Chapter 123: The First Home
Watching Su Tang’s clear and logical analysis, the amusement in An Se’s eyes gradually turned into admiration. He clapped his hands.
“Alright, Su Tang, you think fast. Since you’ve made up your mind, the doors of the Medical Department are open to you. Although we don’t go out on missions like the other teams, the daily workload isn’t light. I won’t be giving you any special treatment just because you’re here.”
“Don’t worry, Director An Se. I’ll work hard.”
Su Tang smiled, her tense shoulders finally relaxing.
Though Yasuo felt disappointed, he knew this was the most stable choice. At least she was going to An Se and not that guy. That made it acceptable.
He sniffled and said in a muffled voice, “Going to the Medical Department is good. At least you won’t have to risk the pollution zones. Do you need help packing your things?”
“No need. Team 1 will handle it.”
It was one thing when Mo Xiao wasn’t around, but now that he was back, there was no reason to let this guy suck up to her.
Shen Ji’s expression remained complex, but he had to admit Su Tang’s choice was wise.
He reined in his sharp edges, and his tone softened.
“The Medical Department is indeed a safe harbor. An Se’s staff structure is stable, so it won’t be easy for those people to infiltrate.”
He looked at Su Tang. “What I said before still stands. If you ever need help, come find me at Team 2.”
“It’s a pity, but since you’ve decided, I won’t disturb you further. Guide Su, I wish you all the best in the Medical Department.”
With that, he turned and left the room. As his deep purple figure vanished through the door, his back looked somewhat lonely.
Yasuo followed suit.
“I’ll be going too. The Tower has assigned a new mission to Team 5. I need to go back and discuss it with the members.”
With the two noisy visitors gone, the room finally fell quiet, leaving only Su Tang, Mo Xiao, and An Se.
An Se slowly tidied the serums on the table.
“It was so noisy just now. This sudden silence is actually a bit hard to get used to.”
Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, An Se rubbed his nose awkwardly.
Although he had agreed to the transfer, Mo Xiao still felt a sense of loss. Seeing him sitting with his head down and silent, Su Tang wasn’t in the mood to chat with An Se either. She stared at Mo Xiao, equally silent.
“Fine, you two stay here. I’m going to check on Zhan Ye. That guy’s been locked up for so many days; he’s probably bored out of his mind.”
An Se thoughtfully closed the door for them.
As the door clicked shut, the room was insulated from the outside world. Only Su Tang and Mo Xiao remained, and the air seemed to grow thick and heavy.
Mo Xiao still had his head down, his bangs obscuring the emotions in his eyes. Only the tight line of his lips betrayed his reluctance.
Su Tang looked at his dejected profile and felt a slight tug at her heart. She slowly walked over to him, crouched down, and looked up at his face.
“Are you unhappy?”
“No.”
The man answered quickly, yet he still refused to lift his head.
Su Tang looked at his stubborn, “duplicitous” act and couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh.
“Mo Xiao, you’re the one who brought me back. If I hadn’t met you in the pollution zone, I might have been swallowed whole by those entities long ago. The bond between us is something no one else can replace.”
Su Tang’s voice was very soft, yet it was like a stone dropped into a lake, sending ripples through Mo Xiao’s heart. He finally lifted his head slowly. The disappointment hadn’t fully faded from his eyes, but it was now joined by a deep sense of being moved.
“I know.”
His voice was a bit hoarse, and his fingers curled unconsciously.
“But I still feel…”
He felt unreconciled. She was the Guide he had recognized, yet she had to hide in the Medical Department to avoid conflict. He felt lost, but he knew this was best for her, so he couldn’t bring himself to refuse.
“Don’t worry, Mo Xiao. Me being in the Medical Department is only temporary. I don’t believe we will be under the White Tower’s thumb forever. One day, I’ll return to Team 1.”
“To me, Team 1 is my first home in this world.”
She had transmigrated here in a state of confusion, and it was Mo Xiao who brought her from the pollution zone to the safety of the White Tower. From her initial anxiety to her current adaptation, Mo Xiao had always been by her side. If a person needed a harbor to call their own in this world, then for her, Team 1 was that first home.
Su Tang’s voice was gentle, yet it was like a warm current instantly surging through Mo Xiao’s entire body.
He snapped his head up, his disappointment replaced by massive shock and emotion. Even his breathing hitched.
Mo Xiao’s Adam’s apple bobbed heavily. A thousand words were stuck in his throat, eventually melting into two hoarse words.
“Su Tang…”
He reached out, carefully pulling her up from the floor and pulling her into a tight embrace.
He held her with such force it was as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones, yet the moment he touched her back, he immediately lightened his hold, terrified of causing her even the slightest bit of pain.
Su Tang avoided the injured areas on Mo Xiao’s body and gently patted the man’s shoulder.
“I’m here. I have to go home eventually. Until then, please take good care of our home, okay?”
“Okay.”
Mo Xiao’s voice carried a heavy nasal tone. He buried his face in Su Tang’s hair, greedily inhaling her scent. The unique, clear sweetness belonging to the woman filled his chest, allowing his tense nerves to finally relax completely.
Standing outside the door, An Se listened to the sounds inside and tilted his head slightly, a small smile appearing on his lips.
“Home, huh?”
That was a word he hadn’t heard in a very long time.
For people like them, it was such a strange yet damnably warm concept.
Most people in the White Tower had grown up under rigorous training since childhood. The word “home” had long been buried under layers of missions, ranks, and responsibilities—like a dusty old relic that was rarely mentioned.
Hearing Su Tang describe her relationship with Team 1 in that way, he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of jealousy.
How did Mo Xiao get so lucky?
Realizing his thoughts were drifting, An Se shook his head and turned to walk toward the confinement room.
The reason he gave for leaving wasn’t just an excuse. He had simply noticed Mo Xiao’s emotional instability and was afraid Su Tang wouldn’t be able to handle it if something happened, so he had lingered for a bit.
Zhan Ye had been locked up for days. Given that guy’s impatient personality, he was likely reaching his limit. If An Se didn’t go check on him soon, he might just tear down the walls of his treatment room.
Recommended Reads
