Inside a house, there was a strange portal whirling on the wall.
Three men kept on coming in with unconscious children in their arms.
Xu Guang, the one with the three men earlier who talked about getting the children, had a muscular build and was 2 meters tall. He had an anchor style beard and his hair was shoulder-length. He watched them moving then asked, "How many are left?"
The last man stopped and answered, "15, sir."
"Our five main course is next. Prepare immediately."
"Sir, Chang Xiuying is missing."
"Any signs before she disappeared?" Xu Guang yanked the man by his collar. The man breathes in deeply in shock as he answered, "None, sir! She was in the middle of the pack earlier and she was instantly gone when we came back!"
Xu Guang felt remorse. He unexpectedly recruited a traitor inside his organization! How can this be?! He personally recruited these men and someone sneaked in without being sensed!? The heck!
Xu Guang viciously pushed the man and fell on the floor. "You have to find that Chang at all cost!! If you ever see a man with her, kill him!"
"Y-yes, sir!!" The man trembled and immediately ran outside. The two men with him nodded at each other and proceeded in their work.
Only Feng Yi, Shin Meina, Yao Yun, and Alexis David are left to take. They are just mere children in their eyes, weak and fragile.
Xu Guang then contacted his other two brothers, Xu Huang and Xu Liang, using a projected plate. The face of the two men appeared. One young man was laid back on the couch in the background, yawning, while the big face of a man greeted Xu Guang.
"Brothers, there's a traitor. Chang Xiuying had gone missing." Xu Guang told them immediately.
Xu Huang, the man on the couch, said, "... I don't really care."
Xu Liang and Xu Guang, "..."
Xu Huang sensed that something is broiling inside his brothers' state of mind, he explained, "I won't benefit into it anymore. Since you bastards already decided that I will get whatever's left. I have no business with it. Just leave me alone, will you?"
The two older brothers nodded in agreement. It is true the both of them are the only one competing for Chang Xiuying and not their little brother. Indeed, what's in it for him? None.
Xu Huang sighed then laid down to go back to sleep. The two brothers can only give each other a stare before ending the call between them.
Xu Liang decided to ran quickly to find Chang Xiuying, the biggest fish in the swarm of sardines. Xu Guang focused his attention into finding the traitor and how did it infiltrated his organization. Also, to catch Chang Xiuying.
Meanwhile, Chang Xiuying was hiding beside this house inside a big wooden box intended for storing foods. She completely erased her presence with the help of Xue.
[Host, just enter and kill them. Seriously.]
Chang Xiuying went silent for a few seconds before saying, "Xue, can we not avert the attention to me? It will only cause more commotions in the village. They're already finding me."
[So what? Infiltrate then. It's not like you have any other choices if you want to end this quickly and 'peacefully'.]
"That's the problem. How can I infiltrate? Change my appearance? I still don't know how to change my appearance neither do I know how to learn it." Her eyebrow twitched.
[Host, can you, at least, learn to look in the system shop? There's a lot of things that you can buy there! Stupid!]
Chang Xiuying almost banged her head on the wooden wall of the box. "Alright! How much is it?"
[Around 1,800,000 Rubies.]
She just banged her head on the sack. As far as she remembered, she only has 400,000 Rubies because of buying those daily necessities and the training room for her. This mere skill book of 'Anatomy Alterer' costs for 1,800,000 Rubies?!
She had to complete her training and quests for two years before she gained 2,000,000+ Rubies! Then she thought, that this skill book is really worthy of its price. Maybe not…
She just thought that she can do this work without the help of spending Rubies for an appearance changer skill. 'Sigh. I'm really stupid.'
Chang Xiuying staked them out until Alexis David, Shin Meina, and Yao Yun was caught. They were put in a new constructed portal which is stronger than the last one.
She then thought that it will be best to just be caught and save them from there. Thus, she jumped out of her place into the roof. She came back into the group and ran with them again.
