Deceived, Ninth Royal Uncle Can’t Do It

The Lizardman spent the whole night thinking, but still couldn't make up his mind.

Of course he hoped he could return to normal, but...

Even he loathed his own appearance—could people outside really accept him?

The Lizardman was afraid. Afraid that if he walked out, people would treat him as a monster and kill him. He wasn't afraid of death, but if he died without finishing his unfinished sword, he'd die with deep regret. Decades of clinging to life would become a joke.

"It's alright. You can change your mind any time before we leave," Serena Feng didn't pressure the Lizardman. He'd spent too long in the shadows; now, he was afraid of humans.

The Lizardman nodded softly, instinctively dropping to all fours. But as soon as his hands touched the ground, he saw the clean, snow-white bandages wrapped around them. He paused, then immediately stood up.

His legs could still walk, but when feeding, he had to crawl—because it was faster. Over time, he'd gotten used to it, always thinking of the quickest way to move.

He was drifting farther and farther from being human.

A wave of desolation swept through the Lizardman's heart; he wilted completely.

Serena was a doctor, not a saint. She didn't offer comfort—she'd already done enough as a physician. Any more would cross the line, and crossing that line... isn't good for anyone.

The Lizardman led Serena Feng and Ninth Royal Uncle, skirting the bamboo grove and heading up a mountain peak. Though Serena and Ninth Royal Uncle were puzzled, they didn't ask questions.

After spending the day together, Serena and Ninth Royal Uncle realized the Lizardman was simple-minded. Living in his tiny world, his thoughts were childlike and free of malice toward others.

During the day, even with sun-blocking clothes, the Lizardman was still uncomfortable and moved slowly. Serena and Ninth Royal Uncle weren't in a hurry; that night, they camped halfway up the mountain again.

Normally, Serena and Ninth Royal Uncle could cross the mountain in a day, but to accommodate the Lizardman's pace, they deliberately slowed down. It took them three days to get across.

When they descended, it was already dark. Even though they had lights, the batteries were limited, so Serena and Ninth Royal Uncle decided to wait until morning to fetch the sword. But the Lizardman disagreed—he anxiously pointed at the bamboo grove, trying to speak but couldn't find the words. After a while, he managed to say just two: "bamboo" and "sword."

"Bamboo grove and sword? You mean there's danger in the bamboo grove?" Serena guessed the general meaning from the Lizardman's gestures, unsure about the connection.

The Lizardman shook his head, then quickly nodded. Unable to explain, he simply tugged at Serena's sleeve: "Come..."

This time, the Lizardman led Serena straight toward the bamboo grove. Up close, Serena and Ninth Royal Uncle finally saw that the grove wasn't as peaceful as it seemed. Silver threads crisscrossed the bamboo, tangled together like the infrared grids in movies.

Looking up, the bamboo tips were covered in silver threads, forming a giant net that enveloped the grove.

These silver threads were invisible during the day, only visible at night—or in darkness. That was why the Lizardman insisted on coming at night.

During the day, this bamboo grove was a forbidden zone—not just for them, but even for those who set it up. No one dared enter.

The Lizardman stopped outside the grove, carefully pointing at the silver threads but not daring to touch them.

"You can't touch these threads, right?" Serena confirmed the Lizardman's meaning, repeating for safety.

The Lizardman gave a big thumbs-up, then pointed excitedly toward the grove's center. "Sword... inside," he said.

"There's a sword inside—you want us to fetch it, right?" Serena asked again. After the Lizardman confirmed, she turned to Ninth Royal Uncle: "If Xiao Sword Manor really hid a Heaven-Son Sword, it must be in this bamboo grove. This grove is extraordinary."

With a grove this mysterious, anything hidden inside must be remarkable.

"I'll go in myself." If the silver threads couldn't be touched, the path would be very difficult. Neither the Snow Wolf nor the Lizardman could make it—otherwise, the Lizardman wouldn't have stopped outside.

"I'll go with you. I know how to get through obstacles like these." Serena replied. Crossing infrared grids was part of special forces training; while she wasn't formally trained, she'd practiced out of interest and was quite good. Plus, she was young and flexible—getting through the silver threads wouldn't be a problem.

"Alright, just be careful." Ninth Royal Uncle trusted Serena wasn't showing off; if she said she could do it, he believed her.

"Let's change clothes first." Their current outfits had too many long, wide sleeves—completely unsuitable. Too bad they didn't have swimsuit-like material, or that would be ideal.

"Mm." Ninth Royal Uncle had no objections. The two found a hidden spot and changed clothes. The Lizardman and Snow Wolf sat outside the bamboo grove, waiting blankly. When Serena and Ninth Royal Uncle reappeared, both perked up, watching eagerly to see how they'd get through the grove...

Serena smiled and shook her head at the pair. Not wanting to keep them waiting, she warmed up and began threading through the silver threads.

The silver threads were laid out viciously—some spots barely allowed a body to squeeze through, and there was zero margin for error. Serena measured with her hands, then compared Ninth Royal Uncle's height and build, silently sweating.

Sometimes, having a perfect build was actually a drawback.

"You probably can't get through." Even for Serena, who wasn't exactly petite, some gaps were tough—let alone for Ninth Royal Uncle, who was tall and broad-shouldered.

Ninth Royal Uncle glanced inside and nodded calmly. Even if he wanted to prove himself, it was impossible—the silver threads were even denser deeper in, and his build simply wouldn't fit.

Just moments ago, he'd thought he'd have no problem squeezing through. But now, facing the challenge, he realized there was nowhere to even set his foot.

"I'll go in and take a look. If it's too difficult, I'll come back out," Serena added to reassure Ninth Royal Uncle.

Entering the grove, Serena measured the silver threads' spacing, took a deep breath, lifted her right leg through, then stood on tiptoe with her left. She bent her upper body down at a right angle to her waist, trying to squeeze through a gap barely wide enough for half a torso.

Crack... Her bones creaked as she bent to the limit, just barely managing to get her upper body through. Next, she'd have to bring her left leg along.

That was just the first step. Once inside, Serena didn't dare lift her head or turn, because she was surrounded by silver threads on all sides.

What a sadistic setup.

Serena couldn't help cursing fate. In movies, heroes just twist and roll through laser grids—but here, there wasn't even space to put a foot down, much less roll through...