The cemetery, within the woods on the other side.
"Sparrow."
"!!!"
Wu Xiangnan, who was crouching on the ground, was startled by the sudden call and swiftly turned around, relieved to see who it was.
"Captain, it's late at night, please don't wander around the cemetery without a sound. You almost scared me to death," Wu Xiangnan said, clutching his pounding heart and taking deep breaths.
Chen Muye quietly sat down beside Wu Xiangnan and glanced at the solitary figure carving a tombstone not far away. He spoke softly:
"I thought your mind was filled only with tactics, but it seems you have more depth than I thought."
Wu Xiangnan gave him a sidelong glance. "Late at night like this, who would believe she went to practice shooting? Am I that slow-witted?"
"Yes."
Wu Xiangnan: ...
"And where's Qi Mo? Shouldn't he be here too?"
"He's with Lin Qiye on the opposite side of the mountain."
"What about Leng Xuan and Xiao Nan?"
"Leng Xuan disappeared long ago, and Xiao Nan is afraid of the dark and wouldn't come."
"Oh."
The two men fell into silence.
After a long while, Chen Muye spoke again:
"I'm glad you came."
"Is that so?"
"It is." Chen Muye nodded earnestly. "It shows that you're no longer the same Wu Xiangnan who crawled out of the pile of corpses. Even if you deny it, you... are changing."
"Why would I deny it?" Wu Xiangnan spoke calmly. "It's been nearly six years since the 'Blue Rain' team was destroyed, and I, this worthless person, have to move on. Meeting you all, I consider myself lucky."
Chen Muye let out a long sigh. "In their eyes, you were just a rigid man fixated on rules and regulations. Last time I overheard Hong Ying and Xiao Nan whispering in the corner, they said you'd never find a wife in this lifetime."
"..."
"If they knew you were once a member of the famous 'Blue Rain' Special Team, they'd probably be dumbfounded."
"I'm just a worthless survivor. I'm not worthy of carrying that name again," Wu Xiangnan said calmly. "Now, all I want is to be an ordinary member of Team 136."
Chen Muye patted Wu Xiangnan's shoulder without saying a word.
"What do you think?" Wu Xiangnan suddenly asked.
"About what?"
"The newcomer, Lin Qiye."
"He's a good kid."
"I'm not talking about his potential. I'm talking about his character."
"I'm talking about his character too."
Wu Xiangnan paused for a moment and continued, "He killed the Ghost-Faced King. If I'm not mistaken, Zhao Kongcheng only severely wounded it, not fatally."
"Is that important?"
"Isn't it important?"
Chen Muye looked into Wu Xiangnan's eyes and spoke slowly, "The boy is willing to credit Zhao Kongcheng with the achievement. It's his choice. Why insist on it?
You've been with old Zhao for so long. Do you not know what his dream is?"
"To kill a 'River' level mystery," Wu Xiangnan answered quietly. "That's a great achievement! It would greatly benefit that boy's future!"
"Do you think he cares about that?"
Wu Xiangnan was speechless.
Chen Muye shifted his gaze away from Hong Ying and looked into the distance, calmly speaking:
"I've said it before, the boy is good."
...
Meanwhile,
Dozens of miles away from the cemetery.
Lurking quietly on a hilltop, Leng Xuan put down his binoculars, a slight smile playing on his lips:
"One by one, they have no skill in hiding. Did I capture them again this time..."
Click, click!
Leng Xuan's binoculars made a few light sounds, and several high-definition photos fell out from below, capturing Hong Ying carving alone, Lin Qiye and Warm Ink chatting, and two big men fooling around in the woods...
He carefully picked up these photos, treasuring them as he placed them into a locked box.
The box was filled with photos.
Funny, awkward, yet heartwarming photos exclusive to Team 136.
...
Two hours later.
Lin Qiye stood in front of a luxurious villa, dumbfounded.
He lowered his head, double-checked the address on the note, and looked at the villa again, sucking in a breath of cold air!
"So, she's a rich woman?!"
If Lin Qiye wasn't mistaken, the villa in front of him was Hong Ying's home.
Vaguely, the words she once said echoed in Lin Qiye's mind: "My home is quite spacious..."
This was more than spacious!
Lin Qiye hesitated at the door of the villa for a long time before finally making up his mind and knocking.
Earlier, he and Warm Ink had quietly watched Hong Ying carve the tombstone until she finished. They had deliberately arrived half an hour late to leave a time gap to avoid arousing suspicion.
He withdrew his hand after knocking the door only twice.
The sound of slippers shuffling faintly came from behind the door, followed by the opening of the villa's gate.
Behind the door, Hong Ying, dressed in fluffy pajamas, stood with slightly reddened eyes. Upon seeing Lin Qiye, she smiled.
