MCL CH39

Chapter 39: “You’ve Somewhat Overestimated My…”

“It seems that the Wanyuan Group and the United Administration are not so incompatible after all.”

A voice that suddenly rang out slowly interrupted the two’s subsequent conversation. Looking back, Lin Xi met Samuel’s smiling eyes. He was looking at them with a very envious expression. “You two, don’t mind me. Please continue. I was just, passing by.”

“Passing by?” Yan Xingzhou let out a light laugh. “The bad habit of eavesdropping on others’ conversations, you really haven’t changed to this day.”

“How can you call it eavesdropping? I was just purely curious and accidentally overheard a little too much,” Samuel said, looking at Lin Xi with a grin. “Mr. Lin, I couldn’t tell that you are already at the advanced age of 53 this year. I really couldn’t tell. You’ve maintained yourself very well.”

Lin Xi returned a gentle smile. “Thank you for the compliment.”

The smile in Samuel’s eyes deepened. He clearly found Yan Xingzhou’s new lover to be very interesting. He leaned in a little closer with great interest, about to continue the conversation, when he heard Yan Xingzhou speak unhurriedly, “You came over just to say these things?”

Samuel glanced at him, his expression looking somewhat hurt. “Except when you’re in front of that person, you’re always so unapproachable to everyone else.”

This act clearly didn’t get Yan Xingzhou to treat him gently, but fortunately, he didn’t mind. After speaking, he deftly shifted the conversation to the main topic. “Alright, actually, I’m here to say goodbye.”

Yan Xingzhou: “Goodbye?”

“You know, since the early years, this world has not been very peaceful, and it has become even more so in the last two years. The research organizations on our side are submitting all kinds of reports every day, just to verify that this earth we live on is nearing its end.”

Samuel lifted a long leg and sat down on a nearby sofa, one hand propping up his cheek. His leisurely posture was in stark contrast to the heavy content of his words. “Sometimes I really don’t want to bother with these pessimists. After all, in this kind of argument, we ability users fighting on the front lines look like ants struggling on their deathbeds. We’ve become a complete joke. But even I have to admit, the number of fissures appearing on earth is indeed increasing. It was fine before, but recently, even I am being dragged out of my residence every now and then to be called for support. If this continues, if a sufficient number of ability users don’t awaken again, with the current numbers, it will be difficult to hold on alone sooner or later.”

Hearing this, the two people at the scene immediately understood.

Yan Xingzhou was silent for a moment and asked, “Has there been another fissure tide in Country A?”

“You could say so. Four have been discovered in the Nalis district, and energy fluctuations have also been detected in the Luther district; they’re still confirming the location. The main thing is that, judging from the intensity of the contamination values this time, there might be an S-class fissure. To avoid any accidents, they just sent a message asking me and Ars to go back directly tonight.”

Samuel smiled nonchalantly. “It does seem quite urgent. They even filed a report with the International Ability Administration, specially authorizing me to use my ability to return directly, saving me a plane ticket. So, this should be the last drink I have with you tonight. I’ll have to leave after this. I’m a bit reluctant, after all, I don’t know when we’ll meet again.”

Yan Xingzhou lightly tapped his glass against his. “Farewell, and don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”

Samuel’s expression paused slightly, and he couldn’t help but laugh. “You really are as cold and ruthless as ever, Yan.”

Lin Xi sat beside them, listening to their conversation, his expression calm.

If there really was an S-class fissure, it was only natural for Country A to have an ability user of Samuel’s level go back to hold the fort. Compared to this sudden recall, he was more concerned about what Samuel had said before. In his memory, although the frequency of fissures had been increasing from their first appearance to his time in office, it was still within a controllable range. And now, even Samuel had given such an assessment, which was enough to show that the increase in the number of these fissures in the last two years was probably truly a bit too alarming.

Under such immense pressure, once a new city begins to completely fall, how much longer can the human side hold on?

The voice in his mind rang out at just the right time, clearly sensing Lin Xi’s thoughts, and filled with pleasure from the inside out: [Hee hee hee, you’ve finally realized it, haven’t you? The era of humanity is nearing its end.]

Lin Xi was long accustomed to this and said silently in his mind, “If I were you, I wouldn’t be so blindly optimistic.”

