As Hei Long stepped out of the cave, the oppressive heat of the battle gave way to a sudden burst of cool forest air.
Sunlight filtered down through the dense canopy above, golden beams slicing through the misty undergrowth and illuminating the blood and soot sared across his tattered robes.
"..." Hei Long paused for a mont at the cave’s entrance, tilting his head upward as the light hit his face.
He could feel the residual sting in his ridians, the faint pulse of the monster core tucked safely within his robe, and the heaviness in his limbs from pushing himself to the brink.
But more than anything—he felt satisfied.
Then his expression shifted, eyes narrowing with a calculating glint.
’It’s ti,’ Hei Long thought to himself:
’Now that the protagonist is distracted sowhere else... Ji Yao should be in danger right about now.’
A small knowing smirk curled across Hei Long’s lips:
’Which ans... I’ll be the one to rescue her.’
The gears turned swiftly in his head.
Hei Long couldn’t help but chuckle:
"That was the problem with chosen ones: they were too predictable. Always reacting to the world as if it revolved around them, never realizing how easily it could be spun out from under their feet."
Hei Long’s smirk widened, though he winced slightly as pain rippled through his body.
He took a deep breath, allowing his Qi to circulate just enough to stabilize.
His internal flow was ragged, but workable.
A few minutes of stillness beneath the trees granted Hei Long the clarity he needed:
’If I rescue Ji Yao... If I steal a critical turning point ant for Lin Fan, right out from under his feet... That should tilt the scales.’
After all, Ji Yao wasn’t just another a simple heroine.
She was one of the pivotal characters in the story—soone tied deeply to Lin Fan’s growth, his relationships, his future power-ups.
If she felt indebted to Hei Long instead...
Hei Long adjusted himself, exhaled slowly, and began to move.
His steps were deliberate but not rushed.
He didn’t need to sprint.
Timing was everything—and Hei Long had a perfect sense of when and where to appear.
.
.
.
Ji Yao stood knee-deep in the river’s cold embrace, the water rippling quietly around her legs.
But beneath the deceptively calm surface, the scene was far from peaceful.
The water was stained dark—blood swirling and bleeding into the current, a stark contrast against the river’s usual crystalline clarity.
Despite the pain coursing through her battered body, Ji Yao’s expression remained unreadable—calm, stoic, almost hollow.
Her gaze was fixed unblinkingly on the monster before her.
The mizunaga serpent.
A terrifying leviathan that defied natural laws.
Its body was long and sinuous, serpentine and supple like an eel.
Each scale shimred with an ethereal glow—colors shifting from jade green to iridescent dark pearl, glinting in the filtered sunlight.
What stood out was the mizunaga serpent’s neck—unrealistically long, stretching three to four tis the length of its already massive body.
This was no oceanic beast, no deep-sea monster born from the abyss.
This was a creature of the river, an ancient predator adapted perfectly to its domain.
And Ji Yao had severely underestimated it.
She had thought the mizunaga serpent a lesser threat, more bluff than bite.
But standing here now, ankle-deep in its territory and surrounded by bloodied water, she knew better.
She was caught in a deadly predicant.
The mizunaga serpent’s body coiled above the water, each movent deliberate and poised to strike.
It’s long neck slowly arced upward, the glimring scales parting the water as it prepared to lash out.
Ji Yao’s breathing was steady, but her mind raced.
She could feel the sting of her injuries in every joint, the dull ache of fatigue gnawing at her resolve.
The river around her felt like a cage, its cold current both enemy and ally—slowing her down, but also masking her movents.
Ji Yao moved to step back—
However—
Her foot slipped on a jagged stone beneath the surface, and before she could correct herself, she stumbled.
Water splashed violently as she fell backward, arms flailing in rare, uncharacteristic panic.
Her body hit the cold river with a splash, subrging her completely for a mont.
When Ji Yao surfaced, gasping, her once composed face was no longer expressionless. Her usual calm had cracked.
For the first ti in her life—
Ji Yao felt sothing she had never allowed herself to feel...
Fear.
Her wide eyes darted toward the surface ahead.
The mizunaga serpent had sensed her vulnerability—it was already moving, sleek body cutting through the water, its long neck coiling back like a drawn bow.
Its gaping maw opened.
Rows of needle-like teeth glistened with saliva.
Ji Yao’s heart pounded:
’This is it.’
She couldn’t move.
Couldn’t raise her arm.
Couldn’t even scream.
Instinctively, Ji Yao clenched her eyes shut.
She didn’t want to see it.
She didn’t want to watch her death co for her.
But—
Instead of the grotesque grumble of the mizunaga serpent’s lunge...
Ji Yao heard crackling.
A sharp, electric hiss.
And then—a voice.
"Are you okay?"
Ji Yao’s eyes shot open.
Hovering above her, a figure stood protectively between her and the monster, lightning dancing across his arm.
She blinked, vision still blurred by disbelief:
"Hei Long...?"
"Hello," he said with a raised brow:
"We et again, Saintess."
Ji Yao’s mouth parted slightly, stunned.
"You..." she breathed, her voice shaky and hoarse.
Before she could say more—
Hei Long knelt beside her, his arms scooping under her with deliberate gentleness.
She stiffened for a mont, but he ignored the tension and lifted her clean out of the water into a princess carry.
"I hope you don’t mind my touch," Hei Long said, a playful edge in his tone:
"But right now, let’s get you out of here, yeah?"
Ji Yao didn’t answer with words.
Her cheeks were slightly flushed, her gaze flickering away. With a barely noticeable nod, she allowed herself to lean slightly into his chest.
[Ding! Ji Yao’s Love ter has changed: Indifferent → Friendship]
[Stealing an opportunity. Fate Points for the Protagonist: -1000. Remaining: 7700]
Hei Long began walking carefully.
There was no need to worry about the monster—it had already fled, unable to withstand electricity.
Ji Yao’s wet robes clung tightly to her skin...
The fine fabric had turned nearly transparent, and though she made no move to adjust it—likely too dazed to notice—
Hei Long’s gaze dipped briefly.
His face didn’t change, but a silent thought passed through his mind:
’Black bra, huh?’
[Seeing a heroine’s underwear. Fate points for the Protagonist: -50. Remaining: 7650]
Reviews
All reviews (0)