Mutual Damage

After the "warden" left, inside the Mutant Prison, the eight people from Lin Tiannan 002 to Lin Tiannan 010, excluding Yue Feng, had all signed their Oathmark and undergone basic medical treatment, so they gathered together for a meeting.

Ostensibly a "welcome party for newcomers," it was actually a discussion about how to deal with the monster "Yinglong" when it returned to the prison.

"Maybe we should just forget about it?" Li Xue said hesitantly. "That guy is too freakish. The most outrageous thing is that we can't even tear his clothes. How is that possible? Can his Superpower even enhance clothes?"

"It's Psychokinesis," Liu Yufei said, frowning. "I've heard from foreign media that his ability is a manifestation of powerful Psychokinesis."

"What's the use of knowing? We can't defeat him at all..." Jin Shaokang said despairingly, clutching his head.

"Hey, you're the first one to get locked up here, right? Didn't you say you'd never let this go so easily?" Qin Weize shoved him irritably. "You were the one who egged us on in the first place!"

"I thought we could defeat him together, but how was I supposed to know he hadn't even used his full strength when he attacked me before?" Jin Shaokang trembled with fear. "And didn't you hear the tone of his voice when he spoke to me last time? Even though we always caused him trouble, he wasn't angry at all, he was even a little happy! Don't you understand? He's a monster!"

"That guy, could he be a sadist?" Liu Yufei frowned. "It seems like that's a possibility."

"Definitely!" Jin Shaokang said, trembling. "He deliberately left this flaw in the Oathmark so that we could attack him in prison, and then he could beat us up to satisfy his perverted desires!"

"That man is terrifying..." Li Xue muttered to herself, biting her thumb. "I'd better behave myself from now on..."

"Actually, thinking about it carefully, this place isn't bad." At this moment, the Thai guy next to me suddenly said in broken Chinese, "We have no worries about food and clothing, and there are even entertainment activities. Let's live here for now... cooperate with the Special Response Department, and turn over a new leaf."

"Hmm..." Everyone nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, the "pervert" among the criminals was humming a tune on the Helicopter.

"I must say, the nine-in-one combination is quite interesting," Xiao He thought to himself. "The more prisoners sent over in the future, the more Superpower I trigger each time I come... Wow, this is so interesting! What Superpower will I be able to trigger? I can't wait."

He silently prayed that the criminals would cause some trouble to amuse him the next time he came to prison.

"Why did you take so long to get in?" Ye Wanqing frowned. Now they could finally take off their masks and talk.

"Do you think I wanted this? Every time I go there, those prisoners cause trouble. No matter how I beat them, they won't behave. It's such a hassle," Xiao He sighed, feigning difficulty. "But I did trigger a few new Superpower."

"Oh? Another one? What Superpower is it? Who triggered it for you?" Cui Man asked curiously.

Xiao He explained, "There's one that can absorb and control kinetic energy, which Qin Weize triggered—it's a very powerful Superpower; Liu Yufei triggered the ability to Assimilation, which allows me to absorb the Old God that Descent upon him and enslave them."

"Mmm..." Cui Man nodded while taking notes of what Xiao He said, "So, Qin Weize and Liu Yufei are both pretty good Trigger, not only providing enhancements to basic abilities but also special abilities..."

"That's incredible..." Xia Yu said with a wry smile, "Brother Xiao was absolutely invincible in that prison."

"He truly is the most suitable person to be a warden," Xie Haining quipped.

"Hmm... we need to make a record of them when we get back," Cui Man said thoughtfully. "We need to record every Lin Tiannan who can trigger your special Superpower, and then have Xiao Ting sign a contract with them. They might come in handy in future Mutant Competition. Even if we don't let them participate, it would be good to use them as Trigger for you."

"If I combine nine into one, I'll be invincible and can easily crush everyone," Xiao He said confidently.

"You're actually quite excited, aren't you?" Ye Wanqing asked, glancing at him sideways with a frown.

Xiao He's heart skipped a beat. He patted Ye Wanqing's head and replied, "No way, you child... you're just talking nonsense."

But what he really thought was, "She's such a good girlfriend, she knows me so well!"

"But you did a very good job on today's mission." Cui Man patted his head with satisfaction and praised him. "Your superiors and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs praised you for handling things very calmly and appropriately. The special envoy from S also sent a letter of thanks. Your performance was captured by many reporters on the scene. I bet some people are going to be so worried they can't sleep. Just thinking about it makes me happy."

Country M, inside the Keton Manor.

"Ugh, a bunch of useless trash!" Edward Keton, the third richest man in the world and only fifty-two years old, angrily threw his phone away after hanging up the phone, then sighed, "Oh well, he's Yinglong after all. It's normal that a few small fry can't handle him."

