Ji Chaoxi hesitated for only one second before agreeing.
If this time she could completely leave Ye Jiming, then forget hugs and kisses—even something more excessive, she could still do it.
She stepped forward and looked up at his thin lips.
He was about twenty centimeters taller than her, making it inconvenient to reach him for a kiss.
She turned her head and noticed a tall stool by the table, pulled him over, and made him sit down.
She cupped his face and lowered her eyes to examine his lips as he pressed them together lightly.
The color was pale, the cupid’s bow sharp, the lip line distinct.
Very attractive.
They looked soft, yet when he kissed her, he was like he wanted to devour her completely, using strength that was hard to resist.
She closed her eyes slightly and leaned down to kiss him.
She entered his territory, slowly entangling with him.
His breathing suddenly stopped.
Ye Jiming’s gaze deepened, becoming unfathomable.
After a long moment, just as Ji Chaoxi was about to pull away, he suddenly stood up, wrapped an arm around her waist, and turned her onto the table.
Their positions instantly reversed.
Pressing against her lips, Ye Jiming whispered,
“Wife, if you don’t come back this time, I’ll catch you and lock you up…”
Ji Chaoxi’s hand gripping the edge of the table tightened abruptly, her fingertips turning pale.
Had he seen through her? Or was he deliberately testing her?
No matter what it was, as long as he allowed her to go to Yuzhou alone, her plan could still proceed.
When she left the house, the sun had already moved noticeably compared to earlier.
Ye Jiming stood inside the doorway.
A shadow fell across his brows.
His dark pupils looked like a cold, venomous snake, fixed on the slender figure growing smaller and farther away.
Until she could no longer be seen.
A faint, icy curve appeared on his lips—small, but as if he had already seen through everything.
“Ji Chaoxi, we’ll meet again very soon.”
A moment later, a strand of gray-black mist crawled onto An Zhiye, who was hanging from a tree…
The base’s central square was filled with twenty to thirty people, all members of various Ability User Squads gathering for the mission.
As soon as Ji Chaoxi appeared, Feng Ruijie immediately waved.
“Chaoxi.”
When she approached, Feng Ruijie said, “Wait a bit longer, the others are arriving soon. I was afraid you’d come early, so I came to wait for you first. Turns out you really did come early.”
Ji Chaoxi smiled faintly.
“I had nothing to do at home, so I came early. It’s my first time working with Captain Dai Qianning—I should leave a good impression.”
“The captain really hates people being late,” Feng Ruijie said with a laugh. “But she’s a good person. Very loyal.”
Ji Chaoxi had also heard of her.
She had heard that Wei Long had once been beaten by her and now avoided her whenever they met.
Feng Ruijie’s gaze fell on her smooth neck. His mind flashed back to the bite mark he had seen yesterday, and he frowned slightly.
“Chaoxi, fixed Ability User Squads get more balanced resources and better living conditions. Don’t you think it’s not worth losing all that just because of Ye Jiming?”
Ji Chaoxi did not want to hear this.
She nodded.
“I’ll think about it.”
Feng Ruijie’s expression brightened instantly.
This was the first time she had said she would consider it—before, she had always refused firmly.
“Good. This escort mission will be a good chance for you to get used to our team. After that, you’ll integrate more easily.”
At that moment, a commotion arose.
Everyone turned toward the source.
A woman in a fiery red leather coat strode over. Her striking figure made it hard to look away. Her short black hair shimmered slightly reddish under the sunlight, like burning flames. Her expression was proud but not arrogant.
“Heh! So that’s why you were so eager to come early—you were waiting for the so-called Little Beauty.”
Dai Qianning’s words made Feng Ruijie instantly uncomfortable.
She ignored him and extended a hand to Ji Chaoxi.
“Hello. I’m Dai Qianning, the team leader for this mission.”
Ji Chaoxi hesitated for a moment before shaking her hand lightly.
“Hello. I’m Ji Chaoxi, a fourth-rank mutated wood Ability User.”
“I’ve heard of you,” Dai Qianning said with a bright smile. “A wood-type user who can attack, defend, and heal. There are only a few like you in the entire base. Welcome to the team.”
“Thank you.”
“Right, let me introduce my teammates…”
The man wearing gold-rimmed glasses with a refined appearance was Murong Zhuo, a fourth-rank mutated wind Ability User.
The tall, silent woman with a cold expression was Qi Ran, a fifth-rank water Ability User.
The muscular, towering man was Cao Yongjun, a fifth-rank earth Ability User.
The delicate-looking boy with bright eyes and a lively smile was Bai Xuan, a fourth-rank space Ability User.
After exchanging names and abilities, the seven-person team officially set off toward Yuzhou.
Ji Chaoxi was not familiar with them, so she barely spoke except occasionally responding to Feng Ruijie.
Even when encountering small mutant beast hordes, she did not need to act.
Dai Qianning’s fire and Murong Zhuo’s wind quickly eliminated them.
Ji Chaoxi realized this team’s combat efficiency was extremely high, and their coordination was exceptionally precise.
Their control over abilities far surpassed others of the same rank.
It was like chefs cooking the same dish—skillful control of heat, understanding ingredients, and precise seasoning all determined the final result.
Watching them fight, Ji Chaoxi faintly gained new insights into how abilities could be used.
Since monsters were not a problem, their travel speed was also much faster than other squads.
At this rate, they would arrive earlier than expected.
After four to five hours of travel, Dai Qianning ordered a twenty-minute rest so everyone could eat and recover.
Bai Xuan took food out of his spatial ability and distributed it.
Ji Chaoxi was the last to receive hers, and she politely thanked him.
“You’re welcome, sister.”
Then he suddenly seemed to remember something and scratched his head shyly.
“Can I call you sister?”
He looked only seventeen or eighteen.
Ji Chaoxi nodded.
“Yes.”
Bai Xuan smiled brightly and sat beside her, about to speak when Feng Ruijie walked over with food.
“Chaoxi, how do you feel about our team?”
Bai Xuan also looked at her expectantly.
Ji Chaoxi thought for a moment.
“Very strong. Stronger than any temporary squad I’ve joined before.”
Feng Ruijie chuckled, a hint of pride in his eyes.
“That’s why you should join a fixed team. Stronger teammates mean a higher chance of survival.”
Ji Chaoxi agreed, but she could not give a definite answer.
“I’ll think about it carefully.”
Feng Ruijie glanced at Bai Xuan beside her, then swallowed what he wanted to say.
Bai Xuan handed her a bottle of water, smiling with curved eyes.
“Sister, our team is really great. Please prioritize us.”
Ji Chaoxi took the water.
“Okay. I will.”
“Sister, I heard you and Brother Jie were university classmates. That’s nice—I never even got to go to university.”
A trace of sorrow appeared on Bai Xuan’s face.
Ji Chaoxi patted his shoulder gently, thinking for a moment.
“You should think of it this way—at least you don’t have to stay up late doing assignments. Maybe that will make you happier.”
Bai Xuan couldn’t help laughing.
“Sister’s way of thinking is so interesting.”
Ji Chaoxi smiled faintly and lowered her head, biting into a piece of compressed biscuit.
In truth, she had not even gone to high school.
At fourteen, she had entered a cold laboratory.
She had stayed in that unchanging room for three years.
There had been no sense of time there.
Only after asking the staff did she learn how much time had passed.
Because she had been obedient and cooperative, she had occasionally been granted small requests.
Sometimes, being obedient meant suffering a little less.