The Entire Demon World is Fighting for My Favor: A Shura Field 22

Chapter 22

After grabbing the lion’s tail, Lin Ran realized the potential danger of his action. The atmosphere turned awkward.

Shao Mian, caught off guard, hadn’t expected the human to grab his tail, a sensitive area for any predator. He could even feel the softness of the human’s fingertips. In his momentary lapse of attention, Sootball wriggled free and flew back to Lin Ran, glaring at the lion, still annoyed by its earlier defeat.

“Sorry about that…” Lin Ran released the tail, which quickly disappeared behind the lion as it let out a low growl, its large paws scraping the ground in warning. But the effect was minimal. Lin Ran no longer felt the same fear as before. Despite its imposing appearance, the lion seemed rather lazy, its interactions with Sootball more playful than aggressive. It had never truly shown any anger. If it wanted to harm Sootball, it could have easily done so with a single swipe.

“How’s your leg healing? Are you here for a check-up?” he asked, his gaze lingering on the lion’s powerful hind leg, remembering the firm muscles beneath its fur. Even the silver wolf couldn’t compare. If he had a ranking of fluffy creatures, the lion would be at the top, despite its shedding. It was just a pity he couldn’t pet it more often. Encountering such a majestic predator was a rare opportunity.

Shao Mian paused, surprised by the human’s boldness.

“If it’s infected, I can clean it for you. Can I take a closer look?” Lin Ran asked, seeing no hostility.

“Cheep cheep!” Sootball tugged at his clothes, not wanting him to get too close, remembering the lion pinning him down before. Perhaps it was also because Lin Ran’s gaze kept returning to the lion’s beautiful golden fur.

“…” Shao Mian, seeing Sootball’s actions, flicked his tail, not rejecting the human’s approach, seemingly enjoying the cub’s anxiety.

Lin Ran, emboldened, reached out and stroked the lion’s fur, reveling in the sensation. He wished he could have one in real life! But that would be illegal. Fortunately, this was a game; he could pet it as much as he wanted.

“Your fur is so beautiful, like a golden ocean lit by the morning sun. You truly are the king of the forest,” he said, his habitual praise slipping out.

Shao Mian: …! Here it came again, the human’s sweet talk! If not for the livestream, he would have believed these words were meant only for him. But the human said similar things to all fluffy creatures!

Yet, it was undeniably effective. Perhaps it was the human’s handsome face and gentle, sincere tone, filled with admiration. Few felines could resist such flattery.

Shao Mian, after a brief internal struggle, stretched languidly, allowing the human to pet him, until Lin Ran’s hand strayed too far, and he jumped back, staring at him with a mixture of surprise and suspicion.

“Ahem, your leg seems much better. You can even jump now. Be careful not to get injured again,” Lin Ran said, masking his disappointment. So, petting the back and legs was allowed, but not the belly? This fluffy creature was quite proud. But perhaps, once they were more familiar, he could pet it all over! Of course, he kept this ambition to himself.

“Are you here to play with Sootball and me? I can’t today. We have important business: teaching Sootball how to hunt,” he explained, sensing the lion could understand him.

Shao Mian, hearing “hunt,” frowned at Lin Ran and the Luna Clan cub. The cub, having awakened its ability, indeed needed meat. But without its family, how could a human teach it to hunt? He was skeptical.

He had come to investigate the auction, alerted by the system notification, but the human seemed oblivious to the commotion, casually planning a hunting trip with the cub.

“Uh, are you following us?” Lin Ran asked, noticing the lion trailing them as they set off. It didn’t respond, just silently following. It was a very aloof and proud creature. Perhaps it was monitoring them, worried about them damaging its territory? He had been surprised the lion hadn’t driven them away before. He was happy to stay; the resources in this area were abundant.

Hunting in a primeval forest, however, was beyond his capabilities. The system-provided weapon was a bow and arrow, and he had no archery experience.

The Boby Beast, a low-level herbivore with a rather abstract appearance, was said to be delicious when grilled. It was harmless but incredibly fast.

“Swoosh—” He shot an arrow, but the creature had already fled.

“So close,” he sighed, his archery skill increasing while his food supply remained empty. Sootball, supposed to be learning how to hunt, looked at him, confused.

“Cheep…” It couldn’t use a bow and arrow. Something wasn’t right.

“Should I have asked Sootball’s family to teach it how to hunt?” Lin Ran realized the problem. He couldn’t let Sootball grow up not knowing how to find food. He imagined a scenario similar to humans teaching pandas to climb trees and break bamboo, resulting in awkward, bipedal climbing and clumsy bamboo-breaking. Would Sootball develop similar human-like habits?

