Chapter 173: Meeting the Leader

"Hmm?"

Luo Xixi heard Sheng Tinglan's words, her heart tightening. She looked around and asked, "Did you discover something?"

"Not entirely sure..."

Sheng Tinglan's thick, dark brows furrowed tightly, and he said, "But I have a bad premonition. I feel like it's not very safe here. Don't you think the guards here are too lax?"

"Hmm?"

Luo Xixi did not understand what Sheng Tinglan meant and said, "You call this lax? When we came in just now, there were four squads patrolling constantly, plus two squads responsible for checking people coming and going. The level of security is quite high, isn't it?"

"The defense level at the gate is indeed quite high."

Sheng Tinglan did not deny this point and said, "However, haven't you noticed that the guards inside the city are very lax? Just now, as we followed Luo Shiqing all the way here, did you see any sign of guards?"

"This..."

Luo Xixi thought for a moment.

After they followed Luo Shiqing into the city, they went to the administrative hall for identity registration, and then followed her to this place to choose a residence. Along the way, there were plenty of residents and it felt very lively, but as for guards, she really hadn't seen any. It felt as if all the military strength had been concentrated on the outskirts of the city for defense.

Luo Xixi pondered for a while and said, "Isn't it said that the Leader is injured? The city's defense is currently weak, so they must have concentrated all the city's troops at the entrance. As long as the entrance is guarded, the people inside the city are safe."

"Too naive."

Sheng Tinglan smiled and shook his head, saying to Luo Xixi, "Xixi, have you forgotten what the guard said? They said the monsters are still constantly evolving, and now there have even appeared monsters that can disguise themselves as humans. How can you be sure that those monsters haven't evolved a higher level of mimicry and already possess human thoughts? It's just that the Expedition Squad hasn't discovered it? If my guess is correct, they have very likely already infiltrated the interior of this city!"

"Ah?"

Upon hearing this, Luo Xixi was greatly alarmed and blurted out, "Then wouldn't the people in this city be in great danger?"

"..."

Hearing Luo Xixi's words, Sheng Tinglan suddenly felt a sense of absurdity. He let out a long breath and reminded Luo Xixi again, "Xixi, you need to get this straight! These are all just a Book World! The people you see are nothing more than a bunch of NPCs. If they die, they die. Is now the time to worry about them? We must look after our own safety first. We don't have the system with us now; if we die, we really die!"

"The way you put it..."

Although Luo Xixi felt that Sheng Tinglan's words were strictly speaking correct, she still felt somewhat uncomfortable hearing him speak so coldly and heartlessly.

They were originally NPCs in the Book World too, yet they eventually developed Self-Awareness. How could Sheng Tinglan be so sure there weren't other NPCs here who had developed Self-Awareness just like them?

Sheng Tinglan was very rational.

But he was also truly cold-hearted.

"Xixi, it's not safe here, let's leave!"

Sheng Tinglan took the initiative to grab Luo Xixi's hand again and said.

"!!!"

Luo Xixi snapped back to reality. She stood still, trying to pull her hand back, and said, "You say leave, but where do you want me to go? We don't understand this world at all. If it's not safe here, is it safe outside? We might get eaten the moment we step out! It's better to stay here for now!"

Sheng Tinglan, however, said, "It's indeed not safe outside, but the fact that we haven't seen any traces of monsters since we appeared shows that the density of monsters outside isn't high. Even if we encounter one or two, the two of us should be able to protect ourselves. But this is a human gathering place; to the monsters, it's a group of lambs waiting to be slaughtered. Now that the Leader is injured, the monsters will definitely launch an all-out attack. When that happens, we'll be facing a swarm of monsters. Isn't that even harder to survive?"

"This..."

Luo Xixi was somewhat shaken.

What Sheng Tinglan said did indeed make a lot of sense. If the monsters attacked all at once, once the defenses outside the city were breached, it would be like catching fish in a barrel for the monsters.

"Then, let's ask Luo Shiqing to escape with us!"

Luo Xixi compromised.

"Ask Luo Shiqing?"

Sheng Tinglan furrowed his brows.

"Mm..."

Luo Xixi blinked her eyes and said, "We are unfamiliar with this place. What if we walk straight into a monster's nest after leaving? Luo Shiqing has at least lived here for a year and is more familiar with this place than we are. Consider it having an extra tour guide. Bringing her along will definitely be more helpful to us."

"..."

Sheng Tinglan stared at Luo Xixi without speaking.

He knew that although this girl said it this way to make use of Luo Shiqing, in reality, she must have felt soft-hearted toward her after seeing Luo Shiqing's plight.

Furthermore, since Luo Shiqing appeared in this world, she had indeed been helping them all along.

However.

Sheng Tinglan still had a trace of concern; he always felt that Luo Shiqing...

"What are you two dawdling about here for?"

Just as Luo Xixi was chatting with Sheng Tinglan, Luo Shiqing's voice came from not far away.

Luo Xixi was startled and looked toward Luo Shiqing. She saw her walking toward them, saying irritably as she walked, "You've been picking a house for ages. The Leader wants to see you two. Once you've picked a house, come with me!"

"The Leader wants to see us?"

Luo Xixi was surprised: "Why does he want to see us?"

Luo Shiqing rolled her eyes and said, "You two are newcomers. The Leader wants to check if you have any special abilities. After all, personnel is in short supply right now. If you have abilities, you'll have to fight alongside the Expedition Squad. Of course, your benefits and treatment will also go up a notch."

"Fine."

Luo Xixi didn't overthink it and agreed immediately.

"Xixi..."

Sheng Tinglan furrowed his brows. This girl—did she not hear a single word he just said?

Luo Xixi, however, winked at Sheng Tinglan. She whispered to him, "We aren't in a rush to leave right now anyway, are we? Didn't Luo Shiqing say the Leader can check if we have special abilities? If we have that power, learning to use it will also help us survive outside."

"..."

Sheng Tinglan was speechless.

What Luo Xixi said made some sense, so he compromised, "Alright, then let's go see that Leader first."

"Mm!"

"What are you two whispering about over there? Are you coming or not?"

Luo Shiqing urged them from the front.

Luo Xixi: "Coming, coming!"

Luo Xixi and Sheng Tinglan followed Luo Shiqing to a towering, tall building; there were guards here too, and after Luo Shiqing verified their identities with the guards, their group walked inside.

Luo Shiqing led them through several turns until they arrived at a bedroom.

Just as they reached the doorway and opened the door, a pungent medicinal smell and the stench of rotting flesh rushed toward them, nearly knocking Luo Xixi unconscious.

"Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough..."

The sound of coughing was constant inside the room, giving the impression that the illness had reached a critical, incurable stage.

"Leader, it is I; Luo Shiqing, I have brought the people here."

Luo Shiqing spoke to the person inside the room.

"Oh... Shiqing is here... bring the guests in."

A weak voice was heard.

"Yes."

Luo Shiqing acknowledged this, then signaled to Luo Xixi and Sheng Tinglan.

The few of them quieted down, then walked into the room.

Very quickly.

A large bed came into view, and Luo Xixi also saw clearly the man leaning against the bedside...