Chapter 1 The Unexpected Kindness

The next morning, Han Xiao woke up feeling refreshed, the exhaustion from his escape completely swept away.

"Brother Han, you're awake." Hu Hongjun was stretching his muscles by the door, smiling as he spoke.

This family was truly hospitable, providing him with food and lodging. Although he was a little reluctant to leave, Han Xiao still expressed his intention to depart.

"Thank you for your hospitality, but I cannot stay for long. If there's a chance, I will repay you."

An walked over, carrying a small package, and smiled, "I made some flatbreads for you to take on your journey."

Han Xiao felt a warmth in his heart. He took the package with both hands, the warmth of the flatbreads transferring from his palms to his heart. He smiled, then realized An couldn't see him, and sincerely said, "I slept very well last night. Thank you very much for your hospitality."

An giggled softly.

"Haha, you're welcome. All within the four seas are brothers," Hu Hongjun said magnanimously.

Han Xiao packed his luggage, taking his backpack and the animal hide package. He suddenly noticed that the leaves covering the animal hide package were gone. His expression darkened slightly as he said, "Someone touched my package."

Hu Hongjun was startled. "Impossible, An and I didn't... Wait, Hu Fei, get out here!"

Hu Fei, who had been eavesdropping behind the tent, trembled and sheepishly walked out.

Han Xiao's eyes flashed, a half-smile on his face. "It's you again."

Hu Fei shrank his neck, not daring to look Han Xiao in the eye. Hu Hongjun kicked him in the butt, scolding him with disappointment, "Did you steal something from someone? Give it back immediately!"

Hu Fei bit his lip, reluctantly pulling out a Type 73 Hornet pistol and handing it to Han Xiao.

"Brother Han, feel free to beat him up. This kid deserves it." Hu Hongjun was already considering what stance to use to beat his nephew later.

"No need, it's fine as long as the thing is returned. Keeping this will be dangerous for you." Han Xiao took back the pistol, relieved. He didn't care much about his equipment, but he was worried that leaving weapons behind would bring disaster to the settlement. Hu Hongjun had hosted him for a night, and he naturally couldn't leave behind a source of trouble.

Hu Fei pouted, unconvinced. He thought Han Xiao was stingy, having so many guns but not willing to part with even one.

"The mountains don't turn, but the water does. We'll meet again if fate allows. Goodbye." Han Xiao formally said his farewell.

Hu Hongjun nodded. "Be careful on the road."

Han Xiao shouldered his pack and turned to leave.

As the saying goes, one should repay a drop of kindness with a **spring** of gratitude. If he had the chance in the future, Han Xiao would repay this act of kindness in his time of need.

"That dangerous guy is finally gone." Hu Fei wiped a cold sweat from his brow, then a look of delight spread across his face. Heh heh, it's a good thing that guy didn't notice I stole two guns.

Hu Fei escaped Hu Hongjun's scolding and returned behind the tent, taking out another Type 73 Hornet pistol from a box, fondling it with relish. He made up his mind that even if Han Xiao came back to demand it, he would absolutely deny it and refuse to return it no matter what.

But why doesn't this gun have a trigger?

...

The map drawn by the Wanderers was like a primary school student's doodle, but it indicated the current location, which was enough for Han Xiao. He remembered the complete map of Aquamarine Star.

He was currently within the Star-Dragon Federation. According to the map, he could walk out of the forest and find a railway in three days, at which point he could hitch a ride to the city.

At noon, Han Xiao found a place to rest and prepare to eat something to replenish his energy. He noticed a few cuts made by thorns and branches on the animal hide package.

Han Xiao spread open the animal hide package, preparing to put the guns into his backpack one by one. His movements suddenly stopped, and he let out a surprised sound.

"Seems like there's one gun missing..."

He counted again, and it wasn't an illusion.

Han Xiao's heart skipped a beat. If the gun was left behind in the settlement, that would be terrible!

Without bothering to eat, Han Xiao hurriedly packed his things and strode back the way he came.

...

Two black armored vehicles arrived at the Wanderer settlement. Number One, leading a fully armed experimental subject squad, used their guns to force all the Wanderers to gather in the square, squatting together with their hands on their heads.

All the Wanderers recognized the Germination Organization's emblem, and their hearts were filled with fear.

"Has anyone seen this person?"

Number One pressed the terminal on his palm, and a virtual image appeared in the air, it was a photo of Han Xiao.

"Never seen him."

Everyone denied it in a clamor.

The Germination Organization's style was well known. As long as they cleared themselves of involvement, they wouldn't attack the Wanderers.

The Six Nations and the Germination Organization were opposing factions, while the Wanderers were wavering fence-sitters, usually maintaining neutrality, but potentially siding with either side. Therefore, both the Six Nations and the Germination Organization had rules against easily attacking Wanderers.

Only Hu Fei trembled, his guilt almost written on his face.

Number One was annoyed and frustrated. He had been tracking Han Xiao for seven days and only encountered one settlement, but everyone said they had never seen Han Xiao, indicating that he was following the wrong direction.

