Chapter 30: Teammates

Chapter 30: Teammates

Ji Xinghuo held Ren Mian's hand, gave it a slight shake, and then let go. The soft touch sent a flutter through his heart.

"I wish I could hold it forever," the thought popped into Ji Xinghuo's mind, surprising even himself.

He stole a glance at Ren Mian, feeling a bit guilty, but she seemed oblivious as she walked into the bar. He quickly followed suit.

"Are we having a drink to celebrate my joining the team?" Ji Xinghuo wondered.

However, as soon as he stepped inside, he realized he had misjudged the situation.

This wasn't a regular bar, but a color club!

Without the use of electronic devices in Olympia, there were no speakers, microphones, or DJs, but that didn't stop people from seeking pleasure. A band of over a dozen people played a variety of unplugged instruments while a singer with the "sound amplification" ability belted out lively songs, drowning out the noisy crowd.

Multicolored crystals flashed continuously, creating a rotating rainbow light effect, all manually operated.

In the center of the club's hall was a T-shaped stage where a row of alluring women swayed and posed, enticing the men below who waved their money.

The air was thick with the scent of hormones and alcohol.

In one corner, some men and women had already paired off, oblivious to the crowd around them.

Ren Mian weaved through the crowd and headed towards a private booth.

Ji Xinghuo noticed five people in the booth: four rather attractive women surrounding a man. The man was holding a drink, flirting with the women, and his hands were wandering all over the place.

He seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself and didn't even notice the two newcomers.

"Little Chi." Ren Mian called out, her voice not too loud but enough to startle the man as if he had been struck by lightning. He looked up and saw her.

Embarrassment flashed across his face, and he quickly pushed away the women next to him and stood up.

"Sister Ren." The man's expression changed in an instant, and all traces of embarrassment vanished, replaced by a serious demeanor. "What brings you here?"

Ji Xinghuo observed him closely.

This man was a few years older than him, with handsome features and a stately bearing. He stood at around 1.9 meters tall and had a strong build, yet he lacked the bulky feel often associated with power-type mutants. His physique was well-proportioned and robust, suggesting a balanced development of strength and speed, with an emphasis on explosive power.

His weapon was leaning against the booth—a metal spear over two meters long. Its triangular spearhead was over 30 centimeters in length, with sharp edges, and its shaft was as thick as an arm. The entire spear was a dark red, with faint red glows flowing across its surface, and it weighed at least sixty kilograms.

With his well-proportioned and sturdy build, his choice of weapon, and the calluses on his palms...

Ji Xinghuo guessed that this man was most likely a martial artist.

Martial artists were the most common type of mutant.

Theoretically, martial artists could use any weapon—swords, spears, knives, hammers, axes, and so on. But in reality, over eighty percent of martial artists chose the spear.

Even those who initially preferred swords or other weapons for their style or cool factor would eventually switch to the spear after facing the harsh reality of combat.

The reason was simple.

The spear was the strongest!

The spear was the king of weapons. In a fight between martial artists of the same rank, disregarding abilities, the one with the spear always had the absolute advantage.

The saying, "an inch longer, an inch stronger," was no exaggeration.

Especially in the lower tiers of mutants, where the number of abilities was limited, and most battles involved close-quarters combat, the spear was undeniably superior.

Even mutants of other professions were forced to choose the spear.

The polearm and staff were second-best options.

As a result, martial artists were often jokingly referred to as "spearmen," and those who used polearms were called "pole brothers." They were like the generic foot soldiers you'd find in movies and games.

In his time in Olympia, Ji Xinghuo had seen spears everywhere he went.

Whether it was on the streets or in gatherings, spearmen and pole brothers were a common sight.

However, the man before him was the most powerful spearman Ji Xinghuo had ever encountered. Standing just a few steps away, he felt a subtle sense of danger.

"I just happened to be passing by," Ren Mian said calmly. She then introduced, "This is our new teammate, Ji Xinghuo. Xinghuo, this is Chi Zhonglin."

Chi Zhonglin had already noticed Ji Xinghuo before the introduction.

"A new teammate!" His eyes lit up, and he quickly stepped forward and enthusiastically shook Ji Xinghuo's hand. "Nice to meet you, I'm Chi Zhonglin. My name comes from the saying, 'A golden carp is not a mere pond fish.' I came up with it myself. You're younger than me, so just call me Big Chi."

Ji Xinghuo felt a bit overwhelmed by his enthusiasm.

Moreover, he sensed that Chi Zhonglin was merely putting on a show of camaraderie and actually held suspicions about him, at least not as friendly as he appeared on the surface.

He was just putting on an act for Ren Mian's benefit.

