Chapter 70: Close Quarters

Chapter 70: Close Quarters

The wee hours are always the best time to lose it.

After Xu Qingran took someone down, he somersaulted onto a high platform to avoid the panicked attacks from the others. He found the perfect angle and took another shot at another gunman.

This time, though, he targeted the gun hand, not finishing him off right away.

On the other side, Shen Tingyu hadn't even drawn his weapon yet and accidentally laid another guy out cold.

He kept his strikes light to humor Xu Qingran.

But it had been ages since he'd been in such a backwater, and he didn't expect the West City folks to be all show and no substance, dropping like flies after a single hit. As an E-type, he wasn't exactly thrilled with how the fight went.

If only he could track down Ming Hai, that guy was the real prize in West City.

He could just picture Ming Hai's smug face after learning they had the highest E-type compatibility.

General Shen Tingyu was far from pleased.

Xu Qingran and Shen Tingyu teamed up and wrapped it up in about ten minutes to turn the District 11-10 checkpoint into a ghost town.

Though the West City guards were a cut above the South City's, with more S and A-rankers, sending such a puny squad to stop them—just how little did West City think of him and Shen Tingyu?

Xu Qingran wasn't exactly thrilled with West City's arrogance.

"Probably too busy," Shen Tingyu chuckled, "busy doing everything but their damn jobs."

Xu Qingran sighed heavily, "General Shen Tingyu, take a look at all these deadbeats in West City. If we really kill them all, how many people would I have to ask Mu Ziyu to send over to fill the gaps?"

Shen Tingyu replied, "If it really comes to that, we could transfer some people from other continents."

Xu Qingran instantly understood, "That makes sense. I'll send a message to Deputy Mao about this later."

In the dilapidated checkpoint station, the car that had been turned off restarted its engine.

Both of them were seasoned troublemakers, and after the fight, they didn't have much dirt on them.

Instead, the car's windshield was splattered with some crimson. Xu Qingran calmly sprayed some water on the mirror after getting in the car, used the wipers to clean it, and then continued driving.

District 10 was a residential area.

It was the smallest district in West City and also one of the few areas without many strongholds that needed to be taken down. Xu Qingran's actual target was District 8, but according to the route, they had to pass through the disaster-stricken District 9.

At this time, although he and Shen Tingyu, along with the white dog, could probably force their way through, it wasn't necessary—it would just be a pointless waste of energy.

So they decided to find a place to rest first.

District 10 seemed to be the most dilapidated area in West City. Most of the buildings here were simple mud houses with broken roofs. There weren't many mountainous areas; most of it was an endless plain, likely influenced by the desert areas of Districts 16 and 17 nearby. The wind and sand were heavy, and vegetation was particularly scarce.

Relatively speaking, there were quite a few houses.

However, given the scarcity of resources, it was clear that the residents here were struggling. Many houses only had a single large light bulb in front to ward off devil swarms at night. This also meant that the number of IV devils they encountered on the road was much higher than in other residential areas of West City.

Just as they were thinking this, several small blue devils by the roadside suddenly leaped up.

Some stuck to the car door, some to the roof, and some even jumped onto the windows and windshield. However, before Xu Qingran and the others could take action to drive them away, these IV devils trembled as if electrocuted, lost their grip, and fell to the ground.

Xu Qingran narrowed his eyes suspiciously and murmured, "It's happening again."

The IV devils he encountered in the West City were acting strangely.

Normally, IV devils are timid and afraid of electricity. They are so fragile that even a weak electric current would make them flee.

Nowadays, military vehicles are generally equipped with electric devices to repel IV devils. Usually, when these little blue devils on the road see a vehicle, they scatter and make way.

But today, they didn’t budge.

—Rather, ever since they entered the West City, he had vaguely felt that the little devils here were unusually bold.

They didn’t avoid their vehicle, as if they had seen some kind of treasure or the flesh of Tang Sanzang, charging forward one after another. Even though they knew the vehicle posed a threat, they still recklessly charged forward, like eggs hitting a rock.

