Chapter 104: Troubles at Carissa’s House

“Rhino, why haven’t you been back to the dorm these past few days? Oh, judging by how exhausted you look, you must be really busy. Karissa has been looking for you nonstop; she even waited at our dorm all day yesterday. I bet the next few days are going to be even busier for you.”

Watching Charles smirk mischievously, Ou Xiaolu casually asked, “Charles, what do you think makes someone strong?”

“Strong?” That question caught Charles off guard. The usually talkative guy was silent for a rare five seconds. “A strong person should be like in the movies.”

“Someone who stands up in times of crisis?”

“No, surviving in Xinxiang—that’s what makes you strong. Rhino, you don’t know, but Xinxiang in the movies is terrifying. When aliens come, their first target is always Xinxiang. I’ve never seen any other city get destroyed more times than Xinxiang.”

“Tokyo’s had its share too,” Rhino interjected.

“Rhino, no jokes. I believe a strong person is someone who can survive a disaster as catastrophic as Xinxiang’s destruction. Like in the movies, those who stand up and cheer in the end—they’re the strong ones.”

“Survive, huh?” Ou Xiaolu blinked. “The goal is simple, but actually achieving it is incredibly difficult. And we have two years...”

“What?”

“Nothing. Charles, if you became a superhero, what kind of power would you want?”

“Rhino, I’ve actually thought about that. I’ve seen in movies, someone gets bitten by a spider and gains spider powers. What do you think would happen if I got bitten by a tiger?”

“Arrow’s going to be grateful for today’s extra meal.”

“Alright, but Rhino, this might be my only chance to become extraordinary. They say the rich rely on technology, the poor rely on mutations—I’m broke.”

It was rare to hear such depth from Charles, usually the class clown. Ou Xiaolu was touched for a moment. He patted Charles on the shoulder and said, “Keep working hard. Maybe in a year or two, your wish will come true.”

“Really? That’s what I hope too. I’m studying art diligently, saving up some money. I heard there’s a secret organization in Xinxiang that can extract things from paintings and turn them into supernatural abilities. It’s high-tech stuff. If it works, I’ll definitely bring you along, Rhino.”

Ou Xiaolu wanted to mention that the Holy Blood Council was nearly wiped out, but seeing Charles’s excitement, he held back from dampening his enthusiasm.

Then the black guy seemed to remember something. “By the way, Rhino, Karissa said she’s coming over to see you today.”

Ou Xiaolu cleared his throat. “Did she say what it’s about?”

“No, but Rhino, if you’re not going to make a move on her, you’re missing out. She’s a prime catch—great figure, smart, and loaded...”

“The money’s the key, right?”

“Not at all. I’m not that shallow. I care about the figure.”

“Get lost. I’m not here, I’m heading out first.”

“Rhino, I don’t get it. How can you just ignore such a beautiful girl?”

“You’ve never seen her cussing people out like crazy. Her voice can carry from the third floor down to the first. And you’ve never seen her toss leftover food and underwear together. Honestly, I’m terrified.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it. Uh—Karissa, when did you get here?” Ou Xiaolu was surprised, turning around to find Karissa standing silently behind him, staring.

“Since you said I was swearing at people.”

“Uh, okay. I know talking behind someone’s back isn’t right, but—is there something going on?” Ou Xiaolu quickly changed the subject, knowing he couldn’t win against a girl.

“Nothing much. Lately, I’ve been feeling unsafe and want to stay close to you.”

“Feeling unsafe and wanting to stay close to me? What kind of logic is that?”

“It’s not about logic. Your strength is real. Being near you makes me feel safe.”

“But where does this feeling of unease come from? Xinxiang seems fine to me. The weather’s nice.”

He glanced up at the overcast sky.

“The environment’s fine too.”

He looked around at the withered trees.

“All in all, everything seems okay.”

“No, recently something happened at my home that scared me,” Karissa said anxiously.

“Another midnight vandal? How do you always run into these things?”

Karissa shook her head. “It’s not me. It’s my family. My dad’s ranch has had some visitors—six people, I think. One dresses flamboyantly, two look ordinary, one looks ancient, and the last two are monstrously strong.

“They call themselves steward, servant, bodyguard, or something like that.

“The scariest part is, every day they demand a live cow from my dad, kill it by burning it alive, and only eat the half-cooked innards.”

“A cow? Does your father sell cattle?” Ou Xiaolu interrupted.

“My dad runs the largest ranch near Xinxiang. One-tenth of Xinxiang’s beef comes from our farm.”

Ou Xiaolu’s eyes lit up. “Oh, that’s great. I’ve been worried about buying beef lately.”

“Hey, we weren’t talking about that. Those people at my dad’s ranch are scary. Can you protect me for a while?”

Ou Xiaolu hesitated, then shook his head. “It’s not that I don’t want to help, but this is different from before. They haven’t hurt your family. I can’t just take them down because they have weird eating habits.”

“That’s true,” Karissa admitted, thinking it over. “You can’t just kill someone for how they eat.”

“Exactly. If you’re really scared, why don’t you stay at school?”

“No, my father’s still at the ranch. I can’t leave him alone.”

“Alright then, I’ll come check it out with you. You must trust my judgment if you came to me. If there’s nothing wrong, you can relax.”

Karissa thought this was a good plan; she just wanted some peace of mind. She nodded.

Ou Xiaolu stood up. “Let’s set a time.”

“How about today?”

“That won’t work. I have plans to visit my valley.”

“Why don’t we go together? Since we’re both leaving Xinxiang, we can stop by my dad’s ranch. I’ll have him prepare some beef for your tiger.”

Ou Xiaolu hesitated. “Alright, but I might bring someone else.”

“That black guy?”

“Yeah, include him. He’s got nothing to do anyway. Might also bring a female cop.”

“Why bring a cop?”

“Nothing special. I saved her yesterday, and she said she wants to take me out on a boat trip.”