Chi Zhonglin was a bit afraid of Ren Mian.

Ji Xinghuo picked up on this detail and nodded. "Sure, Big Chi."

Ji Xinghuo remained silent.

"Let's go," said Ren Mian, her eyes revealing a hint of displeasure. Clearly, she disliked the club's environment, even though she had concealed her appearance. Her alluring figure still drew unwanted attention, as men with venomous gazes repeatedly shot curious glances her way.

With that, she started walking towards the exit.

Chi Zhonglin took out a stack of bills to send off the women in their booth, picked up his long spear, and slung it over his shoulder. He then draped his arm around Ji Xinghuo's shoulder in a comradely manner and followed Ren Mian out.

"Xinghuo, you're an archer, right?" Chi Zhonglin asked, his breath carrying a hint of alcohol.

Ji Xinghuo nodded.

"It's not easy," Chi Zhonglin shook his head and sighed. "Ren Jie has always wanted to recruit an archer for the team, but her standards are too high. Hardly anyone can pass her test. It's been almost two years of on-and-off searching, and finally, we have you."

Ji Xinghuo couldn't help but agree.

By Ren Mian's standards, there might not be more than ten archers in all of Olympia who could make the cut, super rangers excluded.

Such archers, with strength far beyond their rank, were either famous or backed by powerful forces. They would have been scouted and recruited long ago; it was unlikely they would randomly join someone else's team.

"Before, I had to fill in as the archer, but now that you're here, I can relax a little." Chi Zhonglin looked genuinely happy.

Ji Xinghuo couldn't help but feel a bit suspicious.

"You can shoot?"

"Sort of. I'm a bit more accurate than the average ranger, but I often miss the mark." Chi Zhonglin frowned at the mention of archery, looking like he was recalling unpleasant memories. "But among us, only I can use a bow, so I had no choice but to take up the role."

Ji Xinghuo nodded in understanding; many teams were like that.

Archers were important and indispensable, but qualified archers were extremely rare. Teams often had to make do with having other mutants take up the bow temporarily, relying on quantity over quality.

In the chaos of battle, missing your target wasn't a big deal, but hitting your teammates was.

These temporary archers would often fire a couple of arrows during the initial contact with the enemy before discarding their bows, picking up their weapons, and engaging in hand-to-hand combat to avoid hitting their allies.

However, from what Chi Zhonglin was implying, it seemed like their team only consisted of him, Ren Mian, and that "Cai Yi."

With his addition, there were only four members in the entire team?

This...

Usually, the ideal number for a hunting team was five to ten people.

There should be members specializing in close-quarters combat, archery, healing, crowd control, and scouting. Some roles might require two to three people for added security.

With fewer than five people, losing one or two members in a battle could lead to a chain collapse.

It would also be difficult to assign night watch shifts during camp rests.

On the other hand, with more than ten people, the team would become larger and more complex, increasing the risk of exposure and reducing the average profit per person.

Before Ji Xinghuo joined, Ren Mian's team had only three members.

And it had been that way for years.

"So, there are only four of us in the team?" Ji Xinghuo couldn't help but ask.

At that moment, the three of them had exited the club. Hearing his question, Ren Mian turned back and said confidently, "Four is enough. From now on, unless absolutely necessary, I won't recruit any more teammates."

Chi Zhonglin patted Ji Xinghuo's shoulder.

"We're not your average hunting team. Four is already a lot for us." Pride filled his face as he continued, "You'll understand soon enough, Xinghuo."

......

A steam bus billowing white mist and smoke chugged along the street, and Ren Mian waved it down. Steam-powered vehicles were the norm in this world, where electronic devices and internal combustion engines were unusable.

The Olympia city area was vast, and most people without personal mounts relied on these steam-powered buses for transportation.

Steam technology thrived in Olympia.

Apart from buses, steam engines were used all over the city, most notably in the protective walls surrounding it. Countless steam boilers powered the numerous steam crossbows embedded in the walls, defending against aerial enemies.

There were also steam-powered trains and airships traveling between Olympia and other cities daily.

The three of them boarded the bus, and Ren Mian paid for the tickets.

They sat towards the back of the bus.

This was Ji Xinghuo's first time riding such a slow vehicle; its speed was only around 60 km/h. It felt novel to him, and although there were quite a few passengers on the bus, everyone seemed accustomed to it.

After a while, the bus entered a quiet and serene neighborhood. Ren Mian led the way as they alighted and walked into a high-end villa area.

Each residence here was a standalone villa occupying at least 2,000 square meters. They had private gardens, shooting ranges, and lawns. Tall trees, flower beds, and various greenery separated each villa, and security teams patrolled the area every few minutes.

