Chapter 496 Gathering (Part Two)
Xie Tu went back to tidy up the house and, incidentally, successfully abducted Little Bluebird.
The little guy wanted to play on the eight-tiered bird pergola and couldn't wait to follow along as the supervisor.
Yun Zhao did not go with them.
Fine rain outside the window shrouded the training ground in a hazy curtain, with raindrops dripping down the camouflage netting in a rhythmic, beaded pattern.
The sentries were noisily making their way this way.
Tonight's meal will be cooked by Song Liang and Qi Jun. The sentries will draw lots to decide who will stay and help prepare the food.
Zhou Tianqi and An Wenle from Duan Xi and Jiang Mu's team were selected in the lottery.
An Wenle exclaimed in dismay, "Little Qi, your luck is truly awful! You must have passed on your bad luck to me!"
Zhou Tianqi: "...What's it to me!"
"Is there no justice in this world?! Everyone else can go to rest, but I have to stay here peeling garlic and chopping onions!"
Even from a great distance, Duan Xi's wailing could be heard.
A light drizzle.
Yun Zhao stood by the window and looked around, but did not see Qi Ling.
Considering that he is currently unable to move around freely and that his body is dripping with sticky fluid, it would be better to build a barrier for him as soon as possible, so that he would be more at ease.
Yun Zhao then told Jiang Mu, "I'm going to check out the metal hut."
Jiang Mu is comforting the child.
The little bluebird and the fire phoenix left, and the white-haired beast also wanted to go down into the valley to play.
However, it was too big to enter Xie Tu's yard. If it broke anything, Xie Tu, given his temperament, would definitely demand a high price in compensation.
He was reluctant to spend the 25,000 points he had just earned for free.
Jiang Mu instructed the newly arrived team members to release their spiritual energy to distract the children.
With other playmates around, the child finally calmed down a bit.
Yun Zhao had already taken his umbrella and left the training room.
It was extremely lively outside.
The rain was light, yet gentle and dense, carrying a slight chill and the fresh scent of earth.
The training ground was already wet, with water pooling in low-lying areas to form shallow puddles. Raindrops fell, creating tiny ripples on the surface.
Seven or eight spirit beings were playing and frolicking in the rain.
When the white-haired beast saw her emerge, it excitedly raised its tail, its silvery-white body meandering through the puddles, and with a flick of its tail, it stirred up sparkling waves.
Yun Zhao was prepared and quickly held the umbrella in front of him, saying soothingly, "I have something to do, why don't you play by yourself for a while?"
This big guy absolutely loves pouncing on people.
She didn't want to get soaked.
The white-haired beast seemed to understand, its adorable big eyes blinking as it obediently stopped moving forward.
Yun Zhao raised the umbrella above his head again and walked past it. When the little bluebird wasn't around, he touched the scales on the white beast's body and said, "Good boy."
The white-haired beast loved being close to her and happily nuzzled her with its big head.
The intention was to let her continue touching her head.
Yun Zhao then touched the horns on its head again.
Such a well-behaved child, even if Jiang Mu doesn't like him, she likes him too.
Yun Zhao quickly stopped the thought, lest the little bluebird detect it through the mental link.
She coaxed the white beast away from it, then opened her umbrella and went to the door of the metal hut.
The door was not closed.
Qi Ling stood by the door, her back to her, staring blankly at the large box in the center of the room.
His cloak was made of a special material, and because he had just been rained on, water droplets rolled slowly down the folds, spreading out a small patch of dark water on the ground.
At the hem of the cloak, a small puddle of black slime had accumulated, bubbling and hissing.
"Why don't you go in?" Yun Zhao asked him, folding up her umbrella.
Qi Ling came to her senses, her eyes red-rimmed. "I'm afraid I'll break things."
No, not to mention the contents, he wouldn't even dare to damage the packaging box.
Yun Zhao gestured for him to come inside, "I came here for this, to build a barrier for you."
Building barriers is a painful process.
The moment they made contact, Qi Ling's back tensed up, his knuckles clenched until they turned white. The black liquid had long been a part of his body, and the process of peeling it off was no different from tearing flesh apart.
But Qi Ling felt very happy.
After the barrier was set up, he picked up the black gloves from the metal counter, put them on, and carefully approached the box.
He had a dagger on him, a weapon given to him by the captain for self-defense.
Qi Ling drew his dagger and, with trembling hands, cut open the seal.
Inside the box stood a brand-new robot, exactly the same as the robot that had guarded him before.
The matte-painted body has a cold, hard blue-gray hue under the light. The seams are perfectly fitted, and the joint bearings still reflect the lubricant from when it left the factory. The logo on the chest is dazzlingly bright.
This robot embodies the past glory of his family's technology company, and even more so, his deep longing for his family.
The captain brought it out of the contaminated area; this gift was incredibly heavy.
Qi Ling reached out and touched the logo, then suddenly hugged the robot and cried like a child.
He was homesick.
Yun Zhao silently retreated to the door, not wanting to disturb him.
She opened her umbrella, but paused before leaving, saying, "From now on, we'll all be your family."
People cherish the past because it is gone and can never be retrieved.
We must always look forward.
That's how she comforted herself when her uncles passed away suddenly.
Not far away.
The sentries had already entered the training room, and the noise was quite lively.
Human joys and sorrows are not shared.
All she could do was not disturb them.
Yun Zhao left the metal shack with an umbrella.
...
Two hours later.
When Xie Tu returned after tidying up the house, there were no signs of the two phoenixes behind him.
“They’re playing down there and don’t want to come up,” Xie Tu said to Yun Zhao as he walked over.
Yun Zhao and Wang Jiayu were sitting together chatting and browsing forums when they heard this, and they nodded.
If they don't want to come back, then they don't have to.
The little guy is fascinated by the toys Xie Tu made and is having a great time.
Xie Tu glanced around. Jiang Mu was lying on a chair with his eyes closed, resting. The sentries were playing cards. He didn't see Qi Ling.
He sat down next to Yun Zhao and checked the messages on his communicator.
Today is probably the only day I have a moment of peace.
Starting tonight, he'll have to write mission reports, attend meetings at the operations department, select the next mission, arrange training for his team members, and... that Bixi should be arriving soon.
It wasn't until Song Liang announced that dinner was served.
Qi Ling finally came out of the small house.
His entire face was hidden under the cloak, with only half of his chin showing. He walked to Xie Tu's side, bowed, and thanked him.
He was silent for a few seconds, his Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice was hoarse as if it had been sanded: "Thank you for the gift, Captain. I like it very much."
The captain said it was just "by the way".
But Qi Ling knew in his heart that the Five-Star Contaminated Zone was extremely dangerous, and the robot was heavy and difficult to move, so it was obviously a gift brought back specifically for him.
Xie Tu hummed in agreement, but then asked, "How many points do you still owe me?"
Qi Ling: "..."
Yun Zhao and Wang Jiayu couldn't help but look up.
Qi Ling forced a smile and replied, "A little over ten thousand."
He kept the points he received from the last task for living expenses, and they remained untouched in his account.
Xie Tu nodded: "I'll train hard and try to pay it off as soon as possible."
Qi Ling: "...Okay."
Qi Ling turned around and thanked Yun Zhao again.
When he was lost and in pain, his teammates were there for him.
Yun Zhao's words made him realize that he was not alone here; everyone was his family.
Moreover, he actually has a living relative.
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