The Third Rebirth (REBIRTH)
The watch during the latter half of the night was taken by Jian Lan, who didn't come down from the tree until the sun rose.
With two dry leaves stuck on her head, Jian Lan leaned heavily on her heavy sniper rifle, barely standing straight, and yawned three times in a row. "Those mercenaries really didn't make any noise at all! Don't they get up to pee in the middle of the night?"
Jiang Cancan chuckled and chimed in, "Can Ye here has good kidneys and doesn't get up to pee either. What about you, are you planning to?"
"Go away, go away." Jian Lan waved her hand as if shooing a fly and unusually uninterested in bantering. "I'm going to sleep now, call me if anything happens."
Jiang Cancan, chewing on a piece of ham, pointed to the breakfast he was preparing and asked, "Hey, should I save you a portion?"
Jian Lan waved her hand dismissively, "You guys eat, I'll just have a tube of nutrient solution." With that, she climbed back into the rear compartment.
Meanwhile, Jiang Mu was using a medical scanner to perform a blood test on Ye Xiao. "The biological toxin in his blood has already been metabolized by half. Ye Xiao is recovering quickly, and if nothing unexpected happens, he should wake up today."
Ling Chen nodded.
The morning breeze was still chilly, so he wrapped Ye Xiao tighter and diluted some stamina recovery agent with water before feeding it to Ye Xiao bit by bit. His movements were already quite practiced.
Jiang Cancan tossed the thick-cut sandwiches he had made into a helmet and carried it over before plopping down on the ground himself.
He boasted, "Don't let the ugly appearance of these sandwiches fool you, they might hurt your eyes, but anything made by Can Ye is guaranteed to be delicious!" To prove his point, he took a big bite and quickly finished one.
After swallowing his food, Jiang Cancan asked, "Chen Ge, why do you think the Ephemera group is following us? We don't have any beef with them. Could it be that they're after your good looks?" He quickly dismissed his own speculation, "In the past twenty-seven years, only our little friend here has had the discerning eye to appreciate Chen Ge's good looks! No one else could."
Ling Chen habitually ignored the latter half of the sentence and answered, "Since we can't figure it out, we might as well ask them directly."
…….
A little past ten in the morning, the armored vehicle, which had been maintaining a high speed, suddenly stopped on a small hill with a wide view.
Jiang Cancan stuck his head out of the roof hatch and used military binoculars to observe for a while, reporting as he watched, "They've stopped too... Oh, they're moving again! They haven't changed their route, they're coming towards us!"
Ling Chen gently massaged Ye Xiao's fingers, his voice calm and steady as always, "You and Jiang Mu go down and talk to them. Jian Lan, stay on alert."
Five minutes later, a dark gray armored vehicle stopped about a hundred meters away. Then, five out of the seven members of Ephemera got out, all wearing identical camouflage uniforms. They walked forward with their hands raised in a gesture of surrender, indicating they meant no harm.
Jiang Cancan and Jiang Mu got out of the vehicle with their guns and squinting at the five approaching figures. Jiang Cancan whispered to Jiang Mu, "If they're playing tricks and get too close, just act. Xiao Mu, you quickly hide behind me, and I'll protect you!"
Jiang Mu stated the fact expressionlessly, "In the school's shooting competition, I was first, and you were second. I just don't like the brutality of the infantry department, so I went into the data department instead."
Jiang Cancan instantly deflated with his face drooping, "I knew it, Xiao Mu, you've always thought that the infantry department is full of savages who eat like cows and drink rivers of water!"
Jiang Mu: "Who was it that ate thirty-nine buns in one meal?"
At this moment, Jiang Cancan just wanted to squat on the ground and pull out grass. He mumbled in response, "...It was me." But he was good at comforting himself, "Ah, Xiao Mu, you still care about your brother so much, even knowing how many buns he ate!"
Jiang Mu: "The whole school knows."
Jiang Cancan: "...Oh."
During the conversation, the people from Ephemera approached. Both sides stood five meters apart, and one of them spoke first, "We want to talk to your boss."
Jiang Cancan stood with his legs apart while holding the K57 and raising his chin, "That's me, what's the matter?"
