My and Their Anime-Style Otherworldly Survival Adventure

Although Sanya still kept her head turned away from Jiuxiao, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly. A shy and sweet smile bloomed on her beautiful face, like the gentlest spring breeze, softly dispelling any remaining dissatisfaction. This was the first time Jiuxiao had launched a direct attack on her in front of everyone. Sanya gently nudged Jiuxiao, signaling him to be mindful of the occasion. Fortunately, everyone was distracted by Bush Cui's cat ears, and no one noticed them.

Seeing this, Jiu Xiao was secretly pleased, but wisely stopped pressing the matter and steered the conversation back to the main topic.

"Speaking of which, I wonder if the Self-Defense Forces' defenses are in place. Those monsters aren't so easy to deal with." Jiu Xiao frowned, his tone tinged with worry. His gaze pierced through the crowd, as if penetrating through layers of obstacles to see the smoke-filled battlefield in the distance.

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions turned solemn. Kisara gently stroked her beloved sword, Yukikage, her eyes gleaming with unwavering determination, as if she were ready to throw herself into the impending battle at any moment.

"No matter how powerful those monsters are, we will not back down." Her voice was soft, but it revealed an undeniable determination.

Yeonju clenched her little fists, made a muscle-flexing gesture, and said in a childish voice, "Don't worry, I'll protect everyone. Hehe, Jiuxiao, don't let me bewitch you."

Upon hearing this, Jiu Xiao shook his head, both amused and exasperated. He gently flicked Yan Zhu's forehead and said with a smile, "You little rascal, you're really precocious for your age. But I'm already very satisfied with your kind intentions."

Yeonjoo rubbed her forehead, which had been flicked, and pouted, pretending to be angry, but she couldn't hide the smile in her eyes. She knew that although Jiuxiao usually liked to joke around, he was always so reliable in crucial moments.

Just then, a roar came from the sky, and a dark shadow hovered a dozen meters above the group. A strong wind suddenly blew up as the shadow descended, making everyone's clothes flutter and their hair disheveled. Jiu Xiao squinted and looked up, then realized it was the Sima family's armed helicopter. Then the hatch opened, and a rope ladder quickly slid down, hovering steadily a few meters above the ground.

From the helicopter, a woman dressed in a gorgeous kimono slowly descended the rope ladder, carrying a metal box in her hand. Jiu Xiao recognized her at a glance; it was Sima Weizhi, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.

"Long time no see, little brother Jiuxiao! Have you missed me? I can't wait!" With that, Weizhi leaped down from the end of the rope ladder. "Catch me!"

Jiu Xiao was startled by Wei Zhi's actions. He rushed forward, pushed off with his toes, and leaped high into the air. Almost the instant Wei Zhi was off the rope ladder, Jiu Xiao caught her steadily, and the two spun once in the air before landing safely.

Wei Zhi's soft breasts pressed against Jiu Xiao's face, their intoxicating fragrance stirring his heart. Just as Jiu Xiao was about to reprimand Wei Zhi, she interrupted him with her clear, bell-like laughter. Wei Zhi gently pushed Jiu Xiao away, and after standing still, her gaze swept over everyone, lingering on Mu Zheng for about a second longer, perhaps due to her own imagination. Finally, it landed on Sania, and she gave a slight bow: "Beautiful Miss Sania, it's been a long time. You seem even more radiant than before."

Sania remained expressionless, a barely perceptible hint of disdain flashing in her eyes. Yes, disdain. Who hugs someone else's boyfriend like that? If it weren't for her good temper, she would have already unleashed a torrent of profanity. But out of politeness, she still nodded slightly in response.

Kisara's feelings weren't so pleasant. She was certain that Miori was deliberately ignoring her, especially that extra second she lingered on her. Provocation! This was blatant provocation! Kisara's eyes instantly turned cold, and her hand holding Yukage trembled slightly, as if it might be drawn at any moment.

"Shima Miori, what do you mean? Do you want to fight me?!" Kisara said, each word distinct, like a demon crawling out of hell. The intense resentment made the surrounding air temperature drop several degrees, causing everyone to shiver involuntarily.

Only Miori seemed completely unaffected, a faint smile playing on her lips, as if she hadn't sensed the hostility emanating from Kisaragi at all.

