Beneath her skirt were her elastic thighs.
His hand pressed rhythmically against the soft flesh, inching upward, his fingertips seeming to carry a strange kind of magic.
Caught off guard, Lumine's eyes widened. She hadn't expected Lu Lin to go this far and almost scolded him outright.
But the moment she realized that speaking would expose them, she quickly pressed her slender hand over his mischievous one through the fabric of her skirt.
Her reaction was actually rather slow — most people would have stopped him immediately.
Yet the intimate sounds from the other side of the rock, combined with being wrapped in Lu Lin's embrace in such an ambiguous environment, made his earlier teasing feel like tossing a spark into dry tinder.
A strange sensation surged from her lower abdomen straight to her head. Her body trembled faintly.
The feeling was all too familiar.
It was exactly like when he had treated her injuries before.
Only one of his hands was restrained. The other was completely free.
Yet instead of attacking elsewhere or undoing her clothing — something he was fully capable of after all his experience — he chose instead to gently grasp the hand that was stopping him and apply slight upward pressure.
He could have easily bypassed her defense.
But he didn't.
This was deliberate.
A test.
A quiet insistence.
Would she let go?
Or not?
Though the light was dim, they could still vaguely see each other's outlines.
Lumine parted her lips slightly, hesitating.
What did she truly think of him?
From the very beginning, their encounters had been tinged with ambiguity.
The first time — he carried her princess-style to escape the Millelith.
The next time — inside the Serenitea Pot, while treating her wounds — that ambiguity had reached its peak.
Her most embarrassing, yet most vulnerable and captivating side had already been exposed before him.
Afterward, she consciously avoided him.
But she had felt his thoughtfulness.
He held her secret — yet never used it to pressure her.
He didn't tease.
He didn't threaten.
He only comforted her gently and reminded her not to push her injured body too hard.
After that day, he never mentioned it again.
He helped inquire about her brother.
He revealed the Geo Archon's identity so she could question Zhongli.
He knew she was avoiding him — someone as clever as him couldn't possibly not know — yet he never complained.
And when there was a lucrative commission, he thought of her.
In the dim light, Lumine studied his sharp, handsome profile.
Even now, in such an intimate moment, there was no force in him.
Only gentle insistence.
Fine…
Let him succeed once.
Just once.
The golden-haired girl made her decision.
Her grip loosened.
Sensing her shift in attitude, Lu Lin felt quietly satisfied.
Yet instead of taking advantage and continuing downward, he withdrew his hand from beneath her skirt, wrapped his arm around her waist, and leaned down to kiss her.
He had gotten the answer he wanted.
That was enough.
This was Lumine's first kiss.
For the first time, she realized how beautiful kissing could feel.
Her eyes half-closed as their lips met softly. She responded shyly, offering her sweet breath in return.
Lu Lin was extraordinarily gentle — not only to give her a perfect first kiss, but also to avoid alerting the pair on the other side of the rock.
That gentleness brought Lumine an indescribably beautiful sensation.
That same slow-building warmth began accumulating again.
This time, the buildup was slower — but just as intense.
If Lu Lin understood what was happening, he would realize that during her earlier "treatment," her twice-reaching climax hadn't been solely due to his skill.
Lumine herself was incredibly sensitive.
Soon, he felt the change.
His hand had been resting properly at her waist — but suddenly, her soft fingers grabbed it and guided it beneath her skirt.
That, he had not expected.
Since she initiated it, he did not refuse.
He resumed his exploration.
Just like before — lace-trimmed safety shorts.
Instead of pulling them aside, he traced along the lace pattern and gently pressed through the thin fabric.
For someone as sensitive as Lumine, that was more than enough.
The buildup quickened sharply.
On the other side of the rock, the Fatui pair continued noisily.
On this side, the silence was thick — but the heat was rising rapidly.
Ten more minutes passed.
Lumine's mind went blank as her body trembled.
He felt the warmth spreading and quickly sealed her lips to prevent any sound from escaping.
After a long while, clarity slowly returned to her.
She shifted slightly.
"It's fine," he whispered. "They've left."
"You bully people without even checking the place first! What if something happened?" she protested first to cover her embarrassment.
She wasn't wrong.
Even though she had eventually pulled his hand in herself, he had started it.
"You're safe. If we were discovered, we'd just enter the Serenitea Pot. Absolutely foolproof," he replied gently.
"Always have an answer, don't you?"
His calmness eased her embarrassment.
Though her body still felt soft and weak from the release.
"Can you continue? If not, we can withdraw and rethink."
"I'm fine. Just need a moment," she said, then quietly added, "Can I go into the Serenitea Pot… to change clothes?"
The dampness would make infiltration inconvenient.
"See? Now you understand the benefits of the Serenitea Pot. When I asked you to move in before, you kept refusing."
"After that incident, how could I agree so easily? Anyway… it's not too late now!" she pouted.
"Let's go. I'll accompany you."
After she changed and completed the residency process, Lu Lin saw her updated panel.
[Resident Member: Lumine]
Age: 2000+
Rank: C
Element: Anemo, Geo
Exclusive Weapon: Dull Blade
Traits: None
Affection Progress: 80%
Back atop the cliff, they advanced slightly inward.
Below them lay the camp's core.
A large central tent stood in the middle — likely the leader's quarters.
From the earlier conversation, they had learned the Harbinger was temporarily away and would return later.
Lu Lin's plan was simple:
Infiltrate the tent.
If Tartaglia returned — activate time-stop and capture him.
If not — activate time-stop and retreat.
With time-stop in hand, he could advance or withdraw freely.
Now only one question remained.
How were they getting down?
"You… can't fly?" Lumine tilted her head in surprise. "And you were the one who suggested an aerial infiltration plan?"
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