The Third Rebirth (REBIRTH)
Ling Chen was momentarily dazzled by that smile.
Perhaps because he had been staring for too long, the "little brother" in front of him instinctively touched the small pocket of his jeans again—the place where he kept those three milk candies.
Was he worried that he might take the candies back?
With a soft "tsk," Ling Chen lazily smiled as the corner of his lips curled up, "I won't snatch your candies, you can eat them yourself."
Ye Xiao's gaze fell on the silver trim of Ling Chen's combat uniform, and he murmured, "I can share one with you... no, two!"
Ling Chen narrowed his eyes as thought stirring in his mind, and he drawled, "If I wanted, would you give me all three?"
He had only been teasing casually, but to his surprise, the other nodded with his voice a little louder this time, "Yes, if you want them, I'll give them all to you." He even emphasized, "All three."
The words on Ling Chen's tongue changed to, "Smile for me again?"
"Huh?" Ye Xiao didn't react immediately.
"Damn it." Ling Chen cursed under his breath because he felt like his brain might be malfunctioning. He wiped the expression off his face, "Never mind."
"Okay." Ye Xiao nodded while thinking that he was being quick and discreet as he secretly observed Ling Chen, from his hair to his eyebrows to his nose.
Irritated by the timid, animal-like gaze, Ling Chen spoke up, "Thank you for stepping in and saving me."
"No need to thank me!" Ye Xiao quickly replied, "I... I'm happy to help you." And this time, without waiting for Ling Chen to speak, he tightened his grip on the black scabbard in his hand, "I should go now."
After saying that, he glanced at Ling Chen once more, "If you encounter danger again, don't be afraid, it'll be fine."
Without explaining what he meant by that, Ye Xiao turned and hurriedly walked toward the woods with his steps a little flustered.
Only after the figure had disappeared did Jiang Cancan and Jiang Mu, who had been standing nearby, approach.
Jiang Cancan patted his buzz cut, "Chen Ge, does that little brother owe you money?"
Seeing that Ling Chen was still staring in the direction Ye Xiao had vanished, he followed his gaze for a few moments, "Otherwise, why would he not even dare to look up at you, and speak so softly? Can Ye here was watching from the side, and I swear he looked like he was about to cry from nervousness!"
Ling Chen, with his hands in his pockets, finally looked away while deep in thought, "He doesn't owe me money, and I don't know him." He then scrutinized Jiang Cancan for a few seconds, "Thomas Moschkovski? When did you come up with that name?"
Jiang Cancan grinned, "Stage name, stage name. Came up with it on the spot for some artistic flair, sounds impressive, right? But Chen Ge, how's your hand?" As he spoke, he casually handed over a tube of nutritional supplement, "Need a boost?"
Taking it with some reluctance, Ling Chen downed it in one gulp as his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, "I'm fine."
Yesterday, he had killed over twenty Silver Ring King Snakes and even though he had been careful, he had still gotten a few drops of venom on him.
The toxin had seeped through his skin into his bloodstream that left him weak all over, with numb limbs and a constant, dull ache in his bones and joints.
Not wanting to elaborate, Ling Chen turned to Jiang Mu, "Is there a place nearby where we can set up camp for the night?"
Jiang Mu pulled up the 3D topographic map he had previously constructed and quickly
confirmed, "Yes, about eight hundred meters from here. Low danger level."
"Alright, let's go." After taking a couple of steps, Ling Chen glanced back at the woods behind them—empty and silent.
Nothing was there.
Just as they finished setting up the tent, the rain began to pour down in torrents.
Jiang Cancan sat cross-legged while holding a cloth to clean the barrel of his K57 and occasionally teasing Jiang Mu, who was debugging equipment beside him. Jiang Mu, thoroughly annoyed, pressed the buttons with a series of loud clicks.
Noticing that the keyboard was almost being poked to death, Ling Chen decided to exercise humanitarianism and rescue Jiang Mu from his plight. "Jiang Cancan."
Hearing his full name called out, Jiang Cancan instinctively straightened up. "Here!"
Ling Chen: "Hmm, report."
"Report! Today marks the seventh day of our team's entry into Zone D. Following the White Leopard on the first day, the Boa Constrictor on the second, the Man-eating Crocodile on the third, the Mutated Brown Bear on the fourth, the Man-eating Plant on the fifth, and the Silver Ring King Snake on the sixth, we have now encountered the Skeletal Wolf!"
Jiang Cancan was about to ramble on with his thoughts when a sharp glance from Ling Chen silenced him. He coughed twice and continued his formal report. "Practice has proven that within the Noah System, the magnetic field disorder in Zone D is not accidental but a norm, as evidenced by Jiang Mu's instruments consistently malfunctioning. The unpredictable changes in wind direction are also a norm, as evidenced by Can Ye's shattered sharpshooter persona!"
With a nod, Ling Chen signaled Jiang Cancan to shut up and turned to Jiang Mu. "Jiang Mu, continue."
Jiang Mu put down his instrument and spoke in a steady voice. "Cancan—"
Jiang Cancan: "Call me brother."
