Teammates

Ji Xinghuo took Ren Mian's hand, gave it a light shake, and let go. The soft touch lingering on his hand stirred something in his heart.

It would be nice if I could keep holding it.

The thought startled even Ji Xinghuo himself.

Feeling slightly guilty, he glanced at Ren Mian, only to find that she had noticed nothing and had already entered the bar. He hurried after her.

Are we having a drink to celebrate me joining the team?

Once inside, Ji Xinghuo realized he had been overthinking things.

This was not a proper bar. It was a Color Club!

Olympia could not use electronic devices, so there were naturally no sound systems, speakers, DJs, or anything of the sort. But that did not stop people from seeking pleasure. A band of more than a dozen people played all kinds of unplugged instruments, while a singer with the "Amplification" ability belted out party songs at the top of their lungs, drowning out the noise of the boisterous crowd.

Multicolored crystals flashed continuously, all operated manually to create the effect of rotating colored lights.

A T-shaped stage stood in the center of the club hall. A row of seductive women posed flirtatiously atop it for the men below waving money at them.

The air in the hall was thick with the scent of hormones and alcohol.

In the corners, some men and women had already tangled themselves together, ignoring the crowds around them.

Ren Mian pushed through the crowd and arrived at a booth.

Ji Xinghuo saw five people in the booth. Four attractive women surrounded one man, who held one in each arm. He poured liquor into his mouth while joking with the women beside him, his wandering hands roaming everywhere as though he were feeling around for cards.

He looked utterly carefree, not even noticing that two people had approached.

"Xiao Chi."

Ren Mian called out a name. Her voice was not loud, but the man soaking in the company of women reacted as though he had been struck by lightning. He looked up and saw her.

His face was full of embarrassment. He quickly pushed the women away and stood up.

"Ren-jie."

The man's expression control was impeccable. In the blink of an eye, every trace of awkwardness vanished, replaced by a solemn look. He asked, "Why are you here?"

Ji Xinghuo studied him.

This man was a few years older than himself. His features were heroic and his bearing dignified. He stood around 1.9 meters tall and was very muscular, yet he lacked the cumbersome bulk typical of strength-type Aberrants. His physique was balanced and powerful, clearly developed evenly in both strength and speed, with explosive power as his specialty.

His weapon rested nearby against the booth.

It was a long spear made entirely of metal, more than two meters in length. Its triangular spearhead was over thirty centimeters long, its edges razor-sharp. The shaft was as thick as an arm and dark red all over, with faint red light flowing across its surface. The entire spear weighed at least sixty kilograms.

A balanced, agile build, a long spear, and thick calluses on his palms...

Ji Xinghuo guessed that this man was most likely a Martial Artist.

Martial Artists were the most numerous type of Aberrant.

In theory, Martial Artists could use any weapon—sabers, spears, swords, halberds, axes, hammers, daggers—but in reality, more than eighty percent of them chose long spears.

Even if they initially chose weapons like sabers or swords out of personal preference, or simply to look cool.

After reality beat them up a few times, they would obediently switch to long spears.

The reason was simple.

Long spears were the strongest! Long spears were the kings of all weapons. When people of the same Martial Dao Rank fought, without taking abilities into account, the spear user always held an absolute advantage.

A longer reach meant greater strength. That was no empty saying.

Especially in the first few Ranks of Aberrants, when there were fewer other means offered by abilities and most battles had to be fought up close, long spears were unstoppable.

Even Aberrants of other professions were forced to choose long spears.

Spears and staffs came next.

Thus, Martial Artists were mockingly called "spearmen." Those who used spears were called "spear bros." Either way, they looked like disposable grunts from movies and games.

Over the past few days in Olympia, the weapon Ji Xinghuo had seen most often was the long spear.

No matter where he went, he saw spearmen and spear bros.

However, the man before him was the strongest spearman Ji Xinghuo had encountered so far. Though they were only a few steps apart, Ji Xinghuo faintly sensed a dangerous warning.

"I happened to be passing by on business," Ren Mian said flatly. She introduced them, "This is our new teammate, Ji Xinghuo. Xinghuo, this is Chi Zhonglin."

Chi Zhonglin had noticed Ji Xinghuo even before Ren Mian introduced him.

"A new teammate!"

His eyes lit up. He quickly stepped forward and grabbed Ji Xinghuo's hand, smiling warmly. "Hello, hello. My name is Chi Zhonglin. It comes from the saying, 'How could a golden-scaled dragon remain trapped in a pond?' I chose it myself. Xinghuo, you should be younger than me, right? Just call me Brother Chi from now on."

Ji Xinghuo found his enthusiasm a little hard to handle.

Moreover, he keenly sensed that while Chi Zhonglin acted as though they were brothers, he probably harbored doubts about Ji Xinghuo deep down. At the very least, he was not as close as he appeared.

He was just putting on a show for Ren Mian.

Chi Zhonglin was a little afraid of Ren Mian.

Ji Xinghuo caught that detail and nodded. "All right, Brother Chi."