"Sir, what should we do next?" a man in a suit asked from behind.

"Give those S agents some time to study," Keton said, taking a puff of his cigar. "Then... if they don't make any progress, we'll have someone steal the samples. If they do make progress... then we'll wait a bit longer."

"Should we continue to contact Raven himself?" the man in the suit asked. Keton scoffed, "Nonsense! Tell him to handle this personally next time! This good-for-nothing, I gave him so much money, not to be a pushover!"

"Yes," the man in the suit replied, and then withdrew.

The White House, the Oval Office.

"Aaaaah!" President Herlangni angrily threw everything he could grab out of his office, while Defense Secretary Schofield watched in horror as his president went mad.

"Why haven't we found a single Mutant who can defeat him after all this time!? Have you really been searching properly?!" Herlangni demanded, throwing a pen on the table. "Did you see the video China released yesterday, showing how Yinglong dealt with Raven's gang?! They couldn't even tear Yinglong's clothes! What are those people doing?! And we even provided them with such valuable intelligence!"

"Sir, what should we do next..." Schofield asked tentatively.

"Do you even need to ask me about this?! Keep searching for the Mutant who can defeat him!" President Herlangni said irritably.

"But, in China, only Yinglong is truly formidable," Schofield explained. "According to our established rules for the Mutant Competition, our average skill level is higher, so we should win based on points..."

"What's the use?! If we can't defeat Yinglong, we can't dampen China's spirit!" Herlangni slammed his hand on the table and said, "I don't care what underhanded tricks you use, whether you hire two models to drain him dry before the match or secretly replace his equipment, just find a way to defeat him! We can't let these yellow-skinned pigs run rampant any longer!"

"I...I'll give it a try, Mr. President," Schofield said, wiping his sweat. "There are still more than two months until the Mutant Competition; maybe we can find another powerful Mutant ..."

"What kind of garbage are these?! Each one is more trash than the last. The things you throw out can accelerate infinitely, what kind of dog shit Superpower is that?! And this one, it can give people nightmares, this kind of trash Superpower not even as good as an ordinary person!" President Herlangni angrily threw the data in his hand to the ground and stomped on it a few times to vent his anger.

"These people, given the right training, are actually..." Schofield tried to argue.

"Shut up!" Herlangni gesticulated wildly at Schofield like a giant baby. "Go find me an invincible Mutant!"

Schofield meekly withdrew from the president's office.

"Ugh, I got yelled at again. It's all because of that damned Yinglong, what exactly is his ability?" Schofield sighed, rubbing his forehead in frustration. "And the reason we can't seem to crack China's encrypted network lately must be because White Marsh has developed a new algorithm! Her Plastic Decomposition Plan is also seriously impacting America's international standing! These two, one intellectual and one martial, are truly a major threat to America!"

These two major threats to the US have just bid farewell to the Special Response Department and returned home. After passing through the Tuantuan checkpoint, they changed their shoes and prepared to cook dinner.

"Oh dear, I'm so tired today." Ye Wanqing collapsed onto the sofa. "Old Xiao, what do you want to eat tonight?"

"How about we Golden Arches's today?" Xiao He asked hesitantly. "You're so tired, I don't want to trouble you."

"Okay..." Ye Wanqing thought for a moment and nodded, "Order me a Big Mac meal, the one's lower in calories..."

"Isn't it ironic? It's a Big Mac, but it's the hamburger with the lowest calories," Xiao He joked.

Golden Arches's delivery service is very efficient; the food arrived within fifteen minutes of ordering.

"I thought you only enjoyed my cooking so much," Ye Wanqing complained, watching him devour his hamburger. "But it turns out you enjoy everything so much."

"No, no, no! I only eat with such relish when I'm eating Golden Arches's or when you cook," Xiao He quickly explained.

"Hmph..." Ye Wanqing smiled with satisfaction, then said excitedly, "Hey, Old Xiao, shall we go to Willow Restaurant for dinner tomorrow?"

Xiao He asked with interest, "It's possible, but why are you so agitated?"

"Oh, don't worry about it, just come with me," Ye Wanqing said coquettishly, then fed him a piece of chicken.

After dinner, they went downstairs for a walk and took separate showers. It was already ten o'clock, but neither of them went back to their room. Instead, they snuggled together on the sofa watching a show, occasionally kissing as the plot unfolded, letting the sweet and sour smell of love fill the room.

They didn't go back to their rooms to rest until they were both so tired they couldn't stand it anymore.

"Goodnight, Xiaoqing." Xiao He cupped Ye Wanqing's face and kissed her.

"Goodnight... Don't you dare raid me at night, okay?" Ye Wanqing murmured, her face flushed.

