Chapter 14: Brave Riverbank

Chapter 14: Brave Riverbank

After breakfast, Lu Ran held an umbrella and carried a wooden sword, heading to a desolate area in the western part of the city.

In the drizzle, several abandoned residential buildings stood silently, and this neighborhood once had a fitting name—Wuli Riverbank.

Lu Ran entered the southernmost building, climbed up to the rooftop, and went to the southeast corner.

For the past two years, he had been practicing his sword skills here.

This was where his father had died in service, a quiet place with unexpectedly beautiful scenery.

Looking into the distance, through the hazy rain, Lu Ran could see the Wuli River flowing vigorously, its momentum awe-inspiring.

Since his birth, this great river had always been like this, never changing.

He silently admired the view for a long time before closing his umbrella and picking up his wooden sword.

"Huff!" Lu Ran swung his sword, as if to cut through the curtain of rain.

Around his body, wisps of mist and divine power fluctuations gradually gathered.

"Dad, how's this move?"

"And this one, I killed the dog like this yesterday."

"By the way, your Radiance Blade is really useful. It's like cutting tofu when chopping off a dog's head."

Under the dark clouds, the slanting wind blew a fine rain.

On the rooftop, a human silhouette and sword marks were left behind.

As the rain gradually lessened, the mist around Lu Ran became thicker.

This was only his sixth day as a believer, but his physical fitness had already improved significantly!

Especially after the divine blessing he received last night, Lu Ran's movements became even more agile and terrifying.

"Hmm?" Lu Ran's peripheral vision seemed to notice something, and he immediately turned to look.

At the entrance of the rooftop staircase, a small furry head popped out.

A tabby cat?

This was the seventh-floor rooftop; what was this little fellow doing up here?

The tabby cat was also curious, tilting its head to look at Lu Ran, who seemed to be surrounded by a divine aura, and the two stared at each other.

Lu Ran wiped his wet face and squatted down, "Come."

The tabby cat retreated a little, its eyes filled with caution.

"Come, don't be afraid." Lu Ran extended his palm.

"Meow~" The tabby cat turned around and ran, dashing into the dilapidated staircase.

Hmph,

Little kitty, still trying to run?

Lu Ran called out, "Baa~"

Inside the staircase, the tabby cat paused, its upright ears slightly swaying.

"Baa~"

The sheep's call came again, and the tabby cat's expression changed suddenly! Lu Ran remained steady, squatting in place. After just 2 or 3 seconds, the cat returned.

At this moment, the tabby cat no longer had its previous cute appearance.

It crawled forward, its ears twitching, tail flicking, and its vertical pupils narrowing.

Divine Technique: Terrorizing Sound!

The little tabby cat's hunting instincts were aroused, as well as its natural desire to play with its prey.

"Meow!"

The tabby cat let out a sharp cry. In the open hunting environment, the cat chose to pounce on Lu Ran quickly.

Lu Ran remained calm and called out again, "Baa~"

"Meow?" The tabby cat braked frantically, its legs flailing like wheels.

Authentic Divine Technique: Compassionate Voice!

Lu Ran, soaked through, decided to sit on the ground and extended his hand towards the little tabby, "Baa~"

People can really change.

On the day he first became a believer, Lu Ran still felt ashamed of baaing and wished he could bash his head against the computer desk.

Now, he baas more like a sheep than a sheep! If a sheep came, it would probably ask him: Why do you look like a human?

"Meow?" The tabby cat's hunting posture disappeared, its pupils became round, and it tilted its head, sizing up Lu Ran.

Soon, the tabby cat became completely lost in the baaing sounds.

Its heart was nearly shattered!

The tabby cat quickly approached Lu Ran, its furry head rubbing against his palm, licking his fingertips, comforting this poor human.

"Are you also alone?" Lu Ran stroked the tabby cat's dirty head and asked softly.

Unexpectedly, the tabby cat suddenly lay on its side, using its paw to pull at Lu Ran's fingers, as if trying to pull him over.

"Don't lie down, it's cold and wet here." Lu Ran tried to pick up the tabby cat.

"Meow~ Meow~"

The tabby cat meowed softly, constantly pawing at Lu Ran's fingers, signaling him to come over.

Lu Ran looked at the tabby cat lying on its side, its belly exposed.

He pondered for a while, and a light bulb went off in his head, as if he understood the cat's intention.

"No, I'm not hungry!" Lu Ran was stunned, "I already ate breakfast, you don't... Hey, I'm not eating, you should save it for the kittens."

The tabby cat looked at Lu Ran and meowed softly, "Meow~"

What did that mean?

Don't be so polite?

Lu Ran almost cried, "I really won't eat, Cat Sister! Please save it for the kittens."

"Lu Ran?"

Lu Ran was startled, almost thinking that Cat Sister had spoken.

He looked up and saw a graceful figure walking out of the rooftop staircase.

Jiang Ruyi?

Dressed casually, the girl's youth and beauty stood out in contrast to the dilapidated and dirty rooftop atmosphere.

"So, you're really here." The girl's gaze scanned Lu Ran and the cat.

"No, I didn't eat anything." Lu Ran quickly reached out and hugged the dirty little cat into his arms.

Deng Yutang's expression was doubtful, not believing that she had misheard.

"Lu, you sure know how to pick a spot." Deng Yutang held an umbrella and stepped out of the staircase.

"How did you guys get here?" Lu Ran was puzzled.

Deng Yutang couldn't have known about Lu Ran's training spot; he must have followed Jiang Ruyi.

"I couldn't reach you." Deng Yutang looked around, "I went to your house to find you, but you weren't there."

"Oh." Lu Ran felt a bit embarrassed, "I left my phone on the bedside table."