But Ren Mian suddenly corrected him. "Xinghuo, just call him Zhonglin." Chi Zhonglin gave an embarrassed laugh. "Call me whatever you like. Ren-jie, you have the final say."

Ji Xinghuo said nothing.

"Let's go back." A trace of impatience showed in Ren Mian's eyes. Clearly, she did not like the club's environment. Even though she had concealed her appearance, her lovely figure still could not escape the probing gazes of the sharp-eyed men around them.

With that, she headed outside.

Chi Zhonglin pulled out a stack of cash to dismiss the women in the booth, picked up his long spear and rested it on his shoulder, then threw an arm around Ji Xinghuo's shoulders as they followed Ren Mian out together.

"Xinghuo, you're a Ranger, right?" Chi Zhonglin asked, reeking of alcohol.

Ji Xinghuo nodded.

"Not easy!" Chi Zhonglin shook his head and sighed. "Ren-jie has always wanted to recruit an archer for the team, but her standards are too high. Hardly anyone can pass her test. It's been almost two years on and off, and we finally got you."

Ji Xinghuo felt the same way.

By Ren Mian's standards, there might not be more than ten archers in all of Olympia below the Rank of Super Ranger who could qualify.

An archer whose strength far surpassed others of the same Rank would either be famous or backed by a major force. They would have long since been discovered and recruited. Why would they casually join someone else's team?

"I used to fill in as the archer myself. Now that we have you, things will be much easier for me." Chi Zhonglin looked delighted.

Ji Xinghuo could not help feeling suspicious.

"You know archery too?"

"Barely. I'm only a little more accurate than an ordinary Ranger, but I still miss a lot." At the mention of archery, Chi Zhonglin frowned as though recalling unbearable memories. "But aside from me, neither Ren-jie nor Cai Yi is suited to carrying a bow, so naturally I had to fill in."

Ji Xinghuo nodded in understanding. Many teams were like that.

Archers were important and indispensable, but qualified archers were extremely rare. So the other Aberrants on the team had to fill the role temporarily, each carrying a bow and making up for quality with numbers.

Missing in a melee was no big deal. The real fear was hitting a teammate.

These temporary archers would often fire one or two arrows in the first volley before the enemy closed in, then toss away their bows, grab their weapons, and charge into melee so they would not shoot their teammates in the ass.

However, from Chi Zhonglin's words, it seemed that aside from him, Ren Mian, and this "Cai Yi," there was no one else on the team.

Including himself, there were only four people in the whole team?

This...

Generally speaking, the ideal number for a Hunting Team was five to ten people.

Melee combat, archery, healing, crowd control, scouting—there had to be at least one person responsible for each role, and having two or three for some roles was even safer.

With fewer than five people, losing one or two members in battle could trigger a snowballing collapse.

It was also difficult to arrange night watches while resting at camp.

With more than ten people, the team became too complicated and their tracks were easier to expose. Furthermore, each person's share of the spoils became smaller, reducing the average return.

Before Ji Xinghuo joined, Ren Mian's team had only three people.

And apparently, it had been that way for years.

"Are there only four people in our team?" Ji Xinghuo could not help asking.

By then, the three had left the club. Hearing his question, Ren Mian turned back and said confidently, "Four is enough. Unless absolutely necessary, I will not recruit any more teammates in the future."

Chi Zhonglin also patted Ji Xinghuo on the shoulder.

"We're not an ordinary Hunting Team. Four people is already plenty." His face was full of pride. "You'll understand soon enough, Xinghuo."

Whooo...

A Steam Bus billowing white steam and soot drove down the street. Ren Mian waved, and the Steam Bus stopped at the roadside and opened its doors.

Electronic devices and Internal Combustion engines could not be used in the Star Realm, but steam engines could.

Olympia's urban area was vast. Apart from Aberrants who owned mounts, most people had to travel by these steam-powered buses.

Steam engine technology was widely used throughout Olympia.

Besides buses, steam engines could be found everywhere in the city. The most conspicuous example was the City Wall protecting the entire city. Large numbers of steam boilers were installed inside it, powering the many formidable steam ballistae atop the City Wall to defend against enemies from the air.

There were also trains and Steam Airships traveling daily between Olympia and other cities.

The three boarded the bus, and Ren Mian paid for three tickets.

They sat in the rear section of the bus.

It was Ji Xinghuo's first time riding such a slow vehicle. It traveled at only around sixty kilometers per hour, which felt rather novel to him. There were quite a few passengers aboard, but everyone else was already used to it.

A short while later.

The bus entered a quiet, pleasant neighborhood. Ren Mian led the way off, then brought the other two into an upscale villa district.

Every residence here was a standalone villa occupying at least two thousand square meters. Outside each building were private gardens, shooting ranges, and lawns. The homes were separated from one another by tall trees, flower beds, and all kinds of greenery, while security patrols passed through every few minutes.

Even on Earth, these would have been mansions only the wealthiest billionaires could afford.

Let alone in the Star Realm.

Ji Xinghuo could not help doubting Ren Mian's identity. How could a Super Esper afford such a luxurious villa?

