Chapter 116 Boomerang (First Update)
"He really knows how to seize opportunities," Hong Yan muttered, but didn't pursue the matter further.
She had a general idea of the abilities of the young man from Jin.
Those two guys from the military and the Intelligence Agency have clearly discovered something and are taking this opportunity to exploit Wu Youren's value.
For those in positions of power, this kind of operation is perfectly normal, but since the boy is a hostage from a foreign country, she cannot take it too seriously.
" Barbarian Tribe, huh? A bunch of them were just running wild at me."
Upon hearing this, Sister Hua was immediately taken aback. "Was that noise you made, Sister Hong?"
Didn't the military say it was an internal conflict among the Barbarian Tribe?
"I was just passing by and got caught in the crossfire," the Instructor Hong glanced at the soldier, " Barbarian Tribe infighting is a catch-all phrase—it can hold anything!"
The soldier Knight honestly replied, "The military's attention is entirely focused on the mountains; as for the outside, things are mostly fine."
"Hey," Hong Yan snorted, ignoring him and turning to the boy, "How many monsters have you killed in all this time?"
Wu Youren looked at her, then at Sister Hua, then at the soldier Knight, smiled, and said nothing.
"Six crystals," Sister Hua said without hesitation, "We'll provide him with supplies."
"Not bad," Instructor Hong nodded slightly. " Little Wu, are you going back to Red Pine, or are you coming back into the mountains with me?"
"This—" Wu Youren hesitated for a moment. After more than two months of running around, he was a little tired.
The key concern was that the Great Knight might discover his Qi Refining Stage level.
Hong Yan didn't like to ponder interpersonal relationships, but she could still see through something so obvious.
She stated quite simply, "The profit split is 20/80—you get 20%, I get 80%, and I'll cover the costs!"
Upon hearing this, the soldier and Sister Hua couldn't help but exchange a glance: Knight Apprentice and Great Knight, a 20/80 split?
In a different setting, the former could boast about exchanging a single word with the latter for at least three years!
Just as Wu Youren was about to speak, the white mist in front of him rippled, and a person stepped out.
The two were quite far apart, and before he could see clearly, Sister Hua shouted, "Hurry up, there's a fluctuation in the white mist behind us!"
Upon hearing this, the person suddenly sped up and started running, but it looked like they were stumbling a bit.
A closer look reveals that it is none other than the young Knight who wanted to go into the mountains with Wu Youren last time.
He was carrying a huge package, and it seemed he had made quite a haul.
He ran over, stumbling, and plopped down on the ground, panting heavily. "Water, water!"
Wu Youren handed over a rather large water bag – it was provided by the Intelligence Agency.
Sister Hua provided him with plenty of food and water; he couldn't possibly bury it all, so he had to leave some as a cover.
This is exactly what I need now!
Sister Hua glanced at him indifferently, without saying a word or making any attempt to stop him.
However, Wu Youren could imagine that she was probably gritting her teeth inwardly, "You drink water from your own water pouch, now you're taking out mine?"
That's why they say the world is a giant boomerang; if you don't believe me, just look up and see who the heavens spare.
What Wu Youren found even more interesting was that Sister Hua didn't even bother to stop her, let alone give a verbal warning!
The young Knight took the water pouch, gulped down about ten mouthfuls, then let out a long breath, his spirits noticeably lifted.
"This Weird Qi... I'm truly impressed, it's terrifying!"
The boost in spirits came a little too quickly; Wu Youren glanced at Sister Hua out of the corner of his eye.
Sister Hua's face remained expressionless as she calmly stated, "Let's rest for a bit; there's no rush to talk about the results."
"I know what I've drunk," the young Knight said calmly, "And there's no need to rest."
The Intelligence Agency is ruthless to outsiders, and ruthless to themselves as well.
Even knowing that some things can be addictive, they wouldn't hesitate to use them in an emergency.
He was very direct, but Wu Youren lowered his eyelids and didn't even look at Sister Hua.
