Chapter 741 Heart of Darkness

Comparing the musk deer and the troglodytes, Joan also had an association, suspecting that the secretions of the troglodytes have a function similar to "pheromones", which can play a role in attracting the opposite sex during courtship.

If this guess is true, then the stench is likely to be an exclusive characteristic of male troglodytes.

As for the female troglodytes, they may enjoy this smell very much and regard it as a manifestation of male charm, but they cannot secrete this substance themselves.

In order to verify his guess, it was necessary for Joan to find the corpse of a female troglodyte and dissect it to see if there were any foul-smelling glands in her body.

Joan really wanted to do this, but he also found that his companions were covering their noses and avoiding them, waiting for him to finish their work in a bored way so that they could continue their adventure.

After two years of social training, Joan's EQ has improved a lot.

Under the current situation, he is really embarrassed to waste everyone's time and stay in this frightening place where a natural disaster has just happened.

Joan sighed secretly, had to hastily end the research on the lizard man, and buried the half-dissected corpse in the pit.

After performing a "magic trick" to remove the stench from his body, Joan turned and walked towards his companion.

Joan likes these companions who accompany him on adventures, and the companions treat him very well. Even Evelyn, whose origin is unknown, has initially won his trust after sharing joys and sorrows these days.

However, there are always such short moments that he would rather be alone, exploring alone in the vast darkness.

Wherever you want to stay, just stay there.

Study whatever you want to study.

You don't need to care about other people's moods, you don't need to consider other people's eyes, as long as you are happy.

Like a solitary beast.

Time and society together form a melting pot, and people who join in it are easily worn out and become unable to recognize their original appearance.

Joan originally thought that he had been changed by this furnace.

In fact, many times it is he who actively embraces the melting pot, trying to change his eccentricity.

Like an active patient.

On the surface, his efforts were not in vain.

Over the past year, he has made many new friends, his social skills have greatly improved, and he is no longer as out of group as before.

But there are some things that are really difficult to change, such as the loneliness in the bones.

Joan is deeply ashamed of her relapse.

Does that mean he cares more about his right to do what he wants than about compromising for friendship?

In the past two years, he has been working hard to suppress this selfish and surly mentality, because he can't forget his grandfather's advice before he died, and he doesn't want to become a monster who only lives for himself and ignores the lives of others.

It's a pity that this inner struggle is far more difficult and painful than I imagined.

Qiao An is not afraid of the long way to go, but he is afraid of losing his sense of direction and not knowing whether he is on the right path or stepping into a bottomless abyss.

This uncertainty made him deeply disturbed.

"Joan, come here!"

"We've been waiting for you for a long time!"

The calls of the girls were like a ray of sunshine shining into Qiao An's heart, slightly dispelling the pessimistic haze.

A long time ago, Qiao An remembered that her grandfather once said something to her young self, which is still fresh in her memory.

"It's hard to like someone, and it's even harder to learn to love someone."

In the last years of his life, grandpa became more and more withdrawn and almost lost the ability to "love". As for Joan himself, he lacked this ability since he was born.

It is indeed very difficult to regain the mental functions that are lost at birth through acquired learning.

But Joan is willing to work hard in this direction.

In addition to being unwilling to bow to fate, the more important reason is that he does not want to disappoint those who love him.

...

The expedition left the valley where the mining accident occurred and continued to advance towards the central Nida Mountains.

Due to an earthquake that had just occurred, the already rough mountain road became more difficult to pass.

Joan and the others drove for half a day, and they were less than ten miles away from the valley where the mining disaster occurred.

Everyone was exhausted, and the ground lizard was also out of breath. It couldn't move anymore, so it had to find a place near a water source and camp to rest.

After a peaceful night, the expedition continued on the next morning.

Counting from the day they left the base camp of the first district, Joan and their expedition had reached the fourteenth day.

In the first week, they mainly explored in the ancient abyss without much gain.

In the next week, they passed through the umbilical cord and entered the dark dark area. They have explored in the Nida Mountains so far, and they have gained a lot, but they have also been frightened.

Especially after witnessing the disaster in the mine yesterday, although everyone didn't say anything, there was a little bit of a feeling of returning home.

If there is no accident, the last two days of travel are still in the middle of the Nida Mountains, and it is unlikely that there will be any new discoveries.

Everyone's mentality is relatively relaxed now, and they just wait for tomorrow to be sent back to the base camp.

The biological specimens collected and the maps surveyed this week are enough to submit a beautiful internship answer sheet. While earning credits, it shouldn't be a problem to help Audrey win the bet with Arnold.

The adventure trip came to an end, but when everyone had no expectations, Joan and the others made a new discovery that afternoon.

"Look there! There's a flicker of fire, it seems to be a camp!"

Hailar excitedly pointed forward.

Joan followed her pointing and looked. On the meandering underground river and on a flat river beach, four bonfires were lit, and the distance from each other was wide.

How strange!

In general camps, the bonfire is always set in the center. Joan has never seen the distribution pattern of the campfire before him.

Evelyn looked at the campfire, her face changed slightly.

"That looks like a dwarf camp, we'd better not go there..."

However, it was too late for her to say this, Hailaer, who was overly curious, had already rushed over.

"We don't have any grievances with the dwarves, so it doesn't matter if we go and have a look."

Holden comforted the sorceress with a smile, took her hand, and walked towards the campfire.

Evelyn was very reluctant, but she couldn't find a strong reason to prevent her companion from visiting the dwarven camp, so she had to bite the bullet and follow.

Joan and Audrey looked at each other, and both urged the ground lizard to run towards the dwarf camp.

After a while, everyone came to the riverside.

When I looked closer, I found a super big tent built between the four bonfires in the east, west, north and south!

"Wow! What's going on?"

"Could it be that there is also a circus tour in the Underdark?"

Joan stepped forward to take a look, no wonder Hailar and Holden shouted excitedly.

The huge tent propped up in the middle of the camp, and the laughter behind the curtains of the tent, do conjure up images of a touring circus.

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