Jiang Ruyi approached Lu Ran, squatted down, and looked at the dirty little cat in his arms.

She extended a slender finger and gently stroked the dirty little cat, "Good kitty."

Hearing this, Lu Ran's expression turned peculiar.

Not only is my cat sister well-behaved, but she's also quite the worker!

Just now, she insisted on nursing me.

"This scenery is truly exhilarating!" Deng Yu Tang approached the rooftop fence, gazing at the surging river below, and exclaimed sincerely.

Lu Ran nodded in agreement and asked, "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Deng Yu Tang stepped onto the stone fence, "The school called and asked us to prepare ourselves mentally. There will be adjustments to our team."

"What?" Lu Ran's face showed surprise, "Our team is doing so well, how can they randomly make changes?"

Seeing Lu Ran's reaction, Jiang Ru Yi and Deng Yu Tang exchanged glances.

Lu Ran was still confused, and continued, "The teams that need adjustments are those with unreasonable pairings.

Our four-person team is perfectly reasonable, so there's no problem!"

Ultimately, team adjustments depend on individual preferences. As long as we clearly express our intentions, the school won't make any changes."

As Lu Ran paused, he suddenly understood why Jiang and Deng had exchanged glances.

Four big words: personal preferences.

The preferences of the four individuals could stabilize the team.

But the preference of a single person could lead to their departure.

After all, the team was going to the battlefield; it wasn't a child's play. A team needed not only reasonable coordination but also unity and teamwork!

Deng Yu Tang turned to Jiang, the beauty, "I knew it, Brother Lu wouldn't just leave without a word."

Jiang Ru Yi remained silent, gently pinching the cat's ear.

"So, Wu Shanshan wants to leave?" Lu Ran furrowed his brows.

The school hadn't sought their opinions beforehand but had directly informed them that the team would undergo changes.

This implied that this team adjustment was very likely initiated by a team member.

Moreover, this member's personal preference was so strong that there was no room for negotiation!

"Meow~"

The tabby cat suddenly darted out.

The little stray cat had regained its senses and seized the opportunity to escape.

Deng Yu Tang: "We tried contacting Wu Shanshan, but we couldn't reach her."

Lu Ran understood, and it was no wonder his teammates had misunderstood him.

"It shouldn't be like this." Lu Ran thought and thought, perplexed, "Why would she leave? It doesn't make sense!"

This team had such outstanding results, and their positions were very reasonable. Lu Ran couldn't find a reason for Wu Shanshan's departure.

So,

Lu Ran's face darkened, "Is it because I'm a Divine Sheep Follower?"

Yes, Divine Sheep Followers indeed had a terrible reputation.

But wasn't my performance yesterday strong and impressive enough to prove myself?

Or, did she have a better teammate in mind?

Could it be that she had set her sights on Ma Tianchuan?

If so, Lu Ran would feel better about it.

What he couldn't accept was that because of his existence, Wu Shanshan had made up her mind to leave no matter what.

In Lu Ran's mind, Wu Shanshan was a Score Slave who valued results.

Yet, even with the team likely to win first place, she still insisted on leaving.

She must have thought she had a long-term vision, making a difficult decision, not blinded by short-term gains.

The title of Divine Sheep Follower was indeed like a mountain in people's hearts.

No matter how impressive Lu Ran's performance was, it couldn't shake that mountain; the other party had already decided his future.

"Maybe it's not like that, Brother Lu, don't overthink it." Deng Yu Tang offered comfort.

But no one was that foolish; such comfort had little effect.

"Hmph." Lu Ran coldly humphed, "Then I wish her a bright future."

Deng Yu Tang laughed, "Brother Lu, you have a broad mind!"

Lu Ran smirked, "I'm just pretending."

Jiang Ru Yi: "."

Deng Yu Tang burst into laughter, "Brother Lu, you're so open-minded!"

Lu Ran: "."

They could praise him either way, right?

Honestly, with such a handsome, carefree, and wealthy young man constantly showering you with sweet words, who could resist?

"Later, we'll call the school and express our personal preferences." Jiang Ru Yi spoke softly.

Her gentle voice carried a hint of comfort, "As long as the three of us remain unchanged, there will be plenty of people wanting to join us."

This wasn't a lie; some people thought Divine Sheep Followers were a liability, bound to fail and cause trouble.

Others believed that Lu Ran's ability to challenge demons proved he was no ordinary person.

Previously, on the school playground, many students had surrounded Lu Ran, offering themselves as teammates.

"I was thinking the same." Deng Yu Tang turned to look at Lu Ran, who was sitting on the ground, and asked, "What about you, Brother Lu?"

"I have a lot on my mind." Lu Ran stood up, "In the future, whether it's the assessment or the battlefield, I want to lead, always lead."

Lu Ran strode towards the rooftop fence, his words full of confidence, "I want her to regret.

I want her to think of me fondly whenever she joins a new team or meets new teammates."

Jiang Ru Yi covered her mouth and chuckled, gazing at Lu Ran's back, "You're quite the grudge-holder."

"You're a Jade Talisman Follower; you don't understand." Lu Ran shook his head, "Wu Shanshan isn't just one person; she represents a group of people."

You're a Jade Talisman Follower; you only need to stand there to shine brightly.

No one will look down on you, and no one will question you.

But I'm different;

I'm the weak and easy-to-bully Divine Sheep Follower in their eyes, the little lamb in everyone's mouths.

I need to prove myself,

And I need to do it repeatedly, again and again.

"Sigh"

Lu Ran took a deep breath, gazing at the turbulent Wuli River beneath the gloomy sky.

This kind of life,

I truly love it.

A new month, brothers, please support with your monthly votes!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end