Chapter 139 : Chapter 139

Chapter 139

One ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍second he was escaping, and the next second he was caught.

And ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍just like that, You Xingluo’s escape plan came to an utterly unremarkable end.

A ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍burly man with tattooed arms lifted You Xingluo by the neck with one hand as though he were a little chick and carried him back to the room. The entire time, You Xingluo’s feet never touched the ground, his arms hung limply at his sides, and with lifeless eyes, he muttered, “Don’t I deserve any dignity at all...?”

Seeing ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍this, the kidnapper who had just gone to fetch the boss kept shaking his head.

He ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍suddenly realized that this young master from Central City had a certain talent for comedy, but at the same time, his wariness toward the young master instantly rose. The kidnapper thought to himself: To make me leave my post with nothing but words... what a terrifying talent.

“He ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍He.”

A stern male voice rang out.

“Here!”

The kidnapper, who had just been lost in thought, jolted in fright.

Seeing this, You Xingluo secretly glanced over at He He. Earlier, his own heart had been in utter chaos, so he had completely failed to notice that this kidnapper who had just entered his room actually looked younger than he was.

A boy, probably twelve or thirteen years old, with acne scars all over his face.

If he had been born in an ordinary town, he should be in middle school by now, shouldn’t he? You Xingluo thought thoughtfully. Unfortunately, one’s birth was the least changeable thing of all. People who lived in Xucheng had to adapt to Xucheng’s rules of survival...

Clang—

The tattooed man rudely unlocked the iron door and threw You Xingluo inside.

The moment he hit the ground, You Xingluo protested, “That hurts!”

But his verbal resistance received absolutely no attention from the kidnappers. When You Xingluo turned back around, all he saw was the tightly shut iron door. Weakly rubbing his stomach, he muttered in a small voice, “By the way... are meals included here...?”

Grrr...

Right on cue, his stomach let out a sound to match his words.

I should’ve asked if there was food just now, You Xingluo thought.

He quickly walked up to the iron door and rose onto his tiptoes with an eager expression, trying to persuade some kindhearted person to bring him food. Even though You Xingluo knew perfectly well that the treatment given to a hostage definitely could not compare to what he received in Central City, what could be fought for still ought to be fought for.

Meanwhile, He He was being chewed out.

His scar-faced boss was deeply dissatisfied that You Xingluo had managed to lure him away so easily. In a cold voice, the scar-faced boss said, “If we weren’t short on manpower right now, do you think you’d even qualify to participate in a job like this?”

“The Azure Dragon Gang took you in out of kindness, not obligation. If you can’t do the job, then get lost.”

“Boss is right, absolutely right...” He He responded with extreme humility.

That obedient and ingratiating manner of his greatly satisfied the scar-faced boss' vanity. Although He He’s carelessness had indeed irritated him, once he calmed down, he realized that it had not actually caused much trouble.

Just as the client had emphasized, the young master was merely a powerless boy.

As long as they successfully shook off the people protecting him, the young master himself posed no threat at all. And just so happened, the one thing their gang feared least was an ordinary person trying to escape. The Azure Dragon Gang occupied more than thirty floors of this building, while most of the remaining floors belonged to affiliated gangs close to them or to ordinary residents on good terms with them.

They were closely connected and thoroughly familiar with one another.

The moment anyone saw an unfamiliar face, word would definitely be passed layer by layer to the people of the Azure Dragon Gang. Even if the hostage managed to run out of this building, there would still be no need to worry. After all, the Azure Dragon Gang’s influence extended throughout the surrounding area as well.

It was quite simply impossible to escape.

Right now, even the scar-faced man himself could not imagine how the hostage could possibly get out safely. Thinking of that, his tone suddenly softened quite a bit. “Still, this was your first time doing this sort of thing. Just be more careful next time.”

“You have to become someone like your father.”

At the end of those words, a strange trace of nostalgia appeared on the scar-faced man’s face.

He He’s father had once been the second-in-command of the Azure Dragon Gang, and he had also been a powerful Ability User. But he had died in a fierce gang conflict, and the Azure Dragon Gang had therefore quite naturally taken in the orphan he left behind.

“...Mm.”

At those words, He He silently nodded.

Compared to how he had acted just moments ago, this response of his was somewhat unusual, but the scar-faced man, who had sunk into his own memories, paid no attention at all. Just as he looked down on You Xingluo, he looked down on everything about He He as well. To him, children like these could never stir up any waves. They were not worth fearing in the slightest.

After that neither-light-nor-heavy scolding came to an end, He He trudged back toward the “cell” in a gloomy mood.

Naturally, he knew that the boss was beating him down on purpose, repeatedly brainwashing him about how good the Azure Dragon Gang had been to him, while both openly and subtly stressing that he had to be deeply grateful to the Azure Dragon Gang and had to serve it in the future.

Although He He was still young, his father had been a powerful Ability User.

Children born to two Ability Users were usually Ability Users as well, and there was a very high chance that they would inherit one of their parents’ Abilities. He He had never met his mother, but he had heard the people of the Azure Dragon Gang say that his father used to boast that his wife had also been an A-rank Ability User.

Because of this, He He felt deeply uneasy.

He was already twelve, yet his Ability still had not awakened. If a few more years passed and it still had not awakened, he would definitely be thrown out by the Azure Dragon Gang. Although Xucheng was full of gangs and all sorts of vile organizations, someone like him, who had been raised by the Azure Dragon Gang, would only be treated as a potential spy for the gang.

He He had once heard the lower-ranking members of the Azure Dragon Gang say that other towns would refuse to let people from Xucheng settle there, unless that person possessed some special talent.

