HAGLTP Chapter 17

“Hahaha…” Jiang Yushen’s laughter gradually subsided, his gaze returning to Xiao Lu. “Come over, stay on my turf.”

Ye Qi, standing nearby, remained expressionless, but his eyes seemed to quietly harbor a hint of hostility.

Xiao Lu did not move, his gaze towards Jiang Yushen unchanged. “Thank you, but I think this place is quite good.”

“Oh…” Jiang Yushen’s smile instantly vanished, confirming the label of his capricious nature.

The surrounding mist began to swirl again, becoming denser, wrapping this space like a cage, obscuring Jiang Yushen’s figure.

Xiao Lu immediately became alert, cautiously surveying the expanse of white around him.

“Lu Ge! Where are you?” Huang Sansheng’s voice came through, tense and anxious.

“Don’t come over, stay away from me.” Xiao Lu quickly replied. Jiang Yushen was unpredictable; it was better not to involve Huang Sansheng and Ye Qi.

A gentle breeze brushed by, stirring the hair at Xiao Lu’s temples.

Without hesitation, Xiao Lu raised his fingertip, sending a beam of light towards the direction of the wind. The mist that was struck suddenly swirled, then dissipated.

“Hahaha…”

Jiang Yushen’s voice emerged from the mist, sounding distant yet near, ethereal and elusive.

“How about this?”

Three arrows made of mist shot towards Xiao Lu’s back, which he deftly dodged one by one.

“Very good, very sharp.”

At that moment, Jiang Yushen appeared to be a patient observer, his personality shifting multiple times in just a few minutes, truly deserving of the title of madman.

Xiao Keyang, enveloped in the mist, felt a surge of crisis within.

Why was the boss’s intention to recruit Xiao Lu so obvious? Xiao Lu had abilities comparable to his own, even subtly overshadowing him. If he also entered the night, it would inevitably lead to competition.

He didn’t want to admit the faint fear he felt towards Xiao Lu, subconsciously wanting to avoid confrontation before the competition even began.

Without the broad-minded mentor Mo Yisheng to nurture him, and amidst the fierce competition where the strong devour the weak, Xiao Keyang’s perspective on the bigger picture had been subtly influenced. He hadn’t grown into an independent leader as in the original plot; instead, he was increasingly adopting the style of the night.

After dodging Jiang Yushen’s attacks several times, Xiao Lu began to discern a pattern.

Jiang Yushen could hide within the mist to move and attack quickly, but he could not completely erase his presence. There would be a faint ripple just before an attack, and the way the mist flowed would also change.

Tricky, but not entirely impossible to handle.

A ripple came from behind him again.

This time, Xiao Lu moved before Jiang Yushen could attack. He swiftly turned around, his hand glowing brightly, and delivered a powerful punch into the mist.

He hit something.

It was the sensation of a warm body with muscle elasticity.

“Hahahahahaha… so interesting…” Jiang Yushen, who had been struck, actually laughed.

Xiao Lu’s expression was strange: “…”

This reaction didn’t seem right. Could it be that this former top idol was actually a masochist?

Accompanied by laughter, the mist enveloping the area suddenly expanded, wrapping the surrounding buildings and continuing to spread, almost taking over the entire Area A.

“Hey! What is Jiang Yushen doing?”

“Fighting is prohibited in Area A; who’s going to handle this?”

“Damn it, this madman never considers the consequences when he gets excited. Who can handle him? Why don’t we all go together!”

“Let’s go! Together, I don’t believe we can’t control him!”

“Come on, you guys only dare to back down when Xiao Keyang fights; do you really think you can deal with Jiang Yushen? You might not even be the last one to leave.”

“He makes a good point; I was actually planning to wait for you to go first and then pick up the pieces.”

“Same here.”

“+1”

“Damn…”

The residents of Area A were in an uproar. Most of the ability users were busy, and since it had just turned dark, apart from oddballs like Jiang Yushen who still took afternoon naps, most hadn’t returned, leaving no one to stop the chaos.

Suddenly, a sound of twisted metal emerged from the mist. Under the moonlight, a shadow resembling a giant snake flashed through the fog.

