Swallowed Star Volume 4 - Chapter 34: XU XIN

VOLUME 4 CHAPTER 34: XU XIN
“Why would the captain call me at a time like this?” the winds were howling and the snow was falling outside, but various thoughts were currently flashing through Luo Feng’s mind. After taking a deep breath, he lightly said: “Redial!”
Beep…..beep…..beep…..
“Hello, Luo Feng” Captain Gao Feng’s voice carried over.
“Captain, something happening?” said Luo Feng as he laughed.
Gao Feng’s voice immediately sank: “I’m sure you saw that astronomical bounty, that’s a whole 100 billion, definitely enough to make countless fighters go crazy. Especially since the notice said….. the murderer is a fighter with either wargod level strength or a spirit reader! No matter what, you must not reveal your identity as a spirit reader, or else you’ll bring upon yourself huge trouble….. since our fire hammer squad and the tiger fang squad were already in conflict, and one of the four people that died was the tiger fang captain Pan Ya, you’ll easily come under suspect once people find out that you’re a spirit reader. When that happens, you’ll become the target of thousands of thousands of people. No matter how careful you are, the unexpected could always happen”
“I understand. But since I didn’t do it, there’s nothing for me to be afraid of. However, captain, this murderer is pretty strong; he was able to make these four die before any of them were able to contact that couple. He sure is powerful” Luo Feng couldn’t help but to compliment.
“He is indeed strong” Gao Feng also gave his compliments.
Luo Feng continued: “And since Pan Ya died, this is also great news. Our fire hammer squad won’t have to deal with any troubles in the future”
“Indeed, this is quite beneficial to us. I’m just going to remind you again. Be careful, careful, and even more careful! This case has too much riding on it. I’ll remind Chen Gu and the others when I get back. Don’t worry…… if any of them dare to reveal anything, I won’t spare them”
“Oh yea, when are you returning to the headquarter city? The materials of the monsters we hunted are still stored there and we’re waiting for you to return to decide how to deal with them”
Luo Feng smiled: “I was going to stay in the wilderness for a bit longer, but since the tiger fang captain is dead, I don’t have any more business. I’ll return within two days”
“Okay, I’ll see you then” Gao Feng’s voice carried from the tactical communications watch.
“See you later”
Luo Feng hung up and his expression immediately became serious.
From this phone call, it seemed like the captain was seriously passionate about reminding him. After hearing the captain’s words, his heart was indeed warmed. However, one thing can be discovered after thinking this through一一the other four members of the fire hammer squad could suspect him.
However, none of the four have sufficient evidence! What can the four of them do for Luo Feng’s trust?
“The best way for me to trust them is if none of them call me. If they don’t call me, then they won’t be able to find any evidence” Luo Feng frowned, “But the captain called me and seemed like he was comforting me….. if I wasn’t careful, along with the pressure brought along by the 100 billion, I might get hot headed and reveal everything to someone I care about”
After Luo Feng thought about that, he couldn’t help but to be afraid! Indeed, a youth who hasn’t even reached the age of 20 just killed an important person and received an ‘astronomical bounty’. Most people would be extremely nervous. Deep relationships with their seniors would easily move them and they might get hot headed and let all the secrets out!
“Using all sorts of ways to ask me actually makes me more cautious instead. And this concern easily makes people drop their guard. Once I reveal the secret, it might get recorded if the captain was using a recording device” Luo Feng took in a deep breath, “With the information that I was hunting down the tiger fang squad and my identity as a spirit reader, along with the fact that Li Wei’s parents are sure that I was one of the fighters nearby… and finally, along with the recording…”
How can there be so many coincidences? With this much evidence, the murderer’s identity is practically 100% confirmed.
Luo Feng took in a deep breath….. indeed, if he admitted the fact with his own mouth, then he’ll be in huge trouble.
Thankfully, he’s been under pressure ever since he was young. He worked and worked to become a fighter. After long periods of stress, he’s able to handle much more than a regular 20 year old youth.
※※
Time flowed slowly, and yet the snow started falling faster and faster, causing everything within sight to be covered in pure white. At the same time, the temperature has dropped to an astonishing level. Soon enough, the time reached midnight.
In the dirty, little room.
Luo Feng sat cross legged: “I received a total two phone calls today! One from the captain and one from Wei Qing. The captain seemed to be extremely comforting while Wei Qing seemed to be in complete shock”. Earlier in the afternoon, the first thing Wei Qing said when he called was一一 “Damn, Crazy, the captain just told us to be careful not to reveal your identity as a spirit reader. You didn’t kill those four did you?”
Wei Qing and Gao Feng’s phone calls rose Luo Feng’s suspicions.
Of course, only suspicions! Maybe the captain was truly being considerate, and maybe Wei Qing only talked like that because he truly thought of him as a brother.
“Humans are the hardest to read, since they’re so unpredictable”
“In the face of money, brothers turn on each other, couples divorce, parents and children cut ties….. I’ve seen these types of things on the internet way too many times! And needless to say, this is a gigantic sum of 100 billion!” through his tactical communications watch, Luo Feng entered the internet and looked at some discussion boards.
