“Hiss… it hurts so much. What happened to me?”
In the dim cave, an oil lamp burned quietly, animal fat mingling with the metallic scent as it filled the air.
No one knew how much time had passed.
Lin Zhen suddenly opened his bloodshot eyes, instinctively trying to rise from the ground.
But what entered his gaze was a flawless face, so perfect that even seen from this close, not a single flaw could be found.
He froze mid-motion, stunned.
His eyes drifted past Yun Ruoxi, who was above him with her eyes closed, head turned as if dozing, and landed on the dark red mud of the cave’s ceiling.
This is… the Sinful Person’s Cave?
Safe?
Wait, the sensation at the back of my head feels strange…
It was nothing like the hard wooden boards he’d gotten used to over the past ten days; right now, what he was resting on was warm, soft, and surprisingly springy.
Could it be…
He was lying in Little Xi’s embrace?
Lin Zhen’s gaze couldn’t help but drift downward, landing again on Yun Ruoxi, and he saw her loose student robe, stained with blood and hanging open at the edges.
The baggy student robe didn’t fit the girl’s body; there was a wide gap at her chest and collar.
With each rise and fall of her breathing, the gap grew and shrank.
From this angle, the darkness of that gap was tinged with a dangerous allure.
Like an abyss luring him to fall, beckoning him closer.
It told him, if he just raised his head a little, turned his eyes slightly, he’d definitely see something amazing without anyone ever knowing.
But Lin Zhen immediately turned his face away.
Not to mention he was only twelve years old and not interested in such things, the pain shooting through his body left him no room for other thoughts.
He tried to get up again, but the moment he put in a bit of effort, pain wracked him from head to toe, leaving him drenched in cold sweat, and he had to give up.
But the movement startled the dozing girl.
She opened her eyes in confusion.
Her red eyes were clear as gemstones, pure and untouched by a single speck of dust.
And when Lin Zhen’s figure came into focus in her eyes, pure and absolute joy welled up from their depths.
“You’re awake? You really scared me just now!” Her soft, sweet voice carried a hint of barely noticeable complaint.
Lin Zhen hurriedly apologized, “I was really hurt just now. I just couldn’t hold on.”
He didn’t think too much of it, assuming he was just too injured to go on.
“Then rest a little longer.” Yun Ruoxi gently reached out and began to massage his temples.
It was the first time Lin Zhen had ever been treated this way by a girl his age. His entire body went stiff in an instant.
“What’s wrong? Does it hurt a lot?”
The girl seemed completely unaware, leaning closer as she exhaled softly, fragrant breath brushing against Lin Zhen’s cheek.
His face felt burning hot, and he hurriedly coughed, “Cough, cough, I’m just not used to it. By the way, I’m lying on…”
“My legs.” Yun Ruoxi chuckled softly, her smile innocent and adorable.
“You looked so uncomfortable while you were sleeping. When I was little, whenever I felt unwell, my mom would always let me use her lap as a pillow. I thought… maybe this would make you feel better.”
“Knee Pillow?!”
“A twelve-year-old Loli Mom’s Knee Pillow—Lin, you damn pervert! I hate you!”
“Little Xi is such a good Loli Mom.”
“I want to sleep on Little Xi’s thighs too, damn it.”
“Your legs?”
Though he’d already guessed, Lin Zhen’s gaze slid to the side. The sight of those round, snow-white thighs made his breath catch.
Enduring the pain, he struggled to sit up.
“What’s wrong?” Yun Ruoxi tilted her head, confusion written all over her face. “Was it uncomfortable?”
“No, I just think I might’ve slept too long. I should get up and check the situation,” Lin Zhen hurriedly changed the subject, and remembered what he’d been worried about before passing out.
He looked around, spotting the three other students huddled in the corner.
They sat with their arms wrapped around themselves, like empty husks whose souls had left, their eyes hollow, faces shrouded in a deathly stillness.
“What’s with them…”
Lin Zhen frowned in confusion, but before he could finish, Yun Ruoxi quietly said:
“432 Brother, let’s not disturb them yet. They… walked on the edge of hell. They need some time to themselves.”
Lin Zhen understood what Yun Ruoxi meant.
Not everyone could break through at the brink of despair.
At least, not for now.
They’d been rescued, but something that once sustained them seemed to have shattered during that brutal battle.
Whether they could make it past this hurdle depended only on themselves.
“432 Brother, why don’t you rest a bit longer? You didn’t actually sleep for that long—just a bit over five hours. The night’s still deep. Who knows how long before dawn.”
Yun Ruoxi tugged lightly at Lin Zhen’s sleeve.
He looked back.
She smiled, patting her knees together.
At 1.52 meters tall, her figure was remarkably well-proportioned, her thighs long and slender.
“Really, there’s no need.” Lin Zhen was embarrassed, ears burning. He quickly refused.
What a joke.
It was one thing to rest on her lap while unconscious.
But if word got out that he’d willingly used a girl’s thighs as a pillow after waking up, his reputation would be ruined.
And though he’d never had any formal lessons about men and women, years of scraping by at the bottom taught him a thing or two about boundaries.
His grandmother used to tell him: treat girls with respect, don’t touch them so casually.
He’d always remembered that.
“Alright then.”
Yun Ruoxi didn’t really understand, but she didn’t push it. She puffed her cheeks slightly, pressing her lips together, looking at him with a hint of unhappiness in her expression.
Lin Zhen couldn’t help but smile.
He leaned back on the mat made of some unknown animal hide, finally feeling a bit of relief from the pain.
“Sigh, I wonder how long it’ll take for these wounds to heal. If it takes too long and affects my yearly assessment, I’m finished.”
Thinking of this, the joy he’d felt at reuniting with Yun Ruoxi faded.
He didn’t want to drag Yun Ruoxi down.
If he didn’t recover quickly, Lin Zhen would definitely tell her to leave him behind.
But the problem was, this girl looked soft on the outside, but she was never the obedient type.
Sometimes, she was more stubborn than anyone.
What if, when the time came, she still refused to leave…
Was he really supposed to let a little girl drag him through this perilous jungle for the rest of the journey?
With worries in their hearts, the cave fell silent.
After a while, Yun Ruoxi’s ears twitched suddenly, as if she’d heard something. She shot to her feet, snatching up her dagger, and quietly approached the cave entrance.
It’s so late at night—where’s she going…
Lin Zhen hurriedly called out in a low voice, “Where are you going?”
Yun Ruoxi stopped and glanced back, lowering her voice, “Another wild beast’s been attracted by the smell of blood. I have to drive it away, or if it finds the cave, it’ll bring more trouble.”
Another one?
Lin Zhen froze.
“Did you… in those five hours I was unconscious…”
“Mm.” Yun Ruoxi smiled helplessly yet gently, twirling the dagger in her fingers.
“Right now, I’m the only one in the Sinful Person’s Cave who can fight, so of course I have to protect everyone.”
She lifted her chin, eyes shining with confidence:
“Don’t worry, I’m strong—there’s no way I’ll let anything hurt any of you.”