13: The Softness Behind Chapter 13

The return journey was much faster than the trip there.

The Spirit Sound Technique cleared the way, driving away low-rank Savage Beasts, while Rank 2 ones were handled jointly by Wang Sheng and Frost Mage Lin Shiyun. Their coordination grew increasingly tacit; Holy Light Slash would break defenses, and Frost Nova would control the crowd—clean and efficient.

However, after walking for most of the day, Zhao Linger's pace began to slow.

At first, she just stopped to catch her breath every few extra steps, but later it turned into frowning after every dozen steps or so. The excitement on her baby face had been completely replaced by exhaustion.

The Spirit Sound Technique consumed a significant amount of spiritual energy, and combined with the physical exertion of trekking through the Savage Beast Forest, Zhao Linger's petite frame was nearing its limit.

"Linger, are you tired?" Su Mengyao asked with concern.

Zhao Linger bit her lip and shook her head, but the fine beads of sweat on her forehead and her slightly trembling legs betrayed her.

Wang Sheng stopped and looked back at her.

Zhao Linger was trying hard to keep up with the team, her baby face flushed slightly red, and her legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead, each step a struggle.

Her curvaceous, devilish figure had become a burden at this moment; her voluptuous body consumed much more energy during long treks than a slender one. With her thin waist, full chest, and rounded hips paired with a petite frame, stamina was never her strong suit.

"Let's take a rest," Wang Sheng said.

"No need!" Zhao Linger waved her hands hurriedly, though her voice carried a hint of imperceptible panting. "I can keep up, Wang Sheng, don't worry."

Before she could finish speaking, her legs gave way, and she tumbled forward.

Wang Sheng took two strides to reach her and caught her. Zhao Linger leaned against his chest, looking up at him with watery, wide eyes, like a small beast that had been wronged.

Then, she did something no one expected.

Zhao Linger let go, took a step back, and bent down to rub her calves, her baby face scrunching up. In a soft, sweet, and coquettish voice, she whined, "Wang Sheng... my legs hurt so much~ I can't walk anymore~"

She looked up, her moist, wide eyes gazing pitifully at Wang Sheng. "Carry me, okay? Please~"

The forest fell silent for a moment.

Su Mengyao was stunned at first, then the corners of her mouth curved, her emerald eyes filled with amusement.

Liu Ruyan raised an eyebrow, a rare flash of mischief crossing her smoky, misty eyes.

Shi Gen lowered his head and pretended to tie his shoelaces, though his shoulders shook slightly.

Only Frost Mage Lin Shiyun spoke with a cold face: "Zhao Linger, you can walk on your own."

"Sister Shiyun, I really can't walk anymore!"

Zhao Linger's voice softened even more. She leaned her baby face toward Wang Sheng, blinking her large eyes, her long lashes fluttering like two small fans. "Just a little bit of road... Wang Sheng, just carry me for a little while~"

Wang Sheng looked at her face, filled with anticipation and coquetry, and then at her slightly trembling legs; she truly couldn't hold on any longer.

"Get on," he said, crouching down.

Zhao Linger's eyes instantly lit up like stars. She let out a joyful cheer, hopped onto Wang Sheng's back, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed her soft body tightly against his back.

The curves of her devilish figure pressed against him from behind, her full chest resting against his shoulder blades, her slender waist supported by his arms, and her rounded hips sitting steadily above his palms.

Zhao Linger rested her chin on his shoulder, her warm breath brushing against his ear, filled with sweet laughter: "Hehe, Wang Sheng's back is so broad and warm~"

"Don't wiggle," Wang Sheng said. He stood up, his stride steady, as if the extra weight on his back was nothing at all. As a Rank 2 Barbarian Warrior, his physique far exceeded that of ordinary people; Zhao Linger's petite frame felt light as a feather to him.

Zhao Linger lay still obediently, but she wrapped her arms around his neck even tighter, pressing her cheek against the back of his neck and humming with satisfaction.

Behind them came Su Mengyao's soft laughter, while Liu Ruyan curved her lips without saying a word.

Frost Mage Lin Shiyun walked at the very back, her silver-white hair fluttering in the forest breeze. Her ice-blue pupils stared at Zhao Linger, who was humming with happiness on Wang Sheng's back, her lips pursed slightly. "Childish," she whispered, though her voice was softer than usual.

Zhao Linger heard this on Wang Sheng's back and turned around to make a face at Frost Mage Lin Shiyun: "Sister Shiyun, you can be coquettish too. Wang Sheng would definitely be willing to carry you~"

"You," Frost Mage Lin Shiyun's face flushed slightly. She turned and walked away, though her pace clearly quickened, her silver-white hair fluttering behind her like snow.

Su Mengyao shook her head with a smile, her emerald eyes reflecting the back of Wang Sheng carrying Zhao Linger, her gentle gaze holding a hint of indescribable softness.

By the time they exited the forest, it was already afternoon, and the outline of Mist Valley was clearly visible under the sunlight.

Lying on Wang Sheng's back, Zhao Linger chattered non-stop the whole way, talking about the various exotic flowers and herbs she saw in the Savage Beast Forest, the funny, stumbling way that stupid Iron-Backed Wolf acted when she hypnotized it with the Spirit Sound Technique, and how broad, warm, and comfortable Wang Sheng's back was to lean on. By the end, her voice gradually grew soft, her breathing became steady and long, and she actually fell asleep on Wang Sheng's back.

