The Third Rebirth (REBIRTH)
As Ling Chen approached, he overheard Yu Feile recounting his experiences from a jungle expedition.
He paused mid-step— ‘’Hmph, when I was single-handedly chasing enemies through the jungle for miles, you were still sitting in a classroom playing with clay!’
He took another glance at Yu Feile—white shirt, a watch on his wrist, double eyelids, a high nose bridge, and dimples—Tsk, this year's campus heartthrob isn't much to look at.
Ling Chen felt inexplicably irritable—the little clingy thing wasn't clinging to him anymore. Could it really be, as Jiang Cancan said, that he was too old? Was someone like Yu Feile more popular now?
It was Ye Xiao who noticed Ling Chen first. He tilted his head, "Captain?"
Yu Feile, seeing Ling Chen, quickly followed suit, "Captain."
Ling Chen narrowed his eyes, "My surname is Ling."
He was wearing a combat uniform on his upper body and camouflage pants on his lower half. The gun holster and dagger on his lower back were not concealed, making him appear fierce and sharp, exuding an overwhelming sense of intimidation.
Yu Feile hadn't spoken much with Ling Chen and wasn't familiar with him, but even he could sense that the other man's mood wasn't great. He quickly corrected himself, "Captain Ling."
"Mn," Ling Chen responded coolly.
He naturally placed his hand on the back of Ye Xiao's neck before gently massaging it and his tone softening significantly, "What would you like to eat tonight, Ye Xiao?"
Ye Xiao was accustomed to Ling Chen's touch. He thought carefully and answered earnestly, "I'll eat whatever the Captain wants to eat." Aside from his fondness for candy and sweet milk, he didn't have any particular preferences for other foods—he just needed to be full.
Ling Chen was instantly soothed by these words, and even Yu Feile didn't seem as annoying anymore.
Noticing that Ye Xiao was sitting barefoot on a rock, Ling Chen raised an eyebrow, "Where are your shoes?"
Ye Xiao pointed to the other side of the rock, "Over there. They got wet, so I took them off to dry."
Ling Chen bent down to hook the shoes with his fingers, and crouched in front of Ye Xiao, "Come on, I'll carry you over."
Ye Xiao obediently climbed onto Ling Chen's back and whispered in his ear, "Is this what dating is like?"
Ling Chen chuckled, "Yes, this is what it's like." He adjusted Ye Xiao on his back and glanced at Yu Feile, who was sitting silently nearby, "Assistant Yu, we'll be heading over now."
Yu Feile nodded after a few seconds, "...Alright."
By the front of the Sabertooth Tiger's vehicle, three people stood in a row and watched the scene unfold.
Jiang Cancan had no idea how to describe what he was seeing and finally blurted out, "Chen Ge really isn't the same Chen Ge anymore!"
Jian Lan rubbed her nose, "Hey, doesn't this scene look like a dad picking up his son from playing by the river to go home for dinner?"
Jiang Cancan nodded vigorously, "Spot on, bro! Exactly like that!"
Jian Lan also felt that her description was spot-on and slapped Jiang Cancan on his broad shoulder, "Mn, keep it a secret, bro. If Chen Ge hears this, you'll be burning paper for me at the next Qingming Festival."
Jiang Cancan grinned and agreed, "Of course, of course, Can Ye won't tell anyone that you said Chen Ge looks like the little friend's dad—"
At that moment, Jian Lan suddenly kicked Jiang Cancan in the calf and whispered, "Shut up!"
Jiang Cancan, sensing something from Jian Lan's "we're dead" expression, quickly turned around, "Ha, haha, Chen Ge, why are you walking so fast?"
Ling Chen, carrying Ye Xiao on his back, had an expressionless face and icy eyes, "Twenty kilograms of weight and ran for half an hour. Any questions?”
Jiang Cancan and Jian Lan stood up straight in an instant before replying in unison, "No problem!"
Ling Chen: "Alright, go ahead."
Back in the car, Ling Chen placed Ye Xiao on a chair to sit, then turned around to find a pair of shoes that would fit Ye Xiao.
He knelt down on one knee while holding Ye Xiao's foot on his thigh, and carefully helped him put on the shoes. He then asked, "What kind of knot do you want for the shoelaces?"
Ye Xiao had been looking down at him the whole time, "A butterfly knot like the one on the bandage."
Ling Chen's fingers were nimble, and he tied the knot in just a couple of moves.
After putting on the shoes, Ling Chen took out some milk and casually mentioned, "The Second Division receives various tasks assigned from above every year. I've been to the desert, the jungle, and snowy mountains before."
Ye Xiao held the milk with both hands, "That's amazing!"
Enjoying Ye Xiao's starry-eyed gaze, Ling Chen continued nonchalantly, "What did that teaching assistant Yu talk to you about?"
Ye Xiao thought carefully, "He mentioned a lot of plant names, but I didn't remember them." After taking a couple of sips of milk, he noticed Ling Chen's focused gaze and asked, puzzled, "Captain, do you want some too? Here you go."
Ling Chen shook his head, "I won't take your milk, I just want to taste it."
Before Ye Xiao could react, Ling Chen leaned down and captured Ye Xiao's soft lips with his tongue sweeping over them before delving between his teeth and swirling around before pulling back.
Ling Chen smiled contentedly, "Mmm, tastes good."
……….
As night fell, a bonfire was lit, and everyone sat in a circle eating dinner. Jiang Cancan, who had been punished with a half-hour weighted run earlier, was already starving and quickly finished the food in his helmet. Shamelessly, he even snatched a piece of spare ribs from Jiang Mu's bowl before stopping.