"I know, didn't we agree to let things take their course? I'll take it slow." Xiao He rubbed her head, and Ye Wanqing smiled and nodded before turning and going back to her room.

Having a girlfriend is great... What should we do with her tomorrow? Xiao He lay in bed, making plans in his mind.

After a while, Ye Wanqing came to Xiao He's room and asked softly, "Old Xiao, are you asleep?"

Xiao He: "Zzz..."

"You stinky pig! All you do is sleep! I haven't checked on you for ten minutes and you've fallen asleep!" Ye Wanqing said angrily. "You call that a night raid? You're dreaming about night raids!"

The next day, in the morning.

"Oh no, I imagined the future and fell asleep immediately..." Xiao He complained as he came out of the room, stealing a glance at Ye Wanqing.

As expected, Ye Wanqing switched to her "Little Pufferfish mode" again, glaring at him with her puffed-up cheeks. Xiao He didn't say anything to her, went up and hugged her, planting a big kiss on her cheek.

"Good morning, my lovely girlfriend," Xiao He said softly with a smile.

"Hmph... you stinky pig!" Ye Wanqing was still a little angry, pounding his chest. "All you do is sleep!"

"What? You ambushed me again last night?" Xiao He asked with interest.

"No, no!" Ye Wanqing blushed slightly. "I just wanted to ask if you wanted a midnight snack!"

"Ah! You should have woken me up!" Xiao He said with some regret. Ye Wanqing felt even angrier: So eating a midnight snack was more important than a night raid on me!

"Go wash your face and brush your teeth, breakfast is almost ready!" Ye Wanqing urged, frowning.

"Cute Little Pufferfish..." Xiao He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek before going to the bathroom to wash up.

However, breakfast today was not plentiful; it consisted of only a bowl of porridge and two steamed buns.

"Eat less now, we'll go to Willow Restaurant for dinner early later, okay?" Ye Wanqing instructed.

"Then give me a kiss, otherwise there won't be enough sugar." Xiao He pointed to his face. Ye Wanqing rolled her eyes at him, then pushed his face away with her index finger. "You wish..."

Xiao He picked up the porridge and took a sip, a little annoyed, but Ye Wanqing suddenly gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, then looked at him with a smile. Xiao He nodded in satisfaction, "Hmm, that's enough sugar now."

"Are you a little kid?" Ye Wanqing couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright, hurry up and eat."

After finishing their meal and tidying up the house, Xiao He and Ye Wanqing went to Willow Restaurant to reserve a spot in advance.

At this moment, the owners of Willow Restaurant had obviously just opened for a short time, as they were still wiping tables and setting up benches, and there were no other customers in the shop. Ye Wanqing then grabbed Xiao He and ran into the shop.

"Boss, boss's wife, we're here!" Ye Wanqing greeted the two happily, then excitedly said, "I'm dating my husband Old Xiao! Hehe..."

"Ha!" The proprietress turned to the proprietress and smiled triumphantly, "I won! You're on top tonight!"

"Isn't that just like any other day? What's there to be excited about? You little strawberry." The owner gently pinched his wife's nose, then turned to the two of them. "Congratulations! You've finally started dating. What would you like to eat today? I recommend our couple's set meal, a set meal only for couples, it'll definitely suit you."

"Then this one." Xiao He nodded, a little curious: What's the deal with "only couples can eat this"?

The boss then turned and went into the kitchen to start preparing, while his wife had already been chatting with Ye Wanqing about the details of their relationship. "You're finally dating! Who made the first move?"

"You could say... they spoke at the same time, right?" Ye Wanqing said with a shy smile.

"Wow, that's so wonderful!" the proprietress exclaimed, resting her cheeks on her hands as she looked at her with a smile. Ye Wanqing glared at Xiao He reproachfully, "If he had spoken up earlier, why did he have to wait until now to start dating? He's so dense, he couldn't even catch all the hints he gave."

"Yes, I'm stupid, I'm stupid." Xiao He nodded, patting Ye Wanqing's head. "My girlfriend is always right."

"Wow, that's quite a quick change of attitude. You used to be so unyielding," the proprietress teased. "So, you've got the power to mate in your girlfriend's hands, so you have to obediently give in to her, right?"

"No, no... we haven't gotten to that point yet," Ye Wanqing said, her face flushed. Xiao He patted her head and said, "She was still a little girl, she was nineteen and I was twenty-one, so I should have been more accommodating to her. Now that she's my girlfriend, I should be even more accommodating. That's what the boss taught me."

Ye Wanqing felt secretly pleased. She stepped on him under the table, gave a soft snort, and turned her face away.

"Treat your girlfriend like a daughter, huh?" The proprietress glared at her husband in the kitchen. "You're just misleading people."

