Chapter 125 - 84: A Visit

Chapter 125: Chapter 84: A Visit

CREAK—

The moment the door opened,

a fragrant scent wafted over him.

Zhou Meng shot forward like a cannonball, crashing into Lin Yi’s arms.

The immense force made Lin Yi subconsciously take half a step back before he could steady himself.

Zhou Meng buried her face deep in Lin Yi’s chest, her shoulders shaking violently as tears instantly soaked the front of his shirt.

"SOB SOB SOB... Master! Master! Are you okay? Are you really okay?"

Zhou Meng’s voice was thick and nasal, filled with lingering fear.

News of the army of over a hundred thousand Pigmen attacking the city like a tide last night had already spread throughout the city.

She knew that as an official Martial Artist, Lin Yi would have had to go to the battlefield and fight to the death.

Therefore,

the moment she got firsthand news that Lin Yi had returned safely,

she dropped everything and sprinted over.

"SOB SOB SOB..."

Zhou Meng’s cries were like those of a frightened little animal, her words broken as she confessed her terror,

"Y-yesterday, my dad forced me into the shelter, then charged up the city walls with the Martial Artist uncles from our family... Later... later I found out that Third Grandpa and Fifth Grandpa... they all... they all died in battle! SOB SOB SOB... Master, I was so scared. I was so scared that you’d be like them... and never come back..."

Her fingers clenched the corner of Lin Yi’s Martial Arts Uniform so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

"Alright, alright, you silly girl, don’t cry anymore."

A warmth spread through Lin Yi’s heart, tinged with a hint of sorrow. He gently ruffled the top of Zhou Meng’s soft hair with his large hand, his voice uncharacteristically gentle.

"Look, your Master came back in one piece, didn’t I? Not a single hair out of place!"

He pulled back slightly, letting Zhou Meng see that he was completely unharmed, and even deliberately rolled his shoulders.

"It’s all thanks to this precious Martial Arts Uniform you gave me! Last night was a storm of flashing blades and surging Qi and Blood. If this uniform hadn’t blocked several fatal claw attacks and bites for me, I really would have been in danger with just my fledgling First Grade Cultivation Level!"

He told a white lie,

comforting the sobbing girl in his arms.

Lin Yi’s gaze passed over the top of her head.

He saw a figure standing silently in the shadows outside the door.

He quickly composed his expression and greeted the person with apology and respect, "Martial Uncle Zhao!"

The newcomer was none other than Zhao Zhuo.

This Fourth-Grade Martial Artist, who usually had a profound and steady aura, now had a distinctly pale face. His breathing was heavier than usual, and the typically dense fluctuations of Qi and Blood around his body seemed somewhat chaotic.

He had clearly experienced an extremely brutal battle last night and suffered significant internal and external injuries.

No Martial Artist could escape the bloody battle that had engulfed all of Yang City last night.

Although Zhao Zhuo was a civilian Martial Artist, as an officially registered Fourth Grade master, he had been drafted by the authorities at the first opportunity.

The section of the city wall he was responsible for defending was undoubtedly a primary target for the Pigmen—the most dangerous defensive zone!

Even though most of those Pigmen only had the Qi and Blood strength of the First Grade, with Zhao Zhuo’s Fourth Grade Realm, he could pierce one with his spear with a simple lift of his hand.

But the battle raged for the entire night. The enemies were like an endless tide, and with the drastic consumption of Qi and Blood and the inability of Pill supplies to keep up, injuries became inevitable.

Zhao Zhuo quickly scanned Lin Yi, confirming that he had almost no superficial injuries, before nodding and saying, "It’s good that you made it back alive."

Lin Yi’s heart tightened. He quickly clasped his hands in a fist-and-palm salute, his tone sincere. "Thank you for your concern, Martial Uncle!"

Just then,

a slightly exaggerated voice cut in.

"Hey now! I’m talking to you, Meng Meng, your heart is way too biased, isn’t it? All you care about is your Master. What about me, your Brother Qian? Your Brother Qian also put his life on the line fighting the Pigmen last night, alright? If you don’t believe me, ask Lin! I personally saved a mother and son last night! You’re not going to show me a little concern?"

Luo Qian had sidled up at some point. With his hands on his hips, he struck a pose he thought was heroic, but his face was plastered with an irrepressible, playful grin.

Zhou Meng lifted her tear-streaked face, shot Luo Qian a fierce glare, and snorted coldly, her voice still thick and nasal:

"Hmph! Stop bragging, Luo Qian! You think I don’t know? As soon as the fighting got intense, your dad had someone drag you into the core area of the safest shelter! You didn’t even get on the city walls! Coward! Pfft!"

She even made a face at Luo Qian.

Luo Qian, having been exposed, felt his face twitch. He immediately put on an expression of utter heartbreak and sighed toward the heavens:

"Alas! Such is life, such is fate! The spirit is willing to slay the enemy, but the flesh is weak! Just you wait, Meng Meng. Once I, Luo Qian, officially break through to the First Grade Realm, you’ll see if I don’t charge to the very front! I’ll show you what a real man is then!"

He thumped his chest, making a solemn vow.

Thanks to this bout of banter between Luo Qian and Zhou Meng,

the heavy and sorrowful atmosphere that had been enveloping everyone instantly dissipated quite a bit.

The mood became much livelier.

Lin Yi took the opportunity to say,

"Alright, alright, let’s not all stand at the door. Meng Meng, Martial Uncle Zhao, please, come inside and talk."

He stepped aside to clear the way.

Zhou Meng obediently wiped her tears and followed Zhao Zhuo into the house.

Lin Yi led them to the living room and had them sit down.

He deftly poured two glasses of warm water and handed them over.

Inevitably, the conversation turned back to the massive gate of light that hung over Yang City like a sword of Damocles.

Luo Qian’s playful grin faded, a genuine worry showing in his eyes. He looked at Zhao Zhuo and asked,

"Senior Zhao, that terrifying gate of light outside the city... is there really no way to get rid of it? Doesn’t this mean we in Yang City are basically sitting on a massive bomb? We have to live in constant fear, worrying that those Pigman bastards will come charging out of the gate again?"

Zhao Zhuo spoke with a steady voice:

"There’s no need to worry too much. According to the intelligence we have, those gates of light seem to have strange Rules limiting them. At this stage, they only allow creatures at or below the First Grade Realm to pass through."

"With that restriction in place, no matter how many of the Alien Race come, they’re just sending themselves to their deaths!"

His gaze swept over the three young people before him, and he added in a meaningful tone:

"You little rascals, the most important thing for you right now is to focus on your Cultivation, prepare well for the university entrance exams, and strive to get into a good Martial Arts University! If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up."

"Right now, it is far from the time when we need young people like you to risk your lives!"

The future situation might become exceedingly cruel.

But for now, at least,

with the gate’s access restrictions and Blue Star’s technological advantages,

the threat from the Alien Race was not yet enough to truly shake the world’s foundations.

In the brief silence that followed,

Luo Qian, who had been looking down and fiddling with the latest model smart communicator,

was swiping his fingers rapidly across the light screen.

Suddenly,

he shot up from the sofa as if struck by lightning, letting out a shriek that could startle the heavens and move the gods:

"HOLY SHIT!!! You guys, quick! Look at Central Channel One! Something huge has happened! It’s massive news!"