The Third Rebirth (REBIRTH)
Ye Xiao was awakened by Ling Chen.
He was wrapped in Ling Chen's combat uniform jacket, with two tufts of black hair sticking up and his mind still a bit hazy. Instinctively, he turned his head to look at Ling Chen.
Because he just woke up, his voice was soft and slightly nasal, "Captain, has the sun come up yet?"
He still remembered what Ling Chen had said before they slept—that they would see the sunrise when they woke up.
Seeing him still drowsy and yawning, Ling Chen casually smoothed his hair, "The sun hasn't come up yet, but it might rain. So let's head back."
The rain soon poured down, and by the time they returned to the armored vehicle, both their hair was dripping wet.
Jiang Cancan, seeing them finally return, angrily exclaimed, "Chen Ge, you beast! Ye Xiao is still a little friend! A little fuzzball who hasn't grown up yet!"
Ling Chen, carrying a field illumination lamp in his right hand, walked past Jiang Cancan and responded with four words, "Filthy thoughts."
Jiang Cancan glared at Ling Chen's back, then nervously asked Ye Xiao, "Little friend, where did you sleep last night?"
Ye Xiao answered honestly, "In a tree."
Jiang Cancan patted his buzz cut, "In a tree? That's a bit of a high-difficulty sleeping method!"
Ye Xiao shook his head, "Not really." his eyes showing disappointment, "We were supposed to watch the sunrise together with the Captain, but it suddenly rained."
Just as he finished speaking, he heard Ling Chen call him from a few steps away. Ye Xiao quickly walked over and was covered with a dry towel.
Ling Chen: "Dry off and don't catch a cold." Seeing Ye Xiao nod, he asked, "Are you very disappointed about missing the sunrise?"
Ye Xiao, drying his hair, replied in a muffled voice, "Yes, disappointed."
Ling Chen suddenly realized he couldn't stand seeing Ye Xiao's disappointed look, so he promised, "Next time, I'll take you to see it, okay?"
The rain soon stopped, and the four of them sat in the back compartment, looking at the route map Jiang Mu had sent.
Jiang Mu: "The fourth coordinate point isn't far, about half a day's journey. As for the first, third, and seventh groups of Holy Judgement, they followed us into the D Zone on the fourth day. According to their habits, they should switch to small team mode and split up, so the chances of encountering them are high. The other three mercenary groups entered the day before yesterday, so we probably won't run into them in the next few days."
Ling Chen looked at the route map, "So there's a high chance we'll run into Holy Judgement people soon?"
Jiang Mu nodded, "That's right. We've been authorized to eliminate them on sight."
"Got it." Ling Chen rubbed his fingers while leaning casually against the compartment wall, "If we do run into them, please face them head-on, my comrades. After all, in a couple of days, we'll be back to living on nutrient solutions. We must seize the chance to replenish our supplies."
…….
This time, Ling Chen was driving.
He took Ye Xiao with him in the driver's cabin with one hand on the steering wheel and eyes on the waist-high wild grass ahead while casually chatting with Ye Xiao, "There's a game of Snake in the communicator, if you're bored, you can find it and play."
So, for the next while, Ye Xiao focused 100% on playing Snake and occasionally letting out soft exclamations, completely engrossed. Ling Chen glanced at his tense profile and fluttering eyelashes, and softly clicked his tongue—damn, he's so cute.
The armored vehicle quickly left the hilly area and passed through a valley filled with wildflowers. Ling Chen had no concept of cherishing flowers or grass, so he stepped on the gas and drove right over them. The air carried the scent of crushed grass, and as Ling Chen drove, his mind wandered. He couldn’t help but glance at Ye Xiao’s seat before making small talk, “Where did you put the little rabbit I made for you last night?”
He had made two grass-woven lanterns for Ye Xiao, both carefully stored in a cleaned-out can box. Ye Xiao treated them like precious treasures.
Ling Chen quite liked this feeling.
“The little rabbit?” Ye Xiao grabbed his long blade with his left hand. “Here!”
Ling Chen then noticed that the thumb-sized wooden rabbit had been tied with a grass stem and securely hung on the black sheath of the long blade.
From the rearview mirror, Ling Chen realized he was smiling again. He complimented, “Very cute”. But it was unclear whether he was praising the person or the rabbit.
At noon, Ling Chen parked the armored vehicle by a small river. As he opened the car door, he asked Ye Xiao, “What do you want to eat for lunch?”
Ye Xiao, who had little experience with gourmet food, tilted his head and said, “I’ll eat whatever the Captain eats.”
Ling Chen hummed in acknowledgment and rummaged through the back compartment before pulling out three cans of pork meatballs and four packs of self-heating rice. He tossed them all to Jiang Cancan and said, “I’ll take Ye Xiao to see if we can find any edible wild vegetables.”
Jiang Cancan quickly caught the ingredients.
