Chapter 421 Strange Fruit
Xiao Jin walked steadily through the dense vegetation of the island in the moonlight. The night breeze blew gently, bringing with it the salty and wet seawater and the unknown coolness. Her eyes were as sharp as an eagle. Although it was pitch black all around, she took every step carefully and firmly with her years of exploration experience. The night seemed to be her invisible ally, covering her whereabouts and allowing her to focus more on every subtle change around her. However, Xiao Jin knew in her heart that this calmness often hid unknown secrets. Her caution was the deepest respect for the unknown world.
In the quiet center of the island, Xiao Jin's eyes were suddenly attracted by a unique coconut tree. This tree was completely different from the other trees around it that were swaying in the wind and full of greenery. Its bark was an unusual black color, as if it was completely swallowed by the night, forming a sharp contrast with the surrounding environment. Previously, because it was late at night and Xiao Jin was fully focused on the safety of the surroundings, he actually ignored its existence for a while. At this moment, under the faint moonlight, this coconut tree stood there quietly like a silent guardian, exuding an indescribable mysterious atmosphere.
What surprised Xiao Jin even more was that the trunk was covered with intricate and varied lines. These lines were faintly visible under the moonlight, like ancient totems. Upon closer inspection, they actually looked like human faces, angry or smiling, sad or happy, as if recording some ancient and distant story. Such a scene seemed particularly strange in the silent night, and it made people feel cold.
Although Xiao Jin was shocked, she remained calm. She slowly looked around. In the night, everything seemed to be sleeping in the embrace of tranquility, without any strange smell disturbing this rare peace. After confirming that it was safe, she approached the black coconut tree lightly, and every step was like walking on thin ice, for fear of disturbing some unknown existence. The blade in her hand shone coldly in the moonlight. She carefully touched the trunk with the tip of the knife. The slight "thump" sound was particularly clear in this silent night, as if it was a test of the unknown world.
Hmm, what's that smell? Xiao Jin's footsteps gently walked along the winding path of the tropical rainforest. The dampness and fragrance of the soil in the air were quietly interrupted by a sudden strange fragrance. This fragrance was elegant and mysterious, like mint leaves swaying gently in the morning light, with a hint of coolness, penetrating every inch of his skin and refreshing his spirit. In the depths of this dense jungle, every breath seemed to wash away the dust of the soul, and this sudden mint fragrance was more like a surprise specially prepared by nature for him.
However, when this freshness was compared with the lonely and somewhat strange coconut tree not far away, an indescribable sense of disharmony arose spontaneously. The coconut tree, with its thick trunk and lush branches and leaves, exuded an unusual scent, as if hiding some unknown secret. Xiao Jin secretly wondered in his heart, when did the coconut tree have such a unique fragrance? This fragrance was really incompatible with its rough appearance, which made people daydream.
He slowly approached, his eyes searching among the green leaves, like a detective looking for the truth in a complex clue. Time passed by, and the sun shone through the dense canopy, casting mottled light and shadows, adding a bit of mystery to this exploration. Finally, after countless glances, Xiao Jin's sight was fixed on an inconspicuous corner - deep in the huge canopy, the layers of leaves seemed like a curtain of nature, carefully covering a strange fruit.
The fruit was about the size of a fist, with a smooth surface like jade, exuding an attractive luster. Under the weak light, it was even more crystal clear. It hung on the branch, like a pearl lost in the world, quietly telling an unknown story. Xiao Jin's heart moved, he was sure that this was not comparable to ordinary coconuts. Its shape, color, and even the faint mint fragrance were silently telling its uniqueness.
His curiosity and desire to explore were completely ignited. Xiao Jin took a deep breath and mobilized the hidden power in his body. He spread his wings gently, like an elegant eagle, cutting through the air and soaring into the sky. Then he deftly shuttled between the treetops and finally landed steadily next to the strange fruit. Under close observation, every pattern on the fruit looked so unique, as if telling an ancient and distant legend.
Cen Nian's sudden action was like a sudden breeze, gently stirring the originally silent atmosphere, instantly attracting the attention of the other three people. Lu Jing, who was not far away, couldn't help but narrow his deep eyes, sparks of curiosity and excitement flashing in his eyes. He could no longer suppress his inner urge to move, so he simply threw away everything in his hands, stood up, and walked towards Cen Nian with firm and powerful steps, like a lion about to hunt, striding towards him.
"Hey, Cen Nian, what treasure did you find there?" Xiao Jin's voice came from above, with a hint of confusion and ridicule. He lowered his head slightly, his eyes passed over the intricate tree roots, and fell directly on Lu Jing who was squatting and studying something. He muttered to himself, this guy can always find the focus no matter when and where, he is really everywhere.
Cen Nian did not answer directly, but gently tilted her head and motioned them to look in that direction. Lu Jing followed her instructions and saw a few strange fruits emitting faint fluorescence hidden in the gaps between the tree roots. They were shaped like pearls, but with the fullness and roundness unique to fruits, emitting an indescribable temptation.
"A bunch of... strange fruits?" Lu Jing muttered to himself, with a playful smile on his face. His eyes swept across the towering coconut trees with branches as dark as night, and his tone was a bit teasing, "Are you sure that this thing grown from this kind of tree is edible? It can't be the eggs of some unknown creature, right?"
Hearing this, Xiao Jin smiled faintly, showing his helplessness towards Lu Jing's exaggerated imagination and his curiosity towards the unknown. He shook his head slightly, his eyes still fixed on the fruits, his tone was calm but firm, "I only said there were fruits, when did I say they were edible? To explore the unknown, you always need a bit of adventurous spirit.