As Qiao Qiao drove, she turned on some music while occasionally glancing at Soo Soo who was sitting beside her.
Soo Soo was seated on the passenger seat; she wore a pair of bunny-shaped earphones on her head while she looked outside the windows with a pair of blank eyes. Together with her pleasantly small pinkish face, her appearance was one that exuded a sympathy-inducing aura.
Queen Qiao sighed and spoke in a low tone using Korean. “Just what is going on with you? What happened to you when you were on the plane? We are heading to the northwest area, a very far place. And yet, you are so insistent on not sitting on a plane again… Do you know how long it will take with the train? Soo Soo, just what was it that you encountered this time? En, did the perverted freak from the plane bully you? Is that why you dare not board a plane again? The fact it, there is no need for you to worry. This time around, I am here with you. No one will dare to bully you. Even if we end up meeting bad fellows, big sister can still break all their three legs!”
After having spoken for a long time, Qiao Qiao saw that the little girl remained indifferent as she gazed outside the windows…
Qiao Qiao extended her hand and waved it before Soo Soo. “Hello? I am talking to you.”
Soo Soo suddenly turned around, looking at Qiao Qiao with a sheepish expression. An embarrassed smile flashed across her face. “Unnie, what were you saying? I was listening to a song and did not hear you.”
“What song are you listening to? Let me listen as well,” Qiao Qiao pulled out Soo Soo’s head phone plug. Instantly, a song that every citizen in the country recognizes burst out from the PAD…
“In the spring, I stroll with you through the blooming flowers; On summer nights, I watch the stars twinkle with you; In the autumn dusk, we wander through golden fields; When snowflakes fall in the winter, you… Keep! Me! Warm! You are my little, little apple…”
Qiao Qiao’s face turned to stone as she stared incredulously at Soo Soo. “You are listening to this? Why would you listen to this kind of song?”
Soo Soo’s eyes became somewhat dazed as she thought about it. She then shook her head and answered. “I do not know either. It seemed as though I had heard of it in my dreams. It felt familiar, so I searched for it to hear it out.”
“Dre… dream?”
Soo Soo pursed her lips, an image seemingly flashing through her mind.
A comely youngster with shoulders that cannot be considered broad was standing in front. He held onto a mobile phone as he confronted a monster with a blurry silhouette.
A song could be heard from the phone: You are my little, little apple…
…
This scenery was so strange.
Soo Soo’s mind was somewhat at a loss. Last night, she had also dreamt of this scene. However, it was only a fleeting experience.
But in her dreams, she could clearly hear the lyrics of the song.
…
The Land Rover sped its way until it reached the train station’s underground parking area. Qiao Qiao stopped the vehicle and brought Soo Soo down. She then retrieved a huge trunk from the vehicle. After that, she lightly caressed Soo Soo’s nose. “You are going out on a tour with unnie, are you happy?”
Soo Soo raised up her smiling face. “Of course I am happy! Unnie, I want to eat steamed mutton!”
“But, using the train will take up one day and night,” Qiao Qiao’s face was somewhat crestfallen. “Let’s just take an airplane instead.”
“Unnie… I am really scared of airplanes… I dare not sit…” Soo Soo’s face was once again filled with that sympathy-inducing expression.
“… Very well,” Qiao Qiao sighed and brought Soo Soo with her towards the elevator.
…
“Hello Master! Didn’t you say that you are the racing winner of your company?”
Seeing the taxi faltering to a stop at the train station’s entrance where passengers exit, Chen Xiaolian could not help but utter a complaint.
“Little brother, their vehicle is a Land Rover, you know how much that vehicle is worth? Do you know how much my taxi is worth? Stop talking nonsense. Just get off quickly. Maybe you can catch up inside.”
Chen Xiaolian jumped out of the taxi and rushed into the train station hall.
Looking at the long queue outside the ticket office, Chen Xiaolian simply pulled someone from the entrance area whose face seemed to indicate a member of the logistics department. “Brother, please give me a platform ticket!”
Holding onto the platform ticket bought at a hundred yuan higher than normal, Chen Xiaolian stormed into the train station’s waiting area.
After going around in a circle, he caught sight of Soo Soo at a turnstile. Standing beside her was the long, black haired Queen Qiao. Queen Qiao was again wearing a mouth muffle. This time, she added a pair of sunglasses on her face.
