They emerged from the tunnel and arrived at the Windscoured Rift, with a mountain range coming into view before them.

  At the top of the tallest mountain stood a massive fortress, its bronze walls impenetrable and as solid as a rock.

  Mobiuslidou took Belle’s hand and walked forward, with Simp trotting behind them, his tail wagging.

  Their journey had forged them for a full three months.

  Mobiuslidou had grown a great deal, grown accustomed to this world, and even learned a few skills!

  They’d cheated death countless times—

  he’d peed his pants three times,

  Simp six times,

  and Belle had thrown herself into his arms nine times.

  Savoring Belle’s soft touch, Mobiuslidou found himself addicted to it.

  What if Belle stopped throwing herself into his arms?

  They walked into Blackspire Fortress, where demon hunters stood guard at the gate, and quite a few people were queuing up for inspection.

  The two and the dog blended into the crowd and joined the queue.

  When their turn came, the demon hunter glanced at them and waved his hand:

  “Go on in.”

  Mobiuslidou froze:

  No inspection?

  The demon hunter looked annoyed:

  “What could you possibly have?”

  Mobiuslidou’s heart ached—he’d been insulted, right to his core!

  Belle covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.

  Once they were far from the demon hunter inside the city, Mobiuslidou dared to curse: “You snobby bastard!”

  Simp looked up at him, as if to say: What’s that got to do with me? I just want to laze around, don’t drag me into this.

  They reached a tavern door, and as the two were about to enter, Simp followed them but was stopped by the guard at the door. The guard kicked a sign beside him impatiently.

  Simp glanced up at the sign, then looked back at the guard, as if to say: Does it look like I can read? What does it say?

  When Mobiuslidou saw Simp hadn’t come in, he pulled Belle back to the door and saw the man and dog staring at each other on the spot. He was about to ask the guard, who kicked the sign again impatiently.

  Mobiuslidou glanced at the sign, then looked up at the guard, his eyes saying: Does it look like I can read? What does it say?

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  Belle looked at the guard too, who finally lost all patience, kicked the sign once more, and then turned and left. Belle stared at the sign, then at the guard’s retreating back: What does it say?

  Mobiuslidou and Simp both whipped their heads around to look at Belle at once, as if to say: You don’t know either?

  Belle shrugged helplessly: “It’s Demon Hunter script. I can’t read it.”

  After the destruction of the Starli Galaxy, three great forces had seized control of the Ember Path Star:

  Starfire City—ruled by the City Guard, composed of the planet’s indigenous people;

  Ironstar Fortress—garrisoned by the Ironstar Mech Corps, the pinnacle of the technological faction;

  Blackspire Fortress—its main force being the Blackspire Demon Hunters, a race of refugee immigrants.

  The two stood before the faction map, and neither of them spoke a word.

  Was the map with the faction distribution written in Demon Hunter script, or the common tongue…

  There was only one bed in the room.

  Belle looked innocent, completely unbothered by it.

  But inappropriate thoughts popped into Mobiuslidou’s head.

  Belle climbed into bed and lay down, falling into a peaceful sleep.

  Mobiuslidou stood up, kicked Simp out of the bedroom, and said: “You’re on guard duty tonight.”

  Simp looked up at Mobiuslidou, his eyes clearly saying: You’re such a dog!

  Mobiuslidou paid no attention to it, turned around, locked the door, and climbed into bed too.

  Simp paced back and forth at the door, then looked up and spotted a window nearby. He immediately trotted over with his tongue lolling out, propped his two front paws on the windowsill, and peeked through the gap in the curtains, with an extremely human-like lewd grin on his doggy face.

  On the bed inside the room, Mobiuslidou was overcome with desire, tossing and turning and unable to fall asleep.

  A devil and an angel appeared in his head—the devil said it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance, the angel said listen to the devil!

  Just as his mind was wandering—

  SMACK!

  A sharp slap rang out.

  Mobiuslidou snapped back to his senses in an instant, and the devil and angel both vanished.

  A clear handprint was left on his face.

  He turned his head and saw Belle sleeping soundly.

  Mobiuslidou shook his head: Forget it, I won’t argue with her.

  Another hard kick slammed into him, nearly sending him flying out of bed.

  Mobiuslidou held his burning cheek, stood up, and limped out of the bedroom.

  He looked up to the left and froze on the spot.

  He saw Simp standing upright on his hind legs, his front paws still propped on the windowsill, turning his head and looking at him with a cheeky grin, with a human-like smile on his lips.

  Mobiuslidou was shocked:

  “Are you even a dog?”

  Morning

  Belle stretched her body, her curvy and fiery figure on full display.

  She sat up, rubbed her eyes, and looked at the side of the bed, stunned—

  Mobiuslidou? Simp?

  She got up and walked out of the bedroom, and saw the man and dog staring at each other.

  A bright red handprint was still imprinted on Mobiuslidou’s face.

  Belle tilted her head:

  “What… happened to you?”

  Mobiuslidou looked at her enchanting face.

  Sigh, forget it.

  In front of a beautiful woman, one’s mood really can calm down.

  The two and the dog left Blackspire Fortress, heading for the gray ruins outside the city.

  Mobiuslidou finally couldn’t hold back and spoke up:

  “I thought we were coming to Blackspire Fortress? Why are we going to the Shadowed Wasteland now?”

  “Legends say… there’s a great secret there. I want to go and have a look.”

  As soon as the words left her mouth.

  Mobiuslidou stared at her fixedly.

  Simp looked up at her too.

  Man and dog had the exact same expression and the exact same eyes.

  Saying nothing, but their looks screamed: Not this again?

  Belle looked flustered under their stares:

  “Don’t look at me like that… please…”

  Mobiuslidou took a deep breath, and Simp slowly shook his head, hanging it down in resignation.

  The two and the dog walked forward in silence.

  The path was a dead end.

  The man was a coward.

  The dog was a simp through and through.

  And their beautiful leader had a screw loose.

  The setting sun stretched their three shadows long and thin.

  Ahead, the massive outline of the Shadowed Wasteland loomed faintly in the gray mist.

  Mobiuslidou thought to himself:

  All her previous teammates are gone.

  This trip to the Shadowed Wasteland…

  He couldn’t help but shiver.

  Simp stared up at the gloomy ruins too, his tail tucked tightly between his legs, his limbs trembling.

  Only Belle’s eyes sparkled with excitement and anticipation.