Chapter 120: Almost There

It was not until Kuang Shao returned that Zhan Yu was finally able to ask Xuan Xuan about the matter again.

Upon his return, Kuang Shao noticed the strange atmosphere between the two and asked curiously, "What’s going on?"

Xuan Xuan remained seated on a tree branch, watching them; she, too, wanted to know what had come over Zhan Yu to make him act so strangely all of a sudden.

Zhan Yu shook his head, deciding not to rush—if there was a problem, the truth would eventually reveal itself. He looked at the unidentified bird in Kuang Shao’s hand and asked, "What about the rabbit?"

"Must you have rabbit?" Kuang Shao beckoned to Xuan Xuan and rolled up his sleeves with the air of someone about to do something grand. "Ever heard of 'Beggar’s Chicken'? Let me show you my skills today."

Seeing Kuang Shao looking so smug, Xuan Xuan was highly skeptical. Could a young master like him really cook? She glanced at Zhan Yu, wondering if she should prepare two bottles of antidote.

"Hmph." Seeing Xuan Xuan’s dismissive look, Kuang Shao snorted slightly. "A lack of appreciation, I see. Beggar’s Chicken is an essential dish for picnics."

Xuan Xuan didn't believe him at all and turned to ask Zhan Yu, "Is it edible?"

Kuang Shao immediately bristled. "What do you mean, 'edible'?"

"It’s edible," Zhan Yu said with a glint of amusement in his eyes. Though Kuang Shao couldn't cook, he did make a decent Beggar’s Chicken; it was, however, the only dish he could present to others.

Kuang Shao didn't care; one good dish was enough.

Xuan Xuan watched as Kuang Shao disdainfully cleaned the bird, added seasoning, wrapped it in nearby banana leaves, coated it in a layer of mud, and buried it in the ground.

"Just wait and see. You’ll have to watch your tongue later, or you might just swallow it along with the chicken," Kuang Shao said after lighting the fire.

Xuan Xuan still doubted the dish's viability, given all the mud and dirt involved. But when the "Beggar’s Chicken" was finally ready, she realized that Kuang Shao was actually reliable for once. The meat was a bright, reddish-brown, tender and succulent, and thanks to the banana leaf wrapping, it carried a subtle, refreshing fragrance.

Ignoring Kuang Shao’s smug expression, Xuan Xuan enjoyed her meal, devouring nearly half the chicken. Afterward, she retrieved a tent from her space. It was a Mata Continent travel tent, supported by magic crystals and featuring spatial expansion; it was quite spacious and well-equipped.

After tidying up the area and setting up the tent, she hopped inside, feeling quite content.

Kuang Shao and Zhan Yu were stunned. It was clear to both of them that Wanqi Xuan Xuan was truly here on vacation.

Stepping inside, they found the tent to be no smaller than a typical study. It contained a small daybed, a desk, a small bookshelf behind the desk, and thick carpets covering the floor. A partition concealed the rear area, which was presumably the bedroom. The style was unique, and the materials used were ones they had never seen before.

Once inside, Xuan Xuan ducked into the rear section, returning a moment later to hand Kuang Shao a vial. "Go and sprinkle this in a circle around our campsite."

He shook it. "What is this?"

"Something to avoid trouble." It would mask their scent and keep insects and beasts at bay.

Though puzzled, Kuang Shao dutifully followed her instructions.

"You two can sleep on the daybed," Xuan Xuan said, yawning before heading into her own bedroom. She hadn't used the tent in a long time and was feeling unaccustomed to it, especially after such an early start.

Zhan Yu glanced at the daybed Xuan Xuan had pointed out. His mouth twitched—a daybed that narrow for two people? And two grown men at that?

Seeing that there was no movement from inside the bedroom, he resignedly laid a blanket on the floor to make a bed. Fortunately, the tent was covered in thick carpets, and its internal environment was self-contained, free from the humidity of the rainforest. Sleeping on the floor was still far better than the open, rain-drenched air outside.

Kuang Shao was quite self-aware; as soon as he returned, he climbed straight onto the daybed.

For the next few days, the three of them followed behind Xuan Guo’s group, maintaining an attitude of vacationers. During this time, however, Xuan Guo remained quiet.

Xuan Xuan noticed that their route was becoming increasingly suspicious. She had checked the planned route with Ai Zhe earlier, and they were now completely off-course. While it was difficult to maintain a sense of direction in the rainforest, everyone had been equipped with compasses upon departure; such a massive deviation was impossible to justify by accident. It seemed their target was about to appear.

She wondered how Wanqi Weihao and the others were doing, as she hadn't encountered them at all.

While Xuan Xuan was enjoying good food, drink, and lodging, Xuan Guo was far from comfortable. The deeper they ventured, the more snakes, insects, and dense undergrowth they encountered. With poor food and no place to bathe, it was becoming unbearable for a young girl. Even when they found water, it was only small streams or marshy flats.

Not only her, but the other girls in their group were also losing the will to move. The only thing that consoled Xuan Guo was that the larvae were finally proving useful. She watched as Ai Zhe’s attitude toward her became increasingly gentle and obedient. She touched her arm, thinking that soon, everyone would treat her this way, respect her, and obey her every command.

