Hu Daoke vaguely remembered when they first arrived here, filled with youthful impetuosity and brimming with ambition, they had fought their way down in pursuit of who was behind their assassination.
Just a few years had passed, and they had all grown much more mature, while Luo’er was now on the verge of losing his ability to cast magic.
"Why do I feel like you’ve become so pessimistic today?" Luo’er asked looking at him.
"Revisiting old places brings out some emotions," Hu Daoke said, patting his head before he looked at Luo’er and asked, "Boss, what’s our next move?"
"We need to ascertain whether Ziang can find a way to open the Otherworld Gate from the Church Court Holy City. If not, then Eve might be our only hope, and we’ll make plans then," said Luo’er, speaking seriously.
"Old Cheng will still be a while before he comes back," Hu Daoke remarked.
"It might be slower going there, but coming back will be much faster since we can take a boat downstream," Luo’er replied.
"Actually, considering the current situation, if the two of us can manage to get Eve and her brother out of the city, that would be pretty much safe, right?" Hu Daoke asked.
"Theoretically, that’s correct," Luo’er nodded in agreement.
"Then we just need to find an opportunity to get them out, and that will spare us the anxiety of staying in the city. After all, Sister Moumou and Yue’er are very safe in the Magic Academy. We just need to consider our own safety for now," said Hu Daoke.
"It’s not that easy, besides, we have now fallen into Azita’s hands, and he won’t let us leave unless he can gain something from us," Luo’er pointed out.
"What, even after all his mixing, he still dares to revolt? If he really dares to mess around, we can just have Feng take care of him, and see if he still dares to be arrogant," Hu Daoke said.
"Don’t always resort to violence. Where there’s business, there should be benevolence. The Central Intelligence is currently backing the Booze Ghost Gang to control the underworld of the eastern district. If we don’t act, we might not be able to ensure our own safety. So even if the headquarters doesn’t plan to Keep reading on NovelHub - where stories come alive!
"Talk of benevolence with Azita is pointless; if it wasn’t for his betrayal, would we have suffered such a big setback in Holy Heart City?" complained Hu Daoke.
"Times change; for now, we can consider each other friends at best. We must protect Azita until Ziang arrives, lest he gets taken out by the Booze Ghost Gang. Then it would be our trouble too, just like the saying goes, ’When the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold.’ That’s the logic," Luo’er explained.
After settling down a bit, everyone began to adjust to their current environment. In reality, it was Luo’er and his companions who needed to adapt most, as Eve and her brother were used to living in dilapidated shacks, which made such accommodations feel quite luxurious to them.
Come dinner time, Luo’er and the others reluctantly made their way downstairs. The proprietor’s cooking skills were still stable. However, unlike before, they didn’t have to eat potatoes because the owner had stockpiled half a month’s worth of corn cobs and cornmeal, enough for them to eat themselves sick.
After getting by on the emergency canned food they brought, the group returned to their room. As the evening grew darker and no other place to go while hiding in the inn, they had no choice but to go to bed.
Given the poor conditions of the inn, the only source of light was a dim kerosene lamp. Luo’er watched the flickering candlelight, and a wave of drowsiness surged over him, his eyelids soon beginning to droop heavily.
Just as he was about to drift off to sleep, there was a knock at the door, startling Luo’er. He quickly emerged from his daze and instinctively asked, "Who is it?"
"It’s Feng." Fulajie’er answered his query.
"What’s she coming to us for this late at night?" Hu Daoke got up from the bed and sat looking at Luo’er.
"Who knows," Luo’er shook his head, then got up and walked towards the door saying, "I’ll open the door, you keep sleeping."
He reached the door and opened it. There stood Feng, looking prim and proper. Upon seeing Luo’er, her usually flat expression suddenly became tense.
"What’s the matter, did something happen over there?" Luo’er leaned out to look towards the neighboring room as he asked.
"It’s not..." Feng shook her head and struggled to utter a word.
"What’s wrong with you? You seem off. Are you scared of the dark?" Luo’er asked with a smile, noticing her unease.
"I want to be with you guys," Feng pursed her lips, then looked at Luo’er with a sincere face and said.
"Ha, to be with us..." Hearing her words, Luo’er was momentarily stunned in place. Feng’s words were indeed easily ambiguous, and it took him a long time to understand.
"What, you don’t like being with them?" Luo’er looked at her and asked.
"Mm!" Feng honestly nodded her head.
Feng didn’t answer his question, but continued to shake her head, meanwhile reaching out to grab the hem of his clothes, showing a pitiful expression.
"Boss, Feng probably isn’t used to being with strangers. She is used to being with us, so she inevitably feels repelled by that brother and sister," Hu Daoke said as he looked at Luo’er’s back.
"Is that so?" Hearing his words, Luo’er turned around and asked Feng.
"Mm!" Feng nodded vigorously.
"I see..." Luo’er bowed his head, then showed a look of difficulty, "But someone needs to protect them over there too. If they’re killed by the Booze Ghost Gang, then all our efforts would be in vain."
"Boss, Feng’s sensory radius is almost fifty meters. The brother and sister live just next door. Feng can sense danger from anywhere, so there’s no need to specifically stay with them," Hu Daoke shrugged and said.
"That makes sense," Luo’er nodded, then turned to Feng and said, "Alright then, come over to our side, but be sure to pay attention to any noise from over there."
"Mm!" Receiving Luo’er’s approval, Feng’s face rarely showed a joyful expression.
"Ah, Luo’er, she is a girl!" Luo’er had agreed, but it was Fulajie’er who became unhappy.
"You are a girl, too," Luo’er said with a smile.
"I’m different, I’m a spirit..." Fulajie’er was saying, but she was fiercely glared at by Feng and immediately chickened out, her voice getting smaller and smaller, until she finally closed her mouth obediently.
"You two better not throw tantrums, or I’ll kick both of you out," noticing the confrontation between the two, Luo’er gave a slight warning.
To this day, Fulajie’er still feared Feng. It was unknown why, as Fulajie’er was supposedly a spirit and theoretically should not fear Feng’s attacks at all.
Fortunately, they were staying in a three-bed room. Otherwise, Luo’er would have had to squeeze with Hu Daoke, and given Hu Daoke’s size, it would have been difficult for two people to even turn over in bed together.
Soon, the room returned to quiet. Luo’er lay in bed, watching the flickering kerosene lamp on the table, feeling his eyelids grow heavier and heavier. By now, Hu Daoke had already fallen asleep, emitting steady snores.
Just as he was about to close his eyes, he suddenly heard a commotion coming from the street below. His entire being instantly became alert, and he reached for the Keep reading on NovelHub - where stories come alive!
He turned his head towards Feng, noting that she had also awoken, and her reaction was even more active than his. She stood at the foot of the bed, holding a long knife and scabbard in her hands. She had already sheathed her knife before falling asleep; he did not know when she had drawn it.
The noisy commotion passed through the street below, then gradually faded into the distance. Just before it disappeared, a bout of fighting sounds came from the other end of the street, including intermittent gunshots.
"Stay calm, don’t act unless they come to the second floor," Luo’er squinted and listened for a while, then instructed Feng.
"Oh!" Hearing Luo’er’s words, Feng’s previously sharp eyes softened a bit.
The struggle outside the window lasted for about ten minutes. Luo’er listened very clearly, counting every shot fired.
It was obvious that this was not targeted at them, but rather just a street brawl. However, if the Booze Ghost Gang was looking for trouble, their weapons seemed too shabby by comparison, a stark contrast to the submachine guns each of them had previously carried.