Chapter 115
Chapter 115
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: Sharing a Bed
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After that, we kept dismantling traps as we pressed onward.
No matter how well I could read the heavenly secrets and know every path ahead, this place was Shin Tu's secret abode—a man who roamed the entire Central Plains like it was his own backyard.
It was on a scale far beyond ordinary grandeur.
Considering the labyrinthine paths twisting like a maze and the countless traps, exploring this ruin the normal way would probably take nearly a month.
Maybe even until next year.
The silver lining was that we were taking the fastest route with the fewest traps, so at most, it would take two or three days to reach the end.
With this era's primitive technology, it was hard to believe anyone could even build such a facility.
"What the hell kind of person was this Shin Tu, anyway?"
It was only natural for such doubts to creep into my mind.
Even after witnessing the miracle of martial arts firsthand, I couldn't wrap my head around humans constructing this without any special machinery.
If he really wanted to pull it off, wouldn't he have needed laborers who were martial artists themselves?
"What kind of guy was that bastard?"
"Yeah. Judging by the size of this ruin, he wasn't just anyone..."
"...A weirdo. A total eccentric. The kind you never knew where he'd pop up next."
Yeo Sochen ground her teeth, still seething at the mere thought of him.
"For some reason, he had it out for me. He treated me worse than anyone else and teased me constantly. The other comrades ribbed me too, but that guy was especially vicious."
"He wasn't that old, then?"
"Who knows? He always wore a mask, so I never saw his face. Not even his gender. His actions and speech sounded manly... but who knows. Could've been a woman."
"...Hmm."
Shin Tu, whose appearance and even gender were unknown.
For some reason, I felt a strange sense of kinship.
There was a time when I'd considered hiding my gender completely for maximum mystique, but once rumors started flying about a peerless beauty hiding under my cloak, I panicked and started insisting everywhere that I was a man.
After all, I was hiding my identity to stay safe, not to put myself in danger.
"He was suspicious in all sorts of ways, but back then, we needed every hand we could get. He rarely fought directly, but he was genuinely helpful. Sneaking enemy intel or stealing materials for rituals. He pulled off some real feats, surprisingly. The guy was a master thief."
"No wonder they called him Shin Tu."
"Well, a title with 'divine' in it isn't handed out to just anyone. Oh, and after the Heavenly Demon turned the Blood Cult Leader into mincemeat, that jerk was the first to move. While everyone was frozen in shock, he rifled through the leader's unrecognizable corpse and snatched the Blood Cult's divine artifact."
"Ah. That thing you said was here?"
"Yeah. And the next day... well, you can guess the rest."
"...Ah."
He'd stolen her sword and the comrades' cherished weapons, then vanished.
"It's not for nothing he was branded a public enemy of the martial world. Not just our weapons—he pilfered treasures from sects and families everywhere before disappearing. That's why I said the entire Central Plains will erupt once word gets out about this hideout."
"Sounds about right."
"At least you consulted me before pulling something stupid. That's praiseworthy. If you'd acted rashly, it would've been a free-for-all for half-dead scavengers... but this way, we can turn it to our advantage."
"Wasn't it just because I needed to find your sword?"
"Shut up!"
She'd been trying to set a serious mood, but she snapped back to her usual self in an instant, drawing an involuntary chuckle from me.
"D-Do you know how precious that sword is?! I can't use my full power without it! You have any idea how much I've struggled with this unfamiliar blade...?"
"...But are you crying right now?"
"N-No, I'm not crying! I'm not upset at all!"
The tiny tears welling in Yeo Sochen's eyes betrayed her true feelings.
To get this hurt over a little teasing...
It must have been a sword she truly cherished.
Of course, there was no way to check the time in an underground ruin like this.
Not in a place like the Central Plains, where portable clocks weren't a thing—unlike Earth or some fantasy world.
Even outside, most people gauged time roughly by the sun's position.
Down here, with no sun in sight, we had no choice but to rely on our biological clocks.
Mealtimes? Whenever hunger struck.
So when did we sleep?
*Nod... Nod...*
"...Are you sleepy right now?"
