Chapter 26: Threat (TEOTW)
"Only one person is left in the Jing family, named Jing Xia,"
The statement fell firmly, causing Su Weishang's face to pale instantly.
Although the words were directed at Qi Yang, the intention was to directly deny Su Weishang's identity to everyone present.
Qi Yang had originally wanted to make a few more teasing remarks but at this moment, he looked at Ji Chuancheng's deep and profound eyes and after a long while, he suddenly chuckled, shrugged and turned his head away, no longer caring about the situation.
Jing Xia turned half of his body in surprise and looked at Ji Chuancheng somewhat puzzled. Just as he turned, his gaze suddenly met Ji Chuancheng's. The man's expression was still as indifferent and calm as usual but it was precisely this poker face that made Jing Xia feel a strange sense of stability and reliability.
Suddenly, Jing Xia's heart trembled and a strange thought flashed through his mind—this was probably the first time Ji Chuancheng had openly shown disgust towards someone in public.
"Ji… Ji Chuancheng, what you're saying is too much. Xiao Shang is indeed Uncle Jing's child, and A'Jing's brother. He didn't have the right to choose his own background but he has the intention to make up for the mistakes of the older generation. Isn't he enough…" Wu Jiqing was saying but his voice suddenly stopped.
Ji Chuancheng was tall, taller than Wu Jiqing by half a head. But despite the mere ten centimeters or so difference in height, he was now looking down at Wu Jiqing with a cold gaze, completely drowning out the latter's words.
With slightly lowered phoenix eyes, Ji Chuancheng furrowed his brow and asked, "Are you Wu Jiqing?"
At his words, Jing Xia was taken aback.
Ji Chuancheng joined the military at the age of sixteen and although he often came back afterwards, most of the time he stayed away from that decaying and cliquey circle. However, even so, Jing Xia absolutely did not believe that he would forget what Wu Jiqing looked like.
After carefully examining the stern man in front of him for a while, although he felt strange in his heart, Jing Xia, looking at the other's serious expression, couldn't help but feel that Ji Chuancheng was not intentionally mocking Wu Jiqing, or perhaps… he didn't think this man would do such a boring and childish thing.
Wu Jiqing's face slowly turned red, and he stuttered, "Y-Yes, I am."
Among the three of them, Jing Xia got along well with Ji Chuancheng and Wu Jiqing individually, but Ji Chuancheng and Wu JIqing could only be considered acquaintances, not close friends. Sometimes, Jing Xia even felt that Wu Jiqing seemed a little afraid of Ji Chuancheng. Whenever Ji Chuancheng returned to B City from the military, Wu Jiqing would always refuse his invitations to hang out and these refusals always seemed to occur whenever Ji Chuancheng was present.
The atmosphere at the scene slightly froze and everyone secretly stole glances at Ji Chuancheng's expression, forgetting to even care about Su Weishang, who had just been bumped by a harmless little black ball.
Ji Chuancheng just nodded lightly, made a casual "Hmm" sound, pursed his thin lips and didn't say anything more.
This action made Wu Jiqing, whose face was already red, even more embarrassed and even Jing Xia felt a bit puzzled. But with his interruption, Jing Xia vaguely felt some obvious changes: Wu Jiqing's whole person seemed to shrink and he stopped speaking altogether.
On the other hand, Su Weishang reluctantly smiled again, said a few words and then pulled Wu Jiqing away from the corner. Watching Wu Jiqing's somewhat dazed figure, Jing Xia inexplicably felt a strange sense of pride—
Why did it feel like… A'chuan's deadpan personality was sometimes so satisfying?
Next step was Jing Xia following Zhou Yi to test his abilities, while Ji Chuancheng escorted Qi Yang to find Professor Qi. Finally, they agreed to meet again at the accommodation later that night then split up at the corner, walking in opposite directions.
As they walked towards a room on the first floor, Zhou Yi asked, "That friend of yours seems… quite formidable, don't you think?" Struggling to find an adjective, Zhou Yi twisted his nose and eyes, silently replacing "devious" with "formidable."
Jing Xia naturally smiled and said, "You mean A'chuan? Although I'm reluctant to admit it, he's always been very formidable. He's been like that since he was a child, as cold as an air conditioner from Antarctica, beautifully chilling."
After a moment of silence, Zhou Yi said helplessly, "Chilling, I felt that, but beautiful…"
Jing Xia: "Ahem, just an adjective."