Even renting it would cost an enormous amount every month.

As he watched Ren Mian's back, he suddenly felt that this woman had become even more mysterious.

The three of them arrived at the entrance of a villa. A wall blocked the view inside. Ren Mian used a key to unlock the small gate beside the main entrance, revealing a broad lawn.

They crossed the lawn and reached the main building, where the front door was pushed open from within.

A beautiful young woman came out to greet them.

She wore a fitted black combat suit and stood around 1.65 meters tall. Her figure was light and graceful. A katana and a short blade hung at her waist, one on each side. Her features were delicate and petite, her eyes bright, and her long black hair tied behind her head. She carried the gentle air of a girl next door.

Though her skin was slightly pale, it did nothing to diminish the sweet smile on her face.

"Big Sister, Zhonglin-jun, you're back!"

Ren Mian nodded and pointed at Ji Xinghuo. "Cai Yi, this is Ji Xinghuo, our new teammate. Arrange a room for him later."

"Xinghuo-jun, I am Jiangnan Caiyi. Please take care of me from now on."

Jiangnan Caiyi was both happy and polite. She gave Ji Xinghuo a deep bow, speaking in a soft, gentle tone that made one instinctively want to cherish her.

Ji Xinghuo was not quite used to someone offering such a formal gesture upon first meeting.

Even in the Fusang Autonomous Province, not many people still retained these customs.

"You're too polite, Cai Yi. We're teammates, so helping each other is only natural," Ji Xinghuo could only say.

The four entered through the front door.

Ji Xinghuo looked around the spacious, bright living room. The floor was spotless, clearly cleaned every day. Even the sofa had been washed until it was immaculate. A fresh floral fragrance drifted through the air, making him feel refreshed.

Chi Zhonglin casually leaned his long spear against the wall. Reeking of alcohol, he flopped onto the sofa without a shred of decorum.

Ren Mian frowned but said nothing.

Jiangnan Caiyi trotted into the kitchen, soon returning with a tray of drinks. There was floral tea for Ren Mian, honey water to sober Chi Zhonglin up, and another cup for Ji Xinghuo. "Sorry, I don't know Xinghuo-jun's preferences, so I prepared the same floral tea as Big Sister's for you."

"Thank you. Floral tea is perfect." Ji Xinghuo accepted the cup.

"Sit down. Don't be so reserved."

Ren Mian said, "This is our team's permanent base. You can live here, train here, and spend your holidays here. Just treat it like your own home."

Ji Xinghuo nodded.

He walked over to Chi Zhonglin and was about to sit down when he saw Ren Mian across from him remove her bamboo hat and untie the scarf covering her face.

At last, Ji Xinghuo saw her true appearance.

He froze.

Ren Mian was even more beautiful than he had imagined—ten times, a hundred times more beautiful. It felt as though his brain had been struck by a hammer, instantly thrown into chaos. He could not think of any words to describe her peerless beauty.

She was like a virtual goddess generated by the world's most advanced AI, possessing every element of perfection with not a single flaw to be found.

Yet she was a living, breathing person, exquisitely crafted by nature and flawlessly beautiful, as though she had stepped out of the virtual world and into reality.

It was hard to imagine that someone in the world could look like this!

Jiangnan Caiyi was already a top-tier beauty, but beside Ren Mian, she seemed ordinary and was completely overshadowed.

Ji Xinghuo could not help thinking that if he had to name a beauty on the same level as her, it would probably be only that immensely popular Sword Immortal, Zhao Manying! If those two stood face-to-face for comparison, it would be impossible to tell who was superior.

"Am I pretty?" Ren Mian suddenly smiled at Ji Xinghuo. It was like a hundred flowers blooming at once, filling the room with light.

Ji Xinghuo's heart pounded hard several times. He nodded instinctively and blurted out:

"Very!"

The moment the words left his mouth, he realized all three of them were looking at him with strange expressions. Embarrassment rose inside him, but he forced himself to remain composed.

"I mean it. Ren-jie, you're the most beautiful person I've ever seen with my own eyes in my life."

"Thank you for the compliment."

Ren Mian took a sip of floral tea and set the cup down. "I'm going upstairs to rest first. Cai Yi, arrange a room for Xinghuo. Everyone should sleep early. We have things to do tomorrow."

Only after her figure disappeared at the stairway did Ji Xinghuo withdraw his gaze.

Chi Zhonglin waggled his eyebrows at him.

Ji Xinghuo suddenly remembered something. It was the perfect chance to change the subject, so he asked, "I still don't know what our team is called." Generally, every team had a name, whether officially registered or privately formed.

"Ren-jie didn't tell you?" Chi Zhonglin looked somewhat surprised.

"No."

Chi Zhonglin looked toward Jiangnan Caiyi. "Cai Yi, you tell him."

Jiangnan Caiyi seemed a little embarrassed to speak. After hesitating for several seconds, she said, "Xinghuo-jun, we are the Five Stars, Ten Realms, I Alone Reign Team."