Chapter 71
At that moment, Han Fei felt incredibly fortunate to have received the Angel's Blessing— that small bullet casing pendant.
[Angel's Blessing: Attack Power +8%, Maximum Health +14%]
This buff increased Han Fei's health from the base 100 to 114, barely allowing him to survive Andoain's berserk attack.
Keep in mind that he was currently using "Shield Dog's" ultimate skill to reduce damage. Without this double protection, he would have definitely died on the spot, let alone 14 points!
Bang--!
Just as Han Fei was catching his breath, a crisp gunshot ripped through the lingering echoes of the raging energy!
Ding-dong!
Andoain's staff slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground.
With the pressure suddenly relieved, Han Fei collapsed to the ground in a sigh of relief. His blood volume was critical, and his vision was a blinding crimson.
"Boss!"
Texas's urgent shouts rang in my ears!
The girl's figure suddenly burst into his blood-red vision. Her usual aloofness vanished. Ignoring the mud on the ground, she knelt down beside Han Fei, her hands frantically pressing on his shoulders, her face filled with unprecedented anxiety.
His face was filled with panic; where was his usual composure?
"Don't panic, I'm fine."
Han Fei waved his hand, his voice surprisingly strong.
This is the power of a data-driven body. Even though his health is currently quite low, and he would die if touched even slightly, his physical skills remain at their peak.
If Han Fei wanted, he could run for another few dozen seconds.
The strong voice made Texas's tense nerves visibly relax for a moment. "I'm glad you're alright..."
The next second, her gaze pierced the kneeling Andoain like an ice blade, her eyes blazing with murderous intent.
"What have you done?!"
Before the words were even finished, Texas had already rushed towards Andoain like an arrow released from a bow. Her longsword flashed with a cold light and was firmly placed against Andorn's neck, the icy blade almost cutting through his skin.
Meanwhile, Mostima, who was checking on Lemuen, looked up at the sound, saw the furious Texas, her lips moved slightly, but she ultimately chose to remain silent.
Han Fei was healing himself with a blue blood pack when he heard the sound and immediately said, "Texas, calm down."
"Boss, how can I calm down?"
Texas's voice was as cold as the wind on the Ursus Tundra, but beneath that calm lay a raging fire about to erupt. "He almost killed you, and Lemuen even..."
"Don't worry, Lemuen is still alive, she's just unconscious," Mostima explained at the right moment.
But the atmosphere remained tense.
Texas's longsword remained motionless, as if it were about to sever Andoain's head at any moment.
"Phew, I'm finally alive."
A few seconds later, Han Fei breathed a sigh of relief, watching HP struggle to climb to a safe threshold.
"Don't hurt him yet."
Han Fei stood up and glanced at Andoain, whose halo still emitted a soft light.
This means that his act of harming Lemuen was not intentional, but rather an unintentional outburst of power.
"Andoain, I don't want to argue with you about things that are too far removed from our past." Han Fei sighed. "We can talk about it slowly after I've revived Lemuen."
"Good."
Andoain responded with a calm voice, revealing neither joy nor sorrow.
This fueled Texas's anger even more. She simply couldn't understand how someone could make a mistake and show absolutely no remorse or apology.
Han Fei withdrew his gaze, turned and walked towards the unconscious Lemuen, his hand now holding Hormone Gun.
Just as he was about to plunge in, two extremely familiar options suddenly and eerily appeared before his eyes:
[Search for Lemuen]
[Carry on your back]
"Eat?"
Han Fei froze abruptly, nearly pricking his own hand with the needle. He thought to himself, "The person isn't dead! How did the looting segment suddenly appear?!"
He didn't have time to think much; he just wanted to know where it was from and let him take a look first.
With this thought in mind, Han Fei stabbed Lemuen with the Hormone Gun while his hand, rather unbecomingly, opened the search interface.
The next second, the familiar search interface appeared.
Before opening the bag, Han Fei didn't have high hopes for what was inside. After all, it was Lemuen's bag, and who knows, there might be one of her AWMs inside. He was just opening the bag to satisfy his curiosity.
But what he saw the next second made Han Fei pause in surprise.
"Eat?"
Just wondering, why is my pink-haired dog carrying an M700 in its bag?
Han Fei couldn't help but mutter to himself, he clearly remembered that Lemuen was carrying an AWM, but there was an M700 lying in her bag.
But then I thought, those grunts were still using crossbows, and they still turned into Bizon, didn't they?
Thinking of this, Han Fei felt relieved.
This M700 looks quite familiar; it's a standard modified gun, classically equipped with a bunch of fancy attachments, but only a few are actually useful.
Just as Han Fei was stunned, 17 golden bullets were also fired.
In that instant, Han Fei was faced with a choice: take it or not.
The question only flashed through Han Fei's mind for a moment before he answered it with his actions.
He directly removed the panoramic red dot from the Bizon, then threw the Bizon away, and the M700 immediately took its place in his second weapon slot.
If you won't eat this, and you won't eat that, how will you get rich?
Han Fei had just switched to the M700 and hadn't even had time to look at the other things in his bag when he heard a soft moan.
He quickly closed the search interface and looked at Lemuen.
Under his gaze, Lemuen's eyelashes trembled violently a few times on the ground. Then, her beautiful pink eyes, filled with the confusion of just waking up and misty moisture, slowly, little by little, opened.
Volume 1: Chapter 104 Shelter? (Bonus Chapter)
The moment Lemuen's gaze focused, Han Fei's gentle, smiling face clearly came into her view.
