Katherine clenched her teeth; every Apparition was like a sharp blade carving away a sliver of magic from the depths of her flesh.
Ophelia's dead weight pressed heavily on her back. Although tightly wrapped in a long red healing blanket—the flashing, pulse-like dazzling runes on the blanket struggling to maintain her life—her icy body temperature transmitting through the thin school uniform and the weak moans like a dying animal sounding in her ear from time to time all reminded Katherine of the dire current situation.
"Don't be afraid, Ophelia, I won't leave you behind."
Katherine's voice was hoarse, carrying a trembling of forced calm.
She felt Ophelia's icy fingertips digging deathly tight into the clothes around her waist like a drowning person grabbing driftwood, knuckles turning white. Ophelia's cheeks were pale as paper, forehead seeping fine cold sweat. Although the magical light on the healing blanket made her complexion look slightly better, under those tightly closed eyelids, twitching eyeballs due to severe pain could still be seen.
Katherine was currently casting high-difficulty continuous Apparitions.
She concentrated her magic on her legs. Every time she landed, the earth under her feet would be shaken into a shallow pit by her powerful magic. Using the reaction force, her body shot up like an arrow leaving the bow; in the next second, they were already tens of meters away.
The air was torn by the high-speed moving figure. Bursts of sonic booms came from behind, but Katherine completely ignored them, just running blindly.
They had just crossed an endless, golden rice field.
The air was filled with the dry fragrance of straw, but mixed with the bursts of oppression coming from behind, it seemed exceptionally suffocating.
Those Apostles of the Goddess of Harvest were not wizards, but powerful native believers of this otherworld; their existence itself was a great challenge to Katherine's perception magic.
They followed behind like ghosts, occasionally erupting bursts of magical attacks carrying the breath of soil and plants.
A mass of dark green vines suddenly sprang up from the ground like living tentacles, whipping towards Katherine's back as fast as lightning.
Katherine twisted her body in the air, forcefully dodging this attack, but the clothes on her shoulder were scratched by the sharp thorns of the vines, exposing a blood mark.
She didn't take another look, clenched her teeth, and continued leaping on the edge of death every time.
"Roar!"
A deafening roar came from the distance; that was the excitement of the Goddess of Harvest's believers.
Katherine knew their pursuers were getting closer and closer.
Those Apostles were good at tracking; no matter how fast Katherine's Apparition was, she could never completely shake them off.
On the vast and boundless rice field, their figures were completely exposed.
The only vitality was the primeval forest undulating like dark green waves ahead.
At the edge of the forest, dead branches and rotten leaves piled up like mountains. Trees towered into the clouds, blotting out the sky and sun.
As soon as they stepped into it, the air suddenly became moist and cold. The fishy smell of rotten wood and soil mixed with a faint floral fragrance rushed to their faces.
Sunlight was filtered layer by layer through the dense canopy, leaving only mottled light and shadows, casting swaying dark shadows on the ground.
Katherine's Apparition was more restricted in the forest.
She must always pay attention to avoiding thick tree trunks and ground bushes. Her pace slowed down but became more cautious; every footstep was as light as a feather, making not the slightest sound.
However, she could feel that those Apostles behind seemed to become more like fish in water in this forest.
She carefully adjusted Ophelia's body to make the latter more comfortable.
Although Ophelia's face was still pale, the pain seemed to ease slightly.
She pressed her cheek tightly against Katherine's back. Those lips, cold from blood loss, would occasionally tremble and emit blurred syllables, as if sleepwalking.
The atmosphere in the forest was treacherous and changeable. Just as the two sneaked a distance, they heard a rustling sound coming from the dense bushes.
A huge Ancient Treant, its skin covered with heavy bark, holding a thick tree branch, slowly walked out from the shadows.
Its body almost blended with the surrounding trees, but those amber-like eyes stared dead at Katherine.
"Didn't they say... there's only the Goddess of Harvest and Heracles?
These... what the hell are these things?"
A layer of fine sweat broke out on Katherine's forehead.
This world's ability to detect wizards seemed to far exceed their expectations.
The Ancient Treant's movement wasn't fast, but its power was amazing.
It waved the tree branch, bringing up a gust of strong wind. Dead leaves and soil on the ground were swept up, forming a mini tornado, pouncing straight at Katherine's back.
"Dodge!"
Katherine shouted softly, magic erupting under her feet, body moving laterally abruptly.
However, after she dodged the Ancient Treant's attack, a rapid sound of breaking air came from behind!
Two robust men with bronze-colored skin charged fiercely from behind.
They wore coarse cloth and sackcloth, holding sickles and hoes, yet with fanatical smiles on their faces, bottom of their eyes filled with pious fanaticism.
Their speed was extremely fast, walking in the forest as if on flat ground. Every breath carried the fragrance of soil, exactly like the most loyal believers of the Goddess of Harvest.
"Damn it! Pincered!"
Katherine cursed in her heart.
Katherine's exam mission was to hunt the Goddess of Harvest, while Ophelia's target was Heracles.
The two originally planned to act separately. Even while Katherine was still planning detailed infiltration and hunting plans, Ophelia acted too hastily. Because she trusted a certain piece of intelligence, she actually acted in advance to hunt Heracles, but ended in disastrous failure, suffering heavy injuries, and was finally found and rescued by Katherine at the last moment.
Although this world only had one False God and one Demigod stationed, their number of believers was unimaginable, and their strength was powerful.
Some of these believers even possessed combat abilities comparable to high-level Aurors. Although they couldn't reach the height of Demigods, the numerical advantage was enough to make up for the gap in individual strength.
