Android? No, Apple :V

The four of them walked for a while and the child was being held by Lou Yi. Xian Yun and Mo Zen were walking ahead of them, acting as a guard as well.

After some time, they had reached a wide open-area where two tents had been set. There were three other people on the site too who all stood up as they got near.

Xian Yun and the rest bent down their bodies slightly as they closed their joined hands as a sign of greeting.

"Elder! We're back!" [Mo Zen]

The child stares at the three men. Two of them looked way past their sexagenarian years while the last one seemed to be in their early thirties or more.

The three of them looked down at the small child beside Lou Yi.

"Have you encountered any beasts?" [The older man with a goatee]

"We had checked the trap but there were no beasts." [Xian Yun]

Xian Yun then glanced at the child.

"We found this kid instead. She fell in the trap, apparently." [Xian Yun]

"Inside the pitfall?" [The middle-aged man]

"Yes." [Mo Zen]

『 A kid? 』[The other older man with sharp eyes]

The sharp-eyed old man observed the child who was looking up at him as well.

『 She looked like an 8-year-old girl. But I feel there's something unusual with her. 』

The man continued to stare at the child down.

"Water."

The people there glanced at the child.

『 Oh right, she's thirsty. [Lou Yi]

"Elder, I will take her to my tent first and feed her." [Lou Yi]

The elder with the goatee flicked his hand.

"Go on, we will know the details from Mozen and Xian Yun." [Elder 1]

Lou Yi saluted again before she dragged the child to the second tent on the left.

The others watched Lou Yi and the child go.

"Now tell us what happened. Why is a child inside a pitfall?" [Elder 2]

Xian Yun scratches his head.

"We also don't know the reason Elder Yu, we just checked the trap as planned then saw her." [Xian Yun]

The three older people scrunched their foreheads. Elder Yu stroked his goatee as he thinks.

"We tried to ask her but Lou Yi said we should get her here first." [Mo Zen]

"You did the right thing." [The middle-aged man]

"But a child? How did the child get this far in Heaven's Gate Forest?" [Elder Yu]

"Did you see some people nearby?" [Elder 2]

Xian Yun shook his head.

"We had checked the perimeters, we didn't sense anyone within a mile." [Xian Yun]

The middle-aged man turned to him.

"What do you think, Elder Han?"

Elder Han narrowed his eyes and thinks.

"We shall see. After Lou Yi feeds the child." [Elder Han]

Elder Yu then looked at the middle-aged man.

"Mo Fan, check the surrounding area again. Just to make sure we aren't being ambushed." [Elder Yu]

"Yes." [Mo Fan]

Mo Fan then proceeded to leave and Mo Zen went with him.

Xian Yun then saluted again and goes to a nearby tree to scout. Elder Han was still deep in thought when Elder Yu spoke.

"You sense something with that child?" [Elder Yu]

"I am not sure. I might be just being cautious. This is a dangerous forest after all." [Elder Han]

The other man stares off in the distance.

"The Heavenly Peach Tree had bear fruit. Soon, cultivators from all the lands would rush here. That's why we should lay low, it's not our target anyway." [Elder Yu]

『 The rumored divine tree that only bears one fruit every three thousand years. I want to see it but...』[Elder Yu]

Elder Han nods.

"Right. We should move and find that Makahiya herb first before a fight broke off." [Elder Han]

『 The possibility of a battle between warring esteemed families is big. Better be gone before it happens. 』[Elder Han]

The two elders then silently stare at the horizon.

----------------------------****

Meanwhile, Lou Yi and the child were inside the tent. The latter was drinking a whole gourd of water, quenching its thirst.

『 Fuwaaaah~ That was good! 』

Lou Yi, on the other hand, was watching and studying the child in silence.

『 What is she? She doesn't look like a monster. A shapeshifter? But that is only in legends… 』[Lou Yi]

Lou Yi was wracking her brain for information but she couldn't find a single clue.

『 Horns… Horns can only be found in beasts. But she looked like a human? Then a shapeshifter? No, that would be impossible… 』[Lou Yi]

The child then chose that moment to stare at Lou Yi who was deep in thoughts.

<< I have hidden your red eyes for now. Just don't exert your power because it will show. >>

『 Wah? Power? 』

<< Don't do anything stupid or I am going to electrocute you. >>

If anyone had heard this, they would be confused as to why the robotic voice let out a warning like that which is unlikely for a system. But systems don't exist in this world anyway…

"Do you want more bread?" [Lou Yi]

The child blinks and shakes its head.

"Good. Then…" Lou Yi noticed the child's grimy appearance. "Let's get you cleaned up first." [Lou Yi]

『 Clean? 』

<< She meant you need a bath. >>

『 Bath? 』

<< … >>

<< Just do what she wants to do. >>

『 Eh? Okay. 』

The system stopped talking after that but was silently contemplating on the background.

Lou Yi looks around and spots the towel she had pulled out earlier that day and picks it. She then soaked it with water and wring the excess off outside before returning.

The child just silently observed whatever Lou Yi was trying to do.

"I will tie your hair first okay?" [Lou Yi]

"Okay."

Lou Yi pulled the child's long hair back and tied it with a ribbon. She can now see its full countenance.

『 She really is a cute child even looking dirty. 』[Lou Yi]

Lou Yi carefully wiped off the grime away and revealed a smooth skin.

『 Now she's cuter. 』[Lou Yi]

The child was still meek, even after being peeled off with the outer robe. Lou Yi then started wiping the child's body but halted after some time.

『 H-huh? What… 』[Lou Yi]

Lou Yi was confused and surprised by what she was seeing and couldn't believe her eyes.

『 What is this? She's not a girl? But… she's not a boy either… what? 』[Lou Yi]

The area where a genital should have is smooth. Nothing was there. It was blank.

『 Is that even possible?! 』[Lou Yi]

The child saw her stumped expression and tilted its head to the side.

『 Why is she looking at me like that? 』

<< Lou Yi is just surprised that you are androgynous. You're body, that is. >>

『 Andro-- android? what? 』

<< … where did you even-- Don't mind it and just stay put. >>

『 … okay. 』

Lou Yi collected her thoughts and finished doing her task. She then wrapped the child with a new robe from her cosmos sack.

"There are no clothes suited for you so you just had to put up with this okay?" [Lou Yi]

She was still nervous and frazzled but she pushed the thought away.

『 When I get back to the capital, I will research about … her. 』[Lou Yi]

Lou Yi looked at the child again who was staring up at her. Its black eyes were unwavering.

『 She looked like a girl then let's just assumed that she's a girl. 』

She then let out a small sigh.

"Come, let's go to the elders now." [Lou Yi]