Chapter 20 of 29

Chapter 14

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“The martial arts that you used just now, as well as that…… that gesture, where did you learn it from?”

Jing Xia froze for a while before immediately understanding Qin Chu’s meaning.

In his previous life, Ji Chuancheng not only conducted some cruel training routines especially targeted for him, but also taught him a lot of fighting skills. He had to admit that Ji Chuancheng was indeed a good teacher. At least later on, these seemingly ordinary things have saved Jing Xia’s life over and over again.

As for that hand gesture——

Thumb pointing downwards, ring finger curled inwards.

This meant two fake actions and a final one as an attack.

This was also what Ji Chuancheng taught him before in the past.

A smile appeared on his face. Jing Xia nonchalantly said while smiling, “That ah, was what A’Chuan taught me ah. Previously during a night duty shift, he specially said, if something happens, then we need to cooperate well. This is indeed me deliberately acting in accordance with the order from above, hehe.”

Qin Chu meaningfully looked at Jing Xia for a long time, but didn’t speak again. However, Ji Chuancheng silently glanced at Jing Xia and did not refute. The party of four people continued to walk toward the west like this, all except for the little black dumpling that persists in crying out “jiji“.

The further one walks in, the more it seems to be an indication of an ominous sign.

The layers upon layers of lush vegetation in the mountain ranges became denser, and even the boiling hot sun at noon today couldn’t penetrate the thick layers of leaves to shine down. The whole forest was so quiet that even footsteps could be heard echoing in the serenity. There were chirping of the insects, no trilling of the birds, isolating the place surrounded by the ranges of mountains from the outside world.

Everyone held 120,000 points of alertness as they walked. Although their expressions were as relaxed as before, Jing Xia’s right hand tightly gripped the handle of the blade, and hadn’t relinquished his grip yet. During this approximately half-month journey, minor accidents would occur almost every day. Moreover, the frequency and danger of these occurrences have increased.

“Sister Qin, when can we walk out of this mountain forest and arrive at the restricted area?” Jing Xia nibbled on a piece of compressed biscuit while asking, “If this continues on, regardless of whether or not our supplies can last, I am afraid that…… we can’t compete with the evolution of the creatures in this mountain.”

Jing Xia does not know about the speed of human evolution, but seeing the fights he has experienced in the past half a month, the speed of evolution for the vegetation and life forms in the mountains are abnormal. Perhaps an upsurge phase has arrived, the life forms in the mountains that could only be regarded as small threats previously have an even faster speed of evolution, yet they……

To this day, no one has evolved yet.

Qin Chu drank a mouthful of water and said, “Actually, according to our speed, we should have long arrived at the restricted area. But…… the changes in the mountain are too big. It is very likely for us to have walked in a circle. The mutations of trees are too fast, blocking the position of the sun. We have no way to differentiate the direction. Even with a compass, it too would’ve lost its effect by now due to the changes in the magnetic poles.” Gently sighing, Qin Chu looked up at Ji Chuancheng, who was looking around. She approached Jing Xia and whispered, “We should be…… lost.”

“……” Jing Xia was speechless for a long while, and finally asked, “You didn’t mention this kind of thing earlier?!”

Qin Chu helplessly spread out her hands. “Young Master didn’t mention it. It’s also not good for me to say it. Is this not…… a slap on Young Master’s face?!”

Jing Xia clenched his back molars and followed Qin Chu’s line of sight, looking back. The more he looked, the more annoying he found that tall and straight figure was. He simply got up and walked to Ji Chuancheng, saying, “A’Chuan! We’ve lost our way, how can you still maintain a calm expression ah?”

Hearing his words, Ji Chuancheng silently bowed down his head and looked at Jing Xia. His handsome face had no fluctuations of expression, just silently stared like this. Jing Xia’s hair stood on the end from his stare, feeling as if he himself was eyed by a predator. He rubbed his arm and continued to say with a bold front. “You say ah, are we already lost?”

After a good while, Ji Chuancheng slightly nodded. “En, for the time being.”

“……”

“What for the time being ah?!” Jing Xia was so angry that he wanted, as Qin Chu said, to slap this person in the face. To see if he can still say these kinds of words without a change in expression or an extra skip of his heart. “If we are forever unable to walk out, then what should we do?! Fine, even if the food can be hunted from the mountains, what should we do about the water supply?! Even Sister Qin, didn’t she also finish using that thing. When her next menstrual period arrives, what should……”

“Little bastard!!!! How did you know!”

