Surnamed Xiao

After her words, Yang Lin actually went into contemplation. Unknown to him, across space-time, as his elder sister watched and listened, she was also experiencing a wave of fury as she recalled the past of her family. She could vividly remember how thousands of years ago, she left her disabled mother helplessly on a bed, carried her little brother as an infant, and made a run for it.

Not in his wildest dreams would Yang Lin imagine that he was the child in Grandma Mo's story, not even Grandma Mo herself would dare fantasize such. From whatever information she had, she just assumed that Yang Lin was a descendant of the family, they must have somehow fled and secluded themselves away from the public eye, the Yang Household, Grandma Mo thought. And, if she could make such a conclusion, so could many others around the world.

"In any case, even if you are not a member of that infamous family, better safe than sorry. Those major forces also understand this. If they were to find out that someone is running around with the surname Yang, they would use everything at their disposal to eradicate. I mean, everything." Grandma Mo's eyes turned stern and cold as she looked at the youth beside her.

"You are fortunate that this barren land is outside the radars of those forces, and they are already preoccupied contesting our world and its resources with an external threat. Do you want to be with my Ming'er? So be it, but once you two depart from this orphanage, you will be adopted into… Oh, my old age, I forgot to explain the purpose of this institution. Basically, we groom assassins, killers, tools of war, shaped like human beings."

Grandma Mo said, her voice seemingly neutral. Continuing, "Looking at your get-up, there is no need for me to sugarcoat or censor what we do here. We receive children and grow them into tools of war. Once they become of age to cultivate, which is around ten to twelve years old, we spend our resources on the promising ones till they turn seventeen years of age. Ming'er has an exceptional talent, and she will soon be deployed into a military school inland under the jurisdictions of Plight Canyon Region."

Grandma Mo paused for a moment for Yang Lin to digest it in, then she said, "Lin'er, I will arrange it for you both to attend that cultivation school. However, you will enroll with the surname Xiao, both of you. Xiao Lin and Xiao Ming, those will be your official names. Common family, dead parents, found by the streets, adopted as disciples of the City Lord's Military School; your identities."

Ding!

The elevator suddenly stopped, they seemed to have reached their desired floor, and the doors slid apart to open. In the spacious underground gymnasium, Yang Lin could see many people of a similar age to himself.

In pairs, trios, and even groups. They fought and competed, some practiced auxiliary skills such as archery, throwing knives, snipers, and there was an isolated area for martial arts. They used close, mid-ranged, and ranged weapons.

It was fascinating, Yang Lin swept his eyes over the place until he found her.

She seemed alone, unbothered, cold like a block of ice that existed for a thousand years. She sat in a lotus position on a plain, thin mat. Her outfit looked light and simple, nothing beyond the ordinary sponge-sleeved shirt, a tight fit of pants, and bare feet. Looking at her now, calmly meditating, Yang Lin was in a trance.

Unknowingly, he began walking her way. His conscious looks immediately drew everyone's attention. The boy was soaked red in blood, and his clothing was rather odd to them, where did he come from?

Many soon noticed that he was approaching Ming'er, and many wanted to step in with disdain to obstruct his way, but their peers stopped them; Grandma Mo was by the foot of the elevator watching, they can't do anything outrageous. With loathing eyes, almost everyone glared at Yang Lin and Ming'er.

Yang Lin was prepared, he already assumed the relationship between Ming'er and those other kids. Even the young girl felt the gazes filled with contempt, she was used to it already. However, one gaze felt different, it oddly felt gentle, and it somewhat perplexed her.

Parting her fluttering eyelashes slowly, it was as if the abyss parted its gates open. Her placid, dark eyes captured Yang Lin almost instantly, and she stared at him confused. She saw his calm, gentle gaze coupled with a faint, yet bright smile, but her cold features remained the same.

At that moment, looking into those eyes and that tender face void of emotion, Yang Lin only had one thought.

'She's definitely stronger than me.'