Chapter 365: By Fate

A giant standing three meters tall, accompanied by four or five retainers a notch shorter yet still quite tall, strode over with a fierce aura.

He looked down from his height at Yu Lin and Luoer, his gaze sweeping over Yu Lin's fine clothing with unabashed greed.

Obviously, he knew Luoer, his tone laced with familiar provocation.

Luoer frowned, stepped forward to stand before Yu Lin, his previously flippant smile instantly subdued, his voice mildly cold:

"Ke Li, he's my employer. You today don't…"

Swish!

A whooshing sound rang out! Not giving Luoer a chance to finish, Ke Li's fist, as large as a normal person's head, surged with a vicious wind straight toward Luoer!

Against the backdrop of that massive fist, Luoer's figure seemed so thin and fragile.

Yu Lin's eyes flickered, about to act, but he saw Luoer's form flicker like a specter, vanishing from the spot in an instant, only to appear behind Ke Li a moment later!

Immediately after, he casually lifted his foot and kicked—

"Bang!"

A muffled thud sounded as the hulking Ke Li was flung up like a kite with a broken string, then crashed heavily onto the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust!

Luoer slowly withdrew his foot, looking at the disheveled, incredulous Ke Li on the ground, his tone even and calm:

"You thought I was the old me?"

Ke Li struggled to rise, growling in shock and anger:

"Impossible! How did you become this strong?!"

Luoer gave no reply, merely stepping forward, poised to strike again.

Ke Li's complexion changed; realizing he was outmatched, he dared not utter any more harsh words, and with a few equally stunned henchmen, his dust‑covered face turned and fled, vanishing into the street corner in an instant.

Seeing the trouble temporarily recede, Luoer finally turned back to Yu Lin's side, his expression regaining some of its earlier liveliness, but his tone offered a serious warning: "Be careful tonight; they won't let it go easily."

"These guys specialize in extortion, robbery of outsiders; that Ke Li, even here, counts as a strong one!"

He paused, a shrewd smile resurfacing on his face as he rubbed his fingers:

"Of course, if you're willing to spend a little more money, I can take responsibility for protecting you."

"Guaranteed to be worth more than you pay!"

"Hmm." Yu Lin nodded slightly, seeming quite interested in the offer, and casually tossed over a gold coin:

"Your proposal intrigues me, so I accept."

"How long will this last?"

Luoer took the gold, its weight heavy in his hand; he skillfully weighed it, and his face instantly broke into a grin: "Yu Lin, my brother! You are truly generous!"

He pounded his chest in assurance: "For the next full month, I will stay by your side without a step away! I guarantee not even a single fly can get near you!"

"Then," Yu Lin looked up at the sky, the sunset slowly sinking toward the horizon, dyeing the heavens orange‑red, "where is a place to stay? It's getting late."

Luoer immediately raised a finger, a gleam in his eye, evidently having already planned:

"Ah, speaking of lodging, I happen to have an excellent spot! You'll be satisfied!"

"Go now?"

Yu Lin nodded:

"Go."

"Is this the good place you mentioned?"

Yu Lin stood at the street edge, eyeing a three‑story building not far away, especially the half‑naked men and women leaning by the windows, reaching out to attract customers, and he twitched his mouth:

"This, um, can be a 'good' place at times."

"No, no." Luoer, seeing his misunderstanding, waved his hand quickly, then pointed to a less conspicuous little house behind the brothel building.

"That's where we'll stay."

"Lately these guys' prices have skyrocketed; I don't have money to take you there."

"Let's go."

He said so, and walked toward the house he indicated.

Yu Lin followed.

When they entered the house, the sky had become completely dark.

Only the moonlight offered specks of illumination.

Until Luoer produced a branch of an unknown plant, ignited it, and a bright flame burst forth, lighting the interior as if it were broad daylight.

"A branch of the Sunlight Tree."

He stuck the branch into the wall, casually explaining a line, then asked:

"Would you like something to eat?"

"I have honey flowers, berries, fern shoots, and some rice."

Yu Lin waved his hand: "No, I'm not hungry now."

"Tell me where I am now, and also I want to find someone."

Luoer, hearing his refusal, opened the lid containing honey flowers and berries, eating while replying: "Where? In the Human World, everyone is descended from Adam and Eve, all brothers and sisters!"

"Could you be from Eden Garden?" he said, then shook his head, as if denying himself: "Hmm, unlikely; I heard angels all have white wings."

"Who are you looking for? I can help you."

Yu Lin said:

"Noah, I want to find a person named Noah."

"Noah?" Luoer frowned, thought for a long while, and after confirming he didn't know anyone named Noah, shook his head:

"I don't know that person, and I'm sure there's no Noah in the city."

"But nearby there's another city and several tribes; I can accompany you to look for him."

"What does he look like?"

Yu Lin shrugs: "I also don't know what he looks like."

Luoer: ".........."

"Then how did you find him?"

Yu Lin: "Fate."

"Fate? What is that?"

"It's like I met you today, you approached me, I hired you; that's fate, we now have a connection."

"Is that so?"

"Right."

"Then I don't mind, one gold piece per month; our fate will be at this time next month.........."

Luoer's words were left unfinished.

Because in his line of sight, Yu Lin took out a bag.

He opened it, the bag's mouth facing down.

Plop plop.

One gold coin after another fell down.

Until they piled into a small heap.

Yu Lin puts away the bag, smiles faintly:

"Is the fate between us enough?"

Gurgle.

Luoer swallows, can't continue eating the bowl's food, nods repeatedly, with a flattering smile: "Enough, enough!"

"Yu Lin, I am your blood brother whom we have never met before!"

"Our fate will last forever!"

"Come on, tonight you sleep on my bed, I sleep on the ground, tomorrow, we............."