AITAMITB Chapter 56

Hong Ying’s gaze was always elusive as if there were a layer of mist when she looked at people. The focal point of her vision seemed to land in front of you and then behind you.

She softly spoke, “I smell a strange and unpleasant scent on you.”

However, Lin Bai said something completely unrelated, “I dreamt of a madman.”

Hong Ying didn’t enter the room; she just stood there, quietly listening to him continue.

The madman, Lin Feng.

Lin Bai’s cousin, ten years older, and a former Nightwalker.

“I dreamt that he was standing there, rushing towards me. He said something to me, but the explosion was too loud, and I didn’t hear anything.”

As he spoke, Lin Bai seemed to be back in that nightmare that tormented him for over a decade.

At that time, he had just joined the Nightwalkers as a student. With an outstanding mind and an arrogant personality, he looked down on combat-oriented transcendents. He thought they were physically strong but mentally simple, only knowing how to fight without using tactics.

He read a lot of books and knew a lot. Every time they went on a mission, he could come up with unexpected methods to solve problems. Everyone in the Nightwalkers called him a little genius, but he despised them all, thinking he would become the next Einstein.

Until one mission.

The fugitive transcendents they were chasing were making explosives. He used instruments to detect all the positions of the explosives and led the Nightwalkers to capture him.

Little did he know that the opponent was a complete lunatic who had strapped many explosives to himself, ignited by the core of his transcendental power.

He never thought to scan the captured fugitive.

When he saw the man’s crazed smile and realized something was wrong, Lin Feng had already rushed towards him and pinned him down.

Then came the deafening explosion.

He was pinned down by someone, protected tightly by their body. He could feel the ground trembling, countless fragments passing by his ears like bullets, and drilling into the earth.

The man who usually acted carefree spoke nonchalantly, and liked to jokingly call him a little genius, smiled at him gently.

He said, “Don’t be afraid; everything will be fine.”

He stood up, and he fell.

Lin Bai watched him cough up blood in large amounts, and before dying, he used his hand to cover Lin Bai’s eyes.

“Little genius, don’t look.”

“He always wanted me to call him captain. Why didn’t I call him, why!”

Lin Bai, engulfed in uncontrollable memories, suddenly went mad, fiercely smashing the bed.

“Why didn’t I pay more attention? If I had noticed earlier, if I…”

He slumped down, crying like a child.

Hong Ying watched him go mad and cry, softly saying, “It’s already in the past. The dead cannot come back to life. The only thing you can cherish is the present.”

Lin Bai said, “I really wish to go back to that day.”

He would definitely sincerely call Lin Feng captain. He would definitely tell them before the arrest that the fugitive had explosives on him, not to capture him alive, and preferably execute him on the spot.

After all, the place where they captured the fugitive was on the outskirts.

Hong Ying silently watched him.

Her black eyes seemed to possess the ability to penetrate the depths of one’s heart, reaching directly into Lin Bai’s innermost being, seeing the distressed youth.

“You will regret it,” she said.

…

Zhao Xiaokui woke up, and the injuries on her body had mostly healed, except for a severe headache.

She had no complaints. Dealing with a seemingly high-level superhuman deity, suffering only a tiny bit of damage to her soul, she felt like she had lucked out.

After a check-up, the doctor said there was nothing serious, so she was unwilling to continue lying in bed.

Tidying herself up, she quietly slipped out of the ward.

Looking through the glass window, Zhao Xiaokui saw Lin Bai still asleep and decided not to disturb him by entering.

Moving from one ward to another, Zhao Xiaokui finally saw Gou Rixin lying in bed, his shoulders wrapped up like a mummy.

Gou Rixin was playing with his phone with one hand.

She lightly knocked on the door and called out in a low voice, “Uncle Gou, Uncle Gou!”

Gou Rixin saw her and beckoned, “Come in, do I have to invite you? I’m still a patient.”

Zhao Xiaokui said, “You make it sound like someone else isn’t. What are you doing?”

She leaned over to take a look and found he was playing a puzzle game.

She gave Gou Rixin a disdainful look.

Gou Rixin had long lost any sense of shame. He pulled Zhao Xiaokui, “Xiaokui, you came just in time. I’ve been stuck on this level for half an hour, and my unlimited energy is depleted. No matter what, I can’t get through it. Help me play a round and see.”

While Zhao Xiaokui complained verbally, she still took the phone and, using the last five energy points, started the game.

Sitting on the bedside, she played, and Gou Rixin peered over her shoulder.

As Zhao Xiaokui skillfully connected the little animals in groups of three, four, or five, triggering successive special effects, she casually asked, “Uncle Gou, how’s your body? I saw that the injuries from that day seemed quite severe. Does it affect your arm?”

“No, it’ll be fine once the flesh grows back.”

This was one of the advantages of superhumans. Their exceptional physical qualities were not only evident in explosive power and endurance but, more importantly, in their recovery ability.

A normal person, if a chunk of flesh were cut off, might end up with a permanent depression in that spot. However, a superhuman, with some care, could always regrow the lost tissue.

She casually asked, “Have you had a headache these past few days? Been having nightmares? I have nightmares every day…”

Gou Rixin, without much guard against her, directly replied, “Yes, it hurts. It feels like it’s about to explode now. The doctor said it’s damaging to my mental power. I haven’t had a shortage of dreams these days; every day, I dream of my deceased comrades and some crazy voice asking if I want to revive them.”

At this point, he suddenly sneered, “I’m not that stupid. It’s definitely that evil god bothering me, trying to get me to cause trouble. He’s got it all figured out.”

As he said this, a perfect rating popped up on Zhao Xiaokui’s phone.