When Xu Qingran first entered the West City, he thought this behavior was unique to its IV devils.

But just now, passing those houses, he saw that even small light bulbs made the devils retreat and avoid approaching. So why were they so bold when facing his vehicle, which had a stronger repelling force?

"You’ll get used to it," Shen Tingyu said casually.

This continued until the sky began to lighten, and the devils, like deflated balloons, finally stopped moving.

As the night’s danger faded, the surroundings gradually came to life.

A new day was about to begin.

"You hungry?" Shen Tingyu suddenly asked from the passenger seat.

Xu Qingran paused.

He had been fine, but Shen Tingyu’s question made him feel a little hungry.

He countered, "What? You want to find me something to eat?"

Shen Tingyu smiled and pointed to a road leading into the residential area ahead, "Turn right there."

"I won’t cook today, but I can take you somewhere good to eat."

Xu Qingran raised an eyebrow and turned as instructed. After turning into the neighborhood, he said, "Shen Tingyu, I’ve noticed something."

"You seem to know the West City of Shangnan Continent pretty well?"

Since entering the West City, Shen Tingyu had given Xu Qingran several driving tips.

Such a large place, with so many districts, yet he knew exactly where to take shortcuts and where bandits might hide.

The question is, isn’t this Silver Dragon Battalion territory?

Moreover, it’s an empire-exiled zone. Ordinary people wouldn’t come here, but Deputy Mao never mentioned Golden Wing Battalion involvement. How does Shen Tingyu know it so well?

The car finally stopped by a flower bed, as Shen Tingyu directed.

Inside, only weeds remained; the flowers had withered.

After turning off the engine, Shen Tingyu said, "I’ve been to the West City before."

"But it was a long, long time ago." His gaze, looking into the distance, seemed to take him back into a memory, "Now that I’m here with you, I find that this place hasn’t changed much from what I remember, so I just gave you directions with a try-it-out attitude."

Seeing Xu Qingran’s scrutinizing look, he smiled again and said, "It has nothing to do with the Golden Wing Battalion’s army. I came here alone."

"Let's go, I was talking about that bakery up ahead."

In the residential area, there was a small bakery.

It was a quaint, no-frills shop, lacking any fancy decorations. At the shop window, an elderly lady was kneading dough. A child stood on tiptoe at the window, handed some coins to the old man, and then skipped home with a bag of bread.

Xu Qingran hadn't even reached the shop yet, but the scent of fresh bread already filled the air.

Though the elderly couple's shop was small, Xu Qingran was surprised by the wide variety of treats.

Besides bread, they offered handmade cupcakes, donuts, adorable little desserts, and cookies. They even had Chinese-style buns, soy milk, and youtiao (fried dough sticks). While Xu Qingran was still admiring the selection, General Shen Tingyu had already ordered from the old man.

Xu Qingran noticed the old man's shocked expression and realized Shen Tingyu had ordered three of every item in the shop.

The old man looked gruff, and his frown made him seem angry: "Get outta here, are you joking?!"

Seeing the old lady, who was kneading dough, look up in surprise, Shen Tingyu smiled gently: "I have the money, and I really want to buy."

Watching from the side, Xu Qingran couldn't help but feel like he was witnessing a domineering CEO splurging.

While such CEOs typically shower the female lead with clothes and bags in malls, this one was refreshingly down-to-earth, opting for bread instead.

—But honestly, compared to flashy, impractical items, Shen Tingyu's food splurge was much more appealing.

The old lady had a round, cheerful face, radiating good fortune.

She smiled kindly at Shen Tingyu's words: "Child, money's not the issue; we're just worried you won't finish it all."

"We both eat a lot," Shen Tingyu said warmly, ignoring the old man's grumpy demeanor, "and our big dog has an even bigger appetite."

"We won't let any food go to waste, don't worry."

Only then did the elderly couple start packing the food for them.

The fragrant pastries filled several bags. Shen Tingyu pulled out a wad of bills and placed them on the counter: "Sorry, no change needed; keep the rest."

