Awakened Zhongli Template, Retiring on Terra

"We'll find the missing team ourselves. How can we ask others for help? Don't push your luck."

"Haha, no need to be so serious. It's just something that needed doing, any normal person would have done the same. I don't think those Ursus soldiers will give up easily, you'd best leave soon."

Beside them, Exusiai chimed in, adding her voice:

"You should leave this forsaken place first. We can talk about other things once you're safe. If you ever get the chance, feel free to visit us in Lungmen~"

"Lungmen? I'll remember that. Thank you."

"You're welcome, you're welcome. We'll be going now then."

Exusiai gestured for Shi Lei and Texas to leave the icefield, not lingering at the scene. On their way back, she asked curiously:

"Why do you think that Sarkaz was wrapped up so thoroughly? My guess is, he's the type who looks fierce but is actually very gentle inside."

Texas, however, held the opposite opinion. Although the Infected wielding the great hammer had a deep voice, she felt that there should be a woman inside the armor.

The thought in Texas's mind was fleeting. She was more accustomed to being a silent listener than a participant in intense discussions.

Shi Lei wasn't interested in Mudrock's gender. He never considered such things before saving someone. How pathetic would it be if offering help was a calculated decision based on pros and cons?

The three rode their motorcycles, returning the way they came. They found Texas's car parked by the roadside and drove back to the hot spring inn together.

Half an hour later.

With the withdrawal of the Ursus army, the Sarkaz mercenaries finally freed up some personnel who had been on guard duty.

They headed back simultaneously, searching for traces of their kin.

However, after searching for several kilometers with no success, they feared their compatriots had already met a tragic end.

They wouldn't seek revenge on the Ursus army, as wiping out those grunts would only attract higher-ranking troops to pursue them, making escape even more difficult.

When the search party returned, Mudrock convened an impromptu meeting with the Infected who had escaped from the mine. They gathered around in a pine forest to discuss their future plans.

According to their original plan, they were to join Rhodes Island after escaping Kazdel. They intended to pass through Ursus and head to Sargon to find a place to live. They had heard that Infected were not discriminated against there and the living conditions would be better.

But if the plan remained unchanged, there would be no meeting.

Mudrock, holding her large iron hammer, stood in the shadows where the moonlight couldn't reach. A low voice emanated from within her heavy armor, making everyone present feel an immense sense of seriousness.

"We're having an impromptu meeting tonight to reconsider our future destination."

All the Sarkaz mercenaries present regarded Mudrock as their team leader and promptly expressed their support:

"Do you even need to ask? Wherever you go, we go."

"No, we are a group, and everyone's decision needs to be respected. If you want to head north with Rhodes Island to rendezvous with Talulah, you can leave now."

"..."

Seeing that no one objected, Mudrock continued:

"For certain special reasons, I will be changing my subsequent destination. Before I make this willful decision, I hope you can decide your own future."

Mudrock possessed the bloodline of the [Child of Earth and Stone], granting her extreme affinity with rocks. However, today, Mudrock encountered a man whose compatibility was even higher than hers.

All the rocks seemed to be his blood, easily forming stone steps to elevate him, allowing him to control them freely. The purity of his bloodline was likely far superior to her own.

Mudrock worshipped the earth, but in that man, she felt the very essence of the earth itself.

To put it plainly, he was her faith, an envoy of the earth in the human world.

Regardless of whether their bloodlines were of the same origin or had any connection, Mudrock wanted to approach Shi Lei and investigate. This was different from their original plan, which was why she called it a 'willful act'.

"Understood, so you're not going to Sargon next? Where are we going then?"

Mudrock paused for a moment, then slowly tilted her head up:

"Lungmen."

Upon hearing the name of the place, the Sarkaz mercenaries immediately recalled the invitation from the Sarkaz they had just met.

"I've heard Lungmen is a city that is open and inclusive towards Infected, but the specific situation is uncertain. Sarkaz might not be very welcome in Lungmen, but if it's your decision, I'm willing to follow."

A mercenary beside him chimed in, adding:

"So what? We don't live to be popular. As long as Lungmen isn't completely unreasonable like Ursus, and offers us a sliver of a chance to live, that's enough."

