Master Leng's rigid face twitched slightly.
"Your mouth is really tough."
"No need to pretend anymore. We saw everything when you killed Zhou Yuan through the drone."
Upon hearing this, Du Xiu pressed his lips together.
An awkward atmosphere spread through the air.
Master Leng looked at Nini and said, "You go out first."
"Alright, Master."
Nini turned and left.
As she passed by, Du Xiu noticed her cheeks flushed red from holding back laughter.
After a brief glance, Du Xiu lowered his head, staring at the ground beneath his feet.
The ground was solid.
The floor was covered with anti-cold panels, the patterns clearly visible.
If only there were gaps, it would be better.
Du Xiu fell into deep thought.
He refused to admit it, clinging to a sliver of hope.
But since Master Leng knew his name, it meant Wang Fang must have told him everything.
The identity of the kidnapped person was not the main issue for now.
The real question was why Master Leng went to such lengths to find him.
The problem likely lay with the poison powder he had set up in the camp.
Besides Zhou Yuan, others had been poisoned too.
Those people knew he was the one who poisoned them.
They guessed he had some knowledge of pharmacology.
And Master Leng, being a Master Apothecary, saw potential in him.
This was the only reasonable explanation that made sense.
After figuring it all out, Du Xiu turned and approached Master Leng.
He knelt down and bowed.
"I, Du Xiu, have wandered for over ten years without meeting a worthy teacher. If you don't mind, I wish to become your disciple!"
Outside the felt tent, a silvery laughter rang out.
Hearing the laughter, Du Xiu's face turned slightly red, then he looked at Master Leng with determined eyes.
Seeing Master Leng's expressionless face.
Du Xiu lowered his voice and whispered, "Master, actually, I don't have much loyalty to the Empire."
Although he didn't know if Master Leng had any other identities besides being a Master Apothecary.
Du Xiu still expressed his true feelings.
"Yes, Master."
Seeing that Master Leng did not deny the apprenticeship, Du Xiu felt somewhat relieved.
The other party had already tacitly accepted the teacher-student relationship.
For the time being, he was safe.
Du Xiu respectfully bowed, took the books, and left.
After Du Xiu left, Master Leng looked at his back and said, "He's a good seedling, but... really shameless."
......
Inside the pink felt tent.
"So... you all saw everything I did on the screen?"
Du Xiu asked expressionlessly.
"Yes, that's right, including the words on the ground. They were really ugly."
"Why didn't you tell me during dinner?"
"You didn't ask."
"Why didn't you warn me when I entered Master Leng's room?"
"I did warn you! I was laughing happily!"
"......"
A long silence.
For the first time, Du Xiu deeply understood what it meant to be socially dead.
Seeing Du Xiu's silence, Nini comforted him, "If being an apothecary doesn't work out, you could go into acting. I think you could win an Oscar, being a star earns money fast."
"You could play a wronged suspect, a young man with unyielding spirit, or a gentleman who knows how to repay kindness. You've got a wide range of roles."
Du Xiu sneered.
"Do you think you're very funny?"
"Not bad, my friends say my jokes are hilarious."
At this moment, a voice sounded outside the door.
"Nini, can I come in?"
"Come in."
"Junior Brother, right? Hello, I'm Ding Yao, your second senior brother."
Ding Yao entered, looked at Du Xiu, and said with a smile.
Master Leng had already informed him that Du Xiu had been accepted as a disciple.
"Hello, Senior Brother, I'm Du Xiu," Du Xiu forced a smile.
"Junior Brother is impressive! You actually managed to kill a Qi-Blood Realm Origin Cultivator."
Ding Yao gave a thumbs up, full of admiration.
After observing through the drone, he had a good impression of this unyielding junior brother.
Ding Yao took the initiative to take care of Du Xiu.
Hearing this, Du Xiu's face turned dark, and he said nothing.
Nini's smile grew wider, her eyes bright and teeth white.
Seeing Du Xiu's silence, Ding Yao wasn't surprised. From the screen, he saw Du Xiu's meticulous and ruthless nature, knowing he wasn't a man of many words.
His personality was probably similar to the master's, so he didn't mind.
"Come on, Junior Brother, you'll sleep with me tonight, and I'll change your medicine."
"Was it Senior Brother who treated my injuries while I was unconscious?"
"Yes."
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
Du Xiu sincerely expressed his gratitude.
"We're fellow disciples, no need to be so formal."
Ding Yao waved it off casually.
As they were leaving, Nini called out to Du Xiu, "Sorry, Du Xiu, for meeting you this way."
Du Xiu's body stiffened, and his already quick steps quickened even more.
Inside the pink felt tent, laughter rang out even more unrestrained.
The night passed without words.
On the road to Bote City, there were no major incidents.
They encountered wasteland bandits once.
The bandits only glanced from afar, and upon realizing the Silver Fox Hunter Group was not to be trifled with, they turned and left.
In Du Xiu's eyes, these people couldn't even be called bandits.
They should be called drifters.
They were barely clothed, disheveled, some with guns, most with knives, or even sticks, wandering in the wilderness, exposed to the elements.
Fortress City and the wilderness were two completely different worlds.
Residents within the city enjoyed the conveniences brought by high technology. Although most faced economic pressures like mortgages and car loans, their lives weren't in danger.
They could watch movies, have hotpot, and enjoy brief moments of leisure.
Additionally, various circles like entertainment, painting, racing, boxing, fishing, and more allowed residents to fully indulge their hobbies, providing mental relaxation and solace.
In contrast, the wasteland drifters lived by the law of the jungle, constantly worrying about food.
The first generation of wasteland drifters were mostly exiled murderers and political prisoners. Later, with the oppression by the plutocrats, bankrupt ordinary people, runaway slaves, and those seeking excitement or fortune also came to the wilderness.
Over generations, a large number of wasteland drifters formed.
Many drifters spent their entire lives struggling, only to have their wealth end up in the pockets of city registry officials.
In exchange, they hoped to gain residency for their children in the city.
Without Master Leng's name, Du Xiu would find it extremely difficult to enter the city.