The Third Rebirth (REBIRTH)
Ling Chen's concern about tooth decay didn't fade even after a night's sleep.
Early in the morning while draped in his black combat uniform with silver trim, he leaned against a tree trunk and watched Ye Xiao brush his teeth with an intensity that lasted a full three minutes.
Jiang Cancan, sipping nutrient solution for breakfast, was astonished to see Ye Xiao's ears turn increasingly red under Ling Chen's gaze. By the time Ye Xiao rinsed his mouth with water, he nearly choked!
Jiang Cancan thought to himself: What kind of passionate drama is this early in the morning??
When Ye Xiao, clutching his sword sheath, hurriedly distanced himself from Ling Chen to practice drawing and sheathing his sword.
Jiang Cancan then sidled up to Ling Chen with a cheeky grin, "Our dear Chen Ge, are you revealing some dangerous fetish? Look, the kid's been scared off by your stare!"
Ling Chen shot him a cold glare.
Jiang Cancan immediately shut his mouth and got to the point, "Xiao Mu just received a message from the command center. But you know how the magnetic signals in this damn D Zone are all messed up, and Xiao Mu's equipment is hit or miss. Judging by the timestamp, the message should have arrived two days ago."
Ling Chen straightened up before turning his head to look at Jiang Cancan with his hair tips and eyelashes lightly frosted with the morning chill. His previously lazy eyes now sharpened, "What's the message?"
Jiang Cancan replied, "On the fourth day after we entered D Zone, those bastards from Holy Judgement also jumped in. Apparently, quite a few of them came in, but the exact number and their purpose are unclear."
Holy Judgement was a notorious mercenary group that would take any job for money.
They had clashed with their Second Division several times that resulted in a deadly feud.
The previous commander of the Second Division had been killed by this mercenary group, though Ling Chen had once single-handedly blown up their base like fireworks.
This kind of enmity was irreconcilable unless both sides were reborn together.
Ling Chen rubbed his thumb and forefinger together, clearly deep in thought, "What else?"
"And also, we're too few in number. The command center is worried we'll be at a disadvantage against Holy Judgement, so they've pulled a small team from Soaring Dragon to back us up. But honestly, those kids from Soaring Dragon can barely hold their guns steady. What are they here for? To get trained by Can Ye? Anyway, they lost contact as soon as they entered, and now we have no idea where they're holed up."
On the military intranet, there was a saying: "Better not join Soaring Dragon in life, nor Cheetah in death, and never, ever join the Second Division, even if life is worse than death."
Ling Chen didn't comment on whether the Soaring Dragon Special Operations Team was really that incompetent. Instead, he suddenly said, "Ye Xiao said he'll leave once my injuries heal."
Jiang Cancan didn't catch Ling Chen's point, "So, Chen Ge, are your injuries healed yet?"
Ling Chen replied calmly, "Almost. My bones still ache, but I can shoot and take down those Holy Judgement bastards without a problem."
Just as Jiang Cancan was starting to feel relieved, Ling Chen added, "Don't tell Ye Xiao."
Jiang Cancan: ??
"Since Holy Judgement is here, it's too dangerous for Ye Xiao to act alone." Ling Chen felt it was safer to keep the person he cared about under his own protection.
Once they dealt with Holy Judgement, he could let Ye Xiao go on his own mission.
That seemed like a good plan.
Having made up his mind, Ling Chen looked at Jiang Cancan, "Don't blab, got it?"
Completely at a loss, Jiang Cancan didn't know what exactly counted as "talking too much," so he simply spoke less in front of Ye Xiao.
However, his inner desire to chatter couldn't be suppressed, so he ended up muttering incessantly to his younger brother—causing Jiang Mu to nearly snap the monitor in half with his cold expression.
After noon, upon emerging from the forest, Jiang Cancan ran swiftly with the K57 on his shoulder.
Ye Xiao watched his lively figure with curiosity and his eyes filled with confusion.
Ling Chen didn't explain but continued leading him forward until they stopped in front of an enormous vine plant.
This plant was exceptionally lush, with broad leaves and finger-thick stems forming a massive green wall.
Ye Xiao saw Jiang Cancan charge straight into it without stopping.
Shortly after, the sound of an engine starting suddenly echoed. In just a few blinks, an armored vehicle drove out from behind the "green wall."
Jiang Cancan stuck his big head out of the driver's window, "Can Ye is so damn sick of the taste of nutrient solution!"
Only then did Ling Chen explain to Ye Xiao, "The car we drove into D Zone couldn't go through the forest, so we parked it here."
