Chapter 11
By the golden pool, a peculiar scene unfolded. A massive reddish-gold lion lay in the grass while a young human bandaged its injured leg with practiced ease.
“Cheep…!” Sootball, perched on Lin Ran’s shoulder, glared at the lion, wary of any sudden attack, growling and baring its tiny fangs.
The lion merely glanced at the small black fluffball, a strange emotion flickering in its golden eyes. A Luna Clan cub, so close to a human? It even seemed to treat the human as a parent.
Seemingly unfazed by Sootball’s intense stare, Shao Mian’s tail began to swish back and forth, almost brushing against Lin Ran’s ear.
“Cheep!!” Sootball, seeing this, flapped its wings, trying to intercept the tail, preventing it from getting near Lin Ran. But every time it almost bit the tail, it was moved just out of reach. So close! It had to try again.
Unaware that it was being played like a cat with a toy, it flew back and forth, panting, forgetting even the ache in its wings. A hint of amusement flickered in the lion’s eyes.
“…What are you two doing?” Lin Ran, noticing the commotion, looked up.
The lion’s tail instantly disappeared behind it, as if it hadn’t been doing anything. Sootball, about to pounce on the tail again, was scooped up by Lin Ran.
“What were you doing? Your back is all sweaty. Don’t your wings need a rest?” He stroked Sootball, his gentle tone making the cub whimper and nuzzle against his neck, as if complaining.
The soft fur tickled Lin Ran’s neck, making him chuckle. The increased affection level made interactions so much more enjoyable. Sootball was even initiating contact now, something unthinkable before. The feeling of being trusted and relied upon was wonderful.
“There! All bandaged up and disinfected. The bleeding seems to have stopped, but you shouldn’t exert yourself too much,” Lin Ran said, looking at the bandaged leg with a sense of accomplishment. The lion was so large he had almost used up all his bandages, his hands aching from the effort. But the creature had been surprisingly cooperative, even letting him pet its firm muscles. It felt even better than the Doberman. This was a true apex predator, the king of the forest!
It just seemed to be shedding a lot. He wondered if it would go bald.
Lin Ran, secretly enjoying petting the giant fluffball, didn’t notice the lion’s increasingly suspicious look. Shao Mian, injured, didn’t dodge unless Lin Ran’s touch became too intrusive. Being stuck in his beast form in “Demon World” made many things less convenient.
The human’s hands were deft, and his bandaging skills were proficient. Shao Mian didn’t mind his proximity. But he was still puzzled by the human’s presence in his territory. The human seemed unfamiliar with “Demon World.” A normal demon, sensing his powerful aura, wouldn’t dare trespass. But a human, naturally, wouldn’t sense it. As for the underdeveloped Luna Clan cub, it was foolishly brave.
“Does it still hurt?” Lin Ran asked, packing his bag, looking at the lion, sensing it could understand him. It just seemed too aloof to respond.
As expected, the lion just flicked its ears, pretending not to hear. Lin Ran was tempted to touch those fluffy ears but didn’t dare. If it cost him a finger, he only had ten to spare.
“I don’t know if this fruit will work for you, but it healed my wounds,” he said, looking at the Golden Spirit Fruits in his bag. They seemed like a good treatment for the lion’s injury. But they were Sootball’s; he had to ask its permission. Judging by Sootball’s animosity towards the lion, he knew the cub wouldn’t agree.
“Cheep cheep!” As expected, Sootball shook its head vehemently and zipped up the backpack. These were all for A-Ran! Not for anyone else.
Lin Ran found it both adorable and amusing.
“…” The lion, however, seemed unimpressed by Sootball’s possessiveness. It stood up abruptly.
“Wait, you’ll reopen your wound!” Lin Ran stepped back, wondering what the majestic creature was planning.
The lion walked into the lake, its large paws sinking into the golden water. Due to its size, it reached the center without being submerged, like a monarch surveying its domain. It picked a golden sapling with its roots intact and brought it back, offering it to Lin Ran.
