Wen Ran silently got up from the ground, patting the dust off her clothes with an expressionless face. She thought that the happier Shen Wu looked now, the more foolish she seemed.
Really, she was truly foolish.
Forcing herself not to look at that mass of flesh and blood on the ground, Wen Ran turned her head and left.
Shen Wu, like a shadow, followed behind her, chattering, "Are you angry?"
Wen Ran focused on walking forward, not turning back, and remained silent.
"Are you unhappy because I dirtied your clothes?" Shen Wu, like a three-year-old child full of curiosity, pursued further, "What did you mean just now when you told me to hide? You weren't thinking of sacrificing yourself to save me, were you?"
Why did he have to ask about that!
Wen Ran felt so embarrassed she wanted to socially perish; she was deeply upset but couldn't show her weakness on the surface. She turned back with a cold face and decisively denied, "You're overthinking. I just thought you were injured and was afraid you'd hold me back."
He nodded, "I see."
He really seemed to believe her words.
Glimpsing Wen Ran's ugly expression, he transformed into a considerate little cotton-padded jacket, asking, "You look tired, don't you need to rest a bit?"
Wen Ran stopped in her tracks and pointed to the pile of bloody flesh like a heap of mud over there, asking, "What's that?"
"Demon Beast."
"It's a demon beast you killed, with blood flowing everywhere." Wen Ran put her hand down, glaring at him, "The demons in the Forbidden Land are most sensitive to the smell of blood. If I don't leave now and stay here to rest, am I waiting for the gathering demons to eat me?"
So she couldn't rest; even if she was truly exhausted now, she couldn't rest!
Upon hearing this, Shen Wu's eyes brightened slightly, "Ranran, you're really smart."
Wen Ran thought this guy was sarcastically mocking her; she snorted at him and turned to walk away again.
This time, Shen Wu didn't ask questions; he quietly followed behind Wen Ran, behaving like a well-behaved elementary student taken on a field trip by a teacher.
After a long time, Wen Ran stopped upon returning to their original spot. After taking a few deep breaths, she turned back with a smile, "Senior Brother, do you still remember the way out?"
She was indeed able to bow and submit or rise in majesty, reacting coldly before but now treating him with a smile.
But disappointingly, Shen Wu shook his head, "I don't remember."
The brilliant smile disappeared from Wen Ran's face; she squatted in frustration, so crestfallen that people might doubt she had lost her will to live.
In the next instant, she heard the sound of wind whistling by her ears.
Immediately, the sound of heavy objects collapsing resounded around, dust spread in waves, and a group of low-level demon beasts lurking in the shadows were startled into scurrying away.
Wen Ran stared blankly at the empty area around them for a long time without coming back to her senses.
Shen Wu lowered his hand, the spiritual power gathered in it slowly dissipating. He looked down at Wen Ran with a kindly smile, "It's okay if we don't remember the way. Isn't there a path now?"
Wen Ran: "..."
She was contemplating what she might have done to offend him throughout the years, besides the issue with Qin Susu, wondering if he was impulsed to chop her up like those trees.
Wen Ran stayed silent for a long time. Shen Wu, while taking out a handkerchief to wipe the blood from his sword, asked in a lingering tone, "Ranran, were you frightened again?"
"Senior Brother..."
"Hmm?"
"Can't you think before you act!" Wen Ran angrily stood up, "Weren't the commotions you caused earlier big enough?"
At the moment, the continuous roars of beasts could be heard. Shen Wu's flamboyant action was undoubtedly inviting them, "There are people here, come quickly!"
Wen Ran was shocked, angry, and so exasperated that she literally coughed up blood!
She really spat out a mouthful of blood, having held it in from when setting up the Teleportation Array until now, she couldn't hold it in front of this oddball Shen Wu anymore!
Seeing Wen Ran spitting blood, Shen Wu very attentively wiped her face with a handkerchief, "Ranran, don't be angry. You won't be pretty if you're angry."
Wen Ran looked at the handkerchief that had wiped the sword; she clutched her chest, telling herself not to be angry, not to be angry, or she would surely die from anger!
Shen Wu was recklessly bold, but she couldn't afford to be!
Wen Ran turned her head and walked away.
Shen Wu called from behind, "Ranran..."
"Don't call me!"
"I wanted to say..."
"I don't want to hear you say it!"
"Wait a moment..."
"Shut up!" Suddenly, Wen Ran lost her footing and screamed as she fell down into a bottomless pit.
Standing at the edge of the pit, Shen Wu sighed quietly; he had wanted to tell her there was a pit in front of her, but she just wouldn't listen to him.
Wen Ran fell into the water; she couldn't swim, and her body involuntarily sank. The sudden incident caught her unprepared, leaving her mind blank. Just as she swallowed a mouthful of water, the next moment, she was pulled out of the water.
It really was a "pull"; someone grabbed her by the collar and, when she came out of the water and felt the air, she finally reacted somewhat, the bone-chilling cold causing her whole body to shudder uncontrollably.
Wen Ran coughed continuously, and for a split second, she thought she might just cough herself to death.
"Ranran, are you alright?"
Wen Ran was shaken by someone holding her. Given his height advantage, being held by Shen Wu left her feet dangling, much like a miserable drenched chicken.
Her feet followed along with a sway, and in the silent, unknown cave, the dripping sound of water was so piercingly loud.
Wen Ran struggled to open her eyes, and upon seeing Shen Wu's face showing concern, she nearly spat blood again, but she held back, "Shen, Shen Wu..."
"Hmm, I'm here."
"I... I'm about to be..."
Shen Wu's eyes brightened, "You're about to be moved to tears with joy by me?"
"I'm about to be strangled to death by you!"
Shen Wu looked at her flushed face and only then realized that her neck was uncomfortably constricted by the collar. He sincerely apologized, "Sorry," and then let go of his hand.
With a thud, Wen Ran fell to the ground and didn't get up for a long time.
Shen Wu immediately crouched down with concern, picking up a twig from nearby to poke Wen Ran's body, "Ranran, Ranran, are you still alive? If you're dying, can I bury you here on the spot?"
Wen Ran sat up abruptly, startled from her near-death illness, "I'm not dead yet!"
He felt relieved, breathing a sigh of relief, "It's good that you're not dead."