Ark Heroine Development Plan

According to the intelligence obtained, there is indeed a mysterious mercenary who has been causing trouble in Ming'an District recently, and his influence is quite small, but there will be two or three such mercenaries appearing in Longmen every month or so, so even though Xingxiong and Chen knew about such a person through the spies of the Guard Bureau, they only paid a little attention to him.

But Xingxiong's friend revealed a key piece of information - this guy had once made a deal through her friend, and among the recent victims, one happened to be related to this deal.

It is now certain that even if this mysterious mercenary is not the criminal himself, he is closely related to the criminal. The only difficulty now is how to find this elusive mercenary.

After working hard for so many days, I finally have some clues and can lock on a goal that is barely clear. Unfortunately, the next step depends entirely on myself.

After all, Xingxiong's friend is a middleman in the underworld. It is impossible for her to sell out the people she has done business with completely. If it were not for Xingxiong's favor and some information exchange with the Guard Bureau, she would definitely not say a word.

"The next step will depend on the performance of the hidden agent..."

The woman bit her lip lightly, looking worried.

That mysterious mercenary had the ability to manipulate people's minds and interfere with their wills. The attack on him was most likely related to him. And if he could so easily make his team members, the officers of the Royal Guard Bureau, rebel to the point where they remained unmoved even after his repeated questioning...testing this criminal's hidden agent would probably be quite dangerous.

If possible, she would have to find a way to face the criminal head-on - at the moment, it seemed that the criminal's ability could only have a very subtle effect on Xingxiong, the kind that, although it had a significant impact, would not interfere with her combat capability and judgment at all. And since this guy was hiding behind the scenes and refused to come out, his ability to fight head-on should not be that strong either.

As for Chen... she wasn't sure what effect Chen would have when facing that kind of ability, so it would be better not to bring her along.

Moreover, just from the attitude he got from his elder sister, Xingxiong could be sure that this was his own business and he had to resolve it himself.

After turning off the fire and serving the food, Xingxiong, who was alone, simply cooked one meat dish and two vegetable dishes for himself, and started eating directly in the kitchen without any particularities.

"...Why don't we go back to the Guards Bureau after we finish eating?"

Xingxiong was leaning on the edge of the kitchen counter, eating while gazing at the night view outside the window.

Today's work was clearly finished and the case was starting to get on track. There was no need for her to rush. Even Chen had left work on time today - she was relieved.

But she had this idea for no reason.

Do you want to end the case as soon as possible to avoid more victims, or do you want to find the person who attacked you as soon as possible and find out his motives?

Actually neither.

Xingxiong withdrew his gaze and looked outside the kitchen. The light from the living room shone on the white tiles, so bright that it was a little dazzling. The narrow door of the kitchen only allowed a small field of vision, but the entire space inside the house emerged in Xingxiong's mind.

From the living room to the lounge, from the lounge to the gym, from the gym to the bedroom, from the bedroom to the bathroom, toilet...

Empty.

Empty and quiet, there was nothing but her.

Xingxiong, who was concentrating on eating, silently shifted his gaze back to the tempting food and no longer looked anywhere else.

She didn't bring the food to the table to eat, because even if she did, she would be the only one sitting there.

Such a big living room, but empty, and I’m the only one sitting there eating. That feeling... is actually not a good one.

Xingxiong originally thought that he was used to this feeling, used to the days when she could always be there but was always not. But after that, after the black desire that made him crazy subsided, many things, many feelings... seemed different.

The only thing that remains unchanged is that these things and these feelings are all related to Guan Yueli.

The mature enough ghost woman did not speak. She just quietly replenished the nutrients and energy her body needed. She had a lot of thoughts in her mind, but she couldn't tell anyone.

At least now, no one is listening.

Xingxiong smiled, she didn't know what she was laughing at. Maybe she felt that she was as sad and resentful as a woman in the boudoir, and it was a bit ridiculous that she was so unhappy.

"Let's finish eating quickly. After eating Xiao Chen... forget it, I'll just go back to the bureau."

Xingxiong didn't think about it anymore and chewed the food as if it were military rations.

Then, the next second, she heard the sound of her front door opening.

Xingxiong's hand holding the chopsticks suddenly stopped.

