Great! I'm surrounded by villains!
Chapter 276 - 195: Heart Disease

Chapter 276: Chapter 195: Heart Disease

It wasn’t until Duan Mingyuan delved deeper that he realized Earth Wolf Twelve and Mocking Pigeon were facing an issue of the heart. Even the bionic hostess at the Gear Hotel lobby was subject to teasing by the Interstellar Cowboy who always kept his distance from Mocking Pigeon with respect, maintaining his composure even when drunk deep in his subconscious.

Although they had been friends for a very long time, he repeatedly turned down Mocking Pigeon’s invitations.

Mocking Pigeon’s invitations to Earth Wolf Twelve were not about recruiting manpower, Duan Mingyuan heard something else in her words.

For instance, she wanted to give the lone Interstellar Cowboy, who roamed the cosmos by himself, a home.

Whenever the conversation turned to this, it would end in discord.

Earth Wolf Twelve would always say that people like them could be gone any day, and he’d jokingly say if Mocking Pigeon died in a battle with the corporation, he’d visit her home planet in the Eastern Battlefront and erect a tombstone for her. If he died, all Mocking Pigeon needed to do was buy a plot of land on Anling Star.

That was where the souls of all the wandering folk who had lost their homelands found rest.

The people of Anling Star were adept at communicating with spirits, having produced many cosmos-renowned Spirit Communicators, and there was also an organization called the Spirit Guardians, responsible for looking after the departed souls.

For this, Mocking Pigeon’s assessment was that Earth Wolf Twelve was a "jerk."

"I know I’m not much to look at, and I’ve got this scar on my face, from when we fought the corporate goons,"

Mocking Pigeon said somewhat disheartened.

Following the customs of the Eastern Battlefront’s people, Duan Mingyuan unflinchingly downed the drink she handed him, and as her friend, buoyed by alcohol, he ended up voicing the thoughts he had long kept to himself.

Her build was robust, naturally suited for battle. She had observed the types of girls Earth Wolf Twelve flirted with; Mocking Pigeon knew she didn’t have their softness. She had even tried talking like those girls when she was alone, nearly repulsing herself to death.

Furthermore, she was a native girl from the Eastern Battlefront. She hoped Earth Wolf Twelve would accept her for who she truly was.

Staying together to smoke cigars, getting blackout drunk in bars at night.

Whenever an encounter occurred, she was always the first to charge into battle.

This was the ardor of the Eastern Battlefront’s people.

"But I never expected to lose to a man in the end."

Mocking Pigeon’s gaze held a trace of resentment, "You think that bastard might actually be into men?"

By the time she said this, Earth Wolf Twelve had already drunk himself into oblivion, his eyes closed, his body twisted on the table like a piece of art, passed out.

"Of course not."

Duan Mingyuan found himself playing the impromptu psychologist, thankfully, his long time with Jiuyue had given him some insight into the awkward relationship between Earth Wolf Twelve and Mocking Pigeon, "First, you need to have a clear understanding of yourself, your looks are not unattractive at all."

That was true; Mocking Pigeon may have looked strong and sturdy, but her features were quite heroic, and the scar beneath her eyelids only added to her battlefield heroine aura.

"I think, he’s been intentionally keeping his distance from you for another reason."

"Then speak up, what’s the reason?"

"Has he ever mentioned his future plans to you?"

"Dammit, are you just trying to rub it in my face?"

Mocking Pigeon’s face tightened, and with a "bang," she slammed a bottle of strong liquor in front of Duan Mingyuan, "Drink!"

Duan Mingyuan finished off the bottle of oolong tea, meanwhile reducing the sugar content and adding a refreshing sour plum flavor.

He had also discovered the Eastern Battlefront natives had a sensitive and tender side deep within.

"Earth Wolf Twelve said, someday he wants to return to Hot Sand Star to find out why the planet is ’Cocooned.’