With that, he and Xu Qingran hoisted the bags and walked off without a backward glance.

The elderly couple stared at the stack of high-denomination Kayan Empire bills, waving anxiously, but the two were already gone.

As the sun climbed higher, more residents emerged to buy breakfast, and the couple quickly became busy again.

In the car parked a short distance away.

Inside the car, two strikingly handsome men sat, enjoying their breakfast.

The white dog got a portion just like theirs.

Though there wasn't much meat, the dog ate without complaint, as gracefully as a queen.

Xu Qingran bit into the bread, and the rich butter flavor burst in his mouth.

Unlike the refined products from P brand, this was a delicious, homely flavor that could whet the appetite and brighten one's mood for the day.

He watched as a small yellow dog ran up to the shop in the distance, wagging its tail at the busy elderly couple by the window.

The old lady smiled and threw it a piece of bread, which it picked up and trotted away happily.

"Have you eaten here before?" Xu Qingran took another bite, his cheeks slightly puffed. "I have, but I didn't pay back then," Shen Tingyu replied, "I couldn't afford food at the time, relied on charity."

The old couple were very kind-hearted, even though the old man always had a fierce look on his face.

But every time before they closed up, he would pack up the leftover bread and give it to him, then shoo him away with a stern face: "Go on, don't block the view here."

Shen Tingyu really believed that every time he showed up, he would encounter them having leftover food.

Until one time, just before the shop closed, he happened to see someone trying to buy the leftover bread, but the old man gruffly said, "No, no, we're sold out for today."

The person was annoyed, pointing at the bagged food: "Isn't there still some here?"

The old man retorted with a stern face: "You don't get it, this is for our kid!"

At first, Shen Tingyu didn't get it and thought it was really for their own child.

But later, the old lady saw him passing by and beckoned him over, and the old man handed him the bag of bread they had saved.

Much later, he discovered that the old couple actually had no children.

Shen Tingyu figured this might be why he later developed a sweet tooth.

When he felt down or anxious, just tasting something similar could bring back some of the rare good memories in his life. This strange feeling could help keep his emotions in check when they were about to spiral out of control.

After hearing this, Xu Qingran squeezed the bread in his hand: "But they don't seem to recognize you?"

Shen Tingyu shrugged it off with a smile: "It's been so long; it's normal not to remember."

Although Xu Qingran thought Shen Tingyu's striking black hair and blue eyes were hard to forget, thinking about it, it's normal for old folks to have a bad memory.

Besides, judging by his age, Shen Tingyu was probably just a kid back then?

"They wouldn't forget what happened, right?" Xu Qingran thought for a moment, "If you're too shy, I can go tell them."

He added with a chuckle: "Say their 'son' has come back to visit them."

And tossed a pile of money their way.

But Shen Tingyu grabbed his wrist before he could step out of the car.

His eyes, with a faint smile, were very serious: "No need."

"They won't remember." His tone was certain, "After all, it's been... as long as a past life."

"And I don't want to disturb their lives, this is fine." Shen Tingyu's tone was quite relaxed, showing no sadness, "I finally have the chance to come to this place, if I really want to thank them... why not do something more meaningful, more practical?"

"Like slaughtering the villains here, clearing the disaster areas around."

He spoke casually, but there was a hint of danger in his tone.

Shen Tingyu came out of the Tower of Evil and entered the military academy, after graduation he went directly to the Golden Wing.

As a key member of the Golden Wing, before Xu Qingran barged into his life, he was almost in a state of no rest all year round. His position kept climbing higher, and it was even more impossible for him to come to a politically sensitive place like the Tianlong system.

Now that he finally has such an opportunity, accompanied by the rule-ignoring Xu Qingran.

Of course, he wants to do something bolder.

Xu Qingran quite agreed with his idea, so he didn't persuade him further.

They filled their stomachs a bit in the car before setting off again, finally finding a small inn ten kilometers away.

The inn was family-style, with a relatively young couple and their daughter.

