A Woman's Mouth

Chapter 25: A Woman's Mouth

"The back seat is for leaders. When it's just the two of us, remember to sit next to your friend—it's polite." Xia Yan sat in the driver's seat, looking at Jiang Xiao in the rearview mirror as she spoke.

Jiang Xiao shrugged, opened the door, got out, and slid into the passenger seat. "We're too compatible. I'm afraid sitting in the passenger seat will make people think we're a couple."

Xia Yan froze, nearly choked speechless. After a long moment, she snapped angrily, "We're compatible!?"

Jiang Xiao's perfunctory tone was exactly like dealing with a disobedient girlfriend: "Mm-hmm, I get it. No need to shout."

Xia Yan: "*&%￥#!!!"

The pitch-black Land Rover roared all the way, ramming straight into Jiannan Village. Along the journey, Jiang Xiao didn't dare act up again, afraid this bad woman would kick him out of the car.

What surprised Jiang Xiao was that this time, entering the snowfield, Xia Yan hadn't sought out Han Jiangxue, nor had she hired any soldiers from the institution.

Under normal circumstances, this wasn't allowed.

To ensure the safety of Awakened and to serve as surveillance, Awakened teams coming here were basically forced to include a soldier as a guide and bodyguard.

But whether it was because Xia Yan was strong enough or had spent enough money, this time, only their two-person squad entered the snowfield.

Jiang Xiao didn't dare say anything, but he couldn't help feeling that a two-person squad entering the snowfield was more like a suicide mission.

Still, given Xia Yan's relationship with Han Jiangxue and her decent nature, she had no reason to deliberately get Jiang Xiao killed.

Thinking this, Jiang Xiao didn't know whether to feel relieved or worried.

Fortunately, Xia Yan explained a bit, saying that the situation last time was a rare exception. Normally, the chance of encountering a White Ghoul Witch was very small, and the chance of encountering such a large White Ghoul Pack was even smaller.

In essence, White Ghouls weren't social creatures. They were natural hunters, and what made them even more terrifying was that their prey was their own kind.

If you found a White Ghoul pack in the snowfield, either they were gathered by a White Ghoul Witch, or within that pack, there was an exceptionally powerful individual capable of suppressing a group of fierce, violent hunters.

In a word: rank suppression.

But in the vast majority of cases, White Ghouls were lone wolves.

This bizarre creature, the White Ghoul, was similar to Earth's mammals, and they possessed incredibly vigorous vitality, constantly in a state of heat.

Normally, a female White Ghoul would kick away the male White Ghoul, raise the child alone until birth, and then raise it solo.

Maternal instinct would make the female White Ghoul restrain her urge to hunt her own young. At this point, paternal instinct was very unreliable—when hungry, a male White Ghoul would not only eat its offspring but also its mate.

Of course, female White Ghouls also had instances of eating their young. In general, their intelligence was low, and the genes of slaughter flowed through their blood. Sometimes, maternal instinct couldn't overcome the bloodthirsty nature.

Fortunately, their reproductive ability was extremely strong; otherwise, the White Ghoul species would wipe itself out.

Humans forcibly applying their own societal theories could barely explain some situations, but this was, after all, a magical Different Dimension World. Many things couldn't be explained clearly. The species here were extremely singular, seemingly unable to form a complete biological chain.

Back to the main topic.

Jiang Xiao, wearing a snow-colored camouflage uniform, deep blue ski goggles, and carrying a marching pack, followed Xia Yan into the snowfield.

Xia Yan, also in snow-colored camouflage, carried a two-meter-long giant blade on her back, taking the lead.

Returning to this magical world, Jiang Xiao felt as if an age had passed.

It was still that world of white snow, still that dim sky. The stars in the sky were brilliant, and the distant horizon shimmered with dreamlike auroras.

This scene was so magnificent, more stunning than any sci-fi blockbuster.

"What exactly is our mission this time? Testing the results of my week's training?" Jiang Xiao caught up to Xia Yan ahead and asked.

Compared to last time, the weather conditions in the snowfield were much better this time. No howling wind; it was utterly silent here.