"Oh my, so you're here too, Tendo-kun. Look at you, all dressed in black, you've blended right into the environment. Don't be so serious." Miori said casually, a playful smile playing on her lips, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

A tic-tac-toe mark appeared on Kisara's forehead, clearly indicating her extreme displeasure with Miori's carefree grin. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but found it was futile. Just as she was about to explode, a metal box flew towards her without warning.

"Alright, alright, here you go. Consider this a small gift as my apology. Don't be so stingy." Miori said with a smile, but her hands didn't stop moving at all. She tossed the box in her hand to Kisaragi.

Kisara instinctively reached out and caught the flying metal box, her eyes filled with doubt and wariness. She stared intently at Miori, as if trying to see through her smile to her true intentions.

"What is this?" Mu Geng's voice was cold and hard, showing no sign of softening despite receiving a "gift".

Chapter 117 Oath-Taking Ceremony

Miori chuckled softly, a smile tinged with mystery and teasing. She produced a folding fan from somewhere, unfolded it to cover half her face, and said mysteriously, "This is a secret weapon that can take down Aldebaran, Sima Heavy Industries' latest product—the EP bomb (EKPYROTIC BOMB). Its explosive power is about 20 times that of a 500-pound bomb. Moreover, it can generate intense heat in a confined space, specifically designed to deal with Gastrea like Aldebaran. However, you'd better be careful when using it, lest you accidentally get yourself caught in the crossfire." As she finished speaking, a playful glint flashed in Miori's eyes, as if anticipating Kisara's next reaction.

Kisara's hand trembled, almost dropping the metal box in her hand. Although she didn't know what an EP bomb was, from Miori's description, she knew it was an extremely dangerous thing. A bead of cold sweat slid down Kisara's neck. She subconsciously swallowed, glaring at Miori, and snapped, "Tetsuo, how can you just throw something so dangerous around like that? What if it explodes?"

Upon hearing this, the others involuntarily took a step back, their instincts driving them to keep their distance from the seemingly harmless yet deadly metal box. Only Wei Zhi remained unmoved. She calmly closed her folding fan and said casually, "Hehe, don't look so fierce. Can't you have a little more confidence in Sima Heavy Industries' technological achievements? EP bombs are very difficult to detonate with external force. Don't worry, they're perfectly safe." Wei Zhi's words carried an undeniable confidence; she seemed to have absolute trust in her company's products.

Kisara gritted her teeth, her hands gripping the metal box tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force. She had a hundred reasons to believe that Sima Miori had given her the box to embarrass her. The anger she had barely suppressed was reignited by Miori's words and actions, and Kisara's eyes seemed to spit fire. Seeing that the two women were about to start fighting again, Jiuxiao quickly took the box from Kisara and changed the subject, saying, "Oh dear, how can you let Kisara-nee keep such a dangerous thing? And Miori-nee, what time is it and you still have the leisure to joke around? What if something happens? Wouldn't we all be finished?" As she spoke, the box in Jiuxiao's hand vanished instantly as if by magic, and he transferred it into his system space.

Everyone else was unfazed, except for the newly joined Katagiri siblings, Akimasa Nagisawa, and Midori Fuse, who all looked astonished, clearly finding it unbelievable that Kushou could make objects disappear into thin air in an instant.

Katagiri Yumizuki stared at Kyuu's empty hands, scrutinizing them from head to toe, but found nothing unusual. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she asked, "Brother Kyuu, is this... a superpower?"

Jiuxiao smiled knowingly and couldn't help but tease, "Why can't it be magic?"

Aside from the girls who knew Jiu Xiao very well and the two little girls, Akira Tsubasa and Tamaki Katagiri couldn't help but roll their eyes at Jiu Xiao. They both believed from the beginning that Jiu Xiao was just using some kind of trick.

The next day, the giant stone monument, which was expected to hold for another day, collapsed with a deafening roar. An alarm suddenly blared, echoing throughout the temporary camp and waking everyone from their sleep. Jiu Xiao sat bolt upright, the sleepiness in his eyes instantly vanishing.

"Immediately notify everyone to assemble in the center of the camp!" Jiuxiao commanded.

The broadcast soon echoed throughout the camp, and people rushed out of their tents and makeshift shelters, their faces filled with panic and unease. The collapse of the megalith meant that the Gastrea threat was once again approaching, and they had to act quickly.

Jiuxiao, as the commander of this operation, had quickly donned his gear and stood in the center of the camp. It was at this moment that Jiuxiao met his deputy for the first time—my comrade, Tangzhangzheng. This 54-year-old policeman, with an IP ranking of 275, was known as a "hero of both wisdom and courage."

