Little Forget-Me-Not heard Tao Yao's question and a trace of confusion flashed in her eyes.
She lowered her head, her small hands tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, seemingly trying hard to remember something.
After a few seconds, she lifted her head and her voice trembled a bit:
"I... I remember there was a basement, and at that time many people were hiding there; it was a very safe and secluded place."
Tao Yao gently nodded, urging Forget-Me-Not to continue.
"The entrance to the basement is in the eastern wing of the fortress," Little Forget-Me-Not continued, "but the path is complex, with lots of forks and secret doors. It's easy to get lost for those who are unfamiliar."
Hiyakura frowned, "That doesn't sound good. How can we ensure we won't get lost in that maze-like basement? If it were me, I might be drawn to something and then get lost and go in circles..."
Hiyakura had a very obvious flaw.
During previous adventures, she often instinctively found herself in strange places.
Even with a map, she always ended up taking detours.
"Don't worry."
Tao Yao knew that the game protagonists all had such traits, commonly referred to as exploring the map, and said with a smile, "We have the best guide."
With that, she gently patted Little Forget-Me-Not's shoulder.
"Can you take us there, Little Forget-Me-Not?"
Forget-Me-Not nodded and responded firmly:
"I can. To find my mother, I will do my best."
Then, the three of them began moving towards the eastern wing of the fortress.
Along the way, they had to carefully avoid the wandering Disaster Beasts and some dangerous traps.
Little Forget-Me-Not walked in front; although her steps were small, they were exceptionally firm.
As they delved deeper into the fortress, the surrounding environment became increasingly eerie and frightening.
The walls were covered with thick moss, and a damp, decayed scent permeated the air.
Occasionally, strange sounds echoed from afar, sending chills down their spines.
Eventually, they arrived at a seemingly ordinary stone door.
Little Forget-Me-Not stopped, pointed at the door, and said, "It's here."
Tao Yao carefully inspected the stone door and discovered some strange symbols engraved on it.
She gently traced the symbols with her fingers, her eyes flashing with surprise, "Is this... some kind of door lock mechanism? It seems your mother really knew how to protect herself."
Little Forget-Me-Not nodded, "My mother always said that in this world, we must learn to protect ourselves."
Hiyakura stepped forward, "So, how do we open this door?"
Little Forget-Me-Not took a deep breath and walked to the door.
She extended her small hand and gently touched the symbols on the door.
As she touched them, the symbols began to emit a faint glow.
"Yes, this really does need a password."
Little Forget-Me-Not said, her voice filled with a hint of pride, "Sisters, I need some time..."
As Little Forget-Me-Not continued her movements, the glow of the symbols grew brighter.
Finally, accompanied by a faint "click" sound, the stone door slowly opened.
The three carefully stepped into the basement.
The room was dimly lit, and an unusual atmosphere pervaded the air.
Tao Yao lightly waved her hand, summoning some glowing petals to illuminate the surroundings.
However, the sight before them made everyone gasp in horror.
Lying haphazardly throughout the basement were numerous bodies.
There were men and women, old and young, and without exception, all had expressions of agony, as if they had experienced immense torture before their deaths.
The bloodstained walls and floors, scattered weapons and broken armor silently told the story of the fierce battles that had taken place here.
The heavy scent of blood filled the air, making one almost nauseous.
Upon seeing this scene, Little Forget-Me-Not was completely stunned.
Her small face instantly turned pale, her eyes filled with fear and disbelief.
"No... it's impossible..."
She murmured, her voice trembling violently, "This place... it should have been safe..."
Tao Yao quickly stepped forward, hugging Little Forget-Me-Not close and gently stroking her back.
"Don't look, don't look..."
Hiyakura tightened her grip on her large sword, looking around cautiously.
"We're too late; this place has already fallen..."
Little Forget-Me-Not suddenly broke free from Tao Yao's embrace and stumbled towards the bodies.
She began frantically searching, calling out:
"Mom! Mom! Where are you?"
Tao Yao and Hiyakura exchanged glances and began to help search.
They carefully examined each body, hoping to find any trace of Little Forget-Me-Not's mother.
Fortunately amidst misfortune.
After a thorough search, they did not find any sign of Little Forget-Me-Not's mother among the bodies.
Even so, Little Forget-Me-Not sat on the ground, tears finally streaming down her cheeks.
She sobbed, "Mom... Mom isn't here... but... but these are all the sisters and aunties who used to take care of me, they all..."
Tao Yao knelt down, gently wiping away Little Forget-Me-Not's tears with an incredibly gentle tone, saying: "Well, at least your mother isn't here; that's good news. This means she most likely managed to escape."
Hiyakura also came over, uncharacteristically showing a gentle expression.
"Yes, your mother must have found a safe place; we need to hurry and find her."
Little Forget-Me-Not lifted her head, a trace of hope flashing in her eyes.
"The monsters are so terrifying; is mom really okay?"
Tao Yao nodded:
"Of course. However, we need to keep searching."
She paused for a moment, then asked, "Little Forget-Me-Not, besides here, where else could your mother be? Think carefully, is there any special place?"
Little Forget-Me-Not furrowed her small brows, deep in thought.
Her gaze drifted, as if she were trying to recall something.
Suddenly, her eyes lit up.
"I remembered!"
She said excitedly, "When the snowfield fortress fell, my mom hid me in a special place. It was where we used to play hide and seek often. If that place is still safe, my mom is very likely hiding there!"
Tao Yao and Hiyakura exchanged a glance, both flashing a glimmer of hope.
"Great," Tao Yao said, "So where is that place?"
Little Forget-Me-Not stood up, drying her tears: "Follow me. That place is at the top of the fortress, there's a hidden attic. We need to pass through a few secret passages to reach it."
The three left the eerie basement and began their ascent to the top of the fortress.
Along the way, they had to face various obstacles: narrow dark passages, shaky stairs, and the occasional appearance of strange Disaster Beasts.
Little Forget-Me-Not displayed courage and wisdom beyond her years.
Successfully leading Tao Yao and Hiyakura, she avoided most dangers.
Finally, after a difficult climb, they arrived at the top of the fortress.
Little Forget-Me-Not pointed at a seemingly ordinary wall and said:
"It's here."
She gently pushed a stone on the wall, and the wall suddenly recessed inward, revealing a hidden entrance.
The three held their breath and carefully walked inside.
The attic was unexpectedly spacious.
But it was covered in dust and cobwebs, clearly having not been visited for a long time.
Just then, they heard a faint voice coming from the depths of the attic:
"Who... who is there?"