Although the accommodations were modest, the decor was quite cozy, and it was one of the more stable places in District 10.

The room had a double bed, a sofa, and an old-fashioned square antenna TV.

Xu Qingran had the system scan the room to ensure there were no vulnerabilities or hidden pinhole cameras before settling in. The white dog didn't like staying in such a confined space, so it brushed against Xu Qingran's leg and went out for a stroll.

Shen Tingyu still couldn't quite accept that his soulmate had formed a master-pet bond with another dog.

However, the white dog had been quite well-behaved recently, and most importantly, it listened to Xu Qingran, so Shen Tingyu had reluctantly grown a bit more tolerant of it.

After taking turns to shower, the two lay down to rest.

Shen Tingyu was the last to come up, by which time Xu Qingran was already on the verge of falling asleep.

He reached out and pulled the other into his arms. Xu Qingran opened his eyes slightly, then closed them again without resisting.

Shen Tingyu let out a long sigh.

The empty void in his heart was finally filled after successfully holding the other, and he couldn't help but say, "How about I drive tomorrow?"

Xu Qingran lazily responded, "Sure."

His fingers, resting on the bed, were quietly intertwined with Shen Tingyu's. In his drowsy state, he heard Shen Tingyu whisper in his ear, "Xu Qingran, can we discuss something?"

Hearing the slightly suggestive tone in his voice, Xu Qingran instinctively felt it wasn't anything good.

But he still asked, "What is it?"

"How about we try to speed up the recovery of my spiritual pool?" Shen Tingyu made a rare request.

Xu Qingran perked up a bit, turning to face him with a puzzled look. "Aren't we already doing that?"

As he spoke, he lifted Shen Tingyu's hand slightly as if to emphasize his point. Even actions like hugging could subconsciously transfer spiritual energy between soulmates.

Shen Tingyu pondered for a moment. "It does have some effect, but it's still too slow."

Xu Qingran raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were the one who said we should take it slow and steady?"

After asking, he heard the person holding him reply softly, "That was the original plan, but there's been a slight complication recently."

"Someone told me that Mu Ziyue has developed something that can make people with internal injuries to their spiritual pool feel worse. He wants to use it to target and control me."

What Shen Tingyu said reminded Xu Qingran of the "Tight-Fillet Spell" from *Journey to the West*.

Was this prince trying to be the Tang Monk who could control Shen Tingyu?

Would cutting off a piece of his flesh and cooking it grant longevity?

Xu Qingran was quite willing to cooperate. He first asked, "We've been trying every day recently. Have you noticed any changes?"

Shen Tingyu thought seriously. "I haven't been paying close attention, but based on the timeline, I should need to inject a new inhibitor by now. But I haven't felt any discomfort or headaches yet."

So, it must be working.

Xu Qingran nodded, then asked, "So what can we do to speed up the recovery of your spiritual pool?"

Shen Tingyu suddenly fell silent.

Until Xu Qingran felt the warmth of a fingertip touch his lips.

The finger resting on them moved restlessly, gently caressing, the motion silently exuding a hint of ambiguity.

He was momentarily bewildered but soon grasped the aggressive intent behind the action.

Then, he too fell silent.

After a long pause, he heard Shen Tingyu ask in a deep voice, "Is this okay?"

His voice carried a faint hoarseness.

For soulmates, how can one enhance the deep transfer of spiritual energy without relying on any tools?

This requires both spiritual and external stimulation.

From holding hands to embracing, to kissing, and even more intimate contact, the 'stimulation' provided varies.

If the spiritual comfort from the previous contact isn't enough, it's time to move to the next step.

Shen Tingyu, who obediently waited for an answer and respected Xu Qingran's wishes without overstepping, looked like a well-behaved big dog in Xu Qingran's eyes.

He couldn't help laughing at his own imagination.

After gently stroking Shen Tingyu's eyelids, he squinted and said, "If you make me uncomfortable, I really will kick you out."

Shen Tingyu's eyes darkened suddenly, and he leaned down to nuzzle him gently, asking, "No three strikes?"