Zhou Yi: "…"
What Jing Xia didn't know was that the "beautifully chilling" man who was gradually moving away from him was now turning another corner, following Zhou Yi's previous directions towards a dim and eerie corner. Several people who could still be seen on both sides had completely disappeared and there was a peculiar scent in the air.
The light dimmed somehow as they approached this place, as if to conceal something unspeakable and hide all secrets in the darkness unknown to anyone. The tall man stepped into the increasingly dark corner with firm and steady steps without a hint of hesitation.
"I never expected that you would be the one to see me off, Major Ji," the same casual voice sounded, and Qi Yang moved his wrist a few times, saying, "After staying in the restricted area for so long, suddenly breathing the outside air, it feels a bit unfamiliar."
Ji Chuancheng remained silent.
Qi Yang didn't mind and continued to smile, "It's just a pity. I rarely come across someone interesting and now I'll never see him again."
His steps suddenly faltered, then immediately resumed. Ji Chuancheng suddenly lowered his voice and asked, "Are you talking about… Xiaoxia?"
Qi Yang slowly curved his lips into a bigger smile, "I didn't say anything. But now, I have something to tell you." Ignoring the other's silence, Qi Yang continued, "Those two people just now are not suitable as friends. I think you also know, one is too arrogant and the other is inconsistent."
Ji Chuancheng glanced at him, raising an eyebrow, "Wu Jiqing is too arrogant?"
"Insisting on their own views and placing themselves on the moral high ground, isn't that arrogance? If not then it's conceit." Qi Yang chuckled a few times then suddenly stopped his exaggerated laughter, and his footsteps suddenly stopped, "But the other one is even more dangerous."
Ji Chuancheng also stopped in his tracks, turning to look at him.
With a rare serious expression on his handsome face, Qi Yang said, "Xia's half-brother, with impure intentions, harbors hostility and is a threat." Feeling that he had said too much, Qi Yang suddenly smiled again, "Well, I've only met him once, so it may not be accurate."
Ji Chuancheng's eyes darkened, "You think so too?"
Qi Yang said in surprise, "Are you also?"
.......
It was a small "回" shaped building, with a garden in the middle that was over fifty square meters, paved with nostalgic dark red tiles, enclosing the central green area. What set it apart was that there were no other plants or flowers on the seemingly normal lawn, only a lush rose bush planted in the center.
The layers of overlapping petals numbered over ten, thick and brightly colored. The entire flower branch was huge, almost two meters tall with a massive flower disc about thirty centimeters in diameter. It arrogantly occupied the entire green area and there were no other similar ones around, swaying gently in the cool night breeze.
Jing Xia looked at the obviously mutated rose bush with some curiosity. When he arrived at the S City base in his previous life, there was only a layer of dry soil left here and he had never seen this flower. He curiously asked, "Brother Zhou, who planted this mutated flower here?"
Zhou Yi was staring straight ahead but suddenly heard Jing Xia's question. He couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. Shivered and awkwardly laughed a few times, saying, "Who else could plant mutated plants in such an open place besides those lunatics?" He said, shaking his shoulders a few times, leaning closer to Jing Xia, and said, "Let me tell you secretly, Jing Xia, don't get close to that thing, it's too terrifying."
Jing Xia couldn't help but find it funny at his words, "Apart from being a bit larger, it's quite beautiful, and it seems to smell good too. Brother Zhou, you're making a mountain out of a molehill…"
"Splash!" A sound suddenly broke the silence of the quiet night.
Jing Xia's voice abruptly stopped, his smile completely frozen on his lips as he stared blankly at the mutated rose bush in the center of the courtyard, his mouth gaping.
In the intoxicating fragrance, so strong that it seemed visible to the naked eye, a dying bulbul bird struggled desperately. Flapping its plump wings in an attempt to free itself from the sharp, pointed teeth at both ends. But its efforts were in vain, as the sharp, sticky teeth continued to pierce its flesh, causing bright red blood to flow from its wounds, staining its grayish-white feathers until it finally ceased all movement, succumbing to death.
In the blink of an eye, the once beautiful and charming rose suddenly split open its large flower petals, revealing sharp, viscous teeth in the air. It ensnared the bulbul bird, which had been lured in by the sweet scent, and began to devour it.
What was once beautiful and alluring now appeared terrifyingly grotesque.
Jing Xia swallowed nervously.