"Psh, I thought it was something serious. If he wants to go back to that damned place, I can accompany him there. It’s just a ’Dead Star’. We can simply move the fleet right into their Star Zone," she replied.

"I believe that’s precisely the problem."

Duan Mingyuan said.

In his view, the reason Earth Wolf Twelve deliberately kept his distance from the Mocking Pigeon was because he understood the enthusiasm of the Mocking Pigeon and the people of the Eastern Battlefront. If he were to board her ship, even through a valley of knives and a sea of flames, the Mocking Pigeon would not even blink as she steered her fleet to the skies above Hot Sand Star.

But Hot Sand Star was no holiday paradise. Years ago, the entire planet’s surface had turned to sand. Earth Wolf Twelve had witnessed with his own eyes his fellow compatriots transform into sand from the inside out and become scattered by the wind. Today, the "Hot Sand Plague" still spread across the surface of Hot Sand Star, turning it into a Dead Star where no signs of life existed.

Disease is an intangible enemy, one that even the Interstellar Cowboys are powerless against.

"He doesn’t want to board your ship precisely because he doesn’t want to drag you into the matters of Hot Sand Star."

Though Earth Wolf Twelve claimed himself an Interstellar Cowboy, declaring himself the freest man in the entire universe, in this cosmos, it would be hard to find someone who had lost more than him.

Because of the obsession deep in his heart, risking the Mocking Pigeon’s fleet to the infection of the Hot Sand Plague and needless casualties was not the act of a cowboy.

"What about you, then? Is he willing to drag you lot, whom he’s only known for a few days, to your deaths?"

"That is his plan after retirement."

Duan Mingyuan shook his head, "Maybe one day, he’ll vanish from the Ranger, leaving behind a long letter as a farewell, drive away the flying vehicle aboard the ship, and head to Hot Sand Star alone."

Alone, he would land the flying vehicle on the surface of his home planet and reassess that desolate and barren land.

This too was the romance of an Interstellar Cowboy.

From the way Earth Wolf Twelve dealt with Actus, it was clear he was someone who pursued romance, preferring to end things with a bang, in a televisual style, rather than dragging irrelevant people into a journey doomed to have no happy ending.

"Hold on, let me get this straight."

The Mocking Pigeon held her forehead with her left hand, alcohol making her somewhat groggy, while Duan Mingyuan had brought up things she had never considered.

Her heart wasn’t filled with so many complications. If Earth Wolf Twelve became her first mate, that meant he was family. How could a mere "Dead Star" halt the steps of the peoples of the Eastern Battlefront?

Failing to contemplate a solution, the Mocking Pigeon simply threw the question back to Duan Mingyuan, "What exactly do you mean by what you just said?"

"What I mean is you completely misunderstood. He neither finds you unattractive, nor is there a problem with his sexual orientation."

Duan Mingyuan offered his diagnostic summary, "It is precisely because of his regard for you that he does not want you to be involved with the matters of Hot Sand Star, which means that you hold an extremely special significance in his heart."

"Then... do you have any suggestions?"

The Mocking Pigeon asked, beginning to believe in Duan Mingyuan’s title of divine healer.

"He’s drunk."

Duan Mingyuan glanced at Earth Wolf Twelve, who had completely lost consciousness, and said, "The Head of Security’s room is on the 12th floor, and his room card is in the inner pocket of his clothes. Perhaps someone should take him back to his room to rest."

"I see."

The Mocking Pigeon had an epiphany. She stood up, donned her Exoskeleton Armor, and effortlessly hoisted Earth Wolf Twelve onto her shoulder. Before departing, she sought confirmation once more, "You mean, he likes me."

"Yes."

"No lying?"

"No lying."

"Then I understand."

As long as she had confirmation of this matter, the Mocking Pigeon naturally had a plan for what to do next.

The people of the Eastern Battlefront only needed a clear response.

And today, she had received the answer she had always wanted.