He watched Ling Chen lead Ye Xiao away and naturally slung an arm over Ye Xiao’s shoulder before pulling him closer.
He asked his brother, confused, “Didn’t you say before that Chen Ge wanted to bring the little friend back to the Second Division? Why do I feel like Chen Ge has… ulterior motives?”
Jiang Mu, also watching the two walk away, replied, “It’s not your imagination.”
The valley’s vegetation was lush.
Ling Chen gathered a handful of wild vegetables and let Ye Xiao carry them in his clothes. He also casually made a flower wreath and looped it around Ye Xiao’s wrist. As they walked back, Ling Chen suddenly stopped while staring at the ground, and waved Ye Xiao over. “Take a look.”
Ye Xiao stood beside him and blinked. “Tire tracks?”
…….
When they returned, the meatballs were already cooked.
They tossed the washed wild vegetables into the soup, and the aroma was tantalizing. Hearing Ling Chen mention the tire tracks, Jiang Cancan was surprised. “Damn, the Holy Judgement guys have terrible luck. Out of the entire D Zone, they had to cross paths with us.”
Ling Chen picked up a meatball for Ye Xiao then uttered a warning, “Eat slowly, it’s hot.” before continuing the conversation with Jiang Cancan. “Yeah, judging by the tire tracks, it’s a Q5 Armored Vehicle, likely equipped with a machine gun team. The tracks are fresh, meaning they passed by less than an hour ago. The depth of the tracks suggests they’re carrying a lot. It’s worth a raid.” His bandit nature was on full display.
Jiang Cancan’s eyes lit up. “Let’s raid them! Whether Can Ye gets to improve his meals depends on them!”
Ling Chen nodded. “Whether our Ye Xiao can replenish his milk candy stash also depends on them.”
They wasted no time. After quickly finishing lunch, Ling Chen drove the vehicle to a hidden spot. The four of them changed into their gear in the back compartment and followed the tire tracks.
Ye Xiao followed Jiang Cancan into action and crouched in the grass to await news. Ling Chen, carrying a heavy sniper rifle, was hidden somewhere unknown. The communicator carried Jiang Mu's calm voice, "Eleven people, one vehicle and ample ammunition. They must have just been attacked by minor creatures—two are injured, the rest are quite fatigued. Our odds are good."
Jiang Cancan held the K57 while staring at the camouflaged armored vehicle parked a hundred meters away and the people in dark green combat uniforms scattered around it. He whispered to Ye Xiao, "When Chen Ge fires the first shot, I'll rush out to draw their fire, and he'll cover me. You circle around from the eleven o'clock position and guard the vehicle-mounted machine gun unit. Don't let the Holy Judgement people get near it. Got it?"
Ye Xiao nodded, "Got it."
Jiang Cancan thought of something and added, "These people have blood on their hands—they're all death row convicts if caught. The higher-ups have ordered them to be killed on sight, so don't hesitate. If you do, you'll be the one who dies."
At that moment, a blond-haired man in their line of sight suddenly collapsed, followed by shouts in English, "Sniper!"
Jiang Cancan said firmly, "Go!"
The start went smoothly.
With Ling Chen providing cover, Jiang Cancan quickly broke through. After taking down two injured opponents, he hid behind cover to reload his magazine, and cursed under his breath, "These guys are tough!"
Jiang Mu's voice came through the earpiece, "Even if their combat effectiveness has dropped due to the earlier fight, be careful!"
"Got it." Listening to Jiang Mu's warning, Jiang Cancan rolled to the side, dodging a bullet that grazed his leg, and hid behind the vehicle while gasping for breath. "Damn, Can Ye almost lose a leg—shit!" Suddenly, a bullet exploded just centimeters from his arm. Jiang Cancan's pupils contracted, and his ears rang momentarily. His voice tightened, "They have a sniper too, and it's not here!"
Ling Chen said briefly, "I'll handle it."
Jiang Cancan felt reassured. He hid behind the vehicle, but every time he peeked out, he was suppressed by enemy fire, leaving him unable to shoot. Even though he was frustrated, he was still worried about Ye Xiao, "Little friend, stay safe. They have a sniper—don't expose yourself. If it gets too dangerous, just—"
Before he could say "retreat," Ye Xiao's voice came through, "I've already taken down two."
Jiang Cancan: "..." That fast?
On Ye Xiao's side, he hid behind a rock with his eyes fixed on a tall, burly white man standing nearby.
Estimating the distance, Ye Xiao suddenly stood up, pushed off with his toes, and leaped toward the man. The white man keenly sensed the movement behind him and fired several shots in quick succession. Ye Xiao dodged like a ghost and was still charging forward without pause.
Jiang Cancan, having just seized the opportunity to knock his opponent's gun away, saw Ye Xiao already rushing forward. Anxious, he was about to go help when Ling Chen barked, "Trust him!"
Jiang Cancan gritted his teeth, "Yes!"