"Yeah, the TV also says Sargon is friendly to Infected. But the reality might be about the same as Lungmen. If it's all similar, going to the farther Sargon is indeed not as good as going to Lungmen nearby."

"Then let's vote. Those who want to go to Sargon can leave the team, the rest will stay and rest."

Among the crowd that escaped the mine were Infected who were not Sarkaz, as well as some women and children. They looked at each other, and finally made a difficult decision:

"Vice-Captain Mudrock, we're sorry..."

Seeing them bow in apology, Mudrock, clad in her heavy armor, bowed in return, her movements somewhat stiff:

"It's alright, you should leave quickly. We'll stand guard here tonight and watch out for the Ursus army."

"We're truly sorry, Vice-Captain Mudrock."

"It's fine, I respect your decision."

More than half of the group of over sixty people left.

Besides the twelve Sarkaz mercenaries, they steadfastly surrounded Mudrock. Of the Infected who escaped the mine, only eight were willing to stay and go to Lungmen.

"Thank you, thank you all."

Mudrock was very grateful for everyone's support; this trust became her sense of responsibility in taking on the role of team leader.

068 Zhongli's Woman?

The three Messengers returned to the hot spring inn to discuss how to handle things tonight.

There were no streetlights in the wilderness at night, and it would be easy to get lost driving back in the dark. Shi Lei suggested he take the first half of the night watch, and Exusiai take the second half. As one of the drivers, Texas would go back to her room to rest well.

Since they had fallen out with the residents due to the mine explosion today, they couldn't possibly go to town to hang out during the day. They would only leave here after dawn.

The Emperor's and Isu's rooms had no lights on; they were probably already asleep. They wouldn't call them up at this hour. They would wait until they woke up in the morning.

Texas glanced at Shi Lei, seemingly considering staying to help with the night watch. Considering they had to drive for over ten hours the next day, fatigue could easily lead to safety accidents, so she returned to her room to rest.

Shi Lei stood guard at the entrance of the hot spring inn. After four hours, he woke Exusiai. She went back to her cold room to catch up on sleep, having slept fully clothed.

The next day.

Just as the sky began to show a pale white, he was woken up. Exusiai explained their encounters and experiences from the previous night to the boss and Isu.

The Emperor's expression was clearly displeased after listening, but he didn't blame them for helping the Infected. He probably felt he hadn't had enough fun since they had only arrived yesterday.

Isu, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind. Having enjoyed a comfortable soak in the hot springs, he felt the trip was worthwhile. After a busy year, he enjoyed the rare holiday.

The six of them rested briefly, got into the cars, and returned the way they came. As they were leaving, Croissant finally untied the hot spring inn's employee. This brought their hot spring trip to a somewhat hasty conclusion.

They departed at six in the morning and arrived at six in the afternoon. Shi Lei, in Texas's car, slept soundly in the back seat. Not long after he woke up, they could see the mobile city of Lungmen from afar.

When the two cars stopped in front of the Penguin Logistics company building, the Emperor got out and proactively greeted the employees:

"Spring Festival is just around the corner, why don't we go to my bar for a drink? I'm paying today. Consider it a team-building event. Everyone must go, do you hear me!"

Seeing their stingy boss unexpectedly treating everyone to drinks, Exusiai was the first to cheer with both hands raised:

"Hooray!"

Shi Lei had no reason to refuse. His boss said he was treating and paying, so why not take advantage of free drinks.

Besides, he had never been to the Emperor's bar before. He used to drink at external venues when partying with Texas and the others.

Actually, the boss's sudden generosity today was mainly for Shi Lei's sake. He had been with the company for over a month, brought in a big order, and completed it outstandingly.

Currently, Wei Lao Long and Chou Lao Shu both wanted to recruit Shi Lei, so they had to treat him better. They couldn't drive him away just to save money; that would be a huge loss.

The employees present had no objections, and it was happily decided: they would head to the boss's bar.

Shi Lei followed everyone to Sunset Avenue, where there was a bar called 'End of the Earth'.

The interior decoration was luxurious, and the quality and scale were better than any bar he had been to before.