Worse still, to complete the mission, they had already penetrated deep into the hinterland of this world.
There was a long distance from the wizard stronghold established by Hogwarts at the world border.
This world had not yet been completely occupied by wizards. The Apparition restrictions on the periphery of the wizard stronghold were stronger than usual. There was no stable Floo Network inside, and even magical information transmission was shielded by certain interference.
No support could arrive in time at all.
Their only reliance was each other.
That Ancient Treant's thick tree branch swept across again, carrying irresistible force. Katherine could only barely dodge, narrowly avoiding the frontal attack, but her arm was scraped by the tree branch, transmitting a burst of burning pain.
At the same time, those two believers had already rushed over.
The sickles in their hands drew sharp arcs in mid-air, cold light flashing, going straight for Katherine's vitals! Katherine stepped sideways, avoiding the sickle's swing, but another hoe carried a huge force, smashing fiercely at her knee!
Bang!
Katherine let out a muffled groan, magic erupting, forcefully taking this blow.
She could feel a burst of severe pain coming from her knee, as if hit by an iron hammer; her entire body shuddered because of it.
Katherine almost fell to the ground, but she knew she couldn't fall, absolutely not!
Once she fell, Ophelia would immediately be torn to pieces by those fanatical believers!
A trace of decisiveness flashed in the bottom of her eyes. Her body exerted force again, forcefully tearing open a gap in the pincer attack of the Ancient Treant and believers, and like a phantom, escaped deeper into the forest again...
"This game seems very boring, because I am human!"
Jerry listened to Hera's introduction to this game, his tone filled with faint speechlessness.
Pretending to be ordinary mortals and living together with ordinary mortals.
Sounds incredibly boring, doesn't it?
Because Hera might be a god, but Jerry had always been human.
Hera's knee still pressed deathly tight against Jerry's sensitive part; that teasing friction did not stop.
Hera smiled, her smile carrying a trace of ancient and deep fatigue, and some morbid craving for mortal emotions.
"Do you think gods really like this eternal life and endless power?"
Hera asked softly. Her voice seemed to come from the ancient starry sky, full of detachment and coldness, yet carrying a trace of loneliness incomprehensible to humans: "When power is strong to the extreme, only emptiness remains. The faith and sacrifices of mortals are the basis maintaining our existence, but what truly fascinates us, or rather... makes us not so easily bored, is the short and fierce life of mortals."
Her words were full of contempt but also mixed with imperceptible envy.
"That emotion intertwined with love and hate, that short joy, that unforgettable pain, that fear of life and death... these are tastes our eternal existence cannot experience.
We are powerful, so our emotions are dull and long.
Mortals are weak, so their emotions are extreme and rapid.
We long to experience them."
Hera's gaze looked out the window, as if seeing the endless mortal world through the night.
"At first, these were just some boring role-playing games.
We pretended to be mortals, mixed in the human world, occasionally showing miracles, watching how they panicked and worshipped piously.
At that time, we were stupid and arrogant, completely not understanding the true meaning of 'mortal'."
She smiled mockingly; that laughter echoed in the silent common room, carrying a trace of god's loneliness and self-deprecation.
"Until one day, a stupid guy, playing an ordinary village woman in the human world, lived out her life.
She married, had children, argued for daily necessities, shed tears for children's illness, grieved for an aging husband... until the moment her hair was white and oil exhausted, she suddenly realized she played it too deeply."
Hera's fingertip rubbed gently on Jerry's bean, making him shudder all over.
"She had already forgotten her divinity then, forgotten her strength. She completely integrated into that mortal shell, possessing mortal memories, mortal emotions, every flaw of a mortal. When her soul returned to the God Realm and memories traced back, that 'mortal lifetime' experience poured in like a tide, making her completely shocked.
She cried, crying for the fate of that mortal; that empathetic sorrow was an experience she had never had in thousands of years."
Hera's eyes became deep.
"Since then, this game truly had its rules and charm.
We are no longer satisfied with merely 'playing' mortals but want to completely 'become' mortals.
We use the oldest spells, the most powerful alchemy, to isolate our divinity, seal our divine power, even temporarily seal part of the divine fragments, completely degrading ourselves into the most ordinary mortals."
She stroked Jerry's cheek; that movement carried the coldness of a god scrutinizing a creation, yet mixed with a trace of curiosity and almost gentle expectation towards the created.
"And our competition is to see who can completely abandon the arrogance as a god, integrating into the truest predicament and struggle of mortals.
To see who can experience the most extreme joy and deepest despair of mortals in a mortal body, to see who can most quietly bury the godhood deep in flesh and blood, until completely swallowed by the seven emotions and six sensory pleasures of a mortal body, forgetting one's origin."
Hera's knee ground down heavily again, carrying tormenting force.
Jerry's lower body was pressed almost to explosion; that strong stimulation rushed straight to the top of his brain like an electric current.
"We have seen 'gods' slaughtering for a piece of bread, seen 'gods' dedicating everything for a mortal's smile, seen 'gods' rotting in illness, sinking in despair, eking out a living in hunger... and also seen 'gods' losing control completely in lust, reduced to slaves of mortal flesh and emotions."
Hera's voice was hoarse and full of bewitchment, those eyes staring dead at Jerry like a viper. "This game, what it requires is total immersion, absolute 'letting go'."
Hera's fingertips carrying a trace of cold magic power gently touched Jerry's slightly open lips.
The touch of that fingertip was cool, yet lured him like a viper.
Her fingertips lingered on Jerry's lips, rubbing back and forth, like the most precise instrument measuring his temperature and elasticity.
