The Guide Always Wants to Run (GL) - Chapter 4

Yan Ningjin swung the laser sword in her hand. Qin Xiao stumbled back in fright and bumped into a tree covered in bulbous growths. Just that slight touch made her shudder all over.

The moment she made contact, one of the tree’s bulges burst open. A milky-white liquid oozed out, dripping slowly down the bark.

Qin Xiao noted that the tree didn’t attack. It made no threatening movement like the twisted tree she had encountered earlier. No vines lashed out. Emboldened, she reached out with a paw and scooped up a bit of the strange liquid. It was thick and had a sweet aroma, reminiscent of a cleansing elixir she had tasted before that boosted cultivation.

Since waking up, she had eaten nothing. First, she fought off two aggressive birds. Then a fish monster chased her through the forest. She had been terrified by a twisted tree and a man-eating flower.

Now, lured by the sweet scent, her growling stomach protested loudly. She swallowed hard, her internal scale tipping between the risk of poison and the certainty of starvation.

In the end, hunger won. While licking the liquid from her paw, she consoled herself. This new body can’t handle hunger. I’ve cultivated for so long that I forgot what starvation felt like, but now I remembered it clearly, as if a wave were crashing through my gut.

After finishing one, she continued. One by one, she broke open the tree’s bulges and lapped up the contents. The more she ate, the more woozy she became. Eventually, the world began spinning.

Thud.

Yan Ningjin waited until Qin Xiao collapsed, unmoving. Only then did she step forward. With her laser sword, she flipped the creature over. Qin Xiao lay sprawled on the ground, limbs in every direction, eyes half-lidded, making small moaning sounds. She looked thoroughly intoxicated, but in this form, the expression seemed more lewd than charming.

Yan Ningjin had intended to finish off this strange creature. But as she got closer, she realized just how ugly it was. Disgusted, she withdrew her laser sword, fastened the hilt to her waist, and turned away. She grabbed the carcass of a boar she had killed earlier and began dragging it in the opposite direction.

She had barely taken a few steps when she noticed the creature staggering after her. Its four paws wobbled, its gait uneven like it was drunk.

She hesitated briefly before continuing onward, dragging the boar behind her. Halfway there, she heard a thud. Turning her head, she saw the odd little beast collapsed on the ground, snoring loudly.

Qin Xiao was enveloped in warmth. This sleep was the most comfortable she had had in ages. Strange sounds drifted through her dreams, but whenever she tried to listen closely, they would vanish, leaving behind only the crackle of fire and the soft hiss of something cooking. Then came a scent she had not smelled in ages. It was roasted meat.

She opened her eyes. A bright moon hung in the night sky, surrounded by scattered stars.

It’s already night?!

The forest was always more dangerous after dark. She tried to leap to her feet, but something was wrong. She didn’t spring up as expected. Looking down, she found her four paws tied to a stick. She was suspended directly above a blazing fire.

Qin Xiao: !!!

Yan Ningjin glanced at her. “Awake?”

Qin Xiao could swear she heard a note of surprise in the human’s voice. She opened her mouth. “How dare you! Release me at once!”

Instead, what came out was the yelping of a puppy. “Awoo! Awoo!”

Yan Ningjin toyed with a dagger in her hand, stepping closer. She pressed the blade lightly against Qin Xiao’s throat. “Your hide is hideous, but roasted, it might not taste too bad.”

Qin Xiao: !!!

She actually wants to eat me?!

Yan Ningjin noticed the terror in the creature’s eyes and wondered if it could understand her. Slowly, she dragged the dagger down its neck. “I’m someone who prefers clean, efficient work. I don’t enjoy torture. So where should I start cutting to keep it painless for you?”

Furious, Qin Xiao attempted to protest, but only ended up yelping again in a helpless, pitiful voice. She thrashed against the ropes tying her paws, and the stick began wobbling above the flames.

The roasting setup had been a makeshift one, cobbled together in a hurry for Yan Ningjin’s meal. The frame wasn’t sturdy.

