly accept me…”

Her inner world was complex and profound, and she always used calmness and rationality to mask her growing feelings for others. However, the torrent of emotions cannot be suppressed forever.

“When I was forced to leave my community, that sense of alienation from one another accompanied me for most of my groping period.” She cleared her throat and gripped the wooden railing of the observation deck with both hands. “I was terrified, so I disguised myself with indifference and irritability.”

"How long have you lived in human society?" Sharp tried to pinpoint the location of Deep City by distinguishing the uneven horizon, but he failed.

"More than ten years... I crawled and struggled like a child, being cheated, looked down upon, and joined some shady underground organizations, committing countless crimes—" Thinking of this, Na Ling recalled the time when she casually took lives for her so-called "sugar daddies." The number of people who died at her hands could be piled up into a hill with their skulls.

Sharp didn't know what to say. Should he say something positive and encouraging to her? But Naling already knew the dark side of this cruel society, and anything he said would be pale and powerless.

“I’ve known you for a while now, so why are you always the one listening to others? What’s your background?” Na Ling’s sudden words brought Sharp back from his reverie, and he realized that she had been staring at him with an expectant look.

Sharp couldn't help but laugh: "I'm just an ordinary person, it's just that... I especially love listening to people tell stories, and I don't have any other hobbies." He scratched his head sheepishly, feeling a little guilty, afraid that she would see right through his unoriginal confession.

Na Ling seemed dissatisfied with the answer, crossing her arms and raising her chin suspiciously: "Just an ordinary person?"

Sharp's heart tightened. Had she noticed something? He forced a smile and said, "Yes, a shut-in and a terminal internet addict."

Na Ling snorted and continued to press, "My sister wouldn't like ordinary people."

Sharp gave a wry smile and said self-deprecatingly, "So, does this mean I'm like a toad trying to eat swan meat?"

"Indeed," she replied without mincing words.

I knew you wouldn't let me off so easily. Sharp feigned a sigh, but secretly observed Naling's reaction.

In Na Ling's eyes, his little schemes were nothing more than the impulsive thoughts that young men and women easily act on impulse, fleeting and superficial.

“Naya is very naive, and anyone who has ever been in contact with her knows that.” She leaned closer to Sharp, exuding a silent intimidation. “She is more vulnerable than anyone else, and I don’t think she’s ready to face this.”

“I’m afraid even you know that you can’t keep her locked up forever. Besides, Naya is more outstanding and stronger than you think.” Sharp looked at Na Ling with sincere eyes, his words full of praise for Naya.

He understood this better than anyone else.

Na Ling silently watched the pretentious man in front of her, then slowly walked behind him, as if to show him that no matter what changes happened to her, there was only one thing that would never change and was non-negotiable.

"At this moment, my only concern is whether she can return safely; nothing else is up for discussion." Na Ling's tone returned to its indifferent tone. After saying this, she left the observation tower alone.

A wave of frustration washed over Sharp, but he was powerless to refute it. Indeed, the older sister in every family shared a similar stubbornness.

"Oh, right, there's one more thing I need to remind you of. It seems that Reporter Zhao has been waiting for you for quite some time." Na Ling's lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile. She glanced back at Sharp, then turned and walked towards the thin figure not far away.

Zhao Lin found herself standing dozens of meters away from here—under the sloping eaves of a small wooden house.

……

"What's wrong, Zhao Lin? Did Na Ling say something to you?" After confirming that Na Ling had completely left, Sharp jogged over to greet her.

Zhao Lin's eyes were slightly red, as if she had just cried hard, with lingering tears still welling up in them. Her gaze was unfocused as she tried hard to control her emotions.

Sharp's heart sank, and a sense of unease gradually rose within him.

Zhao Lin didn't answer, but silently shook her head. Her wandering gaze made her unable to look Sharp in the eye, while simultaneously hinting at something to him.

“White Bear Mountain…” she managed to utter those three words.

“Take her to White Bear Mountain…”