I Became the Alchemy Master by Picking Up Trash-Chapter 319: Extra Story (4)

Anna pushed open the door with tearful eyes: "Xiao Xing, I ventilate and clean your room daily, the bedding is all clean, just thinking that no matter when you come back, you can stay..."

Li Yi glared at the peeking Li Nianshen, then turned to Li Xing with a warm smile: "Normally, this room is locked, except for that rascal Li Nianshen sneaking in once when he was little, nothing inside has been touched."

Li Nianshen reflexively took a deep breath; after years, recalling that mixed-gender spank, he could still feel a faint pain in his butt.

Anna: "Xiao Xing, take a rest first, I’ll cook, I’ll make your favorite Fire Crown Chicken! Once you’re rested, we can eat and chat as a family!"

Anna finished speaking and pushed Li Xing into the room, dragging Li Yi and Li Nianshen along.

Li Xing glanced around the room, all were familiar pink decorations, the positions of all items inside remained as they were on the day she left.

She walked to the table, picked up the light brain, and pressed the power button. The moment the Star Network connected, the message alert sound lasted ten minutes before stopping, unread messages had reached the limit.

Li Xing opened the messages and began to read them slowly, the unfamiliar feeling stemming from her departure gradually diminished by these messages.

————————

Xi Yuan City, Third Legion Fortress.

The man curled up in a wide chair, with his straight, long legs crossed over the desk in front, his face mostly obscured by a hat, revealing only rosy lips and a handsome, sharp chin. The man was fast asleep, seemingly having a sweet dream, with the corners of his mouth slightly upturned.

The door slammed open, disrupting the peaceful nap scene, the man jolted awake in a fright, his hat rolling to the floor, revealing a face more enchanting and beautiful than a woman’s.

Bai Ling stormed in angrily, throwing freshly processed documents hard on the desk. Just about to reproach him, her gaze flickered to see many new official papers, with a fresh boot print on top, igniting her anger even more, she pointed at Cui Tianxiao’s yet fully awakened face and shouted: "Cui—Tian—Xiao! Not reviewing these documents is one thing, but using them as footrests, what’s going on? Are you rebelling?"

Cui Tianxiao stretched lazily, a sleepy voice came through: "I... struggled with insomnia in this bitter summer, finally upon some drowsiness, I quickly took a nap, not caring where the papers went..."

On this matter, Cui Tianxiao found it strange, the dormitory bed so comfortable, yet he was not accustomed to it; whereas just twenty minutes on this office chair, surely he would be drowsy to the point his eyelids would droop.

Bai Ling snorted, coldly said: "Xi Yuan City is hot year-round, even the average temperature in the cool season is above thirty-five degrees. If truly suffering from bitter summer, Commander Cui should apply for a transfer soon."

Seeing Bai Ling truly angry, Cui Tianxiao dared not cheek further, attentively pulled a chair for her, cautiously said: "Sister Bai, don’t bother with me, you know I’m definite to never transfer. I assure you, I’ll mind work discipline, if I really can’t resist sleeping, I’ll keep away from the documents, never dirty them!"

Bai Ling was keen-minded, instantly deciphered Cui Tianxiao’s meaning, she softened her tone: "Since you’re staying, you should properly fulfill a commander’s duties, these documents also require your involvement."

"Classified documents, I’ve carefully reviewed each one, as for those full of empty rhetoric and evasive squabbling, I simply can’t stand them, I’d need Sister Bai’s help in handling them."

Bai Ling understood Cui Tianxiao’s character, never sloppy on major affairs, but indeed not suitable for dealing with minutiae.

"Alright, as long as you grasp the situation. General affairs I can handle for you, but for the weekly legion meetings, you can’t always have me, the deputy, attend for you? Even if no one says much due to your reputation, they might feel I am overstepping as a deputy. Don’t set me up."

"Yes yes yes, Sister Bai’s advice is noteworthy; I’ve got it!"

"Remembering is useless, you need to take action!"

"Act! This week’s meeting, I’ll definitely attend!"

Bai Ling said menacingly: "Commander Cui, this week’s meeting ended twenty minutes ago, I’ll remind you early for next week’s."

"Uh, alright, alright..."

