Chapter 245: Ready-Made Bodyguard

Yang Yixie glanced at the Xi Ren Sheng beside him, who was listening with great interest, and replied in a flat tone.

"This news came at a pretty timely moment."

Xi Ren Sheng froze for a moment, then realized what Yang Yixie meant, and immediately put on a look of deep distress.

"We're not some illegal organization; we're just forming a team. How could the four of us be linked to any organization?"

Yang Yixie ignored his act, stared at the scrolling official website and hotline on the TV screen, pondered briefly, then spoke.

"I can consider forming a team."

Xi Ren Sheng's eyes lit up, about to cheer and fire off a celebration, but Yang Yixie's next sentence stopped him.

"But in the game, my current character is rather special; getting to the Dome to meet you all will take some time, and I may need to deal with some matters first."

"Special? How special?" Xi Ren Sheng suddenly became interested.

"Did you draw a hidden identity at the start? A Dome successor lost among the common folk? An ancient Aberrant Species sealed away?"

Yang Yixie gave him a look, decided not to reveal too much about Ying Duo and the Dome undercover situation, and casually replied.

"More or less. In any case, in reality we can keep in touch first, and in the game I'll find you after I finish my current tasks."

"No problem!" Xi Ren Sheng answered cheerfully.

"Anyway, in reality that Hua Jian Lei guy has been so busy lately he's off the ground—either hanging out in his shabby bar flirting with girls or completely unavailable, never having time for me."

"The other battle man is even worse; with him it's fight after fight, no trace of any life enjoyment! At least your side is clean, and the aunties provide protection!"

By the end, he couldn't help but grin mischievously.

For the rest of the time, it was basically Xi Ren Sheng chattering nonstop about his side's situation.

For example, Hua Jian Lei's bar has recently become one of the spots where some 'players' meet privately to exchange information; it's unbearably noisy, but the news is indeed reliable.

For instance, the authorities have begun trying to assign low‑risk cooperative defense or Reconnaissance missions to registered 'players'; the pay is decent but the rules are excessive.

Also, he recently noticed that traces of Aberrant Species activity in some remote corners of the city seem to follow a pattern, suspecting there may be fixed 'refresh points'...

Yang Yixie listened quietly, occasionally asking one or two questions.

Xi Ren Sheng was also frank, adding that Hua Jian Lei had explicitly said before his arrival that this information could be shared directly with Yang Yixie.

After all, they've been friends for so many years; that level of trust still exists.

When the conversation wound down, Yang Yixie got up and walked into the kitchen to start preparing lunch.

Xi Ren Sheng shamelessly followed to the kitchen doorway, watching Yang Yixie skillfully wash vegetables, slice meat, light the stove, and toss them into the pan, clicking in amazement.

"I didn't expect my partner to be a homebody! I always thought you'd be like me, but in reality you're actually a good little baby!"

"Either help out or go back to watch your Xi Yangyang," Yang Yixie said without looking up.

"I choose moral support!" Xi Ren Sheng promptly slipped back to the living room, collapsed onto the sofa, and switched the TV back to the cartoon channel.

But this time, his attention wasn't wholly on the screen; his gaze occasionally drifted toward the busy silhouette in the kitchen.

Hmm.......

How to put it? It's a bit too ordinary.

If I hadn't seen Yang Yixie in the game, bold and scheming together, this kind of person would be the type Xi Ren Sheng despises most.

After all, it's really boring.

A simple two‑dish, one‑soup meal was quickly finished.

During the meal, Xi Ren Sheng restrained his antics, ate the food quietly and cleanly, even voluntarily cleared the dishes to wash, and his movements were surprisingly swift.

Yang Yixie gave him a somewhat surprised look.

"Don't look at me like that; I've been a decent young man living alone for several years!"

Xi Ren Sheng flicked the water droplets from his hand, saying proudly.

Yang Yixie placed the pre‑packed lunchbox into a thermal bag, and Xi Ren Sheng curiously leaned over.

"What's this for?"

"Delivering lunch," Yang Yixie replied offhand.

"Delivering lunch? To whom? A girlfriend?" Xi Ren Sheng felt his gossip spirit igniting.

Yang Yixie zipped up the thermal bag, lifted it, and gave Xi Ren Sheng a glance.

"For my mother; she's hospitalized."

"Huh?" Xi Ren Sheng froze briefly, his grin fading a bit, "What's wrong with the auntie? Is it serious? Is she okay?"

"Just an old ailment; she just needs to stay in the hospital for rest and observation."

Yang Yixie said nothing more, grabbed the thermal bag and headed out.

"Stay at home, watch TV if you're bored; I'll be back soon, don't cause trouble."

"Let me come with you! I can help!" Xi Ren Sheng said immediately; his recent energy had been spent on the Dome, but just staying inside was also boring.

"No need," Yang Yixie declined bluntly, "Hospitals are crowded and noisy, and your hair is too conspicuous; my mother needs quiet rest."

Xi Ren Sheng glanced at his striking green hair, then at Yang Yixie's unusually resolute expression, and pouted, rubbing his nose.

"....... Alright, then go quickly and return quickly, stay safe."

Never mind, at least now my partner is willing to bring up his family's news.

Yang Yixie nodded, and added another sentence before leaving.

"Don't mess with my stuff, especially the computer."

"Got it, got it! Am I that kind of person?" Xi Ren Sheng waved his hand.

Yang Yixie said nothing more, lifted the lunchbox and went out.

On his way to the subway station, he took out his phone and sent a brief message to Hua Jian Lei.

【Xi Ren Sheng is at my place; lend it to me for a few days.】

Hua Jian Lei replied almost instantly.

【Use it however you like; keeping it with me just adds to the mess, saves you from constantly telling me how boring he is, and leaving it with you also counts as making full use of it.】

【If you haven't awakened the Aberrant Arts, you can try encountering a Mutation in the game; remember to prepare holy water in advance.】

Yang Yixie looked at the message, unsurprised.

Hua Jian Lei, as always sharp, directly guessed his intention in leaving the Game of Life.

The Game of Life is both a channel for gathering information and a ready-made bodyguard, especially since there's an Aberrant Species spawn point right below his house.

Yang Yixie now can only be considered an ordinary person; he has no special abilities, at most his fists and feet are a bit better, but that is nowhere near enough when facing those Aberrant Species.

However, the message from Hua Jian Lei made him pause in brief contemplation.

Hua Jian Lei must have obtained some new intel; what, the awakening of Aberrant Arts is also linked to Mutations?

He replied with "Thanks", put away his phone, and hurried into the subway station.