"Comrade Jiang Cancan's summary of the magnetic field and wind direction is correct. Additionally, today I have confirmed that all the ferocious beasts and birds of prey we have encountered, including the Skeletal Wolf, are created by the chaotic data streams in Zone D." He made an analogy, "Just like the small monsters that would spawn in the holographic games Comrade Jiang Cancan used to play."
Ling Chen rubbed his fingers—a sign that he was thinking. "Are you sure?"
"Sure." Jiang Mu nodded with his expression tense. "The moment the Skeletal Wolf appeared, the monitoring showed a significant fluctuation in the nearby data streams. We all know that the Noah World is composed of stable data streams with Zone D being the exception, and was filled with irregular data streams. Now it seems that these data streams are not just capable of disrupting wind direction and magnetic fields."
"Hmm, understood." Ling Chen stood up and began to shoo them away. "You two go back and rest. Jiang Mu, write a detailed analysis report."
"Yes."
Jiang Cancan and Jiang Mu quickly packed up their things and retreated to their respective tents.
Ling Chen gazed at the relentless rain outside while lost in thought.
After two minutes, he pulled up the hood of his black combat suit and took a few steps outside then turned back and stood at the entrance of Jiang Cancan's tent. "Cancan."
Jiang Cancan poked his head out. "Chen Ge! Are you afraid of the dark or ghosts? Finally decided to sleep with Can Ye?"
"Get lost." Ling Chen reached out. "Hand over the candy."
Jiang Cancan, while looking disappointed, fished out all the candy from his bag and handed it to Ling Chen and muttering, "I don't know when I stuffed this into my bag during resupply, but the packaging is intact, and it's not expired. Chen Ge, you—"
Before he could finish, he saw Ling Chen step into the rain and walk towards the forest.
The rain pattered down on the forest and amplified the sound several times over.
The sky wasn't completely dark yet, but the dense woods were poorly lit, with shadows looming on all sides as if hiding terrifying beasts.
Ling Chen strolled leisurely through the bushes and finally stopped under a large tree as if he had discovered something.
His heavy military boots crunched on the dry leaves and twigs.
With his hands in his pockets and his head slightly tilted back under a black hood, the sharp lines of his jaw tightened, exuding a rugged and sharp aura. Looking up at the dense, overlapping branches above, Ling Chen spoke sparingly, "Come down."
There was no movement.
He stood still under the tree while counting silently in his heart: 5—4—3—2—
When he reached "1," a figure dropped from the tree like a falcon before landing steadily two steps away from him.
In his left hand, he held a black scabbard, while his right hand raised a large taro leaf that barely shields him from the rain.
However, the leaf's effectiveness as a rain cover was clearly poor because Ye Xiao's black hair was soaked and clung to his forehead.
In the dim light, his pale, delicate skin seemed to glow. His ink-black eyes focused intently on Ling Chen, as if asking what he wanted.
Ling Chen's gaze lingered on the hand holding the taro leaf, then he asked, "Have you been following me?"
Ye Xiao nodded, adding, "Yes, I've been following you."
"To protect me?"
"Yes," Ye Xiao hesitated, "You're injured, so I need to protect you."
Ling Chen chuckled and asked, "How do you plan to protect me?"
Hearing this question, Ye Xiao raised the sword in his left hand, "With Water Cutter, I'll keep watch for you."
After a brief pause, Ling Chen asked, "The sword is called Water Cutter. What about your name?"
Seeing Ye Xiao's lips pressed together shyly and his ears turning red, Ling Chen couldn't help but tease him and spoke in a slow tone, "Can't you tell me?"
Ye Xiao quickly shook his head, "No, of course I can tell you."
His gaze fell on the zipper of Ling Chen's jacket, and his voice softened, "Ye Xiao. 'Ye' as in leaf," he said while shaking the taro leaf in his hand, "'Xiao' as in 'good night.'"
"Ye Xiao," Ling Chen nodded, "I have some candy. Do you want some?"
Ye Xiao's eyes lit up, and he nodded eagerly, "Yes."
Ling Chen took out the candy he had been holding in his hand and handed it over, just like before, "Still milk candy, five pieces."
Ye Xiao hesitated for a moment then picked one.
Ling Chen asked, "Don't want the rest?"
Ye Xiao nodded, "No, one is enough."
"Then why did you take three last time?"
"That was different. That was a reward."
"A reward?" Ling Chen withdrew his hand to keep the remaining candy in his palm, "If it's a reward, why didn't you take it when Jiang Cancan offered it to you?"
Receiving no answer, Ling Chen, with rare patience, pressed, "Hmm?"
Ye Xiao finally replied slowly, "He's not you." His voice was so soft it was almost drowned out by the rain.
But Ling Chen still heard it clearly, "If it's not from me, you don't want it?"
Ye Xiao shook his head seriously, "No."
Turning his head, Ling Chen let out a soft chuckle.
And with his hands in his pockets, he turned around and said, "Follow me."
...........
At the temporary camp.
Jiang Cancan was sitting at the entrance of the tent while cleaning his gun and then his dagger.
And when he saw through the rain that his boss was followed by a young man, who was holding a large leaf for cover, he exclaimed in surprise, "Damn, Chen Ge really has gone down the path of selling his looks..."
