Chapter 371: Duo Lane Besties

When Bai Mu Yun returned to the room, seeing only Luo Jinyou inside, he wasn't surprised at all.

That brat sure wouldn't stay put.

Bai Mu Yun could only rely on the team mini-map to find Ying Duo, lest he really dismantle the airship.

From afar, Bai Mu Yun saw Ying Duo, disguised with black hair, actually hanging out with a guy.

That guy stood in front of Ying Duo, his hand still on Ying Duo's head—more precisely, rubbing that glowing green head.

Ying Duo staggered from the rubbing, his black-framed glasses nearly falling off, and yet he didn't even draw his gun.

Bai Mu Yun: "......"

He walked over, deliberately making his steps heavier.

Yang Yichen was still immersed in the shock of his brother's "fake death," hadn't had time to process more information, when he saw a stranger walking toward them.

The man wore a neat black uniform, had a wound on his shoulder, his face pale but eyes sharp—clearly not an ordinary person.

Bai Mu Yun's gaze fell on Ying Duo, his brows knitting: "Didn't I tell you to stay in the room?"

Ying Duo turned his head, saw Bai Mu Yun, raised his hand and waved casually, as if greeting.

"Just came out for some air," he replied, then, as if suddenly remembering, added, "Is there a rule against seeing family?"

Bai Mu Yun froze for a moment.

Family?

He followed Ying Duo's gaze to Yang Yichen, examining him closely for two seconds.

This young man was dressed properly, his demeanor calm, and indeed he bore a resemblance to Ying Duo in the eyebrows and eyes, especially since Ying Duo had temporarily given up his glowing green hair.

"You remembered?" Bai Mu Yun's tone probing, "You said you forgot you still had a brother, didn't you?"

Ying Duo fell silent for a second.

Right.

Back when we didn't know about the connection between the game world and the real world, they had mentioned it in passing, as if they thought we had amnesia?

Now then...

Ying Duo directly broke free from Yang Yichen's frantic hand on his head, then stepped toward Bai Mu Yun.

"I don't know him," Ying Duo said bluntly, pointing at Yang Yichen, "He was just bullying me."

Yang Yichen: "......."

Yang Yichen's mouth corner twitched involuntarily again.

He bullied Yang Yixie?

He just pinched his face a moment ago! And the force didn't even leave a red mark!

Since childhood, when has it not been Yang Yixie who made him half-dead with anger?

But before Yang Yichen could even open his mouth to retort, Bai Mu Yun had already looked over.

That gaze was light, carrying scrutiny and curiosity, quite complex.

Bai Mu Yun glanced at Yang Yichen, then at Ying Duo hiding behind him, and fell silent for a moment.

It's rare to have someone who can rein in this brat.

"The Mutation Department doesn't have that many rules."

Ying Duo blinked at the words.

"You can stay wherever you want, see whoever you want," Bai Mu Yun said, giving Yang Yichen a slight nod as a greeting, "You brothers, have a good reunion talk."

Having said that, he turned and prepared to leave.

Ying Duo was stunned—he had just been speaking offhand out of habit, and Bai Mu Yun actually just left like that?

The next second, something suddenly popped up above Ying Duo's head.

A huge, pure construct of Ying Guang Lu energy—

a question mark.

"?"

Bai Mu Yun's steps halted.

Sensing the energy fluctuation, he immediately turned back, only to see a Ying Guang Lu question mark floating above Ying Duo's head, swaying slightly in the air, its edges a bit blurry—clearly his energy control wasn't precise enough.

Yang Yichen: "......"

Bai Mu Yun: "...... What are you up to again?"

"My face is stiff, and the teacher told me to practice pure energy release—isn't that convenient?"

Ying Duo said while waving his hand, the question mark dispersed and then recondensed.

This time it turned into an emoticon.

【^_^】

Another wave, seeing both of them speechless, Ying Duo couldn't be bothered to give them a smile.

【T_T】

The emoticon floated in the hallway, its Ying Guang Lu light reflecting off the porthole, dyeing the whole corridor an eerie green.

Bai Mu Yun stared at that familiar Ying Guang Lu, his molars nearly grinding to pieces.

"Don't play with that energy in the hallway!"

The 【T_T】 above Ying Duo's head swayed, then slowly dissipated, turning into specks of Ying Guang Lu that fell back into his body.

"Just practicing."

"What's there to get angry about?"

Bai Mu Yun took a deep breath, preparing to leave this place of right and wrong.

Anyway, it's rare to have someone who can rein in Ying Duo; as long as this airship reaches the Dome safely, his mission is done.

——————————————

The woman stood by the window, wearing a meticulously tailored deep‑purple long dress, its hem embroidered with a golden honeycomb pattern, and a delicate folding fan pinned at her waist.

Her black long curls fell over her shoulders, a few strands dyed a striking yellow, standing out vividly in the faint light that entered through the window.

She covered her mouth with the fan, the corners of her eyes slightly upturned, bearing a smile that was hard to tell whether it was curiosity or amusement.

"Oh dear," she said, her voice soft and lilting, with a languid aristocratic tone, "it seems I've discovered new material."

The man stood slightly behind her, at her side, his posture elegant and composed.

He possessed a rare silver hair, not pure white but tinged with a faint pink sheen, like cherry blossoms on the verge of melting, or snow brushed by dawn; the long hair was neatly tied into a low ponytail that fell behind his shoulders.

His attire, unlike the woman's splendor, was a simple silver‑gray coat over a dark shirt, the collar slightly open; upon hearing her words he smiled lightly, his handsome peach‑blossom eyes narrowing a bit, the smile modest yet not servile.

"To be noticed by a lady as beautiful and talented as you is his honor as well,"

The woman, hearing that, moved the fan away from her mouth, revealing the lower half of her face; she was exceedingly beautiful, her brows and eyes bearing the charm unique to a mature woman.

She tapped his arm lightly with the fan, "Don't pretend, I never said I 'noticed' him."

"Oh?" the man raised an eyebrow, "Then the 'material' you mentioned earlier…"

"Material is material," the woman's gaze remained on the distant Ying Guang Lu figure, "source of inspiration, Observation Key target, research sample… all can be called material."

The man nodded slightly, feigning rapt attention.

"But…"

The woman's tone suddenly shifted.

"Few are taken personally by Bai Mu Yun and watched so closely."

The silver‑haired man beside her turned his head slightly, also looking at Ying Duo.

"Since that's the case, why not ask whether they intend to join the game?"

Mei Wei Si·Wen Sha covered her mouth with the fan and let out a soft laugh.

"Game?"

"Hmm," the silver‑haired man nodded, his gaze still fixed on Ying Duo, "Since this rare 'material' deserves a fitting stage, doesn't it?"