Become a Knight Across the World

Chapter 303 Adopting Xu Yun

"See, I told you! Although Sister Lin Yue may seem cold, she actually has a very kind heart!" Yun Yi's tone carried a hint of pride, as if he had convinced Lin Yue. "Xiao Yun, just relax and stay here. Don't think too much. There's still plenty of porridge in the pot, so eat it while it's hot."

Xu Yun looked at the steaming bowl of meat porridge on the coffee table, which emitted an enticing aroma, and her stomach rumbled again.

She hesitated for a moment, but ultimately succumbed to hunger and her body's instincts, whispering, "Th...thank you." She took the bowl, carefully blowing on it to warm it, and began to eat in small bites. The warm porridge slid down her throat, dispelling a trace of the chill and fear, and allowing her tense nerves to relax slightly.

Yun Yi sat on a small stool next to her, watching Xu Yun wolf down her food while trying her best to restrain herself, and his heart softened even more: "Xiao Yun, are all these injuries on your body... really okay? Should we go to the hospital to get them checked out again?" He pointed to the bruises and abrasions on her arms, the wounds looking somewhat glaring under the light.

Xu Yun's movements suddenly stopped, her hand holding the spoon trembled slightly, and her eyes instantly filled with fear.

She shook her head vigorously, her voice trembling with tears: "No! I don't want to go to the hospital! I... I'm fine! Really! I just need to rest!" She instinctively huddled even tighter around herself.

Yun Yi was startled by her intense reaction and quickly reassured her, "Okay, okay, I won't go! Don't get agitated! Just rest at home!" He was even more certain that this girl named Xiao Yun must have encountered something very bad. "Then you should rest first. I'll go get you a clean towel to wipe your face."

Watching Yun Yi get up and head to the bathroom, Xu Yun, clutching her bowl of porridge, finally couldn't hold back her tears, which fell in large drops into the bowl.

This unfamiliar place, this sunny boy, and that cold but kind older sister who allowed her to stay... all made her feel a faint, unreal warmth for the first time after experiencing hellish despair.

But this warmth only made her more terrified. She was afraid that the monster inside her would harm them, afraid that the Knights Guild would find her here, afraid of that terrible stitched monster... Fear and exhaustion were like heavy shackles, and after finishing her porridge, she unconsciously leaned back on the sofa and fell into a deep sleep.

When Yun Yi came out with a hot towel, he saw Xu Yun curled up on the sofa, tears still clinging to the corners of her eyes, her breathing becoming even and deep.

He sighed, gently tucked the blanket around her, turned off the main light in the living room, leaving only a dim nightlight by the sofa.

…………

Meanwhile, at the Z City Knights Association's temporary safe zone, the atmosphere was as oppressive as the deathly silence before a storm.

Lu Feng, Chen Gang, and Lin Xiao were gathered around the control panel. The screen displayed a city map, with several flashing red dots marking the approximate area where Xu Yun's residual energy had last disappeared. Zhuang Changwu's serious face occupied another split screen.

“The tracking signal completely disappeared at the edge of the old city,” Lin Xiao’s voice was tired and frustrated. “That area has a high population density, many blind spots in surveillance, and… there seems to be some kind of powerful interference source remaining, completely shielding her energy signature. We’ve lost our target.”

"The source of the interference?" Zhuang Changwu frowned on the screen. "Can you pinpoint the source? Is it a contingency plan left by Slu?"

"Energy property analysis is underway, but preliminary assessments indicate... it's extremely advanced." Lu Feng pointed to the complex data graphs, his tone grave, "It's as clean as if it's been wiped clean by the highest-grade eraser."

"Damn it! Where did that girl go?!" Chen Gang scratched his head in frustration. "The energy inside her is a time bomb! What if it gets out of control, or what if that stitched-together monster finds her..." He didn't dare to think any further.

"Intensify the search!" Zhuang Changwu said in a deep voice. "Focus on searching abandoned buildings, underground pipe networks, and... any places that might be sheltering homeless people in the old city! At the same time, notify the Z City police, under the pretext of assisting in the investigation, and ask them to keep an eye out for any injured homeless girls who match Xu Yun's description recently! But be careful not to reveal her dangerousness! Just say she is an important witness!"

"Understood!" the three replied in unison.

