Babysitter

Chapter 50: Babysitter

Bai Yueming and Yan Wenlai both smiled when they heard Lu Su's choice.

There was certainly nothing wrong with directly choosing ready-made materials.

But the two of them still hoped Lu Su would choose to enter the Secret Realm.

After all, more experience would let him grow sooner and shoulder greater responsibilities.

Flowers raised in a greenhouse could not withstand the ravages of a storm.

All old hands like them could do was shield promising youngsters like Lu Su for a little longer.

However, neither of them knew that Lu Su intended to begin making his second Bronze Grade card after leaving the Black Flag Secret Realm.

After all, it had not been long since Lu Su made his first Bronze Grade card. If he had not struck it rich this time, he would not have planned to make another so soon.

Perhaps Secret Realms really were hell for Card Masters lacking in strength. That was why so many Card Masters chose to retire in Secret Realms already under the Association's control.

But for a genius like Lu Su, a Secret Realm of the same grade was merely a source of materials.

The next day, Lu Su rode Pidgeot to the Black Flag Secret Realm's base early in the morning.

Ever since Lu Su and the other two had brought back news of the pirate crews joining forces, the Association had sent word to the Card Masters inside the Black Flag Secret Realm, telling them to return as soon as possible.

After all, the Association currently had no time to thoroughly clear out this Secret Realm. They could only have Card Masters guard the Secret Realm Entrance.

And guarding a point was far easier than conducting a sweep.

At that moment, three people were already waiting for Lu Su in front of the Secret Realm Entrance.

"Brother Zhao, Brother Liu, Brother Wang," Lu Su greeted the three in turn.

The first two were naturally Zhao Chang and Old Liu from before. How could they possibly leave out the two of them when avenging Zhou Yi?

To be honest, with Lu Su's current status as a Bronze Grade Card Master, even if he called Zhao Chang Little Zhao, Zhao Chang would not dare voice any complaints.

However, Lu Su had been a downtrodden contractor in his previous life for so long that he was already used to treating people kindly. Saying a few pleasant words cost him nothing.

But if someone truly pushed their luck, Lu Su, whose wings had gradually grown stronger, would certainly not be polite.

Over the past few days, Zhao Chang and Old Liu had naturally watched the Talent Cup matches as well. They had both witnessed Lu Su's performance.

What left them dumbfounded was that Lu Su had actually become a Bronze Grade Card Master right after leaving the Black Flag Secret Realm.

Such talent was truly unheard of.

But in their eyes, someone like Lu Su, a favored son of heaven, must have long since put Zhou Yi's affairs out of his mind.

Yet neither of them had expected Lu Su to still remember Zhou Yi.

After all, with Lu Su's bright future plainly visible, what did a mere Bronze Grade Card Master like Zhou Yi amount to?

Now, the two of them looked at Lu Su with complicated expressions.

Remembering how coldly he had spoken to Lu Su before, Old Liu could not help but give a bitter smile. A faint trace of barely detectable shame hid in his eyes. "Xiao Luo, I really judged a gentleman with the heart of a petty man. I apologize."

Lu Su waved his hand, signaling that he had not taken it to heart.

Old Liu's reaction had merely been human nature. Lu Su would not hold any resentment toward him over it.

Zhao Chang had already prepared himself for the possibility that Lu Su would not avenge Zhou Yi, so all that remained in his heart now was gratitude.

After all, in his view, Lu Su had merely been innocently dragged into this matter.

With another team, Lu Su could have gained far more in the Secret Realm.

But Zhao Chang had actually gotten that wrong. Strictly speaking, Lu Su had acquired quite a few resources during his last trip into the Black Flag Secret Realm.

Not counting the materials he had exchanged for Great Ming Treasure Notes, two of the materials later used to make Luffy had been obtained during that earlier exploration.

But Zhao Chang was not thinking about any of that. His voice immediately choked up, and his eyes reddened slightly as he said, "Thank you, Xiao Luo."

Zhou Yi had long been like an elder brother and father to Zhao Chang. After that day, the flames of hatred had burned fiercely in his heart, and every moment he thought of avenging Zhou Yi.

But he could not do it.

Moore had been more than Zhou Yi, a Bronze Grade Card Master, could handle. How could Zhao Chang, a Black Iron Grade Card Master, stand a chance?

Never before had Zhao Chang hated his own meager talent so deeply.

Anger and pain intertwined, gnawing at his heart like venomous snakes in the silent darkness of night.

Seeing Zhao Chang like this, Lu Su fell silent.

It was not as though his bond with Zhou Yi and Xiang Yan had been particularly deep.

It was just that—

The white blade light and Zhou Yi's severed arm flying through the air still appeared before Lu Su's eyes from time to time, leaving his heart unsettled for a long while.

Since it was within his power, all he wanted was peace of mind.

"Save the sentimental scene until this is over."

At that moment, a somewhat impatient voice sounded beside the three of them.

The one speaking was naturally the Brother Wang Lu Su had mentioned.

Wang Youwei felt somewhat irritated.

He had never expected that, as a Silver Grade Card Master, he would be called out of a mid-grade Secret Realm by the Association to babysit some brat.

And they had even told him that he absolutely had to ensure the brat's safety.

"Tch." Wang Youwei sneered disdainfully in his heart. He must be some leader's kid.

Those useless bastards are getting more and more powerful these days.

That was right. Wang Youwei had spent these past days exploring inside the Secret Realm.

Naturally, he knew nothing about the Talent Cup taking place outside.

He had only learned of the chaos caused by the Spirit Summoning Society yesterday after leaving the Secret Realm.

Thus, he knew absolutely nothing about Lu Su's strength.

In his eyes, Lu Su was merely the bored child of some leader who had come into the Secret Realm to play.

As for the other two—

They were naturally the unlucky fellows who had accompanied Lu Su inside last time.

He had been called here this time merely to clean up after Lu Su.

If those dogs from the Spirit Summoning Society hadn't left the Association so short-handed, how would it have come to me?

Thinking of this, Wang Youwei felt even more speechless.

He immediately said irritably, "Let's go. What are you standing around for?"

Lu Su merely felt that this Silver Grade Card Master, whom he was meeting for the first time, was not particularly friendly, though he did not know why.

Still, the man was insurance assigned to him by the Association, so Lu Su did not argue with him.

As the fishy, salty sea breeze entered his nostrils—

That familiar yet unfamiliar scent told Lu Su that he had entered the Black Flag Secret Realm once more.

Before his eyes lay the same empty coast as last time.

Just as the four of them were considering how to reach Skull Island, a ship rapidly moving away from the Secret Realm Entrance caught their attention.

Lu Su exchanged a glance with Wang Youwei, then summoned Pidgeot and gave chase.

However, Wang Youwei did not have a flying mount. Fortunately, Zhao Chang did.

Without hesitation, Zhao Chang immediately carried Wang Youwei after Lu Su.

Only Old Liu was left in the sea breeze, utterly bewildered. "I haven't gotten on yet!"