The Game Heroine's Cannon Fodder Leopard Cub - Chapter 18

Nora leaned forward slightly, studying the leopard before her with keen interest—or rather, the person beneath the fur.

The fluffy little face was a picture of surprise and embarrassment.

So adorable.

Yi’an… Yi’an was practically crashing.

She knew Ji Qi couldn’t be trusted. What happened to keeping it a secret?

Before she could come up with an explanation, Nora’s next question left her speechless.

“You’re my Holy Beast guardian, right?” Nora asked directly. “Will you transform into a human immediately after obtaining the Divine Spark?”

Yi’an froze, her leopard eyes widening as she stared at Nora, completely speechless.

“Alright,” Nora’s smile grew even brighter. “I understand now.”

Faced with Nora’s all-knowing gaze, Yi’an’s eyes flickered nervously, her leopard heart pounding with guilt.

She cursed Ji Qi and Charlotte inwardly. They looked so innocent and earnest, but each one was a master at digging traps.

When Yi’an remained silent, Nora wasn’t disappointed. The Little Leopard was easy to read; she didn’t need confirmation from her words. As for the rest, she would figure it out slowly.

Nora leaned against the fire, still fully dressed, and said to the startled Little Leopard, “Rest for a while. We’ll look for the Divine Spark when it’s light.”

Seeing Nora’s reluctance to press the matter, Yi’an secretly breathed a sigh of relief. As soon as Nora closed her eyes, Yi’an quietly scooted closer to the fire, adjusted into a comfortable position, and immediately fell into a deep sleep.

Sensing the change in Yi’an’s breathing, Nora opened her eyes again.

Watching Yi’an snore softly like a little pig, Nora’s eyes curved slightly. She gently sat up, removed her scarf, and carefully draped it over Yi’an’s small belly.

The Little Leopard twitched slightly as the scarf settled, but didn’t wake. Instead, her tail relaxed and stretched out more naturally.

Nora turned to lie on her side facing Yi’an and whispered silently, “Good night, my Little Leopard.”

May you have sweet dreams.

The next morning, when Yi’an woke, the fire had long since died down, leaving only faintly flickering embers.

She shifted, realizing she was snugly wrapped in a soft cotton coat, its fur warmed by the fire, so comfortable she almost didn’t want to crawl out.

Just then, footsteps echoed outside the cave. Nora brushed off the snow at the entrance and stepped inside.

She wore only a fitted shirt and vest, her tight riding pants accentuating her long, shapely legs with each slight sway of her hips as she walked.

Yi’an’s gaze instinctively swept from Nora’s ankles to her waist, lingering briefly on a particularly defined curve. Her eyes then traveled upward, tracing the graceful line of her neck to her moist lips and high, straight nose, until… she met a pair of smiling eyes.

Nora’s lips curled into a teasing smile. “Have you had your fill?” she asked.

The question instantly flushed Yi’an crimson. She bolted upright, wriggled out of the cotton-padded coat, and shook her head, trying to shake off her embarrassment.

Nora watched her with a mischievous glint in her eyes, but didn’t tease her further.

She bent down to pick up the coat, slipped it on with practiced ease, and began organizing her backpack as she spoke. “We still need to search the mountains thoroughly today. Let’s see if we can find any clues.”

Yi’an meowed a few times in acknowledgment, then darted out of the cave.

The moment she stepped outside, a gust of wind sent a shiver through her.

Compared to yesterday’s clear skies, the weather in Morong had deteriorated significantly. Above the Snowline, fierce winds whipped up drifts of snow, creating a blinding white haze that obscured everything. Yi’an couldn’t help but doubt whether they would find anything today.

If only we had some kind of radar, she thought. The technology on the Cisse Continent is still so underdeveloped.

“What’s radar?” Nora’s voice came from behind, interrupting Yi’an’s thoughts.

