“In the immortal river of time, your midsummer will never fade…”
Dust swirled through the air. The atmosphere was mixed with sweat and an unknown stench. Crumbling ruins could be seen everywhere, and the passersby wore ragged clothes. This was the slums of Blue Star.
Six hundred years ago, a virus outbreak swept across Blue Star, bringing about the apocalypse. The Border Zone became the first region abandoned by humanity.
One hundred years after the apocalypse began, humanity finally won the war, standing upon a decayed land nourished by blood and bones.
Over the next five hundred years, “Corruption” would appear from time to time. It was a remnant of the apocalypse, a declaration of humanity’s sins.
Amid the endless wasteland, this place was both Blue Star’s slum district and the first line of defense against the “Corruption”—the Redra Defense Line.
Yet there was one place completely out of place with its surroundings.
Inside a modest cave stood an egg nearly half the height of a person. Beneath it, someone had carefully laid several thick layers of fur.
The entire egg was spotless white, without a single blemish. It was obvious that someone cleaned and cared for it every day.
Pink Butterfly Flowers, giving off a faint fragrance, had been thoughtfully placed throughout the cave, driving away the foul odor in the air.
These flowers were not only beautiful and butterfly-shaped, but their scent was uniquely enchanting. They were highly favored by the upper class and could fetch astronomical prices even in the Central City.
Yet very few people dared to pick them.
In contrast, Pink Butterfly Flowers grew in extremely dangerous environments, and a single mistake while gathering them could cost a person’s life.
And yet now, they were scattered throughout the cave as if they were worthless.
Compared to the egg, however, all of it faded into insignificance.
Suddenly, the egg trembled slightly, as though something inside was trying to come out.
Inside the cave, the tall figure who had been guarding the egg all this time abruptly opened his eyes.
The man’s massive body shielded the egg beneath him. His sharp gaze remained fixed on the gently shaking egg, and there was a trace of caution hidden in his eyes.
This was the little hatchling he had protected for three months.
The white egg shook more and more violently. Afraid it might fall over and hurt itself, the man quickly reached out to steady it. Yet he also feared spoiling the hatchling’s fun. The towering giant suddenly looked awkward and flustered.
Lin Suisui had no idea what was happening.
Her memory stopped at the moment she was being chased, then falling into a crack in the ground.
When she opened her eyes again, she found herself inside a sealed space.
This place was so warm.
It felt like home.
Had she already died and been reincarnated?
Lin Suisui had slept to her heart’s content in here. Today, she finally decided to go outside and take a look.
“Huff… huff…”
The eggshell was extremely hard. Knocking on it hurt a little, and Lin Suisui pursed her lips.
She heard a faint cracking sound.
A few more hits should do it, right?
“Heave-ho…”
She kicked with all her strength.
Crack!
A piece of the eggshell finally broke off, letting light shine in. Uncomfortable with the sudden brightness, Lin Suisui raised an arm to shield her eyes.
After adjusting for a moment, she opened them—
And immediately met a pair of fierce eyes.
Over two meters tall, heavily muscled, dark-skinned, and covered in scars, the man grinned at her.
“Li… little hatchling…”
His beast-like eyes glowed green with excitement in the darkness.
Behind him swayed a large tail that clearly did not belong on a human body. It looked remarkably similar to a wolf’s tail.
Lin Suisui: “…”
Wow.
Jackpot.
Spawned directly into a death box.
Lin Suisui peacefully closed her eyes.
Whatever.
She’d just reincarnate again.
The newly hatched little hatchling closed her eyes weakly. The man, who had been overjoyed a moment ago, immediately turned pale.
He had only seen that expression on people who were about to “go to sleep.”
And those people had never opened their eyes again.
“Little hatchling, wake up!”
His rough, oversized hand stopped abruptly just before touching her.
The hatchling’s skin was too soft.
He could crush a person’s skull without hesitation, yet he had no idea how to handle such a delicate creature.
For a moment, Hei Yun had no idea what to do.
Standing there helplessly with both hands raised, he called anxiously,
“Little hatchling, wake up. Don’t sleep.”
His thick tail slammed heavily against the ground.
His eyes were filled with panic and helplessness.
He didn’t want the hatchling to “go to sleep.”
When Lin Suisui thought she heard the sound of a beast crying, she could no longer keep pretending.
The man’s anxious behavior made it seem as though she would die at any moment.
She had no choice but to accept reality.
She seemed to have arrived in a very strange place.
Judging from the changes in her body, she had apparently become a hatchling herself.