Seeing Ye Xiao obediently nod while holding his sword, a faint smile appeared at the corner of Ling Chen's mouth, "Sweet milk, want some?"
"Yes!"
.............
Half an hour later, Ye Xiao couldn't take his eyes off the canned yellow apricots in syrup that Ling Chen was holding while he was still cradling a can of sweetened pure milk in his hands and with a ring of milk foam around his mouth. Even after licking it twice with his tongue, it wasn't completely gone.
Ling Chen beckoned him, "Come closer."
Ye Xiao obediently leaned in while looking at Ling Chen, "Do you want some sweet milk too? I'll share."
"I don't drink milk." Ling Chen took a tissue and carefully wiped the milk foam from Ye Xiao's lips, "Alright, keep drinking. I'll open the can for you."
Ye Xiao sat back and watched as Ling Chen untied a multi-functional military knife from his left back waistband then flicked open the blade, and quickly opened the can.
Ling Chen handed the can to Ye Xiao, "It's yours."
Ye Xiao's distinctly curved eyes crinkled as he carefully held the can with his eyes lighting up at the sight of the golden fruit inside, "Really, all for me?"
"Who else would I give it to?" Seeing Ye Xiao's ears turn red again, Ling Chen clicked his tongue and his voice softened slightly, "What are you thinking about that's making you shy?"
Ye Xiao while holding the sweet milk and the canned yellow apricots in syrup, averted his gaze, "N-nothing and I'm not shy."
Ling Chen chuckled but did not tease him any further and turned to ask Jiang Cancan, "Can we eat now?"
"Eat, eat, eat! Can Ye hasn't smelled meat in days!"Jiang Cancan was clearly excited as he took a deep, intoxicated breath in front of the four military helmets boiling with canned beef, "The world with meat is so wonderful!"
"Pathetic." Ling Chen sat down then he first selected a helmet and handed it to Ye Xiao then reminding him, "It's hot, so eat slowly." Seeing Ye Xiao nod, he casually picked up another one and grabbed some chopsticks.
Jiang Cancan, unafraid of the heat, devoured half of his portion in just a few bites. He glanced at Ye Xiao, who was eating carefully, then at Ling Chen, and remarked with curiosity, "Hey, didn't expect the kid to have the same weird chopstick grip as Chen Ge!"
Ling Chen glanced at Ye Xiao's hand holding the chopsticks but before he could speak, Jiang Cancan, who had just finished eating, energetically continued chattering, "I thought only Chen Ge used chopsticks like this in the world, and no one else could imitate it. I didn’t expect the kid to use them the same way!"
Ye Xiao lowered his eyes amidst the rising steam from the stewed beef and his eyelashes fluttering slightly. His voice was soft, "Someone taught me before that you shouldn’t grab hot things with your hands because it hurts. You should use chopsticks."
Jiang Cancan, being thick-skinned, didn’t catch the underlying issue in his words and quickly shifted the topic. Jiang Mu, however, gave Ye Xiao a thoughtful look.
After the meal, Jiang Cancan volunteered to clean up, while Jiang Mu went to the passenger seat to adjust the equipment and Ling Chen took Ye Xiao into the back compartment.
Ling Chen asked, "Do you want to rest?"
Ye Xiao shook his head, "No need." He was already accustomed to staying alert all day and didn’t feel tired.
Ling Chen hummed in acknowledgment, "Then do whatever you like. I’ll get to work."
Ye Xiao nodded before sitting nearby with his long sword in his arms and watching curiously as Ling Chen pulled out a large black box from under the seat. Inside were various parts.
Not wanting to disturb Ling Chen, he stayed quiet and just simply observing.
Accustomed to Jiang Cancan’s constant chatter, Ling Chen found the silence in the compartment a bit unusual. He asked Ye Xiao, "Want to chat?"
Ye Xiao carefully moved over and squatted beside the box, "What are you doing now?"
"Assembling a gun from spare parts," Ling Chen replied. As he spoke, the gun in his hands took shape. He fiddled with it for a moment and about to set it aside but upon noticing the curiosity in Ye Xiao’s clear black-and-white eyes, he handed it over, "Want to feel it?"
Ye Xiao took it with his eyes widening slightly, "It’s a bit heavy."
Ling Chen began picking out more parts and assembling them with swift hands while chatting with Ye Xiao, "Hmm, do you know how to use it?"
"No, I only know how to use Water Cutter."
"Then I’ll teach you sometime."
"Okay!" But Ye Xiao’s expression suddenly froze. He tilted his head while staring at the compartment wall, "It seems… something’s coming."
