Chapter 187: Invitation

“Holy crap, that scared me to death.” Shi Feng was still shaken as he lay on Eagle’s back.

“I can’t believe I actually slipped.”

Shi Feng finished grumbling, then looked up at Gu Kaiwen. He pointed a finger at him and yelled, “Gu Kaiwen, you jinx!”

Gu Kaiwen retorted, “I was just trying to warn you.”

“How was I supposed to know you’d fall the second I said it?”

As the others watched the two bicker, the tension in the air slowly began to fade.

They listened for a while and started to laugh, and the viewers watching the livestream soon joined in.

It was as if the past two tense days had never happened, as if they had only completed a small, simple mission.

Lin Jingjing stood up, stretched, and then announced, “Let’s call it a day!”

Feng He followed suit, chiming in with a smile, “That’s right. We’re done.”

“Time to go home and eat! I want braised pork ribs!”

“I want stir-fried pork with green peppers! I want meat!!!”

“You’ll have it all,” Lin Jingjing said with a smile as she came down. “I’ll make it for you when we get back.”

“Alright!”

When they left the orphanage, the Star Governor was waiting outside with a group of people. A smile spread across his face when he saw them emerge.

“Captain Lin, thank you for saving S12 Star.” As he spoke, he and the group behind him bowed deeply to them in thanks.

But Lin Jingjing and her team wouldn’t dare take all the credit. Waving her hand dismissively, Lin Jingjing pulled Luo Xiaoying, who was standing in the back, to the front.

She put an arm around her shoulder and said, “It was all thanks to Luo Xiaoying’s outstanding abilities that S12 Star was saved. We didn’t really help at all.”

“We just kept her company.”

“If you want to thank anyone, you should be thanking Luo Xiaoying.”

Suddenly pulled into the spotlight, Luo Xiaoying was flustered. She fidgeted, at a complete loss for what to do.

But she managed to say, “No, if Captain Lin hadn’t stepped in at the most dangerous moment, none of us might be here right now.”

“So the credit really belongs to you, Captain Lin.”

Watching the two of them defer to one another, the Star Governor chuckled. “There’s no need to be so modest, ladies. You are both the saviors of S12 Star.”

On the way from the orphanage to the military cruiser, residents who hadn’t evacuated came out of their homes, standing by the roadside and shouting their thanks to the team.

Some of the elderly folks even brought out food from their homes to give them as gifts.

This was a familiar scene to them. The principle of not taking so much as a single needle or thread from the common people was practically ingrained in their DNA.

When all sorts of fruits and snacks were presented to them, Lin Jingjing and the others quickly refused.

Luo Xiaoying, however, was young and had never experienced anything like this. The elderly folks were especially insistent, simply stuffing the gifts right into her arms.

By the time they reached the end of the road, Luo Xiaoying’s arms were piled high with food.

Once they were back on the cruiser, everyone burst out laughing at the sight.

“Well, Xiaoying, you’re certainly popular,” Feng He teased with a smile, reaching over to help her carry some of the items.

“Didn’t they give any to you?” Luo Xiaoying asked, skeptical. “You turned them down, didn’t you?”

“We did.”

‘You can refuse?’

This was the first time Luo Xiaoying realized that was an option.

‘Next time, I’ll refuse too.’

With the mission over, the team was completely exhausted. They peeled off their protective suits to find the clothes underneath soaked through with sweat.

The damp fabric clinging to their skin was incredibly uncomfortable, so they all hurried off to take showers.

After her shower, Lin Jingjing went straight to the kitchen. She had made a promise, and she intended to keep it.

Luo Xiaoying drank a bottle of Recovery Potion and sat staring into space. When she saw Lin Jingjing, she subconsciously stood up and followed her.

“Why are you following me?” Lin Jingjing asked, confused.

“I don’t know what to do,” Luo Xiaoying answered earnestly.

‘Oh well, I’ll just let her follow.’

It wasn’t until they reached the kitchen that Luo Xiaoying realized what Lin Jingjing was doing. “Captain Lin, are you planning to cook yourself?” she asked, a little surprised.

“That’s right.”

“But don’t we have robots for that?” Luo Xiaoying asked, confused. “You don’t have to go to all this trouble, Captain Lin.”

“If I let the robots do the cooking, those guys will definitely make fun of me,” Lin Jingjing explained with a smile. “They can recognize my cooking instantly. I’d be laughed at for trying to fool them.”

“I see.” Although Luo Xiaoying didn’t understand why they would make fun of her, she saw that the captain was determined to cook. “Captain Lin, I’ll help you.”

“Okay.”

With a robot and Luo Xiaoying helping out, it wasn’t long before the others in the dining hall were able to eat.

“It smells amazing! Sister Lin, you’re done already?” Shi Feng asked as he ran over to take a look.

Everyone sat down together. Luo Xiaoying was about to leave, but someone called her back.

“You played a huge part in this too. Come eat with us.”

“Yeah, our great hero needs to eat! Come on,” the others urged her.

Luo Xiaoying was taken aback. In the past, on occasions like this, soldiers of her rank were expected to leave. She never imagined Captain Lin’s team would invite her to stay.

At everyone’s enthusiastic invitation, Luo Xiaoying sat down.

After sitting down, she picked up her chopsticks and ate quietly.

Every dish was delicious, absolutely fantastic. No wonder Captain Lin said she’d be made fun of if she let the robots cook.

‘So their cooking really is on a completely different level.’

“S12 Star survived the bomb threat all thanks to Xiaoying. Let’s have a toast to her!”

Everyone raised their glasses to celebrate, with smiles on all their faces.

Luo Xiaoying was once again struck by how different they were. Captain Lin had given her the credit, and now they were celebrating her.

They didn’t look down on her just because she was a low-ranking bomb disposal technician.

“Thank you…”

In all her years of disarming bombs, this was the first time Luo Xiaoying had ever felt so valued.

‘I’m so happy,’ Luo Xiaoying thought. ‘Captain Lin and her team are such good people.’

“Xiaoying, you’re incredibly talented at bomb disposal,” Lin Jingjing said. “Have you ever thought about joining the Monster Investigation Bureau?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll make it worth your while. If you come, you’ll be the head of our new Bomb Disposal Department.”

‘Head of the Bomb Disposal Department…’

Hearing Lin Jingjing’s offer, Luo Xiaoying’s heart leaped.

A chance to go to the Capital Star and a position as a department head—it was something she’d never even dared to dream of before.

Luo Xiaoying didn’t hesitate for a second. She accepted immediately.

“I’ll do it,” Luo Xiaoying shouted. “I want to join the Monster Investigation Bureau!”

Lin Jingjing hadn’t expected her to agree so quickly. She didn’t even get to use the rest of her prepared speech.

“Then welcome to the team,” Lin Jingjing said with a smile, clinking her glass against Luo Xiaoying’s.

“Welcome to the team!” the others echoed.

Luo Xiaoying drank the beverage, her heart soaring with happiness.

‘Captain Lin is truly my benefactor.’

If Lin Jingjing knew what she was thinking, she would have told her that you only meet a benefactor when your own skills are solid enough to warrant it.

It was because Luo Xiaoying’s performance was outstanding and the Monster Investigation Bureau happened to be in need of such a department.

That was the only reason Lin Jingjing had extended the invitation.

If her skills hadn’t been up to par, Lin Jingjing never would have asked.