Chapter 29: Taking Cover

The tavern door was left ajar, a narrow slit connecting the lively bustle outside with the relative calm within. At this thought, Lin Yu's mother, utterly despondent, nodded in resignation and was about to agree when suddenly a furious shout rang out from beyond the door.

"I... I'll get the door," Xia blinked, her cheeks flushing as she quickly changed the subject, seizing the opportunity to give both parties a way to gracefully withdraw.

"I'd like to use it as a military anthem, if that's all right, Mr. Lott?" the half-elf asked earnestly.

The match had lasted just over twenty minutes when, seeing no hope of a comeback, the opposing team surrendered. Lin Xuan, though, had unfailingly maintained his role as a "sanitary pad" support—offering flawless, all-around protection, not letting a single drop through.

The Eye of the Abyss was, at its core, a massive portal connecting the Prime Material Plane to the bottomless depths of the Abyss. The ritual to summon this giant eye required a grand-scale sacrifice, which was why the mage members of the Oakwhite Guild and the adventurers of the Red Scorpion Company became offerings for the ceremony.

Su's expression changed in an instant, her brows knitting in anger. "What are you saying? Is that any kind of joke to make about your mother?" she hissed, casting a nervous glance at the door, worried her husband might have overheard.

To her, her son was everything. If he died, there would be no meaning left in her life.

As incomes rose, it became necessary to encourage people to spend more; only then could the city truly thrive.

The roulette was slowing now, its pace gradually decreasing as the names of various countries appeared beneath the pointer.

Earthdrake was burning up; the monkey wine in his veins had taken effect, and he let out a series of bestial roars. Moon Sakura frowned, and, with a flick of her vines, she hauled Earthdrake at breakneck speed out of the city.

When I said I was hungry, Zhongyang and his two senior brothers each clutched their stomachs as well, looking just as famished.

In the next instant, Fifth Brother seemed to leap out of nowhere, followed by a yellow blur.

Men are not wont to shed tears, but at that moment, the aged hero could no longer contain himself. His emotions broke loose, and he wept bitterly.

They had spent the whole day toiling in Qingluo Mountain. While they hadn't encountered further strokes of luck, their gains were ample: besides the most coveted Infernal Fire Crystal and a fierce fox pelt, they'd taken down three rabid wolves and a wild boar, and collected far more Earth and Wood essence than they ever had on Misty Mountain.

Jesse mused aloud, "I suppose it's logistics and transport—just with slightly bigger items."

"Do you know what it means to write this letter?" Yang Haijia spoke again, making my heart skip a beat. Had this letter caused trouble for my parents?

At that moment, I stood at the school gate and glanced back at the security office, where seven or eight teachers were gathered—including our homeroom teacher, Old Zhang, and chubby Liu. They stared at me in shock, their eyes wide with disbelief.

Six days ago, on Wei's highlands, Sima Yi hadn't directly acknowledged Cao Cao's invitation; yet his keen mind understood that, afterward, Cao Cao would be certain of his return. He had already arranged for heroes to cross the demon-infested lands to fetch him.

The captain tried to comfort: "What's done is done; no one can change it. It's all right, you still have your grandmother."

Wen Xueqing had no idea her husband was suffering a headache on her account, or that he'd arranged to go shopping with her best friend—who happened to be Zhou Zekai's sister, Zhou Jingxian.

On Wildstar, Shi Hui had no memory of her predecessor, so naturally had never told the children anything about their father. Once they learned of Wildstar, the children dug up all the public information on their father, Chesterton Arnold, and watched recordings, growing ever more admiring of their hero parent.

In the wooden cabin, Tian Xuanyun clung to his sleeve, her pleading eyes begging him not to confess, no matter what. She desperately wanted to warn him of the trouble and disaster that would follow, but dared not speak, for fear the disciples outside might overhear.

Upon entering Zhulai Mountain Manor, Zhou Lie's gaze swept the cave dwelling, taking in every detail at a glance.

One wall of the private room was an entire screen, resembling a window, offering a clear view of the auction platform inside.

Lin Hongfei's mind was a tangled mess. In his memory, Old Master Ma Fengshan had died in 1990, so why was he now alive and well, bounding about before his eyes after only a serious illness?

Jingyang had a fiery temperament; had she known Yang Qian was hurt—and because of Ji Jue, no less—she might never have risked her life to save someone on the Wind and Rain Bridge.

Knowing their peril, none dared face the enemy head-on. They wheeled their mounts around and galloped back up the mountain in haste.

Who could say how much time had passed before Ye Shu finally awoke. When he opened his eyes, he found Yan Changlan gazing at him, eyes deep and brimming with unspeakable affection—all of it directed at him.

The two families lived not far from each other, just two streets apart. Shi Hui hadn't bothered with a car; her son carried the pastries, and mother and child walked there together.

You really ought to check who the host is. You might not need to curry favor with the Shanghai officials, but in other places, you can't afford to make enemies.

In the inn across the way, Old Bai poked his head out, sweating profusely—he'd spent no small effort restraining Loudmouth just now.

"If you don't let go, we'll both be sucked in. Trust me," Wujie said gently.

Zhao Min was not his master; he had pledged himself to the Mongol Yuan only because they could provide resources and boasted experts of near-immortal prowess.

Xie Qian had intended to refuse, but the sight of the bountiful table—especially the platters of fresh meat—made him swallow his protest along with his saliva.

"It's absolutely true! If I'm lying, may I never cure another patient for the rest of my life!" Shen Tu Leishu swore by his profession—the harshest oath he could utter.

Wang Lang was baffled. At the start of the night, Yan Yuntin had been just another subordinate trailing behind Chen Shuang. By midnight, even the city lord treated him with utmost respect.

Mu Xuan, Huang Rong, Yao Yue, Lian Xing, and Wang Yuyan sat together, enjoying the meal Huang Rong had just prepared.

Inside the safehouse, Li Qingming had only ridden his striped tiger a short distance before using "Fleet Footsteps" to return to his room.

"Brother Zhao, that's the guy. I'll need your help later. You know, this is Third Master's order—I can't afford to be careless," Wu Hu sneered through the window at Ye Chen, already picturing his impending misery.

The First Fleet of the East Sea guarded the southern coast near China, while the Second Fleet defended the area near Vladivostok. In essence, the entire East Sea Fleet served as China's coastal defense, bearing the heavy responsibility of safeguarding the nation's shores.