Sigh, that monster was fairly ferocious.
Stabbing the body of the level-eight Thunder Eagle, I made sure that it was dead before stashing it away into my interspatial bag.
I wonder how many points have been granted to me?
Pulling out the enchanted tablet, I read my score.
<Seventeen hundred and forty-five points.>
Hmm, not bad.
I'm sure this score would be relatively competitive with whatever number Zhu Na Ran has. Knowing her, she indeed would've gained a decent amount of points by now based on her treasure-hungry ways.
Hah, that girl.
What am I going to do with her?
Venturing further into the forest, I noticed that the sky was beginning to turn a deeper shade of violet. It looks like I should find some shelter soon before it becomes too dark.
However, before I could progress further, a pair of hands covered my eyes.
"Hehe, guess who~." A teasing voice giggled from behind.
A-Ran?
The hands released me as I pulled down and turned to their owners.
"Zhu Na Ran?" Were my eyes deceiving me? Why is Zhu Na Ran here?
And how come I didn't sense her arrival at all?
Looking at the young girl up and down, I could barely see a single scratch on her.
Odd.
I would've figured by now that she'd be a bit more scuffed-looking considering her behavior. Nevertheless, it was good to see her in one piece considering she was unsupervised for the past few days.
"W-what are you doing here?
I thought that you were going to catch as many beasts as possible to defeat me?" Could it be that she was forfeiting her right to my favor?
"Ah, haha about that" — Zhu Na Ran fiddled with her fingers nervously — "I haven't found anything good, so I decided to tag along with you!
Isn't that great?"
Hah… this girl.
"So, you're really going to forfeit your right to our bet so soon?"
"Our bet?" Zhu Na Ran cocked her head to the side, a confused expression written all over her face.
"Ahh…" A blank and clueless look covered her face as she scratched her head. "And that is…."
Goodness.
Shaking my head, I couldn't help but let a weak smile leak out. "You've completely forgotten, haven't you?"
"A-hehe, you know me too well, Ye Lian Hua." Zhu Na Ran giggled as she hugged my arm. "Always so forgetful, hehe.
But you'll remind me if there's anything important that I need to remember, right?"
"W-what did you call me?" This was the first time Zhu Na Ran has called me by my full name. She usually referred to me as Senior Sister or Lian Lian on rare and embarrassing occasions.
"Hmm?" Zhu Na Ran hummed in question. "Ye Lian Hua?
Isn't that your name?"
"Y-yes, of course, it is."
"So… what's wrong with me calling you that?
D-do you not like it?" Zhu Na Ran let go of my arm as she seemed to act oddly disappointed.
"N-no, that's not what I meant." I tried to comfort the sad puppy, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was… strange.
No, what am I saying?
This was Zhu Na Ran, my junior sister. I'm sure that she has a list full of nicknames that she wished to call me by just for the sake of teasing me.
Certainly, this is one of her other silly tricks.
Plus, I haven't seen her in sometime after I moved out, so seeing her again was quite refreshing.
Patting the head of the disheartened girl, I tried my best to comfort her. "I was just surprised, that's all.
If you wish to call me that, then so be it. You may refer to me however you wish."
A smile bloomed on Zhu Na Ran's face as she laughed, "Thank you, Ye Lian Hua.
Hehe, I'll keep referring to you like that from now on." Jumping back into her usual cheer, she clung back onto my arm like a baby monkey.
"A-alright, if that's what you wish." Coughing, I tried to hide the blooming redness that was growing on my face from our closeness.
Breath, Ye Lian Hua, breath.
"So, how was your hunt?
Did you manage to find anything good?"
"Hmm, I found some good things; however, they're too little to be worth mentioning."
"Ah, I see." I nodded.
"Ohh, but I did hear something pretty interesting along the way."
"Is that so?"
"Eh!" Zhu Na Ran nodded. "I heard that a fox demon was spotted around here and that some people have gone missing!"
"A fox demon?"
"Yes, yes!" Zhu Na Ran bobbed her head up and down rapidly. "And I'm going to be the one to catch it.
Is… ugh… what I thought, heh."
"Oh?" I raised a brow as I awaited her answer. I wonder what could've stopped my foolish and silly Junior from rushing into danger at first sight.
"Well, you see… the fox demon seems to be stronger than what I can take on.
Apparently, it has already taken down some super strong youngsters."
"Really?"
Odd.
How could such a beast be roaming these parts? Based on the information that I've gathered, there's no mention of a fox demon. Even less so of a fox demon that is currently hunting humans.
However, time does flow differently here than in the outer world, so there's a chance that things would have formed and mutated when the treasure realm was locked up.
"So, naturally, to hunt this demon, I searched for the strongest person I know: you!
With our combined efforts, mainly your expertise, this fox demon will be a piece of cake!"
"You think so?" Raising a brow, I was amused by this girl's enthusiasm as she started to ramble about this elusive fox demon.
"Yes, yes!
What monster hasn't laid victim to your blade?"
Hah, well, I could name a few…
"Plus, it would be a good bonding experience!
You… y-you don't want to go with me?"
"Well, we are still competing, regardless if you remember or not.
What makes you think I don't want to hunt down this beast myself, hmm?"
"Ah!" A shocked face of realization whitened Zhu Na Ran's face. "W-wahhh!
B-but, but!"
"Hahaha!" I couldn't help but let tiny bubbles of laughter escape as Zhu Na Ran tried to convince me not to rob her of her prey.