[How can you call it blind optimism?]

The voice was clearly very dissatisfied with this assessment. [I’m just stating a fact. Just you wait and see, you’ll know soon enough.]

Lin Xi keenly caught the wording in the sentence and asked playfully, “Soon?”

The voice in his mind went silent for a moment, then cleared its throat suspiciously: [In short, these detestable humans are about to be completely wiped out. Aren’t you happy? If I were you, I absolutely wouldn’t have so much leisure to be playing some role-playing game here. Isn’t it just about making those people from back then pay the price? I can actually provide many methods here, as long as you need them.]

“I have no interest in your methods, thank you,” Lin Xi replied faintly, a hint of indifferent mockery in his heterochromatic eyes. “I’ve always been one to judge by results, so I’ve never had any expectations for the brain of a useless contaminant like you. After all, if you were really of any use, you wouldn’t have ended up in such a state, right?”

The Calamity, which occasionally popped up only to be ruthlessly mocked once again: […………]

At a loss for words, it could only forcefully salvage its pride: [But you should also be very clear that it’s already impossible for you to go back, Lin Xi.]

It’s already impossible to go back.

Lin Xi narrowed his eyes slightly and brought the champagne to his lips, taking a light sip. “Of course I know that. I don’t need you to remind me.”

At the same time, Samuel had also finished his last drink.

He placed his glass on the table, waved to Yan Xingzhou, and didn’t forget to give Lin Xi a friendly farewell before leaving with the accompanying diplomat.

Yan Xingzhou watched the two tall figures walk away, then withdrew his gaze and downed the wine in his glass in one go. “Let’s go back too.”

He turned his head to look, but saw Lin Xi still sitting there without moving. “What’s wrong?”

Lin Xi’s eyebrow rose slightly, and he looked meaningfully behind Yan Xingzhou. “If we want to go back, we’ll have to first solve the trouble attracted by your overwhelming charm, won’t we?”

Yan Xingzhou: “…”

He already knew what Lin Xi was referring to.

“Director Yan, long time no see. I wonder if you still remember me?”

“Director Yan, a pleasure. I’m Old Sun from the Hele Group. This is my business card.”

“I’ve long heard of your great name. I never thought I would meet Director Yan on such an occasion for the first time. I’m truly honored.”

“Hello, I just awakened my ability not long ago, but I’ve always been very…”

The atmosphere when Yan Xingzhou first arrived was overly subtle, causing many people to be eager to approach but not daring to. Following that, the successive appearances of the United Administration and Samuel made this already eye-catching corner even more daunting.

Now that Yan Xingzhou was finally alone again, as the first person mustered the courage to strike up a conversation, others, after coming to their senses, were even more unwilling to miss such a good opportunity to curry favor and network. In an instant, the scene became somewhat uncontrollable, and they were surrounded three layers deep in the blink of an eye.

But this encirclement, as Yan Xingzhou’s ice-cold gaze swept over them, quickly caused them to subconsciously take a step back in unison.

Among the innermost circle were many very famous entrepreneurs from N-City. Being shaken by his aura, they also felt a little intimidated, but they still maintained the smiles on their faces. “Director Yan, our company has also been very interested in the field of ability equipment recently. We just established an R&D team a while ago. I also happened to bring the materials for our recent project today. Why don’t you take a look and see if there’s a chance for cooperation?”

“For cooperation-related matters, you can find my assistant.” Yan Xingzhou slowly stood up from the sofa. With this movement, the people around him subconsciously took another step back. He seemed completely oblivious to this. “It’s getting late. I wish you all a pleasant meal. I’ll be leaving first.”

“Eh? Don’t be in such a hurry to leave, Director Yan. There are other programs later that haven’t had a chance to…”

Having finally seized such an opportunity to curry favor with Yan Xingzhou, there were naturally some who were unwilling to let it go just like that. In their haste, they still wanted to detain him, when they suddenly saw a hand rest on Yan Xingzhou’s shoulder. Then, looking up, they saw the man who had been sitting on the sofa, looking slightly intoxicated. As he used the support to stand up, he failed to get his footing in time, and his body swayed slightly before falling straight into Yan Xingzhou’s arms.

