Chapter 45: Victory Through Shock

The farce sparked by Billy lasted only a few minutes before ending; Ye Qingfeng glanced at Nico, hands on her knees gasping for breath, and Billy lying motionless on the ground, his lips twitching involuntarily.

I never thought Ling and Zhe were this devious as siblings!

Say, Billy looks awful, but he’s really not hurt—still, Nico, doesn’t your hand hurt?

“Phaethon remembered to give me a discount on the breach penalty,” Nico slowly stood up, shaking her slightly swollen right hand, and announced loudly, “Operation: Recover the Safe, continue!”

Ye Qingfeng worried that Nico and the others had stayed in the Hollow too long and might encounter trouble, especially since his ammunition was running dangerously low.

He suggested he take Ies ahead as a guide while Nico and the other three moved quickly to finish the job.

Everyone immediately gave unanimous approval.

Originally, Ye Qingfeng had planned to simply tuck Ies under his arm—it would’ve been easier—but Ling strongly objected.

He had no choice but to hold Ies in his arms, letting it guide the way.

Ye Qingfeng had a detailed map of the Hollow in his mind, but not the precise location of the safe; he could’ve used divination, but it was unnecessary.

Divination isn’t 100% reliable, and every time he used it, Ye Qingfeng felt some faint, elusive effect on himself.

Besides, the Rope Jiang had provided positional data matching the safe’s internal data disk.

Soon, through the combined efforts of the Rabbit’s Den team and Ies’s guidance, they reached the safe’s location.

“Found it!”

Anbi, lying beside the safe, called out.

Everyone immediately spotted the safe on the ground; Nico leapt up excitedly, “That’s my safe!”

Nico sprinted toward the nearby safe; Billy made a dual-pistol gesture with both hands and followed closely behind her, “Ha~! Lucky break!”

Ye Qingfeng exhaled in relief, holding Ies as he followed the two, “I hope no Anhai interferes this time.”

Anbi, at the rear, also relaxed her expression—just as she took one step forward, a strange sensation flashed through her mind.

Almost instinctively, her right hand gripped the hilt and drew with blinding speed to block behind her.

“Clang—!”

At the same moment, the Anhai aberration Dullahan appeared behind Anbi and slashed down; the immense force struck her blade, sending a shower of sparks flying and propelling her forward several meters.

Ye Qingfeng suddenly clutched Ies tightly and, before his mind could react, dove sharply to the side.

“Ah!”

Hearing the noise, Nico and Billy also reacted instantly, dodging aside.

“Find cover fast!”

Ye Qingfeng dropped to his knees at once, placing Ies on the ground, tapped lightly on its head, then gave a gentle push to its back.

Ies zipped off like a streak to a distant corner, watching him still standing there, and cried anxiously, “Qingfeng, come here!”

Ye Qingfeng slowly stood up, smiled faintly at Ies, raised one finger to his lips in a shushing gesture, and reached into his pocket to pull out a pistol.

A resonant voice reached Ling’s ears: “Don’t let them notice you, little one.”

Ye Qingfeng turned and walked to the side of the three Rabbit’s Den members, joining them in gazing at the oppressive Anhai ahead.

“Found it!”

Anbi watched Dullahan warily.

Billy, having barely escaped death, scrambled to his feet and muttered, “What a stroke of luck!”

Nico’s handbag suddenly extended a barrel, aiming at Dullahan; she snarled through gritted teeth, “That’s—my safe!!”

Ye Qingfeng stood at the rear, raising one hand to aim at Dullahan’s head, his peripheral vision scanning the surroundings as he murmured softly, “I hope no Anhai interferes this time...”

“Thank goodness Qingfeng wasn’t hurt,” Zhe, viewing the scene through Ies’s eyes, held his breath for the three Rabbit’s Den members, then accidentally noticed Ling’s flushed face and asked urgently:

“Are you alright, sister? Are you feeling unwell?”

“Ha—Ha—!”

Ling slumped against her chair, breathing heavily.

“Brother...”

“Speak!”

Seeing normally lively and cheerful Ling now speaking weakly, Zhe’s worry deepened.

“Qing... Qingfeng’s arms are so comfortable!”

“And just now, the sound felt so good!” Ling turned sharply to Zhe and sighed, “My ears feel like they’re pregnant!!”

Ies: ...

Zhe: “...”

Zhe stared blankly at Ling, his lips twitching uncontrollably.

My sister is beyond saving.

Zhe tore his gaze away from Ling, sprawled on the chair with a flushed face, and through Ies’s eyes fixed on the four battling the Anhai.

As he watched, something felt off—why was only Anbi fighting the Anhai head-on?

Nico kept finding chances to swing her handbag into the Anhai’s body.

Billy kept firing his revolvers nonstop, making them sound like a rifle.

Only Qingfeng wasn’t even pretending anymore!

When far from the Anhai, he fired a couple rounds; the moment he sensed the Anhai approaching—or even might approach—he immediately holstered his pistol and retreated.

It was only Anbi’s sheer endurance that held the Anhai in place, finally wearing it down to death!

Aside from Ye Qingfeng’s slightly soiled sleeve, the other three all bore visible damage.

Anbi’s sweat had soaked her hair; Billy’s feet were surrounded by spent casings; Nico’s clothes were dusty and disheveled.

Only Ye Qingfeng remained calm and composed.

“Ha-ha—!” Nico stood behind Anbi and Billy, watching the dissolving Anhai, laughing lightly, arms raised, grinning as she sprinted forward, “Finally... finally...!”

Anbi and Billy, standing before her, raised their hands to meet her high-five.

“Found you—!”

Nico, eyes sparkling, dashed through the space between them, completely ignoring their outstretched hands, and launched herself at the safe.

Ye Qingfeng, standing at the rear, chuckled helplessly, raised both hands, and ran forward to slam his palms against theirs.

Billy: “You’re the only one who treats me right, Qingfeng! Waaah...”

Anbi: “As long as I get a burger, you get... your wrapper!”

【Ding! Anbi and Billy’s affection both increased by 5%!】

【Anbi’s current affection: 50%】

【Billy’s current affection: 50%】

Ye Qingfeng heard the announcement in his mind and faintly smiled.

With their current affection for me, it’s not wrong to say I’m the Rabbit’s Den’s favorite, is it?