AZI Volume 3 Chapter 3

"…"

Sitting beneath the cover of a badly damaged building, Yao Ying looks up at the raining skies.

It's been well over a full day, since she's been tossed into the Leng Bing Realm—by the joint efforts of Qing Ming Yang and Xia Ri'er.

For the most part, her wounds have healed to the point of allowing her movement.

(Cold…)

Hugging her knees to her chest, Yao Ying bites the bottom of her lips.

If she was at home right now, she couldn't possibly be covered in dirt with her robes torn.

(I want a hot bath… I want a warm meal… I want to sleep in a soft bed under a thick blanket—with a soft pillow to rest my head on…)

Thinking of the luxury that she had access to back home, tears flowed from Yao Ying's eyes, but more so than that—

(Father, grandpa…)

Compared to her two older siblings, and the younger clansmen—who would only occasionally show some interest in her, her father, along with some of the older generation clansmen, were the only ones to have shown her any care in the Chen Shi family.

On the maternal family side, it was always her grandfather, who would dote on her whenever he was able to visit.

"…"

The coldness of not having anyone she considers her family near, is perhaps far worse than the coldness—that can be felt from the rain and wind.

...…

Within the office of DB 06-07—

"Hmm."

Staring intently at her laptop, Li Xue—who has a pair of headphones connected to the device, clicks her tongue in reaction to the drama that she is watching.

"A-Achoo…!"

As cold wind blows into the office through the building's breaches, Ye Chen lets out an unsightly sneeze.

"God, it's cold…"

Rubbing his arms, Ye Chen gets up from his seat, and moves over to the self-serving bar.

Grabbing a paper cup, and pod of instant coffee from the side bin at random, Ye Chen inserts it into the machine, and waits for it to pour.

"…"

"…"

Not paying any heed to Ye Chen's remark about the cold, Yu Ji and Qing Yue kept to themselves.

Both of them have one earplug inserted into their right ear to listen to music on their phones. Judging by the bland light in their eyes, they're completely bored out of their minds.

Still, compared to Yu Ji—who is completely out of it, Qing Yue would occasionally direct her eyes towards the person, who is sitting the furthest away from her.

(Mother's order was to keep an eye on him whenever possible, and to maybe… Maybe take him out, but…)

Having seen what Long Hua is capable of in New Moon Village, Qing Yue has no idea how she could possibly take the former out—even if she is given an opportunity to do so.

"…"

With his arms folded, Long Hua sits perfectly still without moving. As he is currently out in public, his attire consists of a fur-hooded black coat with a pair of dark jeans.

At this time, he has his eyes closed, and is attempting to recall the details—regarding a very specific scripture, one that will allow him to always maintain a calm state of mind.

(Hmm… No luck, I guess I can try again after I make that breakthrough tonight?)

Opening his eyes, Long Hua lets out a weak sigh—before standing up from his seat, and walking over to the self-serving bar.

Similarly, to Ye Chen, Long Hua also takes a pod of instant coffee from the side bin, along with a paper cup.

"Hey, captain."

"What's up, 2nd Lieut. Long Hua?"

Grabbing his filled cup, Ye Chen moves over—to let Long Hua use the machine.

"What is the purpose of this self-serving bar?"

"Good question, and to that, I say… It's utterly meaningless. Whichever bunch was here before us… I don't know what the hell they were thinking when they brought this."

Sipping the bitter coffee without adding anything into it because there was nothing to add in the first place, Ye Chen adds—

"My plan right now is to get it removed for a bar counter with a fridge and freezer below."

To this, Long Hua replies—

"I think your plan to get the walls and roof fixed will have to come first."

"Ai, if only a high paying job would come in…"

Saying this, Ye Chen turns around, and looks to Li Xue.

Noticing Ye Chen's gaze, Li Xue raises her head, and answers—

"They should have some details tomorrow."

As Ye Chen turns back to him, Long Hua asks—

"So, when do you want to head out for that drink?"

Taking his filled cup away from the machine, and pressing it to his lips for a sip, Long Hua shuts his eyes tightly—in response to the coffee's bitterness.

"I was thinking—the day after tomorrow."

"Alright."

As his daily office work—of waiting around for nothing to happen, draws closer to its end, the more excited Long Hua is about taking a trip out to the wastelands to make his anticipated breakthrough.