Probably due to the heat induced by alcohol, the buttons on his chest had already been undone a little. The light from above shone on his striking red hair, and the drunkenness in his eyes gave his heterochromatic pupils an indescribable sexiness. The visual effect of an unintentional glance made the people around forget what they were going to say for a moment. Then they saw Lin Xi seem to only just notice the suddenly excessive number of people around. He blinked his eyes slowly, and then, with a delayed reaction, gave the crowd a smile. “Hm? Why are there so many people?”

The lazy words, paired with such a face, directly caused the heartbeats of the crowd to seem to accelerate several times in an instant.

And in the next second, before Lin Xi could smile at them again, he was already pressed into Yan Xingzhou’s arms.

After a few light pats to get him to settle down a bit, Yan Xingzhou then looked up and slowly scanned the crowd. “Is he good-looking?”

“…”

A feeling of ice-coldness, as if a basin of cold water had been poured over their heads, made the others freeze on the spot. The first thing they did when they reacted was to immediately avert their gazes, wishing they could poke their own eyes out on the spot to show their attitude.

He was definitely good-looking.

But with such a question, who the hell would dare to say so!

Lin Xi, suddenly buried in his arms, subconsciously rubbed against him a couple of times before settling down.

He slowly raised his head. From this angle, he met Yan Xingzhou’s lowered gaze. His breath, almost grazing his neck, brushed past his skin. “Why aren’t you moving… didn’t you just say we were going back? If we don’t leave… I’m getting a little impatient… You said, tonight we were going to…”

As these words fell, a flicker passed through the depths of Yan Xingzhou’s eyes. “…”

The body pressed against him was distinctly feverish, causing his back to instinctively tense up a little.

To the side, the crowd stared at the ground in dead silence, their expressions more subtle than the next.

The wine glasses that should have been raised for pleasantries were gripped so tightly in their subconscious that they wished they could shatter them on the spot.

Did they, did they… did they just hear some incredibly scandalous words?!

“Alright, I know.”

When Yan Xingzhou’s words sounded again, they were so gentle that everyone suspected they were hearing things, but no one dared to look up.

In the next second, the gentle tone instantly turned ice-cold, making people feel as if they had been plunged into an ice cellar. “My partner wants to go back. Everyone, could you make way?”

In perfect unison, the crowd that had just been trying their best to detain him instantly cleared a path.

Just like that, Yan Xingzhou led Lin Xi away, heading for the door without looking back.

It wasn’t until the two had left that the oppressive feeling in the surroundings eased up a little.

The various famous entrepreneurs subconsciously touched their trembling little hearts and exchanged glances, all with some lingering fear.

Although their timing was bad, it seemed that, at the very least, they probably didn’t delay Director Yan’s—good business, right?

The black sedan had long been waiting at the entrance. After leaving the banquet hall, the two went straight into the car and sped away, leaving a trail of dust.

Lin Xi, half-leaning against Yan Xingzhou, lifted his eyes in the cold wind blowing in from the window. His gaze swept over the gradually receding hotel building, and he slightly narrowed his heterochromatic eyes, which carried a faint hint of alcohol. “How are you going to thank me, Director Yan? I’ve helped you out of a jam again.”

“How do you want me to thank you?”

Lin Xi hadn’t thought much of it when Yan Xingzhou replied. Just as he was subconsciously pondering it, he heard the man continue unhurriedly, “Does satisfying what you want count?”

What he wants?

Lin Xi was about to look up, but before he could get up, he was pressed back into that broad embrace by that hand.

He was slightly taken aback, and it was only then that he vaguely sensed that the body he was pressed against was clearly abnormally tense. Faintly, through the clothes, he could feel a strong and distinct heartbeat.

“Didn’t you say you couldn’t wait to go back?”

These words drifted over from above his head. The next second, with a pull of force, a deep kiss fell upon his soft lips.

The rise and fall of his chest and the breath that covered him in an instant filled the entire car with a thick ambiguity.

“I feel like I’m also getting a little impatient.”

The night was already deep, and Yan Xingzhou’s eyes were even deeper, like an abyss with no bottom.

He seemed to be stating a fact that had nothing to do with him, saying in a voice only the two of them could hear, “I’m very grateful for your cooperation in tonight’s performance. But, you’ve somewhat overestimated my self-control, Lin Xi.”