"Huh?!"
"I told you to say something if you were tired. I can pull all-nighters no problem, so we sleep on your schedule."
"Yeees..."
I rubbed my heavy eyelids with my hand.
Pride had made me want to tough it out a bit longer, but it was no use.
"Not hungry? You sure you don't want anything before bed?"
"Eating before bed makes you gain weight..."
"I doubt you need to worry about that... Anyway, you should just crash. You're slurring from exhaustion."
"Zzz..."
"Don't sleep standing up—lie down! Get your sleeping bag out!"
"!"
Yeo Sochen's sharp voice pierced my ear, jolting me awake just long enough to rummage through my gear.
But...
"...No sleeping bag."
"You didn't pack one?"
"I think I did... or maybe I left it in the carriage..."
"You look beat. Fine, use mine. Our builds are similar, so it won't be cramped. I brought an oversized one anyway."
"Thaaanks..."
As I took her offered sleeping bag and unrolled it, I noticed Yeo Sochen sitting primly on the ground.
"What? Staring at something?"
"You're not sleeping...?"
"No bag. And I don't fancy sprawling on the floor. I'll just meditate. A few cycles of qi circulation, and time flies. No need to worry about me getting bored."
"Ah..."
I nodded at her words and slipped into the open sleeping bag.
True to her claim, it was spacious—even after I crawled in, there was plenty of room left.
"Hee hee..."
Curling up like a caterpillar inside the fluffy bag felt so cozy and comforting.
I was on the verge of drifting off.
But just as I was savoring that pleasant haze, my eyes met Yeo Sochen's as she sat beside me.
"Mm..."
I frowned slightly, hesitating before the words slipped out.
"Wanna share...?"
"What?!"
Yeo Sochen's face flushed crimson as she jumped in shock at my words.
"W-W-W-What are you saying?! Are you insane?! Do you even realize what just came out of your mouth?!"
"What...?"
"Sh-Sharing a bed... Th-That's sleeping together! So you've finally revealed your true colors, you lecher! Sword Empress and Dang Ayoung weren't enough—now you're after me too!"
"Eh...?"
"Y-You shouldn't take it so lightly! Sure, things have happened, but I'm her loyal servant...! Don't think I'll fall for you that easily! No matter how handsome you are or how intoxicating your scent is, I won't give in to something so shallow!"
"...Eeeh."
Too sleepy to follow properly, but her tone rubbed me the wrong way.
Like I'd overheard something I shouldn't have.
"A-Anyway, forget that suggestion. A man and woman alone in a tight space might spark thoughts like that, but to say it so boldly... You're a lecher through and through!"
I couldn't make out the details, but it was clear she was misunderstanding something.
Too drained to argue, I clarified in a drowsy mumble.
"It's not like that. I just meant share for real..."
"...Huh?"
"The bag's huge anyway... Our sizes should fit just fine together..."
Yeo Sochen's face turned beet red in an instant upon hearing me.
Her expressions were always so vivid and entertaining to watch.
Her hand, barely covering her mouth, trembled faintly, while the other flailed about in confusion.
She'd stay like that forever at this rate, so I took the initiative.
"Come on in. It's super comfy."
I pulled my arms out of the bag and spread them wide toward her.
"Th-That is..."
"I get cold sleeping alone at night."
"R-Really?"
We'd already deep-kissed before, so sharing a sleeping bag wasn't that big a deal.
"Hmph. If you're feeling lonely and cold, I suppose I have no choice but to help. What a child you are."
Who was the one jumping to conclusions and clamming up earlier? But I was too eager to sleep to retort.
Yeo Sochen scooted closer and slipped into the bag.
"See? Not cramped at all."
"Y-Yeah."
As expected, our petite frames left plenty of space.
"S-So now what do we...?"
The moment I confirmed she'd settled in, my limit hit.
"Night..."
"Eh?"
"Zzz..."
"W-Wait a sec? You're actually sleeping? For real?"
I sank into deep slumber amid her flustered voice.
But with someone beside me,
the warmth felt nice and comforting.