My lord, dressed in an exoskeleton, with sharp and steady eyes, strode up to Jiu Xiao, gave a standard military salute, and said, "Lord Yuan, my lord is here to report for duty. Please give instructions."

Jiu Xiao nodded and returned the greeting. He always reciprocated kindness tenfold. Moreover, setting aside the relative strengths of the two sides, the other party's extensive experience in organizing manpower and large-scale operations was something Jiu Xiao currently lacked.

"Commander, the battle at the front is likely about to break out, and we must be ready to provide support at any time. Could you please organize the manpower and conduct a pre-battle mobilization? I'll just stay behind and provide support," Jiu Xiao instructed calmly. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority. Although my esteemed commander was only the deputy commander, Jiu Xiao still addressed him as commander, not deputy commander, out of respect.

My patriarch was taken aback. In his rigid mindset, shouldn't a young, promising, and powerful man like Jiu Xiao be extremely arrogant? If it were him, he would never relinquish control that he had already gained. However, Jiu Xiao displayed a maturity and composure beyond his expectations. He knew how to use his abilities where they were most crucial, rather than blindly giving orders.

This greatly changed my patriarch's impression of Jiuxiao, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of respect for him. He nodded solemnly, accepted the order, and quickly threw himself into the tense but orderly pre-battle preparations.

Jiu Xiao stood to the side, silent, like a statue. Mu Geng glanced at Jiu Xiao with slight surprise, thinking to herself that this Jiu Xiao seemed completely different from the playful and carefree boy she usually knew.

Inside the camp, my comrade, with his rich experience and decisive style, quickly stabilized the morale of the group of police officers, organizing them from a state of panic and confusion into a well-organized force. He stood on the makeshift platform, preparing to speak and boost morale. But then, as if suddenly remembering something, he turned and looked up at Jiuxiao, a question in his eyes.

Jiu Xiao waved his hand, indicating that my patriarch was proceeding according to his plan. After receiving confirmation, my patriarch took a deep breath, his expression becoming serious.

"Gentlemen, I am the vice-commander, I am Tang Nagamasa. You are all elite warriors who have gathered here to save the Tokyo region. It is my honor to fight alongside you. The Tokyo region is now facing an unprecedented crisis. The collapse of the megalith is like a constant alarm bell, reminding us that the threat of Gastrea is imminent. They are eager to invade our homes and devour our lives, but we will never sit idly by and wait to die!"

My comrade's voice was powerful and resonant, echoing in the center of the camp. Every word was like a heavy hammer, striking the hearts of everyone present. His gaze swept across the crowd, a gaze that possessed a penetrating power that gradually calmed the police officers who were still filled with fear, and their eyes regained a resolute light.

"I know some of you are afraid, some are uneasy, and that's only natural. But please remember, as police officers, it is our duty and our mission to protect this land and the safety of its people. Now, the monument has fallen, but our faith must not fall, and our courage must not be extinguished!"

As my patriarch finished speaking, the atmosphere in the crowd began to change. The previous panic and unease were replaced by an inexplicable force. It was a mixture of a desire for victory, love for family, and endless hatred for Gastrea.

"We must unite as one. Whether it's fighting on the front lines or providing support from the rear, everyone is an indispensable part of this battle. Let us join hands and use our wisdom and courage to resist the Gastrea invasion and safeguard the peace and tranquility of the Tokyo area!"

My comrade's words were stirring and inspiring; every movement and every glance he made was filled with unwavering faith in victory. Under his leadership, the police officers began to line up in an orderly fashion, their morale high, as if they were ready to face the impending battle.

Jiuxiao stood aside, silently observing everything. He secretly rejoiced that he had chosen the right person. "My leader not only has rich combat experience, but also an extraordinary ability to unite people and boost morale. Such a deputy is undoubtedly very useful."

"Alright, everyone, I've finished speaking. Now, let's invite our commander to say a few words." My esteemed leader tucked the conversation back to Jiu Xiao at the opportune moment. Although Jiu Xiao had indicated that he was in full charge, he couldn't usurp the initiative. The cunning and shrewd leader deeply understood one thing: whether the other party wanted to or not was one thing, whether he expressed his opinion or not was another.

