Chapter 呵 呵 江 大口 大口 喘着 粗气 停 在 了 火山 传送门 面前
Chapter 1 Gasping for Breath

"Hah... hah..." Jiang Xiao gasped for breath, stopping in front of the volcano portal.

Finally, he was back! Finally, he was leaving this damn place.

His protective suit was covered in volcanic ash and the blood of other-dimensional creatures, emitting a foul smell.

That was just the outside; inside, the suit was soaked with Jiang Xiao's sweat, making him extremely uncomfortable.

Er Wei beside him wasn't any better. Although she didn't have the pungent smell of blood, she had lost her "air conditioner," Xiao Xiao. Er Wei was also dirty and sweaty, giving off an unpleasant odor.

It proved that "fragrant sweat" was a lie. So what if she's a woman? She still stinks.

Jiang Xiao took a deep breath and eagerly stepped out of the space portal, finally returning to Earth, back to the military camp.

Too lazy to talk, the two of them ran to the showers to wash up and change.

Twenty minutes later, Jiang Xiao changed into clean clothes, putting on the thick down jacket he had worn when he came. He stood at the building entrance, waiting for a moment.

Soon after, Er Wei, equally clean and refreshed, walked out from the other side of the corridor. She hadn't tied up her hair; her long hair was still a little damp, indicating that she hadn't blow-dried it, or even bothered to wipe it much.

Er Wei nodded to a soldier, then led Jiang Xiao out of the building and towards the parking lot.

After four days, Jiang Xiao was once again sitting in the black Passat with the license plate Jiang A0s686. Beside him, Er Wei opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat, saying, "Where to?"

Where to go was the question.

Jiang Xiao and Er Wei had come to the volcanic other-dimensional space near Jia City. The two cities were 370 kilometers apart, so driving back to Jiangbin City would take three or four hours.

The armory closer to Jia City was in Zhongcheng County, Guanlin City, which was also 370 kilometers away.

Er Wei was usually the decision-maker, but she was rarely asking for Jiang Xiao's opinion. Of course, Jiang Xiao wanted to seize the opportunity and not hand back the decision-making power.

Er Wei took a hair tie off her wrist and handed it to Jiang Xiao.

Jiang Xiao, who was deep in thought, was stunned. Looking at the hair tie in front of him, he suddenly remembered the scene in the Qingqing Grassland Hotel, across from the Imperial Capital Star Warrior Academy.

Oh ho?

Was this woman addicted?

Should he slap her hand away and tell her to do things herself!?

Jiang Xiao imagined it in his mind, then obediently took the hair tie, while Er Wei turned slightly and looked out the window.

While tying her hair, which was falling over her shoulders, Jiang Xiao said hesitantly, "It's already the 24th. Let's go back to Jiangbin City. The New Year is on the 28th. Xiao Jiangxue should be back these days. I don't want her to come home to a cold and empty house."

Er Wei silently looked out the window, without responding.

Jiang Xiao continued, "Let's go to the armory after the New Year. The training intensity has been pretty high these past few days. We've been working hard for a year, so we should take a break."

"Mm," Er Wei replied faintly, "Then let's go back. I'll contact you in a few days."

Jiang Xiao tugged on her ponytail, indicating that he had finished tying it, then sat up straight. While starting the car, he said, "Come home with me for the New Year?"

Er Wei: "No."

"Uh..." Jiang Xiao drove out of the parking lot and soon entered the highway, plunging into a vast, snowy world.

The atmosphere in the car was a bit dull. After a long while, Jiang Xiao said, "I'm raising a bunch of pigs in my dimension. With you around, I'll be safer."

Er Wei silently looked out the window, responding, "You don't have to open the dimension."

Jiang Xiao patted the steering wheel, saying helplessly, "Then you have to bring Xiao Xiao some dumplings for the New Year, right?"

Er Wei was slightly surprised.

The New Year? Bringing dumplings to Xiao Xiao?

Jiang Xiao turned to look at Er Wei. From her slightly surprised expression, Jiang Xiao understood what she meant.

My god, why does a person like you have a pet!?

A heartless woman!

You only know how to make the horse run, but you don't feed it any grass.

Jiang Xiao said very seriously, "Yes, the New Year. It needs to be rewarded. I don't dare to send it in. I'm afraid I'll lose my life in there. It's more appropriate for you to send it."

Er Wei's voice was hoarse, "It doesn't celebrate the New Year."

Jiang Xiao said rather helplessly, "It followed you, it's your pet, so it has to celebrate the Chinese New Year with you."

Er Wei "hmph"-ed, "I don't celebrate the New Year."

Jiang Xiao said, "If you're with me, you have to celebrate the New Year together. Luan Nvshi, life isn't just about fighting, killing, work, and missions."

Er Wei frowned, turning impatiently to look out the window, "Troublesome."

Jiang Xiao suddenly asked, "What do you think is the meaning of life?"

Er Wei still frowned, silent.

Jiang Xiao suddenly reached out, reaching behind her head, and pulled off the hair tie that held her ponytail. Her slightly damp hair fell loose again.

Er Wei turned her head, looking at Jiang Xiao with dissatisfaction.