"Let's go!" Number One snorted angrily, leading his team to get back into the vehicle. Just as he turned his head, he suddenly noticed Hu Fei's expression.

Number One became suspicious, stopped, and shouted, "Drag that kid out!"

Hu Fei was shocked and dragged out of the crowd by an experimental subject warrior, trembling like a quail.

Number One squinted and asked, "Do you recognize the person in the photo?"

Hu Fei hurriedly shook his head. "I don't recognize him."

Number One noticed that Hu Fei's waist was bulging with something hard, and shouted, "Search him!"

Hu Fei was pinned to the ground, watching helplessly as the Type 73 Hornet was found.

"This is our gun!" Number One's expression turned cold, and he raised his gun, pointing it at the crowd. "Zero came here, yet you dared to hide it, are you all looking to die?!"

"Speak! Where did he go!"

The threat of the gun caused the Wanderers to stir, and they all turned their eyes to the big-bearded Kailuo, who had first contacted Han Xiao.

Kailuo was shrinking in the corner like an ostrich, not daring to show his face. Seeing this, he immediately became anxious, "What are you looking at me for? I only sold him some things, Hu Hongjun knows where that guy went!"

The people around Hu Hongjun immediately scattered like they were avoiding a plague.

Seeing that things had come to this, Hu Hongjun could only slowly stand up and said in a deep voice, "I don't know."

The big-bearded Kailuo was eager to clear his name and immediately retorted, "How could you not know? You stood up for him and even hosted him for a night!"

Number One's expression suddenly turned sinister.

The Wanderers were terrified and urged Hu Hongjun.

"Quickly tell us what you know!"

"Do you want to kill us for an outsider?"

Hu Hongjun cursed Kailuo in his heart, took a deep breath, and made up his mind, pointing in a direction and saying in a deep voice, "That person went in that direction."

"Very good, you're very sensible." Number One smiled grimly and fired without warning.

"Bang!"

A bloody hole appeared in Hu Hongjun's forehead. His expression froze, his face filled with astonishment. His body swayed and suddenly fell to the ground, a pool of blood expanding beneath him.

Hu Fei screamed, looking at Hu Hongjun's body in horror.

He... he just died like that?!

Number One's expression was normal, as if he had just killed a chicken. The Wanderers' concealment had made him furious, especially after hearing that Hu Hongjun had hosted Han Xiao, which directly aroused his killing intent.

As long as someone was even slightly related to Han Xiao, Number One didn't mind sending him to hell to repent.

"Old Hu?" An sensed something, her face pale. She stood up unsteadily and groped towards her husband, stumbling and staggering.

Number One pulled out his pistol and shot An in the head from afar!

Half of the back of her head was blown open by the bullet, and brain matter and blood splattered all over the ground. An fell halfway, only an arm's length away from Hu Hongjun, yet it seemed like a chasm. Her lifeless eyes were stained red by the splashing blood droplets.

Number One glanced at the corpse and sneered.

"Seeking death."

Hu Fei collapsed, falling to the ground and wailing.

He regretted it immensely. His momentary greed had caused the death of his uncle's family.

The Wanderers were angry but dared not speak out, looking at the bodies of Hu Hongjun and An, feeling a sense of shared sorrow.

The terminal on his palm was connected to the Germination leader's surveillance screen. The leader questioned, "What are you doing? Who told you to kill people!"

Number One hurriedly and fearfully admitted his mistake. "These Wanderers were withholding information. I just wanted to establish some authority. We'll leave immediately."

The leader shook his head and said, "Forget it, since you've already killed them, clean it up. Don't let the news get out."

Number One nodded, his face turning cold, and made a gesture.

Continuous gunfire startled countless birds in the forest.

...

The sunset was like blood. Han Xiao hurried as fast as he could, and finally returned to the settlement before dark. From a distance, he smelled a pungent bloody smell, and his heart immediately sank.

"Too late."

The noisy settlement was deathly silent. The scene that met his eyes was a massacre. Everywhere was full of shocking bloodstains. The ground under his feet was soaked with blood, soft, sticky, and each step left a bloody footprint.

Han Xiao saw the tragic deaths of Hu Hongjun and An, his pupils constricted, and anger rose from his heart.

At this moment, a figure crawled out from a pile of corpses. Han Xiao recognized him as the big-bearded merchant who had extorted him.

Kailuo was still in shock. He had been frightened unconscious when the massacre began, but luckily escaped with his life. Before he could rejoice, he saw Han Xiao standing aside looking at him, and his body trembled like a sieve.

Han Xiao took three steps in two, grabbed Kailuo by the collar, and shouted, "What happened here?"

"Germination Organization, it was the Germination Organization that did it! We didn't reveal your whereabouts, so they killed people to vent their anger. Our people died so miserably. For the sake of Hu Hongjun hosting you, you must avenge us!"

Kailuo was crying and sniveling, acting like it was real. He didn't dare to tell the truth, he just wanted to incite Han Xiao to take the initiative to find the Germination Organization and not involve him.