Jiu Xiao, who had been standing at the back observing, was taken aback when his name was called. He hadn't expected his patriarch to pull such a stunt. Jiu Xiao then slowly walked forward, mentally rehearsing his response as he went. The dense crowd below made him somewhat nervous. Having lived two lives, Jiu Xiao had never witnessed anything like this before. It was quite remarkable that he wasn't intimidated.

Stepping onto the stage, countless eyes were fixed on him. Jiuxiao cleared his throat and slowly began, “Everyone, as my commander said, the situation is now extremely urgent. I have a feeling that those good-for-nothings in the Self-Defense Forces are incapable of handling this important task. We must prepare to face the Gastrea army head-on. But don’t be too nervous. My squad will handle those troublesome enemies. Your primary task is to save your lives. Don’t use your Initiators as tools for gaining merit. Otherwise, even if you survive this battle, I will not let you go!”

A powerful killing intent erupted from Jiu Xiao's body. Having fought Gastrea for so long, he was no longer the novice he once was. A moment of silence fell over the audience. Many with ulterior motives were intimidated by Jiu Xiao's aura and unconsciously abandoned their plans. They began to realize that this seemingly young new leader not only possessed unfathomable strength but also had an unusual attitude towards the Cursed Child.

The Cursed Children in the audience felt an unprecedented warmth and care. Jiu Xiao's words were like a ray of sunshine piercing through the gloom in their hearts, giving them hope for survival, rather than seeing them as mere tools to be discarded at any moment. The Cursed Children had long been marginalized by society, seen as outcasts, which made them feel inferior most of the time.

After the pre-battle mobilization, the police team disbanded again. They couldn't keep everyone in a state of high tension indefinitely, otherwise they'd be exhausted before the fighting even started. Seeing Jiuxiao return to his squad, Yanzhu excitedly rushed into his arms, hugging him tightly around the waist.

"Jiuxiao, you are so handsome, especially the way you stood up for the cursed child. It made me look at you in a completely new light. No wonder you are the man I have chosen, hehe." Yanzhu snuggled in Jiuxiao's arms and said with a face full of admiration. Her eyes, which sparkled like stars, were full of love for Jiuxiao.

Kisara's brow twitched. Sometimes she really envied Yeonju, who could express her feelings for Jiuxiao without restraint. As an adult, she had many concerns. She simply couldn't bring herself to share a man with Sania and Xiaoyuan, unless Jiuxiao took the initiative... But Jiuxiao was sometimes like a block of wood; aside from expressing his affection for her last time, he hadn't made any other moves. This led Kisara to often suspect that Jiuxiao was playing hard to get.

Fortunately, Jiu Xiao was unaware of Mu Geng's thoughts, otherwise he would have cried out in protest. Jiu Xiao had been extremely busy in recent years, frequently traveling between the two worlds. In addition, he had to take care of the little ones around him, and he also had to carefully cultivate his relationships with Xiao Yuan and Sania. He simply didn't have the extra energy to speculate about Mu Geng's thoughts.

Jiuxiao gently patted Yanzhu's back and said with a smile, "Yanzhu, stop fooling around. Let's go back and prepare. The upcoming battle won't be easy."

Upon hearing this, Yan Zhu, though somewhat reluctant, obediently withdrew from Jiu Xiao's embrace and nodded, saying, "Yes, Jiu Xiao is right. I cannot let my guard down."

Then, the war on the front lines began as scheduled. The deafening sounds of explosions and gunfire mingled together, creating a unique symphony on the battlefield. Bombers occasionally flew overhead.

It roared past, dropping deadly bombs and tearing the earth apart into a sea of ​​fire. Gastrea ran rampant in the chaos, their twisted bodies and sharp claws becoming the most terrifying meat grinders on the battlefield.

The battle raged from afternoon until night. As the gunfire subsided, unsurprisingly, the Self-Defense Forces suffered a crushing defeat, just like in the original timeline. Not only were they completely annihilated, but many were also transformed into new Gastrea. They were truly more trouble than they were worth; the original 2000-plus Gastrea had ballooned to over 4000 in the blink of an eye. If it weren't for Nine Heavens's cheat code, they probably would have been dead by now.

Upon receiving news of the defeat at the front, Jiu Xiao immediately summoned my patriarch Zheng and other core members, including Mu Geng, to urgently discuss countermeasures. Their current location was no longer defensible unless Fate unleashed full firepower, but this would disrupt Jiu Xiao's plans.

