The next day, Lian Qiguang boarded the aircraft and returned to District Three amid An Ruxin’s reluctant nagging.
On the aircraft, Lian Qiguang used his computer to check the news, only to discover that everything was as usual. There was not a single report about what had happened the previous day. Lian Qiguang understood that they had deliberately concealed the matter. If it were exposed at this time, then before the zombies could even attack the city, humanity would already have fallen into chaos.
Lian Qiguang did not know how Xiahou Zhong had managed to conceal the matter for him, but he understood that Xiahou Zhong would definitely protect him and would never push him into the spotlight.
The reason Lian Qiguang was so confident about this was not because he trusted Xiahou Zhong, but because he trusted Xiahou Shaoxuan.
“Deadwood, you’re back.” As soon as Lian Qiguang returned to class, Qing Yi and the others gathered around him.
“Deadwood, Deadwood, did you meet Marshal Xiahou?” Lan Qi vigilantly glanced around and lowered his voice, his eyes filled with excitement.
Lian Qiguang put down the computer in his hand, glanced strangely at the group, then nodded indifferently. “Mm.”
“What about Lord Luoyu?” Qing Yi pressed.
“Mm.” Lian Qiguang thought for a moment, then reached into his pocket and took out a six-star metal insignia. With a blank expression, he handed it to Qing Yi. “This is the shoulder insignia from her Poison Scorpion Mercenary Corps. She always wore it. I got it for you.”
“A shoulder insignia? One worn by Lord Luoyu?” Qing Yi stared at the metal insignia in Lian Qiguang’s hand, dumbfounded, somewhat afraid to take it.
“She said she thinks highly of you. After you graduate, if you don’t want to join the military, you can consider joining her mercenary corps.” Lian Qiguang remembered that on the way back, when he had asked Xiahou Luoyu for something, he had casually mentioned Qing Yi. Xiahou Luoyu had expressed interest in this tough-as-nails girl.
“Really!?” Qing Yi grabbed the metal insignia from Lian Qiguang’s hand, too excited to speak.
Lian Qiguang glanced at Feng Qingyang and Lan Qi, who were looking on enviously. He then took two pistol models from his spatial storage and handed them to the two of them. “These are for you. Grandpa Xiahou carved words on them.”
“Marshal Xiahou!!”
Feng Qingyang and Lan Qi snatched the pistols, their eyes widening as they stared at them. On the left side of each gun were two small lines of engraved words:
Soldiers fear nothing. Gift from Xiahou Zhong.
“I’ll work hard!!” Feng Qingyang carefully held the pistol in one hand and solemnly gave a military salute.
“Deadwood, thank you.” Lan Qi held the pistol model in both hands, his dark eyes shining brightly.
“Where’s Mi Xiaobao?” Lian Qiguang looked around but did not see Mi Xiaobao’s chubby figure, so he asked.
“Probably in the dormitory?” Feng Qingyang rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I don’t know what’s wrong with Mi Xiaobao, either. He’s been acting strange ever since we came back that day. He’s always spacing out in class, too. He won’t say anything when we ask him.”
Lian Qiguang’s brows furrowed slightly, and his doubts about what Mi Xiaobao had concealed that day deepened.
“Deadwood, I heard the people participating in the competition have already been decided. I think you’ll probably be among them.” Lan Qi seemed to remember something and suddenly spoke.
“Competition?” Lian Qiguang was slightly startled. “What competition?”
“You don’t know?” Qing Yi asked in surprise.
“…” Lian Qiguang.
“It’s the survival competition for trainees from all the districts, held once every three years. Each district’s military academy will select the five best students to go to District One and compete. The students who place in the top three will receive Warrior Medals. Moreover, those who perform exceptionally well in the competition may even be able to leave District Three and earn the qualification to remain in District One.”
“Deadwood, even though you’re only a first-year student, with your strength, you’re definitely the first choice to participate in the survival competition.” Feng Qingyang looked at him enviously.
“Don’t get too pleased with yourself. Although I can’t participate this year, three years from now, I’ll definitely fight for the qualification and get a Warrior Medal.” Qing Yi raised her chin and looked at Lian Qiguang with an imposing air.
Mi Xiaobao curled up on the bed, staring blankly out the window. In less than three days, his face had already become much more haggard. His originally bright little eyes had also lost their former luster, now dull and lifeless.
Although he had already decided to forget, every time he closed his eyes, everything that had happened that day would flood through his mind. Every time this happened, Mi Xiaobao would wake from his dreams in terror, unable to fall asleep again.
Zhe Lang’s smiling eyes repeatedly flashed through his mind, that faint smile full of seductive charm. Yet every time, Mi Xiaobao would be frightened until his entire body turned cold. Those smiling eyes were like a venomous snake without the slightest trace of warmth, tightly wrapping around him, their coldness suffocating him.
A knock came from outside the door.
Mi Xiaobao came back to his senses, hurriedly wiped away the tears on his face, scrambled down from the bed, and rushed to the door to open it.
“Qingyang, you’re back—”
The unfinished words immediately stuck in his throat.
Mi Xiaobao stared blankly at Lian Qiguang standing outside the door, unable to react for a moment.
Lian Qiguang looked at Mi Xiaobao’s pale little face and slightly furrowed his brows. Without waiting for Mi Xiaobao to resist, he grabbed him by the back of his collar with one hand and hauled him out of the room.
When they reached the living room, he casually tossed him onto the sofa, put down the food he was carrying, pushed it in front of Mi Xiaobao, pressed down on his head, and ordered, “Eat!”
