"Are you ready?" Calian asked, tilting his head slightly backward to ensure the comfort of his spouse who was now on his back. "I will resume our exploration."
"I'm more than ready, Darling!" Wolvin answered enthusiastically. His voice sounded clear and spirited, completely unable to hide the burst of happiness in his chest. "Let's go!"
The purple-haired youth steadied his grip on the lower part of Wolvin's thighs, once again ensuring that his spouse would not fall.
Once everything was secure, Calian began to step forward, walking through the vast expanse of green grassland with steady and rhythmic steps.
On his husband's back, Wolvin did not just relax and enjoy the blowing wind. The youth maintained his sharp instincts. He utilized the new vantage point to scan the area. His pair of golden eyes moved vigilantly, glancing left and right, meticulously inspecting every mound of dirt, bush, and tall grass.
Time continued to pass, accompanying their calm steps. After walking along the green expanse for a long time, the contour of the ground slowly began to change. The previously flat surface turned rocky, bringing them to the foot of a towering cliff.
Wolvin remained vigilant and paid attention to every area around him. And then, his eyes caught an anomaly on one side of the cliff in the distance.
"Darling, let's check over there!" Wolvin whispered, lowering his voice while pointing straight at a dark crevice in the cliff wall. "There is a cave behind those bushes. Usually, a hidden natural cave like that becomes a favorite place for bandits to use as a base."
Calian followed the direction of Wolvin's index finger and immediately nodded in agreement. Without wasting time, the youth changed the direction of his steps toward the spot pointed out by his spouse.
Every step Calian took was now filled with a very high level of vigilance. He minimized the scraping sound of his shoes on the dry rocks, ensuring their arrival was undetected by anyone who might be standing guard inside that cave.
Upon arriving there, they were faced with a fairly wide cave mouth. Calian and Wolvin glanced briefly into the natural chamber. Pitch black. The midday sunlight was completely unable to pierce through, swallowed by the winding and damp stone corridor.
"Can your eyes see in the dark, Wolvin?" Calian whispered to confirm, fully aware that his human vision would be severely limited in a lightless place like this.
"Yes, I can!" Wolvin answered confidently. "As a beastfolk race from the Night Wolf clan, my eyes can see very clearly even in dark places."
"That is amazing!" Calian praised in a whisper, his tone containing sincere admiration. "If only my eyes could see like yours in dark places, it would certainly be very useful."
Hearing the small complaint and innocent praise coming out of the master of time's mouth, Wolvin chuckled soundlessly. The Night Wolf youth gently pinched the tip of his husband's ear from behind, feeling incredibly endeared by what he had just heard.
"What are you talking about? Your power far exceeds that." he whispered softly right near Calian's ear. "Please put me down now, Darling. Let me guide your steps in the darkness of that cave."
Hearing the logical suggestion, and realizing that he would indeed have difficulty navigating visually in total darkness, Calian slowly released his grip on both of Wolvin's thighs. He bent down slightly, inviting his spouse to get down from his back.
As soon as his two feet touched the rocky ground, Wolvin immediately reached out and tightly grasped Calian's hand. Without hesitation, the Night Wolf youth stepped ahead, taking on the role of both guide and protector for his husband to traverse the cave corridor.
At the same time, Calian also stepped forward. The two of them walked very carefully and almost soundlessly.
Being in a blind environment like this was slightly difficult for Calian, forcing him to rely more on his hearing instinct and Wolvin's handgrip. He entirely surrendered the direction to Wolvin, following his spouse's movements as a guide.
Amidst the dense darkness of the cave, Wolvin demonstrated his role very well. He meticulously synchronized the rhythm of his steps, ensuring his pace was not too fast so his husband would not trip, yet also not too slow. He calmly and casually guided Calian's steps, avoiding rocky protrusions that might cause his husband to stumble.
Once they had walked along the corridor for tens of meters, a yellowish glow of light suddenly began to reflect on the cave wall in the distance.
Their steps halted in unison.
Realizing the source of the light dancing like torch fire, the two of them immediately drew the same conclusion. That cave was truly the base of the bandit group they had slaughtered on the main road earlier.
Wolvin pressed his body against the cave wall, pulling Calian with him.
"Darling, I will leave you here for a moment." Wolvin whispered with a tone that now turned serious and professional. "I will infiltrate over there by hiding my presence to check the situation."
"Yes, Wolvin!" Calian replied in a firm whisper, giving full trust and permission to his spouse. "It is better for you to move ahead over there to see the situation and also the number of remaining bandits."
"Okay!" Wolvin answered while slowly releasing his grip from Calian's hand.
Wolvin moved one step to the left, letting his silhouette merge with the dense darkness inside the cave. He closed his eyes for a moment, focusing the mana in his body.
"Absolute Stealth..." Wolvin whispered, casting his signature skill.
In less than a second, Wolvin's presence evaporated completely. The Night Wolf youth's physical form faded and disappeared without leaving the slightest trace to the naked eye, nor within mana detection. He seemed to have fully merged with the air and the dense darkness of the cave.
"I'm going now, Darling!"
"Yes, Wolvin!" Calian answered in a whisper. "I will watch over you from here and will use my time magic if you are in danger."
"I trust you!" Wolvin replied in a whisper.
With highly silent and deadly movements like an invisible ghost, Wolvin walked away, leaving Calian waiting in silence in the darkness, creeping closer to the source of light glowing at the end of the corridor.