Xia Yan walked forward, her feet crunching on the snow, a pleasant sound.

She said, "Pretty much."

Jiang Xiao probed, "Isn't this a bit aggressive? I've only trained for a week, just learned some basic moves."

"But I think your fundamentals are very solid, even more solid than mine back then. Don't sell yourself short." Xia Yan turned to look at Jiang Xiao. Her beautiful eyes, set against the backdrop of the brilliant starry river, were incredibly enchanting.

"Uh..." Jiang Xiao hesitated. Maybe because of the Inner Star Map, although his Barehanded Combat was only Bronze Quality Lv.5, his grasp of the moves was really solid.

"Read ten thousand books, and of course, travel ten thousand miles." Xia Yan strode forward, finally showing a bit of a mentor's demeanor. "Before this, you were just a rookie who knew nothing, with nothing in your belly. Even if you traveled ten thousand miles, you'd just be a mailman."

Xia Yan patted Jiang Xiao's shoulder and continued, "But now it's different. You've completed in a week what I expected to take a month. You've read a few books now; it's time to hit the road."

Jiang Xiao stayed silent, knowing she had more to say.

"Training is, after all, training. Lei Jin only gives you the pressure of winning or losing, but a White Ghoul gives you the pressure of life and death." Xia Yan said softly. "A true beast is never trained; it's forged through killing."

"You're far more promising, more determined, and harder-working than your sister imagined. I've seen your transformation over these seven days. Even I find it unbelievable, but you really did it." Xia Yan's words made Jiang Xiao's heart feel ice-cold.

Had he been too flashy? He should have kept a lower profile.

"Your basic moves are already very solid. You're indeed a genius, a genius with only 9 Star Slots." Xia Yan's tone held both admiration and regret.

"For the next ten days, the two of us will live here." Xia Yan walked forward, spotted the red light of the Red Star Flag in the sky, and grabbed Jiang Xiao's shoulder, turning his face straight. "Surviving in this snowfield."

Jiang Xiao: ???

Xia Yan laughed, "Forget about that outpost. We won't set foot there even once."

Jiang Xiao stopped in his tracks, his expression serious. "I think this mission would be more suitable for me a month from now."

"No." Xia Yan shook her head, smiling. "Ten days from now, you'll return to school for the tail end of military training. Fifteen days from now, you'll shine in the military training graduation exam. After that, you'll be promoted into my squad."

Jiang Xiao was silent for a long moment, then said, "Xia Yan, I'm very grateful for everything you've done for me, but I'm only in my first year of high school. My body is just developing, my star power is still thin. Going on outdoor missions with you top seniors in your third year isn't ideal..."

"Then let me put it another way." Xia Yan cut him off forcefully. "You'll join your sister's squad. Her team is short a support member. You know how rare Medical Awakened are, and you know how important support is to a team."

Jiang Xiao said with some difficulty, "I'm just a small fry with a Bronze Quality 'Blessing' Star Technique. I'm not stupid—I've seen your strength. Even counting all the high schools in Beijiang Province, you're among the top. I couldn't even last a single round in your hands."

"Having a basic Medical Star Technique already proves your potential. Leave the matter of a high-quality Medical Star Technique to me." Xia Yan shook her head, refuting Jiang Xiao's point. "Medical Awakened are different from other types of Awakened. You don't need to last a round in someone else's hands, because I won't let anyone get close to you."

Hearing that... how was it actually a little touching? Looking at Xia Yan before him, then thinking of Han Jiangxue, who had given everything for him, Jiang Xiao finally let out a helpless sigh.

"One condition."

Xia Yan: "Hm? Go ahead."

Jiang Xiao: "For all the White Ghosts we kill, the star beads are split 82—I get 8, you get 2."

Xia Yan: "I don't need 2. 1 is fine."

Jiang Xiao laughed. "You said that."

Xia Yan's smile bloomed as well. "Also, don't misunderstand. I won't be fighting enemies alongside you. I'm only here to protect you."

Jiang Xiao: ??? Didn't you just say you wouldn't let anyone get close to me?

Forgot that fast?

A woman's mouth, A lying ghost!