The facts are already clear; if he continues to look at them, it will be a provocation—even if he was the original victim.
The young Knight took out a small leather pouch from his waist, opened it, and found a small Resentment Qi Crystal inside.
He said with no small amount of pride, "Finally, I've made something out of it, Sister Hua —this is mine, right?"
"It's nothing," Sister Hua scoffed. "You've already reported it, so handle it yourself."
"I certainly wouldn't be so foolish," the young man smiled, "Thank you for standing up for me."
Although Wu Youren was meek and obedient, he understood perfectly that if this person wanted to implement this crystal, he would still need to bribe his superiors.
This subtly contrasts with what the chief's daughter said.
Sister Hua neither confirmed nor denied this, but instead muttered under her breath, "Are crystals so easy to obtain now?"
"It's not easy at all," the young Knight said anxiously. "It's too dangerous inside; I've expended a lot of energy."
"If you factor in all costs, breaking even would be a good outcome."
All costs, of course, included his contributions to his superiors.
Sister Hua ignored her words—"If you plead poverty and I soften my heart, will you even lead the team anymore?"
She tilted her chin slightly. "What else is in the bag?"
"When we came out, we hunted a wild animal," the young man said with a laugh. "I've confirmed it hasn't been Weird Transformation."
He shook his backpack, and out of it—a Arrow Beast!
The Arrow Beast was also bound by vines, with several deep wounds on its body. It was still alive, but on the verge of death.
The young Knight laughed and said, "I don't know how long it will take to break through the white mist, but if we spare its life—we can drink its blood."
To be honest, life at the bottom of the Intelligence Agency isn't easy – no one's job as a frontline staff member is easy.
But the young Knight was satisfied. "Luckily, we made it out quickly, alive and well. Shall we eat it together?"
"So pitiful—" Wu Youren couldn't help but exclaim, his eyelids twitching slightly.
You really know how to catch Arrow Beast; you can still vaguely see the marks he used to tie them up before.
Are the Blood Curse of the Barbarian Tribe so easy to provoke?
The young Knight glanced at him upon hearing this; it was this guy who had given him spiked water!
This wasn't really a personal grudge, but he'd long disliked the boy. "How many did you hit?"
Wu Youren took two steps back, smiled, and remained silent.
He wasn't afraid of the other party, but he was worried that the young Knight might accidentally splatter blood on himself while killing the Arrow Beast.
Sister Hua spoke up, "Two pieces were brought out."
She didn't say much more; whether others could understand was none of her concern.
The young Knight's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he remained silent.
The boy's cultivation level was lower than his, yet he had arrived earlier and was in such good spirits.
Can he really insist that the other person just happened to be lucky?
Upon hearing this, Instructor Hong snorted coldly and spoke expressionlessly, "Are there any other strange creatures that weren't brought out?"
The boy was indeed a hostage from the Jin, but he was also a student of Red Pine under her protection.
Whom do you think you are, exploiting us so blatantly?
Wu Youren chuckled dryly, " Sister Hua didn't mean it that way. There wasn't time to clean up the battlefield after some of the Weird Race killed by the Weird-Exterminating Grenade."
At this point, playing it safe is the right thing to do. He needs to understand that Instructor Hong is ultimately Liang!
" Weird-Exterminating Grenade— " The young Knight's expression froze. You alone, dare to use Weird-Exterminating Grenade in there?
Hong Yan ignored them and looked at the boy, "A few days of rest should be enough?"
After a moment's thought, Wu Youren said, "It will take at least half a month."
Instructor Hong was not surprised; having experienced a long war, she understood all too well the extent of the suffering involved.
Even with occasional days of rest after more than two months of fighting, a full recovery is impossible.
"So, are you going back to Red Pine, or staying here?"
"Let's go back to Red Pine first," Wu Youren said, glancing at Sister Hua without saying a word.
The female Knight looked away, thinking to herself, "I hope you'll grow up and not think you'll always have someone protecting you."
"Go pack your things," Instructor Hong casually ordered.
