Bzzz, bzzz~
The security captain riding in the front passenger seat of the lead vehicle picked up a pager wrapped in a circle of tape and held it to his mouth.
"Speak!"
"Boss, the hitchhikers jumped out and left!"
"Got it."
The man driving said, "Captain, those two hitchhikers looked like they were wearing Guard Team uniforms. Why were people after their lives?"
"Knowing too much does us no good."
"I bet there were loads of gold coins in that bag of theirs!"
"What, tempted by the money? Then why didn't you just rob them back there?"
"We're not bandits."
"Good, at least you know that. Remember, there's money we can earn and money we can't. You get all sorts in the Fallen Zone, and only by following the rules can we go further. If we don't, no matter how much we make, we might not live to spend it! Once we reach our destination tonight, exchange these gold coins for magic coins and split them among everyone!"
"Got it!"
After jumping out of the vehicle, Xu Chao led Qin Xun into the forest.
Mengmeng was still scouting ahead.
Qin Xun followed behind. "Where are we going now?"
"To find somewhere safe to rest." Xu Chao glanced back at Qin Xun and grinned. "Don't be so tense. There's no way the Dark Pavilion can catch up to us now."
"There doesn't seem to be anywhere to rest around here."
Qin Xun looked around.
They were still in the Misty Forest, surrounded by towering trees. Fortunately, there were no thorns blocking their path.
"Who says there isn't? Just follow me."
Xu Chao seemed to know somewhere they could rest.
More than two hours passed, and the forest gradually grew dark.
Mengmeng suddenly sped up ahead of them.
Xu Chao and Qin Xun hurried after Mengmeng. After running more than a hundred meters, the two of them emerged from the trees.
The sight before him left Qin Xun deeply awestruck.
Strictly speaking, they hadn't left the Misty Forest, but had come upon a natural lake.
The fiery clouds in the sky were reflected in the water, and the lake shimmered gold and red. A gentle breeze swept past, sending ripples sparkling across its surface.
The dreamlike scene was like a beautiful painting, making one forget all worries and fatigue.
Lush green grass covered the shores around the lake, where birds sang and flowers filled the air with fragrance.
By the shore, a group of burly men sat on chairs in a circle, drinking beer and eating grilled meat.
Qin Xun had barely eaten all day. The aroma of the grilled meat immediately drew him in, and his mouth watered.
Not far away, several two-story wooden buildings stood with their lights on.
"Why are there people here?" Qin Xun asked in surprise. "I thought it was dangerous outside the zones, and nobody dared live out here."
"There's a lot you don't know about what goes on outside the zones. This is a guesthouse. I've been here once before. We'll rest here tonight and set out again tomorrow morning!"
As the two men and the dog approached, the dozen or so people eating barbecue on the grass all turned their eyes on them.
What drew their attention was the Guard Team uniforms Qin Xun and Xu Chao wore!
"Hey!" A bearded man stood up and took a gulp of beer, reeking of alcohol. "Which zone's Guard Team are you from?"
"Are you the owner here?" Xu Chao asked.
"No."
"Then why are you asking so many questions?"
"A tough one, huh..."
The speaker was a woman sitting in a chair, around twenty-four or twenty-five years old.
She had an oval face and a slender waist. Her long legs were wrapped in sexy black stockings, and she wore a pair of black boots.
"Well, well, there's a little brother here too. You don't look very old, but you're quite handsome."
Qin Xun had been good-looking since he was a child.
Though he still fell a little short of those truly handsome men who could captivate countless young women.
Compared with ordinary guys, he was definitely handsome.
He wasn't 1.8 meters tall, but he did stand at 1.75 meters.
The black Guard Team combat uniform he wore, in particular, elevated his bearing to another level.
"Come!" The woman propped one of her sexy, stocking-clad legs on the table. "Come help big sister take off her boots, and I'll reward you with a piece of meat!"
"Lulu, don't let an outsider have all the fun. Let big brother help you take them off!" A burly man with a lecherous look all over his face rubbed his hands and reached for the woman's stocking-clad leg.
"Get lost! What makes a bunch of old men like you think you're fit to take off my boots?" The woman imperiously kicked his hand away, then gave Qin Xun a sultry look.
"Little brother, see that? So many people want to take off my boots, but you're the only one I'm giving the chance. You'd better treasure it!"
"Let's go!" Xu Chao said.
"Brother Chao, do you want to take that woman's boots off?" Qin Xun asked as he followed him.
"Who the hell said I wanted to take her boots off? Who am I? Xu Chao! Do you think I'd take a woman's boots off?"
"Then why were you staring at her legs just now?"
"Weren't you staring at her legs too?"
"Because her legs really are beautiful!"
Qin Xun spoke frankly.
The woman's legs were beautiful, plain and simple. Not only were they beautiful, they were a sight for sore eyes!
He was already eighteen, practically a man.
And as a man, he ought to feel something when he saw legs like those.
If he didn't, that would be a real problem.
Xu Chao froze for a moment and stared at Qin Xun in astonishment. After thinking for two seconds, he grunted in agreement.
"Yeah, those legs really are great! But remember, don't go staring at beautiful women whenever you please. Women who can make their way outside the zones are no easy prey. They're all dangerous!"
"Look who's talking. Weren't you staring too?"
"I'm not afraid of danger!"
Xu Chao tossed his bangs and led Qin Xun into a wooden building.
The building had two floors.
It didn't cover much ground, just over a hundred square meters.
The first floor was a small tavern.
More than twenty people were drinking inside.
They sat together in twos and threes.
The lively tavern quickly fell silent after the two men and the dog entered!
A woman was mixing drinks behind the wooden bar. Her hair was dyed wine-red, and she wore a shiny silver earring on her right ear. She looked about twenty-five or twenty-six, a year or two older than Xu Chao.
She wore a tight black sweater and had delicate features. In both looks and figure, she was every bit the equal of the woman outside named Lulu, if not more so.
Noticing the sudden quiet, she looked up, glanced over, and lowered her head again.
"What brings you two officers here?"
Xu Chao went over and sat down at the bar. "Don't recognize me?"
The short-haired woman looked up again and studied Xu Chao closely, then suddenly smiled. "Well, if it isn't a rare guest! What, was the wandering life too hard, so you switched careers and joined the Guard Team?"
"We stripped these clothes off someone!"
"Everyone, carry on drinking. It's fine." As soon as the short-haired woman spoke, the tavern grew lively again.
"Business is good, huh?" Xu Chao looked around.
"Can't complain." The woman deftly pulled open a drawer beneath the bar and took out a key. "Building three, room 201!"
"And these injuries of mine-have someone take care of them!" Xu Chao pointed to his shoulder.
"That's a nasty injury." The woman glanced at Xu Chao's shoulder and held up one hand. "Fifty thousand magic coins!"
"Fifty thousand magic coins? When did you start running a crooked inn? How could a room and some wound treatment cost that much?"
"They don't, but you ran off without settling your bill last time. Shouldn't you pay it now?"
"True." Xu Chao lowered his head in embarrassment, looked at Qin Xun, then slowly shifted his gaze to the black backpack on Qin Xun's back.