The collapsed rubble completely sealed the sewer entrance. Several more tremors rumbled from above—but thankfully, the ground held firm against the aftershocks.
This city’s sewer system was surprisingly spacious. The ceiling alone stood about three meters high, strikingly reminiscent of sewer levels in certain video games.
That was why they’d descended one by one earlier. After all, no one knew what lurked below—and a three-meter drop wasn’t exactly safe to jump blindly.
But just now, Xia Xinyan had no time to climb down carefully. Not unless she wanted to be buried alive.
She leaped just as Ling Mo reached the halfway point of his descent.
And so… their current position was *predictably* awkward—
Ling Mo lay sprawled on the ground in a starfish pose. Xia Xinyan straddled his waist, palms lightly braced against his chest. Her head tilted down slightly to meet his gaze, long hair cascading over her shoulders, strands gently brushing his cheek with a faint tickle.
—If you ignored the sewage-strewn floor and Ling Mo’s near-paralyzed state, the scene would’ve looked straight out of a romantic anime’s meet-cute opener.
Yeah. Ling Mo had broken bones.
As the human cushion beneath her, he’d absorbed far more impact than Xia Xinyan. Even with garbage softening the fall, the collision caught him completely off guard—zero defensive reflexes. From barely a meter up, the damage was a solid critical hit.
His racing heartbeat? He couldn’t tell if it was from locking eyes with Xia Xinyan… or from nearly blacking out.
Still… no matter how he looked at it… she was *really* beautiful. Xia Xinyan.
“Mo Mo… are you okay?” Her voice drifted like a distant echo, slowly sharpening his hazy consciousness.
He saw the deep worry etched across her face.
In that fleeting gaze, those few tender words—Ling Mo felt the fall was worth it.
He’d always been easy to satisfy.
“I’m… fine,” he gasped after several shaky breaths, forcing the words through the pain. “Go on… don’t wait for me.”
He couldn’t walk. Couldn’t even sit up.
No point dragging them down. Once they left… he’d just trigger a game-over.
Seriously though—this game’s pain settings *hurt*.
“Lao Ling, you…” Fatty shook his head helplessly. “Forget it. We’ll remember your sacrifice. Rest easy, Lao Ling.”
“We’re leaving,” Murong Yue urged. “We’ll run out of time if we linger.”
Xia Xinyan fell silent a moment, then murmured, “You two go ahead. Mo Mo and I will catch up.”
“Go ahead?” Murong Yue’s brow furrowed slightly. “No way. We don’t even have a map—which way do we go?”
“This way,” Xia Xinyan pointed. “First left at the intersection, then straight ahead.”
Murong Yue opened her mouth to protest, but Fatty stepped between them, shooting her a meaningful look. “Let’s go.”
She hesitated, then followed.
Not far ahead, she leaned close to Fatty and whispered, “Slow down. What if she ditches us to go solo?”
“Why would she?” Fatty shot her a sidelong glance. “Rewards aren’t higher alone. Can’t you read the room? They’re a couple having a ‘life-or-death’ moment—let them have two seconds alone.”
“Tch… It’s just a game.”
“Maybe *they* don’t think so.”
Murong Yue fell silent.
Meanwhile, Xia Xinyan remained seated on Ling Mo, lost in thought.
Noticing the others were out of earshot, Ling Mo rasped weakly, “Xinyan… go. Don’t stay for me…”
“Wait.” Her hand rose gently to cover his lips. “I have a way… to heal you.”
She hadn’t forgotten—her succubus ability included a healing skill.
Problem was, she had zero idea how to use it.
Normally, activating an ability granted basic mental instructions—like a driving student who’d just passed the written test but hadn’t touched the pedals.
Xia Xinyan didn’t even know which pedal was the accelerator.
Her knowledge of healing? Total blank.
Absurd.
—Unless it was a bug. After all, this succubus power came from a third-party system.
Tianji: “Host, please refrain from such thoughts. They disrupt system-host harmony.”
*Cut the crap. How do I heal him?*
Tianji: “Host… haven’t you read *any* succubus lore?”
*…*
A chill of foreboding crept up her spine.
Tianji: “Healing is an innate succubus trait. Bodily fluids—saliva, all liquids—possess restorative properties. Simply administer to the injured.”
Tianji’s words silently confirmed her dread.
She pushed back anyway: *Stop talking in riddles. Speak plainly.*
Tianji: “…A lady shouldn’t speak so coarsely.”
Tianji: “Feed him your fluids. That is all.”
*…*
Confirmed.
*Very* succubus-coded.
*Is there another way?*
Tianji: “No. It is a passive trait—hence no explicit tutorial.”
Xia Xinyan went quiet.
Ling Mo watched her, then tentatively whispered, “Xinyan?”
She pressed her lips together.
Blood first came to mind—but what if her healing was weak? She might drain herself *and* fail to heal him. Risky. Plus, infection in this filth? A lose-lose.
Saliva next…
…Kind of gross.
How would he even accept it? *Ptooey?*
She’d scar him for life.
Which left only… a tongue kiss.
…Unacceptable.
Their last kiss was just a peck—and she’d felt cheated. *Now* this?
Just let him die here. Carry his share forward…
No. Then the dungeon run was wasted. Zero points.
*Did she really have to do this?!*
Why no resistance? Why was her only complaint feeling *shortchanged*?!
Shouldn’t she feel… something?!
Had she really been assimilated by this body?!
And why did realizing that stir *nothing*?! This was serious!
Tianji: “Isn’t this good news?”
*Shut up!*
Teeth clenched, frustration hardened into resolve. In one swift motion, she leaned down—and pressed her lips to his.
Silence swallowed the sewer.