“Huh?” Lin Ran caught the sapling, surprised. This lion was even bolder than Sootball. Sootball only picked the fruits; this one uprooted the entire sapling!
Seeing its casual demeanor, Lin Ran had a strange feeling. Could this be the lion’s territory? Otherwise, why would it be so familiar? He and Sootball had unknowingly stolen fruits from its land.
“Cheep.” Sootball, looking at the sapling and then at the fruits in the backpack, felt a strange sense of unease. He would do that too next time!
Shao Mian flicked his tail at Sootball, as if saying, “You’re just a cub.”
Lin Ran, unaware of the silent exchange, looked at the sapling. “Is this for me?” he asked.
Shao Mian nodded.
“Don’t you want it? Or do these fruits not work on your kind of wound?” If they did, the lion wouldn’t be letting it bleed.
“Roar…” Having offered the sapling as compensation, Shao Mian didn’t give Lin Ran time to react. It let out a low growl and disappeared into the forest.
A truly mysterious and aloof, yet handsome, beast. Encountering such a majestic creature in the forest was quite lucky.
Lin Ran, holding Sootball, watched the forest, his curiosity about the game deepening. It seemed there were many creatures in this world he hadn’t encountered before.
Back at the wooden house, with Sootball watching, he planted the sapling by the stream. Miraculously, the sapling sprouted and grew into a medium-sized tree within seconds. Its golden leaves rustled in the breeze, and the stream around it shimmered with a golden hue.
“This sapling is amazing. The air feels fresher,” Lin Ran said, looking up at the tree. Sootball nodded in agreement.
The washed moon bib hung on a branch, its soapy scent filling the air.
“Okay, I’m logging out now. Be good and rest, Sootball,” Lin Ran said, feeling tired as the Immersive Mode duration neared its end. The encounter with the lion had been both terrifying and exciting.
“Cheep—” Sootball licked Lin Ran’s finger, knowing he was leaving again. The time they spent together always felt so short.
The golden light faded, and Sootball sat alone, patiently waiting for its bib to dry. Hours later, it flew up and retrieved the dry bib.
[Spend points to exchange for a real-world item across dimensions?]
“Cheep—!” After chirping, Sootball logged out.
Unbeknownst to it, a familiar lion was watching the wooden house from a nearby cliff, noting the new “unauthorised structure” at the edge of its territory. It was a cozy little house, out of place in the dark forest, its surroundings neatly organized, with useless but pretty flowers planted around it. The sapling he had given the human was well cared for.
He couldn’t understand the cub’s decision to spend points on a bib. Points in “Demon World” were a valuable currency with many uses.
“Cheep!” Sootball, back in the real world, opened its eyes, excitedly looking at the moon bib that had appeared beside him. He had spent all his points, but he had brought A-Ran’s gift to life! It even smelled the same, like A-Ran’s touch.
“Master Nemo, today… uh, are you going to class voluntarily?!” The goatee-bearded butler, about to call Nemo for his language lesson, was surprised to see him with his little backpack, heading towards the study. Nemo usually hated his language lessons, often hiding in his room, making the tutors helpless.
This was a momentous occasion, worthy of celebration!
“And what’s this little thing you’re wearing?” the butler followed Nemo upstairs, noticing the unfamiliar moon bib.
“Cheep.” Sootball stopped, sitting on the stairs, gesturing for the butler to tie it.
“Around your neck? Of course. This little bib is quite cute,” the butler smiled, tying it.
“Cheep cheep!” But Sootball shook its head, indicating it wanted a pretty bow, like the one A-Ran tied.
“Alright, alright, I’ll tie a pretty bow for you,” the butler said, a strange feeling in his heart. Who was this A-Ran? And he had tied a bow for Master Nemo?
As Nemo flew into the study, the butler noticed something even more shocking. The cub’s wings looked better, and its flight was more stable. It had even flown into the study on its own, a miracle he had never witnessed before.
