They have blank expressions planted in their faces. What did Xiuying just said? Is it an alienated language or is it either of Jiang Hao's or Irene's origin language?
Chang Xiuying also have a blank expression. Are these people cavemen? Or am I too cryptic to be understood…
"And what do you want us to do?" Steven broke the silent atmosphere.
"Ah yes." The headmaster retrieved three iron-colored cards. "When the three of you completed this mission, all of you will acquire these cards which will exempt you from all the group training. It doesn't mean that the three of you won't take lessons in the Pavilion anymore. We still needed to teach you all the basics to form a peerless foundation for your body. This card will only be valid until you're no longer in Iron-level."
"Cool," Steven said it softly but Chang Xiuying heard it and became more suspicious of this little child. He secretly smiled ruefully.
"The only thing that you will do is locate the location of the Midnight Tales and report it to the Pavilion. However, this is an individual mission. Your reward will depend on the merit you will obtain in the process." The headmaster flashed the cards one more time and passed it to one of her attendants.
"When will we start?" Feng Yi stood up from his seat.
"Anytime you want." The headmaster leaned back and sipped her tea.
Feng Yi cupped his fist towards the headmaster and immediately left. Steven stayed with the eating Chang Xiuying. He then asked, "When will you stop eating?"
"Until there's nothing left?" She finished the last plate and she still asked for more.
Headmaster and attendants, "…"
Steven, "…"
"Xiu-Xiuying ah… why don't I give this to you as a deposit and you have to go on with the mission?" The headmaster put the iron-colored card on the plate with an awkward face.
"But I want more?" Chang Xiuying pleaded with her eyes.
"Xiuying… I'll give you more of them after you completed the mission and obtained high merits." The headmaster surrendered as she waved her hands to Chang Xiuying.
"Really?! Then I'll finish it!" Chang Xiuying stood up, held Steven's hand and stormed out of the garden.
The headmaster watched the disappearing figure of the two as the little boy keeps on stumbling with Chang Xiuying phase. When their figures were not seen, she suddenly cried as she hid her face with her hands. "My sweets!!!"
Her attendants slowly rubbed her back and head as they gently said comforting words.
…
Chang Xiuying whistled as she marched towards the direction of the perpetrator's location. Of course, she's taking detours and didn't forget to act like a searching machine.
"Any discoveries, Steven?"
"None here on my side. Ying… they hide like a needle in a haystack."
"We're already down to few houses since Feng Yi still haven't found it in his side."
"What if we found the lair first?"
"We're going to inform Feng Yi."
"But if Feng Yi discovered it first, our position will be disadvantageous."
"We'll only see." Chang Xiuying grinned as she released her Life energy throughout the Central Marsh.
Feng Yi was actually close to the location of the hideout, about 10 houses away, 2 blocks from their current position. Though he always knock on the door to talk to the one that resides in it when he passed by them, Chang Xiuying internally shook her head, 'What an honest guy.'
"Ying! There's nothing in Block 4. We're going into Block 5." Steven sighed heavily.
Chang Xiuying nodded. She still continued to monitor Feng Yi as she followed Steven in their discreet search. When they're halfway done searching in Block 5, they heard a scream near Block 6.
The scream was high-pitched that made Chang Xiuying's face contorted as she tried to recover from that sudden scream. 'Damn it! I didn't expect this at all!!!'
While still annoyed by the fact about the scream, Steven already ran out to the direction of the scream.
"Young Lady!" He shouted towards the house where the hideout is. "Release that Lady!!"
Chang Xiuying stood bewildered in her position. 'The heck? You really thought that it's a lady's voice…'
She purposely jumped high enough to see what's inside and saw two men staring straight back at her, their eyes turned wide as they jumped out of the window. Surprisingly, the window didn't break but they got through it as they pulled Chang Xiuying in.
She then saw Feng Yi being tied as he tried to scream with his covered mouth.
When they finished tying her hands and feet, she was thrown harshly to the ground in one of the portals.
Three little figures of children were awoken by the noise, Shin Meina, Yao Yun, and Alexis David. They saw Chang Xiuying curled up on the ground; they were delighted to see another comrade in. But Yao Yun growled at the two children beside him, "She was captured yet both of you were happy?! Have some brains!"
"Ca-calm down, Yao Yun! It's not intentional!" Alexis defended.
Shin Meina was still smiling while looking at the curled up Chang Xiuying. Her eyes portrayed endless hope.
Chang Xiuying groaned. 'Handle me gently, will you?!'
[Host… that sounds completely wrong.]
'I don't know what you're talking about at all.'
She slowly looked towards the three as she asked, "Are you all okay?"
"Huh? Ah… We're all fine."
"Don't ask about our safety when you're in trouble too." Yao Yun scoffed at her. Deep in his eyes, it showed his concern and care towards Chang Xiuying.
Chang Xiuying stared directly at Yao Yun's eyes as if she can read what's in his mind. He coughed lightly then turned his head away embarrassingly.
Alexis threw a glance with his lips pursed then glanced away as if he saw nothing.
Shin Meina was still looking at Chang Xiuying with hope in her eyes.
A burly and tanned man entered the scene as he kicked Chang Xiuying away from their group. She coughed out a little blood.
"Kid, where's the man that is with you?" The burly man asked viciously.
"Cough! Who man? I was alone to begin wi-!!" A small figure flew out in front of the group. Vigorous coughing came and after it was wheezing.
"Let me ask again. Where's the man that is with you?!"
"What's with you?! Treat me like a child, will you?!" Chang Xiuying said in between her wheezes.
The burly man grabbed her hair and growled. "Women, children, men, animals; they're all the same to me."
'Shit.' She cursed inwardly.
Meanwhile, Yao Yun's eye color keeps on changing as he looked fiercely towards the burly man. His fist clenched tightly as his nails were almost buried in his skin. Alexis kept on calling him to keep his sanity in check but it was all in vain. After all, the one he love was being kicked all over while being falsely accused.
He can't accept it! He really can't!!
Sharp fangs grew out of his mouth, thick fur grew out of his white skin, and vicious claws grew out of his fingernails.
"Grrrrrr!!!"
Alexis, Shin Meina, Chang Xiuying, and the burly man were all equally surprised by the drastic change of Yao Yun. He became a savage beast in a span of minutes.
Is he really a child beast?
Yao Yun jumped out towards the burly man as he brandished his claws! The man's eyes widened and got nearly cut up by those sharp and deathly claws. His hands turned cold at the thought that if he got hit by that one more time by its 100% power, he would be really dead.
Chang Xiuying watched how Yao Yun kept on attacking while the burly man kept on dodging with a panic-stricken face.
She slightly wriggled and the ropes came undone. Her movements were subtle that the other two children still haven't noticed her. She already cut the ropes up when the burly man kicked her the second time.
Suddenly, Alexis stood up with the help of Shin Meina and helped Yao Yun to assault the burly man. The man got annoyed and threw a heavy punch towards Alexis but Yao Yun bit the man's hands that his fangs buried in its fist. The man winced in pain as he violently threw a punch towards Yao Yun.
As nimble as he is, Yao Yun barely dodged and launched a counterattack.
Shin Meina used her feet to boost herself towards the burly man when its defenses were weak. She looked like a tiger that jumps on its prey. Chang Xiuying was dumbfounded. Should she join? Should she not and just play as the princess here?
As the scene is getting funnier and funnier that three children ganged up on one man, to be precise, one beast and two children, she decided to act and join in.
When she got up, she softly touched her lips and hissed. 'Damn it. I bit too hard.'