After Old Liu and the two others joined Cross Street, they were assigned to live in a nearby courtyard.
Everyone in this courtyard was from China, and when they learned that Old Liu was Chen Ting's husband, their gazes towards him were somewhat complex.
Almost everyone in the courtyard knew about Chen Ting's illness.
Indeed, since their reunion, Chen Ting had fallen ill four or five times within a single day, so how could anyone in the same courtyard not know?
In the following days, Old Liu accompanied Chen Ting, and they had to visit Tiancun Xinzhi every day because Xiao Zhe's appearance could not be maintained for an entire day.
After more contact with Tiancun Xinzhi, Old Liu learned that she was also the woman of Dongcheng Xiuwu, the Deputy Leader of Cross Street.
He heard that she often bothered Dongcheng Xiuwu to take Chen Ting with him when he went on missions.
Cross Street would organize combat teams based on members' awakened abilities for daily exploration and monster hunting outside the town.
Chen Ting was already a member of a combat team; as Tanaka Nobuko said, since she had to go on missions anyway, following Dongcheng Xiuwu was safer.
Old Liu initially truly believed this and kept thanking Tiancun Xinzhi.
But when he and Chen Ting were assigned to the same team and went on several missions together, he realized that in the eyes of that Deputy Leader, Chen Ting was nothing more than a useful tool.
Before each mission, Dongcheng Xiuwu would give Chen Ting a bottle of potion, which was said to temporarily boost the power of her ability.
Old Liu wanted to ask about it, but Chen Ting unexpectedly took the potion as if it were a common occurrence and drank it in one gulp.
In the subsequent battles, Old Liu indeed witnessed the power of that potion.
The number of puppets Chen Ting produced almost doubled, and they became the vanguard against the monsters.
Sometimes, even A Zhe had to participate in combat.
When A Zhe fought, Chen Ting showed visible pain.
But no matter how Old Liu tried to persuade her, Chen Ting did not let A Zhe retreat from the battlefield, and her reason also surprised Old Liu.
"No, no, Doctor Tanaka said to listen to that man, otherwise A Zhe won't be able to grow up healthy."
It was only at this moment that Old Liu realized that in the eyes of Dongcheng Xiuwu and Tanaka Nobuko, A Zhe was merely a tool to control Chen Ting.
Tragically, because of A Zhe, Chen Ting was content with all of this.
What was even more outrageous was that after the battle, if Old Liu hadn't spoken up, the others had no intention of sharing the obtained materials and Black Crystal with Chen Ting.
Although Chen Ting eventually received some spoils, Old Liu clearly heard someone muttering as they turned away...
"So troublesome, do we still have to share with this madwoman in the future?"
Madwoman?
Heh, madwoman?
Old Liu almost got into a fight with that person.
It was at that instant that he realized Chen Ting had never received the spoils she deserved in the past.
From this moment on, Old Liu decided to take Chen Ting away from Cross Street as soon as possible.
After a certain mission, Old Liu also voluntarily asked to drink the potion Dongcheng Xiuwu gave Chen Ting; that potion could indeed stimulate abilities.
After breaking through Black Iron Four Star, Old Liu's Floating ability could already be applied to objects.
After drinking the potion, he felt that the weight of objects he could "float" doubled; even a boulder weighing hundreds of kilograms, he could make it float.
As long as he then released the ability and let it freefall, he could achieve an effective attack.
However, after that time the potion wore off, Old Liu felt his mind become very hazy; like he was drunk, he vaguely took out the life-saving Lianxin Crossbow from his backpack and fired a "Lianxin" at a monster.
After returning from that mission, Old Liu found the Chinese people in the same courtyard and inquired about that potion.
It turned out that it was the work of a Pharmacist from Cross Street, capable of temporarily squeezing an individual's ability potential, but a side effect was that it could easily cause permanent mental damage to the brain.
In reality, everyone was very reluctant to go on missions with the Deputy Leader, precisely because they didn't want to become sacrifices to this kind of potion.
"Permanent mental damage?"
Hearing this, Old Liu was furious; he finally understood why Chen Ting's illness had developed into this state in such a short time.
But he quickly calmed down, understanding that a behemoth like Cross Street was not something he could deal with.
"What do you have to protect your family?"
This sentence, spoken by Chen Bugu when they first entered the forest, turned into a bullet that only now struck him.
But if he couldn't provoke them, he could at least avoid them.
Old Liu decided not to wait any longer; as soon as Lin Ye and Wang Bin returned from their mission, they would discuss how to leave this place.
Staying in town was not safe; the best way was to run to the abandoned buildings Chen Bugu had mentioned, and then wait for their group to meet up there.
At that time, he would trouble Lin Lin to use Holy Light to treat Chen Ting; he really couldn't trust anyone else.
Of course, because of A Zhe, Chen Ting might not be willing to go with him.
Before, he might have tried to take Tanaka Nobuko with them.
But now, he understood that the damn bitch, who claimed to be repaying his wife, was actually just using Chen Ting.
Old Liu had made up his mind: tomorrow, he would take Chen Ting to see Tanaka Nobuko one more time, and after stabilizing A Zhe's appearance, they would immediately leave town.
Just as Old Liu was thinking about how to implement the plan, he unexpectedly saw Dongcheng Xiuwu walk into their courtyard.
At that moment, Old Liu sat outside the house, and by some strange impulse, he had a bad premonition.
Dongcheng Xiuwu did not beat around the bush and immediately stated his purpose.
His goal was simple and crude—the Lianxin Crossbow.
During the day, Dongcheng Xiuwu had witnessed Old Liu's attack using "Lianxin."
He hoped to exchange a seven-star monster crystal for the Lianxin Crossbow in Old Liu's hand.
Old Liu secretly thought, "This is bad." Although Chen Bugu had warned him not to use the "Lianxin" ability easily in front of outsiders, he couldn't control himself at the time due to the potion's effect.
Clearly, Dongcheng Xiuwu had his eyes on the Lianxin Crossbow; perhaps during the day, he was deterred by the presence of other team members, which was why he came knocking tonight.
"I apologize, Deputy Leader, this weapon does not belong to me; it was merely left with me by a friend, and I have no right to trade it."
"How about two seven-star monster crystals?"
"I apologize..."
Old Liu still chose to refuse.
Along the way, only the last arrow obtained from the Great Disaster's treasure chest remained, and Old Liu had secretly gripped it in his hand at this moment.
If the situation turned bad, he would immediately float into the air and string the Crossbow.
"Is that so? That's truly a pity."
"However, Mr. Liu, since the last deal couldn't be made, let's discuss the next one."
Dongcheng Xiuwu changed the subject and continued.
"My beloved has used 'Painted Skin' so many times for your beloved; that fee hasn't been properly calculated yet."
"I see you don't have anything valuable on you. If you can't repay it with this green-grade Crossbow..."
This hypocritical Neon samurai, at this moment, drew his long blade. As the cold gleam reflected, his figure rapidly approached Old Liu, and the rest of his sentence drifted over.
"Then repay it with your life!"