Lemuen's pupils dilated suddenly, the initial confusion in her eyes being instantly washed away by immense joy.
The next second, a pair of slender arms climbed onto Han Fei's shoulders without warning. Before he could react, a gentle yet irresistible force pulled him into Lemuen's warm embrace.
Lemuen hugged Han Fei tightly around the neck, her voice filled with barely concealed excitement and joy. "I'm so glad you're alright."
This simple yet passionate sentence instantly shattered Han Fei's sense of being caught off guard and at a loss.
He slowly reached out and gently returned Lemuen's embrace, his voice unconsciously softening. "You were the one who was seriously injured and unconscious, but when you woke up, you worried about me first?"
"I don't know about those things."
Lemuen said softly, "All I know is that the last thing I saw before I lost consciousness was you appearing in front of me once again."
As she spoke, Lemuen leaned back slightly, creating some distance between herself and Han Fei, her gaze tenderly fixed on his eyes, and whispered, "So, how could I forget you?"
"Have you ever thought that if I hadn't been able to save you, you might have been in a coma for a long time?" Han Fei said softly.
"Is that so? That's rather frightening."
Lemuen said this, but the gentle smile on her face did not change in the slightest.
This makes it hard to believe she's genuinely afraid.
So that's what I'm saying.
Han Fei withdrew his hand, gave a thumbs-up, and said with considerable pride, "You're lucky to have met me!"
This was somewhat self-praise, but Lemuen didn't hesitate at all. Her beautiful pink eyes, as if filled with the melting snow of early spring, locked onto Han Fei with clear and focused attention, determined to meticulously etch his features into her heart. Her voice was soft yet unwavering as she echoed:
"Yes, meeting you is truly my good fortune."
"Eat?"
This overly direct affirmation stunned Han Fei, leaving him somewhat bewildered.
It's hard not to get confused.
To be gazed upon so tenderly and attentively by such a gentle and charming girl as Lemuen —as if all the light in the world were focused on him alone.
Who can withstand it?
Anyway, Han Fei was really starting to feel the strain.
Immediately, he touched his nose, feeling a little embarrassed, and said, "Right? I'm super awesome."
Lemuen noticed Han Fei's embarrassment; this brave gentleman was surprisingly inexperienced in some ways.
Lemuen found it hard to reconcile the man who now turned his head away because his face was hot, avoiding eye contact with the man who was courageous and willing to stand in front of her without hesitation.
But this contrast only made Lemuen's smile widen.
How interesting... Lemuen thought to herself.
Laterano have a natural love for interesting things, and Lemuen happens to be a true Laterano.
However, the understanding Lemuen didn't continue teasing him. She knew the principle of moderation; if she continued, this brave gentleman might really run away in embarrassment.
So, Lemuen's gaze naturally passed over Han Fei's shoulder and landed on Andoain was a little further away.
The moment Lemuen saw Andoain, her expression became complicated.
At this moment, Andoain was far from presentable. His usually neat robes were disheveled and wrinkled from Han Fei's heavy blow, and his kneeling posture had stained them with filthy mud, mixed with the dark red blood bestowed by Mostima that flowed from the penetrating wound on his hand. He was so wretched that it was shocking.
It was this shot that allowed Andoain to stop his rampaging Originium Arts.
Once upon a time, they were comrades-in-arms who walked side by side through countless days and nights; now, everything has changed beyond recognition.
Through empathy, Lemuen was able to sense Andoain's current emotions.
It was a heavy weight of apology and guilt, yet strangely mixed with a sense of sudden enlightenment, even carrying a hint of relief.
Lemuen always knew that Andoain was not Sankta born in Laterano, and he never thought of becoming a true Laterano. He would one day leave Laterano to find his own path.
Not only Lemuen, but Mostima, who also possesses empathy, was well aware of this.
Only Fiammetta knew nothing.
And now, it seems the time for parting has come.
After a long silence, Lemuen finally spoke, her usually gentle voice devoid of its usual warmth, carrying a calm scrutiny. "I think you should apologize to them. What do you think, Andoain?"
"Indeed." Andoain's voice was unusually calm. He raised his head, his face showing no excuse, only a deep sorrow. "I am sorry to have dragged you into this undeserved disaster... It is all my fault."
His gaze slowly shifted to Mostima, and he repeated, "I'm sorry."
The latter has already fallen from grace for harming a Sankta, violating the Law. This means she will be permanently banished from Laterano and will never be allowed to return to Laterano without permission.
Mostima, the faint smile that usually lingered on her face gone for the first time.
Andoain saw anger in her eyes, which effectively cut off any further words Andoain might have said.
He was powerless to make amends to Mostima; some mistakes, once made, can never be undone.
Compared to Texas's almost tangible rage, Han Fei's emotions were surprisingly calm at this moment.
He was more anxious than anyone else when the incident happened, but now that everything has settled down, Lemuen safe and sound, and he himself is fully healthy, Han Fei naturally has no need to be anxious anymore.
However, it was impossible for Han Fei to face Andoain with a smile.
Han Fei stood up, his gaze fixed intently on Andoain. His eyes held no anger, nor much disappointment, only a calm stillness. "Andoain."
His voice wasn't loud, but it echoed clearly in the secret room, "Do you think all of this was worth it?"
Andoain remained silent for a long time, so long that the air seemed to freeze.
Finally, he answered softly, "I don't know."
However, there was not a trace of bewilderment in that calm and even tone; only a deathly silence after the dust had settled.
He has found his way, and even if the price is destroying all the peace of the past with his own hands, he will never turn back.