Cui Tianxiao sincerely admitted his mistake, Bai Ling found it hard to continue showing him faces, she turned to leave. After two steps, Bai Ling paused, hesitated, then resignedly turned back, took the pile of shoe-stamped documents off the desk.

Cui Tianxiao bared his white teeth, shouted behind Bai Ling: "Thanks for your hard work, Sister Bai, tonight I’ll arrange a candlelight dinner, you must grace me."

"Get lost, you hold no face with me!" So many documents, she’d be reviewing them until midnight, where would she find time to dine with him!

Cui Tianxiao didn’t mind, watching Bai Ling leave angrily; only when her footsteps vanished at the corridor’s end, did his smile fade, he slowly walked to the window. Gazing at the vast and boundless Gobi Desert, he murmured: "I wonder how Xing Er’s doing now; it’s been so many years, no news whatsoever, alas..."

Cui Tianxiao was lamenting when his light brain received a video call reminder, he connected, Ye Qingting and Qi Ming’s figures appeared simultaneously in the office.

"Brother Xiao!" Qi Ming completely shed his youthful naivety, his tall figure paired with a crisp military uniform accentuated his vigor.

"Xiao Ming, how do you have time to visit Brother Xiao today?"

Qi Ming’s baby fat had disappeared, his handsome face with defined angles, yet his azure eyes still as clear as ever, presently smilingly observing Cui Tianxiao.

"You’ve been absent from the meetings for over a month. Brother Ye was concerned, asked me to come check on you. Is it because you’re not used to the Third Fortress’s climate, sick?"

Cui Tianxiao groomed his hair, posed flamboyantly, answered: "Pssh! With this body’s resilience, can I be sick? Whose clowning around!"

Cui Tianxiao’s under-eye shadows hint at his poor rest; Ye Qingting’s face showed a trace of concern.

"Ah Xiao, really alright?"

"Really alright—!"

Ye Qingting’s guilt, failed to escape Cui Tianxiao’s eyes, brothers for many years, how could Cui Tianxiao not understand his thoughts.

"Qingtian, we both received the Military Department’s orders simultaneously, sent to the Third and Fourth Fortresses respectively. You, as the Ice Elemental Spirit, naturally suit the Fourth Fortress better. The Third Fortress, though climate hot, poses no great hindrance to Thunder Elemental Spirit folk like me. It’s merely a matter of dryness, costing me a few more facial masks. I volunteered to come, no need every time you see me, to look so indebted, not worth between brothers!"

Ye Qingting smiled helplessly: "Since childhood, you detested scorching sun, claiming its rays too strong, darkening and wrinkling the skin. Unexpectedly now serves as the legion commander in the Qianyuan Continent’s sunniest region, not wanting sun, yet forced to endure it, tell me, isn’t this fate’s whim?"

Cui Tianxiao sighed annoyingly yet helplessly: "Isn’t it? The Immortal Extermination cult, a bane plaguing Qianyuan Continent for far too long, the nails buried in the Four Legions innumerable, the Military Department’s brutal purge depleting almost one-fifth of the federation’s forces."

Qi Ming: "Were it not for doubting others, the Military Department wouldn’t have parachuted Brother Ye and Brother Xiao to command other legions."

Ye Qingting: "I always thought, our quartet specializing in rebel suppression could fight side by side in the First Legion until retirement. But just a few years passed, everyone scattered from North to South, while Ah Xing’s whereabouts remain unknown."

Mentioning Li Xing, none of the three spoke, the office sunk in a somber atmosphere. As Cui Tianxiao intended to say something to lighten the mood, the simultaneous ringing of three alert chimes led them to check their light brains.

The squad chat for rebel suppression has new messages.

//Fragile Little White Flower: Are you all here?//

Cui Tianxiao snorted coldly, entered gruffly on the light brain:

//What are you laughing at: Li Nianshen! Are you using your sister’s account again to mess with us? Want me to fly over and bust your head!//

The counterpart stayed silent, three seconds later, a picture was sent in the group.

Upon clearly seeing the person in the picture, Ye Qingting and Qi Ming logged off in seconds, while Cui Tianxiao speedily headed towards the door.

Too emotionally stirred, from ten meters distance, he managed to fall thrice before clumsily opening the door and shouting:

"Flying device! Sister Bai, prepare me the fastest flying device, Xing! Xing is back!"