She made contact mentally: "How much longer?"

"Soon."

Soon was good. Once they reached that place, she would gain much more. Even if it were Wanqi Xuan Xuan, what could she do then?

"A-Zhe, can we rest for a while?" Xuan Guo asked softly.

Ai Zhe frowned. They were walking further and further away—they must be close, right? He nodded and sat down to the side. As Xuan Guo leaned in, a flash of impatience crossed Ai Zhe’s eyes. Suddenly recalling their deviated path, he probed, "Are we off course? I feel like something isn't right."

"We're almost there," Xuan Guo said, her eyes filled with triumph and impatience.

Ai Zhe forced a smile. "What should we eat?"

"Whatever you're having," Xuan Guo whispered.

Ai Zhe’s mouth twitched. "I'll go get something."

After Ai Zhe left, Bu Baibai sidled up to Xuan Guo. "You’re really something. With Wanqi Xuan Xuan gone, Ai Zhe has been treating you so well in just two days."

"Ai Zhe has always been good to me." At the mention of Xuan Xuan, Xuan Guo’s hand tightened, though she continued to smile.

"You have such a good temper. That Wanqi Xuan Xuan is just someone who relies on back-door connections. She even dared to skip military training just because she’s from the Wanqi family. So what if she is?" Bu Baibai said indignantly. They were all undergoing such grueling special training in the rainforest, yet she didn't have to participate—all because of her background.

"Perhaps she wasn't feeling well," Xuan Guo said with feigned comfort.

Bu Baibai snorted. "Hmph, I see her eating well and sleeping well. You should be careful, though; I think Ai Zhe treats Wanqi Xuan Xuan differently than others."

"A-Zhe wouldn't do that," Xuan Guo said, playing the part of a woman in love.

Xuan Xuan, who had been monitoring them with her mental power, was puzzled. Was Ai Zhe treating her differently? Did "differently" mean he sneered at her every time they met?

When Ai Zhe walked up to Xuan Xuan later, she gave him a thorough top-to-bottom inspection, leaving him feeling creeped out. Had he been parasitized without realizing it?

"What’s wrong? I don't have any wounds on me," he said. Ever since he learned the truth, he had been careful; even if he got a scratch, he would use Xuan Xuan's healing potion away from others, ensuring no open wounds remained.

"Nothing." After inspecting him for a while and finding nothing, she asked, "Why are you here?"

"We’re almost there. I can tell Xuan Guo is getting restless," Ai Zhe said, after checking himself over again and deciding he should be fine. For the past two days, Xuan Guo’s joy had been plain to see, though he didn't know what promises the Zerg had made to her.

Xuan Xuan nodded. "I suspect she intends to lead you all there to be used as hosts and then bring those Zerg to the Imperial Capital."

A look of shock crossed Ai Zhe’s eyes. "Has Xuan Guo lost her mind? How could she dare to do something like that?"

"I suppose so," Xuan Xuan shrugged. If she weren't insane, she wouldn't have agreed to let the Zerg parasitize her. Still, she was curious about what these creatures looked like. She would have to study them properly after capturing one.

Hearing their conversation, Zhan Yu asked with concern, "Is it a larval parasite or the queen?"

Xuan Xuan shook her head; it was just a guess. "Both are possible, but likely the queen." If it were just larvae, the one in Xuan Guo would be enough, which suggested that there might be more than one high-level Zerg on this deserted planet.

"The queen cannot be allowed into the Imperial Capital. It’s too dangerous," Zhan Yu said.

Kuang Shao nodded. They could control a small-scale situation here, but if it reached the Imperial Capital with so many people, it would be impossible to tell who had been parasitized. By the time they found out, it would be too late.

Xuan Xuan shrugged. "Then we’ll just take them all down."

Zhan Yu nodded. That was a given.

"A-Shao, have the people I asked you to arrange arrived?" Zhan Yu asked. He had already prepared for reinforcements to arrive once the location was pinpointed. They couldn't possibly take down a Zerg stronghold on their own; only he and Kuang Shao had mechs, and few other students would. Unless the Zerg were of a very specific, weak type, their chances of survival would be slim. If Zhan Yu hadn't been certain the stronghold was small and not heavily populated with independent units, he never would have allowed the students to enter.

"Everything is ready," Kuang Shao nodded. "Should we have the students pull out first?"

"No, let them see it. Those who make it to the top of the Federal First Military Academy all have their own methods," Zhan Yu decided. Despite some issues over the past few days, no one had dropped out yet.

Kuang Shao worriedly asked, "Aren't you afraid of a major disaster?"

"The Old Man said he’d take responsibility," Zhan Yu said, raising an eyebrow. He never did anything he wasn't sure of, and he certainly never did anything without an exit strategy.

Kuang Shao’s mouth twitched. Zhan Yu certainly knew how to play the game—the credit would be his, but if something went wrong, the blame would fall on his grandfather. Why wasn't his own grandfather like that? He glanced at Xuan Xuan; Zhan Yu always thought of her first whenever there was something good.