Ringo stopped and nodded, removing the restraints, he felt much better now.
Eva also breathed a sigh of relief. The last blow was already taking its toll, she improvised on the fly.
The group gathered their things and left, returning to Ringo's room. There, Ringo and Eva went to shower while Lena took care of dinner.
Ringo simply wanted to order room service, but Lena insisted, so he just shrugged and let her do whatever she want's.
It was during dinner that a knock sounded on his door. Ringo got up and opened the door. Seeing Han Xiao with his uncle-like face, he smiled slightly. Han Xiao seemed to understand the reason for his smile, so he rolled his eyes at him as he entered.
-So... did you manage to register properly?- Ringo asked with feigned curiosity.
Han Xiao pretended not to hear as he bent down and glared at Jack, who seemed to take this as a personal challenge. Dropping the bone he was chewing, he glared back at Han Xiao.
Of course, Han Xiao was never one to play fair, so he unleashed his aura, even at just E-Rank, still startled Jack, who seemed to be trembling but refused to look away. Will, on the other hand, had already hidden in Eva's lap.
Ringo rolled his eyes. -Don't bully my Bear.
Han Xiao stopped, gave Jack a strange look, and said. - Isn't that a dog?
-No, it's a long-fanged Wolf Bear. - Lena replied, causing Ringo to nod in satisfaction.
-Then it's a wolf. - Han Xiao shrugged.
Ringo rolled his eyes at him and sat down again, offering Han Xiao a seat.
-No need to wear that mask here. - Ringo said lightly.
Han Xiao looked at Eva and Lena.
-It's okay, they know who I am. To be more precise, they're... childhood friends. - Ringo paused for a moment, causing Lena to look away in embarrassment and Eva to snort, unconvinced.
Han Xiao paused for a moment and asked. - Did you remember your past?
-...not really. I found them looking for 'six', so I went to check, but I discovered I have family still alive... - Ringo paused for a moment as he explained.
-Then how do you know they're not just pretending? - Han Xiao asked with a raised eyebrow.
This seemed to irritate Eva, but Ringo put a hand on her head and stopped her from getting up. - Because I remembered some memory fragments, they were among them.
-Does that make them trustworthy? - Han Xiao still wasn't sure.
-They're my mother's students. - Ringo commented, pointing. - Eva was adopted by my mother, which makes her kind of like a sister. Lena was an even older friend, we've known each other since we were children.
Eva gave him a haughty look, while Lena smiled at him, not at all bothered.
Han Xiao paused for a moment. - Your mother?
-Hesla's Commander, C Grade. -- Ringo commented lightly. He wasn't irritated by Han Xiao's questioning. The man was much weaker than him. If it were him, he wouldn't trust himself to be only an E Grade against an organization with several D Grade, the leader himself a C Grade. That caution had kept him alive so far.
Han Xiao raised an eyebrow, a little curious and a little surprised, but in the end, he sensed the brunette's patience was starting to wane, so he shrugged and removed his mask. - If something happens, you have to protect me.
Lena's eyes narrowed, and Eva frowned thoughtfully, but she didn't have to think long, Lena spoke directly. - Zero, I see, now it makes sense.
Eva widened her eyes and whistled in surprise. - So it's you, I didn't expect that.
Han Xiao shrugged, grabbing a plate and food from the table. He was hungry. Ringo got up, grabbed a couple of beers from the fridge, and tossed one to him and one to Eva.
Of course, he made a point of subtly shaking Han Xiao's can. He watched with interest as Han Xiao went to open the can, but at the last moment, he pointed the can outward, right at Jack's sight.
The jet of beer hit the cub directly in the head. Jack jumped in fright and ran away, glaring at Han Xiao furiously. He barked a few times before walking away resentfully.
Ringo gave Han Xiao a hard, exasperated look, as he drank his beer as if nothing had happened. - You're really stingy, how did you notice?
Han Xiao didn't comment on his resentment toward the dog, but he did say. - I know your personality.
Ringo nodded. - Then you understand because it's something you would do.
Han Xiao pretended not to hear and began eating. Lena laughed amusedly, Eva rolled her eyes.
Ringo opened his beer as he asked. - And you? Did you remember anything from your past?
Han Xiao shook his head. -Nothing.
He wasn't interested in remembering in the first place; it wasn't really his past, after all.
Ringo nodded, not planning to expose anything, but he'd forgotten something.
-Actually, we know about you. - Lena commented.
Han Xiao looked up, surprised. Eva nodded. - Yes, while we were looking for Ringo, finding you was one of the solutions.
Han Xiao spoke to them for the first time. - And what did you find out?
There was no order there, not even a desire to know about his past, it was simple curiosity, like talking about the weather.
-You are Xiao Han, son of one of the leaders of a military group from the northern continent called Alumera, we passed by there, but it was useless, no one had seen you, besides... - She seemed a little apprehensive about something, looking at Ringo out of the corner of her eye.
-Just tell him. - Ringo shrugged, it wasn't a big secret after all.
Han Xiao didn't rush, just listened silently.
-I found out how you got caught. - She took a sip of juice before continuing. -You went on a mission with your older brother. You were attacked. Your brother knew you couldn't escape because he was the leader, so he made you wear his clothes and run in the opposite direction. He escaped, you were caught.
Han Xiao narrowed his eyes, not angry, but curiosity had peaked. Besides, with his pettiness, even if it had been the original, not him, he would still get revenge in the future, one way or another.
Ringo whistled and pretended to be impressed. -Hey, Han, you're really unlucky. At least I have a loving family.
Lena gave Ringo a stern look, thinking he'd gone too far. Eva, on the other hand, laughed, finding the situation amusing.
Han Xiao gave her a middle finger and went back to eating, but not before thanking Lena. - Thanks for the information.
While eating, Han Xiao felt a movement nearby, but thought it was Will, the other Wolfbear. The next moment, he felt his leg get wet. He looked down and saw a Wolfbear, but it was Jack, who was urinating in his pants.
Upon being spotted, Jack quickly ran and hid under Ringo's chair. Poking his head out, he looked at Han Xiao with a gleeful, mocking look.
Ringo and Eva were already laughing hard, while Lena tried not to laugh, getting up to grab a mop, scolding Jack along the way.
Han Xiao paused for a moment, looked at his wet leg, and sighed. - I really hate dogs.
This only made the pair laugh even more happily.
After eating, Han Xiao, still with urine on the edge of his pants, wanted to take a shower, so he quickly left. Ringo took his current number, and the group said goodbye.
Ringo was particularly happy with Jack today, but he felt like this wasn't over, old Han isn't someone so kind-hearted as to forget his "enemies."
He had no doubt that Han could stole his chewing bone just to get revenge for him pissing on his clothes or something like this.
Leaving the unlucky fellow behind (literally), he returned to his room, ready to "go to bed early", but in reality, he transformed into his spirit form and flew away, heading toward his previous base, ready for more radioactive training.
It took a few hours to get there and back, but it was worth it.
Tired, he returned almost in the morning, before eating some nutrition bars and falling into bed, snoring a little.
His cells were constantly active, repairing themselves and taking advantage of the growing energy.
.
--x--
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