Chapter 209 - 208: They’re Here

Chapter 209: Chapter 208: They’re Here

Huo Yunjing was true to his word. Ten minutes later, Gu Qingyin was eating steaming hot blanched crab and garlic oysters.

Huo Xingchen and Chad also started grilling. Besides seafood, the boat was also stocked with chilled steaks and vegetables, all of which the two of them dug out and threw on the grill.

"Want a drink?"

Chad came over carrying some beer and looked questioningly at Gu Qingyin. He was mainly afraid it would mess things up. If Amos’s men attacked tonight and they were all drunk, that would be a real joke.

Gu Qingyin’s eyes twinkled as she smiled and said, "Of course we’re drinking. A vacation should feel like a vacation."

Chad understood and handed each of them a bottle of beer.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, the faces of the three people and one ghost all showed a hint of intoxication.

"It’s getting late. I’m turning in." Huo Yunjing’s eyes were slightly red and unfocused. He swayed as he swept Gu Qingyin into his arms, not forgetting to add, "Remember to put out the fire."

Huo Xingchen gave a dopey smile and made an "OK" sign.

Chad stared blankly into the distant darkness, unresponsive.

Huo Xingchen watched his parents return to their tent. Turning back to see Chad like this, he couldn’t help but marvel internally, ’Chad might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but his acting is pretty good.’

He clapped Chad on the shoulder. "Time for bed, brother."

Chad glanced at him, his eyes turning red as tears immediately began to fall.

Huo Xingchen looked alarmed. "Why are you crying? I didn’t even pat you that hard."

Chad let out a sob. "I don’t have a brother! Amos is a bastard! He wants to kill me for the inheritance! He doesn’t deserve to be my brother!"

Huo Xingchen was stunned for a moment. A ridiculous suspicion rose in his mind. He hesitated, then leaned in and asked quietly, "Are you really drunk?"

"I’m not!" Chad responded loudly. "I’m not drunk! I’m just..." His voice trailed off, and the tears fell even more heavily from the corners of his eyes. He seemed completely broken. "I’m just so sad, so very sad..."

Huo Xingchen was now certain. It wasn’t that Chad was a good actor; he was genuinely not that smart.

’Didn’t we all have a tacit agreement to pretend to be drunk? How did he actually get hammered! The key is, he didn’t even drink that much! What a lightweight!’

The thought of having to take care of a drunkard made Huo Xingchen click his tongue in speechless annoyance. He looked down at the sobbing Chad, his brows furrowed so deeply they could have crushed a fly.

’A grown man crying after a few drinks. How embarrassing,’ Huo Xingchen grumbled to himself. ’I really don’t want to deal with this.’

But Chad was an ally, after all. Would it be right to just leave him out here? The island got a bit cold at night. If he caught a chill, it might affect their "fishing" plan.

After a few seconds of thought, Huo Xingchen turned and went back into his tent. He emerged a moment later, holding a bundle in his arms.

Walking over to Chad, Huo Xingchen raised his arms and gave the bundle a shake. It unfurled to reveal a blanket.

Huo Xingchen wrapped the blanket around Chad, tying the ends together to fashion it into a cape.

Chad was still lost in his sorrow, letting him do as he pleased.

After he was done, Huo Xingchen nodded in satisfaction. ’This way, he won’t be too cold even if he sleeps outside.’

Having "taken care of" Chad, Huo Xingchen turned back to extinguish the fire, then clapped his hands and returned to his tent to get some sleep.

In the adjacent tent, Gu Qingyin and Huo Yunjing had witnessed the entire thing.

After a brief silence, Gu Qingyin hissed softly. "Do you think our third son is obliviously mean, or is he secretly a schemer?"

Huo Yunjing thought for two seconds, then shook his head. "Hard to say."

Gu Qingyin sighed. "I still don’t know my own sons well enough."

