(Hmm if this world is a partial dream does that mean that if I hit myself against something hard enough the pain will cause my physical body to reawaken?)
Still in denial of his current circumstances Ao Tian Xue continues to think of ways that may allow him to wake up as he roams through forest with caution.
(Hmm this tree looks sturdy enough.)
Just as he is about to put one of his ideas into practice-
"*Sigh* are we lost?"
"Hell if I know..."
(Hm? Two people are talking to one another? So I'm not alone in this dream? Wait... If this is a dream can't I think of all this as a game as well? Are those two basically considered NPCs then?)
Moving towards the two's direction Ao Tian Xue crouches down and keeps himself out of sight. He didn't know who these two are so it goes without saying that he didn't have a clue as to whether they are friendly or not. Out in the wild it is best to not trust strangers as one can only get so far off other's kindness.
"Actually how long have we been walking around?"
"Two hours at least."
As their voices become louder the white fox finds a bush to hide behind and listens in on their conversation.
Physically these two didn't seem older than 16 but in this world looks are as deceiving as they come when a person can be well over 25 despite having a child's body.
The boy looks well-built as he stood with a straightened back and his black eyes expressed vigilance towards his surroundings.
As for the girl she looks to have never held anything heavier than a hairpin in her life and the fabric used to make her robes seems rather premium.
Neither of them possessed beast like traits on their bodies so it is assumed that they are both human unless they used a transformation art to hide their original appearance.
(A boy and a girl in the middle of a forest... This setting is scandalous right from the get go. Am I perhaps witnessing the scene of a high-class family's daughter eloping with a boy of common birth?)
For some reason this thought causes a sense of excitement to well up in Ao Tian Xue's heart as he listens in on their conversation closely.
"Do you think the others may have made a gathering hub?"
"Hmm. If they did they should have started a fire so if we look for smoke we might be able to join up with them."
(Hm?)
Numerous scenarios of different possibilities appear in the white fox's head from the two's casual exchange.
From the content of their conversation it seems like many people are currently roaming about in this forest but without asking this pair directly it would be difficult to know what their objective is.
"I'd rather not join up with a bigger group so soon though."
"Don't want to share the credit? Yeah I understand you completely."
(Credit? Wha-?)
*...!!!!!!* as the lands tremble Ao Tian Xue and the two he is eavesdropping on falls to their knees with a look of shock on their faces.
"A flare?"
"Quick!"
As a bright flare is shot up into the skies the two immediately made a run towards the direction it had come from.
"Hm."
As the twos' back shrinks into the distance Ao Tian Xue pushes himself off the ground in thought.
(Assuming there's danger I would normally avoid following them but if this world is considered a partial dream I should be able to get away with some risks.)
Thinking about his circumstances carefully the white fox eventually decides to head in the direction that flare had been shot from.
He has no intentions to join whatever it is that is happening and will choose to watch from a distance away.
However not long after making his decision to head there-
"...Ugh..."
Attempting to run like normal was a bad idea as he has completely forgotten about the extra bit of fat that is on his body and because of this Ao Tian Xue quickly finds himself drenched in his own sweat from having ran for a mere five minutes.
"Th-Th-This... *Sigh* us fat people got it very tough........."
Leaning against a tree the white fox is already out of breath as his expression made it seem as if he had just finished a hellish marathon.
