Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 180 - 176: Convergence

Chapter 180: Chapter 176: Convergence

By this point, fifteen days had passed since the airboat crashed and Luo’er went missing. Every moment of those fifteen days, everyone on the Advance Team had been constantly worried about Luo’er’s safety. Tangmo, in particular, not only worried about Luo’er’s safety, but also felt deep guilt.

If it hadn’t been for her stubbornness, Luo’er wouldn’t have gone to save the mother and daughter, Yila, and he wouldn’t have disappeared. Even though everyone believed that Luo’er was only missing, the agonizing days were a constant reminder that Luo’er might be dead.

For those fifteen days, Tangmo couldn’t raise her head. She was careful in everything she did, afraid of angering her teammates. She knew that her mistake couldn’t be rectified, and she could think of no other way but to feel guilty.

Ever since Luo’er went missing, Baiyue had become increasingly reclusive. For entire fifteen days, she hadn’t spoken to anyone, hiding alone in the corner of her room. Even her once-close comrade Hu Daoke couldn’t make her relent.

Looking at the disintegrating shape of the team, Cheng Ziang did not have any effective solution. Despite working under the assumption that Luo’er may have fallen in battle from the start, he still had not found a way to condition the team and establish a group with him as the leader.

He was used to being Luo’er’s deputy advisor, and he had thought he was fully capable of leading the team. But once Luo’er was gone, he realized he simply couldn’t do it.

The squad had been established for nearly a year and the entire team had already formed around Luo’er as its core. They were accustomed to Luo’er taking care of everything, mediating their disagreements, and strategizing their actions.

Cheng Ziang’s leadership abilities were not inferior to Luo’er’s, even superior in some areas. But there was something he lacked, something Luo’er had but he didn’t. That something was perhaps charisma.

If they were to report Luo’er’s death to their superiors tomorrow, Cheng Ziang was convinced that Wang Xu would certainly appoint him as the new captain. The reason Tangmo was captain was because Luo’er had always held command of the team, hence Wang Xu was uninterested in taking control. Once Luo’er was gone, it would be impossible for Tangmo to retain the role of captain, even in name only.

What troubled Cheng Ziang was, once he became captain, how would he unify this team, which was on the brink of disbandment. Tangmo and Hu Daoke could possibly be managed, but Baiyue seemed highly unlikely.

He remembered that when the team was first formed, Baiyue had already made her position clear: she would only obey Luo’er’s command. It was clear that even after all this time, this creed of hers had not changed.

The four team members waited outside the inn. Resting against the wall, Cheng Ziang looked at his mechanical watch. As soon as it struck noon, Tangmo would send a message to Headquarters, reporting Luo’er’s death, and wait for the personnel appointment to arrive.

Baiyue was already equipped with her gear, her backpack slung over her shoulders and her rifle at the ready. She was waiting for noon to strike and then she would set off in search of Luo’er. For her, Cheng Ziang had no solutions at all. All he could do was silently let her depart, and then report to Headquarters that she and Luo’er had both died in action.

Tangmo sat on a barrel, tightly clutching the letter detailing the report. It declared Luo’er’s death. She dared not look up at the sky, her hand clutching the letter trembled slightly. She hoped that time would never reach noon.

Hu Daoke was quietly standing by, watching her worn-out self. Despite his sympathy, he did not know what to say and could only quietly keep her company.

"It’s noon!" Cheng Ziang coldly announced, tucking his mechanical watch back into his pocket.

Like a curse, when he uttered those words, Tangmo’s eyes immediately reddened, her tears splashing down. She gripped the letter tightly, biting her teeth to keep herself from crying.

Baiyue, on the other hand, immediately turned around, decisively leaving without looking back. Watching her leave, Cheng Ziang covered his face with his hand, letting out a deep sigh.

Just when everyone was feeling utterly hopeless, Baiyue, who was in the process of leaving, let out a sudden, shocking scream, startling everyone.

Looking towards the source of the noise, a sight appeared that excited and delighted everyone. A familiar figure was on the horizon, black hair, dark green eyes. Though he looked a bit worn, he was unscathed.

"Luo’er!"

Everyone’s spirits lifted at once, especially Baiyue who could no longer suppress her inner impulse. She dropped her backpack, discarded her beloved sniper rifle, and ran towards Luo’er without hesitation, vigorously embracing him when she got close.

