Self-Taught

The organization collected the employer's payment and distributed it to the soldiers in the form of money and Star Pearls.

Xia Yan and Han Jiangxue were both regulars here, so of course they knew the rules. Left with no choice, they could only let it go.

Han Jiangxue had not forgotten her purpose. Since the objective of this mission had been achieved, she wanted to go back and rest for a while.

Not to the human settlement in the Snowfield, but home.

Pi Keqiu, however, wanted to go in and search for the team that had run into trouble. His comrades might very well be among them. Of course, he could not enter alone. More importantly, Xia Yan and Han Jiangxue were part of the team.

But as the employer, Xia Yan followed Han Jiangxue's suggestion and prepared to head home. Pi Keqiu had no choice either. He could only fire a flare on the spot, asking the Awakened guard team in the Snowfield to investigate the situation.

From this small action, Jiang Xiao saw another side of Han Jiangxue. When it came to unrelated people, she had no intention of risking herself in the slightest.

Or perhaps Han Jiangxue simply had that kind of personality. It was only because of their family ties that she cared so much about Jiang Xiao.

Han Jiangxue's "Shattered Space" held four corpses. Each of the four dragged two more corpses along, and they began their journey home.

Xia Yan was not short of this bit of pocket money, but she knew Han Jiangxue's family situation. Thus, despite being a rich young lady, she did not complain at all and helped drag two corpses.

As a soldier, Pi Keqiu naturally fulfilled the employer's request. Strong and broad-shouldered, he dragged four entire White Ghost corpses back to town.

Everyone worked together, while Han Jiangxue also used Barren Wind several times to send the corpses flying far away, saving everyone quite a bit of effort.

The return journey was relatively pleasant for Jiang Xiao. This time, he had truly broadened his horizons and encountered a strange world and bizarre creatures. He had even obtained two new Bronze Star Skills. He could be said to have returned fully loaded.

After passing the human settlement with the Red Star Flag flying high above it, the four of them finally relaxed. There would basically be no Different Dimension Creatures appearing nearby, and even if there were, the Awakened in the settlement would arrive at once.

Pi Keqiu was somewhat uneasy. This broad-shouldered man was very meticulous. He specifically asked Xia Yan for leave and hurried to the human settlement. Only after reporting what they had found on the edge of the Snowy Forest did he quickly rejoin the group.

The journey there had been accompanied by wind and snow, but the return trip was completely uneventful.

Up ahead, Xia Yan gently bumped Han Jiangxue's shoulder and said, "I'd say he did pretty well. You could tell from that collision that he really cared about you. He was very brave."

"Mm." Han Jiangxue responded softly.

"Even we would have found that situation difficult to deal with, and he was just a rookie who had recently obtained the Green Glow Star Skill." Regardless of what Han Jiangxue thought, Xia Yan was quite satisfied. She continued, "He's just a little too mischievous. Leave him to me. I'll help you discipline him."

"I don't need you to," Han Jiangxue replied.

"Tch, your methods are wrong. I've always been reluctant to say anything, but you're pretty stubborn." Xia Yan pouted. "He only awakened two months ago and only obtained his Star Skill a few days ago. What could he do? Come to the Snowfield for training? He's nothing but a tourist, isn't he? And he's even risking his life. If I didn't like you, I wouldn't have come here to go crazy with you."

Han Jiangxue said, "You know what he used to be like. He's changed somewhat over the past few days, and I hope this journey can encourage him to keep it up. He's too young. He's seen too little and knows too little. He lacks a Sense of Awe toward this world."

Xia Yan said, "Hmm?"

"He's too arrogant and doesn't take anyone seriously. I actually hoped these low-level White Ghosts would teach him a lesson, let him get hurt, and let him suffer some setbacks." Han Jiangxue shook her head.

Xia Yan looked utterly confused. "So you knew he was useless here, and you brought him along just to let him suffer a setback?"

Han Jiangxue nodded. "It has nothing to do with strength. It's about his character."

Xia Yan burst out laughing. "And the result? The moment he was in a little danger, you practically wanted to blow him all the way back to the Garden Community."

Han Jiangxue said, "Shut up."

Half an hour later, inside the Town Government building.

"Good grief, a white fur coat like this could be processed and sold for several thousand, even over ten thousand, but they only buy one White Ghost for one hundred yuan?" Jiang Xiao counted the fifteen hundred yuan he had received, his face twisted with frustration. "Their claws are so sharp, and they're covered in meat. Maybe they'd even taste good. Every part of them is a treasure—"

Han Jiangxue extended a hand in front of Jiang Xiao.

Jiang Xiao helplessly placed the bright red bills into Han Jiangxue's hand.

"This is simply bl—" Jiang Xiao saw the unfriendly look in the soldier's eyes beside him and hurriedly changed his tune. "A conscientious enterprise! Not only do they give us opportunities to train and grow, and send bodyguards to protect us, they even let us earn some extra money. It's truly wonderful!"

