Looks Like Huo Yuhao Was Planning to Run Away Tonight...

Before long.

A mouthwatering aroma spread through the camp.

Even Qian Renxue, who was meditating nearby, could not help opening her eyes.

It smells so good.

When did Third Brother get so good at grilling fish?

Huo Yuhao took a fish off the fire, its skin golden and crisp.

He carefully picked out the largest, most perfectly grilled one and handed it to Qian Renchuan.

"Boss."

"Last time on Back Mountain, you only ate half a fish. This time, you get the big one."

On the other side of the fire, Qian Renxue stiffened.

That grilled fish from last time.

She remembered it clearly.

That afternoon, her brother had gone out of his way to find her outside the girls' dormitory and pressed a grilled fish into her hands.

What had he said?

"I ate with Third Brother on Back Mountain. I brought this one back especially for you."

Qian Renxue had always assumed it was an extra fish left over from their meal.

Only now, hearing Huo Yuhao, did she understand.

Her brother had eaten only half a fish.

He had set aside another whole one and hurried all the way back to the dormitory just so his little sister could have a taste.

Emotion surged through her again.

That pure, unreserved affection filled her heart with warmth.

Qian Renchuan had not expected Huo Yuhao to bring it up. Catching Qian Renxue's expression from the corner of his eye, he smiled and accepted the largest fish.

The firelight flickered.

It lit his face, making him look especially gentle.

Then his eyes happened to meet Huo Yuhao's.

This time, Huo Yuhao did not look away. His eyes held a tangle of emotions.

Gratitude.

Inner conflict.

And a deep reluctance to part.

Qian Renchuan's heart stirred.

Looks like Huo Yuhao is planning to run away tonight...

Night fell.

Darkness settled heavily over the forest.

The camp had gone quiet. Everyone seemed to be asleep.

Only the campfire still crackled.

In a place like the Star Dou Great Forest, where danger lurked everywhere, lighting a fire after dark was usually a grave mistake.

But Qian Renchuan's group did not care.

They had two Titled Douluo above level ninety guarding them personally.

The low-level Soul Beasts around the forest's edge, at most a thousand years old, did not even dare come within a hundred meters of the camp.

At that moment, Qian Renchuan was sound asleep in the tent he had brought with him.

Outside the tent, however,

a soft patter of footsteps suddenly sounded.

The footsteps stopped beyond the entrance flap, and someone deliberately quieted his breathing.

"Boss, wake up."

Huo Yuhao's voice came through the tent fabric, low and a little hoarse.

Qian Renchuan's eyes snapped open.

He sat up, rubbed his hair, and pulled the flap aside.

Huo Yuhao stood outside. The campfire stretched his slender shadow long across the ground, making him look terribly alone.

"Third Brother?"

Qian Renchuan yawned, as though he was still half asleep.

"What are you doing here in the middle of the night?"

Huo Yuhao looked straight at him without answering.

Firelight caught in his clear eyes, where too many tangled emotions lay hidden. Only after a long pause did he speak.

"I can't sleep. Want to take a walk with me?"

Can't sleep?

Qian Renchuan's thoughts raced.

He had noticed something was off with Huo Yuhao over the grilled fish, but why had the boy come to find him in the middle of the night?

If you're leaving, just leave. Did you come to tell me?

Or are you going to give me that gift you mentioned?

At that thought,

Qian Renchuan felt a flicker of interest.

Without asking anything else, he put on his shoes and nodded.

"Sure. Let's take a walk."

"I've been wanting to tell you something too."

The two walked out of camp side by side.

Before they had gone more than a dozen paces, a sinister voice drifted down from a towering tree nearby.

"Eldest Young Master, Young Master, where are you two going?"

It was Gui Mei.

He leaned against the trunk with his arms crossed, looking down at them.

As their guard,

he naturally could not spend the whole night asleep.

He and Yue Guan had been taking turns on watch to make sure no Soul Beasts caught them by surprise.

Before Qian Renchuan could speak, Huo Yuhao stopped and looked up.

"Uncle Gui Mei, I can't sleep. I wanted Boss to take a walk with me."

Thud.

Gui Mei leaped down from the tree.

He made only a faint sound when he landed.

Yet he stood before them like a wall of darkness, his voice deep.

"The Star Dou Great Forest is full of danger."

"Even out here on the outskirts, two six-year-olds can't wander around as they please."

"If the Third Young Master insists on taking a walk, I must come along. I'll wake Yue Guan and have him guard the camp."

"No."

Huo Yuhao refused without hesitation.

Gui Mei frowned.

The Third Young Master was usually so quiet he was easy to overlook. Why was he being so forceful today?

The standoff held.

Fortunately, Qian Renchuan stepped forward just then and said with a smile,

"Don't worry, Uncle Gui Mei. We'll be fine."

He pointed toward the woods nearby.

"We'll just wander around here. I promise we won't go far. If we run into a Soul Beast that doesn't know better, we'll shout for you."

"You're a Titled Douluo. Surely you can reach us in time from that far away?"

Gui Mei fell silent.

He looked at Qian Renchuan's carefree face, then at Huo Yuhao's stubborn expression.

They were the Pope's children.

In the end, he did not dare be too strict with them.

"All right."

He finally relented and stepped aside.

"Please be careful, both of you. Do not leave the range of my senses."

But Huo Yuhao was unusually stubborn tonight. He did not accept the concession.

He stepped forward and stared into Gui Mei's shadowed face.

"Uncle Gui Mei, you'd better not follow us in secret."

"If I find out you did, I won't be happy."

Only then did he reach out, take Qian Renchuan by the wrist, and lead him toward the dark forest beyond the camp.

Gui Mei stayed where he was, frowning deeply as the two small figures vanished into the night.

Those two little terrors.

What are they up to?

Meanwhile,

Qian Renchuan and Huo Yuhao, two six-year-old boys, made their way through the Star Dou Great Forest in the dark, hand in hand.

The trees in the Star Dou Great Forest were enormous.

Their canopies blotted out the sky.

They hid the starlight as well, making the way forward difficult.

Only the chirping of unknown insects and the occasional rustle of wind through leaves reached their ears.

Qian Renchuan said nothing along the way.

Neither did Huo Yuhao.

A heavy silence hung between them.

Only after they had walked several kilometers did Qian Renchuan finally stop.

"Third Brother, why did you drag me out here in the middle of the night?"

"You've seemed off all day."

Huo Yuhao stopped.

He silently let go of Qian Renchuan's hand.

After glancing around, he found a moss-covered boulder and sat down. He lowered his head again, hiding the reluctance in his eyes, and spoke softly.

"Boss, I'm leaving."