Chapter 12: Going Home (Fourth Update)

Chapter 12: Going Home (Fourth Update)

This time, without having to dodge pursuers or carry Shi Peijue up a cliff, Xie Chi moved quickly, making his way back to Wind Cliff Village along the same path.

By now, the entire village had been reduced to ruins, with no living soul left behind. Xie Chi walked toward where the medical room used to be and quickly dug out a skeleton that had been lying on a bed, surrounded by others.

After the explosion and an hour of intense fire, every bit of flesh on the body had been vaporized, leaving behind nothing but a broken, charred, and cracked skeleton. The ribcage and arms were shattered, with bits of ammunition scattered around.

Xie Chi pulled a box out of his storage space and tossed the shattered skull inside. After a moment's thought, he decided to scoop up any skull fragments he could see nearby too.

After all, one of them had to be Boss Ye's.

The electromagnetic guns were harder to find. Xie Chi searched around and only managed to find two more, both blown in half, totally wrecked.

The rest of the guns were probably just as wrecked, so there was no point in grabbing them.

Besides, he had never promised Yan Wanqiu he would recover all the electromagnetic guns. A few missing wouldn't matter.

With dawn about to break, Xie Chi gave up without hesitation, stopped lingering, and hurried back down.

By the time he got back to the aircraft, the sun was just coming up.

"Brother Xie!"

Shi Peijue immediately rushed over, grabbing the box from Xie Chi. He staggered under the weight, almost face-planting with the box in his arms.

Xie Chi glanced at the wind gap leading to Icefrost City not far from the village. Shadows of aircraft were already starting to appear.

Something this big, Icefrost City would definitely send people to check it out.

Xie Chi couldn't be bothered to worry about the fallout from wiping out the whole village. He just wanted to finish his job and get the aircraft out of there fast.

It wasn't until they touched down at camp that Xie Chi finally let out a sigh of relief.

"You know what to tell Yan Wanqiu, right?" Xie Chi glanced at Shi Peijue, who was struggling to stay awake beside him.

Shi Peijue snapped upright and sat at attention: "Yes! Brother Xie! You never gave me anything, and you never asked me to repair anything. We only crossed paths because you happened to run into me while scouting, and tonight you rescued me."

Xie Chi nodded, pleased with how quick Shi Peijue was on the uptake.

Box in hand, he walked down from the aircraft with Shi Peijue. As soon as they stepped out, they spotted Nie Huaiyi, who'd been waiting for a while.

"Uncle Nie?" Xie Chi was somewhat surprised, then added, "Good timing. Is His Highness free right now? I've brought back Boss Ye's skull, the weapons he wanted, and a mechanic. Can you let him know I need to see him?"

Nie Huaiyi plastered on a polite smile and said, "Captain, His Highness said to leave everything here when you got back, and I'd handle it. You'll get everything that's coming to you—no need to go see him."

Even as he said it, Nie Huaiyi felt embarrassed.

It looked way too much like he was taking credit for Xie Chi's work.

Especially with Xie Chi's upper body soaked in blood and covered in soot—clearly he'd been through hell.

But this was Yan Wanqiu's order, so no matter how awkward it was, Nie Huaiyi had to do it.

He'd even softened the message a lot—Yan Wanqiu's exact words were "Don't let Xie Chi bother me."

Xie Chi didn't seem fazed at all, just smiling politely: "Then I'll leave it to you, Uncle Nie. All the weapons are in the aircraft. The blast was huge, so I only found sixteen intact electromagnetic guns. I'm gonna head back to my room and rest now."

He was skilled, but he was still only human. After those three gunshots, the webbing between Xie Chi's thumb and index finger had split open, and his chest was a torn-up, bloody mess.

If it weren't for the thermostatic combat suit giving him some basic protection, Xie Chi figured his ribs would've been shattered outright.

This era didn't have medical pods, so Xie Chi needed to get back to his room ASAP to treat and bandage his wounds.

Nie Huaiyi was a young guy Yan Wanqiu had hired locally when he first arrived in Blizzard City. He had that simple, small-town honesty and wasn't the type to hog the glory. Xie Chi didn't worry about the guy taking his credit and was happy to skip a step.

He quickly handed everything over to Nie Huaiyi—including Shi Peijue.

Just as he was about to leave, Xie Chi suddenly remembered what Boss Ye had said about Yan Wanqiu's local hiring and spoke up: "Uncle Nie."

