Dark Bell! Lu Li Taken Advantage Of

"Lu Li, you wouldn't want Leng Yulai to know you're in Tiandou City, would you? Otherwise, I suspect she might just show up tonight..."

"Are you going to come with me voluntarily? Or should I have her help me drag you away? Pick one."

The young girl giggled. Her voice was melodious, yet to Lu Li's ears, it sounded incredibly grating.

"Sigh, the kind-hearted are always taken advantage of."

Lu Li sighed and shook his head helplessly.

"No, let's talk while we walk."

"..."

"Hehe, I knew you were the best, Lu Li. Here, eat up."

Forced by the threat from the person before him, Lu Li eventually sat down with her at a barbecue stall, and only then did a satisfied smile bloom on her face.

She didn't seem to mind eating at a roadside stall at all. As she began to eat, she smiled and handed a skewer from a small plate to him, her eyes curving into crescent moons, clearly in a very good mood.

"I'm not that great."

"By the way, how did you find me, Nanalie?"

Lu Li took the skewer she offered and watched the young girl happily taking small bites, unable to help but ask.

A girl as sweet and pretty as the one before him was undoubtedly a dazzling presence in a crowd, and dining with her wasn't exactly a hardship, given that they were, to some extent, acquaintances.

But that was only if one ignored her true identity.

Her name was Nanalie.

Beneath an appearance as lively and spirited as a young girl, her actual age had long since surpassed thirty. She was one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Holy Spirit Cult, the youngest among them, known as the Dark Bell. She was a three-word battle armor master with a cultivation level as high as rank 98.

Although she was the youngest of the Four Heavenly Kings, her talent was the greatest; she was the one among them most likely to step into the Limit Douluo realm. Logically, she was a dangerous character, but...

It was no exaggeration to say that she was the most textbook example of a lovesick fool he had ever met. If he were willing, she would be overjoyed to carry him home herself.

"You never agreed to add me on your contact list, so how would I know where you are?"

"It's just that we met in Tiandou City last time, and the mission I'm responsible for is nearby, so I settled down here. I just got into the habit of coming out for a walk every day..."

"And today, I had the honor of running into you."

Nanalie shook her head, looked up, placed the skewer in her hand onto the small plate, and said earnestly.

At this, Lu Li couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth. So, he had just come out for a late-night snack and got tracked down by her?

It seems he would have to be more careful about Nanalie in the future...

And stop eating late-night snacks in Tiandou City.

"Do you still have unfinished business in Tiandou City?"

"Is it convenient to talk about it?"

Lu Li picked up on the keywords in her speech and spoke indifferently. This was just idle chatter, and he didn't expect a real answer.

"Do you really want to hear it?"

She tilted her head and looked at him, asking.

"Mm, I want to hear it."

"Assassinating the Divine Craftsman Zhen Hua, also known as your Uncle Zhen."

Nanalie blinked and transmitted her voice, sounding completely harmless.

"You're certainly candid. You're just going to tell me like that?"

Lu Li's smile froze. Looking at the earnest expression on the young girl's face, he couldn't help but smile helplessly. Assassinating Uncle Zhen...

Was this something she could tell him?

It was a good thing she used voice transmission; if anyone else had heard that, it would truly be...

Everyone would be dead on the spot.

"Why would I hide anything from you? But don't worry, because of you, I'll find all sorts of excuses to cover up this mission."

Nanalie said with a smile. The person before her might not know it, but in her heart, he was already someone very important.

"Oh?"

"Then thank you."

Hearing this, Lu Li couldn't help but chuckle.

You know, it really is something.

Uncle Zhen hadn't experienced any assassination attempts in the past year. He had thought it was just good luck and the presence of Uncle Mu, but it turns out...

It was actually this little lovesick fool doing the work.

Having her as a hidden ally within the Holy Spirit Cult might just be an unexpected stroke of luck for him.

"Why are you thanking me? You're a very important person to me, even if I can't find you most of the time..."

"And I won't touch the people you care about."

Nanalie acted as if the other party was being a stranger, her tone very earnest. She just wondered when she would be able to become someone important to him; there would surely be an opportunity, right...

"Of course, I also have my own selfish motives for paying lip service to the mission of assassinating the Divine Craftsman."

"Hm? Are you trying to get a four-word battle armor?"

Lu Li looked at her suspiciously. It seemed like that was the only possible motive, yet it wasn't entirely plausible. After all, taking a step back, even if this person before him became his lover...

As the number one target on the Holy Spirit Cult's assassination list, Zhen Hua would likely never be willing to craft a single battle armor component for her. Of course, it would seem more reasonable for him to craft one for her once they reached that stage.

"That's not it at all. Who would covet his battle armor?"

Nanalie shook her head; clearly, she also understood that it was impossible for him to craft battle armor for her.

"To me, it doesn't actually matter whether the Divine Craftsman lives or dies. It is only because he is important to you that I am keeping him alive."

"Besides, I imagine that given the relationship between the two of you, he will certainly craft a set of four-word battle armor for you."

"Before that happens, I am even more anxious than you are for nothing to happen to him."