He looked at the turnstile’s information board: To northwest Shaanxi City…
…
Following the flow of people boarding the train, Qiao Qiao brought Soo Soo together with her. As for Chen Xiaolian… he held on to the platform ticket and rushed into the train. However, he was stopped by a crew member.
“Adjustment fare needed!”
Chen Xiaolian felt his withered wallet. “That… if I say that I am a World Saviour, can you make it cheaper for me?”
“Young man, you should read less online novels during your free time. Fare adjustment!”
Chen Xiaolian looked at the nearby security train marshals and sighed.
Suddenly, a hand patted him on his shoulders and a stack of red bills was handed over.
Turning back… Roddy!
“Why are you here?” Chen Xiaolian stared in surprise.
“Do you have to ask?” Roddy’s face was filled with distress. “After the call, I went straight to Qiao Qiao’s house because I fear that you might do something stupid. Then, I saw you chase them from their residence all the way to the train station. While you were chasing after Qiao Qiao, I was chasing after you. I say bro, did you really fall for her? Are you planning to chase her to the ends of the Earth?”
Chen Xiaolian sighed and smiled bitterly, not a word was spoken.
“First answer my question, are you a paedophile,” Roddy’s expression suddenly turned serious. “We have been bros for years. However, if you are going down this road, I cannot allow you to continue! I must stop you no matter what!”
“I swear, I really… am not a perverted paedophile!” Chen Xiaolian gritted his teeth.
Roddy breathed a sigh of relief, then a smiled crept onto his face. “Then… you have truly fallen for Qiao Qiao? That beating she gave you sparked the flames in your heart?”
“Spark your sister!” Chen Xiaolian frowned. “Since you are here, help me out then. Help me find out which coach Qiao Qiao is on.”
“No need to go find anything, I already know,” Roddy grinned. “Coach number 7, 5.”
“How did you know that?” Chen Xiaolian stared with wide-open eyes.
“Tsh, I was the one who ordered the train ticket for her yesterday.”
That caused Chen Xiaolian to become dumbfounded. “How could you know all about her with so much detail? Could it be you and her…”
Roddy shrugged with spread arms. “My old man obsessively wanted to wrap me up in a sack and throw me onto Queen Qiao’s bed… if she does not object, that is. He regrets not being able to marry me into the Qiao family!”
“That cannot be! You are our school’s most powerful second generation nouveau riche.”
“Old Father Qiao’s whisker alone is thicker than my old man’s spine,” Roddy replied in a dejected manner.
“Then what were your thoughts?”
“Me?” Roddy’s face was one of decisiveness. “Ever since I saw Queen Qiao break that taekwondo instructor’s eggs with a kick… I told my old man that if he dares to force me, I will castrate myself!”
Having said that, Roddy cast a glance at Chen Xiaolian. “I am definitely not going to try courting her. However, since you insist on jumping into this pit, considering how many years of brotherhood there are between us, I will help push you in.”
“… some bro you are!” Chen Xiaolian snapped back. “Don’t worry, I have no such intention towards her. Sigh, I can’t explain with just a few words either.”
“There is no need for words between bros! Next time we go for a round, just don’t use Zhao Xin to thrust a spear up my ass.”[1]
Roddy laughed and the two of them moved forward through three coaches.
As they were passing by a hard sleeper coach, Chen Xiaolian was suddenly rendered completely shocked. His attention was all fixed onto that person lying on the hard sleeper bunk!
At that moment, Roddy found that a strange light was flickering out of Chen Xiaolian’s eyes!
Could it be a beauty?
Roddy quickly turned his gaze towards that direction…
Only to see… a male high school student in school uniform, seated upon the lower bunk of the hard sleeper.
In his hands was a mobile phone, which he used to type at a rapid pace. His face was filled with indignation and his pair of thick brush like eyebrows became intertwined together.
“Damn it! Since when can you make that kind of face when looking at a male?!” Roddy forcefully shoved Chen Xiaolian.
Chen Xiaolian seemed completely oblivious to it as he continued staring at the young teenager with a pair of thick eyebrows.
“Han… Han Bi!”
…
At the same time.
In another area within the train, within a certain soft sleeper compartment in coach number three.
A longhaired man with an air of theatricality lightly stabbed a dagger into its leather sheath. He then stretched about with a bored expression on his face. “Sigh, we are out on another pointless matter. This is just a newbie Awakened. Is there any need for the two of us to make a special trip here?”
