"This is an ice bag, filled with synthetic ice that doesn't easily melt and is harmless," Feng Xi said coolly, glancing at Anderson before looking back at Chloe as usual.
Chloe looked at Feng Xi, then at the displeased Anderson standing behind her, and made a decision in an instant.
"Sorry, I can't accept it," Chloe said with an apologetic smile towards Feng Xi, pulling Anderson back into the tent.
Behind them, Feng Xi's expression was inscrutable as he re-tied the ice bag to his waist, a hint of viciousness flashing across his handsome face.
Why did people always ruin his plans?
It was just an ice bag. Anderson was merely a guard, yet he had to intervene?
After being called several times by Lanxicha cadets from behind, Feng Xi finally returned to the tent with a cold expression.
Inside The No.1 Military Academy's tent.
Chloe pulled down the tent flap and turned to Anderson: "Speak up, why are you against Feng Xi?"
Anderson opened his mouth, hesitated several times, then slowly said: "He doesn't have good intentions."
Hearing this, Chloe became even more perplexed.
What did he mean by Feng Xi not having good intentions? What were these intentions about?
Had Feng Xi done anything to her?
Seeing Chloe's lack of understanding, Anderson pondered for a moment before saying: "If the Founder were here, he wouldn't allow Feng Xi to get close to you either, young lady."
Upon hearing this, Chloe's expression turned icy.
Her expression was cold, her brows furrowed with annoyance: "Don't mention Xavier in front of me."
Anderson pursed his lips and remained silent.
Seeing this, Chloe felt a surge of frustration.
She didn't like this feeling.
In Chloe's view, Anderson belonged to her from the start, not that fool Xavier.
Chloe curled her lip: "What do you mean by that? Are you trying to replace Xavier by staying by my side? I clearly told you a long time ago that you're my man, not Xavier's."
As those words fell, the atmosphere in the tent dropped to freezing point.
Not far away, Daniel and the others who had been horsing around also fell silent, holding their breath and pretending they hadn't seen or heard anything.
Anderson's eyes flashed: "No, I just think..."
"You think you need to watch over me for Xavier?" Chloe mocked, seeing through his thoughts. "Anderson, if you don't want to work for me, I won't force you. There are plenty of people who can take your current position."
The implication was that if Anderson was unwilling, Chloe could easily replace him with someone else.
Even Kewen from years ago had been replaced countless times before being promoted by Xavier.
Chloe had no need to insist on keeping Anderson around.
Realizing this, Anderson immediately panicked.
He instinctively grabbed Chloe's sleeve, hurriedly explaining: "That's not what I meant, I..."
"Let go of me," Chloe shook off Anderson, her tone icy cold. "Come talk to me again when you've figured things out completely."
After saying that, Chloe turned and walked deeper into the tent without looking back.
Her expression was unpleasant, and upon seeing this, Daniel carefully shifted his sleeping bag, afraid that this woman would lose her temper and take it out on him too.
Seeing Chloe crawl into her sleeping bag to sleep, the others all looked towards Anderson.
The young man's face held a dazed and hesitant expression. Facing their gazes, he showed no sign of embarrassment, his brows furrowed as if deep in thought.
Qin Huaibei and Daniel exchanged a glance and silently shook their heads.
Although they didn't know the specifics of the argument, Chloe had never been one to anger easily.
This Anderson was quite capable indeed.
It wasn't until Chloe's breathing in the sleeping bag became even that Anderson finally walked over from the other side of the tent.
Daniel patted Anderson's shoulder and said in a low voice: "You should apologize. You two have such a good relationship, Chloe probably won't hold a grudge against you for too long, right?"
Hearing this, Anderson paused slightly before slowly nodding.
...
The next morning, the students from the two Military Academies began packing up and hitting the road.
Chloe hastily stuffed some food into her stomach before leaving the tent.
Outside, Daniel had transformed back into his original form.
The giant wolf ran swiftly across the scorching surface of the Volcanic Planet.
That day, the Lanxicha Military Academy cadets were surprised to find that The No.1 Military Academy, usually chattering non-stop on the road, had inexplicably changed their nature and remained silent the entire way.
Especially Chloe, who would normally take the lead in cracking jokes, was uncharacteristically sullen today, not uttering a single word from start to finish.
Even the task of leading had fallen to Qin Huaibei.
As for Anderson, he tried several times to present himself in front of Chloe, but was ignored each time.
Chloe couldn't be bothered with him.
It was apparent that he seemed quite anxious to regain her attention, but Chloe was still angry and paid him no heed.
Chloe felt she had already treated Anderson well enough, whether it was picking him up as a child or the repeated care and favors she had shown him now. All of it reflected Anderson's unique position in her heart.
To a certain extent, Chloe was not a tolerant person.
Once Anderson fell within her territory, she would not allow him to work for others.
But what did Anderson do? Lecture her, and bring up Xavier? What did that mean?
Did he think that with Xavier's backing, she wouldn't dare disobey?
Ridiculous. When had Chloe ever looked at Xavier favorably?
The more she thought about it, the more flustered Chloe became.
At that moment, the earth ahead cracked with a deafening rumble.
Qin Huaibei's hand instinctively went to the hilt of his sword: "Another vicious beast is coming?"
Everyone from the two Military Academies was on high alert, staring intently at the slowly moving soil pit in the distance.
A large mound of earth was rising there, and as it continued rising, volcanic ash also slid down its curved surface.
A foul, putrid stench wafted over.
Daniel instantly stuck his head into the mud, his voice muffled and agitated: "Damn, what's that awful smell!"
Before he could finish speaking, Chloe raised her hand: "Fall back!"
The cadets from both academies didn't hesitate, retreating upon receiving the order.
The next instant, an enormous vicious beast burst out from underground!
Upon seeing its appearance, Qin Huaibei couldn't help but exclaim: "There are still skunks on the Volcanic Planet now?"
And such a massive skunk at that...
Its size was one thing, but the stench was truly too unbearable.
Feng Xi had just raised his curved blade to attack when the smell assaulted him halfway, forcing him to stop and retch.
Daniel, in his original wolf form with an even more sensitive sense of smell, felt miserable and wanted to roll around.
As everyone hesitated, uncertain of how to approach, flames erupted from Chloe's fingertips!
The fire was an estimated five meters high, encircling the skunk just like the rabbit meat they had roasted the previous night.
At the same time, the massive skunk encased by Chloe's scorching flames let out a shrill, agonizing screech.
The temperature on the Volcanic Planet was already high, but Chloe's soul flames were even hotter.
Feng Xi, who was relatively close, nearly dehydrated.
Soon, the air was filled with the smell of charred meat, mingling with the skunk's earlier intentionally released gases, making the Lanxicha Military Academy students nauseous enough to want to vomit out their bile.
Chloe's expression remained unchanged as she extinguished her soul flames, the skunk's corpse collapsing to the ground.
She calmly looked down at Anderson, the corners of her mouth curling into her first smile of the day, tinged with a hint of sadistic pleasure:
"Aren't you going to choose? How about this meat?"
Feng Xi: "......"
He suddenly spat it out with a "Wah!"