Ling Chen looked up while squinting slightly. Without doubt, he asked, "What is it? Which direction?"
Ye Xiao focused, "I don’t know what it is, but it’s coming from the five o’clock direction."
"Good." Ling Chen gripped the two assembled guns in his hands before climbing up to the compartment door and raising his voice, "Cancan, get back here!"
Jiang Cancan ran over while carrying four stacked helmets, "Chen Ge, you called me?"
Ling Chen said gravely, "Ye Xiao says something’s coming from the five o’clock direction."
At that moment, Ye Xiao peeked out from behind Ling Chen before hesitating, "Not just the five o’clock direction. There’s also something from the nine o’clock and one o’clock directions."
Jiang Cancan’s face fell, "Damn, is this weird D Zone spawning monsters again?" He tossed the helmets into the compartment and unceremoniously grabbed a gun from Ling Chen before shouting toward the driver’s seat, "Cute little brother, what’s the wind direction and bullet deviation now?"
Jiang Mu reported two numbers. At the same time, Ye Xiao’s voice rang out, "They’re here!"
Jiang Cancan leaned out of the compartment door and gasped, "Holy shit, I’m getting a damn phobia just looking at this. One of them is two or three meters long. If it stood up, it’d be taller than Can Ye…"
Countless earth-brown giant lizards, as if catching the scent of prey, gathered rapidly with their hissing sounds unsettling the nerves.
Ling Chen's facial muscles tensed and revealed a rare sternness. He spoke in a deep voice, "Xiao Mu, suppress them with firepower."
"Yes!"
Three seconds later, the vehicle-mounted machine gun rose with its barrel aimed at the densest cluster of giant lizards. After several deafening shots, dirt and grass stems flew everywhere.
Ling Chen squinted at the impact point and judged, "Firepower ineffective. Cancan, switch to armor-piercing rounds."
Jiang Cancan emerged with a black sniper rifle and flipping out several finger-length bullets from the magazine. He took aim and fired with a loud "bang," hitting the target.
"Chen Ge, it's effective! But the lizard's skin is as thick as armor! Using armor-piercing rounds on these lizards is damn extravagant!"
Ling Chen knew that they didn't have many armor-piercing rounds, and against a swarm of giant lizards, they wouldn't be enough.
Jiang Cancan touched the gun stock, "Should we try driving out?"
"We're surrounded on all sides. The lizards have spikes on their backs, so even if we manage to run over them, the tires will burst." Ling Chen said calmly. After a moment of thought, he reached out to Jiang Cancan, "Hand me the heavy sniper."
Jiang Cancan obeyed without hesitation and retrieved a heavy sniper rifle almost as tall as a person and handed it to Ling Chen.
Ling Chen tested the feel of the gun, then opened the sunroof, took off his jacket, and handed it to Ye Xiao to hold. He then agilely climbed up.
Ye Xiao had been silent.
When he took the jacket Ling Chen threw at him, the scent of Ling Chen on the fabric overwhelmed him. Ignoring whether his ears were burning, he anxiously asked Jiang Cancan, "Where is he going?"
"On the roof with the heavy sniper. He'll take them out one by one." he said then added, "Don't go out. These lizards' skin is thicker than mine. Only armor-piercing rounds can penetrate them. You, with your cold weapon, better stay inside."
At that moment, Ling Chen's voice came from the roof, "Cancan, get in the driver's seat. Watch where I shoot first, and focus in that direction. I'll clear a path, and you step on the gas to get through."
Jiang Cancan acknowledged and quickly got into the driver's seat, "Xiao Mu, you're a data analyst, sit in the passenger seat and I'll drive!"
Ye Xiao remained standing when he heard Ling Chen's voice again from the roof, "Ye Xiao, sit tight. After we deal with these lizards, Chen Ge will give you sweet milk."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ling Chen fired the first shot.
He had taken off his jacket and was just wearing only a black tank top with his muscular arms fully exposed.
Usually, Ling Chen was like a lion lazily basking in the sun and posing no threat. But now, lying on the roof while wearing fingerless camouflage gloves and gripping the heavy sniper with his eyes and brows were filled with intense killing intent.
Jiang Cancan held the steering wheel and watched as the first shot turned a giant lizard into black ash in an instant. He exclaimed, "Holy shit!"
Jiang Mu's voice was calm, "Seven o'clock, Chen Ge hit the lizard's eye." The only part not covered by armor-like scales.
Immediately after, several more shots rang out, with each bullet causing a giant lizard to disappear that indicated that Ling Chen had hit each lizard's eye and the bullet passed through the brain, resulting in instant headshots.