"Pfft, hahahaha." Xia Yan could not hold back her laughter.

Han Jiangxue pressed one hand to her forehead and shoved Jiang Xiao hard, urging him to hurry up.

It was only after changing clothes and returning the marching backpack that Jiang Xiao realized he had not touched the military rations or water inside. Sigh, he really had gotten a bargain for those shady merchants! He wondered whether this place was directly affiliated with the authorities.

But thinking about how important this location was, and seeing the bearing of these regular soldiers, it should not be a mistake.

If that was the case, Jiang Xiao felt a little more balanced. If the state earned more military funds and cultivated more powerful Awakened, making Huaxia stronger and more confident, then the ultimate beneficiaries would still be ordinary people like Jiang Xiao.

But speaking of which, would this fifteen hundred yuan be enough to hire Pi Keqiu? After getting into Xia Yan's Land Rover, Jiang Xiao asked about it. Unexpectedly, before Xia Yan could speak, Han Jiangxue told Jiang Xiao to shut up, saying that it was a matter between the two of them.

Jiang Xiao found himself rebuffed and changed the subject. "Where's your knife?"

"I left it there." Xia Yan answered as she drove away from the town.

"Aren't you afraid it'll get lost?" Jiang Xiao asked casually. He might as well chat; it was not as if he had anything else to do.

Unexpectedly, that conversation really did lead to trouble.

"It won't get lost. I put it in a separate changing room there." Xia Yan spoke casually, then suddenly remembered something. "Oh, right. I just discussed it with your sister. I'll take your sister back to the Garden Community later. You're coming home with me, right?"

"Huh?" Jiang Xiao scratched his head. "What am I going to your place for?"

"To bring you home and warm my feet." Xia Yan raised her eyes and saw Jiang Xiao's dumbfounded expression in the rearview mirror.

The corners of her lips curved slightly. She tilted her head, and her short, slightly curled chestnut hair swayed gently. Together with her bright eyes, she looked wild and alluring.

"Han Jiangxue, did you sell me out?" Jiang Xiao looked at Han Jiangxue unhappily.

"Hehe, I'm not teasing you anymore." Xia Yan laughed as she explained, "Your sister isn't good at martial arts, so I'll have to train you."

Jiang Xiao blinked. "Aren't I Big Milk? The one standing in the safest place in the team and being put on a pedestal?"

"That's exactly right." Xia Yan nodded solemnly. "But think about it. If you want to be put on a pedestal, you have to become a Buddha or a god first. Right now, you're just a block of stone. If you want to be carved into a Buddha, you'll have to go through a thousand cuts."

Jiang Xiao: ???

A thousand cuts!? This girl is even more mischievous than I am? Xia Yan raised her eyes again and looked at the rearview mirror. "What do you think of my knife skills?"

With that two-meter-long blade, a single strike could cleave even a thick-skinned, heavily muscled White Ghost in half. How could fragile Jiang Xiao possibly fare any better?

Seeing the lingering fear on Jiang Xiao's face, Xia Yan smiled and said, "So I'm the most suitable person to do the carving."

But speaking of which, let's talk about something serious.

Why had Jiang Xiao limited himself to fighting barehanded? Should he ask Xia Yan for some advice on knife techniques? After thinking it over, Jiang Xiao opened the subject. "That greatsword of yours is seriously cool, and its killing power is astonishing. Can I learn it?"

"Oh?" Xia Yan raised her eyebrows, her voice carrying a hint of teasing. "This is a family-inherited sword technique. I don't teach outsiders."

Jiang Xiao immediately followed up. "What if we become family? Then you can teach me, right?"

Xia Yan froze for a moment, then turned to Han Jiangxue. "This kid is seriously mischievous!"

Han Jiangxue snorted inwardly. He even dares to tease me. What wouldn't he dare to do? Jiang Xiao said, "Um—"

Han Jiangxue, sitting in the passenger seat, directly cut him off. "Huaxia has many martial arts and esoteric techniques. Before Star Power appeared, these martial arts were not as powerful as they were in wuxia novels. Many of them had been reduced to performance routines, and they were relatively weak in actual combat."

Jiang Xiao put away his joking expression. "But?"

Han Jiangxue said, "But with the emergence of Star Power and Star Skills, some of Huaxia's martial arts techniques gained considerable room to survive. So Xia Yan wasn't joking. Some things truly aren't passed on outside the family, and your question was very impolite."

"Hey." Xia Yan laughed. "It's not that serious. My family isn't some martial arts clan. My dad got a manual for this sword technique from somewhere. It's not as exaggerated as you make it sound. Before reading it, I thought it was mysterious. After reading it, it was nothing more than a few moves. You can find them online."

That casual?

Look it up online? Self-taught?