The demons set out at the crack of dawn. A battalion of fifty units traversed the northern terrain on foot, navigating through dense woods and the perilous neutral zone. They never use horses or other means of transportation for practical reasons—expense, sluggishness, and the animals' susceptibility to fatigue. Demons, being inherently resilient, could endure lengthy walks at high speeds without succumbing to exhaustion as quickly as horses would. Moreover, the neutral areas teemed with ruins, offering ideal hiding spots and natural camouflage. 

Rei, accustomed to traveling on foot unless faced with exceptionally long distances or cumbersome baggage, blended seamlessly with the marching demons. Their destination lay roughly a month away at human speed, with the temperature steadily dropping as the distant Iron Mountains emerged on the northwest horizon. The group moved with a blend of speed and silence, occasionally disrupted by hushed conversations from the rear. Such instances of talkativeness were promptly quelled by the stern intervention of the Old Zhou, especially in areas deemed unsafe. The journey's route had been strategically extended to minimize any discernible traces of their passage.

On the first night, seeking refuge within the crumbling walls of an ancient palace, the demons gathered around a modest bonfire, eating and joking around. A sense of ease and companionship permeated the surroundings. Yet, the peace suddenly shatters as an unexpected snowstorm unleashes its glacial wrath upon them.

"Wasn’t it supposed to be a cheerful walk in the fresh air?" Rei asks sarcastically.

A-Yin shows a tight smile as he continues to walk in front of the others. Zhou is right behind him and asks, "Isn’t it fresh enough for you?"

"Lukewarm."

The old one just lifts his head and mumbles, "Oh, shut up!" Clad in three layers of cozy garments, including boots, an oversized scarf, and a hat, Zhou would have faced even stronger gusts if not for the horns encircling his head. To counter the potential chill from the fabric's perforations, A-Yin rests an arm on his bony shoulders, sensing his subtle shivers. "When did you get so nesh?"

"When I stopped being a fucking bra-" Zhou’s harsh sentence is interrupted by a loud sneeze. The leader chuckles, offering the elder assistance as the group presses on, determined to find a suitable shelter.

The days pass swiftly and seamlessly, encountering only a few isolated travelers in the distance as the snowstorm gradually subsides. This compels them to moderate their pace, avoiding unnecessary attention, before they pick up speed again as they approach their final day of travel. 

Rei retrieves a map from one pocket and a compass from the other. Studying them intently, an arrow points northward. Shriek Forest looms still half a day away. Despite the absence of contact with its magical vegetation, fatigue has already set in among the troops. Moreover, they have reached one of the last ruins of the northern Neutral Zone, an opportunity to not sleep completely in the open. So A-Yin halts, turning to face his demons. A simple gesture of his hand signals that it's time to set up camp.

With the sun having long dipped below the horizon and the moon emerging, temperatures plummet rapidly. Snowflakes settle on their tents, beginning to blanket the ground in white.

Rei looks around. The minor demons attempt to shield themselves with their cloaks while clutching magic stones. Those capable of conjuring fire through signs emit feeble flames. The cold wind tousles her silver hair, her eyes narrow in concentration as twenty orbs of rasuah materialize around her. They are black and opaque, radiating a faint yet intense heat. Rei opens her eyes again, gesturing with her right hand to direct the spheres toward the demons, striving to distribute them evenly. As the warm rasuah fluctuates near their frozen body, sighs of contentment escape from the demons.

A-Yin smiles, pleased at her excellent work. Despite being aware of her potent corruptive abilities, witnessing Rei wield them is particularly enjoyable. The orbs she conjures number only twenty, a contrast to the fifty demons in attendance. The leader clears his throat with a feigned cough to capture everyone's attention. “Share the tents with as many demons as possible to keep you warm.” 

The phrase is delivered with the classic sly grin on A-Yin's face as he turns to gaze at Rei. Amazement flickers across her face as low voices emanate from the group, eliciting a shared sigh between them. Among the minor demons, a dispute ensues over the arrangement of tents. Despite the chaos, A-Yin can't help but flash a subtle smile, leaving the fubai perplexed. 

He whispers, "They're all rookies except those three; seeing them so quiet brings me joy. They carry no unnecessary anxieties. I just hope they don't overindulge and relax too much."

Rei nods slightly but can't shake off her thoughts —they seem like a bunch of kids. She never would have expected that the leader would assemble only rookies for such a crucial expedition. At least he had the foresight to bring along the four middle demons, even though she is confident she can outperform them all. Kahn may be a hothead, but he's accustomed to following orders, which are likely the most suitable for the expedition, despite it being his first with them. Wu is obnoxious and angry, but apparently, she often accompanies A-Yin on missions and understands his tactics, not a bad choice. And yet, if you keep staring at me, I'll head-butt you, she thinks, averting her gaze from the green eyes of the purple-haired demon

Turning around, she notices Lì diligently organizing rations and blankets, skillfully distributing them, and a smile pops up on her lips. As kind and experienced as he is, she just can't fathom him engaging in combat with humans. Then there's old Zhou. The leader follows the lilac gaze and chuckles at the sight of the wrinkled demon scolding the younglings, ushering them into the tents, muttering, "So many gripes. Get a move on. When I was your age, I didn't get entangled in foolish matters like that."

"He’s never going to change." A-Yin’s warm voice makes her comment, "I didn’t think we’d really carried him along."

"You didn’t say anything at the start."

She grimaces and jokingly punches him on the shoulder. "You’re the one who pretended not to hear."

