Chapter Seventy-One: The Legendary "X" (Dancing summons monthly votes~~)

As the second update of the day, Chapter Seventy-One: The Legendary "X"

Soon after, Zhu Rong turned her attention to Bai Cai. A deep smile touched her face. "You’re the little sister who can turn invisible?"

After a careful look, she clicked her tongue and laughed. "You’re quite a pretty little thing."

Bai Cai blushed, but she was not at all shy by nature. Instead, she lifted her chest and said loudly, "Sister, you’re beautiful too."

"Haha, what a sweet tongue." Zhu Rong was delighted. She reached into her pocket, fumbled around for a moment, and at last produced a piece of jade, which she pressed into Bai Cai’s hand. "Come, come, this is our custom. Since you’re a newcomer of our kind, an elder must give you a welcome gift. It’s nothing precious. I won it from Old Tian in mahjong a few days ago. That fellow used to wear it when he was a child, so I’m giving it to you..."

Bai Cai did not think much of it. Smiling, she accepted it, then after a moment also reached into her pocket and took out a jade amulet. "Sister, I asked for this amulet at a temple a few days ago. I’ll give it to you too."

Chen Xiao could only sigh inwardly. Bai Cai did not know.

The jade Zhu Rong gave her had been worn by Old Tian as a child... that made it a Ming Dynasty antique!

As for the jade amulet Bai Cai offered in return, bought from a temple, it was probably worth no more than a few coins.

Zhu Rong and Bai Cai exchanged a few affectionate words, and only then did Zhu Rong turn to Second Young Master Xu. "Go back and tell your father that this time... those fellows lost. They also suffered the loss of an important man, so I imagine they won’t come looking for trouble again. But that beauty serpent is the sort who settles every score, so your father had better be careful. As for anything else... well, he needn’t come looking for us. He has his own channels for finding people to help him."

Her words seemed to carry some hidden meaning, and Chen Xiao quietly took note.

Afterward, Second Young Master Xu said to Chen Xiao, "You’ve really been hiding here all these days since then. The police almost treated you as a missing person. I even thought those bastards had gotten rid of you. Mm, Bai Cai even cried for a whole day. If my father hadn’t later told me you were here..." He shook his head. "Sigh, I’ve handled everything for you. I got someone to put together a statement for the police to deal with them. I said you ran off on your own, got so hungry you fainted on the way, and then got lost in the wild for two days. Anyway, someone will take care of it for you. If the police come looking, you don’t need to worry... I understand, these things are not fit to be spoken of openly."

With a wry smile, Second Young Master Xu’s voice turned a little helpless. "You, and my old man too... the two of you keep things from me. Yet I’m the one left in the dark."

Zhu Rong glanced at him and said coolly, "Your father is only doing what’s best for you. Young people don’t understand; having never been through hardship, don’t go guessing at your elders’ good intentions."

Perhaps Old Xu had given his son some stern warning before they came out, because the usually dissolute Second Young Master Xu actually nodded respectfully at Zhu Rong’s rebuke.

Zhu Rong was quite satisfied with his attitude, but then she looked at the watch on her wrist and grew a little impatient. "What is that dead fool doing? It’s already this late! Does he think that man can stand being late?"

As she spoke, the door of the cafe was pushed open, and Zhu Rong’s husband, Gonggong, came in with a somewhat sheepish air.

"Are you a turtle or something? Why are you so slow!" Zhu Rong slapped the table, her almond eyes wide with anger.

Gonggong hurriedly put on a smile. "Old Tian asked me to do a few things on the way and told me to handle them for him..."

"Hmph! If that fellow hadn’t refused me, I would have taken Chen Xiao myself!"

Zhu Rong shot him a glare. "Hurry up! Go and come back quickly! If you dare stay out ten minutes longer, just see how I deal with you when you return!"

"Where to?" Chen Xiao asked blankly.

"To take you... to meet someone." Zhu Rong seemed to frown slightly. "Someone who may be able to solve the problem on your body."

Solve the problem on my body?

Chen Xiao raised his brows.

The problem on his body was, as Old Tian had said, that he possessed too many different kinds of abilities. Who knew whether this might cause some disorder in his genetic chain... If he turned into a monster, then he would truly have no way to keep living among people.

Besides, matters of genetics were hard to say... if his body underwent some beneficial mutation, that would be one thing... but if some genetic disorder brought about disastrous consequences...

Still... someone who could help solve his problem—could it be some top expert in bioengineering and genetics?

Zhu Rong turned and went back into the kitchen, saying she was going to supervise the fat cook as he made fish soup. The poor fellow, since hiding in that abandoned factory that day and being accidentally discovered by the trio from the ruined street as they rushed over, had originally been thought to be merely a homeless drifter or vagrant. But that day Zhu Rong happened to be wearing a detector, and with one glance she saw through him; then, in one stroke, she simply "picked up" the fat man and brought him back as well.

After a few days here, Zhu Rong seemed especially fond of "training" the fat man. The chef-school graduate naturally became the household’s appointed cook, and from the kitchen every day came Zhu Rong’s scolding voice, along with sudden bursts of flame and the smell of roasting meat...

At night the fat man often wept: if only I had stayed in prison after all...

Gonggong took Chen Xiao out to meet someone, and Second Young Master Xu and the others were filled with curiosity. Second Young Master Xu even offered to drive them there in his own car.

Gonggong appeared to mind it not at all, and agreed without the slightest hesitation. They all got into Second Young Master Xu’s car and left Ruined Street.

Once in the car, Chen Xiao sat beside Gonggong, and he could not help feeling something most unusual...