In this city, besides the locksmith, there is only one person who can easily open the door of this house.

"Ah...it's really hard to deal with."

Guan Yueli rubbed her neck and complained, "Are girls nowadays so energetic? I didn't have such a hard time dealing with three girls by myself before."

The bad woman kicked off her clogs and stepped onto the floor, sighing with deep sorrow:

“Times are changing so fast…”

As Guan Yueli said this, she walked through the entrance and immediately smelled a very familiar fragrance.

Super fragrant.

"small star!"

Leaning against the kitchen door frame and sticking her head out, Guan Yueli looked at Xingxiong, who was wearing an apron and had a faint smile on his face, and blinked her eyes:

"Are you cooking?"

"Yeah." Xingxiong tilted his head and curved his eyes gently. "I just got home not long ago. I didn't expect my sister to come back just in time."

"I want sweet and sour pork ribs!"

"Okay~ What else do you want to eat?"

"Hmm..." Guan Yueli, who was holding onto the door frame, thought for a while, then answered with shining eyes, "Stir-fried lotus root strips, fried pork chops, and the chicken nuggets I made last time, and, uh...is that too much?"

"If you want to eat it, I can just cook it." The green-haired woman answered so naturally.

"Xiaoxing is the best!"

Guan Yueli cheered, ran to the kitchen, gently hugged Xingxiong, kissed her deeply on the face, then happily opened the freezer and skillfully took out a few bottles of wine.

Xingxiong moved his body calmly to block the sink, and kicked the trash can under the kitchen counter.

Guan Yueli hummed a little tune and walked out to the living room with the wine. Xingxiong also breathed a sigh of relief and happily concentrated all his energy on the current work.

Soon, a table full of mouth-watering delicacies was brought up by Xingxiong. Guan Yueli started eating without saying a word, while Xingxiong held the bowl and looked at Guan Yueli with a smile.

Just with one more person, the house doesn't feel so empty anymore.

It should be said that as long as this person is needed, the house will never be empty.

The house in her heart only needs the person in front of her.

"You should eat too, Xiaoxing. What I made today is super delicious!" Guan Yueli's voice was unclear, and her bulging cheeks moved.

Xingxiong couldn't help laughing. She held her chin with both hands and asked with a funny look on her face, "So, sister, are you saying that the dishes I cooked before weren't tasty?"

"Uh-huh!"

Guan Yueli opened her eyes wide and shook her head vigorously, chewing the food in her mouth hard.

"Okay, okay, don't be anxious. I know what sister means." Xingxiong reached out and stroked Guan Yueli's soft and tender cheeks, feeling both amused and helpless.

After hearing Xingxiong's words, Guan Yueli relaxed, chewing slowly with a look of enjoyment, and took a big gulp of wine.

"Haa ...

A woman in a gorgeous kimono with cherry-blonde hair slapped her thighs like an old man eating barbecue at a roadside stall, exhaling and sighing, "Xiaoxing's cooking skills are getting better and better."

"Really?" Xingxiong took a piece of meat and tasted it himself, his expression not changing much. "I think it's about the same as before..."

"It would be great if you could change your habit of being so modest." Guan Yueli tapped Xingxiong's nose with some dissatisfaction. "Learn more from me about things that don't cause irritation."

Xingxiong just smiled and said nothing.

"...Don't try to copy me in this way of evading others." The woman muttered softly, then pushed the bottle toward Xingxiong and said loudly, "Eat more, Xiaoxing! There's still wine!"

"So, why don't you use a cup, sis? Don't just use the bottle all the time. It'll be bad if it leaks accidentally."

"Ok?"

Guan Yueli, who was holding the bottle of wine and was about to drink it, raised his eyebrows, pulled down his collar with a wicked smile, then tilted back his snow-white neck and drank one mouthful after another in a refreshing and straightforward manner.

The wine and foam flowed down along the alluring curve of the chin, sliding down the soft neck that was as white as frost and snow. Some of it accumulated in the delicate and beautiful clavicle, and more of it flowed down into the deep valley where the bottom was hard to see.

The woman let out another long sigh. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and tilted her head slightly. Her soft cherry hair cascaded down like heaven-sent tassels. Her wet pink lips, stained with wine, pulled up into a wicked and enchanting smile. Her crimson eyes were filled with an intoxicating beauty that was hard to contain. At this moment, the wine was still flowing down her chin.

