Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Chapter 151: Reassessing Oneself

"So, you and Sheng Ya are pretty close?" Xu Lan absent-mindedly asked as he nibbled at the bread.

"It's alright. It's just that, she's a girl and it's best to give her a bit of assistance." Bai Wu hesitated for a moment before finally replying.

"She's too young. From the looks of it, I would say around eighteen? She must've failed in one of her missions," Xu Lan said without minding his own business. Sheng Ya was rather dependant on Bai Wu and it was obvious that there were some feelings involved.

"Mm, I know. I'm already full but please take your time to eat, Papa." Bai Wu pursed his lips and glanced at Xu Lan. He then covered himself in a blanket and properly tucked himself to one side.

Xu Lan let out a depressed sigh. When Bai Wu got up and left behind a shadow of melancholy, Xu Lan's emotions followed suit too. Xu Lan himself had no clue as to why he said such words but whenever he thought about Bai Wu getting married and leaving behind an aging old man, he felt uneasy at heart.

'Maybe I'm just unwilling to let my good bok choy 1 be dug up by some pigs,' Xu Lan thought. When he saw the blanket brazenly placed across the whole of the narrow bed, his originally relaxed emotions suddenly felt tense.

Did he really only wish to become Bai Wu's father? When Bai Wu spoke candidly and apologized, was Xu Lan truly happy? He never once entertained any thoughts regarding that matter – they were vile, filthy, and invited anger from others, so he dreaded to face them.

At the very beginning, he just wanted the child to be with him and satisfy his idea of what a fatherly role should be. It was why he wanted to send Bai Wu away when danger appeared and the interdimensional crack retreated. By sheer luck, they found themselves back into Xu Lan's original world and completely unscathed no less.

When did Xu Lan start thinking of Bai Wu for no reason at all? At what point did he worry about Bai Wu? Why was he so angry when Bai Wu and Xiao Xiao were together, to the point where he secretly asked around about Xiao Xiao? When he was ruthlessly exposed and Song Xi never looked at him with dignity anymore, his first reaction after feeling angry and resentful was that Song Xi was not as important as Bai Wu. The moment he noticed that Bai Wu disappeared, he jumped into the void without the slightest hesitation and began aimlessly searching for Bai Wu.

Suddenly, a thought popped up in his mind – it was the exchange between Xiao Feng and Wang Meng. He finally realized why Bai Wu insisted on parting the bed. 'But I'm his father! How could I possibly?! But he promised not to daydream anymore. So, does it mean that things would never go back to before when we were super close to each other?' Xu Lan wore some clothes and laid on the bed. He could not sleep the whole night.

When the alarm bell sounded, the sky was still draped in a gauzy fog. There was some drizzle and it was very difficult to differentiate east and south from west and north. Xu Lan had just begun drifting to sleep when he was nastily awakened.

"Why do we have to wake up so early? Is this place really that inhumane?" Xu Lan complained.

"Pfft!" Bai Wu could not resist laughing when he looked at Xu Lan's panda-like eyes and palm-tree-like hair. "Be quick, Papa. Those who came late to the mission last time had their gold coins deducted."

"I know, I know! You go on first!" Irritated, Xu Lan massaged his head and exclaimed.

Bai Wu shook his head helplessly and went out. He was the elder, after all, and he had to look after everyone.

If Xu Lan had known better, he would never have let Bai Wu go out alone. It was not just Sheng Ya that stuck to Bai Wu, Fang Lingzi too!

F*ck! Xu Lan's temper began to flare and to make things worse, it was a temper which he did not dare to admit he had!

"What's the mission today?" Xu Lan folded his arms and walked sluggishly toward the well.

Xu Lan naturally had a sinister aura on him, those who were no match for it could only hide from it. With the elder protecting him, everyone was even more afraid – they lowered their heads and did not dare to reply.

"F*ck! Are your ears useless or what?!" Xu Lan scolded Bai Wu, who was trying to console Fang Lingzi.

"Are your eyes useless or what? You can't see those big words there? Or could it be that you don't know how to read?" Sheng Ya pointed at the blood-red font floating above the well and asked.

It was her! She was the one who distracted Bai Wu and almost caused him to die in Termite Mountain. If Bai Wu was not distracted, it would not have been Uncle Ji who found the queen ant!

Xu Lan ground his teeth rather audibly. With a gentle scoff, he looked at the floating writing.

'To everyone here, please walk along the drainage system and reach Darkwater Town before eight in the morning. Then, you are to search for the culprit behind Xiu He's murder before eight tonight. Five hundred gold coins will be awarded to those who complete the mission. Best wishes for your safe passage.

'Please note: For this mission, you will all be awarded one hundred gold coins as of immediately, with no conditions attached. Please use them wisely.'