His voice was soft.

Xu Qingran chuckled and flatly refused, "No."

The room's lighting was a dim, yellowish glow.

The atmosphere on the bed grew thick as Shen Tingyu leaned closer, his eyes so deep they seemed to pull you in.

Xu Qingran had lived two lifetimes and faced many life-and-death crises.

His heart had never raced like it did now.

...This guy really has some skills.

He thought to himself, actually feeling moved.

Good things, perhaps, always come with a price.

Before Shen Tingyu could kiss him, a thunderous noise erupted outside, followed by a group of people shouting and clamoring.

At first, they ignored it.

But then, knocking began along the row of rooms.

The knocking eventually reached their door.

A drunken voice slurred, "If anyone's in there, come out now, or we'll drag you out, hahahahaha!"

Shen Tingyu quietly got off the bed.

First, he went to get his spiritual energy knife, then opened the door and fiercely kicked the person away before they could speak again. Before he stepped out and closed the door, Xu Qingran noticed the cold red light flickering in his eyes again.

The walls in this small-town inn were paper-thin, and Xu Qingran could easily make out what was happening outside with just a quick listen.

He rolled over and buried his face in the pillow, and after a few seconds, couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle.

Outside.

It was hard to tell how much time had passed, but the noisy little inn had finally fallen silent.

The innkeepers, clutching their daughter whom they had barely managed to wrest from the drunken thugs, trembled as they looked at the man in white who had, in a way, saved them and the entire inn.

His clothes and face were splattered with bright red blood.

—Some saviors carry an aura that inspires both awe and fear.

"I've taken care of them. Handle the bodies yourselves."

"We don't need anything. Don't bother us."

With that, he left silently.

The couple, clutching their young child, stared at the mess on the ground, relieved but utterly at a loss.

In their rundown little town, thugs and street bullies were common. They liked to gather for drinks at midnight, then go on drunken rampages in the morning, or demand free rooms. It was rare to encounter such a formidable stranger, let alone one so fierce as to wipe them all out.

Especially the way the man had held his knife, his icy gaze fixed on them. It made one feel he was barely restraining himself from killing all three of them.

·

Shen Tingyu returned to the room to find the person on the bed seemingly asleep.

He stripped off his blood-stained clothes and cleaned his blade. Normally, he kept his appearance neat even after eliminating someone, but today—he must have been too angry.

Shen Tingyu was a bit of a neat freak.

Unable to stand the blood on him, he showered again, scrubbing himself clean before lying down in frustration.

Kissing was off the table, but he could still pull the person into his arms to sleep.

As he did, the person in his arms cracked open his eyes, still hazy with sleep, and murmured, "All taken care of?"

Xu Qingran looked downright seductive in that moment.

But Shen Tingyu didn't want to disturb him and answered softly, "Yes, all taken care of. Go back to sleep."

Xu Qingran didn't fall asleep immediately, but after staring at him for a few seconds, suddenly laughed and asked, "Shen Tingyu, are you scared?"

Shen Tingyu: "..."

"With such a small courage, don't—"

The words, accompanied by a lazy tone, were cut off before they could be finished.

Xu Qingran glanced up at the man who had swallowed the rest of his words, his eyelids fluttering slightly.

Tilting his head up slightly to meet him, the seductive corners of his eyes quickly took on a crimson hue.

Shen Tingyu's kiss was firm yet tender.

Aggressive, yet fiercely restrained.

In that moment, the look in his eyes shifted slightly as they fell upon him.

Exuding the arrogance and intimidation of a top-tier psychic at the pyramid's peak, an invisible pressure seemed to tightly envelop the person in his embrace.

He lowered his head, savoring his prey repeatedly.

One hand had somehow found its way to the back of Xu Qingran's neck and grasped it. Clearly wanting to grip tightly, yet held back by a thread of rationality, he struggled to suppress himself from harming the seemingly fragile person.

Until they parted to catch their breath.