After the boy entered the cave, she looked at Sister Hua and asked softly, "You're restricting his movements?"
She had no intention of standing up for the Jin hostage, but to exploit the young man was one thing, but to restrict his personal freedom was quite another?
"No," Sister Hua shook her head, but dared not say anything more.
She had met Hong Yan twice before, but they were only acquaintances; they had no real relationship.
If the boy were to expose the methods she used to deal with Wu Youren, it would be far more than just exploitation.
Three Knight from the Intelligence Agency chased after a Knight Apprentice, and somehow ended up in Weird Qi —it's hard to give a reasonable explanation.
She didn't dare to mention that she had withheld a sum of money from Wu Youren.
Although such delays and defaults are commonplace in the Intelligence Agency, and everyone is used to it, it cannot be brought up.
Otherwise, if the other party takes it seriously, it would be disregarding the Great Knight, or even provoking him.
In comparison, forcing Wu Youren to help him destroy some Resentment Qi Crystal is nothing at all.
Hong Yan snorted lightly and said expressionlessly, "That's enough. Enough is enough!"
She simply dislikes scheming and backstabbing, not that she's incapable of understanding right and wrong.
Sister Hua remained silent; at this moment, silence was the best option.
The soldier Knight's mouth moved slightly; he had been thinking of mentioning the traps and mechanisms again since the little guy was about to leave.
But sensing that something was wrong, he promptly shut up.
It's just that some traps are unusable. As for who might be harmed? Well, they're just unlucky.
Watching the boy carrying large and small bags leave with Instructor Hong, the three of them were speechless for a moment.
After a long silence, Sister Hua sighed softly, "I thought he was reluctant to leave."
The soldier grunted, but did not reply.
Wu Youren followed the Great Knight down the mountain and walked around the foot of the mountain for a while.
He didn't know what the other person was going to do, and he didn't dare to ask any questions.
Instructor Hong arrived at a large rock, five or six meters high and weighing at least ten tons.
She gripped the stone with both hands, and without much effort, she managed to move it aside, revealing a cave behind it.
The cave is not high, less than a meter, and about two meters deep. Inside, there is a mini motorcycle, about forty centimeters tall.
It feels like a large toy for children.
However, the more Wu Youren looked at it, the more familiar it seemed, and he asked in surprise, "This is yours—"
It's clearly the one Hong Da used to ride; is it a miniature model of the whole bike?
Is Chapter 117 it? (Second Update)
Hong Yan didn't answer Wu Youren's question, but reached out and grabbed the motorcycle.
Then, with a flick of her wrist, she easily put the stone back in its place, bent down, and placed her left hand on the handlebars.
The motorcycle began to inflate in the next moment, and within seconds it returned to its original size.
Instructor Hong lifted his leg, got on the motorcycle, glanced at the boy, and spoke casually.
"I told you, only Great Knight can ride my motorcycle—get on!"
Wu Youren silently got into the car and grabbed the seat pocket. With that thing around, hugging the other person's waist was tantamount to suicide!
In fact, he wasn't thinking about that; his mind was full of questions: How did they do that?
Hong Yan started his motorcycle and Gale across the wasteland.
The ride was very bumpy, but I was satisfied. No other motorcycle could run like this in the wilderness!
Wu Youren had a lot of questions, but he didn't dare to ask. He knew very well that his relationship with Hong Da wasn't close.
Although I handed over three thousand silver dollars, it was as punishment from the other party, to prevent me from casually using the banner of the Great Knight!
The speeding motorcycle kicked up clouds of dust.
Small, indistinct figures could be seen moving about in the distance, but no one approached to provoke them.
After a bumpy ride, the motorcycle became much more stable once it got onto the main road.
The husky voice finally spoke again, "You're very cautious."
Wu Youren didn't know what she was referring to, so he could only cautiously reply, "Mainly because I don't know the level of secrecy, I dare not speak."
"It's because your level isn't high enough," Hong Da said casually. "The methods of support-type Ability User can amplify and shrink."