"Qiye, come in quickly. Why are you back so late?"
"Qi Mo kept me chatting until now," Lin Qiye said with a clear conscience.
As he entered the house, Lin Qiye lowered his head and noticed that Hong Ying had already prepared a pair of slippers for him.
"Um... the house hasn't been cleaned today, so it might be a bit messy. Please don't mind," Hong Ying said, slightly embarrassed, as she fussed with her hair, twirling a few strands around her fingertips.
"It's already very clean," Lin Qiye said helplessly, looking around. "And, as long as there's a place to stay, I'm already happy."
It must be said that Hong Ying's home exuded an air of elegance and grandeur in its decoration and furnishings, which made Lin Qiye, who had never lived in a villa before, feel somewhat restrained.
Moreover... he had never stayed overnight at a girl's house before.
"Hong Ying, is Qi Mo here?" Lin Qiye suddenly remembered something. "I just moved in like this, won't it disturb your parents?"
"No, it won't." Hong Ying shook her head. "They disappeared in the mist five years ago. Before Xiao Nan came, I lived here alone."
"They were from the reconnaissance team?"
"Yes."
Lin Qiye opened his mouth, realizing he had asked the wrong question, but didn't know what to say to comfort her.
At that moment, Hong Ying pointed to a room on the second floor.
"You'll stay in that room. I've already tidied it up. The blue towels and toiletries in the bathroom are for you. Don't mix them up!" Hong Ying walked upstairs step by step in her slippers.
Then, she seemed to remember something and turned abruptly to look at Lin Qiye.
"Oh, by the way,
if you want to enter mine and Xiao Nan's room, you have to knock first! If I catch you with any ulterior motives... hmph!"
Hong Ying rolled up her pajama sleeves, revealing a snowy white arm, and waved it threateningly.
"Don't forget, I'm the frontline combat power of the team, second only to the captain!
My spear, is sharper than the eyes!"
With that, she turned around gracefully, her dark hair cascading naturally, and strode into her room.
Lin Qiye: ...
Yawning beside him, Xiao Nan waved at Lin Qiye. "Goodnight."
Thud!
The two doors closed, and the corridor fell silent once again.
Suddenly, Lin Qiye thought of something and quickly walked to Hong Ying's door, knocking a few times.
Creak...
The door slowly opened, revealing Hong Ying standing behind it with a stern expression, holding a long spear.
"What do you want?"
The cemetery, within the woods on the other side.
"Sparrow."
"!!!"
Wu Xiangnan, who was crouching on the ground, was startled by the sudden call and swiftly turned around, relieved to see who it was.
"Captain, it's late at night, please don't wander around the cemetery without a sound. You almost scared me to death," Wu Xiangnan said, clutching his pounding heart and taking deep breaths.
Chen Muye quietly sat down beside Wu Xiangnan and glanced at the solitary figure carving a tombstone not far away. He spoke softly:
"I thought your mind was filled only with tactics, but it seems you have more depth than I thought."
Wu Xiangnan gave him a sidelong glance. "Late at night like this, who would believe she went to practice shooting? Am I that slow-witted?"
"Yes."
Wu Xiangnan: ...
"And where's Qi Mo? Shouldn't he be here too?"
"He's with Lin Qiye on the opposite side of the mountain."
"What about Leng Xuan and Xiao Nan?"
"Leng Xuan disappeared long ago, and Xiao Nan is afraid of the dark and wouldn't come."
"Oh."
The two men fell into silence.
After a long while, Chen Muye spoke again:
"I'm glad you came."
"Is that so?"
"It is." Chen Muye nodded earnestly. "It shows that you're no longer the same Wu Xiangnan who crawled out of the pile of corpses. Even if you deny it, you... are changing."
"Why would I deny it?" Wu Xiangnan spoke calmly. "It's been nearly six years since the 'Blue Rain' team was destroyed, and I, this worthless person, have to move on. Meeting you all, I consider myself lucky."
Chen Muye let out a long sigh. "In their eyes, you were just a rigid man fixated on rules and regulations. Last time I overheard Hong Ying and Xiao Nan whispering in the corner, they said you'd never find a wife in this lifetime."
"..."
"If they knew you were once a member of the famous 'Blue Rain' Special Team, they'd probably be dumbfounded."
"I'm just a worthless survivor. I'm not worthy of carrying that name again," Wu Xiangnan said calmly. "Now, all I want is to be an ordinary member of Team 136."
Chen Muye patted Wu Xiangnan's shoulder without saying a word.
"What do you think?" Wu Xiangnan suddenly asked.
"About what?"
"The newcomer, Lin Qiye."
"He's a good kid."
"I'm not talking about his potential. I'm talking about his character."
"I'm talking about his character too."