Jing Xia subconsciously turned his head and said, “I saw it when I went to get the water bottle ah. Don’t tell me that, Sister Qin, you still have sanitary pads?! That’s impossible ah, I really…… uh……” Jing Xia stopped in the middle of his sentence. He saw the appearance of Qin Chu stepping towards himself with a dark expression. The corners of his mouth barely stretched into an awkward smile, waving his hand with a forced laugh. “Sister…… Sister Qin, I’m just joking with you. As a grown man, how is it possible for me to notice your thing? I’m really……”

“Little bastard!!!!”

Qin Chu brandished the still sheathed long knife in her hand and ran towards Jing Xia, scaring the latter to hurriedly hide behind Ji Chuancheng and continue to use his own childhood friend as a shield. “Sister Qin, this is also my way of caring for you.”

“Hehe! I really thank you for your concern.” Qin Chu cracked her knuckles and sneered. “Don’t hide behind Young Master. If you are a man, then come out and have a good fight against me, a weak girl.”

Jing Xia’s face filled with grief and indignation. “I am a man but Sister Qin, are you a weak girl?!!!”

Qin Chu hooked her lips and “gently” smiled. “Little bastard, you mean… your Sister Qin, me, is a man?”

Seeing the other’s gentle and virtuous smile of a wise lady, Jing Xia trembled and hid his whole person behind Ji Chuancheng. He didn’t dare to even stick his head out a little. He swallowed and whispered: “…… Where is she a tomboy ah….. this is simply an overlord flower ah.”

“Jing Xia!!!” Qin Chu grinded her teeth and said, “Young Master, you are still protecting him! I’m definitely going to kill him today, this abominable little bastard!!!!” While speaking, Qin Chu straightforwardly brandished the scabbard and directly rushed up without regard for the consequences. She figured that it was impossible for Ji Chuancheng to do anything to her and might even immediately step aside, directly exposing that damned little bastard to her scabbard.

“Bang——”

Qin Chu widened her eyes in shock. “Young Master! You actually pulled out your blade against me…… against me just for this little bastard?!”

“A’Chuan?!”

The sharp blade directly blocked Qin Chu’s scabbard, making a crisp sound of metals clashing. Qin Chu looked at Ji Chuancheng with a face filled with astonishment. Yet the latter was still calm and indifferent, only his brows were wrinkled. It was unknown what he was thinking about. Even Jing Xia looked at Ji Chuancheng with surprise. Indeed, he didn’t expect this iceberg to actually speak up for him.

Suddenly, a burst of warmth thawed his heart. Jing Xia affectionately blinked his eyes and said, “A’Chuan, I didn’t expect that you are actually so good to me, you really deserved to be…”

“Who is there? Come out!” The long and sharp knife slid across the edge of Qin Chu’s scabbard. Ji Chuancheng suddenly turned to look at the bush on one side. He turned and walked toward the underbush, directly exposing Jing Xia’s cowering body right in front of Qin Chu’s eyes.

Jing Xia said, “Hey, hey, wait?!!!!”

Qin Chu also froze for a moment and then redirected her scabbard to hit Jing Xia’s head. Seeing the latter covering his head with tearful eyes and a speechless appearance, she smiled. “Let you be proud again, little bastard!”

On the other hand, Ji Chuancheng approached the underbrush with a solemn expression. The long knife in his hand glowed with cold light, his fingers tensed slightly, and he grasped the hilt even more tightly. Behind him, Qin Chu and Jing Xia also sorted out their frivolous appearances from before and watched the bush with vigilance. Yet, they could only see weeds that were as high as their waist.

The tension in the atmosphere abruptly rose.

“Swish——”

A green figure suddenly stood up from the underbush, covered with fine grass roots and camouflage on his cheeks. He stood upright in the middle of the bush, and brought his five fingers of his right hand to his temple, performing a proper military salute.

“Li Guang, the Deputy Commander of the Fourth Reconnaissance Unit of the Restricted Zone’s Armed Force, reporting to Lieutenant Colonel Ji!”

Ji Chuancheng calmly nodded. “Well, it’s Major, not Lieutenant Colonel.”

“Yes! Major!”

Jing Xia, “…”

Jing Xia was shocked and didn’t know how to face this kind of situation. Why was Ji Chuancheng able to face an unknown person with such an unhurried manner ah? Shouldn’t he confusedly ask how the other person appeared here?!

It was really impossible to communicate with this group of non-humans. Jing Xia gloomily returned to his own stone. He saw that Li Guang, who suddenly appeared, began to communicate with Ji Chuancheng and Qin Chu. Their voices were very low, seemingly not wanting other people to hear, causing Jing Xia, who already had somewhat improved hearing, to also not hear what they were saying.

Firmly biting the biscuit with indignation, Jing Xia simply removed his line of sight from that group of people.