Opposite the longhaired man was a gaunt and small man who looked to be about 40 years-old. He wore a dirty looking trench coat.
This man’s eyes flashed with a cold light. “The upper echelons have said that they felt a new Awakened one. In addition… I hear that this one Awakened in a very special and new instance dungeon. That is why the Leader wants us to bring back this person. A newbie Awakened is of no importance. However… what matters is the instance dungeon that this person had experienced! The reward from that instance dungeon is something that Leader has been bitterly searching for all these years! That is why we must be sure to bring this person back!”
The longhaired man stood up and put down a bag of potato chips that he was holding. “Then let’s make our move. The earlier we finish up, the earlier we can go home. I am still on vacation. The Elder called me all the way back from the Sea of Love, now my holidays are gone.”
The middle-aged trench coat man coldly said. “When taking action later, you must be careful! Remember, when we are not in an instance dungeon, the usage of anything with strength above [B] class is not allowed! Otherwise, when the Development Team detects the abnormal data, no one will be able to save you.”
“Fatty Wu! Your chapters are left without updates again! You lump of poop! You have a small penis!”[1]
Han Bi was furiously commenting on the novel review section using his mobile phone.
He suddenly felt someone gazing at him from the side.
Han Bi turned his head… en?
A comely looking youngster was looking at him.
“What are you looking at? Have you never seen a handsome guy with thick eyebrows?” Han Bi gave a “heng”.
Chen Xiaolian affably stood beside Han Bi and laughed while pointing at Han Bi’s mobile phone. “Truth is… there is a reason why Fatty Wu is not updating his novels. He went travelling abroad and encountered some problems and even nearly died in a deserted island.”
“How do you know?” Han Bi looked at Chen Xiaolian in a suspicious manner. “What travelling abroad? Encounter with problems? Dying in a deserted island? Are you trying to write a novel here?”
“Hahaha, I am just joking. I also read Fatty Wu’s novels. I am a member of his hard-core fan base,” Chen Xiaolian fiddled with his hair and continued. “Earlier, I accidentally heard you curse him with your mobile phone. “You were cursing so flippantly I could not help but take another glance.”
“You… you are his hard-core fan?” Han Bi’s face turned slightly hostile.
“Err…” Chen Xiaolian’s eyes darted about and he quickly shook his head. “I was originally one. However, he kept breaking his promises and did not update his novels. So, I turned against him. Every now and then, I would sign up an account just to curse him!”
“Hahahaha! Well done!” Han Bi became very pleased. “It turns out we are fellow humans in the same direction! Let me tell you something. Yesterday, I signed up for a new account, named ‘Fatty Wu’s penis is 5cm’. Hahaha! It will surely enrage him to death.”
You bitch! Chen Xiaolian’s heart pounded furiously. That is too vicious!
“Let me introduce myself, I am Chen Xiaolian,” Chen Xiaolian said with a smile.
“Han Bi, from Hangzhou. You are also heading northwest?”
“En, I am travelling around, you?” Chen Xiaolian asked.
“Sigh, don’t mention it. My school made me participate in an aircraft model competition. My precious summer break is spent with me rushing everywhere to participate all for the sake of bringing back a few trophies for my school. If not for the fact that there is award money for it, I would not even bother with it. Let me tell you, I had just returned from abroad yesterday. But today, I have to set off again from Hangzhou. The organizing committee for the domestic competition is particularly miserly. They were not willing to buy plane tickets for us and instead had us going by train, with hard sleeper bunks at that!”
What a… coincidence.
Chen Xiaolian’s heart could not help but wonder.
Thinking about it, his eyes suddenly flashed with alertness: Could this have been arranged by the GM?
All things considered, he could arrange for the World Wars to happen, not to mention…
Chen Xiaolian looked at the time before suddenly looking seriously at Han Bi. “Right, I want to ask you something.”
“What is it?”
“Look at me, do I look familiar?”
“…” Han Bi thought about it. “You do seem somewhat familiar…”
Chen Xiaolian was delighted, but then Han Bi’s eyes lit up and he said. “Ah right! I think I saw you on the plane, right? If I am not mistaken, there was a very beautiful little girl sitting beside you. The nouveau riche of the First Class cabin!”[2]
Chen Xiaolian’s face turned somewhat peculiar. Roddy who was beside him could not help but blurt out. “You really did end up knowing Soo Soo from the plane? In fact, you were sitting beside her? Could it be that you really do have…”
“Shut up!” Chen Xiaolian was annoyed to the point of anger. He stood up and got beside Roddy, then whispered. “Do me a favour.”