Wu Xiangnan paused for a moment and continued, "He killed the Ghost-Faced King. If I'm not mistaken, Zhao Kongcheng only severely wounded it, not fatally."
"Is that important?"
"Isn't it important?"
Chen Muye looked into Wu Xiangnan's eyes and spoke slowly, "The boy is willing to credit Zhao Kongcheng with the achievement. It's his choice. Why insist on it?
You've been with old Zhao for so long. Do you not know what his dream is?"
"To kill a 'River' level mystery," Wu Xiangnan answered quietly. "That's a great achievement! It would greatly benefit that boy's future!"
"Do you think he cares about that?"
Wu Xiangnan was speechless.
Chen Muye shifted his gaze away from Hong Ying and looked into the distance, calmly speaking:
"I've said it before, the boy is good."
...
Meanwhile,
Dozens of miles away from the cemetery.
Lurking quietly on a hilltop, Leng Xuan put down his binoculars, a slight smile playing on his lips:
"One by one, they have no skill in hiding. Did I capture them again this time..."
Click, click!
Leng Xuan's binoculars made a few light sounds, and several high-definition photos fell out from below, capturing Hong Ying carving alone, Lin Qiye and Warm Ink chatting, and two big men fooling around in the woods...
He carefully picked up these photos, treasuring them as he placed them into a locked box.
The box was filled with photos.
Funny, awkward, yet heartwarming photos exclusive to Team 136.
...
Two hours later.
Lin Qiye stood in front of a luxurious villa, dumbfounded.
He lowered his head, double-checked the address on the note, and looked at the villa again, sucking in a breath of cold air!
"So, she's a rich woman?!"
If Lin Qiye wasn't mistaken, the villa in front of him was Hong Ying's home.
Vaguely, the words she once said echoed in Lin Qiye's mind: "My home is quite spacious..."
This was more than spacious!
Lin Qiye hesitated at the door of the villa for a long time before finally making up his mind and knocking.
Earlier, he and Warm Ink had quietly watched Hong Ying carve the tombstone until she finished. They had deliberately arrived half an hour late to leave a time gap to avoid arousing suspicion.
He withdrew his hand after knocking the door only twice.
The sound of slippers shuffling faintly came from behind the door, followed by the opening of the villa's gate.
Behind the door, Hong Ying, dressed in fluffy pajamas, stood with slightly reddened eyes. Upon seeing Lin Qiye, she smiled.
"Qiye, come in quickly. Why are you back so late?"
"Qi Mo kept me chatting until now," Lin Qiye said with a clear conscience.
As he entered the house, Lin Qiye lowered his head and noticed that Hong Ying had already prepared a pair of slippers for him.
"Um... the house hasn't been cleaned today, so it might be a bit messy. Please don't mind," Hong Ying said, slightly embarrassed, as she fussed with her hair, twirling a few strands around her fingertips.
"It's already very clean," Lin Qiye said helplessly, looking around. "And, as long as there's a place to stay, I'm already happy."
It must be said that Hong Ying's home exuded an air of elegance and grandeur in its decoration and furnishings, which made Lin Qiye, who had never lived in a villa before, feel somewhat restrained.
Moreover... he had never stayed overnight at a girl's house before.
"Hong Ying, is Qi Mo here?" Lin Qiye suddenly remembered something. "I just moved in like this, won't it disturb your parents?"
"No, it won't." Hong Ying shook her head. "They disappeared in the mist five years ago. Before Xiao Nan came, I lived here alone."
"They were from the reconnaissance team?"
"Yes."
Lin Qiye opened his mouth, realizing he had asked the wrong question, but didn't know what to say to comfort her.
At that moment, Hong Ying pointed to a room on the second floor.
"You'll stay in that room. I've already tidied it up. The blue towels and toiletries in the bathroom are for you. Don't mix them up!" Hong Ying walked upstairs step by step in her slippers.
Then, she seemed to remember something and turned abruptly to look at Lin Qiye.
"Oh, by the way,
if you want to enter mine and Xiao Nan's room, you have to knock first! If I catch you with any ulterior motives... hmph!"
Hong Ying rolled up her pajama sleeves, revealing a snowy white arm, and waved it threateningly.
"Don't forget, I'm the frontline combat power of the team, second only to the captain!
My spear, is sharper than the eyes!"
With that, she turned around gracefully, her dark hair cascading naturally, and strode into her room.
Lin Qiye: ...
Yawning beside him, Xiao Nan waved at Lin Qiye. "Goodnight."
Thud!
The two doors closed, and the corridor fell silent once again.
Suddenly, Lin Qiye thought of something and quickly walked to Hong Ying's door, knocking a few times.
Creak...
The door slowly opened, revealing Hong Ying standing behind it with a stern expression, holding a long spear.
"What do you want?"