“Cheep!” Just then, Sootball alerted him to something. Chasing the Boby Beast, they had unknowingly entered the plains. A large, powerful Black Horned Antelope with golden eyes stood nearby, observing them. Seeing only a human and an unknown cub, it didn’t retreat but charged towards them aggressively.

“This one’s a bit high-level, Sootball. Should we find a different one?” Lin Ran asked, noticing Sootball’s eagerness. According to the game guide, these antelopes were highly aggressive, especially in groups.

“Cheep~” Sootball chirped, its expression determined, and flew towards the antelope before Lin Ran could react.

Wow… his Sootball could learn to hunt on its own! Wait, why hadn’t it reacted to the Boby Beast? Lin Ran watched, a sudden suspicion forming in his mind. Had Sootball thought he was playing with the Boby Beast?

But Sootball was tiny compared to the antelope. The antelope, not intimidated, charged at Sootball, its sharp horns aimed at the cub. Sootball tried to use its purple aura, but the antelope dodged, then lunged at the cub, perched on a branch, catching its breath.

“Cheep—” Sootball tried to fly away but was too slow.

“Sootball!” Just as Lin Ran was about to intervene, a golden blur shot from the shadows. Like an arrow released from a bow, the lion charged at an incredible speed, a blur of motion.

In the blink of an eye, the antelope was knocked down, dust flying as it cried out. But at the last moment, the lion had hesitated, only injuring the antelope’s leg instead of delivering a fatal blow, then looked at Sootball as if urging it to finish the job.

“Ch-Cheep?” Sootball, startled, understood the lion’s intention and charged at the injured antelope, its purple aura now more effective against the slower opponent.

Within seconds, with the lion’s assistance, Sootball had successfully hunted its first prey! The dead antelope’s neck was covered in tiny purple crystals, crumbling to dust at the slightest touch. The death was strangely elegant, devoid of gore.

Even Shao Mian, watching, acknowledged the cub’s powerful ability. When it matured, it would likely be able to encase its prey entirely in demonic energy, instantly turning it into a giant crystal. The Luna Clan’s magic was indeed dangerous, even more so in ancient times. But would the cub still be so close to the human then?

“Cheep cheep—!” Sootball, thrilled by its first successful hunt, looked at Shao Mian, who seemed uninterested in the prey, then tried to carry the antelope back to A-Ran. But its small wings, exhausted from the fight, couldn’t lift the heavy carcass. It wobbled, about to fall.

“Slow down, Sootball! Don’t rush!” Lin Ran was reminded of their first encounter, when Sootball had tried to fly away with the coconut shell, only to trip and fall. But now, it had grown and become so powerful. The coconut shell had been replaced by a large antelope. He felt a surge of parental pride.

A few minutes later, Lin Ran held Sootball, gently massaging its tired wings, looking at the antelope, wondering what to do with it.

“Any ideas, Big Lion?” he asked Shao Mian, acknowledging his contribution to the hunt. He was grateful the lion had helped teach Sootball.

“And you were so cool during the hunt, like a true predator. I should have filmed it,” he added. He had brought the camera but hadn’t had time to use it. It was a pity he hadn’t captured that impressive display of power.

Shao Mian, flattered, proudly turned his head, his mane flowing in the wind. He had merely been patrolling his territory.

Lin Ran, amused by his reaction, smiled. “How about we grill it? Since neither of you seems to have any objections.” He checked the shop and found a barbecue set for 500 gold, a reasonable price.

“Cheep!” Sootball, always supportive of A-Ran’s ideas, readily agreed.

Lin Ran found a suitable spot, set up the grill, and expertly prepared the antelope. His childhood experiences in the mountains had come in handy. Soon, the aroma of grilling meat filled the air. He felt safe doing this only because Shao Mian, a powerful protector, was nearby.

“Can cubs eat salty food?” he wondered, minimizing the seasoning for Sootball.

But the enticing smell was too much even for Shao Mian, who stopped and looked at the grill, his tail swishing. In “Demon World,” they usually ate raw meat. He didn’t mind it, but grilled meat smelled much better.

The sizzling meat dripped with fat, the spices adding to its aroma. Lin Ran, seeing the grilling was going well, took out his camera.

“I haven’t completed my daily livestreaming task yet. Might as well get some screen time,” he said, hoping to recoup the cost of the grill.

Shao Mian, observing him, now understood how the previous livestream had been done. Those waiting for the auction would soon be treated to a barbecue livestream.

[Beep—The streamer you follow has started a livestream! Come watch~] As Shao Mian predicted, countless demons, anxiously waiting for the auction, received the notification. The streamer was live again!

The Luna Clan demons also joined the stream, eager to see what Lin Ran and Nemo were doing. But they were immediately assaulted by the aroma of grilled meat.

