A vicious female is trapped in a beastly hell.

Chapter 550 The Romance of Fireflies
Xiao Jin lifted the tent flap and immediately saw the sleeping female. He breathed softly, tiptoed into the covers, and gently pulled her into his arms.

Today is the day he will serve the emperor!

After a long day of work, being able to hold a sweet and soft little female in the evening is incredibly comforting. It makes my heart feel sweet and tender, like it's been soaked in honey.

Shen Tang initially felt a bit cool under the covers, but as she slept, she grew hotter and hotter until she could barely breathe.

She groggily opened her eyes and found herself nestled in a furry "leopard's den"—the black leopard's limbs were tightly wrapped around her, she was resting her head on its soft belly, and the huge leopard's head was close to hers, its warm breath brushing against her ears.

Shen Tang couldn't help but shrink back, trying to break free from Xiao Jin's embrace. But the black panther instinctively tightened its grip on her with its claws, making it impossible for her to move!
She had no choice but to reach out and push its head, "Wake up, wake up!"

Xiao Jin woke up groggily, and gently licked her cheek and neck with his tongue, "Tangtang, good morning..."

"What do you mean 'early'? It's not even dawn yet. Let go of me, I'm so hot." Shen Tang complained, but the licking made her giggle.

Although Xiao Jin had a carefree personality, his licking motions were gentle and restrained. The barbs on the tip of his tongue were also soft, causing only a slight tingling sensation, not pain.

"Ouch!"

Xiao Jin suddenly became clear-headed.

It turned out that he had unconsciously transformed back into his original form while he was asleep. His enormous black panther body almost filled the entire tent, and his body temperature was like a furnace, making the tent extremely hot.

He nuzzled Shen Tang's face affectionately, climbed out of the tent, and planned to curl up and sleep by the door.

A moment later, a furry leopard head poked its head in from outside the curtain, its voice brimming with excitement, "Tangtang, do you want to go out and see the stars? The stars are especially bright tonight, and I know a place that's perfect for watching them."

Shen Tang was wide awake after his antics, and it was obvious that the leopard wanted to arrange a secret rendezvous with her.

It was the dead of night, and the entire camp was quiet except for the crackling campfire outside the tents, whose light gradually dimmed.

Since Shen Tang couldn't sleep anyway, she got dressed and climbed onto his back.

Xiao Jin excitedly took off with his four paws, carrying her like a gust of wind towards a nearby hilltop.

The terrain here is higher, making the stars and moon in the sky appear exceptionally bright, and the moon seems to be a size larger as well.

It's important to know that the polluted area was shrouded in thick fog year-round, making it impossible to see the sky. After nearly six months of remediation, the environment here has gradually improved, the toxic fog has long since dissipated, and it now looks no different from an ordinary mountain forest.

Xiao Jin lay on the ground as a "mattress," and Shen Tang leaned softly against his back, looking up at the dazzling Milky Way in the deep blue sky.

Gradually, she squinted, yawned, and her beautiful eyes welled up with sleepy tears.

Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of something flickering in the night-shrouded woods not far away, drifting back and forth in the air—fireflies!
Shen Tang was instantly wide awake and excitedly pointed in that direction, shouting, "Ah Jin, look! It's fireflies!"

"Fireflies?" Xiao Jin flicked his thick, long tail, finding the name intriguing.

He knew she was referring to these small insects that glow at night, which he had seen several times before when hunting outside the city at night.

However, Xiao Jin was a rough man with little leisure time, always only concerned with how fat his prey was and how much it could fetch, never paying attention to these little things. Unexpectedly, Tangtang seemed to like it quite a bit.

He smiled and said, "You like it? If you like it, I'll catch a basketful for you and make a little nightlight so it can provide light at night."

“Don’t catch too many. These little insects won’t live more than a few days. It’s best to let them fly freely.” Shen Tang said softly, her delicate voice sounding particularly ethereal in the night. “You don’t know, fireflies are very delicate. They only appear in places with good environments. In my hometown, they are rarely seen anymore.”

Xiao Jin nodded knowingly when he heard the first half of the sentence. Indeed, after the pollution spread over the years, he hadn't seen such glowing flying insects for a long time.

Upon hearing her next words, his tail, which was drooping on the ground, slowly stopped wagging.

Tangtang's hometown...

Where is her hometown? In the Nightfall Empire? In another country? In a place he doesn't know about on the other side of the continent? Or in an even more distant place?

Does she miss home?
Will she go back someday?
Will she... leave?
Xiao Jin opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but then saw the little female in his arms suddenly get up and run forward happily, "Come on, let's go take a look over there!"

There weren't many fireflies in this part of the forest, just a few scattered here and there. But as you went deeper in, more and more fireflies appeared, flitting through the woods like fallen stars floating in the air, weaving together a magnificent picture.

Fireflies fill the mountains and fields, their chirping mingling with the shadows of the trees.

Shen Tang was stunned by the beautiful scenery before her.

In the desolate wilderness, the hazy moonlight spilled through the woods, the mountain breeze stirred the shadows of the trees, and the wild grass rippled like waves of clouds. She lifted her skirt and waded across the stream as lightly as a deer in the forest, even the hem of her skirt getting wet.