Yi’an froze, realizing she had actually meowed the word aloud. Embarrassed, she gestured awkwardly with her paw, trying to explain.

To her surprise, Nora immediately understood. “You mean the kind of device that can detect Divine Sparks?”

“Well, it’s not like we don’t have anything…”

Meow? (What?)

“You,” Nora added calmly. “You’re a Holy Beast. Your Divine Spark must have some connection to the others. So, if we keep searching, we’ll find something eventually.”

Her calm tone instantly soothed Yi’an’s restless mood, which had been agitated by the harsh weather.

Since surviving her solo battle against the White Bear, Yi’an had gained considerable confidence in her survival skills. This time, she refused Nora’s suggestion to stay in the backpack.

Nora didn’t insist. Instead, she took out a long rope, tightly securing one end to the hook on Yi’an’s cotton-padded jacket and the other to her own wrist.

Though this arrangement gave the impression of walking a small dog, Yi’an didn’t struggle and silently accepted it.

Once secured, the two continued their ascent.

By the time they reached a flat area near the summit, the sky had begun to slant westward. Yi’an was so exhausted she felt like she could collapse into a leopard pancake, while Nora, aside from being slightly out of breath, maintained her composure.

Yi’an couldn’t help feeling resentful, and she began to rationalize her exhaustion.

It’s just because Little Leopard’s body is too weak, she thought. If I were in human form… hmph.

Nora, oblivious to Yi’an’s inner turmoil, simply adjusted her breathing and surveyed the surrounding terrain.

This flat area wasn’t as smooth as the one where they had spent the night. Aside from the patch under their feet, the rest was covered in oddly shaped, jagged rocks, their windward sides exposed in gray-black hues.

She glanced up at the summit, silently calculating the distance. Even if they climbed without stopping, it would be nearly impossible to reach the top before nightfall.

Besides, they weren’t just a mountaineering team; they also had to search for potential locations of the Divine Spark as they climbed.

Finally, Nora pointed to the narrow gap between two massive boulders and said, “Let’s make a fire here and have something to eat first. Then we’ll look around.”

Hearing that they could rest, Yi’an immediately darted under the boulders and naturally flattened herself into a leopard pancake.

Nora, wanting Yi’an to rest longer, leaned against her and swiftly started a fire.

Soon, wisps of smoke rose lazily, drifting out of the gap before being scattered by the strong wind.

Yi’an’s sweat-dampened fur quickly dried by the fire, and she couldn’t help but sway her tail contentedly from side to side.

As Nora roasted dried meat, she glanced at the Little Leopard drying her fur, her expression softening unconsciously.

She realized that even in this harsh environment, seeing Yi’an’s carefree, seemingly indifferent demeanor inexplicably lifted her spirits and brought her a sense of calm.

“Little Leopard,” Nora nudged the drowsy Yi’an.

Meow? Yi’an yawned, half-opening her eyes as she sat up.

Nora’s hand was still on Yi’an’s back. As Yi’an sat up, her whiskers brushed against the back of Nora’s hand, causing her small mouth to twitch, revealing her gleaming little fangs.

She was simply too adorable.

Nora desperately wanted to find the Divine Spark quickly. She couldn’t wait to discover what kind of person could contain such a precious soul—one whose heart’s whispers even the howling wind couldn’t conceal.

Meow? (What’s wrong?)

Seeing Nora only scratching her whiskers without speaking, Yi’an tilted her head, trying to free herself.

“Eat something before you go back to sleep,” Nora said, releasing Yi’an’s whiskers and offering her a piece of freshly roasted jerky.

Exhausted and sleepy, Yi’an took a couple of bites before turning her head away, indicating she was full.

Seeing Yi’an fall asleep immediately, Nora didn’t insist.

She removed her scarf and draped it over Yi’an, then glanced down at the half-eaten piece of jerky. In a moment of inexplicable impulse, she picked it up and finished it.

It was quite tasty, and she didn’t want to waste it.