Burning Love

“I’m sorry, I’m not Yue Ling.”

The girl shook her head.

Not… Yue Ling?

It took Bai Ci a moment to process the words. He studied her face more closely—

and realized there were subtle differences from the Yue Ling in his memories.

But then why did he mistake this girl for her?

That fleeting sensation of them overlapping… had felt so real.

Did I really get it wrong…?

“Hey, hey, hey?” The girl’s bell-like voice rang in his ear.

“Ah… oh, uh…”

Realizing how rude he must’ve looked, Bai Ci gave an awkward chuckle.

“You know, staring at a cute girl like that right off the bat? Kinda creepy.”

“Sorry,” Bai Ci said, clearing his throat twice to cover up his embarrassment.

“It’s fine, it’s fine! But still… you’re not afraid of me?” The girl tilted her head, curious.

“Why should I be afraid…?” Bai Ci shook his head.

“Hmm… maybe because I’m dangerous?”

Bai Ci didn’t feel any danger radiating from her at all.

“If anything, you make me feel… nostalgic.”

“Because you resemble someone very important to me…” Bai Ci murmured.

“Someone important?”

“Yeah… but I failed to protect her.”

Seeing Bai Ci’s expression darken, the girl let out a soft laugh.

Then she stepped forward, straight into his personal space, her bright, shimmering eyes scanning him up and down.

“So cute!”

Watching her bounce around like this, Bai Ci couldn’t help but think:

Maybe Yue Ling used to stare at me like this when I was sleeping in on weekends.

For a brief moment, their gazes locked—and Bai Ci, ever perceptive, caught a flicker of something unusual in her emotions.

“Is there something on my face? You’ve been staring for so long.”

He instinctively wiped his cheek,

finding nothing but dirt. He exhaled in relief.

Came to another world, can’t afford to look sloppy in front of a beautiful girl.

That’s what Bai Ci thought.

The girl shook her head. “Just curious.”

“Curious about what?”

“Well… I wanted to ask earlier, but you looked kinda troubled…”

She glanced at Bai Ci, hesitating slightly.

True enough—by Earth standards, Bai Ci’s behavior just now would’ve earned him the label pervert.

“It’s okay, I’m back to normal now. Feel free to ask,” Bai Ci said with an exaggeratedly cheerful expression, quickly regaining composure.

The girl dropped her playful smile and locked eyes with him seriously:

“Alright then.”

“What exactly was that power just now?”

“That force capable of killing a demon race in an instant…?”

“I don’t know.”

Bai Ci didn’t reveal anything about the Blood of Annihilation.

Spilling all your secrets upon arriving in a new world? Too reckless.

“But you called that thing a demon race?” Bai Ci pointed toward the shattered remains of the Extinction Species, trying to change the subject.

“You mean those things are what you call demons?”

The girl followed his gaze. The stench and grotesque sight made her grimace.

“You don’t even know they’re demons?”

Now it was her turn to gawk, staring at Bai Ci like he was an idiot.

“First time in this world, excuse me…”

So here, the Extinction Species are called demons… Bai Ci noted mentally.

Another useful piece of information acquired.

“Whatever. Guess you won’t tell me anyway.”

“After all, a human having that kind of power…” The girl saw through Bai Ci’s evasiveness and shrugged helplessly.

“It’s not that big a deal… why the reaction?”

Bai Ci didn’t grasp the full weight of her words.

On Earth, humans with Armored Mechs could slaughter these creatures one-on-one—it was practically a massacre.

(Though, admittedly, the warship-class Extinction Species were a different story.)

“Aren’t you afraid?” the girl asked, hands on her hips.

“There’s nothing to fear.”

Well, that wasn’t entirely true—he had faced countless horrors on Earth.

But fear wasn’t something he’d show.

Bai Ci thought silently.

“How common are demons in this world?” he countered.

Since they were his archenemies on Earth, he needed every scrap of intel he could get.

“They were the former rulers of this world.”

“Former rulers…?”

Bai Ci sensed the gravity in her tone.

“Yes.”

“Long ago, they enslaved every other race under the rule of the Demon King and his Seven Demon Lords,” the girl explained patiently, seeing Bai Ci’s blank expression.

“The Demon King? Demon Lords?” Bai Ci froze.

If the demons here were the same as the Extinction Species on Earth…

then what kind of beings were the Demon King and Demon Lords?