Soon, the encirclement formed by the giant lizards was breached at one point.
Jiang Cancan wiped his face before he stomped on the accelerator and with a roar, the armored vehicle charged towards the seven o'clock direction, kicking up a cloud of sand and grass.
Ye Xiao's body swayed with the inertia.
He held Ling Chen's coat in one hand and tightly gripped the cold, black scabbard in the other with his eyes closed and focusing on the sounds outside.
Suddenly, the armored vehicle jolted, and Ye Xiao quickly opened his eyes. "What happened?"
Jiang Cancan's voice was hoarse. "Nothing, just ran over a rock. Kid, hold on tight!"
Ye Xiao didn't cause any trouble and quietly sat back in his seat.
After a couple of seconds, a "screeching" sound suddenly echoed in his ears, like claws scraping against something.
While clutching Ling Chen's coat tighter, Ye Xiao stood up again to scan the surroundings as he sensed that something was off.
In the next breath, the scraping sound reappeared.
This time, Ye Xiao sharply turned his gaze towards the rear of the vehicle with a possibility flashed in his mind that made his heart skip a beat.
He carefully placed Ling Chen's coat aside then grabbed his sword and dashed towards the vehicle's door.
Jiang Cancan saw his movement in the rearview mirror and yelled anxiously, "Kid, where are you going?!"
No one answered him.
Ye Xiao had already opened the door from the inside.
He reached out and grabbed the steel bar fused into the vehicle's body to spin around, and was on the outer wall of the vehicle. With a press of the scabbard, he closed the door again.
As soon as he looked down, he was face to face with the glowing yellow vertical pupils of a giant lizard—just as he had suspected.
A smaller-sized giant lizard had clung to the bottom of the vehicle and ready to climb onto the roof. And Ling Chen, who was handling the heavy sniper rifle, might not be able to cover his back.
Ye Xiao let go of the bar with ease with his body agilely leaping backward to land on a rock.
Sure enough, the giant lizard saw him as prey as it opened its wide, long snout to reveal a dark brown forked tongue and sharp teeth, and hissing as it lunged towards Ye Xiao.
Thanks to years of training, Ye Xiao had excellent dynamic vision. He gauged the lizard's lunge before he pushed off the ground, and counted down in his mind—3—2—1—
As the last number ended, Ye Xiao leaped high like an owl spreading its wings with his sword raised.
His figure landed precisely on the lizard's back, took half a step forward and then struck like lightning, with the blade piercing through the lizard's yellow eye. With both hands, he drove the sword all the way through.
A few breaths later, the lizard disintegrated into black powder, and Ye Xiao landed on the ground. By then, other lizards that had heard the commotion were already crawling towards his location.
"Get up here!"
Hearing Ling Chen's voice, Ye Xiao didn't hesitate. With a running start, he agilely leaped onto the vehicle's roof.
Ling Chen reached out and pulled him up then quickly returned to his position behind the heavy sniper rifle and maintained his steady pace of taking down one lizard with each shot.
While firing, he scolded Ye Xiao, "Are you getting too cocky, or am I not strong enough to handle this gun? Stay put!" He added, "No more sweet milk for you!"
Ye Xiao puffed his cheeks but didn't dare to speak and just sat behind Ling Chen with his sword in his arms while sulking.
Jiang Cancan drove fiercely while following the trail of black ash left by the lizards, quickly breaking through and leaving the lizard swarm behind.
Ling Chen released the trigger and sat up before taking off his heated gloves and tossing them aside.
He crossed his arms and glared at Ye Xiao with a fierce expression. "You fucking idiot, you charged into a group of monitor lizards with a knife even though your wrist is injured? Are you in a hurry to die? Do you want me to do it myself?"
This was the first time Ling Chen had ever lost his temper at Ye Xiao.
Ye Xiao replied in a muffled voice, "...My wrist isn't injured."
Ling Chen stared at the white bandage wrapped around Ye Xiao's right wrist and said nothing.
After hesitating for a few seconds, Ye Xiao placed the long knife on his lap then untied the clumsily tied knot and slowly unwound the bandage. He then extended his smooth, pale wrist to Ling Chen. "See, there's really no injury."
Ling Chen: "Then why did you bandage it?"
Ye Xiao's lips moved slightly, and he averted his eyes but remained silent.
But Ling Chen wasn’t going to let it go. "Speak, or no more candy for you."
Ye Xiao answered honestly, "It looks cooler with the bandage."
Ling Chen: "..."
Translator:
I feel ya Ye Xiao. I also feel that when I put a band-aid to my arm or face when I was a kid 👀