Chapter 118 Things Are Getting Strange

In the conference room, my charioteer had a dark face. He didn't expect Jiu Xiao's words to come true so quickly. The Self-Defense Force was so easily defeated! Only half a day had passed since the start of the war, and the news of their complete annihilation had already come back.

"Gentlemen, I'm sure you all know the situation at the front. It's estimated that it won't be long before our current location is attacked by Gastrea. I wonder if anyone has any plans? Please feel free to speak your mind." Jiuxiao interlaced his fingers below his nose, making a standard pose that Commander Ikari was known for, and said in a deliberately profound manner.

The meeting room fell silent for a moment. Suddenly, my comrade-in-arms straightened up, slammed his hands on the table, and said in a firm tone, "We cannot sit idly by and wait to die! We must take the initiative and nip these Gastrea in the bud!" His eyes flashed with an unquenchable rage, as if he wanted to rush to the front lines immediately and tear the enemy to pieces.

Jiu Xiao shook his head inwardly. "My patriarch Zheng is such a reckless fool. Doesn't he realize that with just a few of them, launching an attack would be like throwing an egg against a rock?" But Jiu Xiao didn't directly reject my patriarch Zheng's suggestion. Instead, he looked to Mu Geng for help.

Kisara frowned, clearly deep in thought, and slowly began, “Commander, please calm down. According to reports from the front lines, this Gastrea army not only includes the colossal Aldebaran, but also a Stage IV Gastrea, ten meters tall and ten meters long and wide, possessing archerfish genes. It’s a long-range specialized Gastrea capable of spraying high-pressure mercury from 5 kilometers away, and has been named Pleiades. It shot down a Self-Defense Force plane. Until we have a plan, it’s best not to act rashly.”

In his agitated state, my patriarch disregarded hierarchy and looked up at Jiuxiao, demanding, "Commander Yuan, is this the same thought you hold?"

Jiu Xiao frowned, his face showing displeasure. Mu Geng had made it so clear, yet he still wanted to recklessly charge forward? It didn't matter if he sought death himself, but Jiu Xiao couldn't accept so many cursed children dying with him. However, Jiu Xiao's tone remained restrained. He raised his hands and gently pressed them down, signaling to my esteemed leader to calm down.

“My comrade-in-arms, I know you’re anxious, but don’t rush. I think our most urgent task is to retreat to the vicinity of the ‘Flame of Return’ monument as quickly as possible. There are many hiding places there, which are very advantageous for guerrilla warfare. I will lead men…”

Before Jiu Xiao could finish speaking, my charioteer Zheng abruptly interrupted him: "Retreat? Now you want to desert in the face of battle? If word gets out, what will become of my reputation! I disagree!" My charioteer Zheng's face was flushed red with excitement, and his eyes seemed to be burning with raging fire as he resolutely opposed Jiu Xiao's proposal.

Jiu Xiao's face darkened completely. "You think you're so great? Interrupting me for no reason, and so stubbornly refusing to listen! Even a clay figure has some temper, let alone Jiu Xiao, this spirited young man. Now, repeatedly provoked by my esteemed leader, his anger was rising." He slammed his hand on the table, stood up, and said, "Enough! I, your esteemed leader, will not stop you from going to your death, but please do not implicate everyone. I am not asking for your opinion, but giving you an order!"

"You!" My chaplain's eyes were wide with anger, seemingly wanting to argue, but Jiu Xiao's gaze had turned cold and resolute, brooking no argument. The atmosphere in the entire conference room froze instantly, and everyone else watched this scene silently, no one daring to interrupt.

"What do you mean, 'you'? Don't forget I'm the Fire, cough cough, the leader."

"Yuan Jiuxiao, you'll regret this!" My patriarch gritted his teeth, slammed his hand on the table, and stormed off. He was even more convinced that Jiuxiao's method was unacceptable; after all, he was just a greenhorn.

With a loud bang, the conference room door was slammed shut by my boss, making the paintings on the wall tremble slightly. Jiuxiao stared at the closed door, feeling a strong sense of déjà vu. Wait, buddy, did you wander into the wrong movie set?

With the troublesome individuals gone, Jiu Xiao and the others revisited their plan. The gist was that Jiu Xiao would lead Fate in carrying out the decapitation strike; once Aldebaran and Pleiades, the two key threats, were eliminated, the Gastrea army would collapse without a fight. The rest, led by Kisara and Tina, would retreat to the "Flame of Return," where they would wage guerrilla warfare against the commandless Gastrea, minimizing losses.

