Xiao Feng turned his head and, in the flickering firelight, caught sight of Ivy's stunningly radiant smile. In that moment, it felt as though several invisible hands had gently gripped his heart.
"Heh, I wasn't thinking about anything."
Ivy poured herself a glass of whiskey and took a small sip. "You were staring off into space. Clearly something's on your mind. Tell me, won't you?"
As Ivy spoke, Xiao Feng's thoughts suddenly drifted to Kelly, the League's envoy—a powerful psychic and a woman driven by a dangerous madness. Had his ambush failed, he and Old White would now be rotting in a League prison.
Kelly, too, was beautiful. But her face never bore a smile. If she had even half the sultry charm of Ivy's expression, she could have toppled armies of men with a glance.
"What are you thinking about, Xiao Feng?" Ivy asked again, a flicker of irritation in her voice.
"I was just wondering..." Xiao Feng hesitated. "Whether Alice's eyes can still be healed."
"Of course they can. A girl as lovely as Alice—surely Heaven won't forsake her."
"I hope you're right. You and Alice seem to be getting along well these days," he said with a faint smile.
"It's not as rosy as you imagine. She always seems to hold some kind of hostility toward me, though I can't fathom why. Xiao Feng, do you have any idea?"
Xiao Feng shook his head and looked up at the starlit sky. "Alice is a good girl. She simply has her own thoughts and reasons. Spend more time with her. In time, she'll come to see you as a true friend. Excuse me, I have something I need to do."
Ivy raised her glass and called after him, "Where are you going? I'll come with you!"
Xiao Feng shook his head. "Tell Old White not to worry about me."
"But it's nighttime! It's dangerous out there!"
Xiao Feng smiled faintly. "That's precisely why I'm going now."
Refusing to be left behind, Ivy set down her glass and followed him. "No. I'm coming too. Don't forget—I'm an excellent shot."
Xiao Feng's eyes grew cold. "No. You have no idea how dangerous it is outside. Don't make me explain." With that, he slung the long black bag over his back and stepped into the darkness.
"Hmph! Who are you trying to scare, you b*st*rd?" Ivy muttered under her breath. Gritting her teeth, she reached for the customized pistol at her hip and trailed after him.
Suddenly, Turner appeared beside Ivy, grasping her pale arm.
"Sister, where do you think you're going?"
Ivy glanced in the direction Xiao Feng had gone.
"I've told you before—Xiao Feng is just a child. He's not right for you."
Ivy's eyes sparkled dangerously. "And who decided that he's not right for me?"
Turner glanced around. The mercenaries were drinking, laughing, engrossed in revelry. No one was paying attention to them. In the firelight, he leaned close.
"Old White is a psychic. Sooner or later, he'll be targeted. And his daughter—she's blind. No one knows if her eyes can ever be cured. Follow Xiao Feng, and your life will be nothing but hardship. Trust me—I'll find you someone worthy. A young heir to a great consortium, or the son of a general!"
"My life is none of your concern, is that clear?"
Perhaps Turner had drunk too much. "You're my sister—of course I'm concerned! Xiao Feng's origins are murky. Old White picked him up off the streets. I'm telling you—there's something he's hiding. And do you know how many League soldiers he's killed here in Zone 64? One day, they'll come for him. Even if they don't, do you really want to live a fugitive's life, always on the run? I will not let you be with him."
Ivy's voice turned icy. "You disappoint me. Xiao Feng killed those soldiers to save you—because I begged him to. So don't you dare lecture me. I've made my choice, and I will stand by it. Don't push me, Turner. You won't like the consequences." With that, she turned and stormed toward her quarters.
Turner stared at her defiant back, then drained half a bottle of whiskey in one gulp before smashing it to pieces at his feet.
Love—so often misunderstood. And in a world like this, love had become one of the rarest treasures of all.
Xiao Feng reached the edge of the camp and vaulted effortlessly over the wall.
He stood still for a moment, gazing out at the desolate ruins beyond—the very place where they had fought. He took his time, carefully analyzing the chaotic blend of scents lingering in the air.
Only after ten minutes did he isolate a trail that stood apart from the rest.
Slipping the black bag from his back, he swiftly assembled the blood-red sniper rifle and began moving forward, guided by starlight.
From all directions, the snarls of wild beasts echoed in the night. This was their hour—the time when monsters roamed freely.
In this vast wasteland, Xiao Feng was like a rare steak placed atop a banquet table.
And in the shadows, countless ravenous eyes were fixed upon that lone, tempting prize.
But this was no ordinary steak. It was either raw to the core, or cooked through with deadly fire.
His pupils adjusted, shifting once more under the dark sky. With the blood ghost's thermal scope locked into place, the world before him became even clearer.
The rifle was now equipped with a suppressor. Xiao Feng knew full well that any shot fired in this stillness would attract a horde of beasts. And tonight, he was alone.
He picked up the trail and broke into a silent sprint.
Half an hour later, he arrived at the crumbling gates of a long-abandoned manor. Before him stood a decrepit barn, weathered and worn, barely capable of withstanding a gust of wind.
Here, the scent vanished.
Xiao Feng's mind flashed back to the White Wolf alpha's death—the helplessness in its eyes, the pitiful whimpering of the young cubs.
But this time, the desolate wolf alpha was truly alone. And Xiao Feng was certain: it was hiding inside the barn.
He still wasn't sure how to kill it. Not entirely.
Just then, a perfect, full moon rose into the clear night sky.