Would I Get Zapped for Bringing an "Older-Sister Type" Home?

[I told you Na'er had that older-sister vibe. You didn't believe me?]

That was it—a grappling hook!

A simple grappling hook.

Nothing complicated. All he needed was a hook and a rope.

The bald man had already raised his hand.

"Get them, boys!"

The thugs attacked at once. They entered Martial Soul Possession, ready to use their soul skills to wipe Chen Xing out.

But Chen Xing moved too.

He snatched up his pen and drew an arc in one swift stroke.

Golden Wish Power poured from the tip, forming a glowing line in midair.

A moment later, a rope tipped with an iron hook appeared in his hand out of thin air.

The whole process took less than half a second.

With the thugs' soul skills bearing down on them, Chen Xing aimed the hook high and hurled it.

Then he wrapped an arm around Na'er's waist.

"Hold on tight!"

Frightened, Na'er clung to Chen Xing without thinking.

There was no time to spare. Chen Xing kicked off the ground,

and the pull of the grappling hook sent them soaring into the air.

Several blasts whistled behind them.

The thugs' soul skills slammed into the spot where they had just stood, blasting several small craters into the ground.

"What the hell!"

Coach, I want to report someone for cheating!

"After them!" The bald man's face had gone livid.

But Chen Xing had already flown off with Na'er.

The grappling hook carried them safely to the corner of another alley.

Chen Xing didn't stop when he landed. He pulled Na'er along and threw the hook again.

"You little bastard! Stop running if you've got the guts!"

The shouts behind them faded into the distance.

Chen Xing never looked back.

They fled for a full five minutes. Only when he was sure no one had followed did he lean against a wall, gasping for breath.

Na'er was panting too, her little face flushed, but she still had a death grip on the hem of his shirt.

Chen Xing wiped the sweat from his forehead.

That had been far too close.

If he had drawn even a second slower, those Soul Power attacks would have hit him head-on.

Na'er looked up at him. Tears still clung to her eyes, but she was no longer trembling.

"Thank you."

Her voice was tiny and soft.

Chen Xing patted her shoulder reassuringly.

"It's okay. They didn't catch us."

Na'er pressed her lips together, then suddenly asked,

"What's your name?"

"Chen Xing."

"I'm Na'er."

Of course Chen Xing knew her name.

But he gave no sign of it. He just smiled and nodded.

"That's a lovely name. I'll remember it. Where do you live? I'll take you home."

Na'er lowered her head.

"I don't know."

"What about your parents?"

"I don't know that either..."

Chen Xing fell silent for a second.

Had her memory really vanished that cleanly?

Tang Wulin hadn't shown up today.

What was he supposed to do?

Leave Na'er here?

Those thugs might still be prowling nearby.

After thinking it over, Chen Xing sighed.

"Come with me for now."

Na'er jerked her head up, her eyes lighting up.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I'll take you to my house."

Chen Xing had mixed feelings as he said it.

Na'er was supposed to have been found and brought home by his little brother, Tang Wulin.

Instead, Chen Xing had done it himself.

The story had gone off track.

But he had no other choice.

Na'er might be the Silver Dragon King at heart, but right now she had no memories beyond her name. She was a newly born personality.

In the end, she was no different from an ordinary little girl.

Chen Xing couldn't bring himself to abandon a little girl like her.

So he took Na'er by the hand and headed home.

All the way there, he kept turning the day's events over in his mind.

He had learned a fair bit about mechas, and his Wish Power had grown a little.

That was a decent haul, but it wasn't enough.

He had escaped with the grappling hook, but the problem was obvious.

It had been too close.

If he had reacted a little slower, or those thugs had attacked a little faster...

He might never have made it home.

At that thought, Chen Xing clenched his fist.

From now on, he needed to prepare more—things he could pull out whenever he needed them.

He couldn't draw something on the spot every time he ran into danger. The risk was too high.

And then there was something else.

Chen Xing remembered the look the bald man had given him at the end.

That murderous intent told him the man wouldn't let this go.

He might well lie in wait somewhere and kill Chen Xing the next time he appeared.

In that case...

Chen Xing wouldn't start a fight, but he wouldn't back down from one either.

He couldn't let this end here.

He had been caught unprepared this time, but next time...

A cold glint flashed through Chen Xing's eyes.

When Chen Xing brought Na'er home, Lang Yue nearly dropped the plate in her hands.

"Chen Xing, who's this...?"

Chen Xing gently ushered Na'er forward.

"Mom, this is Na'er. I met her on the way home."

He quickly explained what had happened.

Lang Yue set the plate on the table and crossed the room in a few steps.

She crouched and studied Na'er.

Her silver hair was disheveled, a trace of fear still lingered in her purple eyes, and her thin, worn dress was smudged with dust.

She was so small and skinny that she looked like a kitten caught in the rain.

The sight of her melted Lang Yue's heart.

She reached out and gently brushed the stray hair from Na'er's forehead.

"Did those thugs hurt you?"

Na'er shook her head.

Lang Yue looked Chen Xing over carefully. Seeing that he was unharmed, she felt a flicker of surprise.

Chen Xing had no Soul Power. How had he dealt with those thugs?

What exactly had happened?

But she didn't press him. Instead, she took Na'er's hand.

"Since Na'er can't find her parents right now, we'll take her in for the time being. From now on, she'll be your and Wulin's little sister."

Chen Xing had no objection.

"Come on. Let's get you washed up and into some clean clothes."

Na'er instinctively shrank back and looked up at Chen Xing.

He nodded to her.

Only then did Na'er let go of him and obediently follow Lang Yue.

Back in his room, Chen Xing let out a breath.

He shut the door, went straight to his desk, and summoned the AI Pom-Pom.

"Pom-Pom."

"I'm here, pom."

"Help me design a few things I can carry around. Preferably ones that fold up or shrink down. They're for self-defense."

"Got it, pom. Thinking..."

A few seconds later, Pom-Pom's voice sounded again.

"Suggestion one: a miniature warning device. It detects energy fluctuations within a ten-meter radius and alerts you by vibrating. It can be compressed to the size of a coin."

"Suggestion two: a folding riot shield. Made from lightweight alloy, it measures sixty centimeters across when opened and is only two centimeters thick when folded."

"Suggestion three: a portable stun baton. Its length extends from fifteen to sixty centimeters, and its power output is adjustable."

Chen Xing's eyes lit up.

"Those will do. Make one of each for now."

Then he picked up his pen.

Half an hour later.

Three finely made objects sat on his desk:

A coin-sized silver warning device, an alloy riot shield just two centimeters thick when folded, and a stun baton that extended from fifteen to sixty centimeters.

After making all three, Chen Xing thought it over and decided he still lacked firepower.

So he made a dagger.

"No. A dagger still isn't enough."

He decided to make something more ruthless!