"Of course you are human!" Hera parted her red lips; that breath was warm and sweet, blowing on Jerry's face, carrying fatal bewitchment. "But you are not an ordinary human either.
You are a wizard, a powerful magician."
Her fingers slid slowly down from Jerry's lips, gently stroking along the curve of his Adam's apple, finally stopping at the open collar of Jerry's school robe.
That warm finger pad happened to cover his beating heart.
"The power wizards master is not too much weaker than gods."
Hera's voice carried a trace of unpredictable meaning, echoing in his ears like an ancient spell. "Even, wizards can easily kill theoretically immortal gods.
So, of course you can participate in this game."
"But don't worry..." Hera's gaze returned to Jerry's eyes; the look was full of sly light, carrying a trace of ancient and tempting evil. "I won't let you undergo those meaningless, barren experiences."
She lowered her head and leaned down; that wet tongue tip swept gently over his auricle, bringing a tearing electric current, making Jerry shudder all over.
"Hehe, I will make you have a pleasant time!"
Hera's words were like the most poisonous honey, carrying naked threat yet full of irresistible promise.
Katherine pulled Ophelia, plunging headlong into that huge and hollow thousand-year-old elm tree.
The interior of the tree hollow was spacious enough to accommodate a small carriage. Thick tree walls blocked most outside sounds and light, making this place a temporary haven.
She carefully placed Ophelia deep in the tree hollow where rotten leaves were laid. After settling properly, she finally had time for herself.
The light of the red healing magic blanket was more dazzling than before, emitting a soft and holy faint light in the dark tree hollow, like a leaping fire of life, slowly but firmly repairing the wounds in Ophelia's body.
Katherine leaned her back against the tree wall, taking out an ancient-style spell box inlaid with cat's eye stone from her close-fitting pocket.
Katherine stroked the box surface with a posture close to piety. In the instant her fingertips touched the cat's eye stone, she felt a strange power surge through her whole body. That was exactly the innate curse affinity brought by her transplanted Curse Cat bloodline.
That power was like gurgling water, integrating with the surrounding natural magic power in an instant. Katherine closed her eyes; mental power spread instantly like invisible tentacles, laying densely within tens of meters around the tree hollow like a spider web.
Sizzle—crack!
Outside the tree hollow, sudden change occurred!
First was a muffled sound, accompanied by a scorching smell. The pursuing Ancient Treant crashed unprepared into the first layer of restriction Katherine set at the edge of the tree hollow—a compound spell of "Web of Thorns" and "Scorching Rune."
Thick vines sprang abruptly from under the ground like living creatures, instantly entangling the Ancient Treant's clumsy legs.
At the same time, the runes hidden under dead leaves activated abruptly. A blazing flame spewed out from underground, spreading instantly along the vines to the thick bark surface of the Ancient Treant.
"Roar!"
The Ancient Treant let out a deafening roar of pain. Although that flame couldn't cause fatal damage to it, it made it feel genuine burning pain.
The huge body struggled in the restriction but got entangled tighter and tighter.
The flame burned several vines into charcoal, but more thorns surged from all directions like bloodthirsty vipers, trapping it deathly tight.
The two fanatical Apostles of the Goddess of Harvest following closely behind were agile. Hearing the Ancient Treant's miserable cry, they immediately became alert.
One of them had fanatical eyes, raising the sickle in his hand high. The blade flashed with dark green light, obviously attached with an amplification spell.
He aimed at the center of the restriction where the Ancient Treant was trapped, swinging down fiercely, attempting to cut off those vines.
"Stupid."
Katherine inside the tree hollow snorted coldly, a trace of imperceptible mockery appearing on the corner of her mouth.
Bang!
As soon as the Apostle's sickle touched the restriction boundary, an array of dazzling electric light burst out in the air.
Katherine's second trap—the "Thunder Backlash" spell—was precisely triggered.
Powerful electric current instantly transmitted to the Apostle's whole body along the sickle. Before he could even let out a scream, his whole person was like a sculpture struck by high-voltage current; body stiffening abruptly, pupils losing focus, mouth smoking, falling straight backward.
He twitched a few times from the shock and completely lost sound.
That sickle originally used to cut off vines became his own death warrant at this moment.
"Bastard!"
The other Apostle watched his companion drop dead instantly helplessly; his eyes instantly filled with bloodshot.
He immediately saw through the danger of this area but did not retreat.
He felt out a crude horn woven from vines from his waist, blowing it hard.
"Woo~ woo~"
The horn sound echoed in the forest, low and penetrating, obviously summoning more companions.
Then, he put away the sickle, hands forming seals quickly, muttering spells.
A rich earthy smell gathered around him; a thick earthy yellow shield quickly covered his whole body.
This was the most common and practical defensive spell for Goddess of Harvest believers—"Armor of the Earth."
Obviously, he learned from his companion's lesson and wasn't prepared to force his way in barehanded anymore.
But he didn't know that the most powerful part of Katherine's Curse Cat bloodline was not front-on hard clashes, but that omnipresent and impossible-to-defend-against penetration and erosion.
Katherine's eyes opened abruptly, a trace of dark green flashing in her pupils.
Her right hand waved fiercely; an invisible curse power was accurately thrown out.
Katherine didn't even need to use a wand, nor did she need complex spells.
This spell was driven purely by her bloodline power, without magic fluctuations, and almost traceless.
"Touch of Corrosion! Whisper of Erosion!"
She muttered in a low voice, a dangerous arc rising at the corner of her mouth.
That Apostle covered with "Armor of the Earth" was carefully trying to bypass from the gaps of the restriction.
