Chapter 218: Luo Li’s Pride: The Demon Clan’s Stubbornness

Flames suddenly erupted, followed by a sharp cat cry piercing the night sky.

Shen Yan immediately shielded Pei Yue behind him, his eyes fixed intently on the approaching blaze. As the flames landed, they condensed into a human figure. Luo Li knelt with one knee touching the ground, her silver bell ankle chain emitting crisp sounds, her cat ears slightly twitching. After scanning the surroundings, her gaze settled on the two.

She frowned. “Have you hugged enough here?”

Her voice was cold like ice shards, yet the tail of her tone trembled slightly.

Shen Yan didn’t release his hold, but his body had already tensed up. That hug earlier had truly overwhelmed him. Now caught in the act, his mind directly lagged, and the System Interface didn’t even pop up.

“No… listen to my explanation,” he said, wanting to let go of Pei Yue.

“Who wants to hear your explanation!” Luo Li abruptly stood up, her tail puffing up like a dandelion. “I’m not here for you! I came to deliver a message! The Devil Clan camp is stirring, the children might be moved—oh, but seeing how ‘busy’ you are, I’ll leave first.”

She turned to leave after speaking, but her footsteps paused midway.

Shen Yan reacted, stepping forward and grabbing her wrist.

“Stop acting up,” he said. “You’re also someone very important to me, understand?”

Luo Li stiffened completely.

Wind swirling with ashes spun around, her ears first lowered, then gradually straightened up. Her tail quietly coiled around her ankle, winding tighter and tighter.

“Who cares about that,” she stubbornly insisted. “Do you think everyone is like Pei Yue, so fond of meddling? I’m not injured, I don’t need anyone hugging me for healing.”

Pei Yue stood behind, coughing lightly twice. “I indeed meddled too much.”

She silently retreated half a step, leaning against a broken stone tablet, her fingers touching the silver needles inside her Medicine Pouch, her gaze gentle as she watched the two.

Shen Yan still held Luo Li’s hand, able to feel her trembling.

“You just broke through the Barrier, right?” he asked. “Your demon aura is chaotic, did you forcibly tear open the Seal?”

“What does it matter to you,” she shook her wrist but didn’t break free, simply giving up struggling. “I can come and I can leave, no need for you to worry.”

“Then try leaving?” Shen Yan stared at her. “There’s high-intensity Spiritual Power Fluctuation three hundred steps away. Did you fly here? Or burn your way through?”

Luo Li bit her lower lip.

She indeed burned her way through.

To save time, she directly used Demonic Fire to scorch through the three-layer Restriction Seal laid by the Devil Clan. Her skin still felt hot beneath, her throat tasted bloody, but she didn’t want anyone to know.

Especially him.

“Stop being so clever,” she raised her head. “Who do you think you are? Writing Code well lets you manage everyone? I’m not your Program, no need for you to code an Interface and leave a Backdoor.”

Shen Yan sighed.

He knew what she was angry about.

One moment he was hugging someone else, the next moment she appeared. Anyone would feel uncomfortable, especially Luo Li with her stubborn mouth and soft heart.

“I didn’t mean that,” he said. “I just… don’t want anyone else getting hurt. Ye Zhao left, if you also suddenly disappear, my System isn’t fixed yet, my phone could black screen anytime, I can’t even track.”

“So you’re afraid you can’t find someone to save the situation?” Luo Li sneered. “When someday I’m gone, you can just write a new feature, ‘automatically detect proud Demon Clan location,’ one-click summon, available anytime.”

“If only I could summon you with a single click,” Shen Yan murmured softly. “At least then I wouldn’t have to wait until you burn a path through every time before you appear.”

His words were spoken too quietly, yet they pierced her heart like a needle.

Luo Li finally turned to look at him.

Moonlight mingled with firelight illuminated her face. Her eyes were slightly red, but she glared fiercely.

“What do you know!” she shouted. “Do you think I want to rush out as the savior at the last moment every time? I want to come earlier, but I have to confirm it’s safe before evacuating the children! I have to guard against traitors! And I also—”

She suddenly stopped.

Her breath hitched.

Shen Yan watched her, saying nothing.

He knew what she hadn’t finished saying.

I also have to make sure you’re alive to see me.

The air fell silent all at once.

Pei Yue lowered her head to tidy her medicine pouch, pretending she hadn’t heard anything. But the corner of her mouth lifted slightly.

Shen Yan still held Luo Li’s wrist, his thumb unconsciously brushing against her pulse point.

“Your heartbeat is too fast,” he said. “Did you damage your meridians breaking through the barrier just now? Do you want to sit and rest for a while?”

“No,” she tried to pull her hand back. “I said I didn’t—”

Before she could finish, her knees suddenly gave way.

Shen Yan swiftly caught her, his arm slipping under her armpit to support her body.

“Damn!” he cursed under his breath. “Still being stubborn?”

Luo Li leaned against his chest, her face flushed bright red. “Let go of me! I can stand on my own!”

“If you can stand on your own, why did you almost kneel just now?” Shen Yan didn’t release her. “You didn’t come to deliver a message—you came to feed yourself to the enemy, didn’t you?”