Meanwhile, Ling Chen was lying in a high position and engaged in a sniper duel with the Holy Judgement forces. Neither side dared to move or fire—the moment they did, they would immediately reveal their position, and a fatal bullet would follow.
Ye Xiao was unaware of these details.
He leaped out from behind the rock and rolled onto the ground, kicking the gun from the hands of the burly white man before landing. Instead of turning back to retrieve the gun, the man advanced towards Ye Xiao with a murderous aura, a sinister smile on his lips, and muttered something in English.
Ye Xiao stood his ground and met him head-on, and in an instant, the two were locked in combat. Ye Xiao drew his long blade, and the man pulled out a military knife. It was unclear who struck first, but both moved simultaneously.
Ye Xiao's movements were incredibly agile. The long blade in his hand gleamed coldly with its attacks unpredictable and hard to defend against. Dodging a slashing strike from the man, Ye Xiao twisted his waist, his right foot pointed straight, and his long leg swept like a whip. As the man blocked, Ye Xiao swiftly changed direction and delivered a heavy blow that precisely landed on the man's wrist.
With a snap, the military knife, engraved with three blood grooves, fell to the ground. As Ye Xiao's left foot touched the ground, he exerted force with his arm, and the long blade swept across before piercing the man's chest. Three seconds later, the Noah System declared the man dead, and the burly white man vanished the moment he hit the ground.
Ye Xiao's breathing remained steady, as if he had sensed something. In the next second, he lowered his center of gravity and dodged a bullet fired from behind. At the same time, he picked up the military knife the burly white man had dropped and hurled it backward, almost perfectly following the bullet's trajectory. The knife's tip instantly pierced the shooter's hand.
As blood splattered, Ye Xiao turned and sprinted forward with a few quick steps. Jiang Cancan had already dealt with the two men who had ganged up on him and was about to go help when he saw Ye Xiao charging with the long blade from a distance. He swallowed hard and muttered, "Damn, this is really stomping on someone's face! Are kids these days really this tough?"
He was certain that the little friend didn't need his help at all.
Meanwhile, Ling Chen was hiding in a tree with the dense foliage completely concealing him. He remained perfectly still with his gaze fixed on the spot where the bullet had been fired, his patience unwavering.
As the people around the armored vehicle were gradually taken out, the sniper hiding on the other side must have grown restless, as there was a slight rustling in the bushes. But Ling Chen remained calm, giving no reaction—he had always been the hunter, never the prey lured by a trap.
Five minutes passed, and another person near the armored vehicle was taken out by Ye Xiao, leaving only one remaining. Finally, the sniper made his move, firing a bullet straight at Ye Xiao!
A cold glint flashed in Ling Chen's eyes. His hand was steady as he pulled the trigger the moment the sniper fired. The bullet shot through the air—and hit its mark. To be safe, Ling Chen fired two more shots before swiftly climbing down from the tree.
As Ling Chen returned with the heavy sniper rifle, Jiang Cancan was excitedly hopping in place. Seeing Ling Chen approaching from a distance, he waved and shouted, "Chen Ge, come share the spoils!"
At that moment, Ling Chen couldn't help but feel, once again, that he wasn't leading a regular army but a band of outlaws.
His gaze shifted to Ye Xiao, who was holding the long blade with the wooden rabbit dangling from the scabbard and swaying gently.
Ling Chen thought to himself, “At least there's one obedient one. I should learn to be content.”
Standing in front of the armored vehicle's door, Ling Chen slung the heavy sniper rifle over his shoulder and opened the door. Jiang Cancan scrambled up in a few quick steps and soon shouted, "Their canned food seems better than ours! The ammo stockpile is impressive! I'm thrilled!"
After Jiang Cancan got out of the car with an excited expression, Ling Chen seemed to remember something and also entered the compartment. After rummaging around for a while, he turned to Ye Xiao, who had followed him in, and said, "There's candy, quite a bit of it, and sweet milk too."
Seeing Ye Xiao's eyes sparkling as he looked at him, Ling Chen reached out and ruffled his hair before speaking with a serious expression, "Our Ye Xiao is still a Little Fuzzball but eating too much sweet stuff can cause cavities and make you gain weight. So, the Captain will take care of the candy and sweet milk, and distribute them daily. If you behave well, there might be extra rewards."
Ye Xiao's eyes drooped in disappointment, and he softly retorted, "I'm not a Little Fuzzball anymore, I'm already eighteen—"
"Plus three months, I know," Ling Chen said with his smile widening as he looked at Ye Xiao's dejected expression. "Not listening to me anymore?"
Ye Xiao shot a pouty glance at Ling Chen before reluctantly replying, "I'll listen."
Ling Chen looked at the little guy in front of him with his hands slipping back into his pockets and his gaze shifting slightly—”Sigh, it's over. I want to tease him until he cries and throws himself into my arms. What should I do?”