Half-awake, Lin Xiu felt someone pushing him. He slowly opened his eyes and saw an exquisitely beautiful face looking down at him.
There was no denying that Kadir's looks were truly outstanding. Even viewed from below, she was still flawless. One had to know that this was absolutely a death angle; ordinary beauties could not pull it off.
"You sure know how to enjoy yourself." Wang Zhanwu's signature hearty laughter came from the passenger seat.
Only then did Lin Xiu realize that he had fallen asleep with his head resting on Kadir's lap.
He gave an awkward smile, then sat up and asked, "How long was I asleep?"
"More than ten hours." Kadir bent down and rubbed her ankle; her foot had clearly gone numb.
"Is your foot numb?" Lin Xiu asked with guilt.
At this, Kadir froze. Her face flushed bright red, and after a long hesitation, she reluctantly spoke,
"Mom... Mommy..."
Lin Xiu: "？？？"
Wang Zhanwu: "？？？"
..
"Kid, Jingnan City is just ahead. Wait here while I take some people inside to look around." Wang Zhanwu turned toward Lin Xiu and spoke seriously.
"Uncle, you're going into the city? Didn't you say Jingnan City had already been overrun by demonic beasts?" Lin Xiu sat up straight at once.
"It's fine. We're not going in to kill demonic beasts. Our purpose is only to scout the area and see whether there are any survivors left inside the city. If there are enough survivors, the higher-ups will send people over to organize a rescue."
Upon hearing this, Lin Xiu hesitated for a while, but ultimately nodded without saying anything.
As Wang Zhanwu left with his people, Kadir spoke at last,
"Why didn't you go with him? Isn't he your uncle?"
"It's too dangerous." Lin Xiu watched Wang Zhanwu's departing back and shook his head.
"Selfish..." Kadir muttered under her breath.
"If you say I'm selfish, then I suppose I'm selfish." Lin Xiu shrugged without explaining.
His relationship with Wang Zhanwu was indeed decent, but it definitely had not reached the point where either of them would risk their life for the other.
Besides, he was not alone. Behind him were more than a hundred gang brothers. Since they had chosen to follow him, he had to take responsibility for their lives.
In his view, "Knowing there is a tiger on the mountain, yet deliberately going to the tiger's mountain" had never been praise.
Lin Xiu and the others set up camp. He took several large cases of beer and the supplies prepared before their departure out of the vehicle, then drank while waiting for Wang Zhanwu and the others to return.
The Night Watch Division members left on guard shook their heads, unable to hide the disgust in their eyes.
They were all members of the Biluo City Night Watch Division—in other words, Lin Xiu's father's subordinates. Lin Xiu had refused to help and had brought people here to feast and drink, so they were displeased. It seemed the people of Biluo City had been right: like father, like son—and the son was indeed a disgrace!
"Boss, after we go back, do we really have to go to school?" Third Brother drained a can of beer, tugged at his collar, and revealed the fierce tiger tattoo on his chest.
"Yes. Magic City Martial University." Lin Xiu nodded.
"Boss, can I skip it?" Third Brother spoke reluctantly.
Third brother's name was Hu Shanyue. He was Lin Xiu's first underling and a childhood companion who had grown up with him.
His father had also been a member of the Night Watch Division, but later died in the line of duty. Lin Xiu's father took him into their home. Hu Shanyue had once been taciturn and quiet. Even when Lin Xiu bullied him, he never complained, merely enduring it in Silence. He had been so sensible that it broke one's heart.
After the current Lin Xiu crossed over, his careful guidance began to change Hu Shanyue's personality: smoking, drinking, fighting, and getting tattoos...
Yet in Lin Xiu's father's eyes, he was still a good child. Everything was Lin Xiu's fault!
"If you don't go to school, what are you going to do?" Lin Xiu turned his head and glanced at Hu Shanyue.
"Boss, what kind of life have we been living these past three years?" Hu Shanyue said with faint pride. "Drunken revelry and licking blood from the edge of a blade!"
"Now you want me to go back and attend school with a bunch of little brats? I can't take it."
"Besides, some of our brothers have no way to attend school either. Someone has to look after them while they're out there."
Lin Xiu raised a hand to interrupt Hu Shanyue. "Stop nagging me. I don't get to Decide this matter either. Go home and discuss it with your uncle Lin yourself."
Hu Shanyue wilted at once. He did not dare seek out Lin Xiu's father—not because the man was too fierce, but because he treated Hu Shanyue too well. Whenever Hu Shanyue and Lin Xiu caused trouble together, Lin Xiu was the only one who got beaten after they returned home.
That was why he had never been willing to go against that man's wishes. He was not afraid; he simply did not want to.
"How long has it been since they left?" Lin Xiu looked up at the already darkening sky and asked.
"Seven hours."
"Seven hours, nine minutes, and forty-four seconds!"
Two voices answered at nearly the same time.
Kadir had been standing behind Lin Xiu the entire time, a bottle of mineral water in her hand.
The second came from the Night Watch Division personnel stationed nearby.
Lin Xiu froze slightly. He first turned to look at Kadir behind him, only to find that the other party also looked stunned.
The seraphs of the Divine Kingdom were not individually the most powerful combat force in the Divine Kingdom, but they were the Divine Kingdom's most elite legion. Their military discipline was strict, and timing something as minor as this was merely basic training. What she had not expected was that the Night Watch Division's side would provide an even more accurate time.
To everyone else, the difference between the two answers seemed insignificant. Kadir knew that every second counted on a battlefield!
"I had long heard that Dragon Country was unrivaled in military administration. Having seen it today, I can say the reputation is well deserved." Kadir looked toward the Night Watch Division's position, her expression complicated.
"All right, all right. Why are they taking so long?" Lin Xiu appeared unconcerned, but inwardly he clicked his tongue in amazement.
Compared with the scattered soldiers and vagabonds in Sin City, the Gang members under him were organized and disciplined. But compared with Kadir, who came from the Seraphs, and the Night Watch Division members, they were leagues behind.
If he had asked one of his Underlings the same question, Lin Xiu could already imagine the response.
The more capable ones might have said, "Seven or eight hours, I guess." The more careless ones might have answered, "They've been gone half a day."
"It seems attending Magic City Martial University is necessary after all." Lin Xiu made up his mind.
"Hey, guys, do you want to go over and take a look?" Lin Xiu asked the few Night Watch Division members left behind on guard.
"No." The Night Watch Division member who had given the exact time earlier shook his head firmly.
"Wait, Uncle Wang is your Deputy Director. Aren't you worried something might happen to him?" Lin Xiu asked, surprised.
"The Deputy director gave an order. If they haven't returned after eight hours, I'm to take you back to Biluo City first."
Hearing this, Lin Xiu furrowed his brows and narrowed his eyes.
"What does that mean?"