Nanalie's expression was calm and her tone earnest. There was no need to mention how powerful four-word battle armor was; even if that old geezer Zhen Hua were to die...

He would have to cough up a set of battle armor for Lu Li before he could die.

"I think Uncle Zhen would be very gratified if he knew your thoughts..."

Lu Li looked at Nanalie in silence. This girl was truly a genius with a wild imagination.

If she knew that he already possessed four-word battle armor, how would she react?

"Right? I think so too."

"But Lu Li, I didn't expect you to actually dare to eat with me, the Dark Heavenly King. Aren't you afraid I'll trick you into coming back with me and tear your heart and lungs out?"

At this moment, Nanalie blinked and said with a beaming smile.

Her reputation—no, the reputation of the entire Holy Spirit Cult—was not good at all. Otherwise, the first reaction of the person before her wouldn't have been to leave.

But Lu Li hadn't left. She didn't believe he was truly afraid that Leng Yulai might come over as well. Therefore, there was only one reason why he had stayed—

It was still because of her! He also had feelings for her; even if they weren't that deep, they certainly existed...

"If you were to tear my heart and lungs out, would you really do it?"

Lu Li looked at her with a smile and asked in return.

He wasn't some naive fool; he knew that his status in her heart likely didn't lose out to the status of the Holy Spirit Cult as an organization.

"I don't want to."

"But what if? Aren't you afraid?"

Nanalie subconsciously shook her head, her beautiful, large eyes meeting his. A faint blush quickly flashed across her face. Lu Li's eyes were so good-looking, his face was so good-looking, everything about him was so good-looking...

Even though she had seen him countless times, her heart still couldn't help but flutter when she looked into his eyes. How could there be such an attractive guy?

"I'm not afraid. You wouldn't do it."

Lu Li smiled easily. To be honest, he had been a bit worried the first time he met Nanalie, because back then, he was only a Soul Douluo.

Facing a level 98 Super Douluo equipped with three-word battle armor, he didn't feel he could gain much of an advantage, which was why he hadn't wanted to spend much time with her.

But times had changed.

A Title Douluo with four-word battle armor—and not just any, but four-word battle armor with an eightfold stat boost—even if the opponent was a level 98 Super Douluo, as a spirit-type Super Douluo lacking in physical prowess...

He could probably send her flying.

"Hehe, is it because you know I like you, and you know I would never make a move against you in this lifetime, right?"

Nanalie looked at Lu Li's firm expression and gave a sweet smile, her tone carrying a hint of shyness.

It seems...

Lu Li really understands me well!

"..."

Do I understand this?

Lu Li looked at the blushing Nanalie before him and sighed inwardly. Her being a hopeless romantic was real, but her being straightforward was also real.

He had to admit, this Nanalie...

He really couldn't bring himself to dislike her.

"Nanalie, I've already settled the bill. I still need to study forging with Uncle Zhen tonight, so why don't I head back first?"

Lu Li came back to his senses and said this. If he didn't leave now, heaven knows how long this eccentric girl would cling to him.

"Mm-hmm, you're already an eighth-rank blacksmith now, and forging is important. Remember to make that old geezer craft you some four-word battle armor; don't let it be that you don't have any after he dies."

"And one more important thing..."

"Is it time for me to add your contact information now?"

Nanalie's face flushed slightly, and she responded with a smile before pulling out her cute communicator, saying this with an expectant look.

"You said it, next time we meet..."

"Just give me your contact information."

"Alright, go ahead and add me: 1074013784. My name is set as Lu Li."

Lu Li nodded with a smile, took out his communicator, and accepted the friend request, only to see that the other party's name was actually Chasing Husband Girl Lily.

"Girl Lily" was easy enough to understand, as that was her name, but who exactly she was chasing was a good question.

"Since you're leaving now."

"Can I give you a hug before you go?"

Nanalie happily finished setting a special note for Lu Li, then looked back at him and asked softly.

She didn't think she would be able to see him as easily as she did today next time; since it was a rare encounter, she naturally wanted to get close to him.

"Hm? You..."

Before Lu Li could even utter a refusal, the girl took advantage of the moment he was caught off guard and threw herself into his arms.

As her delicate body entered his embrace, even Lu Li couldn't help but freeze at the soft sensation, and her melodious voice rang out at that very moment:

"Sorry Lu Li, I lied to you."

"I was going to hug you even if you didn't agree."

Nanalie leaned into his chest, satisfied, and her restless little hands began to move; whether it was intentional or accidental, she quietly gave Lu Li's abdomen a squeeze.

"Hee, our Lu Li's muscles..."

"Are so firm!"

"..."

Lu Li remained silent, his gaze sweeping quietly over the crowd passing by; it seemed, they were in the middle of a crowd, right?

"See you next time, Lu Li."

"Remember to miss me."

As Nanalie said this, she planted a kiss on his cheek, and her figure vanished in an instant.

Leaving Lu Li alone, stunned in place, speechless for a long time.

"..."

Nanalie: Family, do you think I can successfully win over this handsome man?

Lu Li: I don't think you can.

Nanalie: Oh, then can you hug me instead?

Lu Li: !