Zhou Yi sighed helplessly, "This is the latest pet of those lunatics. Despite its stunning appearance when inactive, it's classified as a D-level threat. Additionally, its pollen has hallucinogenic effects and its mucilage has mild toxicity, capable of paralyzing prey."
"This… thing… it's just left out in the open like this, is that really okay?!"
Zhou Yi shrugged, "We've been discussing it with those lunatics for a while now. According to them, this mutated rose is currently in the wild experimentation phase, and they'll naturally dissect it after some time. Fortunately, its range of activity is only within a two-meter radius, so as long as you steer clear, you'll be fine."
Upon hearing this, Jing Xia smirked, "Just… two meters?"
Zhou Yi nodded, "Yeah, just two meters. Hey Jing Xia, what are you doing?! Don't go over there!"
Bathed in the pure, clear moonlight, the slender figure of the young man steadily approached the center of the courtyard. His steps halted about two to three meters away from the mutated rose. Ignoring Zhou Yi's cries, he unleashed a sharp stream of water towards the still-open flower petals.
The water jet was swift and powerful, causing the entire flower branch of the mutated rose to recoil slightly before quickly retaliating, lunging towards Jing Xia with bared teeth. It swung its massive leaves and with a swift motion, crossed the two-meter distance, heading straight for Jing Xia's face.
"Chirp chirp!!"
Jing Xia agilely retreated backward, a thick wall of water materializing in front of him just in time to intercept the sudden attack. By the time he had retreated two meters from his original position, he was completely out of the mutated creature's attack range.
Watching the mutated rose continue to shriek in frustration, Jing Xia turned to look at Zhou Yi, saying, "Clearly, its attack range extends up to four meters, not just three."
Zhou Yi blushed, "Who would provoke it like you did?!"
Jing Xia chuckled, "At least now I know. The maximum attack range is between three and four meters. We can put up a sign: 'Safety first, keep four meters away when admiring the flowers.'"
Zhou Yi: "…"
"Haha, you're quite amusing, kid. Alright, tomorrow we'll put up that sign as you suggested!" Laughter filled the quiet courtyard, successfully diverting Jing Xia's attention.
But as he laid eyes on the newcomer, Jing Xia's exquisite gaze widened in astonishment, his mouth gaping open in shock.
Chapter 26: Threat (TEOTW)
"Only one person is left in the Jing family, named Jing Xia,"
The statement fell firmly, causing Su Weishang's face to pale instantly.
Although the words were directed at Qi Yang, the intention was to directly deny Su Weishang's identity to everyone present.
Qi Yang had originally wanted to make a few more teasing remarks but at this moment, he looked at Ji Chuancheng's deep and profound eyes and after a long while, he suddenly chuckled, shrugged and turned his head away, no longer caring about the situation.
Jing Xia turned half of his body in surprise and looked at Ji Chuancheng somewhat puzzled. Just as he turned, his gaze suddenly met Ji Chuancheng's. The man's expression was still as indifferent and calm as usual but it was precisely this poker face that made Jing Xia feel a strange sense of stability and reliability.
Suddenly, Jing Xia's heart trembled and a strange thought flashed through his mind—this was probably the first time Ji Chuancheng had openly shown disgust towards someone in public.
"Ji… Ji Chuancheng, what you're saying is too much. Xiao Shang is indeed Uncle Jing's child, and A'Jing's brother. He didn't have the right to choose his own background but he has the intention to make up for the mistakes of the older generation. Isn't he enough…" Wu Jiqing was saying but his voice suddenly stopped.
Ji Chuancheng was tall, taller than Wu Jiqing by half a head. But despite the mere ten centimeters or so difference in height, he was now looking down at Wu Jiqing with a cold gaze, completely drowning out the latter's words.
With slightly lowered phoenix eyes, Ji Chuancheng furrowed his brow and asked, "Are you Wu Jiqing?"
At his words, Jing Xia was taken aback.
Ji Chuancheng joined the military at the age of sixteen and although he often came back afterwards, most of the time he stayed away from that decaying and cliquey circle. However, even so, Jing Xia absolutely did not believe that he would forget what Wu Jiqing looked like.
After carefully examining the stern man in front of him for a while, although he felt strange in his heart, Jing Xia, looking at the other's serious expression, couldn't help but feel that Ji Chuancheng was not intentionally mocking Wu Jiqing, or perhaps… he didn't think this man would do such a boring and childish thing.
Wu Jiqing's face slowly turned red, and he stuttered, "Y-Yes, I am."
