Solflare: The Painter's Secret-Chapter 137: The One Who Returned, The One Who Didn’t

Two days flew by, and the air in the Agatha Special Force remained chilled.

Lu Wang conducted all the groups and the soldiers into tasks, some continuing their normal tasks while the rest joined in fighting against real-world threats.

Black Ops groups jumped in joy as they got chosen to take part in fighting against the real-world threats.

On the night of the third day, as all the soldiers in operation moved to their various craft, every face turned pale.

In the sky, just below the Orion constellation, the extraction craft appeared, moving at great speed.

"Give way!" A red-haired soldier paddled, pushing all those standing on the road aside.

As air blasted on the ground when the craft lowered to the ground, Tiger stood by the side of an MRAP, his hands folded at his chest.

"Do you think they found him?" Bao Xiong closed in and placed an elbow on Tiger’s shoulder.

Tiger didn’t say a word; he simply turned a sharp gaze at Bao Xiong.

"What?" Bao Xiong removed his elbow, then took two steps back. "My bad, I know I’ve been asking this all the time."

He locked gazes with Tiger, then moved past him, waving his hand in the air. "I’m heading inside."

’Damn, why did he look at me with that stare?’ Bao Xiong turned his head slightly toward Tiger’s direction while thoughts rammed in his mind.

As the ramp of the extraction craft tore open, followed by a burst of oxygenated air, Tiger’s folded arms loosened and moved to his sides.

The bones in his legs rattled across his skin, forcing him to move a step back, while his eyes vibrated in their sockets.

More soldiers left their post, then stopped by the front of the extraction craft, bowing.

From within the craft, Hei Yung and Hei Luo exited. The soldiers’ bodies trembled when they saw part of the lieutenant’s clothes torn, blood dressing their bodies like a second skin.

’What happened there?’

That was the thought ramming in every head as their saluted stance loosened.

Behind Hei Luo, Wu Ze and the remaining soldiers that joined the search followed, clicking sounds echoing as the heels of their boots moved from the metal ground to the granite.

’Why did I even feel some fear? I knew they wouldn’t find him there.’ Tiger’s expression changed back to a welcoming one when all the soldiers exited.

When the last soldier exited, a body exited, turning every face pale.

Leon exited, the red cloth wrapped around his face. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The chilled air of the Agatha Special Force warmed the moment he stepped foot on the granite ground.

"At last, I’m back into the human world." Leon exhaled sharply, breeze evaporating from the cloth.

Wu Ze turned, smiled at the boy, then gestured at him. "Remove the cloth."

Leon obeyed, removed the cloth, then followed her directions as he and Wu Ze followed Hei Yung and Hei Luo.

Whispers clung around Leon as he moved from the craft and entered into the saluting soldiers.

"Did he really chase the Ironhide into their nests?"

"How come he doesn’t have any limb torn? No one gets back alive. And he came back fully intact?!"

Entering the building in which they were stationed, Hei Yung and Hei Luo stood at the gate and watched the boy and Wu Ze enter.

"Leon," Hei Luo gestured to the boy, "come into my office early before the first operation commences."

Leon nodded, then turned to his bed.

An Lang stood up from Leon’s bed, looked at the boy as if he was now a demon, then moved to his own bed.

For Liu Yan, she was happily swimming in her dream, thinking about meeting Leon and hugging him.

"I need to wash myself." Leon’s nose twitched. "I smell like shit." He teased himself, then entered into the washroom.

Standing under the shower, the faces of the Ironhide Lizard, the Titanium-Skinned Soul Eater, and Hei Yung’s fighting form reeled across Leon’s eyelids.

"It’s good he came for my rescue, else I would have been a meal." He exhaled sharply, then swung the handle of the shower.

Leon’s eyes closed as the water rained on him, clearing the dust that had turned his jet-black hair dark brown, and washed his skin clean.

Back in the room, Wu Ze stood up from her bed, walked to where Leon had placed the red cloth, then grabbed it.

"This is soft. How come he was able to inhale the poisonous air without getting affected?" She gave the cloth a thorough scan, then placed it back in the same angle when the water-dripping sound stopped.

Entering back into the room, wearing only a black boxer, Leon saw Wu Ze moving away from his bed and nearing hers.

The night passed like smoke.

Everyone in each of the groups remained restless, thinking about how that boy survived the Ironhide Nest of Sector 8 of the Chaos City.

In Hei Yung’s room, he stood by the front of a portrait. And on the portrait, Hei Yung brushed his palms across the face of Lieutenant Alanna.

"Alanna," Hei Yung spoke the name out loud, tears dripping from his eyes.

Lieutenant Alanna was classified as one of the best fighters and wielders of ancient-like powers in the Country of Agatha.

She fought alongside Hei Yung, Hei Luo, and Lu Wang after Andrew Storm retired. Being the only lady among the three strong men, her strength was unmatched, not even when all three men came together.

But at that same wall where Leon had stood was the spot she met her death. The Titanium-Skinned Soul Eater played a part in killing her after she spent only two days in the Ironhide Nest.

Hei Yung moved away from the portrait, the lieutenant’s image reeling across his eyes, almost as if it was now part of him.

Even as sleep took over his senses, Hei Yung’s mind played the memories he and the lieutenant shared, not as partners but as lovers.