Chapter Sixty-Nine: Rescuing Xiao Feng (Part 2)

Old White looked at Alice and said gently, "Child, stay here. Don't come with us—it's far too dangerous."

Alice shook her head stubbornly. "No. I'm going. I want to rescue Brother Xiao Feng with my own hands."

Ivy chimed in from the side, her voice resolute. "Old White, take me too. I need to avenge my brother."

"You two have no place in this mission. Stay here, all of you!" Old White's voice hardened. "Do you understand how perilous this could be? If Xiao Feng were here, he would never let you risk your lives for him. Be sensible—stay behind."

But Alice stood her ground. "No. I must go."

Old White's tone deepened, his eyes filled with sorrow. "Alice, you're no longer a child. You cannot act on whim alone. Even if you care nothing for my wishes, think of your mother. What would I tell her if something happened to you? She already resents me bitterly—do you want to give her more reason to hate me?"

Half an hour later, Lin pulled up in a battered sports car at the X Mercenary camp. Two shadowy figures sat with him in the vehicle.

Standing beside the car, Rice peered into its interior, concern etched across his face. "Is this it? Just us few? Isn't that too few for a rescue?"

Lin smiled with calm confidence. "This is more than enough. A larger force would only draw attention and get us caught before we begin."

"Alright then, just us it is." Rice waved toward Brada in the distance. Brada drove over in a military jeep.

Rice, Old White, and Alice climbed into the jeep. In the end, Old White relented—he could not dissuade the determined Alice, and so he brought her along.

Two vehicles pulled out from the camp, one following the other into the night.

In Black Whale City, Xiao Feng wandered through the unfamiliar streets, wide-eyed with wonder. This post-cleansing metropolis, forged anew by the efforts of the Four Great Conglomerates, stood in stark contrast to the ruined decay of Godo City. It was a marvel of sleek futurism—Xiao Feng could hardly believe his eyes.

Draped in a coat, Xiao Feng's first goal was simple: find someone to remove his handcuffs. Without that, moving around would be far too troublesome.

The empty streets filled him with unease. Warily, he walked on, mind racing with thoughts on what to do next.

Suddenly, a familiar scent drifted to his nostrils.

He froze. Was it just his imagination?

No... there it was again. Recognition struck. "Kelly?!"

Startled, he scanned the area, then turned swiftly onto another street, following the scent. His pace quickened. Minutes later, he arrived before a tall apartment complex—at least twenty stories high. Head bowed, he stepped inside.

The scent vanished at the elevator.

Xiao Feng frowned. He didn't take the elevator—instead, he ascended via the emergency staircase. At each floor, he paused, stepped into the corridor, and sniffed the air like a silent hunter.

By the seventeenth floor, he found it again—Kelly's scent, unmistakable.

He followed the trail to a door and knocked.

Inside, Kelly had just returned home. After seventy-two hours in solitary confinement—her harshest punishment since becoming an emissary of the Alliance—she was weary.

The knock surprised her. Who would visit at this hour?

She peeked through the peephole—and froze.

It was him.

Kelly hesitated.

Outside the door, Xiao Feng sensed her presence and spoke gently, "Kelly, I know it's late and I shouldn't have come unannounced, but I have no one in this city. I truly have nowhere else to go... Please, I need your help."

Kelly stood conflicted.

"I know you're right there," Xiao Feng continued. "If you don't wish to help, I'll go. But... I'm sorry for what I did that night. I wronged you. Forgive me."

He turned to leave.

But Kelly, after a long moment, opened the door.

"Xiao Feng—wait."

He turned, smiling. "So you are home after all."

"Come in. Let's talk inside."

Once in her apartment, Kelly asked, "Why are you back in Black Whale City?"

Xiao Feng gave a wry smile and recounted everything—his capture, and his daring escape.

Kelly listened in shock. "You severed Charles' arm? And electrocuted Henry? That's serious trouble. He won't let this go. You need to leave this city as soon as possible. If Henry wants to find you, he won't need to search for long."

Xiao Feng raised his cuffed hands. "I want to leave... but not like this."

Kelly chuckled softly. "Those? Just ordinary cuffs. I have the key."

Xiao Feng broke into a grin. "That's a relief."

Kelly retrieved the key and unlocked the cuffs. Xiao Feng flexed his wrists with a sigh of freedom, then turned to go.

"Wait," Kelly said gently, "Have you eaten? Are you hungry?"

He shook his head. "No dinner yet. I'm starving."

"Stay and eat with me," she offered, her voice warmer now. "There's hot water here—go take a shower first. You'll feel better. By the time you're done, dinner will be ready."

"Alright," Xiao Feng replied softly and stepped into the bathroom.

He didn't bother adjusting the temperature—just let the hot water cascade over him. Its scalding heat seeped into his skin, bringing a strange and unfamiliar comfort. A warmth that stirred something deeper within him, something he could not quite name—but he found himself yearning for more.

Let me know if you'd like me to continue translating the next chapter or help you create a polished English version of the full story.