"Are you okay? Where are you hurt?"
Lu Lin rushed forward and caught Hu Tao as she collapsed. Though her soft, warm body was in his arms, he had no mood to appreciate it—his face was filled with worry.
"I-I'm fine… just a little exhausted."
Hu Tao's face was pale. The little ghost on her hair looked equally drained.
"You call this fine? Your face is completely white! Don't push yourself!"
Lu Lin didn't believe her and immediately began checking for injuries.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" she cried out softly, startled. But her body was limp and weak—she couldn't stop him.
"Don't move. Let me check."
Her fair skin made his breathing grow heavier, but he forced himself to focus.
He carefully checked her arms, shoulders, waist, abdomen…
No visible wounds.
There was only one place left unchecked.
His gaze lowered.
Even though Hu Tao wasn't particularly well-endowed, the rise and fall of her breathing was noticeable. The heavier her breathing became, the more pronounced it was.
She tried to steady her breath—but failed.
His fingers brushing lightly across her skin sent unfamiliar sensations through her, making it impossible to calm down.
When she realized where his gaze had fallen, her face flushed crimson.
"I… I'm really not injured!" she insisted weakly, embarrassed and flustered.
Lu Lin knew she likely wasn't injured. But with the girl blushing in his arms like this—how could his heart not race?
"Lu Lin… let me up…" she pleaded softly.
Her voice was so tender it sounded more like coquettishness than protest.
That was the final straw.
He leaned down and captured her lips, cutting off the rest of her words.
"Mmm—!"
Hu Tao's eyes widened in shock.
Taking advantage of the moment, Lu Lin deepened the kiss, stealing her sweet breath.
Warmth enveloped her, dissolving her resistance until she unconsciously responded.
After some time, Hu Tao suddenly felt a strange energy flow from him into her, spreading through her limbs.
Her mind cleared. Strength returned.
She broke free from the kiss.
Lu Lin regained composure as well, helping her stand and adjusting her clothes.
"You seem to have recovered quite a bit."
Hu Tao rolled her eyes playfully.
"Aren't you curious why I got exhausted fighting just a few ordinary Hilichurls?"
That was indeed suspicious.
She possessed a Vision and had mastered the Wangsheng spear arts. Seven or eight Hilichurls shouldn't have drained her.
"It's the black mist," she explained. "It's been eroding my strength."
"Only when I started fighting did I realize both my elemental energy and physical stamina had already been consumed significantly. The drain is subtle—you don't notice it until you try to use your power."
"The unease I felt earlier must have been my subconscious warning me."
Black mist draining her strength…
Lu Lin clenched his fist.
He hadn't felt any weakening.
Was he unaffected?
But even unaffected, he was still just an ordinary fighter.
Then he realized—
If she had been drained, how did she recover so quickly?
"How did you regain your strength?"
"Hehe~ That's this Director's secret!"
Now fully energetic again, Hu Tao spun lightly and skipped ahead.
"Let's keep going!"
Lu Lin smiled and followed.
Deeper into the Domain
The black mist was thicker in the hall—visibility barely two meters.
They reached another sealed door.
"The Hilichurls must've come from here," Lu Lin said. "Someone's definitely manipulating things."
"Can you solve this mechanism too?" Hu Tao asked, blinking expectantly.
"I'll try."
Using the glowing pearl for light, he examined the puzzle. The mechanisms were intricate but not overly difficult.
As a completionist-level puzzle solver, this wasn't beyond him.
He quickly unlocked the door.
Beyond it—
Six Hilichurl brutes with massive axes.
"Leave it to this Director!"
Hu Tao leapt forward, spear blazing like a butterfly in flames.
After clearing them, Lu Lin was about to proceed—
When Hu Tao suddenly turned, put away her weapon, and rushed toward him!
He instinctively caught her slender waist.
Her arms wrapped around his neck.
Warm lips met his.
He blinked.
He was being kissed.
Hu Tao learned fast. After just one lesson, her technique had improved dramatically. She attacked boldly, like a moth diving into flame.
But against the "great demon king" Lu Lin, she was still inexperienced.
After a heated exchange, experience prevailed.
Breathless, Hu Tao stood on tiptoe and pecked his cheek.
"So you figured it out? I recover strength when I kiss you."
"When we kissed, some strange energy passed from you to me. It dispelled the black mist invading my body."
She grinned brightly.
"But this Director didn't kiss you only for that reason~"
With a cheerful spin, she skipped ahead again—bold and unreserved now.
Lu Lin touched his lips, heart pounding.
Is this girl planning to overtake everyone and become the first resident of the Serenitea Pot?
The two continued deeper into the corridor—
And yet another door blocked their path.