Free Web NovelChapter 148: Chapter 148: An Evil Thought
Lou’s breath was warm against her ear, a ticklish, numbing sensation.
Yu Zhizhi’s body trembled uncontrollably.
She gripped the wrist of the hand at the small of her back, her clear eyes shimmering. Because of her green skin, it was impossible to tell if she was blushing.
’...It’s him.’
To Yu Zhizhi, the man before her was Louis.
His sudden words unsettled her.
’No... I can’t...’
Yu Zhizhi tried to struggle free. When he noticed, his fingers tightened, digging into her waist. His other hand seized her jaw, forcing her head up.
"Unwilling?" Lou’s voice was laced with a palpable danger.
It was as if the cruelest punishment imaginable would befall her the moment she uttered the word "no."
Yu Zhizhi flinched.
Lou saw a mist slowly form in the Turtle Clan girl’s dark eyes. "Can you let me see the Lord of Paradise?"
Hearing the words "Lord of Paradise," Lou was momentarily stunned. Then, a wild, unrestrained smile spread across his face—
"I can."
’So that’s what this little turtle is after.’
Seeing she no longer resisted, Lou loosened his grip. Yu Zhizhi’s jaw was free, and she lowered her head, pressing her back against the warm stone wall.
’They were far too close...’
The young man’s scent carried the faint tang of blood, but beneath it lay a steady, reassuring aroma of tea and wood. In a daze, she was transported back to the cabin, back to Louis.
Yu Zhizhi stared blankly at his face.
’Black hair, one green eye. On his pale face, his right eye is wrapped in gauze. Is that Louis under there, suppressed?’
A pang of sorrow hit her, and Yu Zhizhi instinctively grabbed his arm—
’Louis, I’m so happy I could reunite with you in Paradise.’
The light in her eyes was like the midsummer sun.
Fierce and blinding.
A flicker of annoyance passed through Lou. He always felt that sometimes, even when she was looking right at him, she wasn’t really seeing *him*.
A low growl echoed from the ruins beyond the massive rock. It was the "food" they often encountered in Paradise.
Lou released her for the moment.
"Wait here."
Tossing out the words, he picked up his rusty blade and headed outside.
Yu Zhizhi pressed herself against the stone wall. She soon heard the prey’s shriek, which gradually faded into a low, mournful cry, as if it were begging for mercy.
When Lou returned, a large, bloody slab of meat from some unknown creature was slung over his shoulder.
Yu Zhizhi followed.
They walked toward the cave, one after the other.
Ai Li, who had been waiting for some time, quickly stood up when she saw them.
She was responsible for surveying the surrounding terrain and had already mapped out two restricted zones within Zone 11, allowing the group to move unimpeded.
Her spiritual power drained quickly, leaving her with little strength, and she was now being supported by Leopard.
"Lord Lou."
When Yu Zhizhi heard them call him "Lou," her expression flickered, and she stole a glance at him.
A male from the Deer Clan hurried over.
"Leave it to me."
Among the men on the team, his spiritual power was the lowest.
Fortunately, his awakened ability was [Cooking].
The food in Paradise was different from the outside world. Without special preparation, it was nearly impossible to swallow, let alone digest.
The Stag wanted to prove his worth to his teammates. He rolled up his sleeves, grabbed the meat—which weighed dozens of pounds—with both hands, and began dragging it aside with gritted teeth.
’So heavy.’
"Do you need help?" Yu Zhizhi offered.
The Stag shook his head vigorously. "No, no, I’ll have it done in a jiffy."
’Lord Lou seemed to treat this young Turtle Clan female in a very special way. The Stag wouldn’t dare order her around.’
He could use a Spiritual Technique to summon the necessary cooking utensils.
Before long, the aroma of roasting meat filled the cave.
Lou sat back down in his original spot. Ai Li approached him with a faint smile. "Lord Lou, I’ve completed the tasks you assigned me."
The young woman from the Butterfly Clan wore a black uniform skirt with a red bow at the chest. Her long, shapely legs were bare, and her freshly washed hair, soft and lustrous, gave off a faint, sweet scent.
Lou’s gaze remained fixed to his left. When he noticed Ai Li just standing there, a flash of impatience crossed his emerald eyes.
"Something else?"
Ai Li froze.
She had gone to the trouble of dressing up and putting on delicate makeup, yet Lou hadn’t even glanced at her.
Though her heart ached, she managed a smile. "Lord Lou, is there anything else you need me to do?"
Ai Li took a deep breath and stepped closer.
"Anything at all..."
"Whatever Lord Lou needs, Ai Li is willing to provide."
The girl’s voice was low and slow, laced with an indescribable, suggestive charm.
When he didn’t react, she gathered her courage and leaned in, trying to get closer.
But he suddenly stood up, shoved her away with the flat of his blade, and walked outside.
Before Ai Li could react, she stumbled back several steps and fell to the ground.
She looked up, bewildered.
Her head snapped toward the outside—
At the mouth of the cave, Leopard was squatting beside a freshly filled basin of water.
The Turtle Clan girl dipped her hands into the basin. The water must have been cold, because she couldn’t help but laugh. Leopard grinned foolishly beside her; they seemed to get along well.
Lou strode over, grabbed the back of the Turtle Clan female’s collar, and hauled her to her feet.
"Come here. Heal me."
Yu Zhizhi had just finished washing her hands. She blinked. "You’re hurt? Where?"
She quickly turned to inspect him.
His dark green uniform was covered in bloodstains, but she couldn’t see any wounds.
Sensing the young female’s concern, the corners of Lou’s lips curved up slightly.
Catching sight of the Stag approaching with a plate of food, he grabbed the young female’s wrist and pulled her back into the cave.
"Eat first."
The Stag had prepared it on a special plate—a smooth, pristine white dish covered with a layer of honey-glazed roasted meat and sprinkled with white sesame seeds.
He had even garnished it with cherry tomatoes to make it look more appealing.
It was a feast for the senses. The aroma alone was enough to draw Leopard over, practically drooling.
"There’s plenty for everyone, help yourselves," the Stag, A Yuan, said with a smile.
The young boy leaning against a rock immediately got up and headed for the meat.
Leopard picked up two servings, handing one to Ai Li.
’Ai Li was the captain, and a noble lady to boot.’
Leopard was always trying to curry favor with her.
Ai Li sat on the ground, sullen from Lou’s rejection. When she looked over, she saw the young man using a small knife to cut the roasted meat into tiny pieces.
’He couldn’t be—’
The thought had barely crossed her mind when she saw Lou spear a piece of meat with a fork.
He turned to the Turtle Clan girl. "Open your mouth."
Yu Zhizhi looked at the piece of meat he held out. It was still glistening with fat, and the tantalizing aroma made her stomach growl.
’What would it feel like to feed this little turtle?’
’It was just like...’
’When he was dormant, he’d often scoffed at some of the things Louis did.’
’Now, he wanted to try it for himself.’
Yu Zhizhi pursed her lips. Daring not refuse, she hesitantly opened her mouth.
Lou’s gaze fell on her lips. The young female was shy. She tilted her head back slightly and parted her lips, revealing the tip of her wet tongue.
The young man’s eyes darkened as a wicked thought sprang to mind.