Since the boss was treating, they naturally chose the most expensive booth. Anyway, there were no suckers who usually sat there, so it was good for them today. As Shi Lei took his seat, he inadvertently glanced at the menu and immediately understood why everyone rarely came here.

A bottle of wine cost tens of thousands of Lungmen Dollars. No matter how rich you were, you couldn't spend like this every day. A meal here was enough to drink many times at a less upscale bar.

As soon as the booth was confirmed, Exusiai impatiently pulled Croissant to the dance floor to dance and party. Isu received a call, whispered a few words to the Emperor, and then left.

In an instant, only three people were left at the booth.

Texas was wearing a red dress today, looking radiant and beautiful. Just by crossing the dance floor for that short while, she attracted the attention of many people of the opposite sex.

"Who forced me onto the boxing ring, to cover your remains with a white cloth..."

The music playing in the bar was all from Siren Records. As a platinum producer for Siren Records and an established rap superstar from Columbia, the Emperor played his own and his label's songs in his own bar, not even having to pay royalties. Sometimes he would even play unreleased demos, which were highly popular among music enthusiasts.

Hearing the climax of the music, the Emperor directly ran onto the stage and became a DJ. He put on his headphones and mixed live, further igniting the atmosphere.

On the dance floor, a young Lupo swayed his body. He stared at Texas from afar through the crowd, feeling like he had suddenly fallen in love:

"Wow, that girl is so hot! Bro, cover me while I go get her contact info, how about it?"

The young Lupo said this and started walking towards the booth, but his wingman forcefully stopped him:

"Damn it, are you trying to die? You can chase girls, but can you look around before you make a move?"

The young Lupo heard this and his gaze fell on the silent man next to Texas, looking confused:

"He doesn't look like a rich guy either? Is he a second-generation official, or someone else?"

"Are you kidding me? That's Zhongli! Zhongli, who's made a name for himself in both the underworld and the legitimate world recently. You dare to touch his woman? Are you tired of living? Anyway, I've said my piece. If you want to die, don't drag me down with you."

The young Lupo sighed and could only gaze wistfully at the goddess in his heart.

After the Emperor left, only Shi Lei and Texas remained at the booth. Both were very relaxed, sitting on expensive sofas, holding drinks with ice.

"Cheers."

Seeing him raise his glass, Texas raised hers in return. The two clinked their glasses in mid-air from half a meter apart, then downed the strong liquor in their cups.

The drinks here were expensive, but their price was justified. The mellow taste as the liquid slid down their throats was incomparable to the beer from street stalls.

She downed it in one gulp, the ice cubes in the glass not yet melted. Texas picked up the liquor bottle, pouring out the golden liquid, and also poured half a glass for Shi Lei.

This year, under his care, all sorts of missions were completed more efficiently and safely.

"It's almost New Year's. What are your plans?"

Hearing Texas's rare question, Shi Lei held his glass and thought for a moment before replying:

"I don't know. Maybe I'll just read books every day to enrich myself. Besides that, I want to find a warehouse suitable for living. Croissant has already agreed to keep an eye out and will contact me promptly if any reliable properties become available."

Texas nodded and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I see. I'll have nothing to do during the holiday. If you go to look at places, you can ask me to come along."

"Okay, as long as you don't find it troublesome."

Meanwhile, on the Ursus ice fields.

A group of twenty-one Sarkaz and Infected, led by Mudrock, were heading towards Lungmen.

069 Dragon Sees Armor Unsheathed

Exusiai and Croissant went wild on the dance floor and soon returned to their booth. They forcefully dragged Shi Lei and Texas down to join them in dancing.

He rarely danced, and his skills were ordinary. His body swayed to the explosive music, his head drawing a St. Andrew's Cross in the air. At first glance, it looked quite impressive.

Texas knew elegant dances, but her club dancing appeared somewhat stiff. In the past, she could have quietly drunk and coasted, but now, being pulled down, her lack of skill was quickly exposed.

Everyone was immersed in the lively atmosphere until they were too tired to continue.

After finishing his drinks, Shi Lei said goodbye to the boss and his colleagues and returned to the safe house, sleeping until dawn.