Chapter 62 Talking about Fox Forest, Don't Be Shy, There's a Pervert Around You!
Watching Ren's figure gradually disappear into the distance, his gray-brown raincoat slowly vanishing into the depths of the dense forest, Chen Mi stood for a moment, then finally sighed softly and withdrew his gaze.
She turned and walked slowly in the direction he pointed. Along the way, she encountered no more of those chilling phenomena, as if she had stepped out of some critical point and finally escaped that indescribable and bizarre circle.
The birds in the forest began to sing again, and the wind was no longer cold and biting, but carried the unique dampness and coolness of the mountains and forests. It passed through the branches and leaves and brushed against her cheeks. Chen Mi subconsciously took a breath, and her nostrils were filled with the fragrance of grass and trees.
Shen Mi stepped onto the cobblestone path, the edges of which were covered with moss, as if very few people had ever set foot here. He walked around the grand Qingqiu Terrace and followed the navigation toward Tanhu Forest.
The ancient trees on both sides are tall and straight, their dense branches and leaves intertwining overhead to form a lush green canopy, blocking most of the sunlight. Compared to the scorching heat under the sun, the forest is much cooler, and even has a slight dampness.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling the stone path like scattered gold. Chen Mi slowed his pace, listening to the rustling sound of fallen leaves against the bluestone, and relaxed completely amidst the tranquil scenery.
It was still early, so Chen Mi wasn't in a hurry. Occasionally, she would stop to brush the fallen leaves off her shoulders or look up to watch the light and shadow slowly pass through the garden. The coolness along the way made her forget the danger and fatigue she had just experienced, and she also felt a sense of pleasure from strolling through the garden.
However, she wasn't the only one enjoying a leisurely and carefree time; a certain system that hadn't appeared in a long time also did so.
Upon hearing the content suddenly broadcast in her mind, Shen Mi no longer felt the panic she had felt the first time; she had grown so accustomed to it that she couldn't be more used to it.
[Character for romance - Blade. Unlocked, current character affinity - 0%]
Once the programmed broadcast has ended, the system can now speak freely.
[Congratulations, host! While I was asleep, you even unlocked your blade! As expected of my bound host, your abilities are truly impressive.]
Shen Mi chuckled twice and replied perfunctorily, "If you had woken up two days later, I should have already successfully completed the conquest and gone home."
That way, it won't disturb your precious sleep time.
The system understood that Shen Mi was teasing it. It had indeed been sleeping a bit too long these past few days, but it wasn't being lazy. Resting more now meant it could prepare more for the future. It understood Shen Mi's complaint; anyone else would have already cursed it out. This host was already very easygoing.
The system indulged in a few seconds of self-admiration before regaining its composure: [Ahem, alright, let's get down to business. Although Blade's favorability rating is still 0%, you, host, were able to contact the target character without my intervention. Please allow me to call you—a born conquest master.]
As Shen Mi walked, she parted the perhaps overgrown branches and leaves. The path ahead was getting narrower and narrower. She calmly and deliberately found fault with the system: ["Your statement is logically contradictory. If it's about 'conquering the Holy Body,' why do we need your intervention?"]
"Of course we need it!" the system declared confidently. "You're exceptionally gifted, I'm just icing on the cake. Together, we're a force to be reckoned with—smallpox!"
Shen Mi's lips twitched, and she couldn't help but interrupt it: "Stop polluting the fresh air here with such childish talk."
Then, with a "Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey!" sound, he casually flicked the dry leaves off his arm: [What smallpox combination? You make it sound like a virus. Should I thank you for giving me the opportunity to showcase my abilities?]
"Don't you think this combination name is cool?" the system said with an air of pride. "The perfect combination of the protagonist with her halo and the system sweeps away all hardships; even fate has to make way for them."
Shen Mi calmly retorted: "[That's not cool at all. If it were really that powerful, why didn't my protagonist aura shine when I was trapped in the fox-person's illusion and almost peed my pants?]"
"I was just kidding." the system muttered softly. "I'm also in hibernation maintenance, you should give me some time, right? Otherwise, how do you think I upgraded?"
Shen Mi sighed softly after hearing this, bent down to pick up a yellow leaf that had fallen on her shoulder, tossed it away, and then said, "I'm saying this because I'm angry. Couldn't you have told me before you went into hibernation? That would have been good for me. Today was just good luck, a blessing in disguise, but what about the future? I don't believe I'll always be so lucky."
The system, head bowed, admitted its mistake: "Okay, okay, don't be angry anymore. I'll definitely say it next time! I swear!"
Shen Mi sighed helplessly, looking at the system that didn't even exist in her body. She thought to herself, "What good is a vow you made without even a finger?" But she didn't say it out loud.
Although my system is unreliable, it is the one that helps me in critical moments. Although its ability is not very strong, it does its best and never completely abandons me when it is most important.
She has never been one to rely on anyone, but in this world detached from reality, having a companion who might nag or occasionally disconnect is already a great comfort.
After hearing what the system said, Shen Mi's lips curled up almost imperceptibly. She would forgive it and wipe the slate clean. Next, she would focus on completing the mission properly.
Thinking of this, she unusually spoke up: "System."
The system was taken aback, its tone even carrying a hint of flattery: 【Oh dear, host, why are you suddenly calling me so gently? You wouldn't be… finally going to praise me, would you?】
Shen Mi smiled, her tone a mix of teasing and seriousness: "Thank you. Although you're quite unreliable, I know you've been trying your best."
The system paused for two seconds, as if it were stuck, then its voice unusually low: "...I will continue to work hard."
Then, the tone shifted, and the conversation moved to more serious matters: "[You have now successfully triggered Blade's romance route. Although her affection level is currently 0%, this point of contact is extremely crucial, as it has triggered the signal for the early activation of all three romance routes.]"
