Hello, Arknights

"What's wrong? What happened to the Iron Eagle Mercenaries?"

"We have already informed the local garrison...it shouldn't cause any hindrance."

"...Storm Troopers Team 2 is really in the way."

"After all, they are the elite of our Victoria."

"We can't delay any longer... The Duke really needs this power..."

"...Steam Knight..."

"Let the descendants of Earl Charles take action. It's time. It doesn't matter if there are fewer people in the Storm Commando."

"Go up! Go back to defense! Steady your lower body!" Ling Dengxian hurriedly turned his spear back and barely blocked Fengpi's slightly difficult attack. The most direct manifestation of his training during this period was the bandages all over his body, especially the bandages on his hands. The smile on the Vaifan girl's face was more excited than usual. She was very happy to see that he had made great progress in resisting her for several rounds, and then she took a half step back. The next moment, the blood vessels in Ling Dengxian's body instantly tightened. He still maintained the defensive action just now, but under Fengpi's strange charge, it seemed that there was not much difference between the offensive and defensive postures, at least not for Ling Dengxian.

There was no suspense, and it was not the first time. Since the training, Fengpi often suddenly applied force to increase the difficulty because of a sudden impulse, so the phenomenon of being knocked flying like now still existed. However, after getting used to the feeling of flying in the air little by little, Ling Dengxian began to slowly change his coping posture to give himself a chance to land safely.

"Huh!" His knees were slightly bent and he lost his balance after landing. Ling Dengxian staggered for several steps before he could steady himself.

When he looked up, he saw Bagpipe rushing over to ask if he was injured. He shook his head, but the stinging sensation on his hand told him that the wound under the bandage had been broken again. He slowly clenched his palm and found that it was not serious: "Let's do it again. I feel a little better."

After one hour.

"Are you okay?" Fengdi looked at Ling Dengxian, who was lying on the ground breathing heavily, and asked worriedly, "Do you need me to check your wound?"

Ling Dengxian shook his head vigorously, and tried to stand up slowly with both hands, but his right hand suddenly lost strength and his elbow hit the ground, scraping his skin. Fengdi hurriedly helped him up, and after Ling Dengxian stood firm, he raised his still shaking hand to wipe the sweat off his face, but he was a little powerless.

The rough cloth brushed across his cheek, and the boy raised his eyes. The sunlight was very clear, but the person in the Vaifan girl's eyes suddenly blushed.

"Are you...shy?" Fengpi's face flushed unconsciously, as if she suddenly remembered what she was going to do. She pointed at the towel in her hand and explained, "Well, your towel is too old, so I bought a new one for you."

Ling Dengxian took the slightly rustic pink and white checkered towel and was a little at a loss for a moment. He just held the towel stupidly with his mouth slightly open, wanting to say something but found that he had no words.

From childhood to adulthood, no girl other than his family had ever given him anything. He knew it sounded like an ordinary experience, but as far as he knew, he had never received a gift from a girl - wait, he remembered, he shouldn't have singled out the gender "female", as if gifts from boys... from kindergarten to the first half of high school, he had never received a formal gift.

"Host, are you very lonely?"

"Aloof? Some people say I'm nosy, but no one says I'm aloof." In the utility room, Ling Dengxian sat on the simple (crude) wooden bed he built with his own hands, grimace-grimacing as he changed his bandages. While he was lost in thought, that crappy system's voice popped up again.

"Host~ The two attributes of 'loner' and 'nosy' are not contradictory. In fact, people who are both loner and nosy are more annoying."

"I... have friends."

"Hmmmm~"

“We can also play basketball together.”

"Sounds good." This time it was Ling Dengxian's turn to remain silent, as if he felt there was no need to continue this topic. Xiaoxie also fell silent.

"It's really bad." Ling Dengxian looked at the mess of disassembled bandages in front of him, trying his best not to think too much about it, and packed up the bandages along with his mood.

"When you land, you can control the swinging of your weapon and thus control the balance of your center of gravity if necessary..." Fengpi turned his head and seriously told Ling Dengxian some useful combat skills. The latter thought about it and found that he seemed to do that subconsciously sometimes, but not many times. Is it a biological instinct?

The two of them just walked to the entrance of the town market at this time. In addition to getting up early for training like before, they also came here to buy vegetables. Because today is the market day in the town, Feng Di can take advantage of the opportunity that people from the three nearby towns have come to buy the spare parts and necessities needed for the next two weeks - and because Ling Dengxian is here, he can bring more back, which can be regarded as a laborer.