Among the three of them, Jing Xia got along well with Ji Chuancheng and Wu Jiqing individually, but Ji Chuancheng and Wu JIqing could only be considered acquaintances, not close friends. Sometimes, Jing Xia even felt that Wu Jiqing seemed a little afraid of Ji Chuancheng. Whenever Ji Chuancheng returned to B City from the military, Wu Jiqing would always refuse his invitations to hang out and these refusals always seemed to occur whenever Ji Chuancheng was present.
The atmosphere at the scene slightly froze and everyone secretly stole glances at Ji Chuancheng's expression, forgetting to even care about Su Weishang, who had just been bumped by a harmless little black ball.
Ji Chuancheng just nodded lightly, made a casual "Hmm" sound, pursed his thin lips and didn't say anything more.
This action made Wu Jiqing, whose face was already red, even more embarrassed and even Jing Xia felt a bit puzzled. But with his interruption, Jing Xia vaguely felt some obvious changes: Wu Jiqing's whole person seemed to shrink and he stopped speaking altogether.
On the other hand, Su Weishang reluctantly smiled again, said a few words and then pulled Wu Jiqing away from the corner. Watching Wu Jiqing's somewhat dazed figure, Jing Xia inexplicably felt a strange sense of pride—
Why did it feel like… A'chuan's deadpan personality was sometimes so satisfying?
Next step was Jing Xia following Zhou Yi to test his abilities, while Ji Chuancheng escorted Qi Yang to find Professor Qi. Finally, they agreed to meet again at the accommodation later that night then split up at the corner, walking in opposite directions.
As they walked towards a room on the first floor, Zhou Yi asked, "That friend of yours seems… quite formidable, don't you think?" Struggling to find an adjective, Zhou Yi twisted his nose and eyes, silently replacing "devious" with "formidable."
Jing Xia naturally smiled and said, "You mean A'chuan? Although I'm reluctant to admit it, he's always been very formidable. He's been like that since he was a child, as cold as an air conditioner from Antarctica, beautifully chilling."
After a moment of silence, Zhou Yi said helplessly, "Chilling, I felt that, but beautiful…"
Jing Xia: "Ahem, just an adjective."
Zhou Yi: "…"
What Jing Xia didn't know was that the "beautifully chilling" man who was gradually moving away from him was now turning another corner, following Zhou Yi's previous directions towards a dim and eerie corner. Several people who could still be seen on both sides had completely disappeared and there was a peculiar scent in the air.
The light dimmed somehow as they approached this place, as if to conceal something unspeakable and hide all secrets in the darkness unknown to anyone. The tall man stepped into the increasingly dark corner with firm and steady steps without a hint of hesitation.
"I never expected that you would be the one to see me off, Major Ji," the same casual voice sounded, and Qi Yang moved his wrist a few times, saying, "After staying in the restricted area for so long, suddenly breathing the outside air, it feels a bit unfamiliar."
Ji Chuancheng remained silent.
Qi Yang didn't mind and continued to smile, "It's just a pity. I rarely come across someone interesting and now I'll never see him again."
His steps suddenly faltered, then immediately resumed. Ji Chuancheng suddenly lowered his voice and asked, "Are you talking about… Xiaoxia?"
Qi Yang slowly curved his lips into a bigger smile, "I didn't say anything. But now, I have something to tell you." Ignoring the other's silence, Qi Yang continued, "Those two people just now are not suitable as friends. I think you also know, one is too arrogant and the other is inconsistent."
Ji Chuancheng glanced at him, raising an eyebrow, "Wu Jiqing is too arrogant?"
"Insisting on their own views and placing themselves on the moral high ground, isn't that arrogance? If not then it's conceit." Qi Yang chuckled a few times then suddenly stopped his exaggerated laughter, and his footsteps suddenly stopped, "But the other one is even more dangerous."
Ji Chuancheng also stopped in his tracks, turning to look at him.
With a rare serious expression on his handsome face, Qi Yang said, "Xia's half-brother, with impure intentions, harbors hostility and is a threat." Feeling that he had said too much, Qi Yang suddenly smiled again, "Well, I've only met him once, so it may not be accurate."
Ji Chuancheng's eyes darkened, "You think so too?"
Qi Yang said in surprise, "Are you also?"
.......