[From now on, you'll encounter Blades much, much more frequently. You're about to face a situation where you need to simultaneously conquer three Honkai Impact 3rd characters. Keep up the good work! System, I'll always be cheering you on!]
Shen Mi: [Kneeling in greeting.]
System: [Yes, Your Majesty. This servant obeys.]
Shen Mi didn't say anything more, but simply continued forward, walking along the stone steps of Qingqiu Terrace, passing through the Yanle Pavilion at the top, and stepping into the corridor of Yanxi Hall. A breeze blew through the eaves, carrying a faint scent of sandalwood, which mingled with the distant singing in the air.
The sound came from the stage, a unique melody of the fantasy opera, melodious and ethereal, carrying the charm accumulated over ancient times. The tune sometimes soared high, sometimes lingered low, like smoke and mist, echoing around like a dream. But when you actually listen, the lyrics are indistinct and hard to discern, seemingly mixed with a special dialect, each word wrapped in a mysterious rhythm. Even if you listen intently, you can only catch a few words, and mostly just the elusive mood.
Similar to the style of traditional opera in the real world, but with a touch of otherworldly etherealness, it is dreamlike and illusory. Listening to it for a long time will draw you into the illusion woven by the melancholic lyrics.
The road ahead gradually opened up, and Tan Hulin was close at hand; the red dot on the navigation screen almost overlapped. Chen Mi tapped Dan Heng's profile picture and dialed the number without hesitation. The signal was stable, and the call was connected after a few seconds.
She stood in the shadows among the bamboo, gazing at the winding path, her voice light yet tinged with a hint of breathlessness: "Danheng! I've arrived at Tanhu Forest, where are you?"
There was less than a second of silence on the other end of the line before Dan Heng's voice came through, still calm and composed, with his usual ease and understated concern: "Have you come in yet? Stay where you are, I'll come get you. Tanhu Forest is winding and twisting, you can easily get lost if you're not careful."
Shen Mi stopped in her tracks, gazing at the seemingly endless forest path. The surrounding green shadows swayed gently, and the dappled sunlight spilled onto the bluestone path, as if it might engulf her at any moment.
"Okay." She nodded, her voice softening. "I'll stay at the entrance of this bamboo grove and won't move around."
There was a slight pause on the other end of the communication, as if confirming her location. Dan Heng replied in a low voice, "I'll be there soon."
Shen Mi put away his communicator and stood there waiting. The wind rustled through the bamboo leaves, and sunlight filtered through the gaps in the forest, casting dappled patterns of gold. Occasionally, a small animal would dart through the trees, making a soft sound. If Dan Heng hadn't warned him that it was easy to get lost here, Shen Mi would probably have already stumbled upon the secluded bamboo paradise.
The sun overhead was no longer as intense as it had been just past noon. Having informed Jing Yuan beforehand, everything was arranged. Shen Mi put down the Lin Yuan Ice Spring water he had been carrying all the way, stood still, humming a song softly, closed his eyes, and felt the cool breeze blowing against his body. Beneath his feet was an ancient bluestone path, and all around him were layers of verdant shadows. Shen Mi suddenly understood why the fox people had chosen to build a garden here for their leisure.
Before long, light footsteps could be heard in the secluded forest path, the rhythm steady and orderly. Soon, a familiar figure emerged from the depths of the bamboo shadows.
Dan Heng was wearing the same black clothes he had worn that day, his collar neat and tidy, and he was holding a communicator in his hand, as if he had just finished locating her. When he saw her, his expression didn't change much, but his pace was a bit faster than usual, clearly indicating that he hadn't taken a detour.
“There are many illusionary traps in Suiyuan, and you haven’t encountered any yet.” He said, his gaze sweeping over her to make sure she was unharmed before his expression relaxed slightly.
Shen Mi omitted the part about touching the blade, smiled at him, and said in a relaxed tone, "Maybe I'm just lucky, but thanks to your reminder, otherwise I really was planning to keep going in."
“It’s easy to get lost in this bamboo forest.” Danheng stepped aside to make way for her. “Come on, I’ll take you inside.”
She nodded and followed in his footsteps, the two walking side by side into the quiet forest path. Sunlight cast dappled patterns of light from above, falling on their shoulders like dancing sprites.
Halfway there, Dan Heng suddenly seemed to remember something, his steps faltered slightly, his brow furrowed, and his expression revealed a hint of unease.
Shen Mi noticed that he had stopped and turned to look at him: "What's wrong?"
Dan Heng seemed to hesitate for a moment, coughed softly, and finally spoke, his tone awkward as if he was trying to find the right words: "If... you hear any strange noises later, don't worry too much about them."
"Strange sound?" Shen Mi didn't react for a moment and asked in return.
He avoided her gaze, seemingly finding it difficult to speak. After a pause, he added in a low voice, "Fox people are naturally...quite lively, their words and actions are consistent, and they express their feelings quite directly. In the Fox Forest, you often see fox people in pairs, hiding among the bamboo..."
Shen Mi blinked, realizing what he meant, and her expression became subtle: "You mean—"
Dan Heng didn't say anything more, but just nodded slightly. He remained calm on the surface, but the redness at the tips of his ears betrayed his panicked state of mind.
Shen Mi was silent for two seconds, then suddenly laughed out loud: "I understand, I'll pretend I didn't hear anything."
He coughed almost imperceptibly, turned around and continued walking forward, his tone returning to normal: "Let's walk faster."
The two walked side by side, sunlight falling on their feet, dappling the bamboo shadows. Chen Mi suppressed a smile and silently followed, finding the usually composed Dan Heng so adorable that she couldn't help but want to tease him a little.
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Author's Note: This is the shy version of Dragon Lord!!! Enjoy! [doge][doge][doge][doge]
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