CHAPTER 17: REUNION

“NO!!!!!!”　

A sorrowful cry filled with despair echoed in the silent forest, bursting out from the innermost depths of his heart as if wanting to freeze and tear apart the world, causing Qin Chu to suddenly stop. She dazedly looked at that familiar yet unfamiliar youth at the cave entrance, embracing the old man who had collapsed on the ground, allowing his tears to silently trickle down his cheeks.

The dull flame flickered in the dark night. A small black dumpling continually nudged the old man’s powerless body. Crimson blood, which contained a little deep black poison was oozing on the ground. On the side was a deformed and torn cylinder-shaped signal flare; shreds scattered everywhere. 

“Grandpa Wang…… no, NO…… G-gr-grandpa Wa-Wang……” Jing Xia’s wails became more and more stifled. In the end, it was already completely destroyed in his throat. “This is impossible, this is impossible…… this…… this is NOT POSSIBLE!” He blindly denied the truth, repeatedly denied, again and again, continued shaking his head, not willing to believe the truth in front of his eyes…

Clearly, just a few hours earlier, this old man was still looking at him kindly, smiling to dispel his worries.

WHY?! 　

Why did everything change in merely a few hours???!!!

“Keke……” His faint blue lips unceasingly coughed out dark red blood. Steward Wang slowly raised his hand. His calloused palm gently caressed Jing Xia’s cheek. “Young Master ke…… don’t cry……”  

“NO!!”　　

His tears dripped onto Steward Wang’s face. Jing Xia tightly closed his eyes, hypnotizing himself to forget the truth before him.

“Young Master…… keke…… you’ve been like this since young, always hiding behind this old man, not willing to confront things you don’t want to know.” A helpless smile appeared on Steward Wang’s face. He weakly stroked Jing Xia’s teary face with tenderness. “But now, this old man can be at ease keke…… Young Master has already grown up. You are no longer the childish and naive Eldest Young Master of the Jing Family keke……”

Jing Xia suddenly opened his eyes, weeping: “NO! Grandpa Wang, nothing will happen to you. Rest assured…… Sister Qin has a healing type of ability. She could even heal a broken leg. As long as she’s here, as long as she’s h-here……”

The vaguely black, scarlet blood was continuously coughed out. Steward Wang slowly revealed a blissful smile on his face. “Young Master, I cannot accompany you anymore. This old man is already very fortunate to be able to accompany you until now. I’m really very happy. My little Young Master finally became a man who is able to bear responsibilities. Kekekeke……”　　

Jing Xia’s sobs choked in his throat. By then, he completely didn’t know what to say.

“You have to live well, properly cherish each and every person. This old man’s greatest wish is to see Young Master, you, grow up, no longer needing anyone to worry about.” Coarse fingers with hard calluses caressed the exquisite skin, slowly wiping away the flowing tears. Steward Wang smiled while saying: “Young Master, don’t cry anymore. This old man is already very happy, very happy……”

Jing Xia’s tears still fell regardless. His whole person was unable to calm down.

Nearby, Qin Chu blankly froze on the spot and quietly looked at this scene, not bearing to interrupt. She helplessly looked upon that unbearably frail young man, using his tears to release all his suppressed emotions. She heard that extremely sorrowful bitter cry with her very own ears. With it was a more and more weak “jiji” chirp.

This kind of “jiji” sound that was usually very cute and interesting, now seemed strangely mournful. When Qin Chu regained her spirit, she couldn’t help but raise her hand to wipe her face. Her heart suddenly trembled as she felt her hand was stained with cold liquid. She instantly became clear-headed.

Qin Chu walked over with careful steps and whispered: “This place…… is very dangerous. It’s better if we move to another location first, little bastard…… Jing Xia.”

The sound of swaying leaves in the night wind and the rustling of bushes replied to her. The back of that slim and frail youth faced her. His shoulders continued to tremble, hiding his whole face in that old man’s gradually cooling shoulders, unwaveringly hugging tight, not willing to let go.

Qin Chu wiped clean her tear-stained face. She slowly crouched down. After a long hesitation, she finally stretched out her hand, patting Jing Xia’s shaking shoulders while saying: “Steward Wang’s body already couldn’t hold on any longer. Perhaps this early end could also alleviate his suffering. When he finally left, he was very grateful. I think he also doesn’t want to see you being like this……”

“Why……”　　

That hoarse and raspy voice that seemed to have been scrubbed with sandpaper interrupted Qin Chu. She weirdly asked: “What why?”　

“Why…… was the signal flare ignited at this time?” Each word was slowly spat out. In the end, it was as if he was using blood to quietly scream. “Why did the signal flare attract mutant beasts? WHY is it that when I had wanted to lure away the enemies, G-gr-grandpa Wang would ignite the signal flare and attract the mutant beasts?”

The early autumn night winds in the mountain ranges were ice-cold, seeping into the bones. When Qin Chu heard these questions, her heart seemed to have sunk into iced water and froze. She dryly swallowed and explained: “It’s already been a few hours since you left, we were all really worried so I entered the forest to find you. I gave the signal flare to Steward Wang and told him to ignite it if I didn’t come back within an hour. This could not only warn me that you have not returned but also directly ask Young Master for help. As for…… as for the problem, why it would attract mutant beasts, I really……” Gritting her teeth, Qin Chu continued to say: “I really don’t know why this kind of thing would happen.”

Her voice slowly dissipated in the air. Finally, the only thing left was Qin Chu’s still trembling body, feeling somewhat dreadful as well as unfamiliar hostility directly rushing towards her.

The little black dumpling wiggled its body, wanting to climb onto Steward Wang’s arm. Yet, in the next second, it was ruthlessly swept away and fell heavily to the ground.