"Alright, alright.
I'll help you with this demon of yours."
"R-really?" Zhu Na Ran asked as her eyes gleamed in a hopeful tint. "And you promise you won't steal away my prey either?"
"Eh." I nodded. "I promise."
"Yay!" Zhu Na Ran cheered as she suddenly jumped me!
"You're the best, Ye Lian Hua!"
"A-ahem, yes…" I barely stuttered out as Zhu Na Ran kept burying me in her bear hug. "Y-you, you can let go of me now!"
A-ah, stay calm!
Stay calm, Ye Lian Hua!
"Hehe!
You're so funny, Ye Lian Hua!"
—-
"How do you know where this fox demon is?" I asked as I cut down another stray branch.
"Herm, well, I managed to get into a scuffle with this fox demon before.
So I was able to place a tracking marker on it, see?"
Zhu Na Ran held up a small yellow talisman with a small arrow pointing forward.
"With this, we should be able to find the fox in no time!"
Hmm, so that's how she was able not to get lost.
Although I shouldn't discredit her skills and abilities, old habits die hard; and I wouldn't be surprised if we had to backtrack a few times.
"Ahh… haha…."
She's lost again, isn't she?
"Ye Lian Hua, I think we might've needed to take a turn at that last rock." Zhu Na Ran smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."
"Hah." She truly is the same.
"Well, we can't just keep walking if we're lost at this point. We should find some shelter."
It was already getting late when we departed, and even more so now.
"And quickly at that," I mentioned as dark rain clouds started to creep in ominously.
"Ah!
I think I saw a small cave where we could rest a few ways back.
We could go there!"
"Alright, lead the way."
"Follow me!"
As Zhu Na Ran led the way, I noticed something odd about her.
More specifically, something that she wore.
"Zhu Na Ran, what's in your hair?" Holding up her long golden brown hair was a bright crimson-colored ribbon. "When did you get a new ribbon?"
Could it be that she forgot my promise that I'd make her a new one?
"Oh, this?" Zhu Na Ran looked back with a smile. "Bai Yin made it for me?
She's quite skilled, isn't she?
Doesn't it look good?" As she ran her hand down the ribbon's length, its luster was evident as the silk ribbon gleaned from the movement.
"Ah… yes. It's quite pretty…."
Compared to the one I made her, this ribbon was clearly superior in skill and quality.
But… I don't remember Bai Yin mentioning making Zhu Na Ran anything, especially a hair ribbon.
Even though she promised she'd help me make a ribbon, could it be that she had made one on the side as well?
No, that can't be. It doesn't match the character of the girl I've become acquainted with over these past months.
"Hehe, you think so too?
Then I should have Bai Yin make one for you, Ye Lian Hua."
"No need." I smiled weakly.
"Alrighty!" Zhu Na Ran shrugged before continuing down her path without a care at all.
I suppose it was foolish of me to expect her to remember such a silly thing.
I should've known better.
Looking at my hands, they aren't as smooth as they were a few months ago. After pricking my fingers over and over again from practice, my fingertips began to form small calluses.
Even after months of practice, I still couldn't get my work to the level of mastery as Bai Yin.
It's only natural that Zhu Na Ran would prefer her work over mine.
Hah.
What a fool I am.
---
"Ta-da!
A nice small and clean cave!" Running over to the cave's mouth, Zhu Na Ran peered in. "It doesn't look like it's occupied by any beasts either!"
"Are you sure this isn't occupied?" Stepping closer to the cave's mouth, I felt an odd feeling go through me.
Something just doesn't seem right, despite its wholesome and benign appearance.
Perhaps because it's dark or my fatigue, but the cave's mouth seemed to resemble that of a beast's mouth.
The sharp and angular points that hung from the top of the cave's mouth seemed to resemble the fangs of a deadly monster.
"Are you sure that this is the cave you saw?
I don't remember seeing this cave at all when we passed. And… something doesn't seem right about this place." I wasn't sure what it was, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was entirely wrong.
"Hmm, I'm sure of it!" Zhu Na Ran nodded. "Why?
Are you scared?
If you're scared, I'll protect you, Ye Lian Hua!" Grabbing into my arm, Zhu Na Ran started to pull towards the cave.
Oddly enough, as we came closer, the feeling started to fade.
Could my senses be wrong?
"Come on, what are you waiting for?
It's going to rain soon!" Zhu Na Ran urged as she pulled me along. "Let's go in! I don't want to get rained on."
"Alright, alright."
Perhaps I'm paranoid.
Stepping into the cave, I could see that we had some ways to go before finding an area to stretch our legs. The cave's mouth was much too narrow, and it was as tight a squeeze when we tried to walk shoulder to shoulder.
"Just a little bit further, and we might find somewhere to rest." Zhu Na Ran said as we kept walking along the narrow path.
I wasn't sure if it was the lack of spiritual qi in the area or the headache that I was starting to feel, but my senses seemed to have dulled as I couldn't hear the sound of Zhu Na Ran's footsteps or the echo of our movement.
"Wah! This space is perfect!"
Looking around the cave's room, it wasn't much, but at least it appeared clean. This should do for the night at least.
Suddenly, a pang of pain throbbed through my mind, disorientating my vision.
"Ah, Ye Lian Hua, you don't look so good."
"I, um, just need to rest my head." I huffed out as my headache seemed to grow stronger. Strong enough that I felt the need to lean against the wall for support.
What is going on?