The Third Rebirth (REBIRTH)
The five members of Ephemera didn't look very old, all dressed in identical camouflage uniforms, but the aura they exuded made it clear at a glance that they were no ordinary folks—they had blood on their hands, and not just one or two lives.
Hearing the noise, the members of Ephemera turned around one by one with their gazes sweeping past Ling Chen and settling on Ye Xiao.
Jiang Mu noticed that the moment they saw Ye Xiao, they all subtly straightened their backs, and the muscles on their exposed arms tensed slightly.
They were wary of Ye Xiao.
Ling Chen naturally noticed this as well. He tilted his head and asked Ye Xiao, "Do you know them?"
Ye Xiao carefully looked at each one of them and shook his head, "I don't know any of them."
Hearing this answer, Ling Chen moved swiftly because almost in the blink of an eye, he drew his gun from its holster and pointed it at the five members of Ephemera, not bothering to hide his killing intent, "Trying to snatch someone from me? Tired of living?"
Jiang Cancan and the others also aimed their guns at Ephemera.
The five members of Ephemera exchanged glances, and one of them spoke up, though his words were directed at Ye Xiao, "Night Owl, A Jiu wants to see you."
A Jiu? Ye Xiao was momentarily stunned. After a few seconds of thought, he reached out and tugged at Ling Chen's sleeve, "Captain, I know this person."
Ling Chen: "A Jiu?"
Ye Xiao nodded, "Yes, I know him."
Ling Chen didn't put his gun away but instead asked, "Do you want to go see him?" His meaning was clear—with him around, no one could force Ye Xiao to meet someone he didn't want to.
Ye Xiao nodded again, "Let's meet. He might have something to tell me."
Only then did Ling Chen lower his gun. He wrapped his left arm around Ye Xiao's shoulder in a completely protective gesture and asked in a low voice, "Do you want me to go with you?"
Ye Xiao shook his head, "No, I can go by myself."
Ling Chen, "Alright, be careful. I'll go prepare some sweet milk for you to drink when you're done."
After Ye Xiao left with the members of Ephemera, Ling Chen's expression darkened, as if someone owed him a billion dollars and hadn't paid up. He lifted his right foot that was clad in military boots, and kicked the armored vehicle hard, producing a dull "clang."
Jiang Cancan, leaning on his K57, suggested, "Chen Ge, should we go get the little friend back now?"
Ling Chen ignored him and said coldly, "Get in the car."
Jiang Cancan patted his buzz cut, confused, "Get in the car? Aren't we waiting for the little friend?"
Ling Chen didn't look back, "Get in the car and prepare the sweet milk."
Meanwhile, Ye Xiao, holding his long blade, boarded the gray armored vehicle and immediately saw A Jiu sitting inside.
He was wearing the same camouflage pants as the other five with his jacket loosely hanging open, revealing a broad chest covered in intricate scars.
Ye Xiao stood still as he compared the person in front of him to the A Jiu in his memory.
He realized that after three years, A Jiu had grown taller. His once half-finger-length hair had been cut shorter, there was a new scar on his temple, and his skin had darkened.
A Jiu sat cross-legged while leisurely disassembling a handgun, then quickly reassembling it, repeating the process over and over.
Ye Xiao stood at the entrance of the vehicle for a while and just watched silently, then walked in and sat down opposite A Jiu, continuing to quietly observe him as he assembled the handgun.
After fitting the last piece into place, A Jiu casually placed the assembled pistol aside and handed a piece of milk candy to Ye Xiao. Seeing that Ye Xiao didn’t take it, he wasn’t bothered and simply put the candy back. “Long time no see. It’s been three years, and you haven’t grown much taller, have you?”
Ye Xiao replied, “I have. I’ve grown three centimeters.”
A Jiu laughed as his smile softened the coldness on his face. He asked in a relaxed tone, “Aren’t you going to ask why I called you here?”
Ye Xiao looked at him. “Then, do you have something to tell me?”
A Jiu gazed into Ye Xiao’s clear eyes, thinking to himself that perhaps no one would ever connect the clean and unassuming person before him with the former top-ranked “Night Owl” of Silver Blade.
He chuckled lightly and shook his head. “Nothing urgent.” Tossing the ungiven candy in his hand, A Jiu continued, “A while ago, I heard that Holy Judgement was hunting you everywhere, and the internal bounty was extremely high. Later, I heard you entered D Zone. I was worried you might run into Holy Judgement and get into trouble, so I took on a small mission and came in, hoping to run into you.”
Ye Xiao understood and replied, “I’ve encountered Holy Judgement, but I didn’t get into trouble.”
“That’s good.” A Jiu fell silent for a moment before asking, “Night Owl, do you want to come out with me and join Ephemera? Many people who left Silver Blade are now in Ephemera.”
Ye Xiao shook his head. “I won’t go.” He couldn’t help but ask, “Are they all in Ephemera?”
A Jiu nodded. “Yes, but you don’t talk much, and you didn’t know many people back in Silver Blade. By the way, the five who went to pick you up earlier were also from Silver Blade, but they were ranked very low, so you’ve never crossed paths with them.”
