169: Chapter 169 We're Waiting for You

"Did you... bah, did you steal someone's thing right under their nose in the snowy mountains..."

Ning Yunyan raised his head, looking doubtfully at the white-haired girl wearing a mask and a baseball cap.

Today, the organization had inexplicably assigned him a mission to lead a newcomer, which completely disrupted his plan to invite Captain Li Qiaoyan to a movie. He was already fuming with anger.

Initially, he had been quite impatient upon meeting this newcomer.

This new member felt far too stupid to him. Anyone who knew him was aware of his severe 'stupidity intolerance'; he simply couldn't stand Xiao Meng's naive remarks.

Fortunately, for some unknown reason, the new member later seemed to become a different person. Although her tone remained the same, what she said was much more normal, which prevented him from turning around and leaving immediately.

Ultimately, with the help of this new member's contracted beast, the mission was completed smoothly. Now, he was rushing back to the organization to report.

After all, if he could finish early, there might still be time to ask her out.

But... why did such a masked woman suddenly appear on this remote path and say such strange things to him the moment she opened her mouth?

He reviewed all the jobs he had done, certain that he hadn't exposed his identity around any woman. Furthermore, the masks provided by the organization had the effect of blocking perception.

So, he simply assumed the girl had mistaken him for someone else.

"I'm sorry, have you mistaken me for someone else?"

"No... I have not..."

At the thought of the memory crystal she was about to obtain being snatched away by this guy—especially after he had acted all cool and walked away right in front of her—Xing Yaoyan felt bitter.

Red Demonic Power slowly emerged as Xing Yaoyan clenched her fists.

"Are you... Xing Yan?"

Ning Yunyan instantly realized the visitor's identity.

"Who is Xing Yan?"

Xing Yaoyan immediately played dumb.

As long as she stubbornly refused to admit it, what could he do to her?

However, from his subconscious exclamation, Xing Yaoyan gradually confirmed the thief's identity—this guy was the youth who had rescued Captain Li Qiaoyan on the arena stage. He seemed to be called Ning Yunyan...

She had previously felt that the Aura on Ning Yunyan was very similar to that thief's, and now she was truly certain.

It seemed she hadn't hit him hard enough back then...

Seeing that the Saintess of the Demon Race was about to attack him, Ning Yunyan felt it was a very difficult situation.

"Don't force me..."

Suddenly, a powerful Aura erupted from his body.

Fourth Rank?

Xing Yaoyan's eyebrows twitched slightly.

After not seeing him for just a few days, this guy had actually reached the Fourth Rank... No, he seemed to have been at the Third Rank a long time ago, so it was reasonable for him to have a Breakthrough to the Fourth Rank now.

But... so what? It's not like I haven't killed a Fourth Rank Esper before!

Under the pressure of the Aura, the ferocity in Xing Yaoyan's Bloodline was unknowingly triggered.

Raising a fist, then striking down.

With no wasted movement, Xing Yaoyan was the first to attack.

"How unlucky..."

Ning Yunyan had no choice. He grabbed with both hands, and playing cards emitting powerful spiritual energy fluctuations appeared out of thin air at his fingertips, about to collide with Xing Yaoyan.

And just then...

"Senior, wait!"

[Xing Yaoyan, stop!]

The words of Xiao Meng and Hu Wang rang in Ning Yunyan's and Xing Yaoyan's ears respectively.

Both sides instantly stopped their movements, and the spiritual energy and Demonic Power on their bodies quickly dissipated.

Xiao Meng and Hu Wang suddenly stepped between the two, separating them.

The faint red glow in Xing Yaoyan's eyes gradually faded.

She was actually breaking out in a cold sweat.

For some reason, as soon as she recognized Ning Yunyan, her mind was filled with violent thoughts of slaughter, as if she had completely lost her sanity.

She had previously asked Xiao Dao about this abnormal phenomenon; she only remembered it saying it was a normal psychological state for Star Beasts...

Xing Yaoyan shook her head slightly.

It seemed that since reaching the Bottleneck of the Third Rank, this originally inconspicuous strange feeling had been occurring more and more frequently...

Right... what did Senior Hu Wang say just now? Did he call me by my... name?

Seeing the unreasonable Saintess of the Demon Race stop, Ning Yunyan also breathed a secret sigh of relief.

Although this location was remote, it was still in Kyoto. If the commotion from a fight became too large, it would definitely attract people from the Security Bureau instantly, and he didn't want to get caught because of that.

"Hmph! At least you're sensible."

Ning Yunyan brushed past the pondering Xing Yaoyan, with Xiao Meng chasing after her, constantly offering somewhat cookie-cutter words of comfort.

"Little Xiao Yan..."

The familiar nickname reached her ears, and Xing Yaoyan snapped her head up.

She was certain she hadn't misheard this time; it wasn't a hallucination.

Senior Hu Wang... he really recognized her...

"What's wrong? We haven't seen each other for that long, and you already don't recognize me as your Senior?"

That slightly teasing voice rang out again.

Xing Yaoyan finally turned her face to look at the white fox standing by her feet.

"Senior Hu Wang, long time no see... but let me say, those red patterns on your body are truly ugly."

"Haha..."

Hu Wang gave a few dry laughs to hide his embarrassment.

"I didn't expect you to have become the Saintess of the Demon Race now. You must have suffered a lot..."

"Actually, it's been okay..."

Xing Yaoyan put her hands in her pockets and looked at the setting sun in the distance, the orange-red sunset glow casting over her somewhat stiff, pretty face.

"After all, I've managed to live until now, and my current life... isn't bad..."

"That's good then..."

After Hu Wang said this, the human and the fox stood in silence for a while.

"When did you discover my identity?"

"Actually, I had a feeling during the arena challenge... after all, there aren't many people who can make a kid like Qian Mo stop for no reason. And don't forget, my Innate Talent is 'Dispelling Delusions'; seeing through your clumsy disguise is a piece of cake."

The corners of Xing Yaoyan's mouth curled slightly.

Senior Hu Wang was still as cocky as ever; it was quite nostalgic.

"Actually, you are very similar to someone I once met..."

Hu Wang's voice came as if he were talking to himself, sounding like he wanted to speak but was very uncertain.

"Oh? Let me guess, is that person called the Navigator?"

"How do you know?"

Upon hearing this, Hu Wang literally jumped in surprise.

But he soon seemed to understand something and returned to his original calm demeanor.

"Moss told you, didn't he..."

"Although I don't know why he's still alive, he's the only one who could tell you that person's identity."

"When are you coming back? You should know, he misses you very much..."

Xing Yaoyan had originally wanted to ask for more information about that Navigator, but Hu Wang's next sentence immediately froze her in place.

A long time passed.

"I cannot, and I should not..."

"Wait, don't be in such a hurry to answer. We will wait for you..."

Xing Yaoyan looked at Hu Wang again, only to see the white fox's eyes narrowed into two crescent moon-like arcs as he looked up at her.