"I'll come over as soon as I finish what I'm doing here," Zhuang Changwu emphasized finally. "Until I arrive, you must stabilize the situation! We absolutely cannot let Xu Yun fall into the hands of unknown forces, and we absolutely cannot let the power within her go out of control and harm innocent people!"

The communication ended. Zhuang Changwu looked at the shadowy area on the screen that represented the blind spot in the search; it seemed somewhat familiar.

It seems Lin Yue lives in this area. I wonder if she knows about these things?

…………

On a weekend morning, Xu Yun woke up on the sofa, feeling a moment of confusion.

The unfamiliar surroundings, the soft blanket covering her, and the faint lingering aroma of food in the air... Memories of last night flooded back like a tide. She sat up abruptly.

The living room was quiet, with only slight noises coming from the kitchen. She carefully lifted the blanket; the pain from her wounds had lessened considerably after a night's rest, but the deep-seated exhaustion and the terrifying, dormant power within her remained vivid.

"Xiaoyun, you're awake?" Yunyi, wearing an apron and holding a spatula, poked his head out of the kitchen with a warm smile on his face. "Go wash up quickly, breakfast will be ready soon! The bathroom is over there, I've prepared a new toothbrush and towel for you." He pointed in the direction of the bathroom.

Xu Yun nodded somewhat awkwardly and followed Yun Yi's directions into the clean and tidy bathroom. Looking at her pale, haggard, and bruised face in the mirror, and thinking about how Yun Yi and Lin Yue had taken her in, a mixture of gratitude, guilt, and intense unease surged within her.

She quickly washed up and returned to the living room, where Yunyi had already set breakfast on the small table: simple fried eggs, toast, and milk.

"Um...where is that lady?" Xu Yun asked softly, glancing at the still tightly closed door.

“Oh, her,” Yun Yi waved his hand and lowered his voice, “Sister Lin Yue likes to sleep in on weekends, without fail. Let’s eat quietly and not disturb her.” He made a shushing gesture.

Xu Yun nodded and, at Yun Yi's invitation, sat down awkwardly at the dining table. The aroma of the food temporarily eased her worries, and she ate quietly.

While eating, Yun Yi chatted enthusiastically with Xu Yun, trying to put her at ease, asking her trivial questions about school life and hobbies. Xu Yun mostly just lowered her head and responded quietly, or shook her head.

Breakfast was served in a quiet, slightly reserved atmosphere. Xu Yun ate her fried egg in small bites, while Yun Yi tried to find topics to talk about, attempting to lighten the mood.

“A new milk tea shop opened next to our school. I heard it’s pretty good. Maybe we can go sometime…” Yun Yi stopped mid-sentence when he caught sight of Xu Yun’s faded school uniform, with frayed cuffs and mud on it.

He quickly finished his breakfast in a few bites, stood up and said, "Xiaoyun, you eat first. I'm going out for a bit, I'll be right back!" With that, he hurriedly put on his shoes and rushed out the door.

Xu Yun was left alone in the quiet living room, with only the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks. She watched Yun Yi disappear through the doorway, then looked down at her worn-out clothes and silently put down her spoon.

Not long after, the door lock turned, and Yunyi returned, panting, carrying two bags with the logo of a nearby affordable clothing store.

"Here you go!" He shoved the bag onto the table in front of Xu Yun, a slightly embarrassed smile on his face. "I noticed your clothes... well, they're not very convenient to change into. I just bought two pieces, both basic styles, the sizes should be about right, you can make do with these for now!"

Xu Yun was stunned. Looking at the brand-new T-shirt and soft fabric of the sweatpants peeking out of the bag, a strong sour feeling suddenly rushed to her nose.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say "no need," wanting to say "I'm fine in my old clothes," but her throat felt like it was blocked, and she couldn't utter a single word. Tears welled up unexpectedly, swirling in her eyes.

Since my mother passed away, no one has ever cared so purely about what she needed.

"Don't...don't cry!" Yun Yi panicked when he saw her eyes redden. "Is it...that you don't like it? Or is the size wrong? I..."

"No...no!" Xu Yun shook her head forcefully, her voice choked with emotion. "Thank you...thank you, Brother Yunyi..." She lowered her head, her fingers gripping the edge of the bag tightly, as if she had grasped the only real warmth in this cold world.

"Hey... don't be like that, we're about the same age." Yun Yi said shyly. "I don't know your size, I don't know if the clothes will fit, you should try them on!"

"Uh-huh!"