Translator: Atlas Studios
Editor: Atlas Studios
“Concerns me?” Qianqian asked, surprised. “What concerns me? Ah Jun, do you know something about this? Hurry up and tell me!”
I helplessly raised my hands and said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hide from you. However, it might be better if you don’t get involved in some things… although it seems like you have been dragged in already…”
“Don’t put this lad in a tough spot; let me explain.” Lin Xue comfortably sunk into her seat and said, “Xu Qianqian, is your father an archaeologist?”
“Yes… how did you know?”
“That is not important. What is important is…”—Lin Xue continued as she took out a piece of paper from her black purse and read—”Xu Feng, male, forty-five-years-old, famous Chinese archaeologist, is involved in many… en, let’s skip this part—the last part is… headed to the Taklamakan Desert with the national geological team on 1 December 2010 to investigate a recently discovered ruins near the Niya Ruins. Three days later, he disappeared.”
“What?!” Qianqian and I exclaimed at the same time.
“My dad has disappeared?” Qianqian’s face was full of disbelief. “How is that possible? He had just called home two days ago! Are you trying to scare me?’
Although Qianqian did not believe this news, I knew that this information was probably true. Given Lin Xue’s identity, she didn’t have any need to lie about this. What I was thinking about was… why had Uncle Xu disappeared and why had that triggered Lin Xue’s so-called special abilities organization?
“I have no need to lie to you. Furthermore, you said that your dad called home two days ago; how about yesterday?”
Yesterday was, as Lin Xue had stated, the day that Uncle Xu had disappeared.
“How is that possible…?” Qianqian murmured in distraught as she grew more and more uneasy. She started to believe that Lin Xue’s words were probably true.
“Ah Jun, Lin Xue is lying to me, right? You know her better, and you would definitely know if she is lying…”
“I’m sorry… Qianqian, rest assured that I will definitely find a way to find Uncle Xu!”
Hearing my reply, Qianqian remained in a daze for a moment and then threw herself into my embrace as she started to cry. As the daughter of an archaeologist who was constantly doing fieldwork outside, Qianqian knew better than anyone that if her father had indeed disappeared in a desert, it was akin to him having been sentenced to death.
At this moment, I started to realize that this always bossy, loud, and rough girl had a gentle side as well.
Actually, I wasn’t that concerned with Uncle Xu’s disappearance. It wasn’t that I wasn’t concerned with his safety, but I had much faith in the Xyrin Empire’s technology.
When Lin Xue had announced Uncle Xu’s disappearance, I had already ordered my very free Commanders from the Xyrin Empire to send out the few hundred small satellites with full cloaking force-fields they had brought up into space. These satellites’ tracking abilities were such that they could even accurately observe how many pancakes the stall outside my school entrance sold a day, how much money the stall made a day, and even how many one dollar or fifty-cents coins the money comprised.
At the same time, these satellites were also equipped with a certain degree of x-ray and energy analysis capabilities. Together with a search-and-rescue team led by a search-and-rescue specialty Commander that was already on its way to the Taklamakan Desert, I believe that as long as Uncle Xu was still on Earth, I would be able to rescue him!
At this time, Lin Xue’s voice traveled over and said, “My two friends, even if you two want to get cozy, you don’t have to be in such a hurry, right? Also, Chen Jun, are you still planning to hide your identity from Xu Qianqian?”
“Ah Jun’s identity?” Hearing Lin Xue’s words, Qianqian slowly raised her head and looked at me with bloodshot eyes.
“It’s like this…”
…
Hearing my explanation, Qianqian looked at me as if not being able to accept what she had heard. She asked, “You’re saying, you’re a person with special abilities?”
I nodded and then pointed at the ever quiet Pandora and said, “Lili as well.”
“That can’t be… aren’t special abilities something that belonged only in novels?” Qianqian said, still in disbelief.
I nudged Pandora’s arm and asked her to provide some proof. In the next second, Qianqian cried out, “Lili, that was you…?”