However, just as he brushed past a moss-covered tree, he suddenly felt a burst of discomfort.
On the hard outer shell of his "Armor of the Earth," a few pieces of moss seemed to become exceptionally deep, as if something was rotting there.
"Hmm?"
The Apostle stopped doubtfully. He touched it with his hand; that moss instantly turned into a pool of black juice, corroding a pit emitting white smoke on his hard armor!
Squelch!
The armor was broken through only a small piece, but that black corrosive power, like maggots attached to bones, instantly invaded his skin along the breakage.
That was a numbness, itching, and pain penetrating bone marrow, making muscles all over his body twitch uncontrollably.
His body began to tremble violently uncontrollably; cyan spots surfaced on his skin, as if flesh and blood in his body were quickly withering and rotting.
Katherine's power, after transplanting the Curse Cat bloodline, had reached a realm incomprehensible to ordinary people.
This kind of low-level curse and restriction was as easy and natural as breathing in her hands.
Katherine didn't even need to rely on complex talismans and potions to arrange them like before.
As long as Katherine thought of it, the curse could attach to all elements in the forest, turning into the deadliest traps.
If she were to do it again, lifting the curse of that Gringotts branch, her speed might be faster, even completely not needing to approach, standing outside the bank door could lift all curses inside without leaving any trace.
With the passage of time, the effect of the healing magic blanket began to show.
Ophelia's pale cheeks gradually recovered a trace of blood color; breathing also became much steadier.
She blinked strenuously, waking up from grogginess. When she saw Katherine's calm yet tired side face, a weak smile couldn't help rising at the corner of her mouth.
"Didn't expect you to always hide it."
Ophelia's voice was still hoarse, but much better than before. "With your strength like this, let alone a general N.E.W.T. exam, even letting you face some powerful enemies head-on, like that Demigod Heracles..."
Ophelia's eyes became complex, with amazement, relief, and also a trace of imperceptible jealousy.
"...I'm afraid he wouldn't be your opponent either, right?
No wonder they asked you to go kill a deity."
Ophelia propped up her body, sitting up with difficulty, body leaning beside Katherine, feeling the scorching temperature emanating from her caused by fierce battle.
Katherine shook her head, a slightly bitter light smile appearing on her small face stained with dirt and sweat.
"I'm not that amazing~" She tucked a wet strand of hair sticking to her cheek behind her ear; tiredness not belonging to her age showed in her eyes. "All this... is just relying on some small gadgets Jerry gave."
She shook the curse box in her hand. This half-true half-false sentence was both to soothe Ophelia and to remind herself—the true source of her power couldn't be separated from that boy who seemed cynical but was actually unfathomable.
"It seems this time, we absolutely cannot pass the N.E.W.T. exam."
Katherine's voice was very light, as if just stating a cold fact, but the frustration leaking out in her words was like winter's cold wind, chilling people's hearts.
Ophelia looked at her body wrapped in the red magic blanket. Although the magic power in her body was slowly recovering, the heavy wound left by Heracles' blow still made her limbs and bones ache faintly. She shrugged, trying to use a relaxed posture to cover up inner unease.
"If we don't pass, we don't pass, what does it matter?"
She pretended not to care and said, pulling a pale smile at the corner of her mouth.
But her eyes betrayed her.
In those beautiful eyes, heavy worry and a trace of blankness were filled.
Obviously, she didn't have a clear concept of the question "what exactly does failing the N.E.W.T. exam represent."
She just instinctively felt it was important but couldn't imagine how heavy that "importance" was.
Seeing Ophelia like this, Katherine's heart softened; that bit of discouragement was instantly replaced by resilience. She chuckled lightly, reaching out to rub Ophelia's hair, movement carrying soothing power.
"We haven't reached the end of the rope yet, it's not that exaggerated, let's take it step by step."
As she spoke, she turned around, skillfully putting that warm healing magic blanket along with Ophelia back onto herself again.
Ophelia's body was very light, but this weight, at this moment, concerned the fate of both of them.
She looked around this tree hollow which was no longer safe. Most of the curses and restrictions she arranged just now had been triggered. Although successfully solving a few pursuers, they also completely exposed their position.
The horn sound was still echoing faintly deep in the forest; more enemies were coming. They couldn't stay here for another minute.
"Hold tight."
Katherine instructed, took a deep breath, preparing to start the difficult transfer again. Just the moment before she stepped out, she seemed to think of something, couldn't help cursing in a low voice; that voice was full of disgust and incomprehension for this weird world:
"I really don't know what's wrong with this damn place... it only takes three days for rice to grow out, harvested in one night, sprouts the second day, blooms the third day... these endless rice fields are simply like monsters, almost swallowing the whole world.
Is that guy's power relying on these things?"
Ophelia rested her chin on Katherine's shoulder, feeling the warmth of her body and that steady and powerful heartbeat, asking softly: "That guy?
Goddess of Harvest?"
Katherine didn't look back, just said "Mmh," exerting force under her feet, her whole person sliding silently out of the tree hollow like a soundless black cat, integrating into the bottomless shadows of the forest again.
Her steps were more cautious than before; every footstep would carefully perceive the surrounding magic flow, like dancing on the tip of a knife, looking for that only way of survival.
Jerry stood by a bridge on the banks of the Thames, wearing only a thin, clearly Muggle-style black cashmere coat.
He had no wand, no spatial bag, and all his meticulously crafted alchemical items and enchanted accessories had been brutally stripped away by that woman, Hera.
The magic within him, which once surged like a galloping river, was now deathly imprisoned by a powerful and ancient divine shackle. Only a tiny trickle crawled sluggishly through his veins; he couldn't even conjure the simplest "Incendio."