“I want to!” She struggled twice but failed, then simply stopped moving, turning her face away. “Anyway, you two are together now, right? In the future, you’ll team up as a duo, and I’ll just be dead weight.”

“Who said anything about teaming up as a duo?” Shen Yan was both amused and exasperated. “We were just… that… the situation was special.”

“Special, my foot,” Luo Li muttered quietly. “She gives you acupuncture and you’re so moved you want to hug her. If I jabbed you with a silver needle, would you propose on the spot?”

Pei Yue burst out laughing beside them.

“You’re still laughing!” Luo Li glared at her. “Are you ganging up on me?”

“I’m not,” Pei Yue shook her head, holding back her laughter. “I just think… you look quite cute when you’re jealous.”

“Who’s jealous!” Luo Li bristled. “I’m thinking about team discipline! The enemy situation is still unclear, and you’re here flirting—how inappropriate!”

“Alright, alright, I was wrong,” Shen Yan raised both hands in surrender. “Next time, I’ll definitely finish the fight before hugging anyone, okay?”

“No,” she turned her face away. “No hugging allowed from now on.”

“What if it’s dangerous? Like if I get injured again?”

“…Then carry me on your back,” she snorted. “No cuddling allowed.”

“Deal,” Shen Yan smiled. “So, do you want me to carry you back now?”

“In your dreams!” She pushed him away, barely standing upright. “I can walk on my own.”

But as soon as she took a step, her legs wobbled again.

Shen Yan reached out to steady her shoulder. “Stop being stubborn. I know you’re in pain.”

“I’m not in pain!” She stiffened her neck. “The Demon Clan is naturally tough. What’s a little injury like this?”

“Then why are your ears trembling?” Shen Yan pointed at the top of her head. “And your tail—you’ve almost tied yourself into a dumpling.”

Luo Li quickly raised her hand to touch her ear, discovering it was trembling uncontrollably, then immediately lowered her hand and pretended nothing was wrong.

“It’s cold,” she said.

“You can still blaze a trail of fire when it’s cold?” Shen Yan shook his head. “You’re just being stubborn.”

“I am strong,” she lifted her chin. “Much stronger than some useless guy who only knows how to type code.”

“Oh, then why didn’t you say you were strong when you called me ‘brother’ for help earlier?” Shen Yan smirked.

“I didn’t!” Luo Li’s face flushed bright red. “That was tactical deception! Psychological warfare against the enemy!”

“Right, right, psychological warfare,” Shen Yan nodded. “Then keep fighting. Let’s see how long you can last.”

The two of them went back and forth, full of tension, yet neither walked away.

Pei Yue watched them and sighed softly.

This was a true bond.

It wasn’t about who appeared first gaining an advantage, nor was it about who acted the calmest hiding their feelings. True emotions couldn’t be concealed—even if they spoke the harshest words, their bodies would honestly stay in place.

She glanced down at the jade hairpin in her hand, the moment Shen Yan had helped her straighten it still fresh in her mind.

And now, he was coaxing another girl.

She didn’t feel wronged; instead, she felt a little relieved.

Because none of them were alone anymore.

“Hey,” Luo Li suddenly spoke up. “If you keep staring at me, I’ll cut out your tongue and make it a snack.”

Pei Yue withdrew her gaze. “I was just thinking that if you don’t treat these injuries, you’ll probably limp when you walk tomorrow.”

“I don’t need you to worry about me.”

“Fine,” Pei Yue shrugged. “When you’re rolling around in pain, don’t expect me to use acupuncture.”

“I’d rather roll around than let you touch me,” Luo Li stubbornly insisted.

Shen Yan chimed in, “Then let me treat you?”

“You?” Luo Li glanced sideways. “What do you know? Write a ‘painkiller.exe’ and have me run it?”

“Pretty much,” Shen Yan opened his phone, the screen glowing green. “I’ll write a repair program for you right now. Guaranteed to work in ten minutes.”

“No thanks,” she rolled her eyes. “I don’t want to turn into a data stream.”

“So, do you want to live, or do you want to be a stubborn fool who stays tough until death?”

“Who are you calling a fool!” Luo Li bristled.

“You,” Shen Yan took a step closer. “Should I also mention the time you stole and ate my instant noodles?”

“You wouldn’t dare!” She reached out to grab his phone. “Delete the recording!”

As they pushed and shoved, Luo Li lost her balance and stumbled forward, crashing directly into Shen Yan’s arms.

Time seemed to freeze for a second.

She looked up, meeting his eyes.

So close she could see the light in each other’s pupils.

Breaths mingled.

She didn’t move, nor did she push him away.

But her tail quietly loosened from her ankle and gently hooked around his calf.

Pei Yue silently turned away, pretending to study a piece of rubble.

Shen Yan looked down at the girl in his arms, his voice suddenly softening. “Actually… I’m really glad you came.”

“…Who would believe that,” she muttered.

“I do,” he said. “Because you’re always like this—worried to death but pretending not to care.”

Luo Li didn’t respond.

She just buried her face in his chest and mumbled:

“Next time… don’t make me look for you.”

(End of Chapter)