The demon passes a hand over his sore skin and shrugs. "He is a magician in what he does, connects everyone telepathically, and knows how I work." Then he winks at Zhou, who had been watching them and now dismisses him with an abrupt wave of his hand, sending him off with a scornful look. So the leader adds, "And it’s been a while since his wrinkly old buttocks went out to get some fresh air."

Rei sinks her face in her hands, giggling and sighing. Very fresh. 

So fresh that even the tip of A-Yin's nose has taken on a rosy hue; with each uttered word, a frosty mist lingers in the air. He had passed up the opportunity of the sphere to look like a charitable leader, but now his buttocks are freezing. The climate in this region is known for its unpredictable nature, but this time, they've encountered a genuine climatic anomaly—something he hadn't experienced before. Stupid climate change, he thinks, though a lingering sense of unease nags at him. Lacking information or someone to consult, it's pointless to panic, so A-Yin turns his attention back to Rei, offering a smile and a raised eyebrow."Magnanimous and attractive, just the perfect combination." 

Rei snorts, offering no response. A-Yin feigns a look of mock sadness and murmurs, "It will mean that my body will remain perfectly young and beautiful with these temperatures." He takes a few broad and slow steps towards his tent, straining his ears, waiting to be followed, but she does not move. He places a hand on the sturdy yet light fabric, adding, "In a hundred years, I will still be a young badass, and the whole Rèn will drool over me." He slips inside, his voice still audible," And if I freeze to death, you’ll have to stay here forever." Pulling a wool blanket from his backpack, he contemplates the biting cold, regretting his choice of winter attire. Adjusting the layers beneath him, he collapses on the ground, shivering.

Suddenly, a pleasant rustle reaches his ears, prompting a satisfied smile. The fubai's whitish head has entered the tent. He turns to watch her come inside, snorting in boredom. She tosses her backpack onto the ground and approaches him, crouching to deliver a smack between his irritatingly sly eyes. "Ouch, why did you do that?" he protests, burying his head in the blanket and rubbing his chilled skin with cold fingertips

"Shut up. Your tent is the largest." 

Sporting a grin, A-Yin arranges the thick and warm wool over himself and retorts, "Yet no one but you dared to enter it." 

Rei lies down beside him and fluffs the makeshift pillow with her cape. "What will you do? Caress me with your butterflies?" 

He chuckles at the ironic remark, lifting a corner of the blanket to invite her closer. "It could drain you if I wanted to." 

"And I'll just have to burn them all. " 

Her lilac eyes rest on him, watching him closely. His face is red from the cold, and his teeth still chatter as his arms hold what little warmth he has left. Yet the blanket's movement has lowered the temperature again. "You’re doing it on purpose."

"I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"Bullshit." she says, amused.

The fubai casts one final glance before unexpectedly enveloping him in a hug. I can't let this idiot succumb to the snow. I need him, she thinks. The demon's icy eyes widen in surprise, feeling the warmth of her body pressed against his. It's an unusual warmth, akin to the pleasant coziness of snuggling near a fireplace on a cold winter day. His muscles ease, and a smile graces his lips. "This is nice," he muses. "I knew you couldn't resist me any longer," he adds, chuckling.

Her lilac eyes roll in annoyance at the cheesy comment, and her hands begin to glide over him as she whispers, "I can raise my body temperature at will." Her soft palms caress him, entering the shirt and down the belly. A-Yin gurgles with pleasure at the warm contact and approaches her lips with his, brushing her nose. Dressing so lightly turned out to be a good choice in the end.

Rei feels his musky and delicious scent filling her nostrils as he gets closer, touching her thigh, then her side, wrapping her in a slow embrace full of desire. 

"Very considerate of you, love." his hoarse voice echoes over her, who responds softly, "I saw you were shaking out there, and I came.” 

"You just can’t look away from me, can you?"

Her hands have reached the height of the belt, and a sensual smile appears on her lips as she brushes them against his. The demon is on the verge of closing his eyelids to savor the moment when he suddenly senses a searing heat on his lower abdomen. He attempts to leap backward, only to be thwarted by Rei's scorching grip on his pants. She smiles and whispers, “Another shitty joke, and I'll boil you!" 

"Dead from temperature swings. The kids out there are gonna laugh at my funeral. I can’t afford it. I promise I’ll be good." he responds by raising his hands in a sign of surrender. She weighs the situation thoughtfully, then lets go of her grip and turns on her side, adjusting the pillow under her head. A-Yin follows the line of her back with a finger and then cuddles up to her. Rei has her eyes open and stares at the fabric of the tent with an expression of condescension as she raises a threatening hand toward him. "Don’t push it."

He doesn’t back an inch and rubs his face against her hair, saying in a muffled voice, "I must, or I will freeze." After a moment of pause, he adds, "Does it make you uncomfortable?"

Her body willingly succumbs to his embrace as she turns, facing his chest. Her big lilac eyes gaze at him with amusement. "How dare you."

"Just asking." he smirks slyly, settling his head onto her pillow. "Yours feels cozier," he explains, yawning. His eyelids droop as the warmth envelops his body, lulling him into a pleasant numbness. He tightens his grip around her, and her face nestles into his shoulder. Her white, pure hair releases a pleasant lavender scent, so delicate and feminine that it makes him smile imperceptibly. Rei's palm rests on his chest; it’s still, and yet the warm contact slows his breathing as he feels more and more tired. As her body fits perfectly against his, the demon basks in the warmth of that unsuspected embrace, falling into a light, serene sleep.

She remains motionless, gripped in the snug embrace, lulled by the rhythm of his breath, and closes her eyes to concentrate. The rasuah orbs are not many, but keeping them active all night requires her to remain conscious.