The only thing left was a plain silver ring on his right ring finger, engraved with a nearly invisible Rune—Hera claimed it was for life-saving; once Jerry encountered a fatal danger that a mortal could not solve, the ring would activate and summon her.
Jerry knew this was merely a superfluous gesture. That woman was currently like an invisible giant net covering the entire London area; his every move, even every heartbeat, was clearly reflected in her perception.
A thin layer of white snow had accumulated on his eyebrows and the tips of his hair. His handsome, almost unreal face was turned somewhat pale from the cold, and his exhaled breath condensed into a cloud of white mist in the damp, freezing air.
Any passing pedestrian would think this was a lonely, melancholic boy standing in the wind and snow, a figure filled with stories.
However, Jerry's heart held not a shred of melancholy, only a nearly absurd level of speechlessness.
"Within three days, collect ten pairs of panties from different women, personally offered by them..."
He whispered Hera's twisted game rules to himself. The corner of his mouth twitched uncontrollably before finally hooking into a helpless yet amused arc.
He had to admit that this Queen of the False Olympic Pantheon indeed possessed god-tier imagination when it came to "tormenting people."
She hadn't chosen conventional trials of strength or wisdom, such as slaying a dragon or solving an ancient riddle.
She had chosen a method that stayed closest to the "mortal" experience and was most effective at stripping away the dignity of a "transcendent being."
The use of any magic or items was strictly prohibited.
This meant he couldn't use a Confundus Charm to make women lose their minds, couldn't use a Charm spell to make them throw themselves at him, and couldn't even use Transfiguration to conjure a few roses to please them.
The only things he could rely on were this somewhat stiff, mortal shell frozen by the cold, and...
Jerry closed his eyes.
Though his magic was sealed, his mental power—which had undergone countless meditations, traversed the river of time, and even glimpsed the origin of the world—was like a giant beast dormant in the deep sea. It was a domain that even a god of Hera's level could not reach or seal.
In the face of this mental power as vast as a sea of stars, the thoughts and emotions of ordinary mortals were like an open picture book with clear handwriting spread before his eyes.
He could easily "read" the desires, unease, loneliness, and vanity hidden beneath their expressions. He could capture the most minute psychological fluctuations triggered by a single word or a glance.
Hera wanted to watch him play a mortal and experience the struggles of humanity?
Jerry sneered internally.
She was in for a disappointment. What he was about to do was not "playing a part," but rather, in the identity of a "mortal," launching a dimensional strike against true mortals.
He opened his eyes, his amber pupils appearing exceptionally bright in the snow. He began to scrutinize the "prey" coming and going on and around the bridge like a top-tier hunter.
A blonde woman in a professional suit, hurrying along—no, her mind was entirely on work, her mental walls were too thick, and she had no time for a stranger's advances.
A couple walking arm-in-arm, giggling—even worse; he had no interest in adding unnecessary difficulty to this game.
A punk girl with smoky makeup and a rebellious look—perhaps, but her emotions were too intense and unstable, like an unpredictable wildfire; the return on investment was too low.
Jerry's gaze swept through the crowd like a high-efficiency processor, filtering for the target that best fit the criteria among the massive data. He needed to find a woman who was... lonely, held fantasies about life, and whose aesthetic happened to be perfectly sniped by this face of his.
Just then, his sight was caught by a figure.
It was an international student, standing alone by the bridge railing under a transparent umbrella, gazing at the snow-covered London Eye in the distance.
She looked to be in her early twenties, with long, silky black hair draped over her shoulders, making her small face appear even fairer.
She wore a beige long down jacket, a thick checkered scarf, and a pair of snow boots that looked very warm.
Her attire was clean and proper, carrying the purity of a student while maintaining a sense of fashion.
Perfect.
Jerry gave his evaluation in his heart.
An Asian international student.
Alone, clearly without many friends.
Being in a foreign land, her inner feelings of loneliness and insecurity would be infinitely magnified.
Her defensive guard was the lowest among all possible targets.
Jerry adjusted his collar, which was damp with snow, and switched his expression to one that was just right—carrying the shyness and helplessness unique to a teenage boy.
He walked slowly toward the Asian female student.
Jerry didn't strike up a conversation directly. Instead, he stopped three or four steps away from her and pulled out an empty wallet—one from which Hera had long ago removed everything—and pretended to rummage through it.
His brows were furrowed, and he muttered in a low voice with a perfect London accent:
"Damn... could I have dropped it in that shop just now?"
The voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for the student to hear.
As expected, her attention was drawn.
She turned her head, her clear eyes observing him curiously. When her gaze met Jerry's face, she clearly paused, a flash of amazement crossing her eyes—this boy was truly beautiful.
Jerry sighed "frustratedly" and "happened" to meet her gaze when he looked up.
He immediately showed a somewhat awkward and apologetic smile, a smile that was clean and gentle, with a hint of boyish greenness, instantly diluting the inherent sense of alienation about him.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you," Jerry said, his words polite and proper.
The student clearly hadn't expected him to speak, and she froze for a moment before shaking her head shyly, answering in slightly accented but fluent English: "No, it's okay."
"I seem to have lost my wallet."
Jerry rubbed his temples in distress, making him look like a homeless, drenched kitten. "It's just... a terrible day."
Every micro-expression and every movement of his was precisely calculated.
He showed no aggression at all, only displaying his "predicament" and "vulnerability."
Moreover, he deliberately emphasized his sense of age—the childishness of a teenager that hadn't completely faded.
This was the easiest way to trigger a woman's deep-seated protective instinct.