It was a small "回" shaped building, with a garden in the middle that was over fifty square meters, paved with nostalgic dark red tiles, enclosing the central green area. What set it apart was that there were no other plants or flowers on the seemingly normal lawn, only a lush rose bush planted in the center.
The layers of overlapping petals numbered over ten, thick and brightly colored. The entire flower branch was huge, almost two meters tall with a massive flower disc about thirty centimeters in diameter. It arrogantly occupied the entire green area and there were no other similar ones around, swaying gently in the cool night breeze.
Jing Xia looked at the obviously mutated rose bush with some curiosity. When he arrived at the S City base in his previous life, there was only a layer of dry soil left here and he had never seen this flower. He curiously asked, "Brother Zhou, who planted this mutated flower here?"
Zhou Yi was staring straight ahead but suddenly heard Jing Xia's question. He couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. Shivered and awkwardly laughed a few times, saying, "Who else could plant mutated plants in such an open place besides those lunatics?" He said, shaking his shoulders a few times, leaning closer to Jing Xia, and said, "Let me tell you secretly, Jing Xia, don't get close to that thing, it's too terrifying."
Jing Xia couldn't help but find it funny at his words, "Apart from being a bit larger, it's quite beautiful, and it seems to smell good too. Brother Zhou, you're making a mountain out of a molehill…"
"Splash!" A sound suddenly broke the silence of the quiet night.
Jing Xia's voice abruptly stopped, his smile completely frozen on his lips as he stared blankly at the mutated rose bush in the center of the courtyard, his mouth gaping.
In the intoxicating fragrance, so strong that it seemed visible to the naked eye, a dying bulbul bird struggled desperately. Flapping its plump wings in an attempt to free itself from the sharp, pointed teeth at both ends. But its efforts were in vain, as the sharp, sticky teeth continued to pierce its flesh, causing bright red blood to flow from its wounds, staining its grayish-white feathers until it finally ceased all movement, succumbing to death.
In the blink of an eye, the once beautiful and charming rose suddenly split open its large flower petals, revealing sharp, viscous teeth in the air. It ensnared the bulbul bird, which had been lured in by the sweet scent, and began to devour it.
What was once beautiful and alluring now appeared terrifyingly grotesque.
Jing Xia swallowed nervously.
Zhou Yi sighed helplessly, "This is the latest pet of those lunatics. Despite its stunning appearance when inactive, it's classified as a D-level threat. Additionally, its pollen has hallucinogenic effects and its mucilage has mild toxicity, capable of paralyzing prey."
"This… thing… it's just left out in the open like this, is that really okay?!"
Zhou Yi shrugged, "We've been discussing it with those lunatics for a while now. According to them, this mutated rose is currently in the wild experimentation phase, and they'll naturally dissect it after some time. Fortunately, its range of activity is only within a two-meter radius, so as long as you steer clear, you'll be fine."
Upon hearing this, Jing Xia smirked, "Just… two meters?"
Zhou Yi nodded, "Yeah, just two meters. Hey Jing Xia, what are you doing?! Don't go over there!"
Bathed in the pure, clear moonlight, the slender figure of the young man steadily approached the center of the courtyard. His steps halted about two to three meters away from the mutated rose. Ignoring Zhou Yi's cries, he unleashed a sharp stream of water towards the still-open flower petals.
The water jet was swift and powerful, causing the entire flower branch of the mutated rose to recoil slightly before quickly retaliating, lunging towards Jing Xia with bared teeth. It swung its massive leaves and with a swift motion, crossed the two-meter distance, heading straight for Jing Xia's face.
"Chirp chirp!!"
Jing Xia agilely retreated backward, a thick wall of water materializing in front of him just in time to intercept the sudden attack. By the time he had retreated two meters from his original position, he was completely out of the mutated creature's attack range.
Watching the mutated rose continue to shriek in frustration, Jing Xia turned to look at Zhou Yi, saying, "Clearly, its attack range extends up to four meters, not just three."
Zhou Yi blushed, "Who would provoke it like you did?!"
Jing Xia chuckled, "At least now I know. The maximum attack range is between three and four meters. We can put up a sign: 'Safety first, keep four meters away when admiring the flowers.'"
Zhou Yi: "…"
"Haha, you're quite amusing, kid. Alright, tomorrow we'll put up that sign as you suggested!" Laughter filled the quiet courtyard, successfully diverting Jing Xia's attention.
But as he laid eyes on the newcomer, Jing Xia's exquisite gaze widened in astonishment, his mouth gaping open in shock.