"Yi-Ying… you finally caught… up… hooo." One of the children talked and panted. Chang Xiuying also tried her best to pant heavily.
"Aaah… I… caught… up!" She wheezed.
[Ugh.]
"..."
Chang Xiuying sensed the men slowly approaching the group. She then crouched and ran slowly.
"Ying! Haa… we'll wait for… you! At… the end! Oh gaaad!! How much longer?! Cough" They wheezed out as they tried their best to continue further.
She raised her hand then weakly waved. "Yeah… yeah! Wait… for me!" She stayed at the very last and kept up with the men targeting her.
…
"B-boss! Chang Xiuying is suddenly here! But there's no one near her that is powerful enough to stop us."
"What the heck are you suddenly saying?!" Xu Guang raged. "Fine! Just get her for me!"
But then, a new projected figure showed up. "Haha! Brother! I'm getting Chang first! Hahahaha!"
"XU LIAAANG!!"
Xu Guang saw that the background shifted from the face of a big guy into a young girl panting and slowing her pace down.
"F*ck!!! Men! Stop him and capture Chang!!" Xu Guang bellowed. He jittered and bit his knuckles.
When he finally got a perfect person who will suit his experiment, but instead of it falling into his hands, it will fall into the hands of his second brother!
Disgrace! Such disgrace!
…
Chang Xiuying patiently waited for the men to attack and capture her. She squinted her eyes then frowned.
How can they be fighting in times like this? I'm already near the finish line! Hello?! Just get me!
She already passed the fifth instructor long ago and Instructor Wang was angry while looking at the students who passed the finish line.
"Where're the others?!" He looked over at Feng Yi and then to the newly arrived Chang Xiuying.
"Xiuying ah! Is there any more students after you?"
Chang Xiuying slumped at the very line then said, "None… cough."
"Did you noticed anything?" Instructor Wang suppressed his rage.
She turned over, spread her arms and panted heavily, "Instructor Uncle Wang… I can't even pay attention to it..."
Feng Yi approached then carried Chang Xiuying in his arms. "Instructor Wang, I'll take care of her."
Instructor Wang sighed and rubbed his hands on his face. "Okay. I'll find the other students. All of you!" - He looked at the children sleeping on the ground and some were on the verge of collapsing - "... stay where you all are!"
Not like they can leave in their state…
Feng Yi walked out of the group and dashed towards the village. Chang Xiuying crossed her arms and scoffed at this child.
"Xiuying ah, you do know something, right?" He set Chang Xiuying down before giving her some dry cloth.
She looked at him and accepted the cloth, but she kept it in her storage discreetly. Of course, she didn't forget to act like a very tired child. "What… are you saying?"
"You know something! I know it! Why else will you be last if you didn't? And why are you still here instead of being gone?"
Chang Xiuying's face became serious but then, a loud voice echoed out from the direction of the training ground. "Finally!! I'm here!!"
The both of them turned their heads towards the ground. Upon closer inspection, it was the little boy that was always behind Chang Xiuying in every training. Even now, he's still behind her.
Chang Xiuying left the bewildered Feng Yi and ran. "Steven," she called.
Steven looked over the exhausted crowd when almost all of them were sleeping soundly on the ground. When his gaze landed on Chang Xiuying, he waved and smiled widely at her. "Ying!!"
"Where have you been? I thought I was the very last one." Chang Xiuying pulled him out of the crowd.
"Some auntie stopped me while I'm extremely exhausted and gave me some bread to eat. You see, it's been three days since I had a proper meal and proper sleep. I got delayed when she talked to me, like, in a lifetime!" Steven laughed as he fetched out two bread from his storage bag and handed them to Chang Xiuying.
Chang Xiuying was surprised. She smiled then pushed back the little boy's hand, "Keep it. You need them the most and I already ate a piece after finishing the round."
Steven shrugged his shoulders then took a bite before putting the loaves of bread in his storage bag. "It's been puzzling me, Ying. Where are the others?"