Chapter 596

"Ah! Dad's calling me home for dinner, I'm off!"

"Where are you going!?"

Two girls, one big and one small, chased each other and ran out of the clinic in an instant.

"Oh!"

Seele touched the bruises on her face and let out a disdainful sneer.

So what if you can fight?

How could he joke around with Hook? What a childish brat! When it comes to intelligence, I, the big sister, have already won.

"Hey! Wait a minute, you still haven't given me an explanation!"

Bronya rushed out after her.

"March, Dan Heng, the mission target has escaped! Hurry and catch up!"

Xing decisively slammed his fist on the table and stood up, and then the Trail Blazers team rushed out as well.

"Natasha, I'll go keep an eye on them!"

Seele realized that if all the people involved had run away and she was the only one left, wouldn't Natasha's lecture just be hitting her on the head? So she pretended to be in a hurry and chased after them.

Natasha stared blankly at the once bustling place, now completely deserted, and shook her head with a wry smile.

As soon as Xing left the clinic, she scooped Hook onto her arm.

"Hmph! You think you can escape, you little short legs?"

"Who's shorter? Hook is just a little kid. You just wait, when I grow up I'll be taller than you!"

"Really? We'll have to wait until you're older!"

Xingyin smiled, reached behind her, and gently lifted Hook's soft, bouncy little bottom.

The first leader of the Mole Gang immediately froze, and said in a tearful voice:

"Don't... don't spank me! You guys ruined the game first, preventing us from playing hide-and-seek."

"Stop talking nonsense, do you want some roasted Cave Salamander or not?"

"What? Roasted Cave Salamander? I'll eat them! I'll eat them!"

"Then stop talking nonsense and come with me!"

Xing glanced behind her.

Her character is that of a hidden hand trained by Cocolia Rand, a daughter who cannot see the light of day, so naturally she cannot be friendly to Bronya, who enjoys all the glory. Now is not the time to communicate with her; Bronya should visit her three times before speaking to her at a more appropriate time.

So Xing grabbed Hook and ran away, quickly rushing into a side path.

At the same time, he kicked Sampo, who was cowering in the corner watching, out of the room.

Get to work!

"Ah!"

"What is that?"

Bronya was chasing at full speed, only saw a black shadow flash before her eyes. She instinctively stopped, her eyes sharpening. Then, gripping the musket with both hands, she swung the heavy butt of the gun in a beautiful arc.

"Bang!"

"Ah!!"

Sampo screamed again, rolled several times on the ground, and then lay motionless, only his index finger stubbornly pointing forward. Even a believer in Elation, after being knocked away twice like this, would only feel a wave of disgust and be completely unable to laugh.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Xing escaped the pursuit and completely disappeared from Bronya's sight. She hugged Hook, lowered her head, and nuzzled the little girl's neck like she was cuddling a cat.

"Ah~~ That feels so good~~"

"Huh? What are you doing, Sister Xing?"

"I'm doing something that can bring world peace!"

That's right. If everyone could have a little girl to suck up to, the universe would be at peace long ago.

Xing ran briskly, unable to resist pinching Hook's cheek:

"You brat, you're calling me 'big sister' now that you know there's roasted Cave Salamander to eat?"

"Waaah... Don't be so stingy! Adults should give way to children!"

"So what do you say about your complaint?"

"I'm sorry!"

Hook pouted and apologized in a childish voice.

Xing assumed she had given in to the temptation of the food, and smugly pinched the soft flesh on Hook's face. However, she soon heard Hook say:

"Sister Xing, could you teach me how to catch Cave Salamander and how to roast Cave Salamander?"

"You want to learn? Why?"

"Hook's birthday is coming up, Hook wants to... wants to spend time with Dad... Ah! It's nothing, don't go spreading rumors, okay? Hook just wants to learn!"

"I can teach you, but from now on I'll be the unofficial boss of the Mole Gang! That's the condition, think it over!"

Looking down at Hook's conflicted expression, Xing's eyes were full of doting affection.

She will be taught; no conditions are required. Xing will teach her.

As for Sampo, who unexpectedly fell in front of the main characters, how he would guide them is not something Xing needs to consider.

Anyway, there are still a few days left, so it's more important to find food with Hook right now... Hmm, let's take Clara along. If there's anything more joyful than a little girl, it's two little girls, or even more.

Chapter 6.4 Don't Make Trouble

To catch Cave Salamander, you have to go deep into the mine.

Different environments nurture different kinds of life. Geomarrow, a treasure that once ushered in the golden age of Arilol-VI, possesses an energy density and ease of use far exceeding the solar energy available to the entire planet. Therefore, a natural ecosystem has developed around the Geomarrow veins.

The Cave Salamander is one of the best examples.

And after a cold wave arrives, this organism becomes a rare natural source of high-quality protein and fat.