Due to the increase in the flow of people, the peacefulness of Qicheng Town has been swept away. People doing business always arrive earlier, and all kinds of baskets are filled with vegetables, fruits, iron hoes, wooden rakes and other agricultural products and agricultural tools. Daily necessities such as pots, bowls, basins and spoons are relatively fewer, but not difficult to find.

It is difficult to call these residents businessmen. Ling Dengxian thinks that they are more likely to exchange what they have with each other. It doesn't matter if the customers don't have enough money, they can use some personal belongings as collateral.

Amid the bustling crowd, shouts were heard everywhere. The two of them were carrying their purchases and wandering curiously through the various stalls. At this moment, they were stopped by a voice: "Hey, isn't this Ling and Fengpi? You're here quite late today."

The scales were placed somewhat randomly on the blue waterproof cloth on the stall in front of me. They were all common species in the nearby river. They were barely divided into three piles according to size, without even distinguishing the species. There were also a few buckets on the side, and water splashed out from time to time.

And the person sitting casually behind the stall was Bruno.

"It's not too late, is it?" It was Bruno who called the two of them. Ling Dengxian looked at the sun and didn't think it was late.

"It's not too early. The market opens at around five o'clock, and the earliest ones have already left. Putting this aside, did you two come out together today? Do you want some striped scales?"

"Huh? Uncle Buno, I remember your family seemed to sell cloth..." Fengpi looked at the scales spread out on the ground in front of him with curiosity written on his face.

"Oh, I accidentally caught too many fish scales a few days ago and we couldn't finish them at home. I asked Rona to make the cloth. If you want to buy cloth or clothes, you can go to the usual store." Bruno picked up the fattest fish scale on the stall, cut it into pieces, packed it and handed it to Ling Dengxian.

"Eh?" Ling Dengxian looked at Feng Di hesitantly, and the latter took out his wallet: "I don't mind eating fish for lunch."

"Hey, hey, hey, Ling, what do you mean? I remember I said last time that I would treat you to a meal. Are you just a gigolo?" Bu Nuo glared at them, and the two of them shrank their necks at the same time.

"Well, then thank you Uncle Bruno." Ling Dengxian chose to ignore the last sentence. Bruno nodded, showing an expression of "that's right", and then slapped his thigh again: "Oh, by the way, Bagpipe girl, Old Duval said that there is something going on in the tavern, and he needs you to go over and confirm it in person."

"Well, okay, we'll be there right away. Thank you, Uncle Bruno." Fengpi lifted the backpack strap on his shoulder, called Ling Dengxian, and rushed to the tavern that Bruno and his friends often went to.

After the two men went away, Buono continued to set up his stall calmly. At this time, a roll of newspaper was hit hard on his head.

"It hurts, it hurts! Who is that not--" Bruno looked up and saw that it was the head of his family, Rona. He was so scared that he stopped talking before he could finish his words.

The brown-haired woman, Feilin, was dressed simply. At this moment, her thin eyebrows were raised, and she threw another newspaper at his head without saying anything: "You are so free and easy all day long, how many scales have you sold?"

"Five, five." Buono covered his head with his hands to prevent another attack from newspapers.

Rona snorted coldly, not intending to continue to argue, and leaned over and whispered a few words in his ear. Bu Nuo frowned and nodded: "Then I will go find Duva later--"

Rona also nodded, and before leaving, she gave another reminder: "Be careful with the knife, don't make mistakes in the details."

"Don't worry, this is how a kitchen knife should be used." Buono waved his hand.

In the bustling market, no one noticed a figure walking in the alley.

Bach Tavern.

Duva ordered a few drinks, thought for a while, and ordered a glass of wine for himself. The middle-aged Kuranta behind the counter looked tired and dozed off half leaning against the counter. Duva didn't mind and waited quietly by himself.

It was a quiet time and the pub was not big, but there were only a few guests here having a drink and resting, which made the pub seem quite large.

"Uncle Duva, you called us?" Soon Bagpipe and Ling Dengxian arrived with bags. Duva was also surprised to see this, while the tavern owner Bach - the one who was dozing off - just raised his eyelids and looked listless.

Ling Dengxian looked at the tavern curiously. Although he had been in Qicheng Town for some time, this was his first time entering a tavern.

"Yes, it's about the beast." Duval smiled and indicated that the drinks were for the two of them. Just as he was about to explain, he caught a glimpse of a figure at the door of the tavern. His ears moved, and then he smiled faintly: "It just so happens that we have arrived here, so let's get straight to the point - about you and the bounty hunters hunting that large beast."

The welcoming bell at the door rang, and accompanied by the cry of small animals, a black phantom arrived as expected.