137: Chapter 137 Going Home

After saying this, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly; it wasn't out of pride, but rather deep emotion.

Zhang Qiming also sighed, pushing up his glasses: "Indeed, in just over a month, he's gone from LV1 to LV4."

"With this kind of talent, I'm afraid even your Xiao Yueyue won't be able to keep up."

Wang Dashan smiled, carrying the unique pride of a father: "Xiao Yueyue is still young."

"When she grows up, she might even be stronger than her brother."

Zhang Qiming laughed: "You're praising both of them."

Wang Dashan put the cigarette back in his mouth, not denying it.

"Dashan, tell me… if your son knew that we aren't just external personnel for the Twelve Zodiacs, but actually gigolos, what do you think his reaction would be?"

Wang Dashan exhaled a cloud of smoke, silent for a long time, his voice drifting out from the smoke: "It's better if he doesn't know. Knowing too much is not a good thing… especially when it comes to the affairs of this world…"

Wang Lin thought it over and agreed to Captain Huo Xiao's suggestion, boarding Captain Huo Xiao's helicopter.

When Wang Lin walked out of the inn, it was already broad daylight.

Arriving outside the camp, Wang Lin wanted to hail a taxi, but found the transportation there quite inconvenient; he hadn't seen many cars at all.

At this moment, the sound of helicopter blades came from afar, growing closer and louder.

A helicopter flew over from the direction of the camp, circled a few times above Wang Lin's head, and then slowly landed.

The cabin door opened, and Captain Huo Xiao stepped out.

"Young Master Wang, I heard you're going home. Why don't… I take you back?"

He turned to the side and made a gesture of invitation.

Wang Lin thought for a moment and said: "Alright. Then thank you."

He stepped forward and boarded the helicopter.

Captain Huo Xiao followed behind him, a single step away.

The cabin door closed, the blades accelerated, and the helicopter slowly rose, leaving the ground.

The clouds outside the window drifted, the ground shifted, and the world was changing.

Captain Huo Xiao sat opposite Wang Lin, his heart in turmoil.

Su Wan and Shen Yuan had already told him everything that happened in the temple.

The blood pool, the Nightmare Mask, the LV8 monster, The Progenitor…

He listened very carefully, not missing a single detail.

After hearing it all, he remained silent for a long time.

He remembered the first time he met Wang Lin. Back then, he could have handled Wang Lin with one hand.

But now, Wang Lin could defeat an LV8 monster.

And he, Captain Huo Xiao, leader of the Dark Blade and an LV7 powerhouse, had never defeated an LV8 monster in his entire life.

If he could defeat an LV8 at LV4, what would it be like when he reached LV5, LV6, or LV7?

He felt fortunate—fortunate that he chose to befriend Wang Lin when he was still weak, rather than offend him.

The helicopter flew very slowly.

It wasn't that it couldn't fly fast, but Captain Huo Xiao had it fly slowly.

He deliberately took a detour and slowed down, just wanting to spend more time with Wang Lin.

The helicopter finally landed.

Wang Lin opened his eyes, stood up from his seat, walked to the cabin door, and looked out at the courtyard where he had grown up.

Wang Lin jumped off the helicopter, his feet landing on the soft soil, and took a deep breath; the air held a familiar scent of home.

"Commander Huo, would you like to come in and sit for a while?"

Captain Huo Xiao shook his head: "No. There are still things to take care of at the camp."

Wang Lin stood where he was, watching the helicopter disappear into the horizon, then turned, pushed open the iron gate, and walked into the courtyard.

The courtyard was still the same as it had always been.

The leaves of the old locust tree rustled in the wind, a thin layer of dust covered the stone table, and one leg of the stone stool was crooked, propped up by a piece of broken brick.

Wang Lin crossed the courtyard, pushed open the ajar iron door, and walked into the house.

In the living room, Wang Dashan sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, holding a newspaper in his hands.

A cigarette hung from the corner of his mouth, the ash quite long; he didn't flick it, just letting it hang there.

Seeing Wang Lin return, Wang Dashan put down the newspaper and said: "You're back?"

Wang Lin gave a grunt of acknowledgement.

Xiao Yueyue sat cross-legged on the carpet, holding a tattered rag doll in her arms.

The television was on, and Ultraman was fighting a monster; the monster was being beaten, howling in pain.

Xiao Yueyue's eyes were wide, and she was shouting: "Hit it! Hit it! Go, Ultraman!"

Li Xiulan was in the kitchen cleaning up the dishes.

Everything was normal—so normal that it felt like nothing had ever happened.

When Xiao Yueyue saw Wang Lin, her eyes suddenly lit up. She ran over to him and hugged his leg: "Brother is back! Brother is finally back! I thought you didn't want me anymore!"

Wang Lin looked down at Xiao Yueyue's round face and patted her head: "Silly girl. How could Brother not want you?"

"Brother is lying! You were gone for so long, I thought Brother had been eaten by a monster!"

Wang Lin smiled: "A monster? Brother specializes in fighting monsters, and I even drove the monster away."

Xiao Yueyue's eyes brightened even more: "Really? Brother is so amazing!"

"Even a monster that Ultraman couldn't beat, Brother actually drove it away!"

Wang Dashan poked his head out from behind the newspaper: "If even Ultraman couldn't beat the monster, how could your brother beat it? Don't listen to his bragging."

Xiao Yueyue turned her head: "Daddy is talking nonsense! Brother never lies!"

At lunch, Wang Lin looked at the spread of dishes on the table, full of confusion: "Did you know I was coming today? You prepared so much food."

Wang Dashan picked up a piece of braised pork, put it in his mouth, chewed, and smiled: "You didn't know, did you? Your Uncle Zhang and I got promoted."

"We aren't just external personnel anymore; we're official internal members now. Our salaries have even doubled!"

After saying this, he picked up another piece of braised pork, eating with even more relish.

Wang Lin didn't speak, feeling secretly proud… This was all thanks to me. If I hadn't sold that forbidden artifact to the Twelve Zodiacs, would you have gotten such treatment?

But he didn't say it out loud, simply picking up his teacup and taking a sip.

Wang Lin didn't want his family to know what he had experienced in the temple, nor did he want them to know that he had nearly died inside.

Now that he was LV4, he didn't have to worry about being eaten by these old calamities at home.

Thinking back, he didn't even dare to tell his parents that he had awakened, fearing he would be targeted.

Now, Wang Lin felt much more at ease.

Wang Lin poured himself a glass of wine, raised the glass, and stood up: "Dad, since you've been promoted, come on, let's celebrate. I'll toast to you."

Wang Dashan also stood up, and the glasses clinked together, making a crisp sound.

Wang Dashan tilted his head back and drained the glass, turned it upside down, and laughed heartily.

After a few rounds of drinks and plenty of food.

Wang Lin put down his chopsticks, fell silent for a moment, and then spoke: "Dad, I want to go to the Holy City. I want to join the Holy See."

Wang Dashan's hand, which was picking up food, paused: "What's so good about the Holy Court? It's not as good as joining the Twelve Zodiacs."

"It's close to home, and the benefits are good. Look, your dad has been working for over twenty years, and I've ushered in a second spring in my career—I've been promoted."

His tone carried an undisguised pride.