Chapter 76: Chapter 76: A Bit Too Coincidental?

"Let’s go, it’s time."

Kloer patted the little Mixed Breed next to him, who was diligently taking work notes.

Alex, wanting to improve Gu Ning’s writing skills, had her take notes while she worked with Kloer. Then, every morning during her lessons in his office, she would give him the notes.

Gu Ning also tried her best not to use the terminal’s translator when taking notes.

"Not bad at all." Kloer leaned over to glance at Gu Ning’s notes and praised her. "You’re a fast learner. Your handwriting has gotten much better, too." As he spoke, he pointed out a few mistakes for her to correct.

Before, Gu Ning could only write short phrases to communicate with them, and often the sentences weren’t coherent. She would substitute words with drawings and strange symbols. They could understand her, but she still needed to learn to read and write properly.

Otherwise, it would be very inconvenient for her if she went with them to Zone 5 in the future.

Hearing Kloer’s words, Gu Ning thought to herself, ’To get rid of this translation earpiece sooner, I’ve been studying like crazy. I study late into the night after work every day, memorizing vocabulary lists in bed until I fall asleep at some point. Of course I’m learning fast.’

She didn’t want to be in a position where she couldn’t understand anything without the terminal’s translator, and she couldn’t guarantee she’d be able to rely on it forever.

The day her translation earpiece fell out had given her a sense of crisis.

In this strange and dangerous world, survival was her primary motivation.

The two of them walked toward the elevator as they talked.

Just then, Alex happened to be coming down in the elevator, and it stopped on their floor.

"What a coincidence, Boss." Kloer smiled when he saw Alex. "I was just about to take her home."

Alex gave a slight nod, his gaze falling on Gu Ning, who was clutching her notes. His expression softened. "Come in. I happen to have something to do downstairs as well."

Gu Ning looked up, her eyes meeting his. She paused for a moment before stepping into the elevator.

’I’ve run into Alex after work several days in a row now. Isn’t this too much of a coincidence?’

Kloer followed Gu Ning inside. "Boss, do you have this timed or something? How come every day..."

Alex reached out, gave Kloer a push, and cut him off in a flat voice, "Go inspect Zone D."

"Now?" Kloer was stunned. "Boss, Zone D isn’t my..."

Before he could finish, the elevator doors closed.

"..."

Kloer scratched his head as he watched the elevator descend. ’Didn’t the boss tell me to take the little Mixed Breed home?’

’He’d even said before that since the little Mixed Breed lived so close to the construction site, there was no point in going to the trouble of escorting her.’

’This little Mixed Breed can even take down people from the police station. She’s not nearly as weak as she looks. Why is the boss protecting her like she’s the apple of his eye?’

Kloer didn’t get it, but he still did as Alex said and headed for Zone D. On the way, he opened his terminal to check for a video.

"Why hasn’t Yuanbao posted a new video? It’s been days..."

...

When Gu Ning stepped out of the elevator, her foot sank into a dense, thick layer of snow.

The snowfall had lessened today, but after snowing for three or four consecutive days, the accumulation now came up past her knees.

A long, strong arm reached out from behind her, wrapped around her waist, and lifted her out of the snow, placing her on a stone block by the side.

"Wait a moment," Alex said, his voice close to her ear.

Gu Ning didn’t know what Alex was planning to do. She stood on the stone block and waited for two minutes, then saw Alex pull up in front of her in a small vehicle.

It was called a "small vehicle," but that was only relative to Alex’s size.

The vehicle was a bit like Barto’s small three-wheeler, but it was larger, and the tires were especially high, fitting for a Beastman’s build.

"Come on." Alex held out his hands to her. "The main gate is a bit far from here. It’s on my way, so I’ll give you a ride back."

Hearing it was on his way, Gu Ning thought, ’Isn’t that perfect?’

Kloer had been the one to take her home the past few days. Yesterday, the snow had been very thick, and she had struggled to move through it. Kloer couldn’t stand watching and had just hoisted her over his shoulder, which had scared her half to death.

Gu Ning felt too embarrassed to let Alex lift her, so she avoided his hands and climbed onto the back seat of his vehicle herself.

She was wearing the long, windproof coat Alex had given her, and she had to wriggle for quite a while before she was finally seated.

Alex saw her avoid his hands and silently withdrew them. He waited patiently for her to get settled, and only after seeing her grab onto his belt did he start the vehicle and drive toward the main gate.

Seeing that Alex’s vehicle could move through such thick snow, Gu Ning had an idea. ’Maybe I could borrow his vehicle for a spin?’

’I just got my driver’s license before I transmigrated. I can drive both four-wheeled and two-wheeled vehicles, so a small three-wheeler should be no problem.’

The defensive fortifications project was nearing completion, and the construction site was getting busier. She couldn’t keep troubling Kloer and Alex to take her home.

Especially Alex. He was the site manager and had a mountain of things to do every day. He was so busy he was always on his feet, without even a moment to catch his breath.

Besides, after moving to their new home, Barto came to the main gate to pick her up almost every day. She was much safer now than before.

With that in mind, Gu Ning took out a slip of paper, wrote down her thoughts, and clutched it in her hand, planning to give it to Alex when he stopped.

"Is there something you want to say to me?"

Gu Ning had just finished writing the note when Alex turned his head to speak to her. "Give it to me."

He was driving with one hand, and he reached back with his right.

Gu Ning hurriedly stuffed the note into his hand.

Alex took the note, glanced at it, and said, "This vehicle is too big. You won’t be able to drive it."

Gu Ning: ...Alright then.

Alex: "Wait another two days, and I’ll make you a smaller one. For the next couple of days, I can give you a ride back. It’s on my way, as I have to go to Zone A around this time to hand off some work anyway."

Gu Ning shook her head and wrote: No no, we have a small one

Barto’s small vehicle was the perfect size for her to drive, but it was too small to move through such thick snow.

After reading it, Alex didn’t say anything more.

A short while later, his vehicle arrived at the construction site’s main gate.

Gu Ning had intended to ask Alex to just stop here, but she didn’t see Barto’s conspicuous red figure.

’Huh? Barto isn’t here today?’

Gu Ning’s gaze swept around the area near the gate, but she still couldn’t see Barto. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

’Strange.’

Gu Ning opened her terminal to check. Barto hadn’t told her he wasn’t coming today.

She sent him a message asking where he was.

By the time she finished sending the message, Alex had already driven her to the base of her apartment building.

Since they were already at her place, Gu Ning thought for a moment. ’I should go up and check. Maybe Barto was busy or just didn’t feel like picking me up today and came back early.’

He had been unusually busy these past few days, sometimes heading out again right after bringing her home.

Alex waited until he saw Gu Ning go upstairs before leaving. As he walked to the side of the street, he glimpsed two Beastman figures loitering nearby in the distance.

They were Beastmen from the police station.

He opened his contact list and scrolled to Leighton’s name. After a moment of contemplation, he closed it.

...

Gu Ning returned to her apartment. The moment she opened the door, a large, greyish-white figure lunged at her, sweeping her clean off her feet into a hug.

Gu Ning was used to being greeted by Cook like this, but she thought, ’Has he gotten bigger again today?’

Cook smelled the scent of a wolf on Gu Ning. He bared his teeth slightly and, with a low grumble, began rubbing his own scent all over her. He didn’t let her go until he had been at it for a good while.

"Barto’s not back?" Gu Ning looked around the room but didn’t see Barto, so she asked Cook.

Cook shook his head.

Gu Ning opened her chat with Barto. He hadn’t replied to her message.

About ten minutes later, Barto finally sent a message asking her: [Where are you?]