Huo Yunjing hugged her comfortingly. "Take your time. It’s not too late to start getting to know them now. I’ll do it with you."

"Mm." Gu Qingyin’s heart warmed. She slowly closed her eyes. "I’m sleepy."

Huo Yunjing laid down with her in his arms and zipped up the sleeping bag. "Go to sleep."

Outside, only the lonely, cold Chad was left, sobbing in the darkness.

Soon, the crying stopped, replaced by loud snores. It sounded like he was sleeping very soundly.

Huo Yunjing didn’t need to sleep. The moment the snores began, he covered Gu Qingyin’s ears.

Huo Xingchen in the next tent over wasn’t so lucky.

He had things on his mind and wasn’t sleeping deeply. When the snores started, his eyes snapped open. For a dazed moment, he thought Amos was attacking.

Then he came to his senses and realized someone was just snoring.

Huo Xingchen’s first reaction was regret that he hadn’t gagged Chad. His second was that the old castle’s soundproofing must be excellent, since he hadn’t heard a peep these past few days.

Then, bizarrely, Huo Xingchen felt a pang of sympathy for Chad’s future lover. Sleeping next to this every day, they would surely go deaf at an early age.

How pitiful. How tragic.

Huo Xingchen hesitated, wondering if he should put in earplugs. But he was afraid they wouldn’t block out Chad’s snores and would instead muffle any subtle sounds.

Fortunately, he didn’t have to agonize for long before the "subtle" sounds he’d been anticipating arrived.

In the next tent, Huo Yunjing’s eyes flashed. He kissed Gu Qingyin’s forehead tenderly and removed the energy shield from around her ears.

Gu Qingyin’s eyes snapped open, perfectly clear and alert.

"Shh!" Huo Yunjing moved close to her. "They’re here."

Gu Qingyin understood. She gave Huo Yunjing a little push and sat up quietly.

Outside, intermittent rustling sounds could be heard. The newcomers were cautious, but not overly so, likely assuming everyone was sound asleep.

A golden light flickered in Gu Qingyin’s eyes. After sensing carefully, she mouthed the words: "We’re surrounded. Amos is determined to have us die silently on this island."

After all, there was no better place to dispose of bodies than the deep sea.

"I’ll go take a look." Huo Yunjing transformed into his soul body and passed straight through the tent to the outside.

Gu Qingyin waited patiently.

A moment later, Huo Yunjing returned. Since he was in his soul body, there was no need to lower his voice. He said directly, "Twenty of them. Mostly Werewolves, with a few Heavenly Masters. Lin Wu is one of them."

Gu Qingyin raised an eyebrow. No wonder he couldn’t be found despite the nationwide manhunt in their country; he had fled abroad.

After speaking, Huo Yunjing, still worried, went to Huo Xingchen’s tent.

Huo Xingchen was sitting in the dark, his eyes bright. He held a talisman in one hand and formed a hand seal with the other, poised to attack at any moment.

When Huo Yunjing entered, he almost threw the talisman out of sheer reflex, but thankfully, he was stopped.

"Don’t get jumpy."

It was no exaggeration; the hairs on Huo Xingchen’s arms were standing on end, and he had almost broken into a cold sweat. When he saw it was his dad, he abruptly relaxed, and his hands started to tremble.

Huo Yunjing hadn’t expected to scare him so badly. He was silent for two seconds before forcing himself to say, "Pathetic."

Huo Xingchen took a deep breath and gave him an accusing look.

’His dad knew people were approaching outside and still appeared so suddenly. How could he not be scared?’

Huo Yunjing knew he was slightly in the wrong. After telling him about the situation outside, he offered a rare piece of helpful advice. "Stick a Vajra Talisman on yourself. Your close-quarters combat is too weak; you’re liable to get hurt."

Huo Xingchen didn’t say a word. He lifted a weak-feeling hand and pulled a Desert Eagle from his backpack.

Huo Yunjing: ...Fine.