"Oh?"
A look of concern immediately appeared on the student's face. "Then... what will you do? Do you need me to help you call the police?"
She instinctively looked toward the red telephone booth on the corner.
"Oh, no, no, I wouldn't want to trouble you," Jerry waved his hands hurriedly, appearing very courteous. "I think I remember which shop I lost it in. I'll just go back and find it myself. It's just..." He looked at the student, his eyes sincere and carrying a hint of a plea. "My sense of direction isn't very good, especially in this weather. Excuse me, do you know the way to Covent Garden? I remember the shop was nearby."
Covent Garden was quite a distance from here, and in the completely opposite direction. He was certain that this student wouldn't let a boy who looked only fifteen or sixteen walk that far alone in the snow.
Sure enough, the student looked at him, then at the snow-whipped street, and hesitated. "That's very far from here... you'll catch a cold walking there. How about... I ask for directions at the newsstand for you? Or help you call a taxi?"
"Really? That's so kind of you!" Jerry immediately showed an expression of immense gratitude. He moved a bit closer, and a clean, crisp scent, along with the texture of his cashmere coat, instantly surrounded her.
The student pulled a folded map of London from her jacket pocket—the kind of paper street map common in the nineties, its edges already worn. She lowered her head to search.
Her fingers were a bit red from the cold, and tiny snowflakes even hung on her long eyelashes.
Jerry just watched her quietly, his gaze focused and gentle.
He could "hear" her accelerating heartbeat and "feel" her breathing becoming slightly disordered because of his proximity.
"Found it. The tube is fastest. Walk from here to Charing Cross Station..." The student looked up and handed the map to him, her finger tracing the route on the paper.
"Thank you, you really are a good person," Jerry said sincerely, looking into her eyes. "I don't even know your name yet?"
"I'm... Lin Wei. And you?" Under the gaze of Jerry's soul-piercing eyes, Lin Wei's cheeks flushed slightly as she answered shyly.
"Jerry," he smiled and extended his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sister Lin Wei. You saved me."
He deliberately used the term "Sister," which both closed the distance and emphasized the age gap, causing her to lower her guard.
Lin Wei hesitated for a moment but still reached out her somewhat cold hand and shook his gently.
The electric temperature difference made her heart skip a beat—this boy's hand was so warm, and he was so handsome. He would surely be a stunner in the future. If I could have a boyfriend with such potential, the other girls would die of envy.
"I'll walk you to the station."
Jerry heard this but didn't release her hand immediately. Instead, he took the opportunity to wrap his warm palm around her cold fingertips.
"Ah, won't this delay Sister from getting home?"
"It's fine. I wouldn't feel right letting you walk alone on such a dangerous night."
"Well... okay, thank you, Sister!"
And so, Jerry held Lin Wei's hand, and the two walked side-by-side into the blizzard.
Lin Wei held the umbrella, and Jerry leaned slightly closer to her, letting himself take cover beneath it.
On the way to the station, Jerry demonstrated his unparalleled conversational skills.
He didn't rush to pry into her personal information. Instead, he started by chatting about the weather, London's architecture, and the Christmas decorations in the windows.
Jerry's voice carried the clarity unique to a boy, yet possessed a mature rhythm that transcended his age.
He was incredibly knowledgeable; whether discussing Dickens' novels or the collections at the Tate Gallery, he spoke with ease but knew when to stop, never appearing to show off. By comparison, he seemed more like the university student than she did.
Most importantly, Jerry was always a perfect listener.
He always used the most precise questions to guide Lin Wei into telling her own story.
"How long has Sister Lin Wei been in London? Where are you studying?"
"...Almost a year. I'm doing a Master's in Media at King's College London."
"Wow, that must be amazing."
Jerry's eyes lit up, and his heartfelt admiration made Lin Wei, who had paid her own way to study here, feel a bit embarrassed. "I've always felt that recording the world with images and words is a truly great thing. Why did Sister choose this major?"
"I... I've loved movies and writing since I was a child..."
Under Jerry's guidance, Lin Wei gradually lowered her guard.
She began to pour out her loneliness as an international student—the language barrier, the cultural differences, the academic pressure, the confusion about the future, and the longing for home.
These emotions, suppressed deep in her heart for so long, found a perfect outlet at this moment.
And since the other party was just a teenage boy, she didn't have to worry about being judged. Instead, she felt the security of confiding in a childhood sweetheart.
Jerry listened quietly throughout, occasionally responding with words of deep empathy:
"It's really not easy being alone in a foreign land. Sister, you've already done so well."
"I can feel that Sister is someone with an especially delicate heart. Only such a person can create truly moving works."
"Thank you, Jerry!"
The glass door of the coffee shop had a "Closed" sign hanging on it, and through the window, the interior was pitch black.
Lin Wei stood on the steps, shaking a few flakes of snow from her umbrella. She turned her head toward Jerry, a hint of excitement flashing in her eyes.
"It's closed," she said, her voice carrying a hint of regret, but more of a certain expectation. "What will you do now? Your wallet is gone..."
Jerry lowered his head, a few snowflakes still clinging to his eyelashes. He bit his lower lip. "I... I don't know."
Lin Wei stared at his excessively exquisite face, her heart rate accelerating.
She had been in the UK for over a year and had slept with quite a few men, but most were either crude drunks or boring nerds.
This boy before her...
Although he looked to be only in his teens, his height and physique were clearly that of a grown man.
He possessed an aura she had never seen before; the mysteriousness of an ancient noble made her lower abdomen feel a surge of heat.
"How about... coming to my place first?"