Jiang Xiao ran his fingers through the hair tie, spreading his fingers apart, and the hair tie slipped down to his wrist, "A very real problem: you're about to receive a mission and have to return to the Northwest now. The superiors are no longer letting you bring apprentices, but are sending you to lead the Night Watch Army inside a newly opened other-dimensional space.

You don't know when you'll be able to come out again, just like the two apprentices you taught. You might even have to be stationed there for the rest of your life.

And you're a soldier; you know you'll carry out orders, without objection or hesitation."

Er Wei: "Of course."

Jiang Xiao raised his arm, shaking the hair tie on his wrist, "This little thing will be a memorable scene in your long Night Watch career, a touch of embellishment in your monotonous life."

Er Wei smiled speechlessly. For the first time, her smile was so obvious, so complete, "You're lecturing me."

Jiang Xiao shrugged his shoulders, "I've only tied your hair once. Obviously, you remember the taste. The first time, I asked you. Now, you are the one who asked for it. You're not as numb as you think, Er Wei."

Er Wei said faintly, "Continue."

Jiang Xiao patted the steering wheel, looking at the vast white world, hesitating for a long time, "Continue what? Just live with all your might."

Er Wei was silent for a long time, looking out the window, her eyes a little blurred, and suddenly said, "I shouldn't see Han Jiangxue. My attitude won't be good, and you won't have a good New Year."

"Tch." Jiang Xiao snorted disdainfully, "You're probably misunderstanding something about yourself? When do you have a good attitude towards anyone?"

Er Wei: "......"

Jiang Xiao wasn't driving fast, after all, it was winter. Although the highway was cleared very quickly, safety was the priority.

During the long four-plus-hour drive, Jiang Xiao finally couldn't help but ask, "Who is that woman?"

Er Wei closed her eyes, lowered the back of the seat, and lay back in the passenger seat, one foot on the glove compartment, without responding at all.

Jiang Xiao asked tentatively, "San Wei?"

Er Wei suddenly opened her eyes, turning her head to look at Jiang Xiao in surprise.

Jiang Xiao sensed her gaze, saying, "Your social circle is very small, really small. Enemies can't hurt your heart."

Er Wei stared at Jiang Xiao silently, the atmosphere in the car somewhat heavy.

Jiang Xiao continued, "I've met Yi Wei and Si Wei Hai Tianqing. In your fragmented team, there's only one codename that's mysterious, even unmentionable."

Jiang Xiao shook his head and laughed, "I used to think he was a man, until the day you took me to the Northwest, when I asked you if Hai Tianqing was married. You told me that he wasn't married, but he had someone he loved deeply. And the person Hai Tianqing loved deeply not only abandoned Hai Tianqing, but also abandoned all of you."

Er Wei's narrow danfeng eyes narrowed slightly, her eyes filled with ice-cold, bone-chilling coldness.

"Save it." Jiang Xiao stretched out his arm, leaning forward slightly, and covered her face with one hand, closing her eyes, "After you shut everyone out, I'm your only friend. Don't scare me away too."

Er Wei: "What else did you deduce?"

Jiang Xiao: "Hai Tianqing was expelled from the Night Watch Army because of her, and you're clinging to me tightly because of her."

Er Wei: "Why?"

Jiang Xiao shrugged his shoulders, "Who knows? Maybe, after you die together with the leader of the mercenary group that invaded the Snow Plains, and then get revived, when you wake up again, you'll find me guarding you?"

Er Wei licked her lips, taking away his hand that was covering her eyes.

"A scene, some memories, with comparison, there's a decision." Jiang Xiao said with a smile, "I don't know your story, but I know the ending."

Jiang Xiao continued, "The top military team in China, especially the members of the Zhuguang Team, insisted on taking a newly awakened child as an apprentice, and even decided that when this child grew up, he would join the Wei Yu Team and be your comrade-in-arms."

Jiang Xiao sighed deeply, "I don't have the strength, I don't even have the potential. At that time, you didn't know the special nature of my Star Map. You clearly knew that I only had nine Star Slots. Even if I was a rare healing type, I was still a waste. But you still wanted to take me as an apprentice and let me become your teammate in the future. Why?"

Jiang Xiao turned to look at Er Wei, looking at her somewhat complicated expression, and said softly, "Isn't it because San Wei broke your heart?"

Jiang Xiao turned his head to look at the road ahead, sighing again, "So, all of this has nothing to do with me."

"No," Er Wei said, "I don't deny all your analysis just now. But the last sentence is the opposite. All of this is about you."

Jiang Xiao: "Mm?"

Er Wei: "Strength can be cultivated. The loyalty that flows in the blood is difficult to find."

Jiang Xiao turned his head, looking into her dark eyes, "Even if I only have nine Star Slots?"

Er Wei nodded: "Even if you only have nine Star Slots."

Jiang Xiao looked at Er Wei's serious expression, staring for a long time, almost forgetting that he was driving. He quickly turned his head to look ahead.

Jiang Xiao curled his lips, "If you want to eat fish dumplings, just say so directly. Learn some good things from me, don't be so glib."

Er Wei: ???