“Jiang madman, if you don’t want to stay in Area A, go to the Void’s territory and sleep on the ground! I see you’re no different from that group of lunatics!” A familiar female voice rang out.

“MIKI.” Jiang Yushen’s tone turned heavy.

As the mist dispersed, the previously straight streetlights had all changed, turning to face Jiang Yushen, surrounding him like snakes flicking their tongues.

At the same time, Xiao Lu had already approached him from behind, wielding a glowing blade. If it weren’t for the trouble that would arise if this guy died, he might have just stabbed him in the back right away.

An ice-blue barrier quietly appeared near Jiang Yushen’s neck, resembling a sharp blade.

An ability he had never seen before.

Jiang Yushen’s gaze swept over MIKI and Huang Sansheng, finally landing on Ye Qi, who was watching him from a distance. “So it’s you. Back then, you competed with me for endorsements, and now you’re competing with me for people.”

Ye Qi showed no reaction, as if Jiang Yushen had merely farted in front of him.

MIKI strode forward. “Jiang madman, you’re being rude to our guest on the White Dove’s territory. Do you have no shame?”

Jiang Yushen wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, which had been struck by Xiao Lu. “I’m happy; it’s none of your business.”

“Ha, have you been a mad dog for so long that you think you won’t meet someone who dares to kick you?” MIKI’s tone was sharp.

Seeing MIKI’s currently aggressive attitude, Xiao Lu sensed a hint of gunpowder. MIKI was not usually this confrontational; he remembered MIKI mentioning that he had offended a certain big star and was suppressed. Could that person be Jiang Yushen?

Given MIKI’s clear-cut style of handling grudges, it was indeed possible.

“Anyway, he’s not the one at a disadvantage.” Jiang Yushen seemed to often engage in trash talk with MIKI, showing no emotional fluctuations at this moment.

“Hmph, don’t come to my White Dove’s territory to act wild.” MIKI couldn’t be bothered to look at him again, waving his hand to return the streetlights to their original positions.

Xiao Lu and the others also retracted their attacks, preparing to leave.

“Wait.” Jiang Yushen suddenly spoke, “I want to collaborate with you.”

MIKI halted his steps. “Collaborate?”

Jiang Yushen: “The White Dove should have received news too; recently, there have been frequent murders of ability users, and their star patterns completely disappear after death.”

MIKI turned back, waiting for him to continue.

“I have a small team that was likely attacked, and everyone, including the captain, has gone missing.” Jiang Yushen’s expression darkened, clearly quite displeased.

Upon hearing this, MIKI’s expression shifted slightly.

The captain of the night was no soft persimmon; how could an entire team have no one escape?! No wonder he was eager to recruit upon seeing Xiao Lu, even going so far as to act on the White Dove’s territory; it turned out he was short on manpower.

“But I’ve also gathered some information related to that S·A treatment center and plan to send someone to investigate.”

“This concerns the entire Yun City; the White Dove and the Divine Punishment Society wouldn’t let us in the night bear it alone, right?” After coming out of his madman state, Jiang Yushen was indeed a clear-headed leader.

MIKI pondered for a moment. “I’ll inform Teacher Mo about the collaboration, and I’ll get back to you after discussing it.”

Jiang Yushen pointed at Xiao Lu. “I want him as part of the collaboration; he reacts quickly and is more interesting than your other White Dove lackeys.”

MIKI firmly refused. “No, Xiao Lu is a guest; I have no authority to ask him to participate in dangerous actions.”

“I want him.” Jiang Yushen smiled mischievously.

MIKI raised an eyebrow, preparing to roll up his sleeves. “Jiang madman, are you having another episode tonight? Looking for a beating?”

Jiang Yushen laughed recklessly. “Come at me.”

The atmosphere on the scene tightened again. The onlookers, who had just relaxed, felt as if they were on a roller coaster, suddenly being thrown back into tension.

Faced with this situation, Xiao Lu took the initiative to say, “It’s fine; I also don’t want any hidden dangers targeting ability users.”

He was just looking for clues related to the boss’s forces, and now they had come to him, right?

Seeing MIKI looking at him, Xiao Lu nodded slightly, indicating that he wasn’t being forced into this.