The reflection in the water is broken into pieces, the graceful figure faintly visible, the shadows of the trees swaying gently.

She was surrounded by shimmering lights, looking as beautiful as an elf from a fairy tale.

Xiao Jin stood there, stunned, clutching his wildly beating heart, almost speechless.

He only snapped out of his daze and chased after her when she was almost far away, calling out, "Tangtang, don't go too far!"

More and more fireflies appeared in the forest, and tiny insects landed on his ears, tickling him.

Xiao Jin shook his head, feeling a bit itchy, trying to bite or scratch the fireflies, but they all flew away. He jumped up and did a comical somersault in the air, accidentally biting his own tail fur a few times, but he didn't catch a single one.

Shen Tang, who was ahead, suddenly stopped and whispered "Shh!" "I caught him!"

Xiao Jin quickly spat out the hair in his mouth, turned over and walked over to get a closer look at her.

Shen Tang whispered, "Be gentle, don't scare it."

As she spoke, she gently opened her palm.

Both of them held their breath, getting very close to each other, watching her palm slowly bloom like a flower.

A small, yellowish-green firefly lay quietly in her palm.

Whether it was frightened or not, it didn't fly away; it just floated there quietly.

In the quiet of the night, the faint light illuminated the female's beautiful and charming eyes, making them appear even brighter and more captivating than usual.

Xiao Jin looked up at her, his eyes wide with astonishment.

Whether it was the allure of the night or something else, he gently sniffed his wet nose, unable to resist—

"Aqiu~"

The little firefly was so frightened that it flew away instantly.

Shen Tang watched as the little insect she had finally managed to catch was scared away, and glared angrily at the mischievous black leopard. Before she could utter a word of reprimand, a flash of white light appeared before her eyes, and a wet, warm kiss landed on her lips.

Xiao Jin pinned her to the ground and instantly transformed back into human form—still naked!

Shen Tang sensed something, her face flushed red, and she quickly covered her eyes with her hands. "You scoundrel! Put your clothes on right now!"

Xiao Jin said innocently, "I forgot to bring it."

But the big hand had already started to get restless.

Shen Tang angrily bent her knee and kicked him, and the man groaned.

"Then go back, don't stay here."

"No, if we go back, someone will bother us again." Xiao Jin hugged her even tighter, his domineering manner unbearable.

With such a beautiful night, he wanted to do something even more beautiful with her.

The man's face was strikingly handsome, his physique perfectly built, and his eyes were filled with deep love and passion. Behind him, fireflies twinkled everywhere, and insects chirped incessantly.

His bright golden eyes were more dazzling than any other light.

Shen Tang gazed at him, her eyes involuntarily lost in a daze.

She reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, responding to his touch, letting his breath gradually envelop and fill her. Xiao Jin's strong, young body gently rubbed against her as he passionately kissed her, his voice growing hoarse, "Tangtang, you're so beautiful... I love you..."

The stars twinkled softly in the night sky, and the tranquil moonlight seemed to shyly hide behind the clouds. Fireflies rippled through the woods like waves, and the chirping of insects created a mesmerizing rhythm. Tonight, everything was exceptionally beautiful and harmonious.

Just as they were getting into the swing of things, a dark shadow suddenly flashed by in the distance, as if something was quietly approaching.

Xiao Jin instantly regained his senses and quickly withdrew from her.

The pain of being forcibly separated made Shen Tang groan softly, her body curling up slightly.

Xiao Jin was also panting heavily, his forehead damp with cold sweat, and a look of pain crossed his handsome face. He lowered his head and licked her face comfortingly, quickly grabbed the clothes on the ground and dressed her, then held her protectively in his arms, cautiously looking around.

The fireflies around us had vanished without a trace.

The night grew even deeper, and things in the distance were almost invisible. The bushes rustled occasionally, but it was just the wind.

But Xiao Jin's whole body tensed up. His intuition, honed from years of fighting on the battlefield, told him that something had definitely approached just now!
Shen Tang placed her hand on his chest and felt that his muscles were as hard as stone. Her expression changed slightly. "Just now... someone was here?"

Xiao Jin sniffed carefully, but the air was filled with the scent of their intimate moments. His Adam's apple bobbed, and he said in a hoarse voice, "It might be a contaminated species."

Although this area was reclassified from a contaminated zone to a normal zone several months ago, and they have jointly cracked down on local polluters, it's hard to guarantee that no one escaped. However, generally speaking, the threat is not significant.

Xiao Jin was extremely upset that his good deed was interrupted, and he vowed to find the culprit who caused the trouble!

He slammed his palm heavily on the ground, and lightning spread out like waves, enveloping the entire area and forming a domain.

The next second, Xiao Jin suddenly sensed something and his expression changed.

His narrow, sharp golden eyes stared straight in a certain direction, and his palm suddenly clenched—a magnificent bolt of lightning shot through the air like a sharp sword, instantly illuminating the entire area as if it were daytime.

Unfortunately, I missed.

The thing disappeared.

Xiao Jinjun's face darkened.

