Max Level Return—I'll Protect That Fragile One

Huo Wen’an knew she was doing it on purpose, but he said nothing, just watching her smoke.

The smoke was not smoke; it was Xu Xingguang’s hair, fingers, every part of her body.

Xu Xingguang found it strange, and when she looked up at the virtual screen, she saw Huo Wen’an sitting on a scarlet sofa, with a small full-moon-shaped bedside lamp glowing behind him.

In the dim light, Huo Wen’an’s profile appeared cold and sharp, his high nose reflected a bit of the lamp’s light, and the cigarette butt he bit in his mouth alternated between deep and light colors.

Just like Huo Wen’an, when he spoke to her with a playful smile, he always made her feel like he was a harmless good young man. But when he put away his smile and looked at people with lowered eyes, the overwhelming, terrifying aura he exuded made one’s soul shudder.

He was attractive.

Attractive and dangerous.

Xu Xingguang stared at Huo Wen’an’s face for a while, then her gaze slightly shifted to his right arm. He lay there lazily, yet the muscles on his right arm were pronounced, as if he was intensely focused on doing something.

A thought flashed through Xu Xingguang’s mind that made her whole body tingle.

”Xingguang,” Huo Wen’an said, ”call my name.”

”...”

Xu Xingguang’s face inexplicably warmed.

Although she didn’t have the experience of a seasoned warrior, she had lived as a man for several lives and understood Huo Wen’an’s predicament at this moment.

Xu Xingguang softly called, ”Xiao An.”

The man in the video was visibly stunned, then his expression slightly changed, and his gaze at her became burning, difficult to hide the possessiveness and madness.

Xu Xingguang lifted a leg, putting her rounded toes on the bedside cabinet as she bent over and carefully applied body lotion from her calf to her thigh.

The actions were normal, without deliberate implication, yet enough to make Huo Wen’an giddy.

Huo Wen’an’s right arm muscles twitched, and his voice, somewhat muffled and deep with the cigarette between his lips, said, ”Call again.”

Xu Xingguang put down her leg, folded her arms, and leaned against the cabinet, staring straight at the virtual screen, as if a fire was burning inside. ”Xiao An, what are you doing?”

Xiao An, Xiao An.

Each call of Xiao An seemed to dream back to the Xia Country Era.

At that time, in private, when Lin Piaopiao doted on him most, she would call him Xiao An.

Huo Wen’an looked at Xu Xingguang, as if seeing the Female War God Lin Piaopiao from 2,200 years ago.

That woman was decisive and ruthless on the battlefield, unkind, yet doted on him but unwilling to give him more love.

”Loving you.”

The word love was one that Divine Hidden Crane had never had the courage to say to Lin Piaopiao.

Once said, it would truly be over.

”Okay.” Xu Xingguang nodded, not appearing to be angered by Huo Wen’an’s offense.

Huo Wen’an looked at her but felt it was never enough.

Xu Xingguang waited patiently, quietly.

After a while, when she saw that he still didn’t remove the cigarette from his mouth, and his arm muscles remained tense, she was somewhat surprised.

How long has it been?

”Say something.” Huo Wen’an said again, ”Something to make me happy.”

The current Huo Wen’an was no longer the frail one; his health improved, and so did his physical fitness. He used to feel weak when doing things, but now he felt lively.

Xu Xingguang stared deeply at him for a moment, noticing the annoyance in his brows, and guessed his current situation.

She said, ”Xiao An, I love you.”

The annoyance between Huo Wen’an’s brows instantly faded, turning into a gentle and refreshing breeze. His arm muscles tensed for a moment before completely relaxing.

Huo Wen’an used his left hand to remove the cigarette from his teeth, sat up straight, and as his face approached the camera, a faint sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Xu Xingguang felt a bit regretful.

If she were there, she would surely help wipe away the sweat drop by drop.

Xu Xingguang turned to walk to the desk, picked up the unfinished half glass of water, drank it, and only then did she speak calmly, ”I met Xiao Yuan.”

Huo Wen’an had not yet calmed down.

He maintained the leaning posture for a while before saying, ”That kid must have been overjoyed to see you.”

”He cried.”

”As expected.” To reunite with the one most cared for, not just He Yuanhang, even he once almost shed tears of joy.

”Where are you?” Xu Xingguang asked, ”Are you outside the city or up in the mountains?”

”Sailing at sea.” Huo Wen’an bent down to pick up the tissue from the floor, went into the bathroom, and came out after a while. ”Let me show you.”

Huo Wen’an walked out of the cabin, stood on the deck, and adjusted the Intelligent Brain Terminal’s camera angle to let Xu Xingguang appreciate the scenery in front of him from his perspective.

It was a vast sea, the black water rippling under the moonlight, the crescent moon hanging in the sky and hidden among the waves.

The sky full of stars adorned the night, like glitter scattered over the dark brilliance, shining brightly and winding.

Huo Wen’an reached out, grabbed towards the sky with his five fingers, and said, ”Caught it.”

Xu Xingguang chuckled, ”Where is this?”

”Bai Ze Island.” Another name Xu Xingguang hadn’t heard of.

Xu Xingguang switched to a search app, just about to search for Bai Ze Island, but Huo Wen’an told her, ”Bai Ze Island is an island at the junction of the three continents of the Divine Martial Realm. It’s a favorite place for criminals and some phantom thieves, and also a favored spot for top Super Power Users.”

Xu Xingguang understood the reason criminals and phantom thieves frequented Bai Ze Island but didn’t understand why Super Power Users did. ”Why do Super Power Users like to go there?”

Huo Wen’an sat on the railing, staring at the distant outline of the mountains, his eyes devoid of any warmth.

”Because here, it’s their paradise for revelry and releasing twisted human nature.”

Xu Xingguang insightfully pointed out, ”Not just that, right?”

”Mm.” Huo Wen’an said, ”The place where I was imprisoned for three years is on Bai Ze Island. Those Super Power Users kept us locked up like beasts. After all these years, I plan to revisit the old place.”

As for how to tour it, it all depended on Huo Wen’an’s mood.

Xu Xingguang was silent for a moment before saying, ”I’ll take leave to accompany you.”

”Accompany me?” Huo Wen’an doubted his hearing. ”Accompany me for what?”

”Mm, accompany you.” Xu Xingguang headed towards the wardrobe, saying, ”To kill them.”