"Don't you like it?"

She exhaled softly, the smell of alcohol mixed with the indescribable fragrance. Far from being unpleasant, it became an even more irresistible temptation.

Xingxiong's throat moved slightly. No matter how fragrant the food on the table was, it was not even one ten-thousandth as delicious as what she smelled at the tip of her nose. The face was so close that she only needed to lean forward slightly to occupy those pink lips.

But... she didn't move.

"Let's do this kind of fun after dinner, sister."

Xingxiong blinked and said, "I like it very much, but eating is more important now, right?"

"Well……"

In just a moment, the look and demeanor of a scoundrel who brought disaster to the nation disappeared, as if Guan Yueli had never even appeared there. She put her finger to her lips and thought for a moment: "That's what's going on... This table of food can't be wasted."

So the despicable woman switched back to the state of eating without any hindrance and buried her head in eating.

That's...good.

Xingxiong suppressed his excitement and looked at Guanyueli who was captivated by the delicious food with peace of mind, his heart filled with a faint happiness and satisfaction.

It’s good enough just to look at her like this. There’s no need to worry about anything, no need to keep in mind anything, no need to be jealous of anything, no need to be bothered by anything. Just being able to see her the way she is now can bring her great satisfaction. What’s wrong with that?

"Ah, I suddenly remembered something."

Guan Yueli, who was busy eating, said vaguely: "Xiaoxing, please don't just make some food for yourself when I'm not around."

"...Sister, you're overthinking it." Xingxiong's expression froze for a moment, then he quickly replied softly, "Don't you know best how I'm doing, Sister?"

"That's why I say that because I understand clearly."

The woman raised her head, her face puffed up like a hamster, looking funny and cute, but her eyes made Xingxiong feel a little unbearable and panicked, and he wanted to... run away.

She chewed slowly and said to Xingxiong in a slow and vague voice:

"If you treat me and my sister differently, my sister will be sad. Well... rather than sad, it would be more appropriate to say unhappy."

After swallowing the delicious food, Guan Yueli looked at Xingxiong seriously: "Xiaoxing, you don't want to make me unhappy, right?"

"Ah."

After a brief silence, Xingxiong nodded vigorously.

"Good boy."

Guan Yueli rubbed Xingxiong's head, as if the previous conversation had never happened, and raised the bottle of wine with a big laugh, saying: "Come on, drink!"

The wine bottle and the glass collided together, making a crisp and pleasant sound.

There were only two people at the Xingxiong family's dinner table tonight, as usual, but it was also filled with laughter as usual.

This is the simple happiness that Xingxiong expected, and it ends just like that.

Chapter 74 - The new boss is about to arrive on the battlefield

Longmen is a rising star on this continent and a city of dreams in the eyes of countless people.

Merchants, mercenaries, pawns, spies, immigrants, exiles... countless people came to this city and left, or died in the gutters of this city with their dreams, without even the chance to leave.

Many people come and go every day at the city's entrances and exits. Some have crossed mountains and seas to establish a family here, while others simply have nowhere else to go and don't want to die in the wilderness. Of course, there are also some special people who have no interest in the city itself, nor do they come here for survival, but come here simply because of a goal, a motivation.

The tattered black cloak could not hide her curvy figure, but the ominous aura lingering around her was daunting.

The cloaked woman lowered her head slightly, standing quietly waiting to be scanned. She had nothing on her body except the knife, but—

The Originium detector issued an extremely shrill alarm. The young guard leading her frowned slightly and swung the baton in his hand repeatedly.

"First time in Longmen?"

The man didn't answer.

"Tsk... you've agreed. An infected person, huh?"

The woman still didn't answer.

The guard raised his brows. "What do you mean? Mute?"

The older and more experienced guard beside him twitched his eyelids, pulled the young man back, and showed the woman the way -

"Turn left for 200 meters, turn right for 100 meters, the infected passage, go over there."

The woman, who had been silent all the time, left along the path indicated by the old guard.

"Old Wu, what do you mean?" The young guard looked at the black cloaked figure in the distance with some indignation. "An infected person is giving us the cold shoulder, and you're still so polite?"