Chapter 187: The Future Is Slowly Coming Together

"Ah."

"Long time no see, Meilin."

With Meilin pulling him like this, Shen Yu had grown somewhat used to it.

But this time, when he looked at Meilin’s face, he was unexpectedly taken aback.

Even though she held onto him affectionately, her face lacked the satisfied smile he remembered from the dungeon.

Instead, it was covered with a cold, arrogant frost.

Is this Meilin’s true nature?

Shen Yu didn’t dare ask further.

But once again, the bickering voices of Yang Jin and Yun Han exploded in his ears.

"Ah!"

"Where did this woman come from?"

"Let go."

"Let go of Shen Yu!"

"Do you like these foreign women?"

"Hiss!"

Shen Yu frowned and tried to pull away from Meilin’s arm.

But although her face was cold, her arm remained firmly locked around his.

"What’s the matter?"

"Don’t you like me hugging you?"

Her cold voice came through.

Shen Yu froze for a moment.

"I..."

"I’m just not used to it."

"Oh?"

"How about this?"

Suddenly, Meilin grabbed Shen Yu’s left hand and guided it beneath her coat.

A wave of warm, smooth skin met his touch.

Shen Yu’s eyes widened in surprise.

Was this really such delicate skin?

Meilin... this girl.

She looked as though she was wearing a thick gray overcoat.

But she wasn’t even wearing clothes underneath.

"Shen Yu..."

"Harder."

"Pinch me."

"Pinch me."

The woman’s hand continued guiding Shen Yu’s.

His lips twitched.

All right.

Confirmed.

She’s still the same Meilin.

Just a little colder.

But her fetishes are still the same.

"Shen Yu, stop!"

"If she touch you again, I’m coming out."

"Brother Shen Yu, I don’t like her."

Once again, Yang Jin and Yun Han’s voices exploded in Shen Yu’s ears.

Shen Yu forcefully tried to pull his arm away.

But his entire left hand had already been dragged beneath Meilin’s clothes, and it was moving dangerously close to her chest.

Damn.

Now I finally know just how good Sandy is.

Shen Yu began longing for his time aboard the Twilight Train as faint flashes of red and white light appeared behind him.

Who?

Just as Meilin firmly held onto Shen Yu’s arm, her face gradually turned red.

Her breathing became heavier.

Menloa, who had remained silent until now, finally couldn’t hold back.

"Damn it!"

Bang!

Menloa’s large hand slammed onto Shen Yu and Meilin’s shoulders.

The two were forcibly pulled apart like magnets being separated.

"Let’s go."

Menloa grabbed both of them from either side and quickly walked down the empty street.

Empty.

One could say that Ax Mountain had already become a ghost city.

After glancing around, Menloa finally chose an booth and entered.

Inside the somewhat Japanese-style wooden house, the charcoal fire was still burning.

Amid the rising smoke, neatly sliced snowflake beef and beer buried in ice blocks sat behind the bar.

On many of the tables, steaming ramen was still hot.

Chopsticks had been casually thrown onto the floor.

It was clear that before the Memory Train arrived, this restaurant must have had excellent business.

"Wow!"

Menloa casually walked behind the bar, took a plate of snowflake beef with tongs, and placed it on the charcoal grill.

He skillfully sprinkled cumin, spices, black pepper, and lemon juice over the meat.

Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!

The fat crackled.

The aroma instantly filled the room.

"Oh, I remember that in Bear Country, they often eat meat."

"So, Menloa, you’re actually pretty good at grilling meat, right?"

Shen Yu sat at the bar, enjoying this moment of peace.

"That’s right."

"In Bear Country, due to geographical reasons, vegetables are more expensive than meat."

"So, when it comes to eating meat, I’m a seasoned expert."

"The meat can’t be overcooked, or it gets too tough."

"It should be grilled to medium, then paired with a chilled barley beer."

"That fragrance..."

Bang!

While flipping the meat, Menloa opened three bottles of barley beer and placed them directly on the table.

"Here."

"Cheers, cheers!"

Perhaps it was the mood, but Meilin, who had been cold-faced until now, lifted her bottle and clinked it with the others.

Then she took a large gulp of her drink.

"Brother Shen Yu, is it good?"

"Is it good?"

In Shen Yu’s ear, Yun Han’s curious voice kept ringing, like a country bumpkin entering a grand garden.

