67: Chapter 67 Suspending the Offensive

She no longer used the high-consumption "Full Moon Judgment," instead pushing the passive effect of her "Holy Moon Body" and her high-speed recovery under the moonlight to their limits. Like an elven dancer under the moon, her figure moved gracefully among the battlements of the city wall. With every draw of her bow, a precise and lethal Moonlight Arrow was released, either piercing the eye sockets of a giant bear or shooting through its joints.

Arrows flew like a string of pearls, and moonlight streaked like meteors. Under Lin Tian's admiring gaze, Lin Yin demonstrated her terrifying harvesting efficiency as a legendary unit and a Silver 5-star powerhouse. Below the city wall, the roars and wails of the Rotting Skeleton Giant Bears echoed continuously as their massive bodies crashed to the ground one after another.

The second one, the third, the fourth...

With every kill, Lin Tian heard a pleasant system notification and the "ding-dong" of Spirit Crystals arriving in his account. The moonlight continuously replenished Lin Yin's energy, allowing her to maintain a high output. Her archery had reached the pinnacle of perfection; every arrow contained pure moonlight power and the "Moonlight Demon-Breaking" trait, dealing extra restraining damage to dark and foul creatures like the Rotting Skeleton Giant Bears.

However, the Rotting Skeleton Giant Bears were, after all, formidable Silver 9-star existences with thick hides and tenacious vitality. Although Lin Yin's arrows could cause effective damage, it often took several or even a dozen arrows to completely finish one off.

Below the city wall, there were still nine mountains of rotting flesh emitting a terrifying aura, their crimson, cloudy eyes fixed intently on the moon-white figure atop the wall who had caused their companions to fall one by one.

Seeing Lin Yin drenched in sweat from the high-intensity continuous shooting, with a few strands of hair clinging to her smooth forehead, her right arm holding the bow trembling uncontrollably, and her face somewhat pale from the rapid consumption of power, the slight joy Lin Tian felt from gaining a large number of Spirit Crystals was instantly replaced by a stronger sense of pity and tenderness.

Stepping forward quickly, he blocked the space between her and the battlements, his tone filled with undeniable concern and gentleness: "Stop, take a good rest first. You've done more than enough. We're in no rush; let's take it slow. Safety is always the first priority."

Lin Yin's chest heaved slightly as she struggled to adjust her somewhat erratic breathing, trying to make her voice sound steady.

Raising her arm, which was somewhat weak from exhaustion, she gently wiped away the sweat that was about to slide into the corner of her eye. She forced a smile for Lin Tian, even showing a hint of playfulness that was rare for her in this state as she raised a finger to point at the bright, clear moon above, which seemed almost within reach:

"Brother Tian, I'm really fine... Look, the moonlight is so bright, I'll recover very quickly." Her eyes, moistened by moonlight and sweat, appeared exceptionally clear, yet they could not hide the deep exhaustion within.

Seeing her clearly so tired that her hands were shaking, yet still forcing herself to comfort him, Lin Tian's heart softened, and he felt a bit amused.

Without saying more, he took a direct step forward, completely ignoring the crystalline sweat on her forehead and neck and her slightly disheveled appearance. He reached out and, with a gentle force that brooked no refusal, lightly rubbed the top of her sweat-dampened hair.

"I know the moonlight can help you." His voice dropped even lower, like a night breeze brushing past her ear. "But recovery takes time. Be good; you are much more important than those stupid big guys down there. We can continue after you've recovered."

The gentle touch from the top of her head, carrying his body heat, made Lin Yin's body stiffen almost imperceptibly.

A surge of emotions—a mix of shyness, panic, and a hidden sense of joy—instantly enveloped her, and she instinctively wanted to step back.

She had just been through an intense battle and was covered in sweat; surely she must smell, and her hair was sticky. How could she let the always clean and noble Lord touch her? This was too rude, and too... unrefined.

Yet, deep in her heart, the greed for this closeness and the longing for this warm touch wrapped around her feet like vines, keeping her rooted to the spot, unable to move.

She could feel the temperature of her cheeks rising rapidly; fortunately, the night and the flush from the battle provided some cover.

Lin Tian, however, didn't think that much. Being close, what wafted around his nose wasn't the expected smell of sweat, but a unique body fragrance that belonged only to her—like a blend of moonlit cedar and cold night dew. Even after intense exercise, this scent had not been masked; instead, it drifted more clearly due to the rising heat, carrying a clean, reassuring freshness.

This caused a strange ripple to form in his heart for some reason, which he then dismissed as an "absurd" thought. Good grief, what am I thinking? I guess when someone is good-looking, even their sweat comes with its own fragrance? What kind of warped logic is that... I need to pull my wandering thoughts back.

As if to ease the momentary awkwardness and to help her relax her tense muscles, he naturally withdrew his hand from her hair.

Instead, he placed it on her slender shoulder, which was slightly stiff from the continuous bow-drawing and was still trembling slightly. With practiced movements, he began to gently knead it, trying to dissolve the accumulated fatigue.

"Relax, don't force yourself. If a string is pulled too tight, it will snap." His voice was gentle, carrying a reassuring, steady strength that belonged to a leader. "Take a good rest for a while so you can continue the battle later, right?"

The perfectly measured pressure from the kneading on her shoulder and the warmth of his body heat through her thin Holy Robe made Lin Yin's entire face turn completely red, like a ripe peach.

Almost in a panic, she lowered her eyelashes, not daring to meet Lin Tian's gaze at such close proximity. Her eyes landed aimlessly on the tips of her boots, which were dusted with a bit of dirt, and her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz, with words squeezed out from her throat: "Th-thank you, Lord..."

Having said that, as if to cover up her immense shyness, she quickly turned her gaze toward the Rotting Skeleton Giant Bears still wandering and roaring below the wall, as if she were fully focused on observing the enemy and assessing the target for her next strike.

However, her thoughts had already drifted far away, having nothing more to do with the bloody battlefield.

Her heart beat like dense war drums against her eardrums, and the touch and words from just now echoed repeatedly in her mind.

A bold, even somewhat "absurd" thought quietly sprouted from the softest corner of her heart, carrying a young girl's hidden hope:

"If only... if only these smelly and noisy stupid bears could 'report' on time every night... That way, would I be able to stand here with Brother Tian like this every night? Even if we do nothing, just staying together quietly, or being cared for by him like this... it would be wonderful. The feeling of being with Brother Tian... is truly great."

This thought made the tips of her ears even hotter, yet it was also like having a secret taste of honey, causing an uncontrollable sliver of sweetness to emerge.