She had been repressing her feelings for days and now Baiyue could no longer hold back, tightly hugging Luo’er, inhaling his familiar scent and crying her heart out.

This was probably the first time Baiyue had shown such intense emotion, because in her heart, Luo’er had been a crucial part of her for a long time.

Luo’er smiled, holding her, not stopping her, as he knew that what Baiyue needed right now, was venting her emotions.

After crying for a long time, Baiyue gradually quietened. Luo’er’s chest was soaked with her tears and Baiyue, exhausted, slumped into his arms.

After comforting Baiyue, Luo’er slowly walked over to the others. Baiyue clung tightly to his arm, afraid that he’d disappear again. Luo’er, feeling helpless, had no choice but to pick up her backpack and rifle as they walked.

The pair approached Tangmo, who blankly watched them, her face inscrutable. Luo’er put his things down and gently freed his arm from Baiyue. He then saluted Tangmo, "Advance Team member Luo’er, reporting back to duty!"

"Welcome back!"

Unexpectedly calm rather than ecstatic as imagined, Tangmo crumpled the letter in her trembling hands after speaking, jumped off the barrel, and left distraught.

Even Hu Daoke felt a twinge of melancholy watching her retreating back. He turned around, looked at Luo’er, and they embraced tightly.

"Welcome home, boss!" Hu Daoke uttered, choked with emotion.

"I’m fine. I’m back!" Luo’er comforted while patting his back.

After consoling Hu Daoke, Luo’er released him and headed towards Cheng Ziang. Baiyue followed him closely, holding onto his clothes as if a shy young bride.

"I’d rather not hug!" Seeing Luo’er approaching, Cheng Ziang rejected the hug, primarily due to the tear-stained patch on Luo’er’s chest.

Luo’er looked at him, unsure what to say. Cheng Ziang coughed, then coldly asked, "Did you have fun?"

"I was wrong!" Luo’er confessed sincerely.

Cheng Ziang glared at him, a regretful expression on his face. He sighed, turned around, and declared without looking back, "I forgive you!"

Although his tone was cold, Cheng Ziang felt relieved inside. He had been worried about how to fill the void left by Luo’er’s departure, but now that Luo’er was back safe and sound, he no longer had to worry.

The thought of being a regular team member again alleviated the pressure Cheng Ziang felt. His previously suppressed mood disappeared instantly.

After Luo’er’s return, the Advance Team naturally no longer needed to report his death to their superiors. They wrote a report about recent events and received instruction from Headquarters to proceed with the backup plan.

They hired a horse carriage from the village market and followed the Lining River upstream, finally crossing the Lining River gorge and reaching Ronisca.

However, Luo’er felt a change upon his return. Hu Daoke and Cheng Ziang were their typical selves, always bickering when together. But the two girls seemed different somehow.

Luo’er recalled that Tangmo used to be the most enthusiastic and clingy, especially fond of following him around, even getting jealous back at the Magic Academy. Baiyue, on the other hand, was much quieter, hardly showing her emotions.

But it seemed as if their personalities had switched. Baiyue became passionately clingy while Tangmo, usually cheerful, had fallen into silence, which Luo’er found difficult to accept.

"Yue’er, you’re holding a bit tight." Luo’er awkwardly smiled and managed to free himself from her. He subconsciously looked at Tangmo watching her nervous behavior.

Tangmo, who used to get jealous easily, ignored it. Luo’er remembered that even though Tangmo allowed Baiyue to be around him, a contact this close used to upset her. However, now, Tangmo just kept her head low in silence, indifferent to what was happening.

It seems that Luo’er’s near-death experience had struck her hard, as everybody refrained from asking about his past experiences.

However, Tangmo’s introversion had an unexpected effect: she began to take her role as captain seriously. It was unfamiliar, but she persisted.

This change left Luo’er somewhat at a loss. He used to handle the team’s affairs, but now Tangmo wanted to do it herself. He assisted her, but she wouldn’t look him in the eye, likely out of guilt for Luo’er.

Hu Daoke watched all this, feeling anxious. He thought that after such a near-death experience, everyone should grow. However, Tangmo’s way of growth seemed wrong. She felt so guilty towards Luo’er that she could not communicate with him properly. No matter what, Hu Daoke felt the necessity to change the current situation.