After agreeing on a plan, Jiu Xiao instructed the communications officer to immediately relay the orders to each squad. As my comrade left the meeting room, the cool night breeze calmed him, and he realized his impulsive actions in the meeting room might have brought unnecessary risks to the entire team. After all, war is not child's play; every decision could determine the life or death of countless people. My comrade stopped, looked up at the starry sky, and felt a complex mix of emotions.

After considering the plan devised by Jiu Xiao, my patriarch felt that perhaps Jiu Xiao was right...

It's really good, absolutely. And the fact that Jiuxiao left the most dangerous mission to himself makes my patriarch even more ashamed.

On Jiuxiao's side, he had sent everyone else out to relay orders. He led Fate back to their tent, where he was greeted by the scene of Enju ripping off Fushi Cui's leggings and Fushi Cui's wailing.

...Jiuxiao was dumbfounded. Are elementary school students these days really this open? But pink is indeed quite cute...Yeonju, well done!

"What are you doing?" Fuse Midori screamed as she quickly pulled up her pants. Her soft, cute voice carried no hint of reproach; instead, it had a captivating quality that made you want to hear it again... How strange, I want to hear it again.

"Brother Jiuxiao, don't look!" Fate said, covering Jiuxiao's eyes. Due to the height difference between the two, Fate had to jump up and pounce on Jiuxiao's back to cover his eyes.

The incident happened suddenly, and Jiu Xiao, who was still in a daze, lost his balance and fell straight towards Bu Shi Cui in front of him.

"Hey! Wait..." Before the words were finished, Jiuxiao pressed himself against Fushi Midori, and the three of them instantly descended into chaos. Fushi Midori's scream abruptly stopped, replaced by a masculine scent filling her nostrils. Their lips were now incredibly close, less than an inch apart, the pores on each other's faces clearly visible. If Jiuxiao hadn't been a little less principled... Fushi Midori's first kiss might have been in jeopardy...

Jiuxiao jolted awake, clearing his mind of the brilliant, garbled thoughts, and struggled to his feet. Busu Cui's cheeks were flushed, her eyes were swollen like mosquito coils, and her mouth opened and closed, but she couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

Seeing this, Fate quickly let go, her face filled with guilt and panic. She lowered her head and whispered, "I'm...I'm sorry, Brother Jiuxiao, I didn't mean to..."

Jiuxiao gave a wry smile, dusted himself off, looked at Bushi Cui, and said awkwardly, "Cui, I'm so sorry, I didn't stand properly either... Are you alright?"

It took Buse Midori a while to come to her senses. She trembled slightly, covered her face with her hands, and shyly looked at Jiuxiao through her fingers, her voice barely audible: "I, I, I'm... I'm fine... It's just... a little sudden..."

Jiuxiao shook his head helplessly, stood up, and helped Bu Shicui up from the ground. He asked with concern, "Are you hurt?"

Fuse Midori shook her head, like a frightened cat, and curled up in a corner of the tent. The culprit behind all this, Lan Yuan Yanzhu, was now sneaking towards the tent exit, afraid of being noticed by Jiu Xiao and facing retribution later.

However, Jiuxiao saw through Yanzhu's self-deceptive behavior. He grabbed Yanzhu and said impatiently, "Where are you going? Aren't you going to explain yourself?"

Caught red-handed, Enju's little face instantly filled with panic and unease. She blinked her big eyes, trying to get away with an innocent expression: "Um, I, I just wanted to see if Midori-chan has a tail too, like Sania-neechan..."

Upon hearing this, Jiu Xiao's face darkened, and a well-shaped mark appeared on his forehead.

"Today, you, Aihara Enju, dared to pull down the pants of that little loli, Midori, just to see if she had a tail. So, tomorrow, will you take off my pants to see if I'm a man? Cough cough, this analogy is a bit inappropriate, but you get what I mean, right?"

"Is it okay?" Enju's eyes lit up as she asked. Whether it was her imagination or not, Jiuxiao felt that Katagiri Yuzuki beside her also seemed eager to try.

"Stop being cheeky! I think you're getting too big for your britches. Today I'm going to teach you a lesson!"

Yanzhu shrank back in fright after being scolded by Jiuxiao, and a look of grievance appeared on her little face.

"I know I was wrong. I never expected this chain reaction to happen. Please forgive me this time, okay?"