On Earth, the Extinction Species had no intelligent leaders—no hierarchy, no command structure.

This world… was far more terrifying than he’d imagined.

“Meh, don’t worry about the Demon King or the Demon Lords. They’ve all been sealed away. And aside from occasional outbreaks, demons rarely appear on this continent anymore.”

Bai Ci didn’t notice the faint trace of sorrow in the girl’s eyes as she spoke.

Through her continued explanation, Bai Ci pieced together some key facts about this world—called Nuo’er Continent.

Seven hundred years ago, the Demon King descended upon the land. Using his own blood, he created seven Demon Lords.

And each Demon Lord possessed the infinite ability to spawn various demon races. With overwhelming numbers and power, the Demon King swiftly conquered the world.

But later—perhaps out of boredom—he vanished one day, as if he’d never existed.

Without their ruler, the Seven Demon Lords fractured into rival factions, warring among themselves.

Eventually, the leaderless demon forces collapsed.

All other races united, sealing each of the Seven Demon Lords in remote locations across the continent.

Now, without the Demon Lords’ guidance, the remaining demons acted only as mindless predators—driven by primal instinct.

Yet ironically, humanity remained weak. Even without strategic command, demons still posed a massive threat to humans.

“Still… your power is really strange,” the girl said, staring intently at Bai Ci, as if trying to peer into his soul.

“Strange how?”

“It’s… chilling. Feels even more sinister than the demons.” She stepped closer,

until mere centimeters separated them—close enough to kiss.

Her floral fragrance and breathtaking beauty aggressively invaded Bai Ci’s senses.

!!!

What is she doing?!

Alarmed by the intimacy, Bai Ci tried to step back.

But the girl advanced relentlessly, pressing him.

Step forward. Step back. Step forward. Step back.

Until his back hit a massive tree—nowhere left to go.

Bai Ci narrowed his eyes.

Due to Yue Ling, he carried a strange emotional pull toward this girl—but his instincts and rationality remained sharp.

Survival on Earth had taught him one thing: When someone’s overly nice for no reason, they’re either after your money or your life.

“What do you want?”

Bai Ci breathed in the warm, sweet scent in the air, asking cautiously as the girl loomed over him—like a man about to be violated, yet defiant to the end.

“My name.”

“My name…?” Bai Ci scratched his head.

How long had it been since he last introduced himself?

On Earth, “Lieutenant General” had long replaced “Bai Ci” as his identity.

“Bai Ci.”

“And you… you’re Yue Ling, aren’t you…?”

He suddenly asked—still unwilling to let go.

Seeing the girl’s confused expression, Bai Ci knew:

this girl really wasn’t Yue Ling.

“Ahem. Never mind.”

“Bai Ci… Bai Ci…” The girl repeated his name, lost in thought.

She looked up, meeting his gaze—her eyes holding a complex emotion most would miss.

“I told you I’m interested in you… would that bother you?”

“Your power is strange… but there’s something about you I find familiar.”

“This feeling… I don’t dislike it.”

“Because it makes me feel… safe.”

“An honor,” Bai Ci smiled gently.

The girl didn’t respond.

Silence stretched—until, after a long while, her bell-like voice broke the stillness.

“Why… do I feel this way…?”

Her lashes trembled slightly. Her cherry lips parted, whispering like a silken thread.

Bai Ci smiled and asked, “Could it be fate? Do you believe in fate?”

Before all this—the doctor’s theories, the interdimensional jump—Bai Ci would’ve sooner believed a gambler could quit cold turkey than believe in something as abstract as fate.

But everything he’d experienced now proved one thing: his meeting this girl was no coincidence.

Even if she wasn’t Yue Ling… she was undeniably connected to her.

“Fate…?”

The girl didn’t say whether she believed it or not. She just kept repeating the word.

“It’s because of fate,” Bai Ci said, gazing steadily at the girl who seemed lost in thought, “that we’re standing here together now.”

“Ah….”

The girl blushed faintly, unnoticed even by herself, then quickly looked away.

“I see… well then, since you’ve already dealt with that demon… I don’t have any business here… so… um… I’ll just… leave you be~”

Suddenly flustered, she turned to leave.

Huh. So she’s high offense, low defense after all…

Watching the usually bold girl fumble like this, Bai Ci couldn’t help but smile inwardly.