“Deadwood…”
“Are you going to eat it yourself, or do I have to stuff it into your mouth?”
Seeing Mi Xiaobao’s hesitation, Lian Qiguang walked over and sat down opposite him. Crossing his arms, he stared at Mi Xiaobao expressionlessly.
Apparently frightened by Lian Qiguang, Mi Xiaobao immediately picked up the food without another word and buried his head as he shoveled it into his mouth. Unfortunately, he ate too quickly and choked, craning his neck as he coughed violently.
Lian Qiguang’s eyes flickered. With one hand, he moved the cup in front of him closer.
Mi Xiaobao grabbed it and gulped down the water in one go, finally feeling somewhat better.
“Deadwood, thank you.” Mi Xiaobao grinned, his face slightly flushed as he spoke awkwardly.
“What exactly happened?”
Lian Qiguang’s sudden question made Mi Xiaobao’s hand pause. He lowered his head without saying anything, but the hand gripping his chopsticks tightened slightly.
“Even if you don’t tell me, if I want to know, I can find out.”
Lian Qiguang leaned back against the sofa and looked lazily at Mi Xiaobao, his voice calm.
“Deadwood.” Mi Xiaobao raised his head and forced the corners of his mouth upward with some difficulty, but there was a pleading look in his eyes. “Don’t ask. I don’t want to talk about it.”
“…”
“No matter what happened, it’s already over. I’ll slowly forget it.”
“Like this pathetic state you’re in now? Half-dead?” Lian Qiguang raised an eyebrow.
“I’ll get better.” Mi Xiaobao grinned. “I’m Mi Xiaobao, after all!”
Lian Qiguang stared at Mi Xiaobao. His straightforward gaze made the smile on Mi Xiaobao’s face gradually stiffen.
After a long while, Lian Qiguang withdrew his gaze, stood up, and walked toward the room.
“If anything happens, come find me. If I can help, I’ll help.”
Watching Lian Qiguang close the door, the smile on Mi Xiaobao’s face gradually disappeared. He lowered his head again. Tears rolled from his eyes, continuously falling into the food in his hands.
Inside the room, Lian Qiguang leaned against the bed in silence for a long while before turning his gaze to the light-brain in his hand.
Last night, while at the Xiahou residence, he had contacted Xiahou Shaoxuan, but after waiting for a long time, Xiahou Shaoxuan still had not answered. Just now, he had tried connecting to Xiahou Shaoxuan’s light-brain again, but there was still no response.
Lian Qiguang was somewhat worried, but he did not know how to deal with the situation. He could only stare blankly at the light-brain that had gone dark in his hand.
The next day, the personnel participating in the survival training had been finalized. There were five people in total.
Lian Qiguang looked at the list on the notice board, and his eyes darkened slightly.
… Qiu Limao.
“Deadwood!”
Mi Xiaobao came running after him, his face still somewhat pale, but no longer as depressed as the previous day. His eyes had also regained their former brightness.
“Deadwood, you were selected too. Congratulations!” Mi Xiaobao looked at Deadwood with his eyes narrowed into happy crescents.
Lian Qiguang pulled his thoughts back and nodded indifferently. “Mm.”
He had not been very interested in this competition to begin with. Now that the chaos was beginning to reveal its first signs, Lian Qiguang had even less desire to participate in the competition and waste his time.
But since Qiu Limao was among the participants, going to take a look was not unacceptable.
Having made up his mind, Lian Qiguang turned and walked away.
“Deadwood, you seem unhappy?” Mi Xiaobao followed beside Lian Qiguang like a little shadow, once again returning to his former clingy self. He frowned worriedly.
“No.”
Deadwood concealed the darkness and uncertainty in his eyes. He glanced at Mi Xiaobao beside him, then took a large glass bottle from his spatial storage.
The glass bottle was filled with fingernail-sized little stones of various colors. Under the sunlight, they looked exceptionally beautiful.
“So pretty!” Mi Xiaobao’s eyes widened.
“I brought these back from Falling Star.” Lian Qiguang handed the glass bottle to Mi Xiaobao and spoke expressionlessly.
“Falling Star? You mean Falling Star, the first military defense line at the border of Blue Star?” Mi Xiaobao asked in astonishment.
“Mm.”
Lian Qiguang answered quietly, then tossed the glass bottle into Mi Xiaobao’s arms and turned to leave.
Looking at the glass bottle in his arms, Mi Xiaobao stood stunned for a long time before coming back to his senses. He quickly chased after Lian Qiguang, his small round face flushed with excitement.
“You’re giving it to me?”
“Mm.”
“Thank you, Deadwood!!”
“No need to thank me. They’re very cheap.”
His expression remained blank.
“But these are from Falling Star. They’re very precious.” Mi Xiaobao grinned so widely that his teeth showed.
Seeing Mi Xiaobao’s excitement, Lian Qiguang’s eyes also relaxed considerably.
Suddenly, a dark shadow blocked Lian Qiguang’s path.
Lian Qiguang’s footsteps paused slightly. When he saw who it was, his black eyes darkened, and he moved Mi Xiaobao behind him.
Qiu Limao stood with his arms crossed, his face hidden beneath his black hair, silently looking at Lian Qiguang.
Neither did Lian Qiguang take the initiative to speak upon Qiu Limao’s appearance. He simply stared back expressionlessly.
Sensing the strange atmosphere between the two, Mi Xiaobao shrank his head and did not dare make a sound.
After a long while, Qiu Limao gave a slight nod and spoke in a cold voice.
“During the competition, I’ll follow you.”
“…Suit yourself.”