However, this also made him achieve a result comparable to that of the Yuwen clan, and even compete with the genius—— This was the surprise of the people from his hometown. Of course, they did not take pride in this child. On the contrary, they had a different opinion:
—— Whats the boy doing? Its just because he read a little more. Who cant? Were just not happy!
—— It looks like that, but theres probably something shady going on behind the scenes?
—— Such a big deal, I dont know how much I weigh!
These are the voices of the masses, just a part of it—— Some cant stand the sour grapes, some dislike those who speak out for justice, and some offer well-intentioned advice... Sigh, what on earth has the child done to deserve this? Hes already pitiful enough.
"Oh, that man is you... Wow, you are so good at making two arrogant guys angry at the same time. Its so satisfying!"
But the young man, after listening to this, seemed to meet a hero, gave a thumbs-up to the flattered Ah Jun, and then looked at his old friend with a smug look.
"Hmph, why should I be angry? Whats so special about being number one? Its just a false name!"
The silver boy still replied coldly and continued to turn over his book, which seemed to be of little concern.
"Hey, so youre still like this—— Oh, I know its because of her?"
...
—— Hmm? How does this silver boy know my name... Oh, maybe his grandfather said it!
At first, Ah Jun was puzzled, but then it dawned on him—— The Silver Youths grandfather must be the person he sought during this training. He was the Great Elder of Qinglong Commandery and Acting Clan Leader-the venerable patriarch of the Holy Medical Clan who had devoted himself to healing since childhood, the masters uncle, Grandfather Yuwen. The man before him must be Grandfather Yuwens grandson.
As for those arrogance and prejudice, Ah Jun was not as excited as Xiao Xi and others, after all, they were telling the truth, and he felt a little guilty in his heart.
Moreover, the silver boy is also a descendant of Grandpa Yuwen, who just saved himself. How can he have the right to care about so much—— Ah Jun is a sensible child since childhood, who knows how to read and write, so it is reasonable for him to have such an idea.
"Two young men, I wonder if you know who those masked men were?"
And, Ah Jun had a big doubt in his mind. He gathered up his courage and sincerely asked the two people in front of him, perhaps they knew more than he did to confirm his guess: "Could they be... the bounty assassin in the rumor?"
"Um!"
The silver-haired youth maintained his trademark aloof demeanor, though this time he showed a slight ripple of emotion as he casually tossed a word at Ah Jun. Nearby, the young general deftly defused the awkward tension by elaborating on Ah Juns suspicions and sharing details about these individuals.
According to the young operative, the masked group earlier were indeed bounty hunters operating under the codename "Zero". While their full background remains unclear, its known that they primarily work as mercenaries, earning their income by completing various bounty orders of different difficulty levels.
Though newly established, this organization has grown rapidly through its relentless competitive culture, expanding its influence across the world. While operating primarily within the Guardians realm, it has repeatedly breached royal laws to venture into territories beyond the Suro Continent.
During operations, the organizations members typically wear standardized uniforms and masks, maintaining covert and unpredictable movements. Occasionally, they blend into crowds as ordinary individuals, operating with ruthless efficiency akin to wolf packs hunting prey – their ruthless tactics and cold-blooded methods causing severe disruptions to public safety.
For this reason, the royal family issued annual arrest warrants, yet few were ever apprehended. Whats peculiar is that their organization primarily focused on combating evil and redistributing wealth—actions that essentially made them "enemies of evil" and "protectors of justice." Had it not challenged the royal authority, they might have been hailed as righteous messengers, even gaining widespread support from common people.
However, until now, little is known about the intelligence within the organization. It is known that there are many skilled people in the organization, each of whom is good at martial arts, and the top ones have unfathomable abilities. Of course, there are also some who muddle through and drag their feet.
Although the Imperial City has sent multiple agents to investigate over the years, information about their capabilities, attributes, and usage methods remains incomplete in the courts big data to this day...
While listening to the account, Ah Jun recalled the battle—— The other party was indeed shrouded in mystery and eccentricity, and it was certain that these bounty hunters were targeting him. Fortunately, they managed to escape unscathed, and everyone emerged completely unharmed.
"It was really dangerous this time. Thanks to the two of you who noticed the difference in time and came to help us, we were able to turn danger into safety." Ah Jun was still scared and thanked his two friends again on behalf of everyone.
"Oh, this嘛, we... are all right!" The young player felt a bit embarrassed and touched his head, then looked at the side...
"—— Him?" But the silver boy gave a cold look at the young general.
