Arc 3.19 Xiao Yao

"Old man, were already here inside the Lost City?" Xiao Yao said.

"Hm. Good job kid." The Old Bandit praised.

"Old man, I know I did well. But, what I mean is that where should we go now?"

"Hmp! Weren't you talking big before? Why are you asking now?" Leng MianMian scoffed clearly wanting to irritate Xiao Yao.

Xiao Yao raised an eyebrow due to Leng MianMian's attitude and looked at her like a crazy shrew which greatly irritated the latter.

Xiao Yao just shrugged his shoulders at Leng MianMian not caring about her episodes and looked back at the old bandit.

"Well, old man. As you can see, the Lost City is so huge. I was just asking if we should all go together or split up. What do you think? Anyway, I brought you inside the Lost City as I had said before. Now, it's your turn to keep your promise." Xiao Yao shrugged.

"Hahaha!"

The Old bandit laughed heartily seeing Xiao Yao's attitude. Well, indeed the young man had brought them there as per their deal.

He is not some brute man that would take back his promise after achieving his goal. At least, not to this smart kid.

After all, it is a good idea to make connections with people like Xiao Yao. It is better to make friends than enemies, is what they say.

"Young lad, I may have invited your group inside here by force but I do keep my promises. Alright, for now, let's split up. This City is huge. It would take time if we move in one group." The Old man said.

"Okay! I'll follow what you said. If I find the entrance I will tell you old man since we are in a cooperation anyway. I wish that you would also do the same."

Xiao Yao smiled kindly but behind his smile was that of a cunning fox.

"Of course, we are in a cooperation. I promised didn't I, that after we find what we wanted we will escort your group out safely." The old man laughed heartily again.

"Then, let's have a good cooperation as well this time, old man."

Xiao Yao offered a hand to the old man which the other also happily took with a smile.

"Same here."

After an hour of preparation, three groups were formed. The first group consisted of the old bandit, the second group of the leads, and lastly Xiao Yao and Xu Xin's group.

"Alright everyone, we will search on our own sides of direction. The time now is around nine o'clock, we would search till four. Remember, come back to this spot before sunset, understood? Remember that you must come back here while the sun is still out. Don't carelessly travel after sunset. We don't know what is hiding in the dark crevices of this city so everyone must be alert. Understood?" Xiao Yao said in a grim tone.

"Yes!"

"What a bother. Tsk." Leng MianMian said but also agrees with him.

"MianMian, don't be angry. It's for our own good anyway." Fei Chen said helpless.

"What Xiao Yao said is right. We don't know what is hiding inside this City so we must be careful. Don't put your guard down." Chen Qiao said with crossed arms.

"Hm." Xu Xin nods in agreement with Xiao Yao.

Xu Xin's gaze was penetrating while looking at the man in the center of everyone's eyes. His thoughts were, "He is a born leader."

Xu Xin knew from what he had observed and heard so far that the group he had joined is divided into three groups.

One is the kidnappers' group.

Two, the leads group.

Three, Xiao Yao's group which consisted of him only.

But despite the disadvantage, Xiao Yao who was supposed to be the one who is at a disadvantage was instead the person leading the groups of people.

Xiao Yao had become their center unknowingly and every question and task for a solution was thrown his way.

They had unknowingly become more dependent on him than thinking with their own abilities.

The different sets of groups somehow merge together and do not look like a divided group due to Xiao Yao's leadership.

He was like a thread connecting the other two groups towards him making them merge as one.

If not for Xiao Yao being at the center, a glue that sticks the different puzzle pieces, this group would have fallen long ago.

"He is shining." Xu Xin mouthed being swallowed by his own world.

Tracing the eyes Xiao Yao felt, his eyes landed on Xu Xin which made him helplessly sigh with a wry smile.

"Alright! Everyone, depart!"

With the groups divided in three, their thoughts were finally running free.

On the bandit's side.....

"Boss, do you think they would come back?" Old Bai could not help but worry.

"You don't have to worry. They will come back." The Old man said with a knowing smile.

"Boss, do you really believe them? You know, after all, we kinda forced them here and even threatened them. By now, they must have planned to run as far as they could. They would be an idiot if they do come back." Old Bai said.