Wang Sheng felt the petite body on his back relax completely, her steady breathing brushing against the side of his neck, warm and rhythmic. When Zhao Linger was asleep, she was as quiet as a kitten, a completely different person from the chatterbox Spirit Sound Master he usually knew. He slowed his pace.

When they exited the forest entrance, people were already waiting on the camp side. Murong Xue, dressed in silver armor, stood at the valley entrance. Seeing Wang Sheng walk out carrying Zhao Linger, she was slightly stunned at first, then the corners of her mouth curled into a meaningful smile.

"Yo, what happened to our Spirit Sound Master?"

"She's asleep," Wang Sheng replied briefly. "Spiritual energy consumption was too high."

Murong Xue walked over, reached out to touch Zhao Linger's forehead, and nodded after confirming it was just exhaustion. Her gaze swept back and forth between Wang Sheng and the soundly sleeping Zhao Linger on his back, her brown eyes filled with mischievous amusement.

"Carried her the whole way?" "Yeah." "Just her?" Wang Sheng glanced at her: "Your legs look fine."

Murong Xue laughed and patted his shoulder: "Alright, hurry and take her back. Shen Xun'er is waiting for you at the Chiefs Tent, saying there's something important."

Wang Sheng gently placed Zhao Linger on the spiritual cloth mattress in the camp.

Zhao Linger hummed, turned over, buried her face in the mattress, muttered something unintelligible in her sleep, and continued to sleep soundly. Her baby face revealed a satisfied smile in her dreams, her small hands still maintaining the posture of holding something, probably still hugging Wang Sheng in her dream.

Su Mengyao covered her with a thin spiritual cloth blanket, her emerald eyes filled with tenderness.

Liu Ruyan walked to Wang Sheng's side and lowered her voice: "Regarding the beast path, I will continue to monitor it. I suspect it has to do with the Shadow Clan. If so, the consequences will be ten times more serious than a Beast Tide."

Wang Sheng nodded: "Thank you for your hard work."

Liu Ruyan smiled slightly, her smoky, misty eyes reflecting his face, then turned and disappeared into the crowd like a wisp of breeze brushing over water, leaving no trace.

Inside the Chiefs Tent, Shen Xun'er was waiting by the spiritual cloth map. When Wang Sheng pushed the curtain and entered, she was sorting herbs with her back to the tent entrance. The spiritual cloth bag of jade heart herb was opened, and the clear, cold fragrance of the three jade heart herbs permeated the tent.

Hearing footsteps, she turned around, her jet-black hair flowing like satin in the warm light of the spirit stone. Her almond eyes first examined Wang Sheng's complexion to confirm he wasn't injured, then revealed a relieved smile. "Did everything go smoothly?"

Wang Sheng walked over and took out the herbs, crystal cores, and beast skins collected today from his backpack, placing them on the ground one by one. Shen Xun'er crouched down to count them, her fingers nimbly sorting them. Her almond eyes noticeably brightened when she saw the jade heart herb.

"Three jade heart herbs, enough to prepare thirty portions of high-level antidote." She looked up. "Hua Jieyu will be thrilled when she sees this."

Wang Sheng sat down beside her and recounted what Liu Ruyan had discovered about the beast path. Shen Xun'er's expression gradually grew serious, her jet-black hair hanging by her shoulders, the smile in her almond eyes replaced by worry.

"In the direction of the Shadow Realm..." she repeated in a low voice, her fingers unconsciously twisting her hem. "If the Shadow Clan has established a stronghold deep in the forest, they will sooner or later discover Mist Valley."

"So we must speed up." Wang Sheng held her hand. "Village upgrades, defensive reinforcements, and strength cultivation—everything must be accelerated."

Shen Xun'er felt the warmth in her palm, and her worry slowly receded, her almond eyes becoming soft again. She held his hand in return and said softly: "You carried Zhao Linger the whole way today?"

Wang Sheng was slightly stunned: "News travels this fast?"

Shen Xun'er laughed, her almond eyes curving into crescents, her jet-black hair shimmering with a warm luster under the spirit stone's light: "The whole camp is talking about it—Wang Sheng carried the Spirit Sound Master out of the Savage Beast Forest. Murong Xue has already 'accidentally' told seven or eight people. Zhao Linger is likely to be smug for days after she wakes up."

She paused, leaned in closer, a glint of mischief flashing in her almond eyes: "So, can I have sore legs too?"

Wang Sheng looked at her smiling face close at hand, the warm light of the spirit stone reflecting in her almond eyes like shimmering gold dust, her jet-black hair brushing against the back of his hand, carrying her unique fragrance. He reached out and pushed aside the stray hair on her forehead, his fingertips tracing from her brow to her temple, his voice low: "No need for sore legs. You can lean on me whenever you want."

Shen Xun'er's ears flushed red, but she didn't pull away, instead leaning gently against his shoulder, her jet-black hair spreading over his arm like black silk.

Outside the tent, the murmuring sound of the Lingxi River drifted in, and twilight was seeping in from the skylight, merging their shadows together. Deep in the Savage Beast Forest, where the beast path led, and whether the Shadow Clan was already watching from the shadows—these questions were temporarily swallowed by the twilight. But they would not disappear, just like the hidden trail marked by Liu Ruyan, waiting for the moment to be uncovered.

The second day of the Bright Tribe came to an end in the afterglow of the sunset. The news of Wang Sheng carrying a girl flew across the entire camp as if it had grown wings, and Zhao Linger's smug laughter after waking up traveled halfway down the Lingxi River. Meanwhile, the beast path leading to the Shadow Realm and the unknown threat at the end of that path were quietly growing in the shadows of the night.