Talent... yes, talent... He He thought gloomily.

An Ability counted as one kind of talent too. If he could successfully awaken an Ability, then not only would he no longer need to worry about his future livelihood, he would also be able to use that Ability to leave this wretched town behind. But if he could not...

Then he would be trampled underfoot like a mad dog by the roadside or a rotting corpse in an underground drainpipe.

But something like an Ability... was it really something he could obtain merely through effort?

Just as He He’s thoughts were growing more and more frantic, a weak male voice rang out.

“Kind little kid, are you here to bring me food?”

He He looked up, only to see You Xingluo peering at him longingly through the iron bars of the door. “I’m so hungry, so hungry right now. If I don’t eat soon, I’ll faint. After that, I’ll grow weak, my body will turn cold, I’ll get a low fever, then the low fever will become a high fever, and in the end I’ll die...”

He He’s face filled with suspicion. “...Is it really that serious?”

He had already fallen into one trap with You Xingluo, so naturally he had no desire to fall into a second one. But when He He caught the scent of food drifting from behind him and heard the shouts of the adults over there, his own stomach let out several shamefully timed growls as well.

Grrr...

He He fell silent.

Looks like he really is just hungry.

So after saying a word to You Xingluo, He He took two iron bowls and two iron spoons and went downstairs to line up at the cafeteria. He was small, not especially articulate, and because the boss of the Azure Dragon Gang had favored him quite a bit due to his father, he was often targeted.

This mealtime queue was no exception.

After meekly lining up twice, He He finally brought a steaming bowl of pork vermicelli with a pitifully small portion to You Xingluo. In a bad mood, he said, “Here. Eat it or don’t. No complaining.”

After saying that, He He turned to leave with his own bowl in hand.

You Xingluo blinked in confusion.

His gaze shifted back and forth between the bowl of pork vermicelli in He He’s hands, which had already gone cold, and the steaming bowl in his own hands. Suddenly, inspiration struck him. Pretending to be troubled, You Xingluo said, “Eh, wait—I can’t finish this much.”

“Hah?” He He turned back in disbelief.

“How about I give you some?” You Xingluo said. “Also... why is there only one tiny slice of meat? Is your place really that poor?”

“It isn’t!” He He snapped back.

He should have left immediately, in order to avoid being bewitched by You Xingluo again, but the appeal of a steaming bowl of pork vermicelli was simply too great. He He’s feet would not move. He was still in the middle of growing, so his appetite was large to begin with, to say nothing of how often the people of the Azure Dragon Gang made things hard for him.

“Then I won’t have any appetite,” You Xingluo said with a disgusted expression. “How about you eat with me? At least that might help me find some appetite.”

“You’re really fussy,” He He said with a frown.

But even as he said that, his hand had already moved toward the room’s only little stool. He thought to himself that the other members absolutely must not see this. If they found out he was eating too well, they definitely would not let him have much food next time.

A pair of chopsticks quickly reached into You Xingluo’s bowl.

After hastily picking some vermicelli into his own bowl, He He wolfed it down. He had already been hungry to begin with, so once he started eating, he could not even be bothered to care about the only witness present. After all, hardly anyone would listen to the words of a hostage.

All they had to do was wait a few more days, and then they would be able to hand the hostage over to the client.

What happened to the hostage afterward, what he went through later... none of that had anything to do with him. He He was only a minor lackey of the Azure Dragon Gang. All he needed to do was work for the Azure Dragon Gang. Even if someone came seeking revenge, it would never fall upon him alone.

Silently watching this half-grown brat, You Xingluo suddenly asked, “By the way, do you know how long I’m going to be locked up here?”

“What? Trying to fish for information?”

With a frank expression, You Xingluo replied, “Because the food here is too awful. Even if they want me dead, they should at least make it quick. But then again, they probably won’t let me die so easily. After all, my identity is what it is.”

That was not arrogance. It was simply the truth.

If the other party had only wanted You Xingluo dead, they would not have gone to such lengths to hire people to take him away. You Xingluo could not help giving an inward sneer. Perhaps they found it a pity. Those uncles of his hated him and despised him, yet the one thing they could never despise was his Ability.

If there were an item in this world that could transfer Abilities—

Then no matter what price had to be paid, they would scheme to use it on themselves and even on their own children and grandchildren.

“You really are strange,” He He muttered softly after swallowing a mouthful of vermicelli.

This was the first person he had ever seen who could remain so composed even in a completely unfamiliar environment.

“Because I’m a Seer.” You Xingluo shrugged indifferently. “When you’ve seen more and experienced more, your state of mind naturally calms down. And besides... things haven’t reached a dead end yet, have they?”

To be honest, even if they did reach a dead end, it would not matter that much.

He was already somewhat tired of his fate. If it was not one life-and-death crisis, then it was another. Ever since childhood, You Xingluo’s Ability had shown him all sorts of ways he could die. Compared to those, the way he might die now was actually rather simple.

You Xingluo had always tried to avoid using Active Prophecy, yet what he liked most was the brief span of time after using it.

Only then did he not need to see his own death, not need to worry about the future of the Federation, not need to think about things like stance, identity, value, or choice. Only then could he be himself, rather than the Seer of the You Family.

“Come to think of it, an experience like this is pretty interesting,” You Xingluo suddenly said.

Of course, the thing that surprised him most was—

Moving lightly to the window, You Xingluo leaned out and gazed at the only patch of sky visible beyond it, blurred by rain and mist. In a soft voice, he sighed, “So Qing had been here too. I didn’t expect I’d uncover another one of his locations again.”

“He really does like high places.”