Chapter 025: A Strange Look (Please vote for recommendations!)

Huh?

Xu Dalu's mouth hung open, his face filled with astonishment.

"Really?"

Fang Shuixian's eyes lit up with delight and excitement. "Captain Xiaobai, do you mean it?"

"What are you talking about?" Lin Tianzhen asked in confusion, not understanding what the adults were saying. Even if she tried to listen in, she couldn't make sense of it. Hmph, bad brother!

The little girl pouted, glanced at Tang Mubai, and took big bites of her breakfast, as if she wanted to swallow Tang Mubai whole...

"Of course, it's true," Tang Mubai replied with a smile. "As long as you're willing, Aunt Fang, you can join the mercenary group!"

"But..." Fang Shuixian tried to suppress her excitement, her tone hesitant. "But I'm not a martial artist, and I can't handle firearms..."

"That doesn't matter," Tang Mubai shook his head and said seriously. "I'm inviting you into the mercenary group not to send you out into the field or to fight non-human foes. The real reason is that the group needs to rebuild and grow stronger, and we need more members. You know as well as I do, Aunt Fang, that we can't take on missions if our numbers are too low. So, if you're willing, you'll be the Head of Sanitation for the group from now on!"

"Pfft~"

Fang Shuixian couldn't help but laugh. "Head of Sanitation? More like Chief of Cleaning! Fine, I agree. Fang Shuixian greets the captain!"

The beautiful woman lifted her bowl, mimicking a toast.

"Good, let's drink together!" Tang Mubai replied with a beaming smile, raising his own bowl to clink with hers.

"I want to drink too! I want to join in!" Lin Tianzhen quickly set her spoon down, picked up her bowl, and joined in the toast with Fang Shuixian.

"All right, Zhenzhen can have a toast too. But remember to finish your meal," Fang Shuixian said, smiling radiantly as she played along with the little girl.

"...Congratulations to the captain, and congratulations to Xiao Fang," Xu Dalu, sitting nearby, finally recovered from his shock and applauded the two.

"To celebrate Aunt Fang joining the mercenary group, we'll have a feast tonight! Let's head to the Maple Leaf Grand Hotel!" Tang Mubai decided on the spot.

Privately, he quickly opened his system panel—

[Name]: Tang Mubai
[Constitution]: 10 (+)
[Strength]: 10 (+)
[Agility]: 10 (+)
[Perception]: 5 (+)
[Will]: 5 (+)
[Vitality]: 52k (+)
[Martial Arts]: "Golden Glow Technique" (Beginner+), "Tiger Roar Fist" (Perfected), "Wave-Cleaving Blade" (Perfected), "Nine Arrows Over the Mountain" (Mastered+), "Lightfoot over Grass" (Perfected)
[Abilities]: Pressure Control (Basic+)

[Lifespan]: 56.7 years
[Retainers]: 2
...

The number of retainers now displayed as "2"!

Seeing that number, Tang Mubai nearly jumped up in excitement.

"It really works! It actually works!"

Indeed, Tang Mubai's true purpose for inviting Fang Shuixian into the Miracle Mercenary Group was to test whether the number of retainers would increase.

Xu Dalu was already a member of the group, but his younger cousin Lin Tianzhen was not. Tang Mubai had been wondering if the reason she didn't count as a retainer was because she hadn't officially joined.

After all, in terms of family ties, the little girl was his only true relative.

With this in mind, seeing Fang Shuixian, he was struck by the idea of experimenting. Fang Shuixian, after all, was a long-time presence in the group—though she had never officially joined, serving only as the Tang family's housekeeper.

Using her as a test cost Tang Mubai nothing.

And the experiment proved successful! Adding a person to the mercenary group meant gaining another retainer!

Astonishingly, the system’s "Retainers" referred to the members of the Miracle Mercenary Group.

It was truly unexpected!

Suppressing his excitement, Tang Mubai focused his mind on the word "Retainers" on the system panel.

Swish!

The panel flickered, and new information appeared.

Retainers—

Xu Dalu (Healing+, Strengthening+, Refreshing+), Affinity 99/100
Fang Shuixian (Strengthening+, Refreshing+, Insight+), Affinity 85/100
...

Fang Shuixian’s affinity level was a remarkable 85%!

Although not as high as Xu Dalu’s, it showed just how deep Fang Shuixian’s feelings were for the Miracle Mercenary Group.

A decade as housekeeper.

No doubt, in Fang Shuixian’s heart, the Miracle Mercenary Group was already her "family"!

Tang Mubai could not help but remember the day news arrived of his father and the group’s annihilation—Fang Shuixian’s ashen face, her dazed, soul-lost expression. He sighed from the heart.

There was a difference with one’s own people!

Unlike those heartless turncoats, who, upon hearing the news, rushed to quit and flee the group.

Tang Mubai made up his mind: from now on, character would be the most important criterion for recruiting members!

"But what about this 'Insight'?"

Tang Mubai examined the tags beside Fang Shuixian’s name.

Strengthening, Refreshing, Insight!

The first two, Xu Dalu also possessed, but the third—"Insight"—he did not.

Fang Shuixian was uninjured, but had an extra "Insight" tag.

"Could it mean Aunt Fang has talent, but for some reason has never awakened it?" Tang Mubai mused.

After quickly finishing breakfast, he went to his room, fetched copies of "Golden Glow Technique" and "Tiger Roar Fist," and handed them to Fang Shuixian with a smile. "Now that you’re part of the group, you have the right to learn martial arts. Take these manuals, Aunt Fang. If you run into anything you don’t understand, just come ask me."

"Oh, Xiao Fang, I forgot to tell you some good news," Xu Dalu chimed in with a smile. "The captain is now a certified professional martial artist—just got his license yesterday! So the restaurant and the mercenary group can keep running!"

"Really?" Fang Shuixian’s face lit up with joy. "That’s wonderful!"

Her eyes brimmed with tears.

"I knew it... I knew Captain Xiaobai was never useless, only playful and lazy before. Now, when it truly matters, he’s stepped up right away and taken up the mantle of captain to lead the group!"

Fang Shuixian laughed and cried at once, looking at Tang Mubai with eyes full of affection and pride.

"Auntie, don’t cry, don’t cry," the little girl said, quickly helping Fang Shuixian wipe away her tears, glaring at Tang Mubai in the process. "Hmph, bad brother! Not only do you bully me, you bully Auntie too. I’m not going to play with you anymore!"

"Ahem." Tang Mubai coughed, looking embarrassed and innocent, though his heart skipped an odd beat.

Something was off in the way Fang Shuixian looked at him!

Why did it feel like she was gazing upon a disappointing son who had at last grown up?

Could it be that the old rumor—about Fang Shuixian having feelings for his father—was actually true?

Tang Mubai schooled his features, but his mind raced.

"Don’t worry about me, I’m fine, Zhenzhen. Don’t blame your brother—I’m happy!" Fang Shuixian wiped her tears and comforted the little girl.

After calming herself, she set aside the two martial arts manuals and said solemnly, "Rest assured, Captain, I’ll give them a try. I just don’t know if these old bones of mine can manage."

"I think you can," Tang Mubai replied with a gentle smile. "You’ve never practiced before, Aunt Fang—perhaps you’re a hidden martial arts genius!"

With that, he mentally focused on the plus sign next to "Insight" and pressed lightly.

Swish!