Even on Earth, only the top billionaires could afford such luxurious mansions.

The three of them approached a villa, its interior hidden behind a wall. Ren Mian unlocked the small gate with a key, revealing a spacious lawn.

They crossed the lawn and reached the main building, where the front door was pushed open.

A beautiful young woman emerged.

She wore a form-fitting black combat suit, standing at about 1.65 meters tall with a light and agile build. A katana and a short dagger hung at her waist, accentuating her delicate and exquisite features. Her bright eyes and black hair, tied neatly behind her, gave her a gentle aura reminiscent of a friendly neighbor.

Despite her slightly pale complexion, her sweet smile remained captivating.

"Sister, Chi Zhonglin, you're back!"

Ren Mian nodded and pointed to Ji Xinghuo. "Cai Yi, this is Ji Xinghuo, our new teammate. Please show him to a room later."

"Xinghuo, I'm Jiang Nanciyi. Nice to meet you, please take care of me."

Jiang Nanciyi's joy and politeness were evident as she deeply bowed to Ji Xinghuo, her soft-spoken manner inviting sympathy.

Ji Xinghuo felt uncomfortable with such a grand greeting on their first meeting.

Even in the autonomous province of Fusang, few people maintained these traditional etiquette habits.

"Cai Yi, your words are too kind. We're teammates, and it's only natural to help each other," Ji Xinghuo replied.

The four of them entered the mansion.

Ji Xinghuo admired the spacious and bright living room, its floors spotless and furniture immaculate, emitting a refreshing floral fragrance that invigorated the senses.

Chi Zhonglin casually leaned his long spear against the wall and plopped down on the sofa, uncaring of his image.

Ren Mian frowned but said nothing.

Jiang Nanciyi scurried into the kitchen and soon returned with a tray of drinks—a cup of floral tea for Ren Mian, honey water for Chi Zhonglin to sober him up, and a cup of floral tea for Ji Xinghuo. "Sorry, I don't know your preference, Xinghuo, so I prepared the same tea as Sister Ren."

"Thank you, the floral tea is great," Ji Xinghuo said, taking the cup.

"Sit down, don't be too formal."

Ren Mian said, "This is our team's permanent base. You can live, cultivate, and take breaks here. Feel at home."

Ji Xinghuo nodded.

As he moved to sit next to Chi Zhonglin, he saw Ren Mian remove her hat and the scarf covering her face.

Finally, Ji Xinghuo beheld her true appearance.

He froze, taken aback by her beauty, which far exceeded his imagination—tenfold, a hundredfold. His mind felt like it had been struck by a hammer, leaving him tongue-tied and unable to describe her ethereal beauty.

She was like a virtual goddess crafted by the world's top AI, embodying every desirable trait without a single flaw.

But she was real, a masterpiece of nature, naturally perfect, stepping from the virtual into reality.

It was hard to imagine that someone in this world could possess such stunning looks!

Even Jiang Nanciyi, a top beauty in her own right, paled in comparison, her radiance dimmed by Ren Mian's presence.

Ji Xinghuo couldn't help but think that if there was anyone who could match Ren Mian's level of beauty, it would be the renowned "Sword Immortal," Zhao Manying! A face-to-face comparison between the two would be a close contest.

"Do I look good?" Ren Mian suddenly smiled at Ji Xinghuo, her smile blooming like a hundred flowers, illuminating the room.

Ji Xinghuo's heart skipped a beat, and he unconsciously nodded, blurting out:

"Beautiful!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized that all three of them were staring at him, their expressions slightly odd. Feeling embarrassed, he tried to maintain his composure.

"I mean it, Ren Jie. You're the most beautiful person I've ever seen in my life."

"Thank you for your compliment."

Ren Mian took a sip of her floral tea and set it down. "I'm going upstairs to rest. Cai Yi, please show Xinghuo to a room. Everyone, let's get some rest. We have things to do tomorrow."

Only when her figure disappeared at the staircase did Ji Xinghuo withdraw his gaze.

Chi Zhonglin winked at him.

Ji Xinghuo suddenly remembered something, a perfect opportunity to shift the topic. "By the way, what's the name of our team?" Most teams, whether officially registered or privately formed, had a name.

"Didn't Ren Jie tell you?" Chi Zhonglin asked, surprised.

"No."

Chi Zhonglin looked at Jiang Nanciyi. "Cai Yi, why don't you tell him?"

Jiang Nanciyi seemed shy about speaking up, hesitating for a few seconds before saying, "Xinghuo, our team's name is 'Five Stars, Ten Realms, Only I Am Supreme.'"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end