He had long since grown accustomed to it.
But for some reason, he suddenly felt a bit weary.
He kind of wanted to... go back and eat that bowl of porridge with plenty of century eggs that everyone was talking about in the group.
Jiang Siyan thought this, and he did exactly that.
He drained his glass in one gulp and stood up.
"I'm leaving."
He Jiu Chen's eyes widened, his voice sharp with frustration. "I came all this way and you're just leaving!?"
Jiang Siyan hadn't even taken off his overcoat; he still wore it properly, his tall and broad figure silhouetted against the light.
"Otherwise? Watch you go crazy?"
He Jiu Chen laughed out of anger. "The things I said, you'd better take them to heart. Otherwise... if anything happens to that person who managed to make a walking corpse like you feel emotion, don't blame me."
A cold light flashed in Jiang Siyan’s eyes, his gaze cutting toward He Jiu Chen like a blade.
"You are just a healing-type."
He Jiu Chen gave a sinister laugh.
Jiang Siyan stared at He Jiu Chen for a moment before turning to leave.
"Hey! Don't you want to protect the person you love!"
Jiang Siyan wondered why he had never noticed how talkative this man was before.
"I am not a pervert like you, who only knows possession and control when it comes to the people they like."
"Furthermore, she doesn't need my protection."
"If you dare make a move, she will kill you."
Jiang Siyan paused at the door and turned back with a smile.
"Although she doesn't need my protection, I still really don't like hearing you say things like that."
His smile was incredibly gentle, like a doctor dedicated to saving lives.
"Did you just finish a mission? Your injuries are quite severe, but it seems you have an excellent healing-type scavenger by your side."
"Unfortunately, not excellent enough."
Jiang Siyan walked out. A moment later, He Jiu Chen suddenly rolled off the sofa and fell to his knees on the floor.
The mental damage that had been forcibly suppressed by his healing ability surged up all at once, his head throbbing as if someone were using a knife to slowly slice his brain apart.
He Jiu Chen spat out a mouthful of blood and lost consciousness before he could call for anyone else.
When Jiang Siyan returned to the room where they were staying, Nan Yue was playing a game with Gu Xiang Kai, while Zhu Xi Ning sat nearby watching the battle tensely.
A few empty beer bottles and some bags of puffed snacks were piled on the floor.
They looked exactly like gaming-addicted teens at home.
Yet, Jiang Siyan felt the fatigue of his schemes instantly vanish, replaced by an extraordinary sense of ease.
He took off his overcoat and hung it up. Busy as she was, Nan Yue turned her head to greet him.
"You're back. That was fast."
Jiang Siyan walked over to Nan Yue, sat on the carpet beside her, and tucked a cushion behind her back.
"I'm back. It wasn't anything important anyway."
Nan Yue shifted her body, settling into a more comfortable sitting position.
Jiang Siyan leaned back against the sofa behind him. He picked up a can of beer and opened it, fine foam splashing onto his fingers.
His gaze moved from the game screen to Nan Yue's profile.
Her clear, dark eyes looked exceptionally bright in the flickering light of the game.
"You've fallen for that scavenger named Nan Yue?"
"Even you can like someone?"
Jiang Siyan took a sip of beer. The slightly bitter liquid slid down his throat to his stomach, bringing a wave of coolness.
So this was what it felt like to like someone...
It didn't seem bad at all.
Nan Yue won a round and put down her controller, letting Zhu Xi Ning and the defeated Gu Xiang Kai continue playing.
Nan Yue moved back to sit alongside Jiang Siyan.
"Everything okay?"
Nan Yue lightly bumped Jiang Siyan's shoulder with her own. The movement was very natural, like old friends or perhaps something more intimate.
The spot where Jiang Siyan was bumped felt warm and tingling, though his face remained calm with a faint smile.
"Afraid of trouble?"
Nan Yue let out a scoff. "I've never been afraid of trouble."
"But if you do run into trouble, you have to tell me."
Jiang Siyan suddenly felt certain about the question he had been hesitating over, because he truly loved this arrogant side of Nan Yue.
"In the upcoming missions, we might encounter a few troublesome people."
Nan Yue understood instantly. Jiang Siyan likely still had his own network of connections. Since he had gone public with his identity as Bai Yao and then went to find Fu Xi Ming, it was easy for those with intentions to connect the dots.
Regardless of whether they could guess Nan Yue's goal, they would be the nail that sticks out for the foreseeable future.
"Then let them come."
Nan Yue looked relaxed, like a lazy cat.
"In our team, we have attack, healing, support, and a tank. What is there to be afraid of?"
Zhu Xi Ning shouted over the intense background noise of gunfire, "A-Nan, your gaming lingo is on point now!"
Nan Yue laughed. "Our lives are basically a game anyway."
Nan Yue cracked her wrists and thought for a moment. "In three days, we enter a mission. After we get out, we'll head to the next city state."
There was no need to disrupt their own rhythm, but it was time to leave the Green City State.
"You got it."
Three days later, the four of them stood outside the Purification Center, surrounded by many scrutinizing gazes from both the shadows and the open.
They were currently far too famous.
Furthermore, although the Green City State had entered the ranks of the upper city states, there was still a gap between it and Eden.
The scavengers here had not yet mastered the ability to remain indifferent when seeing top-tier legends and walking trending topics.
"I hope Wenwen can meet up with us in the mission."
Zhu Xi Ning's face held a touch of anticipation. Her foresight had always been unable to see anything regarding Wen Xiang Yuan.
It was likely because of Wen Xiang Yuan's unique nature that Zhu Xi Ning's ability could not yet perceive things related to her.
"Let's go."
Nan Yue didn't say much. The path ahead of her was currently a void; she could only see the next step by taking the first.
She had to keep going, keep moving forward.
【Beauty is Justice squad, resident of Green City State, participating project: Scavenger Daily Work.】
【Evaluation format: Team evaluation, current team size: 4 people.】
【Multiplayer qualification mission, Code 32120: Eden Garden.】
【Topic: Leave.】
【Wishing you a successful evaluation. Eden is waiting for you.】
Hearing the system announcement, Nan Yue's heart sank.
They had always been a five-person team, but the announcement now said four.
And then there was this topic: Eden Garden.
It wasn't that Nan Yue was overthinking it, but encountering a mission with such a similar name right after she had come out of Eden was truly concerning.
The darkness dissipated, and Nan Yue immediately looked around. Gu Xiang Kai and the other two were standing around her. Gu Xiang Kai and Zhu Xi Ning were also searching for something, their faces showing signs of disappointment.
"Wenwen isn't here," Zhu Xi Ning whispered into Nan Yue's ear.
Nan Yue nodded. "Let's finish the mission first."
Everything had to be based on survival. Since Wen Xiang Yuan still hadn't appeared, Nan Yue could only take the risk of asking Fu Xi Ming for information after they left the mission.
There were people standing around them. A quick glance revealed about a dozen individuals, all likely scavengers, each warily observing their surroundings.
Rate on N.U.