Chen Xiao had known Gonggong for some time, but he had never had the chance to be alone with him. To Chen Xiao, this tall, powerful man had always given the impression of a textbook case of a husband thoroughly cowed by his wife, with a touch of effeminacy besides, as if his noble appearance had been all he had going for him. Especially when he was beside Zhu Rong, with that birdlike, dependent air...

But now Zhu Rong was not there.

To Chen Xiao’s surprise, Gonggong sat beside him with his back straight and his expression composed. Beneath that steadiness there was even a certain bold masculine vigor. Not only was there no trace of affected elegance, he looked from head to toe like a proper man, with not a hint of womanish mannerism left.

Perhaps sensing Chen Xiao’s strange look, Gonggong turned and gave him a broad smile, calm and easy. "What is it?" Even his voice was so deep and resonant.

If he usually kept this kind of bearing, then he was truly a formidable man indeed.

"You... Brother Gonggong?" Chen Xiao said with a wry smile.

"You think it’s strange?" Gonggong laughed, lifting one eyebrow. In his eyes there was a sparkle unique to men. "Actually, as long as I’m not by Xiaorou’s side, I’m always like this."

"Why?" Chen Xiao asked in surprise.

Gonggong glanced at him. "You’re not married, and you’ve never lived with a woman, so you wouldn’t understand. Xiaorou... her temperament is too strong. And when she was young, she suffered some hurt. So... I’ve always tried my best to indulge her wishes. Her nature is too forceful, almost a kind of compulsion in the mind. As her husband, if acting this part can make her a little happier, then why not? For the woman you like, sacrificing a little is nothing."

Chen Xiao was left speechless.

Er... he really wanted to ask: Brother Gonggong, are you perhaps a turtle? And not just any turtle, but a ninja turtle!

Chen Xiao’s smile turned awkward. He scratched his nose and hurriedly changed the subject. "Ahem... then who exactly are you taking me to see?"

Gonggong looked at Chen Xiao, then as if deliberately glanced at Bai Cai as well. "For the two of you, being able to meet this person counts as luck. In this world, every ability user who knows such a person exists dreams of meeting them at least once. Sigh..."

"This person is..."

Gonggong smiled. "Old Tian told you about the legend of Class X."

Class X?

Chen Xiao’s brows jumped at once.

After some hesitation, he said, "But Old Tian also said that Class X seems to be only a legend..."

Gonggong, however, looked out the window. "That’s a matter of dispute. In the world of ability users, people have always argued over whether Class X truly exists. Still, more than half of all ability users believe that if there really is a Class X in this world, then this person absolutely counts as one."

"I... don’t understand."

Gonggong gave a faint smile. "For three reasons. First, this person has always lived in everyone’s legends. Second, this person has a strange rule: whenever any ability user or ability organization meets this person, they are absolutely not allowed to bring any detection equipment with them. So this person’s ability has never been measured at all. It’s only that this fellow has performed too many miracles in the past, so everyone feels that if Class X truly exists, this person should definitely be one of them. Third... this person is willing, without conditions, to help anyone who comes to visit. However, each visitor may ask this person for help only once in their entire life, and may only meet them once. After that, no matter how hard you try, you will absolutely never see this person again!"

That was certainly a novel claim.

Chen Xiao thought for a moment. "I can guess the first reason... but the second, the rule forbidding detectors: what if someone secretly brings one in? Miniature detectors would be hard to notice. And as for only being able to meet once in a lifetime, this person would never see the same person a second time? How can that be guaranteed? Does this fellow remember every single person he’s ever met? And... what if some powerful organization insists on going to see this person?"

"All the doubts you mentioned could never happen," Gonggong said with a mysterious smile. "Secretly bringing a detector is impossible... because no instrument and no person can fool this fellow! Absolutely none. There was none in the past, there is none now, and as for the future... I don’t think there ever will be."

After a pause, his smile grew even stranger. "As for who would try to force their way in to see him... rest assured, if anyone or any organization dares set its sights on this fellow, then so long as he does not wish to be seen, even if you dig to the ends of the earth, you will never find him, no matter how vast your organization!"

Chen Xiao froze.

"You know Zhu Rong’s temper. The reason she obediently stayed away today is because many years ago she met this person once and received his help. But she used up her only chance, so today she very sensibly did not go again... With Zhu Rong’s domineering nature, she still would not dare break this person’s rules. Chen Xiao, you should understand what I mean."

Chen Xiao’s curiosity was instantly piqued.

"Oh, right, there’s more..." Gonggong glanced at Bai Cai beside him. "Little girl, this chance is rare. Since you’re an ability user too, you can also see this person once. It will naturally be of immense help to you. As for the Xu family boy, you’re not fortunate enough to meet this person. He never agrees to see guests who are not ability users. Sigh..."

At this point, his expression grew solemn. "When facing this person, you may relax as much as you like and need not be overly formal. But remember one thing... no matter what you hear or see during the meeting, once you leave, you are absolutely forbidden to tell anyone else! Not even your closest family. Not a single word must be spoken! Remember this, remember it well!!"

Gonggong spoke with extraordinary seriousness, his expression stern.

Chen Xiao could not help asking again, "If... someone breaks this rule and tells others, what happens?"

Gonggong thought for a moment, then shook his head. "I don’t know. It’s just... for a very long time, no one has dared break the rule. Never once. As for whether some punishment would follow... I don’t know. But this person is someone even the upper ranks of the Service Society would not dare provoke. All the ability-user organizations in the world, whether the Service Society or the Club, have always treated this person with courtesy and respect. So you had better not harbor any other ideas!"

Once more, blood splashed as a plea went up for monthly votes. The title has already risen to second place on the new-book monthly vote chart. Just one last step, the very last step! Brothers, please give it your full support.