“——From this day forward, you are my brother!!”
“Eh?!”
What was going on?
This was after Luo Chen had woken up from a dizzying, feverish state, and before he could even confirm his current situation.
The next second, a cold, authoritative voice echoed, leaving no room for doubt.
The sound instantly interrupted his thoughts.
What was going on?
He remembered falling asleep after staying up late to watch anime. So where was this voice coming from?
Wait, could it be a thief?!
After all, his family had gone on vacation, leaving him alone at home.
Thinking this, Luo Chen ignored his strange state and forced his dizzy eyes open.
The first thing that caught his eye was a scene of blue sky and white clouds, not the familiar ceiling.
The sky was vast and clear, a scene of ethereal beauty.
Even though his vision, or perhaps his eyesight, was slightly blurry because of his state, there was no mistaking the throbbing headache and the feeling that his body was melting like a furnace.
This state also prevented him from doubting he was dreaming or questioning the reality of the scene before him.
Was he outdoors?
That was impossible, wasn’t he in his home?
“Awake?”
“Uh…ugh～”
A beautiful voice, reminiscent of the sound of a zither, came from above.
Only then did Luo Chen realize he was lying down, seemingly being held by someone. No, to be precise, he was using the other person as a pillow.
Without time to process the fact that he was on someone’s lap, he heard the cold, authoritative voice, a sound like a lion’s growl, a tiger’s roar – a voice possessing the might of the king of beasts.
Luo Chen, who was still shocked by the blue sky and clouds and confused about his situation, couldn’t help but turn his gaze from the sky. Then –
He saw a face as pure and flawless as jade through the perfect gathering of hearts!
She had a posture like a mimosa, black hair as smooth as silk, tied up in a braid. She appeared to be around seventeen or eighteen years old, wearing a white Hanfu, a unique style from ancient China. She was a breathtaking beauty, graceful and elegant, with a face like a celestial being.
Roleplay? Or had he time traveled?
No, the primary question was figuring out what happened.
Who was she? Why was she with him, and why was she using him as a pillow?
Right, what did she say, something about him being her brother?
In an instant, Luo Chen was thrown into a whirlwind of confusion and bewilderment, from the unfamiliar surroundings to his interaction with this stranger.
After all, one second he was asleep, and the next he woke up to this situation, a constant stream of question marks popping up in his mind.
“Excuse me, sister…oh, I mean, young lady, who are you…ugh～”
“Don’t move.”
“Hm?”
Beyond that, Luo Chen found himself in a rather bad state.
It felt like he had fallen from a high building, with every part of his body aching. His pajamas had also been torn to shreds.
He shifted his gaze. Though his body appeared unscathed, it was difficult to control.
How to describe it, it was like he had worked himself to the bone.
However, the priority wasn’t this, but rather the fact that he was in this state before this beautiful maiden!
Although the maiden had been gazing at him calmly the whole time, Luo Chen couldn’t help but blush, feeling rather embarrassed.
He wanted to do something, but he was even struggling to move his arm, making him even more uncomfortable.
Thankfully, nothing else had happened, otherwise, he would have been even more embarrassed.
Don’t get him wrong, it wasn’t that this beautiful maiden lacked charm, but rather his current state.
Therefore, he didn’t know whether he should be happy or sad about this.
What if she misunderstood him?
Luo Chen hadn’t expected to appear in front of a stranger, resembling a Terminator’s entrance, leaving him speechless.
A series of doubts and questions flooded his mind, leaving him in a tangle. He could only stare at the beautiful girl holding him with a forced calm.
Well, to be accurate, she was supporting him.
“Name.”
“Eh?”
“Name.” (Her brow furrowed slightly)
“Uh, Luo Chen, the ‘Luo’ of ‘Heaven and Earth Net’, the ‘Chen’ of ‘Star’.
“…..Good.”
“???”
The cold, authoritative maiden seemed oblivious to Luo Chen’s embarrassment.
Instead of looking at him with concern about his state, she spoke calmly with an air of powerful presence.
She looked like a young girl, but she gave off the feeling of a towering queen…no, it was more like an empress or an empress-like figure!
She spoke sparingly but her words carried conviction, showcasing her cold and powerful aura.
Luo Chen, however, was confused after hearing the maiden’s praise, unsure why she said that.
“Uh?!”
The next second, before he could ask, this beautiful girl, seeing that his condition had slightly improved, directly picked him up in her arms.
Yes, in a princess carry!
Luo Chen hadn’t expected to be treated like this, except as a child.
But before he could react, he saw the surroundings blur, and the maiden carried him away from his previous position.
No way!
Instantaneous movement? Spatial displacement? Light skill?
Such a miraculous scene naturally made Luo Chen forget his doubts. All that remained was shock and excitement.
Could it be that he had time traveled to a world of martial arts or fantasy?
Meanwhile, thanks to the maiden’s actions, he was able to move his head slightly and realized that they were on the edge of a massive crater.
Or rather, they were in a deep forest, seemingly a crater formed by a meteorite impact!
So, he had been lying at the bottom of the crater all this time?
Or was he a “gift from the heavens” and had been “picked up”?
“Cough cough～Young lady, what is your name?”
Looking at the stern, cold ancient-dressed maiden, Luo Chen had already begun to imagine a future of brewing wine, making paper, raising pigs, copying poems, marrying a princess, seizing power, becoming an emperor, or perhaps becoming a free-spirited, wandering swordsman.
“….Luo Hao.”
Luo Hao?
That name didn’t sound like a woman’s name, especially not for such a beautiful maiden!
“Luo Cui Lian, courtesy name Hao, also, you must call me ‘sister’!”
“Luo Hao Luo Cui Lian?!”
She nodded.
Wait, wasn’t this the Luo Hao sect leader?
The Blazing One!
As she answered Luo Chen’s question, the woman named “Luo Cui Lian” didn’t pay attention to Luo Chen’s increasingly surprised and dumbfounded expression upon hearing her name.
Instead, she stood on the edge of the crater, glanced at the giant pit, then turned around and moved with swift light steps, carrying him through the air.
Her clothes fluttered, as if riding the wind, like a celestial maiden descending to earth, she flitted through the forest.
Finally, they landed on a mountaintop, with lush green hills and clear blue water, a place secluded with no people around, only an old, rustic thatched cottage!