Return

The off-road vehicles sped across the wilderness, their exceptional performance granting them unparalleled speed over the wasteland.

Against the vast expanse of yellow sand, the stars filling the sky appeared dazzling yet illusory.

Texas leaned against the side of the vehicle, gazing absentmindedly at the sky.

Beside her, Zhuang Xiaolin wiped down Death's Revolver while sorting through the spoils from this trip.

Those mafia members had brought along quite a lot. Zhuang Xiaolin had found five pieces of Originium Prime in their truck alone.

It was time to consider his background story, Zhuang Xiaolin pondered inwardly.

Lungmen's official forces had been investigating him more and more. Once Wei Yenwu searched everywhere and still found no information about him, he might remain suspicious for a while.

After all, this land had no shortage of ruins and legacies, and there were countless organizations hidden in the shadows. Pulling out a powerful existence from among them would not be anything strange.

Just imagine it: if a disease deemed incurable in this world were healed by medicine produced by a group of people, what would you do?

Would you send people to provoke these mysterious individuals whose background might surpass your imagination, investigate them slowly, or seek friendly relations with them?

As Lungmen's deeply calculating Governor, Wei Yenwu clearly had many considerations. He could not harm Lungmen's interests for his own personal gain, but he could likewise use Lungmen's interests to secure even greater benefits for Lungmen.

"Thank you... I..."

The voice from beside him snapped Zhuang Xiaolin out of his thoughts. He slid Death's Revolver back into the holster at his waist and looked at Texas.

"I know. I know everything. Sleep now, sleep peacefully. Everything will pass eventually. I have no intention of investigating your past. We can speak as equals, just as we do now. You know? Your name is a very nice one..."

Zhuang Xiaolin checked Texas's injuries once more. Though he was not particularly skilled in medicine, he had some ability when it came to examining wounds.

"Mm..."

Texas felt complicated emotions welling up inside her. It was not merely because of this dangerous situation, but also because of that friend from the shadows of her past. No, it should be called the shadow of her past. That shadow wanted to drag her back into that bloody, brutal world.

Texas did not even dare imagine what would happen if anything happened to Exusiai. That optimistic, cheerful Sankta was always clamoring for apple pie, grinning and joking around at work, sometimes tossing out wisecracks that made people want to laugh.

At first, Texas had not been able to accept someone with Exusiai's personality, but after gradually getting used to her, Texas came to feel that having a friend like that... was truly wonderful.

A faint blue shimmer surfaced in Texas's beautiful yellow eyes. As she looked toward the starry sky, they seemed to reflect the curtain of night, setting off one bright, glittering star after another.

Beneath the light of countless stars, Texas eventually drifted into a deep sleep, her exhausted body finally giving out.

Zhuang Xiaolin thoughtfully covered Texas with his black windbreaker.

Exusiai was in the other vehicle. She had probably become acquainted with everyone over there by now.

Thinking this, Zhuang Xiaolin looked up at the sky scattered with stars and gradually fell asleep as well.

A few days later.

Zhuang Xiaolin and the others returned to Lungmen. After settling Texas and Exusiai down, Zhuang Xiaolin decided to save the newly acquired 900 points for use when the situation became critical.

After discovering that one of Texas and Exusiai had to be a Child of Fortune, Zhuang Xiaolin decided that he would definitely fleece the two of them for all they were worth in the future.

After all, he had shaved off a little of the other side's fortune, yet nothing had happened to them. Of course he had to fleece them to the bone. They lost nothing, while he earned points; with those points, he could help them in turn when necessary. Wasn't that a win-win situation?

"Say, why didn't I get any points when I ran into Texas being kidnapped last time, but I got them this time?"

Zhuang Xiaolin scribbled and drew on a sheet of blank paper while questioning the system customer service in his mind.

"Because even if you had not gone to save Texas at the time, Exusiai would have saved her, and the rescue would have been a sure thing. Therefore, you did not count as having changed any of Texas's fortune then. This time, however, both Texas and Exusiai were badly injured. You saved them, so naturally you changed their fortune and gained points."

The system customer service explained leisurely. Zhuang Xiaolin listened while continuing to scribble on the paper, eventually producing a rough draft of a plan.

If he wanted to grow bigger and stronger in Lungmen, he could not avoid that old fox Wei Yenwu. Trying to snatch food from his mouth would be courting death, but if he wanted to share that food peacefully, he would have to join Lungmen. And once he joined Lungmen, without sufficient personal strength and influence, he might become a thorn in someone else's side.

Zhuang Xiaolin considered many plans, but in the end, he could not think of one that satisfied both sides. First, he was still too weak. Even though Death's Revolver had already reached level ten, its power was at most only one percent of a city-defense cannon's.

But that one percent was not to be underestimated. Though it was only one percent, the destruction it could cause was still considerable.

Yet that one percent could inflict only very limited damage on certain people.

Against those old monsters who wielded blades and swords and could casually cast powerful spells, he might be killed before he even sensed their presence.

That was why he needed to be exceedingly careful when making plans and avoid creating powerful enemies for himself whenever possible.

Zhuang Xiaolin pondered this matter in the pharmacy for an entire day. It was not until evening, when Rook brought him food, that he came back to his senses.

"Honestly, I still haven't gotten rid of this habit."

Zhuang Xiaolin stretched and muttered to himself. Although his status had become extraordinary, he had maintained an intense workload every day in that other world.

The habits work had ingrained in him had become part of his body's instinct. So long as the task at hand was unfinished, he would keep working nonstop like a workaholic until it was done.

Zhuang Xiaolin had originally intended to pick up the coffee Rook had just brewed for him, take a few sips, and continue working. But after sensing something, a smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

A little gray wolf was about to walk into the net.

Setting the coffee aside, Zhuang Xiaolin quietly turned off the room's lights. After secretly informing everyone of the news through the communicator, he lay down on the bed just as he had last time.

Outside, that Lupo girl who had suffered a setback before arrived right on schedule.