"That is where you are wrong, Old Bai." The Old Bandit mysteriously smiled.

"Why?" Old Bai could not help but ask puzzled.

"They would come back. I'm sure of it."

Saying so, the Old man closed his eyes in deep thought.

In his mind appeared a young man not over twenty, his sunny appearance that brought warmth to the eyes of everyone, his dependable back when in troubled times, his eyes that held so much confidence tint with a bit arrogance, his voice filled with authority and aura of a leader, a vision that even the Old Bandit can't help but shiver.

"Youth."

On the lead's side.....

"Ugh! So frustrating! Do we really have to come back? I don't want to see that arrogant bastard's face even just for a second! He is more horrible than those bunch of old men!" Leng MianMian fussed.

"Now. Now. We really should go back when the time is up. Don't be angry, MianMian." Fei Chen said helpless.

"Why don't we just run away? Anyway, we have the chance to do it now. Those old fogeys can't do a thing if we run now. What are we afraid of?!"

"This....."Fei Chen trailed off feeling awkward not knowing what to tell her.

Anyway, she is not wrong. But, could they really run away?

"Enough talking about running away. When the time is up, we would come back." Chen Qiao finally said.

"Brother Chen, why do you insist we go back? We're already free from those bandits, we should run while there is time!" Leng MianMian insisted.

"If you want to run, run away yourself. But, don't tell me that I didn't warn you. We don't know what dangerous creatures lurk inside this city, it's too dangerous for us to be wandering in the dark. It's best we go back." Chen Qiao said.

"But!"

"Go if you want to!" Chen Qiao spat out frustrated and sped his pace leaving the two behind.

"Brother Chen! Wait up!"

While on Xiao Yao's side, the two teammates were taking leisure walks together as if on a field trip not knowing the conflicted thoughts of the two other groups.

Xiao Yao even had the time to take pictures of his surroundings and Xu Xin who was walking beside him

"Xin, let's take a picture together!"

Xiao Yao quickly pulled Xu Xin to his side without letting him react and snap the camera.

"Oho. Xin, smile a bit. You look like a dead corpse in this photo." Xiao Yao grumbled.

Xiao Yao pulled both sides of Xu Xin's cheeks stretching it like a dough hoping to put a decent smile on his face but ended up making his face look scary, like an overly stretch cheeks while editing a photo.

"Yao. No. Hate. Picture. Me."

Xu Xin helplessly struggles in Xiao Yao's hold to no avail. His spirit was tiredly seeping out from his body while Xiao Yao made way with his body.

"Ow. Come on. Just a smile. Also, why do you hate when people take a picture of you?"

Xu Xin just helplessly looked at Xiao Yao not wanting to explain which made the other not easily give up his conquest.

"Anyway, just smile. Just once, okay? This will be a commemorative picture for us in the future! Come on Xin, smile!"

"I....."

Xu Xin sweated badly but eventually surrendered and stiffly followed Xiao Yao's request.

Seeing him surrender, Xiao Yao beamingly smiled at the camera while pulling Xu Xin's cheeks.

In the end, the picture ended up with Xiao Yao putting his arm around Xu Xin's shoulders while pulling his cheeks.

Xu Xin on the other hand was stiffly standing beside Xiao Yao while letting the other pull his cheek helplessly.

"Look, Xin, this is our picture."

Xiao Yao smilingly showed Xu Xin their picture together a bit proud.

Taking the camera in his hand, Xu Xin stared at the two people in the picture.

There was a bright teenager in white beaming happily while putting his arms around a black shirt teen who was stiff but awkwardly trying to smile at the camera.

"So, what do you think?" Xiao Yao asked not expecting any reaction from him but he was stunned to see that he was wrong.

"It's warm."

Xu Xin for the first time they met smiled gently at Xiao Yao.

His eyes that usually held nothing, at this moment, had a teenager in white in them filling his whole eyes with his image, only his.

Xiao Yao's eyes widened as wide as saucers, his heart leaped unknowingly, mouth a little bit open as he stared at the teen in front of him.

'What the....!'