One-Eyed Monster

Igor’s reminder made Kadi realize that, along with them, they also had a Spirit Book on this journey.

Most of the time, this Spirit Book was asleep. On the rare occasions it awoke, Igor often tormented it until it was utterly discombobulated. At this moment, Igor thought of the Spirit Book again, and who knew what devilish idea he had come up with to torture this pitiful Spirit Book.

Kadi felt deep sympathy for the Spirit Book.

However, their confusion needed resolving. Other than waking the Spirit Book for questioning, Kadi couldn’t think of a better solution. After all, thinking was too much trouble for him; he preferred to just listen. Therefore, despite his sympathy for the Spirit Book, he didn’t object.

Previous experiences had made Igor thoroughly familiar with the Spirit Book. So, he didn’t bother being polite this time and directly pulled the poor Spirit Book out of the only bag he carried.

SMACK— Igor threw the Spirit Book onto the ground. The heavy impact clearly startled the Spirit Book awake from its deep slumber.

”OWW, OWW,” the Spirit Book began to groan, ”as if Igor’s toss had dislocated all its bones—even though, strictly speaking, it didn’t have any.”

”Stop groaning! If it hurts so much, why were you sleeping so soundly earlier?” Igor had no patience for the Spirit Book now.

”Master... Master, what... what command do you have for this humble one?” The Spirit Book, having faced several great calamities, had learned to be obedient. Especially when it saw the recently extinguished fire nearby, it hardly dared to breathe, transforming into a perfectly obedient servant.

”Commands are too strong a word. There are just some questions we need your help to answer. We hope you can help us unravel these mysteries.” Though Igor’s actions weren’t friendly, his words were still polite, which left the Spirit Book feeling incredibly flattered.

”You can rest assured, Master. Whatever I know, I will exert myself to the utmost. I absolutely will not disappoint your expectations.” The Spirit Book seemed genuinely touched.

Even Kadi was moved...

”Alright, you ask it.” Igor waved at Kadi, gesturing for Kadi to ask whatever questions he had.

”Huh?” Igor’s gesture thoroughly confused Kadi. What was going on? Why was it his turn to ask questions? What should he ask? Kadi was completely bewildered and didn’t know what to do.

”Just voice your doubts,” Igor continued to press him. He was so insistent because he desperately wanted to prove to Kadi that his method of judging time by appetite was correct.

Unfortunately, Kadi wasn’t one to rack his brains. He stared at the Spirit Book, unable to utter a word, just standing there blankly.

”AHEM,” the Spirit Book began, a little awkwardly, ”could you please say what you want to know?” It had hoped to seize this chance to impress Igor, but it had encountered such a reticent person. Not a word came out for the longest time. Anyone else would have been jumping up and down with impatience by now.

”AHEM, are you perhaps wondering why the sky is blue?” the Spirit Book continued to prompt Kadi, its tone laced with its usual disdain and arrogance.

Igor, meanwhile, was quite relaxed. He lay flat on the ground, head pillowed on his arms, legs crossed, gazing up at the blue sky and lost in his own thoughts. He completely ignored Kadi and the Spirit Book.

It seemed Igor was giving Kadi and the Spirit Book a chance to converse privately.

”Well, say something! What is it you want to know? I am a creation of the great Lord Soron; I know everything! Answering your petty concerns is a triviality for me.” The Spirit Book sounded rather impatient.

”I, I...” Kadi stammered. Indeed, racking his brains was just too exhausting for him.

”I just want to know how we can successfully cross Moonflow Stream!” After struggling for a long time, Kadi finally blurted out. His voice was thunderous, like a clap of thunder on a clear day.

This thunderclap made Igor bolt upright and also made the Spirit Book snap its chattering mouth shut.

”Huh? Why are you asking that? Why do you want to cross Moonflow Stream?” Igor was very surprised by Kadi’s question.

”Because crossing Moonflow Stream will lead us to Guru Guru, the Monster Chief of Guru Mountain,” Kadi answered honestly, holding nothing back.

”Monster Chief? Guru Guru?” Igor’s tone was filled with anticipation.

”Yes.”

”Then do you know how to cross this Moonflow Stream?” Igor asked the Spirit Book directly.

”M-Master, this... this humble one truly doesn’t know. I’m just a Travelogue, not a map!” The Spirit Book sounded aggrieved. It couldn’t reveal the embarrassing fact that it was clueless, so it continued, trying to explain, ”A travelogue might contain some geographical details, but it isn’t a professional map! It can’t definitively answer Kadi’s question.”

”Hmph, your answer is as I expected, so I won’t hold it against you. Now, let me ask you, is there something on Guru Mountain that causes people to continuously lose track of time?” Igor said to the Spirit Book.

The Spirit Book was reeling internally. One thorny question had just passed, and now another had arrived. Compared to the previous one, this question seemed even more outlandish.

”L-lose track of time...?” The Spirit Book sounded as if it had never heard of such a thing and truly had no idea how to respond.

If I admit I don’t know, my master will surely abandon me! That would be terrible! I absolutely don’t want to experience that!

”Hmm? You don’t know this either?”

”I...” The Spirit Book was at its wit’s end, on the verge of exploding.

However, the Spirit Book’s hesitation brought Kadi considerable relief. Clearly, the Spirit Book doesn’t know about this ’losing time’ business either. This further confirmed Kadi’s suspicion that Igor had just been delirious from hunger and talking nonsense.

To completely dispel Igor’s notion, Kadi decided to use his brain for once, ask a few questions, and snap Igor out of his wild imaginings.

”So, you can remember how long you’ve been asleep each time, can’t you?” Kadi, having racked his brain, immediately asked the Spirit Book.

”Naturally! I’m an expert at that. I remember every single day I’m asleep.” The Spirit Book was saved by Kadi’s question, seeing another opportunity to impress its master.

”Then...” Kadi counted on his fingers, then asked, ”tell me, including today, how many days and nights have passed since you came out of the icy lake?”

”That’s easy! Including today, it’s been exactly five days and five nights, no more, no less,” the Spirit Book blurted out without a moment’s hesitation.

Then, Kadi, his face a mask of utter disbelief, froze again, stiff as a wooden plank.

This was unbelievable!