“Keke, Young Master feels that…. Young Master Ji and Miss Qin are treating us as outsiders?” An amiable voice came from one side. Jing Xia turned around and looked. He only saw Steward Wang’s kind smile. “Young Master, everyone has their own secret keke…… you also have many secrets that you have not told others. And now, Young Master Ji and the other two are talking about some very confidential matters. You have to understand their actions keke……”

After hearing this, Jing Xia could only sigh. “En, I know, Grandpa Wang. You shouldn’t talk too much. It’s important to take care of your own body.”

“Jiji!” The chubby black dumpling suddenly emerged from Steward Wang’s arm, and chirped “jiji” at Jing Xia. Just as it chirped twice, it discovered that Jing Xia was staring at it and suddenly twisted its small body, sticking up its buttocks. It only showed Jing Xia its little butt, just like two lumps of meat balls.

“…….Pei!” Jing Xia was angered into laughter. “You stinky thing! Who wants to see your stinky ass ah!”

“Jijijijijiji! Jiji!”

As if I’ll show you this Granduncle Mouse’s little butt! Pei!

“Hahahaha.” Steward Wang saw the appearance of the strife between his Young Master and this little thing, and could not help but laugh loudly. The face that was originally red because of his coughing also looked much better.

They’ve been talking for about approximately half an hour. When Ji Chuancheng and Qin Chu came back, Li Guang, who has an honest face, also followed. He placed his heavy backpack on the big rock, the loud “peng——” attracted both Jing Xia and Steward Wang’s attention.

That little black dumpling also sneaked up, making “jijijiji” sounds, curiously circling the large bag while staring.

“Captain Qin, I have brought about a month and a half worth of rations here. You guys…… can definitely persist for around 20 days if there’s three people.” Li Guang began to take things out of the big bag while speaking, “There are only less than two days worth of travel between here and the army. I have already made marks along the way, you’ll never lose your bearings. When waiting for us to come back, your rations are absolutely more than enough.”

Qin Chu nodded. “Ok, you should go to the army soon. We will follow the marks you made. If there are any accidental setbacks, the signal flare will be lighted.”

Li Guang said, “Okay. Then we will leave now. When we return to the army, we will send people to receive you.”

Qin Chu nodded. “En, rest assured.”

“Wait a minute…… Can I ask what the hell has happened?” Listening to the dialogue between the two, Jing Xia’s original awkward expression gradually became solemn. He clenched his hands into fists, and a bad premonition suddenly appeared in his heart. “What is it…… ‘we’? Except for you, can I know…… who else is also going to leave?”

“It’s me.”

The low-pitched magnetic voice suddenly sounded from behind. Jing Xia suddenly turned and looked, his eyes widened in shock. He only saw that Ji Chuancheng had long already packed everything up, looking at him without expression. He neared, step by step, and said, “Something happened in the army. Li Guang and I will go back first. You, Qin Chu and Steward Wang can slowly travel together.”

Jing Xia subconsciously shouted. “I can first go with you guys!”

“Your physical condition can’t support high-intensity travel.” Frowning, Ji Chuancheng looked deeply at Jing Xia for a long time, and then continued to say, “Steward Wang also cannot follow our speed. You and Qin Chu can slowly come over. It’s not urgent.”

The voice of the other party was as calm as before, but Jing Xia’s current mood couldn’t be quelled. He never thought about being separated from this man again after he was reborn. He clearly remembered that ever since he saw this man in his previous life, they have only been separated once.

At that time, the S city base suffered from an S-grade beast tide, and he had died tragically under Su Weishang.

He once again felt that burst of piercing pain, and Jing Xia reflexively said, “A’Chuan! Don’t……”

All his words completely disappeared in the warm and vast embrace of the other side. In a daze, Jing Xia felt the arms tightly looped around his waist. Blushing, he felt the other’s warm breath lightly caressing his ear, and and say in a low voice that only he could hear:

“The matters in the army are very serious. I must return immediately.”

“You have to take good care of yourself. Your life comes first.”

“I promise, this is the last time I will leave you. Jing Xia, this time you must stand before me in one piece.”

“Take care of yourself. Be obedient.”

Even when that gentle voice he has never experienced in the past 20 years completely disappeared into the air, Jing Xia was still dazed and didn’t recover. A gust of wind blew past the trees, grazing through the leaves, making a rustling sound. Jing Xia caressed his chest and was stunned for a long time.

His heart was beating violently at an unprecedented rate in his chest, faster and faster, intertwined with even his blood, as it boiled, burning fiercely. Before Jing Xia fainted, his final thought was precisely——

That gentle voice was definitely not Ji Chuancheng’s.

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