Chapter 153: The Trials of Xyl (Part-18)

A soft chime echoed in his ears as the two assassins left.

*Ding!

[Emergency Quest Completed]

[Reward: +1 Skill Point]

He exhaled underneath the mask. “Well… that ended quicker than I expected.”

As the tension bled away, Lin Fang finally turned toward the girl who stood there wide-eyed with uneven breathing.

Lin Fang stared back for a beat, then turned around and started walking away without talking.

“Wait, Mister—”

Her voice rang out behind him. Lin Fang stopped mid-step, and his boots sank slightly into the wet soil. He turned his head, watching her jog up to him, gasping for breath.

When she finally stopped in front of him, he tilted his head slightly. “What is it?”

She opened her mouth, then hesitated, unsure of what to say. Lin Fang sighed quietly, reaching into his pouch. He pulled out a water bottle and held it out.

“Water?”

She waved her hands quickly. “N-no, it’s fine…”

Lin Fang shrugged and tossed the bottle back into his pouch. “Suit yourself.”

She fidgeted for a moment, then spoke up, “Um… what’s your name?”

Lin Fang paused. And then said. “Call me Alpha.”

Her eyes lit up. “I’m Sun Nianxi,” she said, bowing slightly. “Thank you for saving me, Mr. Alpha.”

Lin Fang gave a curt nod and turned around again. “Mm.”

He started walking once more — but the sound of hurried footsteps followed him again.

“Wait”

He stopped, shoulders tensing a bit this time. Turning slightly, he glanced over his shoulder. “You’re really going to follow me?”

Nianxi nodded, brushing her hair aside. “You’re just going to leave me here alone?”

Lin Fang looked past her, at the scattered, unconscious assassins lying on the ground, who were left behind by the assassins instead of being them away. Sensing their wounds not heavy enough, he said flatly. “I don’t care about them or you. I don’t know any of you, and I don’t need to. I saw assassins, and they disturbed my mood. I took action. That’s all.”

The girl blinked, taken aback by the bluntness. “Oh…”

But before he could leave, she rushed forward again, stubbornly blocking his path. “Then at least let me return the favor.”

Lin Fang rubbed his temple under the mask. “If you really want to do me a favor, then run in the opposite direction and leave me alone.”

Instead of taking offense, Nianxi just smiled — a silly, earnest grin. “No way you helped me in your way. You didn’t ask me whether I need help or not. Now I’ll help you in my own way.”

Lin Fang sighed, muttering under his breath, “Whatever suits you…” Then louder, “But where I’m going isn’t safe. And I won’t help if a monster attacks you.”

She folded her arms and puffed out her chest. “I don’t need protection, I can take care of myself.”

He didn’t reply — just started walking again.

She followed, persistent as ever. “By the way, Mister Alpha, where are you going?”

“Sector 77.”

Nianxi froze mid-step. “Sector 77?”

Her face paled. “That’s a danger zone Instructor Feng said only veterans go there.”

Lin Fang glanced back over his shoulder, realizing then — she must’ve been from the same camp.

“Yeah,” he said simply. “That’s where I’m heading.”

“And you’re not… inviting me, right?” she asked carefully.

“Correct.”

He started walking again, voice steady but calm. “If you know what’s good for you, head northwest — toward Sector 67. It’s a safe zone. Just two days left anyway. You’ll make it.”

She watched him walk off through the trees, his black cloak blending into the shadows.

Sun Nianxi frowned, looking back once at the downed assassins, then at the vanishing silhouette of the masked man.

“Two days left, huh…” she whispered.

And despite the warning, she tightened her bracelet, gritted her teeth, and started following him again. The forest had quieted again, save for the crunch of twigs beneath Lin Fang’s boots.

He didn’t look back, not even when Sun Nianxi’s voice piped up again from behind him.

“Hey, Mister Alpha,” she called out, jogging to keep up. “How about I employ you? You escort me safely to the nearest safe zone, and I’ll pay you ten spirit cores.”

Lin Fang didn’t even hesitate. “Not interested.”

Alpha’s voice hummed in his mind. “Maybe check out those cores first before rejecting, kid. She might have something useful.”

Lin Fang rolled his eyes behind the mask. “You’re so knowledgeable, Alpha, but still clueless about human psychology.”

“Oh?” Alpha replied in that patient tone. “Do enlighten me, Professor.”

“If I show interest,” Lin Fang muttered inwardly, “she’ll take it as an opening. Then she’ll start getting annoyingly persistent. We’ve got two days left, and I still haven’t reached Sector 77. I don’t have time to babysit.”

He hopped over a tree root and added, “And let’s be honest — judging by her mana reserves, no way she’s got high-grade spirit cores in her dimensional bag. She probably had a good background who can afford it.”

Alpha made a thoughtful hum. “Hmm. Fair point. Still, she’s stubborn. You sure she’ll give up?”

“Nope,” Lin Fang sighed internally, “but maybe she’ll get tired before I do.”

Just as he uttered those words to Alpha…

“Wait up,” Nianxi called again, panting as she ran to catch him. She fell into step beside him, brushing leaves out of her hair. “If not spirit cores, then how about… an artifact?”

“Not interested.”

“You aren’t even going to ask what kind of artifact I’m offering?”

“No.”

She huffed, puffing her cheeks. “You’re a weird guy, you know that?”

Lin Fang shrugged. “Not everyone is interested in treasures.”

Nianxi skipped ahead a little, walking backward in front of him with her hands clasped behind her back. “Alright then. Since nothing interests you, I won’t bother offering anything. I’ll just… tag along for now.”

He raised an eyebrow behind the mask. “Why?”

She flashed a grin. “Maybe I’ll find a way to help you in the next two days. You never know.”

Lin Fang stopped walking for a second, pinching the bridge of his nose under the mask. Alpha’s laughter echoed faintly in his mind. “You could just run off, you know. Lose her in the forest and get this over with.”

Lin Fang sighed inwardly. “You think I haven’t considered that?”

Then why not?

Lin Fang resumed walking, stepping over a fallen branch. “Because I’m not that kind of person.”

Alpha chuckled. “You should really get rid of that kindness in your heart. It keeps getting you into trouble.”

Lin Fang scoffed quietly. ’You’re one to talk. You threw me out of Spirit Valley because I was being selfish. Your words don’t match your actions, old wolf.”

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