However, the other party wasn't buying it, "You're not, I'm looking for your boss."
Jiang Cancan was quite annoyed!
At this moment, Ling Chen's voice came through the earpiece, "Ask them their purpose." Before getting out of the car, they had set up the communicator. So Jiang Cancan promptly asked, "Our boss wants to know what your purpose is." With not even a hint of shame for contradicting himself.
The other party didn't insist on seeing the person and replied, "We want to take Night Owl."
Ling Chen: "Not allowed."
"Ye Xiao?" Jiang Cancan was stunned for a moment before quickly mimicking Ling Chen's tone, "Not allowed!"
The negotiation broke down, and each side returned to their cars.
Jian Lan continued driving north, with the other car still following at a distance and showing no intention of leaving.
Jiang Cancan was wiping the gun barrel with a rag while feeling worried, "Chen Ge, they actually came to snatch our little friend! You can tolerate it, but I can't!"
Jiang Mu corrected, "It's not exactly snatching."
Jiang Cancan patted his crew cut, "Seems right, we also met the little friend on the way, but should we hand him over just because Ephemera says so? Who knows where they came from! What if they're the little friend's enemies?"
He changed the subject, "No matter what, whoever eats Chen Ge's candy is part of our Second Division!" He was so self-righteous it was hard to watch.
Ling Chen smiled with a raised corner of his mouth, "Yes, you're absolutely right."
……….
Ye Xiao woke up in the afternoon.
Ling Chen had his eyes closed while holding the person and listing the high-ranking military officials in his mind.
Feeling the person in his arms move, he habitually reached out to check Ye Xiao's forehead before confirming the temperature wasn't high, then kissed the top of Ye Xiao's head and gently patted his back, "Be good, sleep well, the Captain is here."
Then, he heard a very soft and low reply, "I... I'm awake."
Ling Chen suddenly opened his eyes, meeting Ye Xiao's clear black and white eyes, like they were drawn with ink. He smiled, "Oh, our sticky Little Fuzzball is finally awake?"
Ye Xiao's ears turned red as he realized he was completely nestled in Ling Chen's arms, and wanted to get up quickly.
Ling Chen's arm around his waist didn't loosen and just kept smiling down at him, "Don't move, take it easy." Then he added, "Anyway, we've been holding each other for a day and a night, a few more minutes won't matter."
Ye Xiao stammered, "Holding... holding for so long?"
Ling Chen raised an eyebrow, "Yes, the Captain just found out, our Little Fuzzball is so clingy! Cries if I let go, whimpers if I loosen by two centimeters, and only sleeps soundly when lying on my chest."
Ye Xiao's eyes darted around and did not dare to look at Ling Chen with his ears completely red before he buried his head in Ling Chen's chest, and mumbling in frustration, "I didn't know... I was like that."
Ling Chen was amused by his action. Jiang Cancan, who was sitting on the roof of the car, heard the laughter and poked his head in, delighted, "Oh, little friend, you're awake? If you hadn't woken up, Chen Ge's arms would have been broken from holding you!"
Ling Chen's words were confirmed, and Ye Xiao, feeling embarrassed, almost buried his head in Ling Chen's clothes.
Ling Chen, holding the person, had laughter in his voice, "Alright, go back to your roof. Can't you see our Ye Xiao is too shy to face anyone?"
Jiang Cancan smiled and saluted, "Yes, sir, I'm going back!"
After giving the driver's seat to Jian Lan, Jiang Mu brought over the medical scanner. After a blood test, he also breathed a sigh of relief, "There's still nine percent of jellyfish toxin left, which might cause dizziness, nausea, drowsiness, and weakness in the limbs. It'll be gone in a couple of days."
Ye Xiao withdrew his hand and thanked sincerely, "Thank you, Little Mu."
Jiang Mu stood up with the scanner, "You should thank Chen Ge. Can Can wasn't exaggerating. From the moment you passed out until now, Chen Ge has been holding you without letting go for a second." After saying that, he went back to the driver's seat.
Ye Xiao was still sitting on Ling Chen's lap with his eyelashes lowered and mentally drafting several versions of what to say before he finally spoke, "Thank you, Captain."