He lowered his gaze to the candy in his palm. “You were also sent to Silver Blade’s training base as a child. You should understand that we’re different from people outside. We didn’t even know how to use chopsticks or forks to eat. From a young age, we were taught how to kill. Trying to adapt to a normal life is very difficult. So, I thought, why not gather everyone together? That way, we wouldn’t have to worry too much and could live a little happier. That’s how Ephemera came to be.”
Ye Xiao gripped his Long Blade and listened carefully. “That’s good.”
“Yeah, it is.” A Jiu’s thin lips curved into a smile. “Then I’ll wait for you. If you ever want to come, you can find me anytime. But you’ll have to be quick. Who knows, I might die one day.”
When A Jiu escorted Ye Xiao back, Ling Chen was leaning against the hood of the Armored Vehicle, waiting. He was wearing a black tank top and camouflage pants. In his hands, which should have been holding a gun, he was skillfully and meticulously weaving a grasshopper out of grass.
Hearing the commotion, Ling Chen looked up and saw Ye Xiao walking quietly with his Long Blade, while the tall, thin man beside him was chattering nonstop.
A surge of irritation rose in Ling Chen’s heart. He straightened up before he casually tossed the half-finished grasshopper aside, and walked over. However, as soon as he met Ye Xiao’s gaze, most of his anger dissipated.
Softening his expression, Ling Chen took a piece of candy from his pocket, expertly unwrapped it, and fed it to Ye Xiao. Then he looked at A Jiu. “Thanks for bringing our Ye Xiao back.”
A Jiu watched as Ye Xiao naturally accepted the candy Ling Chen fed him with his expression showing no obvious change. He simply asked the same question again, "Night Owl, are you really not coming with me?"
‘Damn, trying to snatch someone right in front of me?’
Ling Chen couldn't help but reach for his gun, only to see Ye Xiao shake his head with the candy in his mouth, "No."
The anger that had surged in Ling Chen's heart dissipated, replaced by sheer delight.
"You're still as stubborn as ever." A Jiu said before handing the candy he had been holding to Ye Xiao. "Take it. Don't you love eating candy?" After Ye Xiao reached out and accepted it, A Jiu continued, "Then I'll be going. Remember what I said. If you ever want to come or if something happens, come find me."
Ye Xiao nodded and said, "Goodbye."
A Jiu gave him a deep look, "Mm, goodbye."
The gray Armored Vehicle soon drove away with the members of Ephemera. Ling Chen reached out and confiscated the candy A Jiu had given Ye Xiao before leaving, "The Captain has confiscated it. Any more?"
Ye Xiao shook his head before answering honestly, "No, just this one."
"Good boy." Ling Chen leaned in again to sniff near Ye Xiao's neck. "Tsk, our Little Fuzzball smells. Go take a shower, and remember to wash twice."
Then he turned and instructed, "Xiao Mu, drive faster later and find a place with water to stop so Little Fuzzball can take a shower. Never mind, I'll drive!"
After Ling Chen went to the driver's seat, Ye Xiao returned to the back of the vehicle and sat down. He lifted his arm and sniffed himself, somewhat puzzled, "I really don't smell."
Jiang Cancan, struggling to hold back his laughter, whispered, "He's jealous, he's jealous. Chen Ge smelled the scent of another man and is about to explode."
Jian Lan, making faces, chimed in, "Chen Ge, the Vinegar King of D Zone, care to explain?"
The further north they went, the colder the weather became.
After dark, Jiang Mu parked the vehicle on the leeward side of a hill and closing all the windows tightly to barely keep the cabin warm.
Ye Xiao, wrapped in Ling Chen's combat uniform jacket, couldn't sleep.
He hadn't thought about his time at Silver Blade in a long time.
He had been taken to Silver Blade when he was very young, just six years old, so his memories of the outside world were limited to the orphanage where the caretaker would say that if he behaved well for a week—no crying, no fussing and playing by himself—he would be rewarded with a piece of candy.
Later, he was locked up with many other children of similar age for training. Every ten days, they would fight each other, and only the winners would survive.
From a young age, he had fought with all his might to survive, not wanting to die in a place where he couldn't even see the sunlight. Whenever he felt he couldn't go on, he would recall the sweetness of the candy over and over, and tell himself that he would eventually make it out.
At that moment, a warm arm reached over from the side and pulled him close. Ling Chen whispered into Ye Xiao's ear, "Cold? You're shivering, poor thing."
Ye Xiao was stunned for a couple of seconds before shaking his head, "Not cold."
"Little liar." Ling Chen's voice was laced with laughter. "Your hands are as cold as if they've just been pulled out of an icy lake, and you still say you're not cold." With that, Ling Chen grabbed Ye Xiao's hands and tucked them under his own clothes before pressing them against his waist. "The Captain is sacrificing himself to warm your hands. Feels good, doesn't it?"
Ye Xiao hummed in agreement, "Feels really good."