And the man in front of her—the one who could probably kill her with a single punch, whether beast or human—had no intention of eating her.
As Lin Suisui continued keeping her eyes closed, the repeated calls of “little hatchling” gradually became choked with tears.
Her eyes snapped open.
What greeted her was the sight of a giant tough guy crying.
The man’s huge arm hovered beside her, clearly wanting to touch her but not daring to. He looked awkward and adorable, completely at odds with his enormous frame.
“Don’t cry…”
A soft, sweet voice rang out.
The little hatchling had opened her eyes.
Lin Suisui watched fireworks explode in the man’s eyes.
The next moment, a pile of bright red fruits appeared around her.
People who “went to sleep” did so because they were hungry.
Hei Yun believed the little hatchling must have closed her eyes because she was hungry too.
Carefully holding the largest and reddest fruit in both hands, he offered it to her.
Looking at her expectantly, he said,
“Little hatchling. Hungry. Eat.”
The fruit was larger than her hand.
Lin Suisui could only hold it with both arms and take a bite.
The flesh was sweet and juicy.
Delicious.
The moment she tasted it, her bright eyes sparkled.
“So sweet!”
Seeing that the hatchling liked it, Hei Yun immediately pushed the rest of the fruits toward her.
“Like it. Eat more…”
His tail wagged happily behind him.
For a brief moment, Lin Suisui felt as though she was looking at a husky that had just been praised by its owner.
Maybe she had misunderstood something.
Considering the man’s attitude toward her, Lin Suisui thought for a moment.
Then she picked up a large red fruit and handed it to him.
“Daddy, eat.”
Hei Yun’s eyes widened instantly.
His tail froze stiff.
Just hearing the little hatchling talk to him already made him feel as though he were floating on clouds.
But now…
Not only had she given him a fruit, she had even called him Daddy.
For the first time in his life, the man who killed without blinking completely froze.
When he remained motionless after she spoke, Lin Suisui blinked.
Then she propped herself up and placed the fruit into his hand.
“Daddy, the fruit is really tasty. You should eat some too.”
Soft.
Fair.
Fragile like a priceless treasure that could shatter at any moment.
He had wielded twenty-kilogram iron swords.
He had lifted boulders ten meters tall.
Yet he had never touched such a soft creature before.
Warm.
Beautiful.
Like the most precious treasure in the world.
Something that could break with the slightest carelessness.
The little hatchling gazed at him with clear eyes full of expectation.
Hei Yun accepted the fruit with a stiff body.
Under her eager gaze, he rigidly stuffed it into his mouth.
A warrior who could battle Corruption for hundreds of rounds now moved like a rusty machine.
If the people of the slums saw this, they would be utterly shocked.
The Great Demon King actually had a day like this.
The fruit that required both of the hatchling’s hands looked ten times smaller in his.
It slid down his throat.
He didn’t taste a thing.
Lin Suisui asked,
“Is it sweet?”
Hei Yun replied,
“Sweet.”
The fruit…
Given by the little hatchling…
Was sweet.
Lin Suisui’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled happily.
The hatchling smiled.
So Hei Yun smiled foolishly as well.
Looking at his silly expression, Lin Suisui wondered how she could ever have mistaken him for a kidnapper.
Freshly hatched, her body tired easily.
After eating, she began to feel sleepy.
The egg she had hatched from was half her height. Lying inside it felt like resting in a cradle.
Comfortable beyond words.
She climbed back into the eggshell and curled up.
The man, who had been excited just moments ago, immediately panicked.
Flailing his arms, he hurriedly said,
“Little hatchling, sleep… won’t wake up.”
Both hands gestured frantically.
Lin Suisui finally understood why he had cried when she closed her eyes earlier.
He thought she was dying.
Hei Yun once again offered her a fruit and looked at her expectantly.
“Little hatchling, eat. Don’t sleep.”
Tilting her head, Lin Suisui felt that her daddy might have a few issues.
She rubbed her soft little face against his palm.
“Don’t worry, Daddy. I’m just tired. I want to rest for a while.”
Still…
Having a dad who could punch anyone bullying her to death was incredibly cool, okay?
Warm breaths brushed across the man’s fingers.
The little hatchling hugged his arm and slowly drifted to sleep.
She was breathing.
Unlike those people who had “gone to sleep.”
Hei Yun finally calmed down.
Without moving his eyes away, he quietly watched Lin Suisui.
His towering body remained beside her, standing guard.
This was the treasure he had incubated for three months.
His little hatchling.