Xu Qingran, his body particularly sensitive and his face flushed with arousal, slightly opened his mouth, his voice unconsciously carrying a hint of hoarseness: "Shen Tingyu, you don't need to hold back so much."

His eyes gleamed with provocative clarity and pride: "If you're not fierce enough, how can you dominate me?"

Shen Tingyu chuckled, pulling the person into a tight embrace, burying his face in his neck and whispering: "You said it, don't be upset and ignore me later."

Being so close, he could still feel the rhythm of Xu Qingran's chest.

It was more intense than he had expected.

He instinctively tightened his hold.

Feeling intently, his chosen partner's heartbeat, pulsating for him.

Shen Tingyu and Xu Qingran had been 'fooling around' in bed for quite some time.

Xu Qingran seemed satisfied with his rhythm, as the psychic energy exchanged during their kisses had increased significantly. Finally, he could faintly feel the deep-seated trauma being soothed and repaired by the nectar-like power.

Though still weak, the effect was more pronounced than ordinary physical contact.

Later, they fell asleep and woke up in the evening.

Xu Qingran, who had promised not to be angry, ended up upset after all.

Mainly because Xu Qingran woke up feverish.

Then, irritably burrowing under the covers, he scolded with a voice both fierce and soft: "Don't talk to me right now."

Shen Tingyu wondered if it was because he hadn't let Xu Qingran sleep enough, making him sick.

But only Xu Qingran knew the real reason.

"Wow! Congratulations, host, your psychic pool is about to reach 3S!" the system in his head excitedly exclaimed.

Yes, Xu Qingran's mission to conquer had made progress again.

—Although he no longer regarded it as a mission.

It must be said, the advancement of his psychic pool always came unexpectedly.

Is Shen Tingyu that innocent? A kiss leads to another breakthrough? A few more kisses and could he regain his powers?

The system reminded: "That can't be, the closer you get to powers, the harder it is to progress, maybe sleeping could—"

After saying this, it silenced itself.

Xu Qingran didn't misunderstand, knowing exactly what kind of 'sleep' it was referring to.

He didn’t feel any sense of aversion, but looking at Shen Tingyu’s expression… he felt that Shen Tingyu still needed some time to mentally prepare himself before he could bring it up.

That was fine.

He actually really liked the pace at which Shen Tingyu was pursuing him now—it was just right, a level he found perfectly comfortable.

After all, the man seemed to cater to all his preferences, making it hard to find a reason to end things.

Xu Qingran was becoming more and more satisfied with Shen Tingyu as his boyfriend, but that didn’t stop him from being difficult during his fever.

Even the system was worried he might sabotage the relationship with his behavior.

Yet, Shen Tingyu’s patience seemed limitless. An E-type who was typically impatient with everyone else, he was incredibly patient and understanding with Xu Qingran.

When Xu Qingran was upset, Shen Tingyu would soothe him.

When he felt unwell, Shen Tingyu would stay by his side, caring for him, gently rubbing his soul mark, and using his own soul energy to calm and alleviate his discomfort.

So, whether it was due to the unique nature of this advancement or Shen Tingyu’s care actually making a difference, Xu Qingran’s most severe fever symptoms only lasted two days. However, the low-grade fever lingered for a long time, and according to the system, it might take about a week for his spiritual pool to stabilize before he fully recovered.

The white dog came back the next day and, upon learning of Xu Qingran’s illness, stayed by his side like a dependable guard, keeping watch by his bedside all night.

Xu Qingran didn’t have the patience to stay in District 10 for so long.

They had already stayed two extra days because of his sudden illness, and the supplies they bought from the old couple’s shop were almost gone. So, as soon as he could get out of bed, he had Shen Tingyu drive him to District 8.

In District 8, there was a place called the ‘Sanctuary.’

Inside, a middle-aged man dressed in white and gold robes claimed to be both a priest and a medium, capable of communicating with evil spirits.

With his silver tongue, he had bewitched a large following, who would bring him offerings of eggs, meat, and vegetables every time they visited, claiming they were tributes for him and the evil spirits.

