The Vixen's Gambit: Tonight We Hunt

What happens when you shove a piece of meat into the jaws of a starving wolf?

That's pretty much what Lee was doing right now. Although Su wasn't some man-eating monster, the intensifying Honkai corruption, coupled with the alluring scent of blood filling his mouth, overwhelmed what little remained of his sanity, unleashing a primal urge to bite.

So, instead of gently sipping the blood flowing from Lee's wrist, Su was practically gnawing on her arm—not that Lee minded.

With her pain receptors completely shut off, a few bites were nothing. Even if Su dragged her to an execution ground and dismembered her right there, she could probably calmly critique the executioner's knife skills. As for whether Su's attack made her feel threatened? That was even more out of the question.

Little Su, even as a Honkai zombie, was someone she could crush with one hand.

So, facing the gnawing of someone who posed no real threat and couldn't even cause her pain, would Lee's expression show any discomfort?

Theoretically, no—

But right now, she was acting like a kid who'd stubbed their pinky toe on the table leg right before bedtime!

If she wasn't worried about overdoing it and making it look fake, she'd probably burst into fake tears right then and there.

And the reason for this performance? To squeeze even more energy out of Su, of course. After all, being rescued by a girl who, despite her own fear, bravely steps up to save you is far more touching than being saved by a flawless hero, right?

While grimacing theatrically, Lee didn't forget to observe Su's condition. Her cheap and cheerful life-saving remedy seemed to be working. The purple veins on Su's body were receding, his skin returning to its normal color, and his clouded, bloodshot eyes regaining clarity.

Looks like he was almost back to normal—time to initiate phase two!

…

When Su finally regained consciousness, the first thing he saw was Lee's tightly furrowed brow, as if she was enduring immense pain.

At first, he was confused, instinctively wanting to comfort her despite not knowing the cause of her distress. But the metallic tang of blood in his mouth quickly provided the answer.

Anyone whose arm had been mauled by a wild animal would struggle to remain calm.

And the one who had done this… was him.

Staring at the mangled arm he still gripped, now a bloody mess of exposed bone and torn flesh, a wave of horror washed over Su.

What had he done to Lee?!

[Energy +90,000]

"Su, are you feeling better?"

Seeming to notice he was awake, Lee quickly masked her pained expression, replacing it with her usual gentle smile, though a lingering trace of worry remained in her eyes.

If he hadn't just witnessed her vulnerable side, he probably would have been fooled.

Lowering his head, Su couldn't meet her gaze. "Lee… your arm…"

"Ah, this is nothing, I heal quickly." Lee chuckled, pulling her arm back and hiding it behind her. "Are you in any pain?"

"No… I seem to be fine."

Su looked at his hands. They were no longer stiff, as if the previous agony had been a hallucination. Only the bloodstains remained, a stark reminder of the source—the person before him.

"That's good, it seems you're out of danger." Lee crouched down, meeting Su's gaze and showing him the gun in her hand. "But Su, I don't want to see you do anything this stupid again, okay?"

"…I'm sorry." After a long silence, those were the only words Su could utter.

He didn't know what he was apologizing for… Was it for worrying her? For wanting to hurt himself? Or… for hurting her?

"Just remember not to do this again… Come on, don't look so glum. It's a good thing you're alive, isn't it?"

Seeming satisfied with his remorse, Lee's stern expression softened. "This isn't a good place to talk. We should leave… Can you walk?"

"No prob—Ugh…"

Wanting to prove he was fine, Su tried to stand, but his legs gave way, nearly sending him tumbling to the ground. Even though the Honkai infection had receded, he was still weak, far from healthy.

But he didn't fall. Instead, he landed in a warm embrace.

"Don't push yourself." With a gentle reprimand, Lee hoisted him onto her back. "I'll take you back to the camp for treatment."

Su: "…"

Lee's movements were gentle. Despite her speed, Su felt no discomfort, only a slight swaying motion. Her hair, carrying the scent of smoke and blood mingled with her familiar fragrance, brushed against his face as she ran. For some reason, the tension that had gripped him began to ease.

"…Why did you come back for me, Lee?" Su couldn't help but ask. "How… how did you find me?"

He wasn't a genius like Mei, publishing groundbreaking research at a young age, nor was he a superhuman like Kevin, capable of anything with enough effort… Su couldn't fathom why Lee would risk returning to the city to find him, even going so far as to use her own blood to save him.

And he had chosen such a remote, hidden place to die, practically impossible to find even with a map. How had she managed to locate him in the vast expanse of Nagazora City?

Because you're a high-efficiency energy generator, and every time I decide to spend 500,000 energy on a super map— Of course, she couldn't say that.

"Do I need a reason to save my precious junior?" Lee chuckled. "As for how I found you… I'm not sure. I just had a feeling you were here. Maybe it's… a connection~"

A connection… could such a word be associated with him?

Su's eyes were filled with bewilderment. He had accepted his fate as a side character, resigned to die, yet this girl had pulled him back without hesitation.

Come to think of it, hadn't he just experienced a near-death, protagonist-like moment?

If that was the case, then Lee must be his heroine…

Su had always believed Lee would be Kevin's heroine, and he was just a bystander, destined to fade into the background. That's why, despite showing interest in Lee in front of Kevin, he rarely took the initiative to get closer to her.

He could accept his fate as a supporting character, offering his eventual blessings to the hero and heroine – that's what he had thought.

Sorry, Kevin…

Inhaling her familiar scent, Su clenched his fists.

I want a heroine of my own, too.