The night was as black as ink. Warm yellow lights glowed from the Stone Fort outside the supply camp. Ning Rongrong stood shoulder to shoulder with Oscar before the fortress gate, her gaze repeatedly drifting toward the distant mountain road. She held the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, unconsciously stroking its surface with her fingertips as she asked worriedly, "It's so late already. Why haven't Fatty and the others returned? They didn't run into trouble, did they?"
Oscar tucked the last Recovery Sausage into his Soul Tool and patted Ning Rongrong on the shoulder. His tone was relaxed, though he could not hide his concern. "Don't worry. Fatty has Brother Gu helping him, and he has your buffs too, Rongrong. Even if they ran into an opponent at the Soul Douluo level, they could hold their own. They must have been delayed cleaning up the battlefield."
No sooner had he spoken than two figures sped out of the darkness. Ma Hongjun's Flame Spirit was especially conspicuous in the night, while Gu Zhinian followed close behind, his aura steady. Clearly, he had not gone through a hard battle. "We're back!" Ma Hongjun landed before the Stone Fort, wiped the dust from his face, and called out with a grin.
Almost at the same time, Dai Mubai and Zhuqing appeared at the end of the mountain road. Their clothes bore traces of blood, yet their eyes remained sharp. They had clearly just finished a fierce battle. Ning Rongrong hurried over and teased Ma Hongjun, "Fatty, you were pretty efficient. You got back even before Boss Dai and the others."
Dai Mubai smiled and shook his head. "The Soul Master team we encountered was higher-level, so we were tied up longer. But we dealt with them too." His expression shifted as he looked