"Beautiful, don't go yet. We still want to have a little chat with you."
The bearded man in a military uniform grabbed Liu Zhaozhao's arm. His eyes were glazed with drink, and a smile tugged at his lips.
A bald man stood beside him, his scalp gleaming under the lights. He had a cigarette dangling from his mouth and looked like a thug.
"Let go!"
Liu Zhaozhao furrowed her brows, her voice cool.
Qin Dadi and Xiao Yunlong immediately moved to stand beside Liu Zhaozhao. Fixing their eyes on the bearded man, they snapped angrily,
"Let go!"
"Ha. A few stray dogs think they can shout at Master Dai?"
The bearded man sneered. He'd noticed their table a while ago. He'd been cooped up at the base for so long, surrounded mostly by men, that he was about to burst. The moment he saw a beautiful woman, it felt like a fire had ignited inside him.
Still, he wasn't a complete idiot. He knew there were people at the base he couldn't afford to mess with, such as high-tier Psionic Users or the scions of powerful families.
To be safe, he'd watched the group for a while and started by checking the number on the chest of the young man in uniform. After making a few inquiries, he'd learned who they were.
They were from the 319th Legion, a defeated force that had just retreated to Scorching Sun Valley after losing a battle.
He still hadn't figured out their exact identities, but anyone truly important wouldn't join a trash unit like that.
When the bearded man still didn't let go, Liu Zhaozhao's expression turned cold. A flame suddenly sprang from her arm.
"Hiss—"
The bearded man quickly let go. He was a Tier 2 Psionic User, so a flame wouldn't hurt him, but Liu Zhaozhao's move had made him lose face.
"Well, well. Didn't expect you to have such a fiery temper."
The bald man stepped forward with a wicked grin. "Brother Dai is a Purple Thistle Medal recipient. He's killed hundreds of Orcs, easy—a true Combat Hero. He's asking you to have a drink because he's doing you a favor, and you're still refusing?"
Purple Thistle Medal.
Qin Dadi and the others exchanged a glance. Anyone who earned that medal had clearly proven himself on the battlefield.
But being good at winning battles didn't mean someone was a good person.
Some soldiers held themselves to strict standards and lived by a strong moral code.
Others were fierce tigers on the battlefield, but once it was over, they were nothing but military thugs.
Qin Dadi pulled Liu Zhaozhao behind him and said calmly,
"I don't care who you are. Don't forget, this is a military base, not a place for you to get drunk and cause trouble."
"Ha. A loser thinks he can lecture me?"
The bearded man breathed out the smell of alcohol, a scornful smile on his face. "Your 319th Regiment couldn't even take Golan Heights, and now you've got the nerve to retreat to Scorching Sun Valley."
"Listen here. I was a vanguard soldier in the battle for Scorching Sun Valley. Every inch of this land was won by us veterans, bit by bit. Without us, would you lot be here drinking and enjoying yourselves?"
"So what if I make her have a couple of drinks with me?"
The bearded man's words pierced Qin Dadi and the others like steel spikes. For the 319th Legion, failing to take Golan Heights and being forced to retreat to Scorching Sun Valley had been humiliating enough. Having that wound ripped open now made them feel even worse.
"The Military Department will reward you for whatever contributions you've made. We may have lost, but I doubt we killed any fewer Orcs than you did."
Xiao Yunlong's voice was cold. "Move. If you don't, I'll notify the Disciplinary Squad."
At the mention of the Disciplinary Squad, the bearded man visibly shuddered. The drunken haze in his eyes faded a little. He snorted and said,
"Stray dogs with a temper, huh? Fine. I'm in a good mood today, so I'll let it go. But from now on, I don't want to see you in this tavern."
"This is a tavern for heroes and warriors. Cowards aren't welcome!"
When he finished, the other patrons cheered and applauded.
Seeing that, the bearded man grinned even more smugly and waved. "Da Chao, let's go."
"Sure thing."
The bald man gave the Earth Dragon Squad a thumbs-down, then swaggered out of the tavern alongside the bearded man.
"Damn it! They've gone too far!"
Xiao Yunlong's face turned pale, then red with anger. He wanted nothing more than to charge over and beat the two men senseless.
Fortunately, Qin Dadi stopped him and shook his head.
"We've only just arrived. Let's try not to cause trouble."
Xiao Yunlong's chest heaved. He said bitterly, "If I get the chance, I'll turn their faces into pig heads."
Qin Dadi knew Xiao Yunlong was just venting. Anyone who'd earned a Purple Thistle Medal was most likely stronger than Xiao Yunlong.
"Let's go too."
Qin Dadi waved a hand. Their pleasant evening had been ruined, and he'd lost some of his enthusiasm.
"Wait a moment. I need to use the restroom."
Qin Tian spoke up.
"All right. Go ahead. We'll wait for you at the entrance," Qin Dadi said.
"Okay."
Qin Tian nodded and headed toward the restroom, a faint glimmer passing through his eyes.
The night was still as water.
In a narrow alley, two men walked unsteadily with their arms slung over each other's shoulders.
"Brother Dai, that woman was really something. I should've grabbed her too, gotten a feel for her."
"That's why you're not as clever as your big brother. That girl's arm was so soft, like it was made of water—slender and smooth. Just thinking about it gets me worked up again. I should've kept touching her a while longer. Or maybe tried somewhere else."
"Haha, Brother Dai, where were you thinking of touching her?"
"Well, obviously... Heh."
The two men traded all kinds of lewd remarks, breaking into lascivious laughter every so often.
"Hey."
Just then, a calm voice sounded behind them.
Neither man had noticed anyone behind them, and their hair stood on end. But before they could turn around, a sharp pain struck the backs of their heads. The next instant, both of them blacked out and collapsed to the ground.
Beneath the night sky, a straight-backed figure stood behind them. Then, as if sinking into a swamp, he vanished into the shadows.
"Why'd you take so long?" Xiao Yunlong asked curiously.
"There were a lot of people in the restroom. I had to wait in line," Qin Tian said flatly.
"Ah, I thought someone had harassed you too."
Xiao Yunlong put an arm around Qin Tian's shoulders and said earnestly, "Qin Tian, there's something you might not know. Most men like women, but some men are only interested in men."
"Though you're a little less handsome than me, we're both good-looking. When you're out and about, you need to watch out not just for women, but also for men with bad intentions."
At that, Qin Tian couldn't help rolling his eyes.
Nearby, Qin Dadi chuckled, while Liu Zhaozhao said with disdain,
"Qin Tian is handsome. You, not so much."
"Wow, Zhaozhao, that really hurts. Am I not handsome? How about you take another look?"
The moonlight was gentle. The group walked back to the dormitory, chatting and laughing. The warm yellow streetlights stretched their shadows long as they walked side by side, a cozy scene.
Elsewhere, the two men slowly got to their feet. They felt the lumps on the backs of their heads. First, they were frightened; then, they shouted furiously,
"Argh! Bastard, I'll find you if it's the last thing I do!"
Before you continue