No one dared bully Xiao Xue again, nor did anyone dare approach her.
"Are you okay?" Emi was the exception. She stepped forward and shook Xiao Xue awake.
Compared to the sorrow that had once filled her face, Xiao Xue now smiled sweetly. "I dreamed of Mom. She was with Seven, and they helped me chase away the bad people."
Emi was speechless for a moment. Qi Ming walked over and greeted them. "Miss Xiao Xue, Team Member Emi."
"Big brother, you are..." Xiao Xue froze when she saw Qi Ming.
"Team Member Qi Ming." Emi was a little restrained as well.
She had thought Team Member Qi Ming was the sort of person who looked down on others because of his talent. His relationship with the other team members also seemed tense, so he would probably be difficult to get along with.
"Miss Xiao Xue, do you want to go out and see the world? Study in a big city and get into a good university?"
Qi Ming wanted Xiao Xue to leave the people who looked at her through colored glasses.
"But Mom is here..." Xiao Xue looked toward the endless snowy mountains, her eyes full of reluctance.
Qi Ming's gaze was profound, as though it could see through the softest part of a person's heart. "All right. I'll go talk to the village chief."
Emi, who vaguely sensed Qi Ming's intentions, was somewhat surprised. She had not expected Team Member Qi Ming, who had always acted so proud and self-assured, to care so much about a girl's feelings.
Still worried about Xiao Xue, she followed him and asked in a lowered voice, "Is it because improper handling could cause the monster that disappeared to reappear?"
Qi Ming nodded. "That's part of the consideration."
Xiao Xue picked up the shrunken Seven toy and led the way, with Emi and Qi Ming following behind.
The villagers they encountered along the way were silent as cicadas, casting covert looks of fear and disgust.
When some children wanted to say something to Xiao Xue, their parents immediately changed expression, covered their mouths, and dragged them away.
Xiao Xue's circumstances had changed, yet they seemed not to have changed at all.
Seeing this, Emi also felt that Xiao Xue should go somewhere no one knew her and begin her life anew.
Just then, the sound of something slicing through the air came from behind them. Qi Ming jolted and spun around with astonishing speed, kicking out.
The attacker was kicked into the air, tumbling two and a half times before landing on the ground. Its scarlet eyes looked at Qi Ming in alarm and suspicion.
"An alien!" Emi's expression changed when she saw the newcomer. She shielded Xiao Xue behind her while drawing her Victory Hyper Gun.
The alien had antennae on its head, a deep black body that sharply contrasted with its silver-white face, and sharp blades on both hands.
This was the Zulurk Star Alien that appeared in Episodes 3 and 4 of "Ultraman Leo."
It was an extremely bloodthirsty alien. In the original show, it went on a killing spree late at night, dismembering the Umeda Siblings' father and MAC's Team Member Suzuki. It seemed it had just set its sights on them.
But if it attacked Xiao Xue, wasn't it afraid the shaman would come out and fight it to the death?
Then again, judging from her performance, the shaman probably could not beat it either...
Emi immediately pulled the trigger. The laser fired by the Victory Hyper Gun struck the Zulurk Star Alien's right arm despite its attempt to dodge left.
Enraged by the injury, the Zulurk Star Alien raised the blade on its left hand and tried to step forward to chop them apart.
Qi Ming stepped forward and blocked its path of attack.
Sensing his calm and unhurried presence, the Zulurk Star Alien grew even more suspicious. After hesitating for a moment, it retreated and vanished into the night.
Qi Ming did not pursue it. He secretly marveled that he could run into a vicious alien just by walking around. This world was truly dangerous.
Could the veiled gaze that had secretly watched him on Mt. Kirifuki earlier have belonged to the Zulurk Star Alien? Had it chosen this moment to strike because it wanted to take advantage of his weakness?
While soothing the still-shaken Xiao Xue, Emi looked at Qi Ming. "Thanks to you, Team Member Qi Ming."
Judging by the sound of air splitting from that fierce kick earlier, Team Member Qi Ming definitely had genuine skills.
Qi Ming said casually, "No need to thank me. Your reaction was good too. You helped."
As a foreign guest, though, he seemed rather unfamiliar with Japanese etiquette... I'm your senior, you know. How could he speak to me like that?
Still, compared to how he got along with Yamanaka and Kishida, he was already being quite polite now.
Emi took out her PDI Communicator and reported the situation to the team, casting a shadow over Nagi Saijo and the others' hearts.
Before one wave had settled, another rose. The attacks were becoming more frequent.
Kishida said, "The timing lined up rather well."
Yamanaka began making snide remarks again, asking Qi Ming whether he had not said he had just chased down two monsters by himself. Why had he now let an alien get away?
"Team Member Yamanaka, your stupidity has always been so creative." Qi Ming asked, "Have you not realized that there is a causal relationship between these two matters?"
Even his body had begun to feel tired after fighting continuously.
He would not work himself to the bone like Kengo Manaka, only to ruin his body in the end. That was not within the "limits of what he could do."
In this crisis-ridden world, he had to maintain himself above at least a passing state at all times, so he would have the strength to fight in any sudden situation.
"This alien is very dangerous. Be extra careful." Remembering the trail of blood it had left behind in "Leo," Qi Ming warned them.
"What makes it dangerous? Because it was fine after taking your kick and still ran away?" Yamanaka shot back. Kishida also felt that Qi Ming was merely making excuses to save face.
Emi described how she felt. "This alien can launch sneak attacks. It's highly intelligent and knows how to assess the situation before retreating. I also think we need to stay alert."
After seeing the footage recorded by Emi's helmet, Mamoru Shirogane immediately recognized the Zulurk Star Alien.
It was a terrifying creature. Fortunately, Qi Ming had been there, or the consequences would have been unimaginable.
He said, "I also believe Team Member Qi Ming's judgment is correct. You must not let your guard down. Find this alien's whereabouts as soon as possible."
Hearing the captain say the same thing, Yamanaka fell silent once more.
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