“What is it?” Roddy quickly covered up his pockets. “I do not have that much more money on me.”
“Pei, you and your money, you…” Chen Xiaolian lowered his voice. “Help me keep an eye on him.”
“Ah?” Roddy became dumbfounded.
“Don’t ask anything first. Just consider this as doing me a favour. Help me stay here and keep an eye on him… Eh, if he starts acting strangely, quickly give me a call.”
“… Then, where are you going?”
“I am going to look for Queen Qiao.”
Roddy sighed. “… you are serious about it? I must say, for a virgin like you to challenge such a high levelled opponent, I am somewhat worried for you.”
“Are you going to help me out or not?” Chen Xiaolian gritted his teeth.
“All right, all right. I will help you keep an eye on this thick brows brother.”
Chen Xiaolian breathed a sigh of relief. He then pulled Roddy over to Han Bi’s side. “Fellow brother, can you do me a favour?”
“Do tell.”
“You see, the both of us were in such a hurry to get on the train we did not get to buy the seating tickets yet. Can you let this brother of mine rest here of a little while?”
“Hahaha, we are all good brothers! Just sit!” Han Bi laughed out merrily.
Chen Xiaolian winked to Roddy, then left by giving the excuse of having to go to the toilet.
“Fellow brother, just sitting in the train is too boring. Do you want to go for a round?” Roddy said after seeing Han Bi keeping his laptop onto the hard sleeper.
“Yo? Bring it! Did you bring your laptop and card?”
Roddy smiled as he put down his backpack and pulled out a laptop and an internet card. “Let’s set down the rules: you are not allowed to be angry after getting beaten up.”[3]
“Pei, this brother’s three barbaric strikes can break the world, five seconds of true manliness!”
“This brother’s nickname of Bush-Ren is not an undeserved one either!”[4]
…
Chen Xiaolian continued moving towards coach number 7.
As he was walking past a junction of one of the coaches, he encountered two men moving in the other direction. One of them, a longhaired male accidentally bumped into Chen Xiaolian’s shoulders. The man was fairly courteous and he turned back with a smile to say. “Sorry.”
“It is fine.”
Chen Xiaolian lowered his head and continued walking forward.
…
“Which coach is it?” The longhaired man sighed. “Searching one by one is such a bother.”
“Enough nonsense, keep your eye on the radar interface. Inform me quickly once you see a green dot.”
The two of them moved onwards. Then, the longhaired man suddenly stopped and stopped the trench coat wearing middle-aged man. “Wait.”
“What?”
“We met a kin earlier.”
The longhaired man’s eyes flashed. “That kid earlier, I saw a Cross-shaped Medallion Sword hanging on his neck.”
“Really?” The trench coat wearing middle-aged man was strict. “Are you certain you did not make a mistake?”
“When I was still a rookie, the first [B] class weapon I acquired is the Cross-shaped Medallion Sword. Would I make a mistake regarding that?” The longhaired man’s expression turned emotional. “Sigh, my team members from back then have all left… life is as lonely as snow.”
The trench coat wearing middle-aged man seemingly turned older and he hesitated. “Could it be that there are other organizations eyeing the same target as us?”
“Is the competition for newbie recruitment so fierce nowadays?” The longhaired man laughed. “I will go follow him.”
“If possible, try not to kill,” The trench coat wearing middle-aged man gritted his teeth. “We are all Awakened ones, a death means one less among us.”
“All right then, you go investigate. I will continue looking for the target. One to the front, one to the back. We will act separately. If the target is found, we will contact each other instantly!”
The trench coat wearing middle-aged man continued moving forward while the longhaired man turned towards the direction Chen Xiaolian took.
…
“Nobody?”
Chen Xiaolian stood at the entrance to a soft sleeper within coach number 7, frowning as he looked inside.
Roddy had clearly mentioned that this is the spot for the ticket that he bought for Qiao Qiao.
As Chen Xiaolian was looking about blankly, the longhaired man had already reached him. The longhaired man did not stop beside Chen Xiaolian. Instead, he pretended to walk past Chen Xiaolian.
(It turns out he is a noob…)
The longhaired man secretly chuckled.
He quickly walked past coach number 7. The following coach number 8 happened to be a dining coach.
The longhaired man stood at the doorway to coach number 8 and swept his eyes around. Suddenly, his gaze converged into one point!