She didn't think the level of secrecy was that high; within the circle of Great Knight, it wasn't a secret at all, and some Knight even knew about it.
The government did indeed assign it a level of secrecy, but this only applied to the martial artist's cultivation level.
This kind of information is indeed not suitable for ordinary people to know, but at that level, it's common sense.
Wu Youren didn't know how to respond. After a four or five-second silence, he exclaimed, " Ability User —they are truly amazing."
The husky voice spoke again, "You seem to be Ability User too."
"No, right?" Wu Youren asked in surprise. "How come I didn't know?"
"I'm also curious about that," Hong Yan said, driving steadily. "How did you manage to lack some of the characteristics of Ability User?"
Wu Youren looked at her back, trying hard to suppress the urge to unleash Fireball Spell; she couldn't be a fool.
He calmly stated, "I grew up in Jin Garden and have never had any access to information about Ability User. The military even said they could give me—"
The husky voice paused for two or three seconds before ringing out again, "Why don't you want it?"
"I dare not accept it!" Wu Youren replied calmly, but these three short words truly revealed the hostage's bitterness and helplessness.
"The military wouldn't go that far," Instructor Hong commented simply. "Oh, by the way, you'll be stuck there later."
"Sigh," Wu Youren sighed softly, " Hong Da, I really just want to be an ordinary person."
"Being an ordinary person isn't good," the husky-voiced man said calmly. "Nobody likes that deep-seated sense of powerlessness."
"Understood," Wu Youren dared not utter another word.
"I know you have secrets, but I don't care," the husky-voiced man said to himself.
As Great Knight, how dare he make such a presumptuous statement?
But then she changed the subject, "How about you make my car a little smaller?"
Wu Youren hesitated for only half a second before decisively replying, "Of course, it's great! I can carry it with me!"
"Hmm," a husky voice hummed softly, "This information is highly classified; don't spread it around."
"Don't worry, I may not have many other skills, but I am certainly cautious enough."
"I'd like to make some gadgets to shrink the motorcycle. Would you be willing to help me?"
"I'm willing," Wu Youren answered without hesitation, "But I can't promise to specifically target and kill the monsters."
Among the strange creatures, even the Resentment Qi Crystal come in many types; this requirement is really too high.
And the requirement is—how many pieces?
"Other strange items are fine too," Instructor Hong was easy to talk to, "The rarer the better, it'll be easier to trade them."
"I can only say I've tried my best," Wu Youren replied cautiously. " Hong Da, I'm just a nobody."
Hong Yan kept her head down while driving, and only asked after half a minute, "You must have some things hidden away in the mountains, right?"
"No!" Wu Youren answered without hesitation. This was the only answer; he couldn't be too slow, but he also couldn't be too fast!
"It's no use telling me that," Instructor Hong said steadily as he drove. "They don't believe it either."
"Since no one believes us anyway, let's just get started."
"Hmm," Wu Youren nodded again. What else could he say at this moment?
The other person's words were casual and understated, but the more he pondered them, the more frightened he became.
He originally thought that he had secretly hidden some treasures, and even if Sister Hua and the soldiers had suspicions, they wouldn't be able to confirm it.
However, if even Instructor Hong, who wasn't present, could make such a guess, then there's a big problem.
Whether it's the Intelligence Agency or the military, which side is reasonable?
Both of these organizations are capable of creating trouble even when nothing is wrong.
If you suspect him of having something to hide, resorting to threats and intimidation is standard practice.
The reason they hadn't made a move before was simply because I still had some use to them.
What will happen after he completes the crystallization task? Just thinking about it sends chills down his spine.
No wonder Sister Hua advised me not to rush back; this was probably one of the reasons—and perhaps the main reason as well.
Thinking about it more deeply, if Instructor Hong hadn't shown up, it might have been very difficult for him to leave that ridge.
This near-death experience brought him not only relief and lingering fear, but also a deep sense of self-blame.
I must have been stupid. I've had too much peace and quiet for too long. How could I have believed those two would be reasonable?
