Hearing Xiaoboyu’s remarks made Logan frown.
The guy spoke with an undisguised air of superiority.
When introducing himself, he deliberately went out of his way to highlight his specialized class and how he had soloed a giant bear.
Still, it was better to avoid unnecessary friction.
With the Brotherhood threat still looming over their heads, picking fights with random outsiders served zero purpose.
"Logan."
He gave only his first name.
As for his specific class, that remained a core asset; only a fool broadcasted their build to strangers on first meeting.
Noticing Logan’s flat reaction and curt introduction, Xiaoboyu’s sense of superiority swelled even further.
In his mind, someone hiding their class meant they probably held a worthless common role not worth talking about.
Just as the air grew somewhat awkward, a girl from Xiaoboyu’s entourage piped up, sounding surprised and uncertain.
"Wang Ke? Is that... you, Wang Ke?"
Everyone turned toward the source of the voice.
The speaker was a tall girl caked in mud, looking thoroughly worn out, though her eyes were bright and striking.
Hearing her name, Wang Ke blinked before recognition lit up her face.
"Shen Yuxue!"
Pure delight swept across her typically stoic features.
"It really is you!"
The two girls rushed toward each other with an excited shout, pulling into a tight embrace and chatting away while entirely forgetting the rest of the circle.
Old acquaintances.
Logan relaxed slightly at the sight.
Since Wang Ke knew someone from their group, basic hospitality was in order.
He stepped aside and gestured gracefully toward the compound.
"It’s not safe out there. Come inside the camp and grab some water."
"Hold on..." Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
A heavily built guy standing next to Xiaoboyu, built like a tank and clearly serving as their vanguard, hesitated. He leaned in close to whisper in Xiaoboyu’s ear.
"Boss Bo, walking right in like this feels risky, doesn’t it?"
Xiaoboyu waved the concern off entirely.
He harbored absolute confidence in his Fire Controller abilities, and besides, he had just noticed most of the residents inside the camp were helpless-looking girls.
If he backed down now, it would make him look like a coward.
With a grand wave of his arm, he marched his team straight past the gate.
...
Around the campfire, the two groups sat on opposite sides, creating a weird, stilted atmosphere.
While Wang Ke and Shen Yuxue continued whispering happily off to one side, the rest engaged in an awkward round of introductions led by Logan and Xiaoboyu.
Through the small talk, Logan learned these newcomers were all students from Jiangcheng First High.
They had just graduated high school, and Xiaoboyu happened to be their city’s top-scoring valedictorian!
No wonder the name had sounded familiar; Logan had heard relatives drone on about him back home!
And Jiangcheng First High.
Logan knew that name all too well.
It was the premier elite high school in the entire city, populated exclusively by wealthy heirs and top-tier academic prodigies.
When Logan sat his own college entrance exams, his testing center happened to be at First High, letting him experience firsthand the casual condescension those students held toward kids from regular public schools.
That explained it.
Logan instantly pinned down the root of Xiaoboyu’s haughty swagger.
"Brother Logan, your camp layout has a few structural flaws."
Xiaoboyu took a sip of water and immediately started critiquing the layout like an armchair general.
"The fencing circle is too small. Expand it even slightly and you’ll run out of room. Plus, there’s no watchtower; if beasts or enemies launch a surprise raid from a distance, your response time will be zero."
He delivered his amateur analysis with a self-assured, seasoned tone while keeping his eyes glued to Bai Nian and the other girls.
He had also spotted Su Qingyao sitting quietly in the corner. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
Why did that girl look so much like the young miss of the Su family? Even he had only caught a single glimpse of her from afar at a business banquet hosted by his father, without ever getting a chance to speak with her.
At the time, he figured if he ever reached her social tier, he would pursue her without hesitation.
That thought made his glare toward Logan sharpen with veiled hostility.
His critiques grew harsher, hoping to catch Su Qingyao’s attention.
Logan stayed silent, simply listening.
Xiaoboyu’s gaze drifted over to the wolf meat smoking over the fire, and he curled his lip in open disdain after taking a sniff.
"Is that... wolf meat?"
"Our food supplies are limited, so we make do," Logan replied flatly.
"Wolf meat is stringy and tastes like leather. Why eat that?" Xiaoboyu scoffed. "Let me tell you, bear meat is where it’s at! That giant bear I took down earlier—we roasted the paws over an open flame, dripping with fat. Now that’s fine dining!"
He smacked his lips as if savoring the memory.
His followers chimed in right on cue, showering his supposed heroics with sycophantic praise.
The girls in the camp exchanged identical looks that clearly said *who is this clown?*
Gu Xinran rolled her eyes hard, and had Logan not shot her a warning glance earlier, she would have already ripped into him.
Logan had zero patience left for the performance.
With the Brotherhood threat hanging over their heads like an executioner’s axe, wasting breath listening to Xiaoboyu flex was a waste of prime preparation time.
He stood up, cutting off the monologue mid-sentence.
"Since you guys have your own camp to run, we won’t keep you any longer."
His tone remained polite, but the eviction notice hung heavy in the air.
"If you spot any critical information out there, we can exchange notes later."
"However," Logan shifted gears, his relaxed demeanor instantly hardening into razor-sharp edge, "I expect you not to wander uninvited into our territory again."
"Otherwise, we will treat you... as hostile invaders."