Sitting near the left side of the window…
…
Qiao Qiao and Soo Soo was seated opposite one another. Soo Soo frowned as she set her face into a round dumpling shape while she looked at Queen Qiao. “Unnie, why do we have to eat this kind of thing?”
“As a foreigner, you do not understand the imperial culture inherent within a train ride. Have you heard of this sentence before? Beer, beverages and mineral water; seeds, peanut and eight-treasure congee. Banner: A bowl of instant noodles!”[5]
In Qiao Qiao’s hands was a cup of Aged Jar Pickles instant noodles. With one hand, she held on to a pair of chopsticks and slurped it heartily.[6]
Soo Soo’s lips curled downwards and was about to say something…
Suddenly, she saw a longhaired man walking over. Without showing any reservation, that man sat down beside Soo Soo.
This longhaired man’s appearance was quite pleasing. However, the words he uttered made him look detestable.
“It turns out you are a little beauty! It seems Heavens did not abandon me! Pulling me all the way from the Aegean Sea to this damned train, to think that there would be such a wonderful harvest waiting for me here! Little beauty, come! Come follow uncle, uncle here will take you to enjoy the taste of the most beautiful of sights this world has to offer, all right?” The longhaired man stared at Soo Soo’s face, his face filled with emotion. “What a lovely loli, it has been so long since I have seen such a cute loli… wu…”
As he spoke, he extended his hand to grab Soo Soo’s shoulders, causing Soo Soo to shriek out.
Qiao Qiao had already tossed away her chopsticks and her fist was flying over.
The longhaired man raised his left hand and easily blocked Qiao Qiao’s fist. He gave her a glance. “Eh? A spicy girl eh. Pity, your loli years are over, I have no interest.”
“What are you doing? Where did you bastard come from?”
Qiao Qiao raised her eyebrows as she struggled to free her right hand that was being gripped by the other party. Qiao Qiao’s heart sank as she realized that the other party’s strength was simply staggering! Her fist that was infamous throughout her school was held tightly by the longhaired man and could not be freed.
Without showing any hesitation, Qiao Qiao waved her left hand and threw the cup of instant noodles over. The longhaired man’s eyes turned focused and he caught the cup of instant noodles with ease. He sniffed its content. “Spicy girl, eating instant noodles will harm your image of a goddess, don’t you know that?”
“Bastard! Quick let go of my little sister!”
Qiao Qiao took advantage of the moment he used to speak and twisted her body, jumping out from her seat. Despite having her right hand gripped by the other party, with an abrupt turn, she launched a kick out towards the longhaired man’s face.
Regardless of angle or strength, this kick of hers appeared flawless.
The longhaired male’s eyes flashed. “Good leg strength! Good waist strength!”
Qiao Qiao’s kick landed upon empty space. The longhaired man let go of her fist and rapidly moved sideways, stopping right behind her. He extended his hand and pushed her shoulder, causing Qiao Qiao to fall over, and her head slammed down onto a table.
“Unnie!” Soo Soo screamed out.
The longhaired man looked on with regret at Qiao Qiao. “Beautiful girl, that is enough. Your body shape is good while both your legs and waist are first class… unfortunately, you are not my taste.”
Having said that, he extended his hand and pulled Soo Soo out. He then moved down as he smiled. “Let us go! Haha, I did not expect that this time’s target would be a soft, exclusive little sister. I like this kind of quest.”
“Release… my little sister!”
Qiao Qiao struggled to get up. Her head that had fallen onto the table was bleeding. She stood before the longhaired man. Then, with a clear “he” sound, she flew up into the air and her left leg was kicked up high overhead. A single beautiful leg struck down onto the longhaired man’s head!
“Good skill.”
The longhaired man used one hand to successfully block it. He then pushed and Qiao Qiao was thrown backwards.
“As an ordinary girl, your potential is really good. I am having mixed feelings now. I really want to take you back. Perhaps there is worth in nurturing you.”
Qiao Qiao fell down heavily upon the floor, her back burning with pain. Looking at how powerful this longhaired man was, Qiao Qiao heart had completely sunk. She bit her lips tightly. “Bastard! Let go of my sister! If you dare hurt her, I will definitely kill you!”
Qiao Qiao forced herself to stand up. However, before she could straighten herself, she suddenly heard a steady voice coming from behind her. “Qiao Qiao, duck!”
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