Tsk, I was too optimistic about people's character; I wasn't cunning enough.
Wu Youren composed himself and asked, "What should that kind of strange creature look like?"
This question is still classified and a bit rash, but Chief Instructor Hong doesn't think so. Many people who want to curry favor with her will inquire about her preferences in advance.
"There should be more than one type of strange object that can achieve the desired effect, but I only know of one—a light blue, honeycomb-shaped object!"
"Oh," the boy in the back seat nodded, "I've got it. What type of Weird Race should we fight?"
"I don't know," the motorcyclist shook his head slightly, then added, "The probability is higher when fighting Weird Transformation creatures."
"Hmm," Wu Youren nodded slightly again. To be precise, it should be "fighting the Weird Transformation Storage Eagle "!
However, he instead asked, "Was the more detailed information classified?"
The husky voice replied calmly, "I have no right to know more, don't you think?"
"No right?" Wu Youren nodded slightly. "Okay, I understand!"
Clearly, an information barrier has been established, excluding even Great Knight like Hong Yan.
Isn't it strange? He really can accept it; no wonder no Resentment Qi Crystal remain in the Teli Tribe.
"As expected of someone with a background in political maneuvering, you have good comprehension," the husky-voiced man said calmly.
Then she suddenly asked, "What do you need to formally attempt to awaken? I'm serious!"
"I dare not charge," Wu Youren replied without hesitation, "Nor do I know how to charge."
Hong Yan was genuinely annoyed. "I was the one asking the question, not someone from the Intelligence Agency."
"You don't even know Storage Eagle!" Wu Youren replied seriously, " Hong Da, I will do everything in my power to help—"
"I don't need anything right now. If I had to say something, I'd like to know what's been happening with my family."
The bonds of family are from his past life, and he is willing to accept this karma.
However, to say that he missed it that much would be nonsense. Even when his predecessor left home, he was only seven years old, and his memories were not very clear.
Since the Great Knight had asked him to make a request, he dared not refuse.
The key is that you can't go too far, otherwise it would be too inappropriate!
Therefore, his request was just right—neither too much nor too little—and it also helped him cultivate a "family-oriented" persona. Why not?
In his opinion, the people of Liang have a weaker sense of family ties, but as human beings, it is at least right to value family ties.
"Your family—" the husky voice paused before continuing, "... is beyond my capabilities!"
It's not that she can't handle it; it's just a trivial matter. The main problem is that she doesn't want to overstep her bounds!
But she had to admit that the other party's demands weren't high. "I'll see how things go later."
It wasn't a complete rejection; she was thinking—what if there was a chance?
As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized, "Is this even a request?"
"I'm used to disappointment," Wu Youren said calmly. "Even this request is excessive!"
Instructor Hong remained silent; these hostages lived with extraordinary caution and trepidation.
However, she had no intention of feeling sorry for foreigners; that was none of her business.
However, she was somewhat dissatisfied with the other party's low expectations.
If you don't contribute enough, it's quite difficult to expect the other party to help wholeheartedly.
Given Instructor Hong's current status, he wouldn't stoop to taking advantage of a child. "Make a proper request."
"I don't even know if I can get it," Wu Youren muttered softly, "How should I make my demands?"
"Consider it an investment," the rider said casually, his short hair flying in the wind, "An investment in a Ability User in advance."
"Don't rush, think carefully about what you want. I'm rarely this generous."
The boy in the back seat remained silent.
A few minutes later, a convoy of dozens of military vehicles drove towards us, forming a grand procession.
As the two vehicles passed each other, a large SUV honked its horn at the motorcycle.
Someone else peeked out, waved to Hong Yan, and said something.
Instructor Hong simply nodded slightly, indicating that he understood.
Not long after, another convoy arrived, consisting of more than twenty vehicles of various models.
Several more people greeted her this time, but Hong Yan simply nodded slightly as before.
After the convoy roared away, she casually remarked, "They were from other Martial Academy."