Fueled by panic, Qin Xiao’s inner fire ignited.

Snap. Snap. Snap.

Three sharp pops signaled the ropes breaking. Before Yan Ningjin could react, the little beast leapt, stick and all, out of the fire. Once clear, she used her claws to slash apart the remaining ropes with rapid swipes.

She shot Yan Ningjin a furious glare, then bolted.

Yan Ningjin walked to the firepit and stamped out the flames. She picked up the broken pieces of rope and the charred stick. The stick still bore deep claw marks. When she pressed the wood, it crumbled into several pieces.

“She drank the juice of the Drunken Dream Tree and still had this much destructive force? What kind of creature is this?”

Qin Xiao hadn’t gone far. The forest was pitch black, and monsters lurked in every shadow. The only light came from the fire the human had made. For the first time, Qin Xiao found herself trapped between predators and uncertainty. There are wolves ahead and tigers behind. I had no idea when I might recover even a sliver of spiritual power.

That would be enough. Enough to deal with the big monsters. Or even that human.

Because she realized neither the monsters nor the human had any spiritual power. They relied on speed and instinct. Although… the human was a little different.

Qin Xiao crawled low to the ground, thinking hard. How can I make that human lose her craving to eat me? After all, she looked hideous now. The woman shouldn’t be hungry for that.

She must be just like me. Hungry.

Qin Xiao crawled forward like a little caterpillar, inching her way back toward Yan Ningjin. Through the flickering firelight, she spotted a massive box-like object with limbs. It was humanoid in shape, but its arms and legs were made of interlocking boxes. Most importantly, it had no signs of life.

Not seeing Yan Ningjin anywhere nearby, she snuck closer. A little more. Then even closer.

Yan Ningjin stood at a control panel. The large screen displayed every movement of the strange creature, all monitored by the mech’s internal sensors. She watched seriously, not missing a single detail.

Qin Xiao had no idea she was being watched. She patted the mech’s side with her paw, then pressed her ear to it, listening for sounds. Her actions mimicked a human’s. Then she began scratching the mech’s surface, but it left no marks. Instead, her claws began to ache.

Same material as the box that locked me up. No, this one was even stronger.

She puffed up her little chest and marched around the mech like a proud sentinel claiming her territory. After a few laps, she found a seemingly hidden spot and curled up. Her short paws couldn’t even reach her head. With a miserable expression, she stared at the firelight, lost in thought.

Yan Ningjin didn’t miss a single moment. She rested both hands on the control panel, leaning forward in deep thought.

“Aiwei’er. Analyze that little beast’s species.”

A sweet, mechanical voice replied, “Report for Yan Yan. Energy insufficient. Energy insufficient. Energy insufficient. Repeating important message three times.”

Yan Ningjin rubbed her forehead. “How much energy is left?”

“Report for Yan Yan. Only ten percent remaining. To ensure Yan Yan can sleep each night, current projections suggest energy will last fifteen more days. Fifteen days. Fifteen days.”

Yan Ningjin took a deep breath. “Aiwei’er, we won’t need night defense. I can handle that myself. Redirect all remaining energy to the distress signal. Keep it going until they find us.”

Aiwei’er gave a cheery acknowledgment and disabled the mech’s alert systems.

Qin Xiao, hidden beneath the mech, had just dozed off when the security warning startled her awake. She heard movement, then saw two long legs step into view. Just as she relaxed, thinking the person had walked past, the human turned back, crouched down, and revealed a still-lovely face.

“Little beast.”

“Awoo.”

Who the hell are you calling a little beast?!

Qin Xiao bared her teeth. Two small fangs, each no longer than half a human thumb, flashed. Her face practically screamed it with all her might. I’m ferocious.

Yan Ningjin saw the tiny, unimpressive teeth and smirked. Not the least bit afraid, she even thought the little thing was putting on airs. She curled a finger toward Qin Xiao.

“Come here. We need to talk.”