Lin Xue saw Qianqian’s reaction and already guessed what had happened. She smiled at Pandora who was keeping mum and said, “That’s Lili’s special ability, mind-talk. I must admit I am a little jealous.”
You were already jealous of that? If I told you that I have three hundred soldiers who all had this ability, how jealous would you get?
“In that case, Ah Jun, what is your special ability? You have one as well, right?” That voice that had appeared in her mind already convinced Qianqian of the presence of persons with special abilities; she was now curious what mine was.
“It is an offensive-type ability,” I said vaguely. To be able to call upon the Xyrin Empire soldiers to launch an expedition to conquer other planets could be considered an offensive-type ability, right?
“A rather strong one at that…” Lin Xue’s voice carried her lingering fears. It seemed as if the satellite gun that day still cast a shadow in her mind.
“So powerful…” This frightening news made Qianqian temporarily let go of the unease that came with knowing Uncle Xu’s disappearance. Her eyes flashed with a certain light as she grabbed my arm and said, “You are actually so strong! Why have you never told me about this before? Have you been hiding this from me since young?”
Thinking that I had kept her in the dark since young, Qianqian’s voice brought with it a certain amount of dejection and disappointment.
“Of course not!” I hurriedly comforted, “My abilities only appeared not long ago. When I reconciled with Lili, both of our abilities were awakened at that time…”
Lin Xue also aptly butted in and said, “En, this situation is quite normal. Ordinarily, the special connection between siblings often can trigger the awakening of special abilities. However, this kind of thing happens more often with twins. Chen Jun and Lili’s situation is rarer.”
Lin Xue, just in time!
Knowing that we were persons with special abilities, Qianqian seemed to no longer be that worried about Uncle Xu. She probably thought that with us lending aid, everything could be settled and dealt with.
“Speaking of which, Lin Xue, where are you bringing us? We are out of the suburbs already.” I looked out of the car window and realized that our surroundings had already become a foreign barren land; we couldn’t even see the city anymore. Who would have thought we had traveled so far already!
Lin Xue looked at her phone and dialed a few numbers as if sending a text. After that, she said, “Of course, we are switching to a faster mode of commute. You guys can’t possibly think that we would drive this sedan all the way to the Taklamakan Desert, right? Or were you guys intending to go and buy a train ticket headed for Xinjiang?”
“Ah? We are leaving like this?” I was frightened by Lin Xue’s harsh tone. “I haven’t even informed my Big Sister.”
“Me as well; I need to tell my mom first, right? If not, if I disappear for a few days, my mom would be worried sick!”
Lin Xue looked at the two of us and suddenly slapped her own forehead. “Aiyah, I forgot about all this. I haven’t had a family since young, and I was adopted by the organization. We would immediately depart once there was a mission, and there wasn’t such a thing as informing family members or the sorts. Ah, ah…”
“Oh… it’s fine.” Qianqian did not think that Lin Xue’s background was like this and didn’t know what to say all of a sudden.
“Don’t listen to my sister’s nonsense!” The young chauffeur that had been keeping mum suddenly opened his mouth and spoke. He was actually Lin Xue’s younger brother?
“This is my brother; his name is Lin Feng,” Lin Xue smiled embarrassingly, and then chided sternly, “None of your business; focus on driving!”
Lin Feng answered, “How is it none of my business? If I don’t say anything soon, I will be forgotten by everyone. Ahem, okay, that was a little harsh. If I don’t say anything soon, you would probably dump me together with our dead relatives!”
Although her prank had been exposed by her brother, Lin Xue seemed to not mind at all. She kept on playing with her phone as she said, “I was actually teasing you guys just now. However, you do not have to be worried about your disappearances causing anxiety to your family members.
“We have already made arrangements to send a message to them via your school, saying that you guys are going to attend an exchange event with other schools. After that, someone within the organization that is able to change his appearance will go to say hi to your family members on your behalf. Everything is taken care of. Ah, we’re here.”
She really knew how to act arbitrarily!