Today, a strange ritual was being performed in the Sanctuary.

In the center of the hall, surrounded by onlookers, a girl was tied up with special, extremely sturdy ropes. Her fierce eyes carried a murderous intent that belied her age, and even under the gaze of so many cold, fanatical eyes, she showed no fear, only continued to struggle angrily.

Her strength was such that it seemed she might break free from the ropes, which were nearly as thick as her wrists.

As the current leader of the cult, the man spoke.

His voice was hoarse: "Everyone knows that children are the only bridge we have to connect with the great deity."

"But not every child is pure!"

He pointed at the girl they had captured: "A special child like this, who hasn’t even reached adulthood, has already been tainted by spiritual energy!"

"Such behavior is the best proof that she is a demon’s envoy!"

After speaking, he turned to the other side of the hall, where an adult lay on a wooden plank, receiving treatment from other ‘divine messengers’ of the Sanctuary.

He had been stabbed multiple times, and his lower body seemed to have suffered severe injuries, leaving him bloodied.

All of this was the work of the girl.

Thus, the Sanctuary believed that a child like her, who had awakened her spiritual energy earlier than others and possessed such formidable strength and combat prowess, was a demon sent from hell to harm them. She needed to be executed, bled to death in front of the great deity, to purify the evil that had taken over her body.

He spread his arms and shouted to his followers: "Today, I will act on behalf of the great deity to punish this evil child!"

Adults, one after another, brainwashed to the point of being unable to distinguish right from wrong, cheered in support and eagerly anticipated the upcoming punishment scene.

The heavily sealed temple doors were suddenly kicked open from the outside.

A tall, thin young man with brown hair, his face dark with anger, confronted the 'priest' who had his arms spread wide in the temple, saying, "You've got it wrong."

"Today, the mighty deity will punish you."

The girl, struggling on the ground, paused and glanced up upon hearing this familiar voice.

She saw the man who had rescued her and another girl from the warehouse that day, standing tall and defiant at the temple entrance. His indifferent eyes seemed to ignore all threats around him, exuding an aura of—cross me, and I'll end you.

However, today he did not take action.

Beside him was another man, just as striking, with gentle and refined features, but his eyes were colder and more chilling than the depths of the ocean. He was even more ruthless, apparently devoid of empathy and compassion, showing no sympathy even when seeing others suffer.

The temple's divine envoys all possessed immense spiritual strength.

At least for the people of West City, those at S-level were already elite combatants. Yet, such a powerful group was utterly crushed by the black-haired, blue-eyed man.

Their spiritual defenses were shattered with ease.

Their heavy bodies were kicked away like they weighed nothing. All their attempted attacks were effortlessly deflected by him, who saw nothing but flaws in those who surrounded him.

The girl watched intently, as if trying to memorize all his expert combat moves.

To learn and use.

The more she focused on him, the tighter her fists clenched behind her back.

Her gaze grew increasingly fierce, her back teeth clenched as if they might crack.

Until the young man who kicked the door open came to her amidst the chaos, gave her a once-over, and asked with a smirk, "Why is it that every time I see you, you're tied up?"

The girl clamped her mouth shut, not responding, clearly feeling deeply humiliated.

Xu Qingran then asked her, "Was that person next to you your doing?"

He was referring to the one receiving treatment nearby.

The girl averted her gaze coldly, refusing to answer.

But she heard Xu Qingran add, "Quite ruthless, very good."

His eyes were filled with sincere admiration.

After saying this, he took out a knife and sliced through the ropes binding her.

At the same time, the commotion in the temple gradually calmed down, and more and more people lay on the ground, never to rise again.

Until it finally descended into total silence.

In the vast hall, only the three of them were left standing.

The girl quietly shed the thick ropes from her body, her dark gaze shifting to the man who had just stopped in the distance.

He noticed her piercing stare and looked back at her.

At that moment, the already heavy atmosphere in the temple became even more oppressive.

After their eyes met, both the man and the girl shared the same sentiment.

—So annoying.

This man/child is so annoying.