Gou Rixin’s eyes lit up, “Not bad, Xiaokui. You’re really good at this.”

“Oh, since you have nothing to do, help me with a couple more levels. I’ll treat you to a meal afterward.”

Zhao Xiaokui: “…”

She handed the phone to Gou Rixin, “You play by yourself; I’m going to find Captain Yu.”

Mental damage was not a trivial matter, especially when it was caused by facing an evil god.

According to the preliminary estimate from the internal doctors of the Nightwalkers, the three of them, at least, would have to lie in bed for a month before the pain caused by mental damage gradually subsided.

During the recovery period, almost nothing productive could be done; neither thinking nor working with hands was allowed. Zhao Xiaokui felt that there was nothing for her to do at the base, so she wanted to apply for leave.

Originally, she was an external member. Even when imprisoned, she could get parole for medical treatment. She didn’t think she should be forbidden from going home during her recovery.

Yu Youmin was not very willing to let her leave the Nightwalkers’ base.

Just now, they dealt with a domain, and this thing was the lifeblood of cultists. Zhao Xiaokui, as the main contributor, was at risk of becoming a target for attacks.

“Xiaokui…”

Zhao Xiaokui hugged his leg and cried, “Uncle Yu, I want to go home!”

She looked like a primary school student who didn’t want to stay in the dormitory.

Yu Youmin’s words got stuck in his throat for a moment.

He cleared his throat, “Speak nicely, speak nicely. Isn’t it because I’m worried about your safety?”

Zhao Xiaokui: “I’m just a weak and helpless little girl. Who would target me?”

Yu Youmin looked at her.

“Fine.” Zhao Xiaokui knew that her idea was a bit unrealistic. She said, “Then let’s go fishing.”

Yu Youmin raised an eyebrow, “Fishing?”

…

Shen Zhifei has been a bit restless these days.

Although the temperature has dropped, and the weather is no longer as hot as in the summer, she inexplicably feels extremely irritable.

Moreover, her menstrual period just ended a week ago.

She always felt that something bad was happening somewhere she didn’t know.

She tried to inquire about Zhao Xiaokui’s situation through Lin Bai or Su Mingyue, but Lin Bai never replied, and Su Mingyue only told her that Zhao Xiaokui was still in special training.

In the special training, Zhao Xiaokui had her phone confiscated because she dared to play all night holding her phone, staying up until 6 a.m. for classes, even a superpower couldn’t withstand it.

At seven in the afternoon, after nodding to the security guard, Shen Zhifei’s car slowly entered the villa area.

Parking the car in the garage, Shen Zhifei entered the house through the back door. Just as she opened the door, her sixth sense, which seemed to come from nowhere, made her heartbeat gradually accelerate.

Twisting the doorknob, she opened the door cautiously, little by little.

The bright light passed through the narrow door frame, illuminating her face.

At a glance, Shen Zhifei saw Zhao Xiaokui lying on the bed.

She still looked beautiful, but that kind of beauty had lost its youthful innocence, replaced by a touch of melancholy.

She had watched the video V House had shot for Zhao Xiaokui.

The photographer did his best to showcase Zhao Xiaokui’s beauty. At this moment, Zhao Xiaokui lay quietly on the sofa, with a hint of fatigue in her eyebrows and eyes. From a sea siren, she turned into a docile little mermaid. The light of the chandelier fell vertically on her face, revealing a bit of inadvertent vulnerability.

Taking off her high heels, Shen Zhifei walked towards her barefoot.

She reached out to touch the little mermaid’s face. Zhao Xiaokui’s body instinctively tensed for a moment, then quickly relaxed. She opened her eyes drowsily and saw Shen Zhifei. She grinned, revealing a silly smile.

“Zhifei.”

Shen Zhifei gently pressed Zhao Xiaokui’s temples, gradually easing her fatigue, and softly asked, “Very tired?”

Zhao Xiaokui yawned, reaching out to hug Shen Zhifei. “I’m not tired when I see you.”

Like a greedy dragon guarding its treasure, she coiled herself around Shen Zhifei, deeply inhaling her scent.

The fragrance of pine trees and the scent of melting snow brought a moment of clarity to her senses.

It was like taking a bite of watermelon chilled with well water on a scorching hot day.

Sweet and refreshing.

Having refreshed herself, Zhao Xiaokui finally had the energy to act spoiled. She embraced Shen Zhifei’s neck, gently rubbed against her, and asked, “Shen Zhifei, did you miss me?”

Shen Zhifei felt ticklish as she rubbed against her neck.

“It’s only been three days,” Shen Zhifei reminded her of the time they had been apart.

Pretending to be angry, Zhao Xiaokui pushed Shen Zhifei away, staring at her with a pout. “Do you know how a day feels like three autumns? It’s like we haven’t seen each other in nine years. Don’t you miss me?”

Shen Zhifei lowered her head, inserting her hand into Zhao Xiaokui’s hair from behind, cradling the back of her head, and pressed their foreheads together. “Guess.”

This gesture was too intimate, intimate enough that Zhao Xiaokui thought Shen Zhifei might give her a kiss at any moment.

She looked into Shen Zhifei’s black eyes, which harbored some emotions swirling inside. Yet, it was like a caged beast that could only roar and assert dominance within the confines of the cage.

They were too close, and Zhao Xiaokui’s breath mingled with Shen Zhifei’s. This intimacy caused a slight warmth in her body. She reached out, embracing Shen Zhifei’s back, closing the gap between them.

Then, she extended her tongue, giving a gentle lick on Shen Zhifei’s lips.

The beast was set free by her actions.

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