Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 859 - 852: Abundant Dinner

Chapter 859: Chapter 852: Abundant Dinner

"Really?" Xilia’s eyes widened in shock as she asked.

"Uh, I was just giving an example, after all, people from Otherworld are also often active in this world, aren’t they?" Cheng Ziang hadn’t expected her to react so strongly.

His statement wasn’t without basis, since encounters the Advance Team had before already suggested that Earth might have had a presence in Otherworld for quite some time.

The most typical example would be the CIA agents who, through summoning and teleportation, arrived in Otherworld. These individuals still possessed the consciousness of Earthlings but had bodies reconstituted to match those of Otherworlders, enabling them to live in the magic-filled Otherworld just like its natives.

From Xilia’s limited description, Cheng Ziang could roughly deduce the process by which the intruders entered the mansion and killed her father. They fully leveraged their existing weapon advantage, infiltrated the operation, minimized noise and casualties, and went straight for the primary target.

In the room there were a total of four people, three primary targets were dead, leaving only a maid who knew nothing, which indicated that the assailants differentiated their targets and didn’t blindly kill those unrelated to the objective—a trait very much in line with Earth’s special operations.

At the same time, during the retreat, the assailants knew to use explosives to attract the guards’ attention and then withdrew, which showed that they knew how to maximize the effectiveness of their existing weapons and also understood how they operated.

Luo’er once said that when Xilia was preparing to attack him, he subdued her very easily. It should be noted that Xilia claimed to be an assassin, and yet was overpowered by Luo’er, unarmed, while she had a gun. This demonstrated a principle: Luo’er, being an Earthling, understood her weapon better than Xilia did.

This was not blind confidence, nor was it scoffing at the ignorance of Otherworlders. Due to the presence of magic in Otherworld, its inhabitants were to a large extent natural idealists and naturally and assumedly categorized Earth’s weapons as another form of magic.

Magic requires incantations to guide it, that is, the so-called activation of magic through thought. And because these Otherworlders treated Earth’s weapons as magical tools, they naturally assumed that the activation of Earth’s weapons was also thought-driven and didn’t bother to explore the principles behind their operation.

Just like the last time, the reason Luo’er was able to subdue Xilia was that he saw she was holding a revolver. As long as the trigger and the hammer of a revolver are controlled, it can ensure that the hammer doesn’t strike the primer of the bullet forcefully, preventing the gunman from firing a single shot.

Although Xilia was holding a pistol, it’s likely she didn’t understand the operating principle of the firearm in her hand, and therefore was naturally disarmed by Luo’er.

"Thank you for the reminder," Xilia said deeply, taking a breath and then sincerely.

"Don’t be so polite, I just feel bad seeing you, someone around our age, sitting all by yourself," Cheng Ziang said with a smile.

"Don’t pity me, I’m just used to living alone," Xilia said, lowering her eyelids.

"Then you must be cold, why not sit in the carriage?" Cheng Ziang asked, pointing back at the carriage.

"No need..." Xilia glanced at him, turned her head to look at the carriage, and resolutely shook her head.

"Why is that?" Cheng Ziang asked, puzzled.

"No reason." Xilia reverted to her original icy tone.

"Alright then..." Cheng Ziang, having made an awkward attempt at conversation, could only shrug his shoulders in resignation and rode away from Xilia.

The weather had been bad for several days, making Luo’er somewhat worried about the conditions they would face on their way to Snow Domain. In the afternoon, the convoy stopped at a clearing on the side of the road and began to set up camp.

The Advance Team and the knights lit several fires, warming themselves around them. The cavalry arranged by Melia were modern cavalry, dressed only in a layer of leather armor, and their main weapon was a semi-automatic rifle, with the lead captain carrying a submachine gun.

In battle, the primary role of such cavalry was reconnaissance and to form formations to attack the enemy’s flanks. However, given that the large rebellion mostly resorted to positional warfare, most of the time, these cavalrymen were serving as scouts.

