Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 682 - 675: Long Time No See

Chapter 682: Chapter 675: Long Time No See

Next to the small town was a camp, with rows of neatly lined up soldiers in the wide drill field. There were checkpoints and watchtowers along the outskirts of the town, guarded by dedicated soldiers.

Seeing the arrival of the transport plane, the soldiers on the ground seemed a little nervous, yet they did not show any hostility. Instead, they rushed to each other to relay the news of the arrival of the transport plane, passing it on from one level to the next.

Given that the entire continent only has the Ronisca Air Force wielding aerial vehicles, and Ronisca is one of the headquarters’ partners, any sensible soldier would be able to tell that the plane was not hostile and probably belonged to the headquarters.

Since the soldiers on the ground did not show any hostility, Luo’er naturally did not need to worry about friendly fire. He directly ordered the pilot to land in the field closest to Princess Melia’s mansion.

Watching the massive mechanical beast slowly descend to the ground, the soldiers on the ground were slightly uneasy. They surrounded the transport plane with weapons in their hands, but their muzzles were always pointing down.

Among the soldiers of Princess Melia’s army, a certain proportion were Blaiqi people, also known by otherworlders as false otherworlders. Having grown up with Earth’s knowledge and insights, they naturally found the arrival of an airplane not surprising.

After the transport plane came to a halt, Luo’er pushed open the hatch and was the first one to disembark. Seeing Luo’er’s appearance, the soldiers instinctively took a step back but continued to watch him warily.

One officer came up cautiously and asked Luo’er carefully, "May I ask for your identity and origin?"

"We are Shani people, messengers from the headquarters. Please inform Princess Melia, an old friend wishes to see her,"Luo’er said calmly.

"Yes, right away." On hearing the term ’Shani people’ and ’headquarters’, the officer immediately showed respect, promptly gave a military salute and turned to run towards Melia’s mansion.

After Luo’er disembarked, the rest of the Advance Team followed suit. Feng, having spotted the many people with weapons surrounding him once he exited the plane, was immediately on alert and ready to draw his sword, stopped just in time by Cheng Ziang.

"Don’t be reckless; it could lead to accidental discharge," said Cheng Ziang calmly facing Feng’s puzzled look.

Although he knew that Feng could probably obliterate everyone present if he gave his all, doing so would cause serious problems. After all, Princess Melia and her army were important pieces on the headquarters’ chessboard. Offending them could result in the headquarters losing its foothold in the Masaya Kingdom, and they would have to watch as the countries of NATO nurtured rebels to overthrow the Masaya monarchy.

Sometime later, a figure on horseback appeared in the distance. They stopped just outside the circle surrounding the staging area, barely dismounting the horse before rushing into the circle. All the soldiers consciously cleared a path when they saw her.

Melia appeared to have just been notified of Luo’er’s arrival and had not even had time to change her clothes. Her hair was also somewhat messy.

She was still wearing her simple dress with a tight vest on the upper body, looking very neat. Her long hair was tied into a basic ponytail, but the messy strands revealed her haste.

She walked briskly, lifting her skirt, wearing a pair of dark brown boots on her feet. Luo’er noticed that there was a delicate ladies’ pistol on her waist belt, a gift from the headquarters given in his name, so it could be regarded as a gift from him.

She walked up to Luo’er excitedly, a joyful expression on her face. She was panting fiercely, her mouth slightly open, but she didn’t know what to say first.

Luo’er looked at the little princess standing before him. They had not seen each other for about a year, and Melia had obviously matured a lot. Her formerly chubby face was now a shade thinner, tugging at his heartstrings, and her pure face had an added hint of weariness.

She had a few more freckles on her face, but they did not detract from her beauty. Even without makeup, Luo’er did not find her appearance repulsive. Perhaps it was just his feeling, but Luo’er always thought that when Melia faced him, she completely lost the arrogance of a noble and had gained some feminine tenderness instead.

"Why wasn’t I notified about your visit by the headquarters?" After a long silence, Melia was the first to break the ice.

"Uh, well, we made a last-minute decision to come." Luo’er scratched his head awkwardly.

"So, you wanted to see me?" Melia squinted her eyes, a smile almost overflowing from her face.

"Sort of," Luo’er coughed, avoiding Melia’s expectant gaze with a hint of guilt, and stammered, "Actually, there’s some business too..."

"I thought as much..." Melia lowered her head, a trace of disappointment flickering across her beaming face.

The conversation fell into a brief silence, and Luo’er felt the atmosphere growing awkward. He coughed again and said, "You seem a lot more mature than when I saw you a year ago. Nevertheless, you also seem a bit haggard."

At his words, Melia lifted her head, her affectionate gaze fixed on Luo’er. She opened her mouth as if to say something but ended up pursing her lips and lowering her head again.

"Luo’er, we’re here seeking help." Tangmo, seated next to him, reminded expressionlessly.

She knew Luo’er was trying to build rapport with Melia, but she hated to see it. Melia was different from other girls, and Tangmo was wary of her.

While Tangmo wasn’t concerned about the other girls stealing Luo’er, she was particularly wary and worried about Melia. Unlike others, Melia had the means and ability to snatch Luo’er away.

Even Momo, who was more capable than her, had chosen to lose control rather than scheme upon seeing the intimate moment between Luo’er and Melia. This signified that both Momo and Tangmo saw Melia as a formidable rival.

"Do you have a favor to ask of me?" Hearing Tangmo’s words, Melia looked at Luo’er and asked.

She seemed completely unaffected by Tangmo, or rather, she didn’t pay any attention to her at all.

"Uh, yes, we have something..." Faced with Melia’s gaze, Luo’er stammered. Before he could finish, Cheng Ziang nudged him gently from behind, prompting him to hastily correct himself, "Actually, we also wanted to see you. After all, we haven’t seen each other for nearly a year."

Upon hearing his words, although she knew they were not heartfelt, the smile on Melia’s face only grew, and her eyes curved into beautiful crescents.

As the captain of the Advance Team, Luo’er, who devoted himself entirely to work, had no time or energy to pay attention to romantic relationships. Even Melia was only remembered when Cheng Ziang actively mentioned her.

Of course, had he been genuinely straightforward, Melia would likely have been upset. So Cheng Ziang repeatedly reminded him on the plane to speak some sweet nothings when meeting Melia. As long as they received help, even putting up an act was acceptable.

For Luo’er, Melia’s position in his heart was always fuzzy. Unlike other girls who expressed a simple gratitude towards Luo’er, his feelings for Melia were complicated.

Luo’er couldn’t say how much he liked her, but every time he thought of her, his heart would inadvertently race. Unlike with other girls, his feelings for them being simple, his feelings for Melia were complicated - so complex that he couldn’t even explain why.