Jiang Yushen smiled in satisfaction, resting a hand on the shoulder of the visibly displeased Xiao Keyang, saying with great enthusiasm, “Brothers united, their strength is unbreakable.”

Exchanging a glance with the smiling Xiao Lu, Xiao Keyang’s expression visibly darkened.

Brothers united, my ass!

·

In Area A, in Xiao Keyang’s room.

“Keyang, how could Xiao Lu do this… Wuwuwu… I’ve raised him for over ten years…” Xiao Yimei cried, her face streaked with tears, recounting her daytime experiences to her son, who stood by the window.

“Mm.” Xiao Keyang looked out the window, responding perfunctorily.

Xiao Yimei’s eyes were red. “He’s so arrogant now; how am I supposed to live in the future… Keyang, you have to help your mother, or the whole Yun City will laugh at me… Wuwuwu…”

Xiao Keyang frowned in annoyance.

His mother had been there for half an hour, performing a dramatic display of crying and lamenting, with the theme being her hope that her son would deal with Xiao Lu to vent her frustrations.

Didn’t he want to?

Thinking of the encounter in the evening, Xiao Keyang was furious, wishing he could rush out and beat Xiao Lu up.

But…

“Keyang? What’s wrong? Are you unhappy?” Xiao Yimei noticed her son’s unusual state.

Xiao Keyang certainly didn’t want to recount the embarrassing scene again. He gritted his teeth. “…It’s nothing; you should get some rest.”

After saying that, he left the room, intending to clear his mind.

Watching the door close in front of her, Xiao Yimei felt a lump in her heart. She was perceptive; how could she not see her son was being dismissive?

Somehow, the image of Xiao Lu and MIKI striding away, with the crowd parting like Moses parting the sea, flashed through her mind.

She once had a very obedient son, one who was even willing to dedicate his entire life to them.

Unfortunately, that would never happen again.

·

Xiao Keyang walked down the streets of Yun City with Chai Yige.

Although the world order was in chaos, life had to go on, so several major forces joined hands to carve out a trading area.

Night had fallen, and the trading area was still bustling with people.

The entertainment industry in Xingzhou was thriving; even with the world in disarray, musicians from Yaosheng were still performing on the streets, and one could see people telling jokes and performing plays to make a living.

“Keyang, the cinema is open today; why don’t we go take a look? It’ll be a good distraction.” Chai Yige had learned his lesson this time, not mentioning Xiao Lu’s name at all.

Xiao Keyang’s gaze fell ahead.

The shop owner had somehow procured a projector and power supply, setting up a makeshift cinema in what used to be a clothing store. The viewing experience was certainly not comparable to a proper cinema, but at this time, it was a rare form of entertainment.

“Come, come, come! Classic movies are being re-screened! ‘Ink Color Seventeen,’ which won Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Newcomer back in the day, you can watch it for just three packs of instant noodles!” The shop owner enthusiastically shouted.

Chai Yige pointed at the cinema. “How about this one? I haven’t seen it yet.”

Xiao Keyang nodded; it was good to distract himself with an old movie, so he wouldn’t have to see Xiao Lu’s face constantly flashing before his eyes.

“Look, the poster has your family’s movie star on it.” A passerby remarked.

“He was so young at 16, that fragile feeling is incredible! It’s like the faint light after the rain; no wonder he won Best Actor right after his debut.”

“But three packs of instant noodles is a bit expensive…”

“It’s a rare opportunity; who knows when we’ll get to see it again.”

“True, let’s go, let’s go together!”

At 16, winning Best Newcomer and Best Actor; could the star of this film be…? At this thought, Xiao Keyang hesitated, intending to leave.

Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned.

“What a coincidence, you’re also here to watch Ye Qi’s movie?” A cheerful voice rang out from behind.

Xiao Keyang turned around, just in time to see Xiao Lu’s trio, along with the old poster surrounded by onlookers, featuring 16-year-old Ye Qi and the current 26-year-old Ye Qi staring right at him.

That face, which had received countless praises, now felt like a mental pollution, and it was doubled.

Xiao Keyang: “…”

Who the hell wants to watch a movie with Xiao Lu’s trio featuring one of their stars?! An immersive experience of frustration?!

Chai Yige: “…”

This time, Xiao Lu was not the one he had summoned.