Chapter 357: Are You Saying I’m Not Capable?
A man and a woman, alone in a cave.
She could barely move.
If Chi Jincheng really lost control due to the poison…
“Xiao Luo, what kind of look is that?”
Chi Jincheng’s voice was slow, his tone unreadable.
Caught red-handed, Yu Luo immediately shrunk back, shaking her head vigorously.
She struggled to move her body away from him, but…
Her entire body felt weak, as if she had been drugged with Bone-Softening Powder.
She couldn’t even lift her arms, let alone shift her position.
“System! Give me an antidote—I’m begging you!”
[Host, if I hadn’t used up so much energy modifying the barren land, I could have requested an antidote for you. But right now, I’m completely powerless.]
Yu Luo: …!
Absolutely hopeless.
With no choice, she slowly lifted her gaze, her wary eyes locking onto Chi Jincheng.
“You… do you have another antidote?”
“Hmm, I have one more. But too much of it weakens internal strength.”
“Chi Jincheng, I think you should take another one.”
If she was affected by the poison, she could still try to resist it.
But if Chi Jincheng lost control…
She wouldn’t be able to do anything to stop him.
It was safer if he took another dose—just in case.
“Xiao Luo, the antidote can’t be taken too often. Too much will drain internal energy. I know what you’re worried about…”
His lips curled into a faint smile, despite his obvious exhaustion.
“But you can relax… I’m not the type of man to take advantage of someone in distress.”
Yu Luo: …?!
The way he said it—so effortlessly, so naturally—completely caught her off guard.
She stared at him, wide-eyed, utterly shocked that he had seen right through her thoughts.
Chi Jincheng, amused by her expression, let out a low chuckle.
“While I still have some strength left, let me take you somewhere.”
Without waiting for her response, he bent down and lifted her into his arms.
Her body left the ground, her head resting against his chin.
With just a slight tilt, she could see his handsome face up close.
Before she could protest, he was already moving forward, his steps slightly unsteady.
“Chi Jincheng, I can’t even move—how are you still carrying me? Are you sure you can manage? If not, just put me down! You should leave first, and after the poison wears off, I’ll be fine!”
Beads of sweat dripped from his forehead, falling onto hers.
His condition was clearly worsening.
Worried, Yu Luo spoke quickly.
“Xiao Luo, are you saying… I’m not capable?”
His voice, already deep, now carried a dangerous edge.
She immediately sensed that something wasn’t right.
She shut up.
The fire behind them faded into the distance.
The further they went, the darker it became.
Yet, in Chi Jincheng’s arms, she could feel that his steps were slowing, his breathing heavier.
“How much further? Chi Jincheng, why is it getting so dark in here?!”
Fear started creeping into her chest.
The unknown was more terrifying than the poison itself.
“We’re close. Just hold on.”
His voice was low, strained—like he was barely holding something back.
And then…
The heat in Yu Luo’s body intensified.
She had already been feeling hot, but now—it felt unbearable.
Breathing became difficult.
Her skin tingled, the sensation crawling into her bones.
She felt feverish, restless—as if something was clawing at her from the inside out.
Her fingers trembled as she instinctively pulled at her collar, trying to get some air.
“Chi Jincheng… I’m hot…”
“Xiao Luo… don’t move…”
His voice was hoarse, his restraint obvious.
“If… you keep moving… I won’t be able to hold back…”
His steps wavered slightly.
The sound of footsteps echoed loudly in the cave, amplified by the darkness.
Her ragged breathing filled the space, mixing with his own labored exhales.
She couldn’t bear it anymore.
Her fingers tugged at her cloak, loosening it completely.
Then, before she could stop herself, her hand—soft, trembling—reached up and clawed at his neck.
Her touch was too much.
Chi Jincheng’s grip on her tightened, his arms tensing.
The heat in his body surged—
“Light…!”
Yu Luo’s dazed voice was barely more than a whisper.
“I… I think I see light!”
Her soft-spoken words sent a shiver down Chi Jincheng’s spine.
Holding her in his arms, her body so delicate, fevered, was already pushing his restraint to its limits.
“Yes,” he murmured, his voice strained.
“We’re almost there. Just hold on…”
Her small hands—restless, hot—brushed his exposed chest.
A tearing sound.
His collar ripped open.
Her eyes, glassy from the fever, landed on his bare skin—
The deep red flush spreading across his chest.
His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, his breath ragged.
Yu Luo’s fingers, small and soft, traced the line of his throat—
His self-control snapped.
His arms tightened, pulling her closer.
Yu Luo let out a small gasp, her breath warm against his skin.
Then—
Chi Jincheng lowered his head, and his teeth sank deep into her shoulder.
A sharp pain jolted through her foggy mind.
The sudden sting snapped her partially out of the haze.
“Ow—!”
And then—
A splash.
The next moment, icy cold water swallowed her whole.
Yu Luo gasped, her lungs burning as she kicked her way to the surface.
“Cough, cough, cough!”
Her head broke through the water, and she sputtered, shaking off the freezing cold.
The intense heat that had been suffocating her vanished instantly.
Lifting her head, she looked up.
A dozens-of-meters-high opening revealed the night sky, the moon shining brightly overhead.
The light she had seen earlier—
It was real.
“Chi Jincheng!”
She wiped her face with her wet hands, thrilled by the realization.
“If we climb up through this cave, does that mean… we can escape?!”
Her excitement drowned out everything else.
She didn’t even bother getting out of the water—she simply turned, searching for Chi Jincheng in the pool.