“Jiji! Jijijiji!” 　　

Qin Chu astonishingly held up that chubby little hamster. With wide eyes, she stared at Jing Xia who tightened his arms, as if he wanted to use all his strength to stop the already dead old man in his embrace from leaving him. He appeared just like a cub who had lost his mother, only knowing to closely hold that ice-cold body in his bosom, rejecting all truths and facts. 

Qin Chu choked with sobs for a short moment before saying: “Jing Xia, sorry, I……” She suddenly stopped. Qin Chu looked at that young man who abruptly raised his head in a daze. A stabbing pain appeared in her heart. 　

That pair of cunning peach blossom eyes no longer contained the banter and teasing from before. Now, they carried a resentful anguish she had never seen before. Those eyes felt so strange that they seemed to be a poison-covered sword, stabbing through her heart until warm blood spurted out.

A beautifully splendid white light seemed to flicker and burst out in Qin Chu’s line of sight. It lit up the pitch-black silent night and completely separated her and the youth before her eyes. That pale and shabby shell of the signal flare had long been deformed by the army of mutant beasts. These wretched enemies merely ruined all things before disappearing without any shadow or trace, leaving all the sorrow for all those who care.

The air was as heavy as water, heavily pressing down on Qin Chu’s heart.

Momentarily, no one spoke. Only weakening spasmodic sobs continued to echo through the forest at night, breaking the rustling amongst the night winds. 

Qin Chu just lowered her head, looking at that young man who buried himself in the old man’s embrace once more. Every time she wanted to reach out and touch this person, he would dodge her, as if he was evading some kind of great scourge and oppressing unsolvable agony in his heart…　　

Her finger slowly curled. Just as Qin Chu intended to leave first to give this person some time alone, she suddenly heard a familiar sunny male voice from the bushes: “Qin Chu! You are all really here!

Qin Chu turned and looked over with surprise, yet the youth next to her still had his head lowered, just as if he had heard nothing.

She just saw a short-haired, tall man running from the bushes. His skintight camouflage clothing had been already utterly shabby, and there were also some bloodstains on his face, as if he had just escaped from a great battle.

“Yu Jie?!” Qin Chu cried out in alarm.

That person hurriedly nodded: “Yes, quickly come and help. The Major’s situation is not very good, quick, you come over and have a look!”

Only when he finished speaking did Qin Chu see the two people behind him. The man with an elegant and refined appearance helplessly looked at herself. His two hands were tightly shackled with manacles, but still carried an unconscious grown man on his back. Thus, his steps were staggering as he walked.

Seeing Qin Chu looking at himself, the fair-skinned man smiled and said: “Are you still not in a hurry to save people? If you still haven’t come, your family’s Major Ji might not be saved.”

Hearing this name, Qin Chu suddenly froze. Then, she instantly ran over without another thought, laid down the man on the other’s back, and began to feel the unconscious Ji Chuancheng’s pulse. Because of the lack of medical equipment, fine sweat gradually appeared on Qin Chu’s forehead. In the end, her whole person was flustered as her complexion became deathly pale. She raised her head and asked that sturdy man: “Yu Jie! What the hell happened?!”

Major and I as well as the others from Team A separated in the forest, so there’s only a few of us looking for you guys.” Yu Jie also anxiously walked over. “When the Major was facing a group of mutant beasts, he suddenly became like this. I could only let that bastard carry the Major and escape first. As it happens, we saw your signal flare so we just escaped to here.”

“I know that the Young Master’s ability is awakened. His heartbeat sped up and the rate of his blood circulation quickened. The little bastard also had this kind of phenomenon before, but it wasn’t like this where all his organs are starting to quickly fail ah!” Qin Chu’s shocked voice seemed particularly loud and clear in this quiet forest. She was so worried that even her breathing became unsteady: “Little bastard also just had a slightly higher temperature when he had fainted. He recovered in only a few hours and awakened. What the hell is……”

“While his ability was awakened, he still insisted and didn’t stop fighting. He even drew some of his ability to kill the enemy in the passing.” A sloppy voice that seemed as light as a feather sounded, interrupting Qin Chu. That refined and delicate man stood to one side, smiled, and continued to say: “I remember that your family’s Major Ji burned two mutated giant Aedes before his ability had even completely awakened. Retribution probably came now?” 

Yu Jie’s fist landed on that man’s cheek, knocking that elegant man’s body over, sliding until he landed next to Jing Xia. He jokingly wiped the blood on the corner of his mouth and no longer spoke.

Yu Jie snarled. “Qi Yang! I’m warning you, you are not allowed to use frightening words to scare people anymore!”　

Sneering, Qi Yang innocently shrugged his shoulders. He held up his wrists that were shackled with manacles and said: “Yes, yes, yes. Captain Yu is holding my little life right now. How could I dare say anything?”

While speaking, he turned his head and looked towards the youth on one side. It was unknown when the latter had raised his head from the old man’s body, dazedly looking at Ji Chuancheng who laid next to Qin Chu. The tear stains on his face became exceptionally striking under the reflection of the flames.

Qi Yang slightly squinted and softly laughed: “So, you are Jing Xia?”

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The author has something to say:

XD Little Xiaxia has successfully caught a Major Ji【Unconscious Edition】

Eh ⊙﹏⊙？！

Unconscious Edition_(:з」∠)_

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TL Corner

LIN: Let’s welcome our new editor and proofreader! ^^

Twinklets: Hi everyone~ Twinklets, at your service (o´▽`o)ﾉ

SND: Hi everyone !! 😆

LIN: Sorry for the late release everyone. Exam week + dead charger don’t mix well ｜ω・）

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