"That meat looks so soft."

"Is it delicious?"

"Yun Han, just wait."

"I’ll find a store without surveillance."

"I’ll take you to eat."

"Ah, Jinjin, you’re the best."

Suddenly, the voices disappeared.

Shen Yu finally let out a sigh of relief.

Yang Jin and Yun Han had probably left him and gone out to eat.

He wasn’t afraid of anyone seeing the two female demons in Ax Mountain.

The city was already deserted.

This trip to Ax Mountain had truly been worth it.

"Gululu..."

"So refreshing."

"Here, eat some meat."

After grilling the beef, Menloa first filled two bowls for Shen Yu and Meilin.

Then he casually picked up some shredded meat with the tongs and shoved it into his mouth.

"Mmm."

"Delicious."

The aroma of the meat and beer assaulted their taste buds.

Shen Yu and Meilin lowered their heads, eating until their mouths were greasy.

"Mmm..."

"Shen Yu, this time I really have to thank you."

"I know very well that someone like me, a brute, won’t get far in these dungeons."

"If it weren’t for you, I probably..."

After downing several bottles of barley beer, Menloa suddenly said this to Shen Yu.

Shen Yu wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth and smiled.

"Not necessarily."

"Your ability is very unique, which means you can go a long way."

"Even without me, if you followed Meilin, you would still make it out."

"No, no, no."

"Hey, actually, I really enjoyed the feeling of you leading the team."

"If only we could team up again in the future."

Menloa shook his head, then took another big gulp of beer.

The usually quiet Meilin suddenly spoke.

"Are you developing a dependence on fighting now?"

"You don’t want to think, do you?"

"Why don’t you change your nationality to Iron Tower Country?"

"Join my team."

"I’ll protect you."

"Hey, Meilin."

"I’ve realized something about you."

"You’re not likable at all."

"No wonder you can’t compare to Sandy."

"You..."

Upon hearing this, Meilin’s expression changed.

She suddenly stood up, ready to strike.

"Hahahaha!"

But suddenly, Shen Yu, sitting in his seat, laughed aloud.

Meilin’s face flushed red.

She raised her fist.

But in the end, she didn’t lash out.

Her gaze turned to Shen Yu and Menloa.

After a long pause, she said,

"How about you both come to my side?"

"I’m not asking you to betray your nationality."

"But temporarily form a team."

"I can use a binding card to link the three of us."

"That way, every time a dungeon appears, we’ll all be in the same one."

"What do you think?"

"Forget it."

Before she could finish, Shen Yu took a sip of barley beer and interrupted.

"I know you’re doing this with good intentions."

"SSS-level, Absolute Luck."

"Staying with you would definitely guarantee survival."

"But I have my own team to lead."

"People live in this world not just for themselves, but for others as well."

"Well said, Shen Yu."

"Actually, aside from catching up, I also have something to tell you all."

"I am going to lead a team too."

"You?"

Meilinlooked at Menloa in disbelief.

"You’re leading a team?"

"Yeah."

"Don’t look down on me."

"Let me tell you."

"I know my brain isn’t quick, but I’ve decided that as long as I’m strong enough, I can still protect my teammates."

"Should we make an oath?"

"What oath?"

Shen Yu put down the bottle, curious.

Menloa grinned widely.

"In the future, in the next international big raid, let’s see which team can fight until the very end."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Count me in, you men."

"I give up."

"Count me in too."

"Then, cheers!"

"Cheers!"

Bang!

The three bottles collided together again beneath the orange light.

Shen Yu, Menloa, and Meilin stared at each other without saying a word for a long time.

"How about a photo to remember this?"

Suddenly, Menloa proposed this request.

A glint of joy flashed through Meilin’s eyes, but it was quickly hidden behind her cold expression.

"All right."

Shen Yu did not refuse.

He found an instant camera in the shop.

This kind of booth-style shop usually had tourists taking photos.

The shop owner often provided instant-camera services, making one easy to find.

"Here."

"Three, two, one..."

"Cheese."

Click.

The sound of the instant camera echoed.

Meilin quickly stood beside Shen Yu.

Menloa stood behind them, one on the left and one on the right, supporting their shoulders and grinning.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

One by one, the photos quickly fell out.

These photos surprisingly matched the flashing screen images from the Future Station.