"Who is this child, and what is he doing in a place like the Slaughter City?"
Seeing Lin Yu, the beautiful woman—Liu Erlong—frowned slightly. After leaving the crowd, she walked straight toward him.
"She's coming over?"
Lin Yu was surprised but made no effort to avoid her. After all, in this valley of death, it seemed like they were the only two people who weren't completely deranged. She was likely either looking for an ally or trying to warn him against entering the Slaughter City. To her, he probably looked no older than a teenager, despite his actual strength.
"Come with me!"
Without waiting for a response, Liu Erlong grabbed Lin Yu by the hand and led him to a more secluded spot.
"Little guy, what's your name? What are you doing here? Do you even know what this place is? This is the Slaughter City—it's no playground."
Her brows furrowed in concern as she looked down at Lin Yu, clearly worried for his safety.
"Calm down, big sister. My name's Long Aotian. I know this is the Slaughter City. I came here specifically for this place!"
Lin Yu smiled at her reassurance.
Hearing Lin Yu call her "big sister," Liu Erlong found it amusing and flattering, considering she was nearly fifty years old. But still, what woman wouldn't enjoy being called young?
"Long Aotian, huh? Quite the bold name. I'll just call you Aotian. But if you know where you are, you should understand this place is deadly dangerous! Why would you want to throw your life away like this?" she asked with a hint of exasperation, her tone softening with concern.
"I know!" Lin Yu replied nonchalantly.
"The Slaughter City, the fabled domain of the God of Asura. Spirit abilities are sealed here, and it's a sanctuary for fallen spirit masters and evil soul masters who can't survive in the outside world. We've all seen it discussed in the live stream. This place isn't exactly a secret."
"I…"
Liu Erlong suddenly realized she had been speaking too much. The livestream had indeed already exposed the Slaughter City to the entire continent, so it was only natural this boy would know about its dangers.
"If you're aware of all that, why on earth would you still want to go in and die?" She sighed helplessly, still unable to comprehend his reasoning. There was something about the boy that made her feel oddly protective.
"Who says I'm going in to die? You don't know what I'm capable of, big sister," Lin Yu said with a chuckle.
"Sure, the Slaughter City is dangerous, but if I make it through Hell Road, I'll gain the legendary Killing God Domain. That's the whole reason I'm here!"
His casual confidence left Liu Erlong speechless. Could this young boy truly have the strength to survive in such a place? She thought back to Tang San, Yu Xiaogang's disciple, who had been around the same age when he entered Slaughter City and conquered Hell Road.
Had she underestimated this boy's abilities?
"So, big sister, I still don't know your name. What brings you to the Slaughter City?" Lin Yu asked, genuinely curious.
He couldn't understand why a beautiful, mature woman like her would come to such a brutal place. Was she also after the Killing God Domain?
Liu Erlong's expression shifted, a mix of sorrow and determination flashing in her eyes.
"My name is Liu Erlong. I'm here to find someone…"
"Liu Erlong?!"
Lin Yu's eyes widened in shock. No way! Could it be?
The mature, stunning woman with a fiery personality standing before him was none other than Liu Erlong, one of the pivotal characters in the Douluo universe.
In his previous life, he had read about her in novels and witnessed her actions through live streams. In Lin Yu's mind, Liu Erlong had always been a bit of a tragic character, especially given her relationship with Yu Xiaogang.
Yet, despite her devotion to that hypocritical scumbag, Liu Erlong was an admirable person. In the original story, she founded Blue Tyrant Academy, the only academy that accepted commoners without any restrictions—a rarity on the Douluo Continent, where most academies catered exclusively to nobles.
And now, here she was, standing before him, warning a stranger away from danger with genuine concern. She was a kind and compassionate woman.
How could such a wonderful and fiery woman have fallen for someone as worthless as Yu Xiaogang? It baffled Lin Yu.
In this moment, Lin Yu had to admit: that the thought of stealing her heart crossed his mind.
A beauty like Liu Erlong didn't deserve to end up with someone like Yu Xiaogang!
"What is it? Is my name strange to you?"
Liu Erlong noticed the shocked look on Lin Yu's face and laughed softly. She was used to people being surprised by her name—"Erlong" didn't exactly sound like a typical woman's name.
"No, no! Your name suits you perfectly, Sister Erlong. It matches your strong and capable aura!" Lin Yu quickly reassured her, smiling warmly.
"My aura?"
Liu Erlong burst into laughter, her voice ringing like a bell. "You're quite the charmer, aren't you? I wonder how many girls have fallen for your sweet words!"
"I'm not lying. I think your name fits you. You're tough and no-nonsense, just like your name," Lin Yu continued, taking advantage of her good mood.
"And don't say I'm deceiving girls. I don't even like little girls. I'm more into mature women like you, Sister Erlong."
As he spoke, Lin Yu slyly retrieved a thread of the Red Strings of Fate from his system space, linking himself to Liu Erlong.
At the moment the Red String vanished from his hand, Liu Erlong blushed, her face turning a faint shade of pink as a wave of unfamiliar warmth flooded her chest.
"You cheeky brat! You're barely grown, and you have the nerve to flirt with me!" she scolded, though her voice held a playful edge.
Note: If you are interested, read up to chapter 356 at patreon.com/MythMosaic.