Ling Chen: "If it's comfortable, then just sleep like this. If you sleep alone, you might catch a cold tomorrow, sneezing and runny nose, and you'll have to take medicine, which would be even more pitiful." After saying that, he added, not sure if he was speaking to Ye Xiao or to himself, "When you were unconscious before, I held you for a whole day and night, so one more night won't make a difference."
Ye Xiao didn't make a sound and just obediently lay in Ling Chen's arms without moving. Within a few minutes, his entire body warmed up.
After an unknown amount of time, Ye Xiao moved slightly, and Ling Chen opened his eyes before whispering close to his ear, "Can't sleep?"
"Mm."
Ling Chen couldn't sleep either. "Then be good, don't make a sound. The Captain will take you out."
Ling Chen's night vision was excellent. Carrying Ye Xiao, he stepped over the sleeping Jiang Cancan and the others, opened the back door of the vehicle, and jumped directly to the ground.
The wilderness was silent.
Ling Chen found a rock to sit on, then patted his thigh, "Come, sit."
Ye Xiao, wearing his combat uniform jacket, blushed at the ears but didn't dare to sit on Ling Chen's thigh. Ling Chen raised an eyebrow, "The Captain is cold. Holding you will keep me warmer."
The excuse was clumsy but effective.
Satisfied, Ling Chen held Ye Xiao in his arms and asked, "There are no stars or moon to look at, shall we chat?"
Ye Xiao responded with a "Yes," but had no idea what to talk about.
Ling Chen rubbed his chin against the top of Ye Xiao's head, "When we were taking a bath earlier, didn't you ask me why I have a tattoo on my shoulder blade?"
Ye Xiao nodded. He had seen the tattoo before and was curious but had never asked. Hearing Ling Chen mention it, he looked up, "Can you tell me?"
"There's nothing I can't tell you. Let's make it your bedtime story." As the wind blew, Ling Chen tightened Ye Xiao's jacket and recalled, "I got the tattoo when I was nineteen. Because of it, I violated regulations and had to write a thirty-thousand-word self-criticism."
He laughed at the beginning of the story, "Do you know what I tattooed?"
Ye Xiao shook his head, "No, I haven't seen it."
"It's the Emblem of the Second Division, the Gryphon. A lion's body with an eagle's head, possessing the strong body and claws of a lion and the wings of an eagle. Isn't it cool?" Ling Chen really spoke as if telling a bedtime story, sentence by sentence.
"When I was nineteen, the former Second Division Commander, Liang Ling, who had always been leading me, sacrificed himself during a mission. It wasn't because we were weak, but because there was a traitor. We were betrayed, and half of us were lost. It was similar to what happened with Fang Wenzhe, both cases of inside and outside collaboration. At that time, Commander Liang was shot and used by the enemy. Do you know about 'surrounding the corpse to lure reinforcements'? They used the severely wounded Commander Liang as bait to lure us into rescuing him. Once we entered their firing range, it was a death trap. Because of this, we lost another person at that time."
Ye Xiao could almost imagine the tragic scene at that time. He moved back a little to press his back against Ling Chen's chest and abdomen, and asked softly, "And then?"
"Then, I coordinated with a comrade. He went out to draw fire, and I located the source of the gunfire, killing all the shooters. That's how we created an opportunity to drag Commander Liang back behind cover. But at that time, he couldn’t hold on anymore. Two bullets had hit him in the abdomen, leaving fist-sized wounds that kept bleeding uncontrollably.” Ling Chen’s tone was calm. “Later, before he died, he transferred the position of overall commander to me. I led the remaining team to successfully break through the encirclement, carrying a bag full of the dog tags of our fallen comrades. That feeling was absolutely shitty.
I had just taken over the position and knew nothing. I had to learn everything from scratch. Because the mission wasn’t completed, the higher-ups in the military district held us accountable, and we were stuck in meetings every day until I felt like vomiting. Half of our brothers were gone, and the atmosphere in the Second Division was like stagnant water. At that time, I didn’t even know if I could hold on.
But things are done by people. After holding it in for several days, I went out and had the Second Division’s Emblem tattooed on my shoulder blade. Then, I spent two days beating up every single one of my subordinates, and I ended up lying in the medical room for a few days myself. Because of that, I had to write a 30,000-word self-criticism. But at least, I managed to save myself and the Second Division.”
Before he could finish, he noticed Ye Xiao’s eyes were a bit red. Ling Chen chuckled, “Oh my, what’s this? Your eyes are red. Feeling sorry for your Captain?”
Ye Xiao nodded, “Yes.”
“Tsk, if I’d known it would make you teary-eyed, I wouldn’t have told you.” Ling Chen said before picking Ye Xiao up like a child with his right hand supporting his buttocks, steady and firm. “This is all stuff from eight or nine years ago, and just something to tell as a bedtime story. But to keep you from crying and swelling your eyes—Can Can and the others would probably think I’ve been bullying you—I won’t tell the second half, alright?”
“Come on, let’s sleep. Little Fuzzball needs plenty of sleep to grow tall.”
Ye Xiao let himself be carried without struggling and just simply rested his head on Ling Chen’s shoulder. His palm pressed against the tattoo on Ling Chen’s shoulder blade, reluctant to move it away.
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