Ling Chen stood in front of Jiang Cancan's tent, "Go squeeze in with Xiao Mu. Give your spot to Ye—never mind, give your spot to me. He'll sleep in my place."
Jiang Cancan looked at Ling Chen with disbelief with his voice trembling, "...Him?"
Ling Chen: "Yes, Ye Xiao, Ye as in leaf, Xiao as in good night. Any problem?"
"Only the new one laughs, while the old one cries! Chen Ge, I see through you now!" Jiang Cancan accused with his eyes.
Ling Chen impatiently retorted, "Stop pretending. Are you leaving or do I have to make you leave?"
Jiang Cancan jumped up as if pricked and waved his hands, "I'll leave on my own, no need for you to bother!" Then he raised his voice, "Xiao Mu, your homeless and sleepless brother is coming to you!"
Too lazy to listen to Jiang Cancan's noise, Ling Chen led the person holding the leaf to his tent, "You'll sleep here tonight in my tent." He added, "You can also keep watch here and protect me." The last three words carried a hint of novelty.
Ye Xiao nodded with his wet eyelashes like ink-soaked wolf hair while his clear black and white eyes looked at Ling Chen, "Okay."
After arranging everything, Ling Chen entered Jiang Cancan's tent.
Just as he hung his waterproof combat jacket aside, the communicator on his wrist beeped, and the team channel was flooded with messages from Jiang Cancan.
"Chen Ge, does my tent smell? I change my socks every day!"
"Chen Ge, Area D is really eerie. It gets dark after 5 PM, not only are the seasons irregular, but the day and night cycles are too..."
"The Noah System is indeed impressive. Even though it's a virtual system world, it's no different from the real world. I just got a little wet from the rain, and I'm already sneezing!"
"Chen Ge, that kid you brought back, could he be from the enemy side? His skills are too damn good!"
Ling Chen selectively replied, "No, his eyes are too pure."
Perhaps finally getting a response, Jiang Cancan's reply appeared on the screen in no time, "Chen Ge, you can read people's eyes?"
"Yes."
Turning off the communicator, Ling Chen sat for a while, then reached out to grab three types of cold medicine, along with a small bottle of mineral water, and went to Ye Xiao's tent.
As if recognizing his footsteps, Ye Xiao had already opened the tent. Ling Chen leaned in and handed him the water, "You got wet from the rain, so take the cold medicine."
Ye Xiao looked at the cold medicine in Ling Chen's hand and chose one of the three.
Ling Chen raised an eyebrow, "Even when taking medicine, you choose the one with sugar coating?"
Ye Xiao swallowed the medicine with water and then nodded while his eyes darted around, not daring to look at Ling Chen.
Seeing his ears red as if about to bleed, Ling Chen chuckled and stood up, "The cold medicine has sleep-inducing ingredients, so sleep early. I'm going back."
After a thought, he looked at Ye Xiao, who was holding his long sword and obediently looking up at him, "Sleep peacefully because there won't be any danger tonight, so no need to keep watch for me."
The tent flap was pulled shut from the outside, and Ye Xiao looked at the extra bottle of water before saying earnestly, "Good night."
.........
The next morning, Ye Xiao sat up in confusion, not fully awake, but his instincts made him grab his long sword and crawl out of the tent.
At a glance, five robust hyenas were circling the camp while occasionally letting out a breath that smells of rotten meat from their sharp teeth.
Jiang Cancan while holding a gun, muttered in despair, "Can't even let people sleep in the early morning, damn it! Hyenas have even spawned! Are we going to see a T-Rex tomorrow?"
Jiang Mu reported the wind direction and warned him, "Stop talking nonsense, or you'll get slapped." Seeing Jiang Cancan about to speak again, he cut him off with a single sentence, "If you keep talking, I'll beat you up."
Jiang Cancan looked at his twin brother with an expression of disbelief and deep distress. He even stomps his foot in frustration.
Jiang Mu: "..."
When facing enemies, Ye Xiao always remained focused.
So, after confirming Ling Chen's position, he didn't look around anymore.
Tightening the white bandage wrapped around his right wrist, he gripped his long sword and dashed forward in a series of quick steps.
His speed was astonishing; the blade flashed and accompanied by a short howl, a Hyena was struck in the neck that instantly turned into a pile of black ash.
At the same time, Jiang Cancan's accuracy significantly improved, and with two consecutive shots, he took down two Hyenas. In an instant, three out of five were gone.
Ye Xiao glanced at Ling Chen beside him, then flipped his wrist.
The muscles in his forearm tensed as the blade's light tore through the air, severing the spine of another Hyena. Simultaneously, he pushed off the ground with his toes then used the momentum to spin and evade an attack from behind.
In the blink of an eye, he switched the long sword from his right hand to his left, with the hilt turning as the blade thrust backward to pierce the Hyena's skull.
As he moved, the hem of his black clothes lifted that revealed a glimpse of his lean, pale waist.
As the black ash dispersed, Ye Xiao landed and sheathed his sword.
Upon standing straight, he looked in Ling Chen's direction while tilting his head expectantly and holding up two fingers, "Two milk candies?"