And he soon discovered how crazy the entire world was going over this bounty.
The night was even colder than the day.
Luo Feng was curled up in a corner, but his heart was a bit cold. Ever since he started suspecting captain Gao Feng and Wei Qing, Luo Feng’s entire attitude started changing….. in the past, he was extremely cheerful and straightforward, just like a regular fighter. He was able to fight in front of the face of death with the other brothers in his squad. He was easily able to treat others as his good brothers.
But now……….
“Are they thinking of me as a brother, or are they planning on turning me in for the huge sum of money? Maybe the lack of evidence is the only thing keeping them from doing that” Luo Feng’s gaze was cold.
“What am I thinking!”
“I’m randomly suspecting them” Luo Feng shook his head. He finally realized how his attitude couldn’t help but to change under the gigantic bounty of 100 billion….. He can’t be sure that the others won’t be affected by 100 billion, since, after all, this is 100 billion. This is what caused him to change! Even though Luo Feng knows he shouldn’t be so suspicious, he can’t help himself! One of Venina※Paulinus’ goal was already reached….. Luo Feng started spiraling down under all the pressure brought by the 100 billion bounty.
“Nevermind, I’m not going to think about this anymore”
Luo Feng immediately lowered his head and looked at his tactical communications watch. He then lightly pressed the button and started reading through all the different types of messages on the tactical communications watch’s screen. Suddenly, he flipped through the phone book and was calmed by one of the names that appeared…….. within these names was the good friend that always played with him, ‘Wei Wen’.
“I wonder how Wen is doing “ Luo Feng couldn’t help but to let out a smile as he thought about the things he did with Wei Wen back in the days.
There were quite a few of his high school friends within these names.
There were also some friends in the Dojo of Limits.
The names of his parents and his brother were here too.
“Dad, mom, brother” Luo Feng’s gaze was soft, “No matter what, you guys won’ be in trouble! I’ll definitely overcome this problem”
Suddenly一一Luo Feng’s gaze landed upon a name一一 Xu Xin! They exchanged phone numbers back when they chatted in the HR alliance’s market. However, he never called her after all this time.
“Dial Xu Xin’s number” said Luo Feng.
For some reason, he started to get nervous after dialing the number…… maybe his identity as the murderer will be revealed one day. When that happens, the Xu family definitely won’t allow Xu Xin to have any contact with him.
“Hello” Xu Xin’s voice carried from the tactical communications watch, “Is this Luo Feng?”
“Yep, it’s me” Luo Feng’s heart warmed.
“How rare, a big time fighter like you thought of calling me” mockingly laughed Xu Xin, “What, returned to the headquarter city?”
“I’m in the wilderness and it’s night time and I’m bored, so…..” after Luo Feng said this, he suddenly felt a bit awkward.
Bored during the night?
How come this sounds like he’s trying to get a hooker; finding women when he’s bored during the night.
“*Cough*” Xu Xin coughed a bit, “I never knew even you were so ‘playful’”
“’Playful’? Uh…… how’s college for you right now. As someone who never went to college, I’m quite curious”
Luo Feng immediately changed the topic and the two continued to chat like this. Maybe because it’s the first time they chatted over phone, or maybe because they’re both bored in the quiet night, so they chatted for a long time.
Only until he hung up did Luo Feng realize….. this phone call lasted for 1.5 hours.
“I never knew that chatting over the phone could last for 1.5 hours” Luo Feng’s heart was filled with happiness. Indeed, chatting with your crush for 1.5 hours over the phone can make one really happy.
All the fear previously brought by the 100 billion bounty and all the negative emotions were…..
Completely swept away! The previously nervous, panicking person changed back to the little boy in love….. this change in attitude washed Luo Feng’s spirit.
Luo Feng steadily started to calm down.
This was a peacefulness he never felt before, a peacefulness brought by a gigantic change in attitude. Well indeed, how many normal people go through such huge changes in attitude?
His heart was peaceful and still like water! “This feeling feels so great” Luo Feng really enjoyed this feeling that he never had before. And at this time, he had an urge一一 the urge to practice his blade technique! Hu! He pulled out the shadow blade from the sheathe on his back.
In this deep, cold night, while countless people were stunned over the astronomical bounty, Luo Feng was swinging his blade and practicing his 《Nine Stage Thunder Blade》 in the room of an abandoned building in the wilderness’ #003 city with unforeseen peacefulness. Each swing of the blade gave him comfort he never felt before.
One swing… two swings…
Luo Feng’s spiritual force naturally spread out, and the slight movements the swings imposed onto the surrounding area were clearly checked by the spiritual force.
The cold light, like snow, slowly floated around the room.
—
Back from Europe! Next chapter will either come out today or tomorrow (probably tomorrow). After that, chapters will be every other day. I thought I could release one a day but I’m unexpectedly busy….. or maybe I could release double chapters every so often, but we’ll have to see how things turn out.