"How did I mislead anyone? A girlfriend is a capable daughter, isn't she?" the boss replied with a laugh from the kitchen.

Xiao He pondered these words for a moment, then nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Ye Wanqing covered her mouth, blushing: Married people are really amazing...

After chatting for a while, the owner brought out the couple's set meal. Xiao He finally understood why this set meal was only for couples. Except for the rice, which came in two bowls, everything else was only one large portion, to be shared between two people.

As for the set meal's contents, it includes teriyaki chicken leg, fried egg, grilled sausage, and fried pork cutlet. The vegetarian option is a whole eggplant and a small head of cabbage. Putting everything else aside, that whole eggplant and cabbage really makes one wonder: will it taste good?

However, Xiao He realized his worries were unnecessary. The eggplant, whether steamed or boiled, was topped with soy sauce and minced meat. The flavor was light, but the eggplant taste was exceptionally rich and delicious.

The cabbage is also prepared by removing the outer leaves, leaving only the tenderest part for steaming. It's then seasoned with a garlic sauce, resulting in a crisp texture and a fragrant aroma. These two vegetarian dishes perfectly counteract the greasiness and heaviness of meat dishes.

But Xiao He felt that the most unique feature was that all the dishes in the set meal were served together as a single unit, and had to be shared between the two of them.

"And this..." the proprietress said with a smile, then served a cup of mung bean soup with only one straw.

"That's the finishing touch! She truly is my little strawberry." The shop owner affectionately pinched his wife's nose and chuckled. His wife wrinkled her nose and smiled smugly at him, "Of course! Otherwise, how could she be your wife?"

Xiao He used to be unable to stand this kind of public displays of affection, but now he has a girlfriend too.

"Old Xiao," Ye Wanqing said shyly, after taking a sip of mung bean soup and handing it to him.

Xiao He took a sip with relish, then ate with Ye Wanqing.

"How did you make this eggplant, boss?" Ye Wanqing asked curiously. "It's so soft!"

"It's steamed. After steaming, rinse it with cold water to prevent it from becoming too soft and falling apart. Then, mix soy sauce, minced meat, and minced ginger to make a topping and pour it over it. This maximizes the flavor of the eggplant," the owner explained with a smile.

"Oh..." Ye Wanqing suddenly realized, then whispered to Xiao He with a smile, "I'll make it for you when I learn how to make it."

Xiao He was happier than if he had eaten an eggplant.

"This is for you, consider it a congratulatory gift on your relationship." The shopkeeper placed a slice of apple shaped like a rabbit in front of them, while his wife gave them a heart-shaped chocolate. "And this too."

"Thank you, boss! Thank you, boss lady!" Xiao He and Ye Wanqing said with smiles and continued eating. Despite the large portion of the couple's set meal, it only cost them thirty-two yuan, which was quite a bargain.

If we disregard the fact that the owners force-feed customers dog food, this restaurant is truly Xiao He's ideal restaurant.

He might not have been able to handle it before, but now he has a girlfriend. Come on, let's hurt each other!

After paying the bill, the owner and his wife watched them leave.

"I really like this shop." Ye Wanqing took Xiao He's arm and nodded with satisfaction.

"Shall we open one someday?" Xiao He asked tentatively.

"Forget it, feeding you every day is tiring enough." Ye Wanqing wrinkled her nose and made a face at him. Xiao He held her small hand and said, "Then make a wish, and I'll strive to fulfill your wish from now on."

"Actually, I like the kind of love in Inception." Ye Wanqing clung to him, staggering forward, "It's... just the two of us, with no one to bother us, where we can slowly build our own little world."

"That's easy!" Xiao He kissed her on the head. "We'll save up our achievements for now, and then the country will allocate an island to us, which will belong to the two of us. We'll slowly build our own little village on it."

"That sounds amazing, Old Xiao!" Ye Wanqing said happily. "Then it's a deal! We'll buy the materials ourselves to build a house, repair roads on the island, dig a fishpond, and farm our own land. How fun would that be? We can even invite Sister Man and the others to come and play together."

"Mmm!" Xiao He affectionately ruffled her hair. "You give the orders, I'll do the work."

"Hehe!" Ye Wanqing laughed sweetly, jumped up and kissed him on the cheek. "It's settled then!"

After returning home, they realized it was Sunday and they had to go to school at 5 p. m. for roll call, so they didn't plan to wander off.

So Ye Wanqing and Xiao He decided to make use of the open space under their building. Xiao He had previously promised Ye Wanqing that he would help her transform it into a place for stray cats and dogs to rest, so the two of them went to the property management office to inquire.

Money makes things easy. The empty space was a waste to leave unused, so the property management was eager to rent it out as soon as possible to make some money. They quickly reached an agreement on a rent of 30,000 yuan per year.