"What is it?" Nie Huaiyi looked at him curiously.

Xie Chi asked: "What do you think of His Highness as a person?"

Nie Huaiyi hesitated, then answered honestly: "His Highness has a temper, sure, but he gave us jobs, promised us food and shelter, and is willing to help us get through the freezing period. He saved us from being squeezed dry by the Night Owl Syndicate and from risking our lives in the black market. Everyone he hired is scared of His Highness, but we're also really grateful to him."

Xie Chi's eyes flickered. He nodded, thanked him, and left.

Nie Huaiyi watched Xie Chi walk away, then left too, his conscience eating at him.

.

"...All of this was brought back by Xie Chi?"

In the audience hall, Yan Wanqiu stared at the box of charred skulls—impossible to tell whose was whose—the small mountain of guns, and the trembling Shi Peijue. He looked stunned.

He'd planted spies all over Blizzard City and heard about the Wind Cliff Village explosion early that morning. And with Xie Chi's aircraft showing up nearby, he'd already guessed Wind Cliff Village was the Night Owl Syndicate's base and that Boss Ye was probably dead.

Otherwise, he would've already called Xie Chi in for questioning instead of sending Nie Huaiyi to brush him off.

Nie Huaiyi kept his head down and said respectfully: "No, these are just some of the guns. Captain Xie brought back a whole aircraft full of weapons."

Yan Wanqiu: "?"

Yan Wanqiu blurted: "How the hell did he do that?"

Nie Huaiyi had no answer. He had no clue how Xie Chi had pulled it off either.

Xie Chi had only told him the aircraft was full of confiscated weapons, without saying how many. When Nie Huaiyi opened the aircraft, he was even more blown away than Yan Wanqiu.

Hearing that, Yan Wanqiu turned to Shi Peijue, the only one there who might know.

Shi Peijue was shaking like a leaf, his face white as he stammered: "I-I-I don't know. I fainted from fear. When I opened my eyes, it was already like this."

Seeing Shi Peijue looked like he might pass out any second, Yan Wanqiu dropped the line of questioning and instead said to Nie Huaiyi: "Get Xie Chi in here. I have questions for him."

"Well..." Nie Huaiyi couldn't help sticking up for Xie Chi, "Your Highness, Captain Xie's hurt pretty bad. It might not be a good idea to call him in right now."

"Hurt pretty bad?" Yan Wanqiu squinted.

Nie Huaiyi, startled by the question, thought Yan Wanqiu was pissed. His heart shot into his throat as he dropped to one knee: "I don't know the exact details, but Captain Xie was covered in blood when he got back. He really didn't look good."

Shi Peijue had been scared stiff by Yan Wanqiu the second he walked in. After a night of terror, having just escaped one den of wolves only to walk into another, he was already scared out of his mind. Instinctively, he dropped to his knees with a thud right next to Nie Huaiyi.

Yan Wanqiu: "..."

Yan Wanqiu stared at Shi Peijue, speechless.

Shi Peijue looked like he was about to cry under that stare.

Who could tell him why Yan Wanqiu's eyes were that shade of red that meant an Alpha had gone into a frenzy?!

As a native beta of Snowstorm City, Shi Peijue couldn't smell pheromones and didn't know Yan Wanqiu's background. He'd only vaguely heard that the guy had been exiled from the capital planet.

Now, with Yan Wanqiu's crimson eyes fixed on him, Shi Peijue's mind flashed through countless cases of Alphas losing control of their pheromones and killing people. His legs gave out and he dropped to both knees, trembling and stammering, "I-I-I don't know either. All I know is that when Brother Xie came to find me, he was already hurt."

Driven by survival instinct, Shi Peijue's brain went into overdrive, and then a lightbulb went off.

"Oh! I also heard an electromagnetic gun go off! Brother Xie might've been hit by one!"

Yan Wanqiu and Nie Huaiyi both froze at that.

Yan Wanqiu had seen firsthand how powerful electromagnetic guns were. And since Xie Chi had been so devoted, he wasn't about to kick him to the curb now. Frowning, he said to Nie Huaiyi, "Have the medic come report to me on Xie Chi's condition."

Medical supplies were scarce in the camp, and rare drugs required his personal approval to use. Yan Wanqiu was about to grant the medic temporary clearance.