The cavalry had two seasoned hunters who, taking advantage of the camp setup, rode out to hunt. After over three hours of toil, they brought back two carcasses that resembled deer.

The cavalrymen’s morale soared, and by the riverside, they processed and butchered the two animals, sharing half with the Advance Team and dividing the remaining meat among themselves.

The scent of roasting meat wafted through the camp, and as a reward, Luo’er brought out some high-proof spirits to cheer the knights, in exchange for their efforts. Thus, the air above the camp was filled with the aroma of alcohol and the merry voices of the knights.

Seizing the rare opportunity to show off his culinary skills, Luo’er divided the meat into two portions, roasting a large portion on the fire and mincing the smaller portion for stew. Combining a variety of spices, by around ten o’clock at night, a sumptuous feast was finally ready.

Hu Daoke gulped down a large bowl of meat soup and immediately felt invigorated, as if the chill in his body had been dispelled instantly. Actually, the reason for making stew was that Luo’er had no other choice. On the march, stew was the simplest way to prepare food and also the best way to ensure flavor, especially when paired with the staple bread of the Otherworld to both satisfy hunger and taste good.

Barbecue was certainly delicious, but it required too much time. They guessed that by the time all the meat was grilled, the team members would already be famished.

"Do you think this is deer or horse?" Hu Daoke cut off a sizzling, oily piece of barbecued meat with a dagger, curiously asking Cheng Ziang.

"How would I know? If you’re afraid to eat it, give it to me," said Cheng Ziang, reaching out to grab the piece of meat that Hu Daoke had cut.

"Scram, brat, did I say I’d give it to you?" Hu Daoke jabbed him in the ribs and cussed irritably.

Cheng Ziang rolled his eyes and rubbed his sore armpit but couldn’t help glancing towards Xilia by the fire not too far away.

He saw her sitting all alone by the fire, chewing on cold, hard bread, surrounded by several knights who were drinking and eating meat while ignoring her completely.

"Looks like she’s not doing so great among the knights either," Cheng Ziang shrugged, indicating that Xilia was still too aloof and not only unable to fit in with their group but also not that accepted by the knights.

Cheng Ziang pulled his gaze back but unexpectedly found Luo’er also staring at Xilia, his face filled with concern. Seeing this, Cheng Ziang couldn’t help teasing him, "What, feeling sorry for her?"

"Don’t talk nonsense, I’ve been bothered enough lately," Luo’er retorted, rolling his eyes as he averted his gaze.

"So you’re really not going to do anything about her?" Cheng Ziang asked, knowing Luo’er’s thoughts and purposely probing.

"I do care, but I’m helpless...," Luo’er shook his head helplessly, casting a glance at Tangmo and Baiyue, leaving the implication unspoken.

"Then how about I step in?" Cheng Ziang inquired tentatively.

"Hey, you, are you sure?" Luo’er asked, somewhat surprised.

"Of course I’m sure; helping to share the Captain’s burdens is a team member’s responsibility, isn’t it?" Cheng Ziang said with a smile.

"Don’t listen to this kid spouting nonsense; he just wants to chase a girl," Hu Daoke pointed at Cheng Ziang and told Luo’er, then turned to him and said, "Kid, don’t forget that’s what you said about Luoya in the beginning."

"Mind your own business!" Cheng Ziang frowned and gave him a kick before getting up, patting his bottom, and heading straight towards Xilia.

"Boss, you..." Hu Daoke, who had been kicked, looked toward Luo’er with a pitiful expression.

"Ah, well, it’s their business; I’m not going to interfere, and I can’t," Luo’er shrugged, being honest; he really couldn’t manage Luoya.

The two watched as Cheng Ziang approached Xilia, then bent down and said something to her. Surprisingly, Xilia seemed taken aback for a moment, then quickly stood up and followed an obviously pleased Cheng Ziang back towards them.

"Good lord, what trick did this kid pull? How come that girl is listening to him like that?" Hu Daoke couldn’t help but marvel.