Chapter 1397
: Consider it training.
Cui Ming walked out of the building entrance.
As Redel was handing the shopping basket back to the old lady, he turned around and saw Cui Ming.
It froze completely.
Even her bright white skin appeared somewhat grayish under the streetlights.
Cui Ming was wearing a red and white combat uniform with an entrenching tool hanging from his waist. He wasn't carrying any weapons, but his murderous aura was even stronger than if he were holding a gun.
Redel's heart skipped a beat.
broken.
This human... came for me.
And this aura...
Redell was a veteran on Standalone, and he knew this aura all too well.
This is a murderer who just killed someone; the blood hasn't even cooled down yet.
“Grandma, please go back first,” Cui Ming said, his voice surprisingly polite. “I’ll chat with this…foreign friend for a bit.”
The old lady looked at Cui Ming, then at Redel, and nodded with a smile: "Good, good, young man, make more friends."
Once the old lady entered the building, Cui Ming's polite demeanor vanished instantly.
He took two steps forward and stopped three meters away from Redel.
“Standelian, Redel,” Cui Ming directly revealed its identity, “A warrior of the Sun Race, right?”
Raeder's pupils contracted.
Its name has never been revealed.
"Don't be nervous." Cui Ming waved his hand. "If I wanted to make a move, you would already be lying on the ground, receiving the same treatment as those Abbas."
Redel swallowed hard.
It believes.
Humans are absolutely capable of doing that.
"What...do you want?" Redel's voice was dry, and he spoke Earth language haltingly.
"Let's talk." Cui Ming pulled an energy bar from his pocket, tore open the packaging, and took a bite. "Your Sun Race and Night Race are having quite a fight, aren't you? Do you need any manpower?"
Redel was stunned.
"what?"
"Hey, do you need any mercenaries?" Cui Ming chewed on an energy bar, his tone as if he were discussing a building materials deal. "There's a group of people on Earth who need real combat training. You provide the money or the technology, and we'll provide the manpower to help you beat up those blue-skinned devils."
Redel was completely dumbfounded.
It envisioned countless opening sequences.
They were attacked, interrogated, and hunted down.
The only thing I never imagined was... this human would become its mercenary?
"Why?" Redell asked instinctively.
“Because those idiots from the Night Race crossed the line.” Cui Ming stuffed the energy bar wrapper back into his pocket, his eyes turning cold. “They came to Earth to capture people. This is the bottom line. If you cross the line, you die. Tonight I just dismembered half of the Abbas chieftain’s limbs and sent them for scientific research.”
Redel shuddered.
The Abbas chieftain... was dismantled?
“If you Sun Races behave yourselves and just fight the Night Races to the death on your battlefields, that has nothing to do with me.” Cui Ming stared into Redel’s eyes. “But if you need help, Earth can provide it. We have warriors, we have weapons, and we just need a practice range. Your blue-skinned enemies are perfect for that.”
Redell remained silent for a long while.
It looked at Cui Ming.
The human spoke casually, as if discussing what to eat tomorrow.
But Redell understood.
This is not aid.
This is a transaction.
And it was a bloody transaction.
"Aren't you... afraid that if our Sun Race wins, we'll turn around and attack Earth?" Redel asked tentatively.
Cui Ming smiled.
That smile sent chills down Redell's spine.
“You can give it a try.” Cui Ming chewed the last bit of energy bar. “But I suggest you think about it first. Even the leader of Abbas was crippled and thrown into a restraint pod by me. How much tougher can your Standel Star be?” Redel remained silent.
It looked at the entrenching tool at Cui Ming's waist, the blade still stained with dark red that hadn't been wiped clean.
That was Abbas's blood.
"Well?" Cui Ming raised his wrist and glanced at the time. "I don't have much time. Three seconds to consider. If you agree, we can talk about the details. If you don't agree, I'll consider you a potential threat and I'll bury you in the ground right now, just like your enemies."
"one."
Fine beads of sweat appeared on Redel's forehead.
"two."
"Wait!" Redell suddenly looked up. "I agree! But... but I need to ask my superiors!"
“Okay.” Cui Ming nodded, his expression returning to calm. “You have twenty-four hours. Be here again at this time tomorrow. Bring your price.”
He turned and left.
He took two steps, then turned back.
"By the way, you picked a good number of oranges." Cui Ming pointed to the empty basket that Redel was still carrying. "Remember to wear gloves next time. Your white skin is too conspicuous at night and makes it difficult to hide."
Redel looked down at the basket, then at Cui Ming's retreating figure, unsure of what to say.
Cui Ming opened the door of the SUV.
The metal hinges made a dry, grinding sound.
He got into the driver's seat, inserted the key into the lock, and turned it.
boom.
The engine woke up, and a plume of white smoke billowed from the exhaust pipe.
Miyuki was already curled up in the passenger seat, her combat suit covered in cement dust from the rooftop.
She hugged her knees, rested her chin on the telescope tube, and her profile was tinged with a thin halo of red light from the dashboard.
"Brother Cui Ming, don't you like to just kill the enemy outright?"
Miyuki's voice came out muffledly from behind the binoculars.
Cui Ming rested his left hand on the steering wheel and reached out with his right.
He placed his palm on the top of her head, his rough fingertips brushing against the crown of her hair and rubbing it a couple of times.
The movements were very gentle.
“It depends. Sometimes the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Redell and his gang need cannon fodder, and we need a training ground. It's a win-win situation, more worthwhile than a one-sided massacre.” Cui Ming stared at the night road ahead, his pupils reflecting the cold light of the car headlights. He withdrew his hand, his palm hovering over the gearshift for a second before shifting it. “Maybe we'll have a chance to get them to help us sometime.”
The tires rolled over the gravel on the road, causing the vehicle to jolt.
Miyuki tilted her head back, and a small tuft of her hair that had been touched stood up.
She blinked, buried her face in her scarf, and her voice became muffled.
"Um"
Just as Cui Minggang shifted the gear, Meixue suddenly straightened up.
"Brother Cui Ming."
"Ok?"
"Can we go for a drive around?" Miyuki asked softly, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her seatbelt. "Just one lap."
Cui Ming turned his head to look at her.
Miyuki lowered her eyes and didn't look at him.
Cui Ming did not ask why.
He glanced at his watch; it was 11:27, still a little before his shift ended.
He pressed the communicator.
"Daigo, New City, East District patrol handover, I have something urgent to attend to."
A wail immediately erupted from Xincheng through the communicator: "Instructor! Are you abandoning us?!"
"Stop talking nonsense." Cui Ming gripped the steering wheel with one hand, his tone flat. "Come and take over."
"Received, received. Wait!" Shinjo's voice suddenly lowered, carrying a guilty conscience. "Instructor, is that Miyuki over there? Where are you going? Take me with you! That Mr. Obik from the base is bringing soba noodles every night, I'm going crazy!" (End of Chapter)