[What the heck is that? Since when did “Demon World” have barbecue?!][I think we’re playing different games. Why does he have all these tools? We’re stuck living like primitives in our beast forms. TwT][It smells so good! I want some!]

“Long time no see. I actually had some exciting hunting footage, but I missed it. So, you’ll just have to watch me grill,” Lin Ran said, his voice cheerful.

“This is Sootball’s first successful hunt, with some parental guidance! A momentous occasion!” Since the lion had helped, it counted as parental guidance!

His words had a calming effect on the viewers.

[That Luna Clan cub is so small; it caught a Black Horned Antelope? Those things are dangerous; even large predators struggle against them.][This livestream is making me feel so many things. Is catching a first prey really worth celebrating? He just had a birthday party! This is excessive pampering!][He’s happy, the cub is happy. Why are you complaining? If you’re envious, go find this NPC and ask him to raise you.] The comments were lively, the demons both envious and amused by the Luna Clan cub’s good fortune.

The Luna Clan parents, watching secretly, felt a mix of emotions. Nemo had actually succeeded? And such a large prey on his first try? How did that human teach him? And their Nemo was the object of envy among so many demons. Perhaps being with that human was truly a blessing.

Amid the discussion, Lin Ran offered Sootball a small skewer of lightly seasoned meat.

“Cheep!” Sootball’s eyes lit up after the first bite, and it started eating eagerly, careful not to stain its bib.

“Don’t worry; I’ll make you more bibs,” Lin Ran chuckled. They weren’t so poor that Sootball had to wear the same bib all the time.

“Cheep~” Sootball, happy about the new bibs, ate carefully, its manners surprisingly refined. Perhaps it would grow up to be a little gentleman.

“Aren’t you having any, Big Lion?” Lin Ran asked Shao Mian, offering him a grilled leg of lamb. The viewers realized another predator had joined the stream. Last time, it was a wolf; this time, a lion!

“Calling you ‘Big Lion’ all the time isn’t very convenient. You need a name,” Lin Ran said, thinking aloud as Shao Mian ate. He twirled a blade of grass in his hand, the setting sun casting a golden glow on his dark hair, making his eyes seem even brighter, like stars.

Shao Mian looked up, captivated by the sight. This game had good taste in character design; the human NPC was incredibly handsome. He didn’t realize the impending disaster of letting this human choose his name.

[Wow, that lion is so cool! Is it a demon beast or a regular animal?][And it’s staring at the camera! No, at the streamer! I wonder what he looks like.][I tried zooming in to see his reflection in the lion’s eyes, but I failed… Staring into those eyes is kind of scary. Anyone else feel the same? QAQ] The demons tried various methods to get a glimpse of the streamer.

Most creatures in “Demon World” were regular animals, not demons. Even Shao Mian’s brief appearance sparked a discussion. Many were still curious about the human. How could he be so close to an adult lion without being attacked?

Lin Ran, focused on finding a name, scrutinized Shao Mian, making him twitch his ears. He finished the lamb leg and looked up at Lin Ran. Their proximity made Lin Ran feel a strange sense of familiarity, as if they were old friends. He unconsciously reached out and stroked the lion’s mane.

Shao Mian, caught off guard again: ? Why was this human so touchy-feely?!

[Shocked! He actually touched it! Won’t the lion bite his hand off?!][His hands look young. Definitely not a middle-aged man like some people guessed.][I can see the shock in the lion’s eyes. It’s like, ‘How dare he?!’] The demons watched, both terrified and fascinated. It would be a shame if such beautiful hands were bitten off.

But perhaps due to the grilled lamb, Shao Mian tolerated the ear rubs, not admitting he actually enjoyed it. Having his ears scratched by human fingers was much better than using his own claws. To the viewers, it seemed like the human was not only unharmed but also boldly playing with the lion’s ears!

“How about Yuanbao? You’re both golden and it sounds wealthy,” Lin Ran said, and Shao Mian immediately stood up, flicking his tail.

What a tacky name!

“Uh, you don’t like it?” Lin Ran blinked.

[Yuanbao?? That’s… not very stylish… though it is golden.][But remember Sootball? Is that a good name? It’s only cute because of the streamer’s voice.][Lol, you’re right! He names them after their colors! So simple.]

“Cheep?” Sootball, sitting between them, watched their interaction, glancing at both of them. Perhaps because Shao Mian had helped him hunt, he was starting to see the lion as another parental figure. He was always well-behaved when the adults were talking.

“Wait, don’t run! We can choose a different one!” Lin Ran said, seeing the lion about to leave. He hadn’t finished petting it, and he needed the lion to teach Sootball how to hunt. Where would he find another free laborer so easily bribed with grilled lamb?

Shao Mian paused, looking at him skeptically, as if doubting his naming abilities.