"Hey! Actually, we got a tip that these guys were going to do a secret mission here today, so we sent me here in advance..."
"Special... You really know how to put gold on yourself—— and ahead of time!"
"Um... No, thats because..." But Im not missing out on anything! "Hey, I mean, you..." As the young man spoke, everyone turned to look at the silver-haired youth, their eyes filled with curiosity.
"Right! How did you know there was a fight here? And you were wearing armor and carrying people?"
"When I was playing chess, the generals deputy said to me... I was worried, so I came to support him!" The silver boy answered his friends question with pride.
"Unconcerned? You say... me? Hey, I need your help?"
"—— He needs! If you dont come, I wont come, and I dont know what trouble Ill get into!" At this time, the young man in silver looked at Ah Jun and looked at his friend with a suspicious eye.
" I ..."
The young warrior was momentarily speechless, unsure how to respond—— Yet the mans arrival had been perfectly timed—by the time the battle concluded, hed already left. Choosing silence, he instead gaped at Ah Jun with admiration: "Youve truly outdone yourself! From what I know, most bounty hunters targets never escape unscathed... But why did you become their prime target? You seem about my age—— Wait, could you have accidentally offended someone without realizing it?"
But Ah Jun was rational—— he knew that if it had not been for the infighting of the masked men, he might not have been so lucky this time.
However, as the young man mentioned, Ah Jun was also wondering who had instructed him. He had done nothing wrong.
As he thought, Ah Jun recalled his hometown—— Hmm, now it makes sense. Though he didnt understand their motives, the actions seemed driven by an infinite sense of purpose. After all, being out on his own now, far from the comfort of home, he needed to stay vigilant and face lifes storms with determination.
At this moment, Ah Jun was also speechless, had to rush to everyone with a bitter smile and shake his head, and then he sighed and mocked himself.
After another chat, the silver boy saw that Ah Jun was able to control his energy and spoke with confidence. So he called out to remind everyone that it was time to set off. It was late, and at this time, the Holy Maiden had also completed recuperation.
"Give it to... you?" Before leaving, the silver boy took off his armor, wiped it carefully, and gave it back to his friend.
"I..." Ill just leave it alone, lest my brother say again that this is my uncles treasure."
The young prodigy skillfully took it and then chuckled, teasing, "Ah, you really have the skills, Im not cut out for this ——Sigh, hold on, I mean, your reflexes are pretty sharp, who would you be squeezing? Oh right, the military drill is the day after tomorrow, dont say I forgot to tell you again!"
" good ..."
The silver boy greeted the others as he led Ah Jun and his men on their way. In addition, a small detachment of soldiers had come to escort them, which was a military order from the young general.
With the protection of the army, the rest of the journey was safe. While eating snacks with Xiao Jowo to ease his mood, Ah Jun and his cheerful little sister Xixi looked at their new friend leading the team in front of them with confusion.
After removing his armor, Bai Yinshao exuded scholarly elegance with his short hair and glasses similar to Ah Juns. Standing taller with a robust build, his physique differed from the sturdy build of his third brother—— Xiao Xis strength was more muscular, as evidenced by the bulge in his belly. This new friend, however, appeared quite healthy.
Throughout both the recent battles and his current leadership duties, the Silver Boy has consistently demonstrated exceptional qualities. Observers have concluded he possesses the potential of a military strategist. During the journey, he maintained a reserved demeanor, observing surroundings with disciplined focus. His troops mirrored this vigilance, remaining in constant combat readiness while preserving formation discipline and ensuring collective safety.
After the exhausting battle, Ah Jun looked exhausted. The entire group moved slowly under his drag, yet no complaints were heard—not even from that somewhat unfriendly new friend... Finally, by dusk, they had reached the main city of Qinglong County.
The evening wind was strong and chilly, the sky already dimming. Yet Ah Jun could still clearly see the city built around a towering ancient tree. From afar, the colossal tree stood like an umbrella, sheltering its guardians under its vast canopy.
At this moment, a group of people were gathered at the main city gate. Among them, the leader was an elderly man with a crane-like frame and gray hair. He placed one hand on a rather peculiar cane——Why peculiar? Because it seemed to grow from the ground rather than being supported by it.
The old man, ignoring the advice of others, stood in the wind with his scarf, looking resolutely into the distance and waiting for the children to go home.
" grandfather!"
At this time, the young man in silver suddenly waved his hand to signal the soldiers to continue marching, and then he quickened his pace and walked over. He bowed and helped the old man up and said with concern, "Grandpa, why are you here?"