Lin Wei reached out and grabbed Jerry's sleeve, her fingertips deliberately rubbing against his wrist a few times. "It's not far from here, just a few blocks. At least there's heating there. Look at you, you're frozen."
Jerry looked up, his amber eyes filled with hesitation. "Would that... be too much trouble for Sister Lin Wei?"
Hearing the word "Sister" from Jerry's mouth made Lin Wei's legs feel weak.
She directly hooked her arm through Jerry's. "How could it be a trouble? Let's go. If you stand here any longer, you'll freeze to death."
The dormitory Lin Wei rented was in an old Victorian building. As they climbed the narrow wooden stairs, the air was thick with cheap perfume and the smell of mildew.
She pulled out her key and opened the door, dragging Jerry inside.
The room was tiny, and the heating pipes emitted a loud roar.
Lin Wei closed the door and tore off her down jacket, hanging it behind the door.
Beneath the heavy coat, she wore only a semi-transparent lace camisole and extremely short denim shorts. Large patches of white skin were exposed, and her breasts, nearly bursting from the fabric, shook violently with her movements.
"So warm."
She gave an exaggerated stretch and turned to find Jerry standing awkwardly at the edge of the carpet, his eyes darting around as if he didn't dare look at her body.
"Jerry, don't be so nervous."
Lin Wei walked over. "You're soaked through, and your face is so pale. Go take a hot bath first, or you'll really get sick."
Jerry scratched the back of his head, his voice as quiet as a mosquito. "But... I don't have any clothes to change into."
"You definitely can't wear my clothes," Lin Wei laughed, scrutinizing Jerry's thin frame. Her gaze swept over the slight bulge in his crotch, visible even through the heavy suit trousers, and a strange curiosity flashed in her eyes. "But it's okay, I have large bath towels here. You go wash up first, and I'll cook something hot for you."
Jerry nodded and followed her into the narrow bathroom.
Steam was already rising in the bathroom.
Lin Wei bent over and reached out to test the water temperature in the tub.
This posture caused the extremely short denim shorts to nearly disappear. Her rounded, firm buttocks were aimed directly at Jerry, with the flesh of her ass spilling out from the leg holes.
"The water temperature is perfect."
Lin Wei straightened up and turned to look at Jerry. "Why aren't you undressing yet? Does Sister need to help you?"
"I... I can do it myself," Jerry whispered, his fingers trembling as he unbuttoned his shirt.
When the soaked shirt slid off, revealing muscle lines that, while lean, were as smooth as a marble sculpture, Lin Wei's breathing became noticeably heavier.
Lin Wei's hands, with their red nail polish, covered his chest muscles as if she were possessed, sliding from his collarbone all the way to his abs, finally stopping at the edge of his belt.
"Such a good body..."
Lin Wei murmured to herself, her fingertip giving a slight flick at Jerry's waist. "Come, Sister will help you. It's faster this way."
Lin Wei squatted down, her movements frighteningly skilled.
She unbuckled Jerry's belt, and as the zipper slid down, her eyes were nearly pressed against his crotch.
Jerry pretended to hold his breath in nervousness, his hands hanging weakly at his sides, his fingertips slightly curled.
As the trousers hit the floor, Jerry's pure cotton underwear, completely propped up by his physiological reaction, was presented to Lin Wei.
The staggering curve made Lin Wei draw a sharp breath.
Seeing such scale on a boy this age was truly a... miracle.
"Holy shit..."
Lin Wei's hands trembled as she gripped the hot, hard giant object directly through the fabric, her palm feeling the violent pulsation.
"Sister... don't..."
Jerry's voice carried a sob, yet possessed an indescribable temptation.
"Be a good boy. Don't speak." Lin Wei couldn't wait to pull down the thin layer of fabric.
With a snap, an incredibly massive long spear, having lost its restraint, bounced hard against Jerry's lower abdomen and then rebounded to strike Lin Wei in the face.
The scent of boyish body musk mixed with masculine aura rushed over her, making Lin Wei's entire body go soft.
She opened her mouth, her tongue tip unconsciously licking her lips, her gaze locked onto the purple-red tip.
She looked up to see Jerry covering his eyes with his hands, looking like he didn't dare to watch.
"There's nothing to be shy about. Every man gets like this. It's just you... you've grown so..." Lin Wei spoke as she dragged Jerry into the large bathtub in one move.
Splash!
Hot water instantly submerged both of their bodies.
Lin Wei straddled him directly, half-kneeling between Jerry's legs. Water droplets dripped from her loosened long hair, hitting Jerry's chest.
"I'll help you wash." She picked up the nearby loofah, squeezed out a large cloud of foam, and then her bone-soft hands began to wander over Jerry's body.
The sound of the water was infinitely amplified in the small space.
"This place needs to be washed clean too."
Lin Wei lowered her head and dove into the water. Jerry could feel the warm pool water being stirred. Immediately afterward, a hand gripped the long spear beneath the surface and began a slow, powerful stroking motion up and down.
Foam tumbled on the surface, and Lin Wei's hair spread out like seaweed.
Jerry tilted his head back, leaning against the edge of the tub, his voice turning husky. "Sister Lin Wei... it hurts a little."
"The pain just means it wants to grow a bit more." Lin Wei wiped the water from her face. The lace camisole was completely soaked and clung to her body; the two dark halos of her nipples were clearly visible through the fabric. "Will you help Sister wash her back?"
She turned around, her back to Jerry, with her full buttocks pressing right against the root of Jerry's thighs.
The lace camisole was torn open directly.
"Okay," Jerry reached out, wiping her back somewhat clumsily.