Ling Chen leaned against the car wall and chuckled, "Just a thank you? Aren't you going to pay some kind of reward?"
Ye Xiao looked confused, "But I don't have any money."
"I know you don't have money." Ling Chen suddenly felt a bit irritable. Looking at Ye Xiao who was seriously waiting for him to ask for a reward, he turned his gaze away, "Forget it, forget it. You got hurt saving me." After saying that, he ruffled Ye Xiao's hair and smiled, "Thanks for saving my life."
Ye Xiao's eyes curved like a crescent moon, "You're welcome!"
Ling Chen took a military water bottle and habitually fed Ye Xiao some water before casually asking, "Do you know anyone from Ephemera?"
Ye Xiao took a few sips of water, blinked, and asked puzzledly, "Who's Ephemera?"
Ling Chen: "A mercenary organization. Just wanted to ask if you know them. If not, forget it." Seeing that Ye Xiao wasn't drinking anymore, he screwed the cap back on and put it away.
Ye Xiao didn't have the habit of pressing for details.
He wriggled slightly on Ling Chen's thigh. Ling Chen's thigh was tickled by his buttocks, and he pinched Ye Xiao's waist lightly, "What's wrong?"
Ye Xiao was a bit embarrassed but couldn't hold it in anymore, "Captain, I need to use the bathroom."
"Oh, need to pee?" Ling Chen told Jian Lan to pull over, "Let's go, Captain will accompany you." Seeing Ye Xiao's ears turning red and about to say something, Ling Chen added, "You just woke up and don't have much strength. If you can't hold it, Captain can help you."
Jiang Cancan, hearing this, almost fell off the car's sunroof from laughing, "Hahaha, Chen Ge, you really have a way with words, my apologies! The Second Division really limited your potential!"
Ye Xiao didn't understand at first, but now he realized what Ling Chen meant by "can't hold it," and his face was burning. He quickly walked to the car door before remembering that Ling Chen said he would go with him, and obediently waited for Ling Chen.
After taking care of his business in the woods and washing his hands with some mountain spring water, Ye Xiao didn't dare to talk to Ling Chen on the way back and just kept his head down to focus on walking.
Ling Chen clicked his tongue as he casually plucked a blade of grass, and made a small basket no bigger than a finger for Ye Xiao to hook onto his little finger and play with, "Our Ye Xiao is ignoring the Captain now?"
Ye Xiao shook his head, "I'm not ignoring you."
Ling Chen: "Then how about a smile for the Captain?"
Ye Xiao actually smiled. His smile is as pure as the sunlight filtering through the leaves.
Ling Chen stuffed his hands into his pockets and cursed silently in his heart, before he spoke earnestly, "Don't smile like that, it makes people want to bully you."
Ye Xiao waved the Long Blade in his hand, "No one can bully me."
Ling Chen asked, "What about me?"
Ye Xiao pursed his lips but did not hesitate as he spoke seriously, "I won't draw my blade against you."
Ling Chen pressed further, "What if I bully you?"
Ye Xiao didn't speak, but Ling Chen understood. He let out a soft "hiss" as he inhaled lightly, "If others bully you, you draw your blade. If I bully you, you let me. Little Fuzzball, that's not okay. You need to set a boundary for everyone, including me, the Captain. If one day I cross that line, you should point Water Cutter at me too."
Ye Xiao was stubborn, so once he made up his mind, he wouldn't change it. Clearly, he didn't take it in, "No, you won't harm me, and you won't force me to do anything I don't want to do."
"Damn it." Ling Chen was at a loss.
He felt that every time, Ye Xiao could precisely scratch the softest and itchiest spot in his heart, hitting the mark every time.
At that moment, Ling Chen's footsteps halted as he looked at the five additional people near the parked Armored Vehicle in the distance. His back straightened, shoulders relaxed, hands in his pockets, and he squinted lazily, like a wolf whose territory had been encroached upon.
As he approached with Ye Xiao, Ling Chen's voice carried a chill, "What's the matter?"
For a moment, everyone present turned their gaze towards them.
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