He waited until Qiu Guanghan had also put down his chopsticks and sat down to chat, "Teacher Qiu, it's already the 16th today."
Qiu Guanghan, with his gentle and scholarly demeanor, nodded, "Yes, time flies."
Jiang Cancan nodded, "Indeed, today will be over soon." Then he changed the subject, "We estimate that we'll reach the border of D Zone by the evening of the 17th."
Seeing Qiu Guanghan nod, his expression turned more serious, "We've encountered some trouble before, and there might be people blocking our way as soon as we leave. So, for your safety, we should part ways."
His tone was consultative, but the content left no room for negotiation.
Qiu Guanghan understood and nodded in agreement, "If it weren't for you, my students and I would have surely died silently in D Zone." He then asked, "Do you have any arrangements?"
Jiang Cancan quickly replied, "Yes, yes, but it's just a personal suggestion. It's best if you wait until the morning of the 18th to cross the border, to avoid being mistaken as part of our group."
Qiu Guanghan had no objections, "No problem."
Time passed quickly on the road, and soon it was the evening of the 17th.
The sky gradually darkened and enveloping the surroundings.
The two vehicles stopped one after the other, and both sides bid farewell.
Qiu Guanghan shook hands with Ling Chen and remained silent for a few seconds before speaking, "I originally thought there was no way I could lead my students out of D Zone alive, but fortunately, we met you. I'm very grateful for your care along the way. If fate allows us to meet again, I'll give you some rare plants I've cultivated myself!”
Ling Chen nodded, "It was no trouble at all, and besides, you've already paid us."
Although Qiu Guanghan was fully devoted to his research, he wasn't completely oblivious to social etiquette. He knew that the amount of money he had offered might not be significant in the eyes of Ling Chen and his team.
He was grateful, "As a researcher, my influence is limited, but if there's ever anything I can do to help, I will certainly do it!"
Ling Chen smiled, "Alright."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, they finally dispersed, and Ling Chen and his team returned to their vehicle.
It was Jiang Cancan's turn to drive.
Jiang Mu sat in the passenger seat and reported the data, "We're about twenty minutes away from the border."
Jiang Cancan gripped the steering wheel but unable to resist seizing the moment to chatter, "Do you think the Holy Judgement people are waiting for us outside? Or maybe there are other mercenaries out there looking to cash in on the bounty by capturing us?"
After asking, he nodded to himself, brimming with confidence, "Anyway, I've got my gun, and it's fully loaded. Bring it on, rain or shine! I'm not afraid!"
But the moment the Sabertooth Tiger slowly edged halfway out of D Zone, a loud "snap" echoed, and a blinding white searchlight suddenly illuminated the surrounding darkness.
The instant the light came on, Ling Chen reacted swiftly by pressing Ye Xiao down onto his thigh and his hand soothingly pinching Ye Xiao's earlobe, "Be good, stay quiet, and don't let the people outside see you."
At the same time, a voice came through the vehicle's external speakers, accompanied by some rough static.
"We are the Fifth District Operations Department Command Center Action Group. Are Ling Chen, Jian Lan, Jiang Mu, and Jiang Cancan in the vehicle?"
They didn't mention their ranks.
Jian Lan's expression turned serious, "Something's wrong. How do they know we're coming out from here?"
Ling Chen's eyes darkened, and he spoke slowly, "Because they might have stationed people along the entire border that are ready to capture us at any moment." After saying this, Ling Chen instructed Jiang Cancan, "Back the vehicle up a little."
Jiang Cancan complied.
Noticing the slight movement of the Sabertooth Tiger, the people on guard around them almost simultaneously raised their guns, with rows of gun barrels and cannons aimed at the vehicle.
Ling Chen ignored the situation outside. He pulled out a black backpack from under the seat and handed it to Ye Xiao, "Little Fuzzball, listen to me,"
Ye Xiao hugged the black backpack with his eyes slightly red, "Go on."
"I'm not sure about the exact situation in the Fifth District, but judging from what's happening now, they don't seem friendly." Ling Chen spoke quickly with his tone still relatively calm, "The main thing is, I don't know how my mother and the others are doing. The communication equipment in the driver's compartment has been restored, but we haven't received any other messages, which means my mother hasn't contacted me since the last time."
Meeting Ye Xiao's gaze, Ling Chen steeled himself, "So, I'll go with them to the Command Center."
Ye Xiao tightly gripped the hem of Ling Chen's shirt.
"Be good, I'll be fine." Ling Chen leaned over before planting a series of hurried kisses on Ye Xiao's lips and the tip of his nose then whispering softly, "The rear part of the vehicle is still inside D Zone, where all surveillance equipment will be ineffective, so no one will be able to find you. There's a drawstring pouch in the bag with some candy inside. Remember, don't eat too much."
Outside, the muzzles of guns and cannons were still aimed, and Ling Chen glanced around before withdrawing his gaze. He then instructed, "Go find Qiu Guanghan and the others, or seek out the Ephemera. Make sure to carry your Communicator with you at all times. Don't get hurt, and don't go hungry." Finally, he restrainedly kissed Ye Xiao's forehead. "Wait for me."
Ye Xiao tightly gripped the corner of his clothes, refusing to let go, and simply shook his head. "I won't leave..."
Ling Chen bent his index finger and gently brushed it across Ye Xiao's nose. "Wait for me to come find you, alright?"
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