Chapter 10: Return to the Lighthouse
Would Xu Le falsify accounts? Of course not, he was mortal enemies with sin.
Besides, falsifying accounts was a highly technical matter, a skill basically exclusive to industry veterans.
Saying that to Bai Jing was just to survive.
Bai Jing looked at Xu Le with satisfaction:
"Not bad, very good. I can tell you have great potential for growth in the future."
Bai Jing repeated the praise a few times, but Xu Le was a bit confused.
The ability he had demonstrated should have been very obvious - being able to directly detect Ancient Remnants.
Even Bai Jing as the team leader needed to use items to accomplish what he could do easily.
But why didn't she mention it again?
Xu Le's original idea was to showcase this ability and gain some recognition from Bai Jing.
Using the Night Watchers' influence to escape the terrible status of being a lone Night Stayer, and return safely to the Lighthouse.
But now it seemed Bai Jing had no such intention.
She didn't even mention the ability Xu Le had just demonstrated, which was the most unexpected thing to him.
Bai Jing seemed to see through Xu Le's thoughts and patted him on the shoulder.
Then she turned around with a smile and waved to the others.
"Let's go, and... bring him along."
"Boss? Do we really have to take him? It's going to be troublesome.
Taking a Night Stayer back is not worth it.
Just checking the resources will take a lot of manpower, and even if he passes the inspection, there's still a monitoring period.
We're already short-handed, who has time to monitor him? If anything goes wrong, we'll definitely take the blame."
Monitoring period? Xu Le remembered this term.
As soon as Bai Jing spoke, other team members raised objections.
Although Xu Le had demonstrated some ability, these team members didn't care much.
Even if the ability was useful, so what?
Xu Le wasn't one of them after all, there was no need.
Another person also spoke up:
"That's right, boss. Even if something happens after the monitoring period, the higher-ups will definitely blame us.
Someone who's been out overnight like this has too high a risk of mutation..."
This person wanted to say more, but his voice grew smaller and smaller under Bai Jing's direct gaze.
Bai Jing suddenly put away the roguish air she had shown in front of Xu Le earlier, and spoke somewhat formally:
"Didn't you all hear what he said earlier?
As Lighthouse Night Watchers, we should abide by the laws of the Lighthouse, understand?"
Pfft!
As soon as Bai Jing finished speaking, one of the older team members burst out laughing.
Bai Jing didn't show any courtesy, picking up a brick from the ground and throwing it at him.
Fortunately, this person was quick with his hands and dodged the brick.
But Bai Jing still persisted:
"Old Niu, you dare to dodge?"
"Oh." The team member named Old Niu didn't dare to move anymore, standing obediently in place.
Then, Bai Jing's second brick came flying over, hitting him on the forehead.
Bang!
The brick shattered, but the person was fine.
As an explorer, Old Niu was very likely a supernatural being, so it was normal for his head to be harder than a brick.
Xu Le observed all of this, but apart from internally commenting on their exaggerated acting, he had nothing else to say.
Moreover, he didn't feel overwhelmingly grateful to Bai Jing just because she said a few nice words.
He didn't understand these people, didn't understand the system of the Lighthouse, and didn't have enough knowledge about supernatural beings.
He couldn't make judgments based on just a few words.
Bai Jing wagged her finger at Old Niu, looking as if she was pouring her heart out:
"Old Niu, do you know why you're still an ordinary team member after more than twenty years, while I've become a team leader in just ten short years?
It's about vision, understand? We're in the Fourth Era now, do you know what's most important?
Talent, nothing is more important than talent.
Can any of you distinguish Ancient Remnant contaminants with just your naked eyes?
And still be able to clearly retort with Night Watcher laws after experiencing life and death?
None of you can, right?"
Old Niu looked at Bai Jing pitifully, muttering in a low voice:
"Wang Yueqin from the neighboring team became team leader in just two years."
"Shut up."
"Oh."
The team members seemed to be used to the dialogue between Bai Jing and Old Niu. They all remained silent, waiting for Bai Jing's orders.
"Everyone prepare to return. Alright, Mr. Xu Le, you can come with us now.
However, before we leave, we need to destroy those things of yours."
Hearing Bai Jing confirm that she would take him along, Xu Le finally breathed a sigh of relief.
With the protection of the Night Watcher explorers, he should be able to return safely to the human city-state, the Lighthouse.
As for what the most stringent and detailed inspection Bai Jing mentioned would be like.
Xu Le didn't know and didn't dare to ask.
Being able to survive in such a terrible situation was already a great fortune.
From last night until now, the events he had experienced were too intense.
Now, he needed some space and time to digest and ponder.
To digest the memories and items he had obtained.
To think about how to live in this different world going forward.
Xu Le stood up, watching the explorer team members directly throw the corpse, clothes, backpack, and other items together, pour oil on them, and set them on fire.
Looking at the roaring flames, Xu Le felt an inexplicable sense of relief.
These things weren't actually contaminated by Ancient Remnants, Xu Le knew.
But he wouldn't stop this destruction. He still felt somewhat uneasy about Old Zhou's death.
If this matter were to be investigated, he didn't have a good reason to explain.
The fact that he was a transmigrator was even more outrageous than Old Zhou's death.
In the current environment of the Lighthouse, claiming to be a transmigrator would most likely result in being burned as an anomaly.
However, Xu Le didn't notice that when he was quietly sighing in relief while watching the flames.
A pair of eyes was constantly fixed on him.
...
Stepping out of the small house, Xu Le finally saw the outside world clearly.
It was a suburban area with some green vegetation, impossible to describe the exact appearance.
There were some grasslands, some trees, and some abandoned houses.
It was probably similar to the outskirts of a village cluster from his previous life, and an abandoned one at that.
However, the environment here was very good.
The azure sky was almost cloudless, very bright.
When the warm sunlight fell on the body, it made one feel very comfortable, lazy and sleepy.
Xu Le closed his eyes and stretched, taking a deep breath of the air here.
This might be... rebirth!
Xu Le clenched his fists. Since he had been given a new life, he should make good use of it.
The explorer team members had already started walking forward, with only Xu Le lagging behind.
Xu Le knew that in the eyes of most people, he was just a burden, even a ticking time bomb with some risk.
Complaining and arguing might lead to abandonment by these people.
So when he noticed this, he quickly caught up.
But before he arrived, Bai Jing suddenly emphasized in a very cold and serious tone:
"Let's pretend today's events never happened.
Regarding Xu Le's abilities, keep it to yourselves, understand?"
"Yes," the group responded in low voices.
Arriving at the intersection, Xu Le saw an eight-wheeled steam tank with a very post-apocalyptic style.
Heavy armor plates, eye-catching gun barrels, and prominently displayed steam whistle and Lighthouse flag.
Looking at this vehicle, Xu Le couldn't take his eyes off it.
"Zion-produced R6 type steam tank, how is it, not bad, right?
However, this kind of vehicle is very expensive. If you can't falsify accounts, I'm afraid you can't afford it."
"Uh."
Xu Le didn't know how to respond. Was this an invitation from Bai Jing?
Bai Jing didn't give a clear answer. She jumped onto the vehicle and reached out her hand to Xu Le.
"Come on up."
"Alright."
The other team members also started boarding the steam tank at this time.
Rumble!
The steam engine started, and with a loud whistle, the steam tank set off on the road back to the Lighthouse.
Xu Le looked at the wilderness before him: "Lighthouse, here I come!"
(End of Chapter)
Read ahead on karmahunter<.>cc