“Die…”

Little Loli gripped a scarlet longsword, a blood-red aura coiling around the blade like mist at dawn. Her head hung low, crimson hair streaming behind her like wind-blown fire.

The mutant bear felt that crushing dread return, a storm pressing on its chest. Every nerve screamed one word into its skull: run—run far from this human.

Too late. Little Loli lifted her head a fraction, voice a broken lullaby. “Die… all must die…”

The bear went mad with terror, wanting to whirl and bolt like a stag through snow. It couldn’t. Her presence pressed down like a mountain, pinning it in place.

Xiao Qianxue moved. She stepped forward, step by step, like winter creeping over a field. Abyssal eyes stared into the beast’s panic, and her lips curved in a cruel, playful arc.

The sword rose, slow as the moon lifting from the horizon.

Swish.

The bear’s head thumped to the earth, and blood sprayed across Little Loli like rain on silk. She didn’t flinch. The crimson blade turned glass-clear, its aura thinning like fog at sunrise. Her endless, abyss-dark eyes lightened. Her blood-red hair faded, strand by strand, into gold, like dusk smoothing into morning.

Soon, back to herself, Little Loli buckled and fell. Battle had chewed her clothes into tatters, pale skin peeking like moonlight through torn clouds. Golden hair draped over her, and the smear of blood on her body made her look fragile as a fawn in frost.

“So… sore…” Lin Fan’s consciousness crawled back, pain beating at his mind like drum taps. Then the thought struck—there was still a bear—and panic snapped his eyes open. The sky had a mellow gold, like late afternoon honey. When did it get this far?

He forced himself upright on aching arms, breath ragged. He scanned the area. A headless bear lay not far away, its bulk sagging like a felled boulder. It’s dead… then…

He searched, heart clawing at his ribs. He found her—Little Loli—lying motionless beyond the corpse.

“Damn it…” Fear churned in him like a storm tide. He hauled his heavy body forward with both hands, dragging himself across the ground inch by inch. Sweat trickled like warm rain. Please, let nothing be wrong…

He reached her. One arm wrapped her slight body, the other pressed over her nose and lips.

“Good… there’s breath.” Relief flowed through him like spring water. He pulled her closer, the girl he had to protect. Her golden hair brushed his cheek, bright even with dust, like sunlight through leaves. A light, clean fragrance drifted into his lungs, easing the knots in his nerves.

Her face was a polished jewel, delicate and exact. Her lips were pink and slightly pouted, teasing an urge he shoved down. A girl’s body… it’s really this soft.

If I could just lie here forever… not bad at all. The thought slid in with a wicked curl. Then reality yanked him back by the collar. Night’s coming. We don’t even have shelter yet. And I’m over here daydreaming?

He let her go and leaned against a tree, bark rough against his back.

I’ll use my ability first. He raised a hand, palm up. Green light pooled there, like sap catching sunlight. Such a cute girl… and a power that brutal.

He glanced at the unconscious Little Loli, then pressed the green glow to his own chest. Mmm… Warmth spread through him like a brook in summer, and pain loosened its grip.

Good thing the forest’s power has a healing mode. Otherwise I’d be bed-ridden for days. He flexed, body nearly mended. Alright. Find a place to get through the night.

“Mm… where am I?” Little Loli woke to shadowed stone, a cave not small, not large. The ceiling’s bumps and ridges confirmed it. Pain tore through her like clawed wind. She couldn’t stand.

“You’re awake?” A familiar voice carried a gentle heat, like embers.

“You… didn’t die?” She recognized him and asked, breath trembling.

“Of course. In the end, you killed the bear. I didn’t see how, though.” Lin Fan lifted his hands and shrugged, a half-smile like sunlight through cloud.

“I killed it? I don’t remember… Did you see how I fought it at first?” Panic flickered. She tried to sit, wanting to look him in the eye. Pain pinned her like stone.

Lin Fan rose from the campfire’s glow and walked over. Their gazes met, and his pupils widened, surprise flashing like lightning. He masked it fast, but she caught it.

He crouched beside her. Green radiance bloomed between his hands, like dew-lit moss. He placed them gently on her chest.

“Ah! You… you perv…” The light mesmerized her for a beat. Then his bold touch stunned her like cold water. She couldn’t fight back; her body refused.

Comfort rolled out from her chest, a ripple soothing every limb. Wounds knit like torn cloth mending under skilled fingers. She turned, eyes fixing on Lin Fan. He was fully focused, breath steady. He noticed her gaze, turned his face toward hers, and gave a warm, summer smile.

“Tch. Pervert…” Her mouth said it, but her cheeks flushed, cherry-bright. She turned away, and his grin deepened. Not much there… but still pretty soft.

The light faded from his palms. “I healed the worst of it,” he said, tone steady as stone. “But moving will still be hard. My ability can’t finish the job.”

He took a breath. “I know about your transformation. In exchange, I’ll tell you about mine.”

She tried to sit again, uneasy as a bird. A not-so-large hand slid to her slender waist, soft as silk, and lifted her slowly. Her face went red like sunset spilling across clouds. She tucked her head against her knees, arms hugging tight. “Uu… I’ll never get married now…”

Lin Fan’s hand fell to her crown, stroking golden strands as soft as wheat.

She raised her face from her legs, eyes wet and round, stars floating there. “You won’t tell anyone… about my power, right?”

“I won’t. I swear.” He closed his eyes and pressed a hand to his chest, sincerity like a straight road. “One more thing, beauty. What’s your name?”

“I… I’m Xiao Qianxue. And you scumbag, don’t you know manners? Asking a girl’s name like that!”

Her voice had softened; the memory of him risking his life shifted something inside her.

“Is there a stream nearby? I want to bathe.” Her cheeks tinged pink, dawn touching snow.

“Oh, right. Left turn outside the cave, a short walk. The stream’s clean.” Lin Fan smiled at her blush, mirth bubbling like spring.

“What are you laughing at, you perv?” She forced herself up, anger puffed like a kitten bristling. It only made her cuter.

Pfft. He almost laughed. Her fist tapped his stomach—no real force, like a leaf landing.

“Xiaoxue, quit it. Go wash up. I’ll head out and find food. When you get back, there’ll be dinner.” He walked out with a fox’s grin.

Watching his retreating back, Little Loli stamped her foot, heat flaring. “That damned perv…”