After the lower areas were sealed off, their value became even more immeasurable, so the Cave Salamander in the shallow areas of the mine had long been captured and eaten.

Now that I need to make this delicious food for the two little girls, I naturally have to go deep into the mine, which also happens to help me avoid Bronya's pursuit.

"The Cave Salamander, as its name suggests, digs burrows, so be careful of sounds coming from the ground and walls."

"Oh~~"

"Like this, after hearing the sound, the next step is..."

Xing pressed her ear against the rock wall, looking down at Hook imitating her, sticking close to the wall and concentrating intently. She immediately grinned mischievously and made a claw with her five fingers.

"Bang!"

Wow!

Hook was so startled that he jumped back and then sat down on the ground with a thud.

Xing reached out from the rock, grabbed the struggling Cave Salamander, and laughed heartily.

Clara rushed over, holding the metal bucket, and watched as Xing tossed the energetic Cave Salamander into it before weakly saying:

"Sister Xing, don't bully Hook!"

"Who told her to tell on me? I'm calm now. Hey, are you dazed from the fall?"

Xing grinned and pressed down on Hook's big hat with a smile.

Hook wasn't angry about the prank. Instead, he stretched out his little paw and tried touching the rock wall, then stared blankly and said:

"How do you do that?"

"Normally, you should make a hole and then smoke it, but if you want to learn, I can teach you."

"Really?"

"If I were to teach you, what should you call me?"

Xing put her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows smugly.

It's not that she's childish; it's just that Hook's conflicted yet longing little expressions are really cute and super fun to tease.

"Big... Big Sister..."

"Um?"

"Big sister! Please teach me how to catch Cave Salamander!"

"Hmm! Very good, you're on the right track. From today onwards, I'll teach you cultivation. You must study diligently and practice hard..."

As Xing was talking, she suddenly froze.

Have I taken on an apprentice?

Fine, let's accept it. Can't our Anqi Faction protect even one disciple?

Xing nodded and continued lecturing. Then, under Hook's gleaming gaze, she simply began to explain some basic martial arts training methods that would not reveal her background.

Bronya was blocked by Sampo, and since she was already slower than Xing, she lost the possibility of tracking him, so her expression was somewhat gloomy.

Having been inexplicably kidnapped to the lower districts and witnessing firsthand their destitution—the fact that Natasha couldn't even afford decent medicine speaks volumes about the hardship of their livelihood.

As a result, she naturally felt extremely depressed.

'I have to do something... but being in such an important position, I must think carefully before I act. First, I need to figure out what Xing is really up to, and also understand the specific situation in the lower districts, before I can persuade Mother and offer constructive advice.'

Bronya took a deep breath and abandoned the idea of going straight back.

Arriving in the lower district was both an accident and an opportunity—an opportunity to persuade Mother to liberate the lower district, or at least free up resources for relief.

As for the risks, since Xing didn't kill her while she was drugged, it means it wasn't that dangerous. Besides, three extraterrestrial visitors were also here; she wasn't without help. Perhaps this was her mother's encouragement?

"I hope Silval and Pela can keep an eye on Mother's health; she shouldn't have any problems in the short term."

With her mind made up, Bronya reached out her hand to Sampo at her feet.

Though late, Seele instinctively reminded everyone:

"Hey! Watch out, this guy's not a good person!"

"I thought that in your eyes there was no one worse than the people of the Upper District."

"Huh? What you said makes sense. Then I take back what I said."

"Thanks."

Seele gave a defiant sneer, while Bronya thanked her earnestly.

Some people respond better to gentle persuasion than force, like the cold-faced but warm-hearted leader Seele.

Seele crossed her arms, turned her head to the side, and said awkwardly:

"What are you pretending for? I won't..."

"I'm not pretending. Although you kidnapped me, that reminder just now was out of concern for me, let's keep things separate. And this person, to be described as 'not a good person' by the arrogant Seele, must be no ordinary person, right?"

Bronya pulled Sampo up, a glint of shrewdness flashing in her eyes.

She recognized him.

The Silvermane Guards has been hunting thieves and illegal middlemen for a long time. In short, they have a lot of bad deeds, but they are not considered to be particularly heinous. The key point is that they have been wanted for several years but have never been caught.

The Silvermane Guards had long suspected that he came from the lower districts, and now that they had seen him, it was completely confirmed.

"Oh, right, speaking of which, this guy gave us that sleeping gas!"

Seele keenly sensed Bronya's sharp tongue and Sampo's guilty conscience, and, not wanting to miss out on the drama, immediately chimed in with a comment.

Then, Bronya's gaze sharpened, and Sampo broke out in a cold sweat.

As for whether the cold sweat was real or not, only the experienced Masked Fool himself knows the answer.