"Use some force, little guy." Lin Wei leaned back, letting her back press fully against Jerry's chest.
She pulled one of Jerry's hands and pressed it directly onto her towering breast. "And here... help me wash here clean too."
Jerry's fingers sank into the white flesh, as soft as a marshmallow.
Lin Wei let out a satisfied moan, her body beginning to writhe against Jerry's crotch, letting that massive long spear rub continuously against her butt crack.
"Your body is so hot, Jerry," she turned her head, her breath scorching. "Is it very uncomfortable? Do you want Sister to think of a way for you to make it feel better?"
A look of confusion and desire intertwined on Jerry's pure, flawless face. "Think of a way? What way?"
Lin Wei gave a flirtatious giggle, turned around, and slammed Jerry against the wall of the tub, riding him completely.
"This way will guarantee you never forget it for the rest of your life."
She reached out and gave Jerry's nose tip a light tap with her fingertip, then began to unbutton her soaked denim shorts.
The fabric had become exceptionally tight after being soaked. She twisted her hips, peeling them down over her plump buttocks bit by bit.
Accompanied by a wet sound like fabric being torn, that patch of black pubic hair and the wet slit appeared in Jerry's line of sight.
"Watch closely, Jerry," Lin Wei whispered softly, then slowly sank her body down.
Lin Wei took a deep breath, her hands braced on the edge of the tub, and began to sit down inch by inch.
"Fuck... it's too big..." she muttered through gritted teeth. Fine beads of sweat broke out on her forehead.
The size of that spear far exceeded her expectations. The tip had only just squeezed in, and her passage was already stretched to the point of pain.
"Sister... I..." Jerry's voice was tearful, his hands gripping the tub edge helplessly.
"Don't move. Let Sister do it." Lin Wei bit her lower lip and continued to sit down. Water splashed everywhere as her passage was stretched open bit by bit. That feeling of being filled made her entire body tremble.
"Ah... ah..." Lin Wei let out intermittent moans as she finally swallowed the giant object completely.
She could feel the tip pressing against her cervix; the swelling pain mixed with pleasure made her nearly black out.
"So... so big..." Lin Wei lay prone on Jerry's shoulder, panting heavily. "You little foreigner... how did you grow so big..."
Jerry's arms circled her waist, his voice carrying a hint of innocence. "Sister... what are you saying? I don't understand."
Lin Wei began to move up and down slowly, the water sounds becoming stickier.
With every rise and fall, the long spear was mostly pulled from her passage, then thrust back in fiercely, impacting her cervix.
"Ah... ah... fuck..."
Lin Wei's moaning grew louder, and her breasts shook violently in front of Jerry, water dripping from the nipples.
Jerry's hands instinctively gripped her full breasts, his fingertips sinking into the soft flesh.
"Pinch... pinch harder..." Lin Wei panted. "Sister likes being treated roughly..." At this moment, her speech had become fragmented; she couldn't even manage English words anymore.
Jerry obediently increased the force, even scraping his nails over her areolas. Lin Wei let out a scream, her body spasming violently.
"I... I'm going to cum..."
Lin Wei lay prone on Jerry's shoulder, her entire body twitching as her passage contracted madly, biting down on the spear.
Jerry felt a warm liquid gush from Lin Wei's passage, mixing into the bathwater.
"Sister..."
He called out softly.
Lin Wei looked up, her eyes blurred. "What is it?"
"I... I want to, too..." Jerry bit his lower lip, looking as though he were hesitating.
"Want what?" Lin Wei laughed. "Want to shoot?"
Jerry nodded.
"Then shoot," Lin Wei began to move again. "Shoot inside Sister. Fill Sister up..."
Her words acted as a catalyst. Jerry's body tensed abruptly, and the long spear jumped violently within her passage.
"Ah..." Jerry let out a low roar as scalding body fluid erupted, shooting directly into Lin Wei's depths.
"Fuck... so hot..." Lin Wei lay on him, feeling the heat ravaging her body, and once again she couldn't help speaking in her native language. "You shot so much..."
The two of them hugged like that, the water in the tub now turbid.
After a long while, Lin Wei finally recovered her senses. She looked up at Jerry's pure, innocent face and couldn't help but laugh. "You monster! You're a pretty good actor!"
Jerry blinked. "What is Sister talking about?"
"Still acting," Lin Wei gave his nose a pinch. "You moved so well just now, and you still say you didn't know what you were doing."
"I... I really didn't know," Jerry lowered his head. "Sister taught me..."
Looking at him like that, Lin Wei's heart softened.
She gave Jerry's lips a light peck. "Alright, Sister won't tease you anymore."
Lin Wei got off of Jerry, and the long spear slid from her passage, bringing with it a stream of white liquid.
Because his magic was suppressed, the barbs hadn't even come out. Otherwise, she likely would have been torn to shreds.
"Let's finish washing," Lin Wei said, picking up the loofah and beginning to seriously scrub Jerry's body.
This time, her movements were much gentler, no longer carrying the eager desire from before.
She carefully wiped every inch of Jerry's skin, from his neck to his chest, and from his arms to his back.
"Sister..." Jerry said suddenly.
"Mmh?"
"Your panties... can I have them?"
Lin Wei was stunned for a moment before laughing. "You little pervert! You want Sister's panties?"
"I... I just want a souvenir..." Jerry blushed. "Sister is so good to me..."
Lin Wei looked at him, and her heart gave a throb.
She bent down and picked up the wet black lace panties from the floor.
"Here you go, little pervert!"
"But you have to promise Sister one thing."
"What thing?"
"Be my... boyfriend!"
As she spoke, there was a knock at the door.