Nie Huaiyi's expression soured. "Your Highness, Captain Xie didn't go to the medic. He went straight back to his room to rest."

Xie Chi had left so casually earlier that Nie Huaiyi was only now realizing how absurd it was for someone that badly injured to just head back to his room.

At that, Yan Wanqiu's face darkened, and he shot to his feet.

"Take Shi Peijue away. Put the weapons in my private vault. I'll go through them later."

With that, he hurried out of the audience hall.

Shi Peijue stared blankly at Yan Wanqiu's retreating back.

"Is His Highness pissed? Did I say something wrong?" Shi Peijue asked cautiously.

Nie Huaiyi was just as confused.

Didn't His Highness just say he wouldn't see Xie Chi? What's all this about now?

"I don't know," Nie Huaiyi said honestly. "But I'm guessing you said the right thing."

After all, if he'd said the wrong thing, the one standing here right now would be Shi Peijue's corpse.

.

Meanwhile—

Xie Chi had already patched himself up and showered. He was now crouched in the bathroom, scrubbing blood out of his combat uniform.

It wasn't that he didn't want to see the medic—these were just flesh wounds. Even back when the organization would reimburse him, he'd never bothered going to the hospital for something like this.

He hadn't lost any limbs, and he still had plenty of healing solution in his spatial ring. A quick dab and a wrap would do.

Off the clock, Xie Chi relaxed considerably, scrubbing his uniform while letting his mind wander.

This time, Yan Wanqiu shouldn't have anything to nitpick, right?

Mission done. Once the payment came through, his repair costs would be covered.

The electromagnetic gun was still too clunky. Once Shi Peijue unlocked his quantum gun, the next kill wouldn't have to be so messy.

He'd also scored some good stuff from Boss Ye this time. Unlike guns, these items were valuable without being too flashy. He'd find a chance to hit the black market in the next few days and make some extra cash.

With money, he could buy his wife gifts.

His wife had probably spent a fortune just to get messages to him—he could slip her some more cash.

And his bedroom—he needed to swap it for a two-meter-wide bed so his wife wouldn't have to squeeze next time they slept together.

The bedding needed replacing too. With the freeze coming, he'd need thick quilts and warm clothes...

Xie Chi had made plenty of money before, and this payout was honestly on the low end, but he felt better than after any mission he'd ever done.

This was the first time he was actually building a life for himself.

If only Yan Wanqiu weren't holding his wife as a hostage.

Thinking about his situation, Xie Chi sighed.

Boss Ye's words had reminded him—Yan Baiyue would be arriving in Snowstorm City soon. Even with the Night Owl Syndicate's headquarters destroyed, remnants of their forces were still scattered across the city, and Yan Baiyue had Icebound City and the capital planet backing him.

Historically, Yan Wanqiu only secretly executed Yan Baiyue after the freeze set in, betting that the capital would be too busy to cause trouble.

Now, with half a month left before the freeze, Yan Baiyue definitely wouldn't abandon his plan—he'd keep directing Xie Chi to frame Yan Wanqiu.

But Yan Wanqiu wasn't someone you could mess with either.

Both Boss Ye's and Nie Huaiyi's words had already shown how hard it was to uproot Yan Wanqiu's power.

Xie Chi couldn't reveal he was Yan Baiyue's mole, and he didn't want to frame Yan Wanqiu and basically sign his own death warrant.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Xie Chi sighed again.

This tyrant Yan Wanqiu—even if he'd proven his worth, the second he showed any hint of ill intent, he and Ji Chou would be holding hands on the way to the grave.

Given how twisted this guy was, he might even castrate him before killing him...

"BANG—!"

The loud crash at the door snapped Xie Chi out of his thoughts.

Xie Chi reacted instantly, turning off the bathroom's hot water and pulling an unreported gun from his spatial ring. He pressed himself against the bathroom wall, on high alert, and peered into the room.

When he saw what was outside the door, Xie Chi froze.

His beat-up wooden door had been kicked clean off its hinges. A white-haired man was slowly pulling his leg back, with a whole crowd of people behind him carrying medical kits and stretchers.

Yan Wanqiu looked up, his crimson eyes locking onto Xie Chi's, his face still carrying that unbridled, bone-chilling coldness that made him look absolutely vicious.

Xie Chi: ...?

Wait—was he seriously going to get in trouble just for trash-talking the tyrant in his head??