Chapter 78

After chatting for a while, Leon finally understood what Jeff and the other teens were thinking. He had to admit, their thought processes were a bit hard for him to follow, but there was something undeniably charming about them.

Jeff was full of energy, always lively and mischievous, with a great sense of humor. Even with strangers, he exuded warmth and enthusiasm. He approached life with an optimistic outlook and was determined to follow through on his goals—like their RV vacation trip.

A year ago, Jeff had the idea to travel with his friends in an RV, but his savings weren't enough to buy one. So, he spent two school holidays working odd jobs to save up. He even went out of his way to learn practical skills: car repair, electrical work, computer programming, drawing, route planning, shooting, and cooking. And all this while still being a sixteen or seventeen-year-old student. It was rare to see young people with such admirable qualities, and even more impressive that they had formed a tight-knit group.

Leon couldn't help but be intrigued. Despite their quirky behavior, these teens were promising. Their character, determination, and the way they handled themselves—even after witnessing a battle between Leon and Mephisto—was commendable.

With that in mind, Leon suddenly wasn't in such a rush to leave. He glanced up at the sky, his presence seeming to break through the dark clouds overhead. However, the storm tonight was intense. As they spoke, the clouds rolled back in, and the rumble of thunder echoed above them, signaling another downpour.

"Looks like it's going to rain heavily again," Leon said with a smirk. "Do you mind inviting me into your RV? I'm curious to see what it's like."

Jeff's face lit up with excitement. He exchanged glances with the three girls before nodding enthusiastically. "Of course! It would be an honor!"

After Jeff spoke, he and his friends seemed almost giddy with excitement. They quickly opened the door to the RV and eagerly invited Leon and Wanda inside. Leon, smiling, followed Wanda into the vehicle.

Thanks to Jeff's thoughtful planning, the RV was spacious, even with its furniture in place. Despite having an extra person onboard, it didn't feel cramped at all.

Jeff hopped into the driver's seat and revved the engine, but the road ahead was a mess due to the battle between Leon and Mephisto. The ground was full of potholes, making it impossible to drive through. Luckily, Texas roads are often parallel to open plains, so Jeff just needed to veer off the main road and make a wide detour to get back on track. Being quick-witted, he immediately turned the steering wheel and pressed the gas pedal, trying to get ahead of the incoming storm.

Inside the RV, Leon and Wanda sat together in the front row, with Pietro and Sumarokov behind them. Lina and the three girls were across from them, while Adam sat in the front as the co-pilot and navigator.

The girls were lively and chatty during the ride, though they kept their questions somewhat restrained. They didn't directly ask about Leon or Wanda's identity but were curious about things like how many monsters existed in the world and what kind of demon Mephisto was.

Leon, with his easygoing personality, didn't mind answering a few questions. He picked some that he could answer without too much detail, leaving the girls looking pleasantly surprised.

As the night went on, the group relaxed, eating snacks, playing games, and chatting as the RV rolled through the stormy night.

After learning Leon's name and hearing how Pietro and Sumarokov addressed him as "Boss Leon," the others quickly followed suit, imitating them.

Rumble!

As the RV got back on the road, a loud clap of thunder echoed across the sky, and heavy rain poured down, drumming against the RV and the ground below. The sudden downpour filled the air with moisture, making it cooler inside.

During the ride, Leon, Wanda, and Jeff exchanged social media accounts and phone numbers, even discussing the possibility of visiting each other in the future. When Leon casually mentioned that he lived in a wooden villa built by friends in the Ural Mountains, Jeff, Lena, and the girls were immediately intrigued. To them, it sounded like the base camp of some secret guardian organization, fueling their imaginations.

Jeff was so excited that he jokingly suggested they change their travel plans and drive all the way to the Ural Mountains. Of course, it was just a joke—Jeff and his friends had meticulously planned their current RV trip, saving enough money and mapping out their route. Changing plans on a whim wasn't in Jeff or Adam's nature.

Still, they were so excited about the idea that once their RV adventure was over, they promised to start planning a trip to visit Leon's mountain retreat—this time, likely by plane rather than RV.

Leon didn't mind, but Pietro and Sumarokov found it a little odd. They rarely saw their boss being so enthusiastic about anyone. Usually, Leon was calm and composed with others. Wanda, being more observant, had a sense of what was going on in Leon's mind. She didn't oppose the idea of adding more people to their "family," just as she had welcomed Natasha, Death, and Clarice when they joined as backup members. In fact, Wanda liked the idea of expanding their circle.

Psychologically speaking, people often crave what they lack, and Wanda was no exception. Having lost her parents when she was just ten, she had always longed for a sense of family. Leon and the children he had rescued from the base provided her with that feeling, but she didn't see any harm in expanding that family further.

Wanda wanted more family members, as long as they met one condition: their character had to be approved by her, Leon, and the rest of the group.

After spending some time with Jeff and his friends, Wanda quickly picked up on their personalities. Jeff, in particular, was an open book with a distinct character, never hiding who he was. Wanda appreciated Jeff and Adam's good nature. Maybe their only flaw was a tendency to exaggerate and make up stories, but Wanda found that trait endearing. People like them made life a lot more fun.