“Why are you so picky?” Lin Ran sighed. Sootball never complained about his name. He refused to admit his own naming sense was rather unrefined. The lion, a proud king of the forest, didn’t suit the name Yuanbao.

“I can’t call you ‘His Majesty the Great Golden Fluffy Lion King,’ can I? ‘Bow down to His Majesty the Great Golden Fluffy Lion King’?” he said jokingly, thinking the lion did act like a king, with its proud and aloof demeanor, requiring constant appeasement.

Shao Mian: …

Unexpectedly, Shao Mian stopped, as if stunned by the title. Lin Ran’s voice, filled with mock exasperation, sounded strangely endearing, like a spoiled cub acting coy.

“Huh? What’s wrong? Are you shy? You like that kind of name?” Lin Ran asked, amused by his reaction. His teasing, however, didn’t seem offensive, only adding to the lion’s embarrassment. It was like unintentionally disrupting someone’s composure while remaining oblivious to the effect.

“Roar—” Shao Mian growled, warning him to stay back, and disappeared into the forest, not giving Lin Ran another chance to touch him. Why had he stayed and watched the livestream for so long? He was questioning his life choices.

“He actually ran away? Well, our livestream star is gone. I guess that’s it for today,” Lin Ran shrugged, addressing the camera.

“But do you think Yuanbao was shy? He wasn’t angry, was he… Is my name that bad?” Since the lion was gone, it couldn’t hear him.

“Cheep!” Sootball nodded, agreeing with everything A-Ran said.

The comments exploded.

[His Majesty the Great Golden Fluffy Lion King! Hahahaha! That nickname is hilarious! Such a majestic lion, suddenly so cute!][Seriously, who wouldn’t be embarrassed? That title is something else… I feel like a Demon King now! Who put this crown on my head?! (Screaming)][Why am I smiling while watching this? I want to be pampered like that too! TwT And then run away pretending to be angry!]

While the ordinary demons amused themselves, some ancient demons recognized the golden lion from the stream. The legendary Demon King’s lineage had always been symbolized by the lion. In a way, “Your Majesty” was an appropriate title.

“But the Demon King hasn’t appeared in Demon World for a long time, not since the River of Demon Energy dried up,” Yorke said, looking at the lion emblem in the “Demon World Chronicles,” remembering the golden lion from the stream.

“Yorke, log in as soon as the livestream ends!” Oni said, switching to the auction interface.

“Huh?”

“The auction is about to start! It’s full; they’re starting early!” Since Nemo liked the bibs, she would buy them all. She was always decisive.

“It’s that popular!?” Yorke quickly closed his book and opened the auction interface. Perhaps Nemo would visit more often if they had more bibs at home.

A few minutes later, the auction began, the number of participants exceeding expectations. Most had come straight from the livestream. Those who had pledged to boycott were now awkwardly pretending to have forgotten.

[What a coincidence, you’re here too? (Grinning nervously)][Not really, I’m just looking. Not buying. Ahem.]

As the first bib went up for auction, the price skyrocketed within seconds.

[Luna Clan: 100,000 points—] The Luna Clan, using their family account, placed the maximum bid, instantly winning the first item.

The demon world: ?

The other participants were outraged.

[Hey, that’s not fair! Your cub already has one! Why are you taking ours?][What kind of demon are you?! Ban the Luna Clan from the auction! @Demon World!][I need a parent to bid for me! I want those bibs—!]

Oni had guessed the auction proceeds would go to the human, perhaps improving his living conditions. Nemo had never lived in such a small house before, though his little basket was cozy. But she hadn’t expected the game to reveal the bidders’ identities! She immediately contacted customer service, threatening to reduce their magic crystal contribution if the issue wasn’t fixed. As a major contributor to “Demon World’s” maintenance, the Luna Clan had some leverage.

She was surprised, however, by the system’s unusually fast response to anything related to the human.

Meanwhile, Shao Mian, back in his study, was looking at the auction, contemplating. To bid or not to bid, that was the question. Why did he want those handmade items? It was purely for research! He needed to understand the recent changes in “Demon World.” It was his duty.

As for Lin Ran’s strange nickname… he dismissed the possibility of the human knowing his true identity. He found the human rather frivolous, his sweet words flowing too easily. But did he enjoy it? He refused to answer that question.

He didn’t have much time to ponder, as six more bibs were sold instantly. Most demons realized they couldn’t compete. The items were snatched up before they could even bid, the system displaying a “Busy, try again later” message. And the bidders’ identities were hidden. Who was buying them all?!

Lin Ran, returning home with Sootball, received a new notification:

[Beep—Mysterious bonus from another world order. Received Super Gift Pack x1. Please rate “Demon World” five stars if you’re satisfied. Kisses~!] The message seemed oddly smug. What was this gift pack?