Although I couldn't see who it was, the energy fluctuations and reaction speed were definitely not those of an ordinary mutant!

The commotion also woke up the orcs in the base. They all woke up and looked at the lightning and thunder in the distance, discussing it amongst themselves.

Xue Yinzhou and Lu Xiao had fought alongside Xiao Jin for many years and knew very well that this was his supernatural energy fluctuation. They rushed to the tent where the two were staying and, sure enough, found that he was not there, so they immediately came looking for him.

On their way back with Shen Tang, Xiao Jin ran into Xue Yinzhou and his group, who had come looking for them.

The scene suddenly became awkward.

Xue Yinzhou's gaze fell on Shen Tang.

She lay on the black leopard's back, her clothes disheveled, her body exuding the scent of passion, and also reeking of the dead leopard, especially strong in a certain area.

He hissed and flicked his tongue, his snake eyes narrowed, and his lower body instantly transformed into a snake tail, pulling Shen Tang into his arms.

At the same time, the snake's tail lashed out again, striking Xiao Jin like a blur, "You dare to take Tangtang so far? You're asking for death!"

"Awooo—" This time Xiao Jin didn't dodge and took the hit squarely, flying several meters and crashing into a tree. He coughed several times. "I...I didn't expect something like this to happen."

This time, even Lu Xiao was somewhat angry. He looked coldly at the dejected Xiao Jin and did not stop the two from fighting.

Xiao Jin is too impatient; he actually dared to take the female master on a date that far away all by himself.

It should be noted that males are least alert at that time, and if Shen Tang were to encounter danger in the wild, he would most likely be injured.

Lu Xiao: "What exactly happened just now? Who did you fight?"

"I don't know what it is. It's like a contaminant, but I couldn't catch it."

"A contaminated species?" Xue Yinzhou's face grew even colder, wishing he could kill this stinking leopard.

Xiao Jin said regretfully, "I cleaned that area before, so there shouldn't be any contaminated plants there... This time it's my fault, it was my negligence. I'll accept whatever punishment you want!"

He closed his eyes, his chest heaving violently.

"Alright, stop fighting amongst yourselves. The most important thing now is to find out what that dark figure is." Shen Tang couldn't bear to see Xiao Jin get beaten up again, so she gently tugged at a strand of Xue Yinzhou's silver hair that fell across her chest and said softly, "I also bear some responsibility. Don't be angry."

Hearing her gentle voice, Xue Yinzhou's anger subsided slightly.

Although he still wanted to teach the leopard a lesson, he couldn't show it in front of Shen Tang. He kept a straight face and said in a low, cold voice, "Don't indulge him again next time."

She indulged this leopard the most.

Xue Yinzhou didn't want to admit it, but he was actually a little jealous.

Shen Tang blushed, and seeing more beastmen approaching from behind, she quickly shrank into Xue Yinzhou's arms. Lu Xiao also took out new clothes from his spatial storage and draped them over her to cover up certain marks.

After all, as the ruler of a country, he still needs to maintain his dignity in public.

Later, Lu Xiao asked Xiao Jin to take Shen Tang back to the camp to rest, while he and Xue Yinzhou led their men to continue the investigation.

After returning, Xiao Jin remained dejected. "I'm sorry, Tangtang, it's all my fault. I almost put you in danger..."

Shen Tang comforted her, "I'm fine, don't blame yourself."

Xiao Jin looked down.

Shen Tang blushed and gently kicked him, "You pervert, where are you looking!"

Xiao Jin reached out to take off her clothes, but had no other intention. "Let me see the wound... Does it hurt a lot? Did I hurt you?"

He remembered that she cried out in pain at the time, probably because she was injured.

Shen Tang's face turned even redder. Because of the leopard's physiological structure, stopping abruptly midway would indeed be extremely painful.

"It's alright, I've already healed my wounds."

"No, I need to see it before I'm at ease."

Shen Tang was speechless. "Are you being kind, or are you hiding something bad?"

Xiao Jin was forced to stop his attack, which was indeed a bit painful, but he really didn't have the mind to do that at the moment, and he quickly suppressed it.

He opened his arms and pulled her into his embrace. "No matter what, it's all my fault. I didn't think things through... Luckily, we found out early, otherwise you would have been in danger if the contaminated species had gotten close."

He felt extremely guilty, and his round leopard ears drooped down in his hair.

Shen Tang couldn't stand his expression, so she leaned forward and kissed him. "It's nothing, just an accident... But there's something I find strange. That aura doesn't seem like that of a polluted species."

Xiao Jin felt a chill in his heart. "You mean...orcs?"

Only their own people are around here; ordinary orcs wouldn't come this far. Who would travel this far in the middle of the night? Do they have some kind of twisted sense of humor?

The sky turned white.

Shen Tang took his hand and said, "Hurry up and get dressed, we have to go over there again."

The two returned to the place where they had been the night before and found a large number of orcs gathered there, all with worried expressions.

Shen Tang and Xiao Jin were puzzled, but when they went up to take a look, they found that the leaves of several purification trees had begun to wither.

Two chapters combined into one, 4000 words. Good morning!