Chapter 53: The Settlement

"Crimson Shatter!"
A robust Ceratodragon was sliced across its forelimbs by a crimson flying axe. Its massive charging form, suddenly bereft of support, toppled heavily to the ground.
In the next instant, a slender figure leapt onto the beast’s bowed head, gripping the axe with both hands, her face cold and impassive as she brought the weapon down with ruthless force.
It was a display of violent beauty, both brutal and mesmerizing.
"That's the fourth one..."
Qin Fei glanced at the Ceratodragon card forming in her hand, then looked up at Loretta, who had closed her eyes in blissful enjoyment. According to her, the sensation of data surging into her body was as soothing as soaking in a hot bath—utterly invigorating.
"Only four?"
Loretta sounded dissatisfied, though when she glanced at the sunset—no longer blinding, but still gentle—she realized dusk was upon them.
In truth, the Digital World was not as densely populated with Digimon as Qin Fei had imagined. Whether it was due to the vastness of the land, or simply because Digimon disliked gathering in this barren wasteland, she could not tell.
On their journey, she and Loretta had encountered only a handful of Digimon.
Fortunately, most wild Digimon were quite aggressive; Qin Fei felt little guilt instructing Loretta to dispatch them.
"Let's find a safe place to camp for the night," Qin Fei suggested, glancing at the sky.
"Just the two of us?"
Loretta smiled, giving Qin Fei a look filled with inexplicable anticipation.
"And this one, too,"
Qin Fei picked up the little Black Dorymon in her arms, winking at Loretta in indication.
"Loretta! Loretta!"
Black Dorymon called out in its soft, sticky voice, wriggling eagerly at the sight of Loretta, as if desperate to get closer to her.
"I'm not holding you! Your own romantic entanglements are yours to bear!"
Loretta shot a resentful look at both Qin Fei and Black Dorymon, wrinkling her delicate nose.
"Uh, this is hardly a romance—don’t talk nonsense, I’m not, I didn’t—"
"Loretta~"
Black Dorymon seemed to sense Loretta’s dislike, drooping in instant dejection.
"Let’s go. This wasteland isn’t suitable for camping. We should look for a cave or some hills nearby, otherwise it’ll be dangerous,"
Qin Fei sighed, hugging Black Dorymon closer as she picked a direction and set off.
Unnoticed, twilight deepened and night began to fall—the whole plain lay shrouded in gray. If they couldn’t find a safe campsite soon, Qin Fei and Loretta would have no choice but to make camp where they stood once darkness set in.
She glanced at the chill night sky and suddenly missed Agumon. She hadn’t brought a lighter, and when traveling with Tai and the others, there had never been any worry about fire—Agumon or Gabumon could always provide a spark.
But now, separated from the group, she couldn’t find even the smallest ember.
"This wasteland is too vast, with nothing to provide cover. Resting here would be extremely dangerous."
"Then let’s keep moving a little further. If it really comes to it, I’ll take the night watch tonight,"
Qin Fei said, pressing on.

"Hmm?" Loretta caught up to her, laughing gently. "What’s this? Getting soft on me?"
Hearing Qin Fei claim the night watch for herself, Loretta’s eyes sparkled with a pleased, mischievous gleam.
"As the main combatant, this ‘useless kid’ of yours can’t afford to drag you down. Rest well—I’ll feel safer knowing you’re alert in such a dangerous place."
"Hey, don’t put yourself down like that,"
Loretta pretended not to hear Qin Fei’s self-mockery, bursting into cheerful laughter.
They kept walking, determined to find a suitable campsite before night fell completely.
"Qin Fei, actually, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you."
"What is it?"
Qin Fei turned, noting the sudden seriousness on Loretta’s face, and was momentarily taken aback.
"Stop calling me Loretta all the time. It sounds so awkward. Give me a name," Loretta said expectantly, gazing deep into Qin Fei’s eyes. "It just doesn’t feel intimate enough."
"But Agumon and Tai call each other by name, and they’re very close,"
Qin Fei replied, puzzled.
"No, I want a name only you call me by. Otherwise, I’ll just call you ‘human, human, human’ every day..."
Qin Fei gave in, realizing that using a Digimon species name did feel a bit impersonal.
"How about Lily?"
"Too old-fashioned!"
"Tara?"
"Sounds awful!"
"Loli?"
"You don’t have some strange hobby, do you?"
"... "
"Lolo?"
"That’s so syrupy."
"I’m calling you Lolo. Take it or leave it."
Loretta: "..."
Night had fallen completely.
Qin Fei could sense that, perhaps to put her at ease, Loretta was standing very close by her side.
Even knowing that Loretta was a Digimon she herself had created, Qin Fei felt a strange, unexplainable ripple in her heart.
"Qin Fei, look! There are lights over there!"
Just as Qin Fei was lost in her tangled thoughts, Loretta’s voice broke through her reverie.
Shaking off the strange flutter in her chest, Qin Fei followed Loretta’s gaze.
Sure enough, in the distance, lights twinkled like a scattering of stars, as if people—or someone—were living there.
"Let’s take a look."

Qin Fei’s grave expression softened, and she and Loretta exchanged a glimmer of hope.
...
"What... is this place?"
Qin Fei and Loretta stared in surprise.
They had arrived at a settlement of Digimon, built amid decaying ruins.
Gajimon, Goburimon, Frogmon, Snotmon, Phantomon—there was even a full-grown Bearmon.
It looked for all the world like a gathering of stray Digimon.
"Ha! Two little runts blundering in here,"
A mocking voice rang out, and Qin Fei noticed several Digimon eyeing them with open hostility.
Loretta didn’t flinch. She met their gaze head-on, returning the mockery with a fierce glare.
It was a Fire Lizardmon.
Qin Fei’s eyes lit up—she’d been seeking just such a card for starting a fire.
"Lolo,"
Qin Fei shot Loretta a meaningful look.
Having built a tacit understanding with Qin Fei, Loretta instantly caught on—he wanted her to return the provocation.
"You ugly lizard! What are you staring at with your rusted tin face?"
At once, every Digimon in the ruins turned to look.
All of them seemed to be waiting for a show.
But when Bearmon caught sight of Qin Fei’s childlike human features, it seemed momentarily stunned.
"What did you say, you little runt!"
Infuriated by Loretta’s insult—calling him a dead lizard and mocking his metal-plated face—Fire Lizardmon erupted in rage.
"H-hey, let’s not fight..."
Just as battle seemed imminent, a Digimon resembling a burning candle poked its head out, speaking timidly: "This is a hard-won refuge for all of us. If fighting destroys it, we’ll have to return to the freezing desert."
"Hmph!"
Fire Lizardmon managed, at last, to restrain his anger and retreated to a corner of the ruins.
Qin Fei and Loretta exchanged a glance, both seeing disappointment mirrored in the other’s eyes. Since Candlemon had intervened, there was nothing more to be said.
"If you don’t mind, the two of you can join us by the fire,"
Candlemon called, waving them over. Perhaps, seeing the two slight figures of Qin Fei and Loretta, it felt little need for caution.