"Words are useless!" Jiu Xiao raised his hand, as if to strike. Yan Zhu, terrified, closed her eyes, tightly covering her head with her hands, looking pitiful as she crouched down in defense. However, Jiu Xiao's hand paused in mid-air for a few seconds before landing heavily on her bottom... and surprisingly, it was quite bouncy...

With a few sharp "slaps," the crisp sounds echoed inside the tent. Yan Zhu felt a burning pain on her buttocks, her face instantly turning bright red, and her body trembled involuntarily. Surprisingly, she didn't make a sound, as if she was enduring the shame.

The other children were too ashamed to watch and turned their heads away, afraid of being noticed by the great demon king, Jiuxiao. Only Fushi Cui, who covered her face with her hands and peeked through her fingers, watched with great interest. Every time Jiuxiao struck Enju, Fushi Cui's body trembled, as if Jiuxiao was hitting herself, not Enju. Fushi Cui felt a warm sensation all over her body, somewhat similar to the feeling when Jiuxiao had pounced on her, but also different, as if something extraordinary had awakened...

After Jiuxiao finished hitting her, he noticed that Yanzhu was unusually quiet, not making a sound, which frightened him. Had he made the child stupid? Yanzhu's teeth were clenched, her fists tightly shut, and her eyes were somewhat hazy. Besides resentment and shame, her face seemed to hold a strange other emotion. After Jiuxiao stopped, Yanzhu breathed a sigh of relief, but also felt a sense of loss she herself didn't realize. Damn it, this is strange...

"Waaah, Jiuxiao, you idiot! I... I'll never get married... I don't care, you have to take responsibility, or I'll go to Sister Xiaoyuan and Sister Sania and tell them you molested me! You just wanted to take advantage of me, didn't you?" Yanzhu cried out, though it was hard to tell how much of her words were true and how much were false.

Jiuxiao breathed a sigh of relief; it was good that nothing happened. As for tattling? He wasn't really afraid. This wasn't the first time Yanzhu had been spanked, but it was always Muzang who did it before. This time, he wanted to teach her a lesson so she wouldn't always be thinking about causing trouble.

After calming the little one down, Jiu Xiao's specialty was to give her a stern talking-to after a stern reprimand. He coughed lightly and said seriously, "Alright, Yan Zhu, stop fooling around. You were wrong this time, and you can't do it again. That was so dangerous; you almost hurt Fu Shi Cui."

Yeon-joo pouted. Although she was still a little aggrieved, she knew that Gou-soo was right; she had indeed gone too far this time. She lowered her head and muttered softly, "I know, I'll be more careful in the future."

Seeing this, Jiuxiao nodded in satisfaction, then turned to look at Katagiri Yumizuki beside him, his eyes revealing a hint of seriousness: "And you, you also need to be careful in the future. Don't be laughing and joking all the time. What if you encounter danger?"

Katagiri Yuzuki was taken aback. What did this have to do with him? But on the surface, he still said that he would definitely pay attention.

At this moment, the others who had gone out to relay orders returned. In order to get the team moving as soon as possible, Jiu Xiao decided to split up immediately. Before leaving, Jiu Xiao marked each member of the team with magic in case they couldn't find anyone in case of an emergency.

To the newly joined Katagiri siblings and others, Jiuxiao's plan seemed quite risky. Akimaro Nagisawa repeatedly expressed his desire to stay with Jiuxiao and Fate to help alleviate his stress. However, Jiuxiao refused each time. Kisara and the others, knowing the two's strength, were completely unconcerned; in their view, Aldebaran was a piece of cake.

After everyone separated, Kisaragi and my leader were coordinating with the team's retreat, while Kushou led Fate towards the core area where Aldebaran was located. Along the way, they eliminated all the Gastrea they encountered. So-called infiltration—as long as all the enemies are eliminated, isn't that achieving the purpose of infiltration? Although the process is different, the result is the same (outrageous theory).

The two moved swiftly through the forest, easily defeating every Gastrea they encountered. Passing a stream, Jiu Xiao suggested they rest. A glance at the time revealed it was already 10 PM. The surroundings were pitch black, with only the sparse starlight overhead providing a faint glimmer of light to the silent forest. Jiu Xiao and Fate sat by the stream, back to back, breathing heavily. Although they had swiftly eliminated many small foes along the way, the intense fighting and continuous high-speed movement had taken a toll on their stamina; an ordinary person would have collapsed from exhaustion long ago.