Chapter 14: Foxy
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
The night was thick with shadows, swirling like whispers around the crumbling walls of an old, abandoned temple. In the middle of the wreckage, a silver-haired girl with fox tails crouched low, desperately stuffing wilted vegetable leaves from a garbage bag into her mouth. Not far off, Yu Sheng stood frozen behind the remains of a shattered wall, his eyes wide with disbelief as he watched this strange sight.
For a long moment, they just stared at each other through the darkness, neither saying a word. Of all the encounters Yu Sheng had imagined (though he certainly hadn’t counted that headbutt from earlier), this was one he’d never forget.
The fox-tailed girl’s golden-red eyes widened, flickering with shock, delight, and maybe even disbelief. Slowly, she stood up, still holding a fistful of wilted leaves, her body trembling slightly. Then, as if something clicked in her mind, she pointed straight at Yu Sheng, her voice shaking.
“A human?!” she gasped, her words barely a whisper at first before growing louder and more frantic. “A human! You… you’re a human! Who… who are you? Where did you come from?”
Yu Sheng blinked, completely thrown off. He had planned how he would introduce himself, thought of what questions to ask, and even how to apologize for that earlier headbutt. But as soon as she spoke, all his rehearsed lines vanished. This wasn’t what he’d expected.
What did she mean, “You’re a human?” Was it really that surprising? Had she never seen one before—or was it just that long since she had? And then, another thought struck him as strange.
She was looking at him as if she’d never seen him before. But they’d already crossed paths earlier, during that fight with the monster. Sure, it had been chaotic, and yes, she’d headbutted him—hard—but his face hadn’t changed, had it?
“We… we met before,” Yu Sheng stammered after a moment. “Outside, not long ago. You said you were going to save me. Do you not remember?”
The fox girl tilted her head, her confusion deepening. But before she could respond, her gaze shifted. She glanced down at a bag of kitchen scraps lying nearby, her eyes glowing with hunger in the dim light.
“Is this… yours?” she asked haltingly, as if piecing the words together after a long time without speaking.
“Uh, yeah…” Yu Sheng replied, unsure where this was going.
“Can I… eat it?” she asked, her voice quick and breathless. She clutched the leaves in her hand, fighting the urge to gobble them down. She chewed what was already in her mouth, glancing nervously at him. “I’m hungry. So hungry. Sorry…”
Her hands shook as she spoke, her voice tinged with desperation. It seemed like she was battling more than just hunger—something darker, something dangerous, barely kept under control.
Yu Sheng squinted, almost certain he could see faint shadows swirling behind her, lurking like predators, waiting for her to slip.
But just as quickly as they appeared, they were gone.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped out from behind the wall, cautiously approaching her. There was something very wrong about this girl—apart from the fox tails. Still, he couldn’t just leave her here.
“You can’t eat that stuff,” he said, trying to sound firm. “It’s all…”
He trailed off, realizing he didn’t really know what it felt like to be as hungry as she seemed to be.
By now, she had crouched down again, her patience wearing thin. She reached out, her fingers scrabbling to gather the scattered scraps.
“Wait! I’ve got some food!” Yu Sheng blurted out. His hands fumbled through his pockets, remembering the snacks he’d brought.
Finally, he pulled out two small packaged buns and a palm-sized chocolate bar—his stash for a late-night snack.
The fox girl eyed him warily but with a flicker of hope. Moving slowly, Yu Sheng showed her how to open the packaging. The crinkling sound seemed deafening in the stillness, and as the smell of fresh bread filled the air, her eyes lit up. In a blink, she lunged forward, grabbing his hand in a vice-like grip and pulling it toward her mouth.
“Whoa!” Yu Sheng yelped, yanking his hand back just in time. She was shockingly fast—and much stronger than she looked. He managed to pull his fingers free just before her sharp teeth snapped shut. Even so, her fangs grazed his finger, drawing a tiny bead of blood.
“How long has it been since you’ve eaten?” he muttered, shaking his hand and inspecting the scratch.
But the fox girl didn’t seem to hear him. She devoured the bun with alarming speed, her cheeks puffing out as she stuffed more into her mouth. Her eyes grew wide with every bite, and Yu Sheng couldn’t help but worry she might choke.
“Hey, slow down!” Yu Sheng said, stepping in front of her as she eyed the second bun. “Take it easy. If you eat too fast, you’ll choke. Understand?”
“I… understand…” She nodded vigorously, swallowing with difficulty.
He handed her the second bun, watching closely as she fumbled with the wrapper. Her movements were clumsy, but her strength was startling. She easily tore through the packaging, reducing it to shreds in seconds. She ripped the bun in half, but paused just before cramming it into her mouth. Perhaps remembering Yu Sheng’s warning—or realizing the preciousness of the food—she started tearing it into smaller pieces, eating more slowly this time.
As she ate, her gaze kept flickering toward the chocolate bar still in his hand.
“This is chocolate,” Yu Sheng said, holding it up. He hesitated, an uncertain expression crossing his face.
His thoughts whirled. “Irene,” he called silently in his mind.
A familiar, irritable voice responded almost immediately. “Yu Sheng! Where have you been? You disappeared again! I’ve been trying to reach you—”
“Things are a bit complicated,” he replied quickly in his thoughts. “I’ll fill you in later. I need your help with something first.”
Irene huffed impatiently. “Fine. What is it?”
“Uh, dogs can’t eat chocolate, right?”
“…Correct,” Irene replied, sounding confused. “It’s toxic to them. Why—”
“What about foxes? Can foxes eat chocolate?”
“Foxes? Probably not,” she mused. “They’re canines too. A lot of human food can be dangerous for other species. Honestly, your diet is bizarre—even to beings like me. You humans eat the strangest—”
Yu Sheng cut her off. “What about fox spirits? You know, foxes that have transformed into human form?”
For a moment, there was silence. Then Irene’s voice returned, incredulous. “…Excuse me?”
“I’m standing here with a starving fox girl,” Yu Sheng explained hurriedly. “She’s got white hair, red eyes, multiple tails—possibly nine, though it’s hard to tell right now. And the only food I’ve got left is this chocolate bar.”
There was a pause as Irene processed this information. Finally, she spoke again. “Well, if she’s got that many tails, she’s probably powerful enough to handle a bit of chocolate. If she can’t… well, what’s the point of all that power? But hold on—weren’t you in some forsaken world? How did you find a fox girl there?”
Yu Sheng, reassured by her response, had already stopped listening. He offered the chocolate to the girl but warned, “Here, but try a little bit first. It might not be good for you.”
Her face brightened, her eyes sparkling with gratitude. “Thank you!” she exclaimed, eagerly fumbling with the wrapper. She took a cautious bite, and the moment the chocolate touched her tongue, her entire face lit up with joy. Her eyes fluttered shut as she savored the taste, clearly overwhelmed.
Yu Sheng watched her, a little amused. “That’s all I’ve got,” he said, spreading his hands apologetically. “I hope it helps. By the way, what’s your name?”
She looked up at him, her expression softening into one of deep gratitude. “Thank you,” she said again, more sincerely this time. Then, with a slight smile, she pointed to herself. “Foxy.”
“Sorry?” Yu Sheng blinked.
“Foxy,” she repeated, her smile widening just a little. “That’s my name.”