Gion, behind him, seemed to have sensed his intentions too, and her aggressive sword intent temporarily subsided.
She probably also understood that they were about to go ashore, and continuing to challenge him now would be inappropriate.
Lin Xuan was the first down the gangplank. His feet touched the solid ground of the dock, and the transition from gentle swaying to complete stability brought his body a wave of comfort.
He had barely taken two steps when he suddenly felt something soft against his back, accompanied by a stifled cry.
Lin Xuan stopped and turned his head slightly.
Gion was clutching her reddened forehead, glaring at him in embarrassment and anger.
She had followed Lin Xuan off the ship, but with something on her mind, she had failed to notice him stopping and walked straight into him.
"Watch where you're going!" she snapped, a little flustered.
Lin Xuan ignored her complaint and instead looked her up and down. His gaze was direct and straightforward, yet it made Gion uncomfortable.
"Take your clothes off," he suddenly said.
Everything around them instantly fell silent.
Not far away, Smoker and Hina both froze.
Gion was completely stunned. Her beautiful eyes widened, and her fair cheeks rapidly flushed, whether from anger or embarrassment.
"Wh-what did you say?!" Even her voice was trembling.
As though entirely unaware of the ambiguity in his words, Lin Xuan took a neatly folded black hooded cloak from inside his clothes and tossed it over.
"Your Marine uniform stands out too much. Put this on. It'll make gathering information easier," he explained, his tone as casual as if discussing something trivial.
Gion caught the cloak in a fluster and stood stunned for three seconds before finally understanding what he meant.
A rush of embarrassment and anger surged to her head,