Han Xiao's lips were trembling fiercely. Why? Well, Ringo was still eating!
-There won't be enough food left to last us until Stardragon if you keep this up. - Han Xiao finally couldn't help but say, despairing inwardly.
Ringo didn't care, tipping the bag of tasteless cookies into his mouth and chewing it all, letting out a long sigh of happiness. - Relax, we can hunt, like a mutant deer or something.
The thought of hunting something, a thing he had never done before, excited him.
-Yeah? The noise of the car will drive anything away for miles. - Han Xiao sighed. - Besides, mutant beasts are very rare in this area and we're still being chased.
Ringo paused for a moment, thoughtful. - Yeah, you're right. - He shrugged and put away the rest of the food, feeling saddened. It had been so long since he'd been able to enjoy anything other than protein bars and vitamin solutions, both of which tasted like cardboard.
Even the saltine crackers he normally despised were delicious now.
After a few moments of silence, only the sound of the engine, the wind hitting the windshield, and the wheels sliding across the dirt floor could be heard.
Ringo looked around, his shifty eyes slowly focusing on the green surroundings instead of the hospital white, the air smelling of mud and grass... he felt peace for a moment and a little unreal, everything he had passed on Germinal seemed to contrast with the current scenery, thinking about that place, his eyes that seemed to calm down became shifty and bloodshot again.
He couldn't help but say with a sadistic smile. - Why don't we set up an ambush?
Han Xiao's lips trembled, but when he opened his mouth, he closed it again the next moment. If it were just him, that would be stupid, but with Ringo... Han Xiao looked at Ringo with narrowed eyes, thoughtful.
In the original novel, Han Xiao also set up an ambush, but it was purely for revenge and also because the attack was unexpected. After all, the group was returning along a path they had recently passed, and they didn't think Han Xiao would have the courage to follow them and counterattack.
So there was an element of surprise that gave Han Xiao the advantage, but it was also stupid considering he was a mechanic and a low level. If it weren't for his years of experience playing Galaxy, Han Xiao would have died horribly.
Besides the fact that Hila could be with the group, even at only Rank E, Hila was extremely difficult to deal with on this planet without psychics and mages, all her attacks dealt true damage and psychic damage.
In the end, it was his desire for revenge that drove him to act. Ringo thought Han Xiao, despite being an idiot, was more emotional at the time. But in the future, he would lose much of that and begin to see profit as 90% of the reason for everything. Emotionalism only worked with a select group of friends and even those friends could be used if necessary.
One could live or die around him, it all depended on usefulness.
That's why, although Ringo liked Han Xiao's personality, because he was basically the same type of person, at least very similar, he had no interest in becoming Han's best friend, but he also had no interest in distancing himself from him. After all, he could be useful in the future, he just needed the right mindset to befriend him.
In other words, as close as brothers and as distant as strangers, everything depends on gains and losses.
-It's not a bad idea, but you have no training, and if someone very strong comes along, it will be a problem.
Ringo shrugged, calming down quickly, it was just an idea. He looked at Han Xiao, his eyes narrowed in thought, making Han Xiao nervous again. He couldn't help but ask. -What?
-You're a mechanic, aren't you? - Ringo asked lightly.
-Yes? - Han Xiao replied with a question, feeling confused about where this was going.
-Well, you can build a combat suit, like the ones in the mecha movies?! - Ringo's eyes sparkled, imagining himself dressed in a steel suit, but he really just wanted to tease Old Han, he knew the man was far from that ability.
Han Xiao's lips trembled, inwardly thinking. - "If I could build one, I'd build one for myself!"
-No. - He finally replied, trying not to roll his eyes and scoff.
-Tsk, boring. - Ringo scoffed mercilessly, then he leaned back in the seat, restrained by the seatbelt, leaned his head back, and soon began to snore.
Han Xiao's eyes widened, seeing him fall asleep in a second, and he thought. - "What kind of divine technique is this?! Can I learn it?"
--x--
-Ringo, I'm leaving. - the misty female figure said to the child.
-B-but you can't go! Please don't go. - The little boy's voice pleaded, crying, sounding desperate.
The darkened figure smiled at him. He was shocked, it was the first time he'd seen her smile. She bent down and rubbed his head lightly. -Ringo, I have to go, but if you find me, I promise not to run away again.
Ringo was still crying, sniffling heavily. He looked at the figure, his eyes hard. - Emma... I promise, I'll find you, then... then... then I'll marry you. - the child said, his face flushed.
The darkened figure laughed, stroking his hair. - Well, I'll wait for you.
--x--
The sound of a gunshot rang out as Ringo opened his eyes. His pupils shrank sharply, and a snarl escaped his throat, his face contorted with rage.
The dream was still leaving him numb. He'd had this dream hundreds of times since waking up in this world, but he could barely remember her face. Even so, he always felt a sense of loss when he woke up, every time.
Many of his memories were hazy, but he felt it was important, extremely important. No matter how hard he tried, this scene wouldn't leave his mind, almost as if his brain was fighting against him.
Waking up in these moments, as he tried to see more of her face, always made him furious.
-We have company. - Han shouted, cocking his gun. The car had already stopped at some point while he was asleep.
Ringo didn't respond. He stood up and looked at the dark forest. A shot rang out, hitting him squarely in the forehead. His head didn't move, only a red mark still emitting faint smoke remained on his forehead. His eyes focused and as Han Xiao jumped out of the car, Ringo scoffed and sped off toward the dark forest.
He could see them hiding in the woods, aiming their rifles and firing against him, he could hear their hurried footsteps and pounding hearts, he could smell the gunpowder, rubber, leather, steel, and... fear.
A brutal growl escaped his mouth as his energy surged. His body rapidly underwent changes. His legs and arms lengthened like a cheetah's. His body seemed to wither as it thinned, leaving his muscles compact as stone. His nails thickened and lengthened to about four inches, completely sharp.
With this change, his movement accelerated even more. Like a leopard, he streaked through the forest so fast he seemed a shadow to the group of Night Owls.
His claws sliced through the neck of the man closest to him. His head flew off, but Ringo's figure had already moved in another direction.
-Fuck off, monster! Shoot him! - One of them widened his eyes in fear, pointing his gun at him, each one filled with high-caliber rifle bullets.
Pawh! Pawh! Pawh!
Shots rang out, while the men screamed, whether in fear or excitement. Ringo didn't care, but none of them could hurt him. Even if they hit his eye, he could heal in no time and could still fight with just his hearing in the meantime.
Han Xiao swallowed hard as he watched the battle end in a few seconds, the group completely decimated. Ringo returned to normal, his face still angry. He spat on a corpse and kicked it, his face full of mockery before turning back to Han Xiao.
The Germinal Leader clearly didn't know how much he had grown to send these idiots.
Han Xiao put away his gun, still sweating, looked at him and said, - Remind me not to wake you up.
Ringo snorted derisively and didn't comment. He looked out at the dense forest and the night sky, then said. - I have night vision, I'll drive. You can sleep, but first, let's get some supplies from these guys.
Han Xiao didn't object. Han Xiao took the men's weapons and useful equipment, and Ringo followed their scent to a nearby clearing with a few parked Jeeps. He grabbed the food and anything useful, like gas, even sucking the tank dry with a hose to fill some empty cans.
He returned half an hour later, dragging a huge bag of supplies. Han Xiao had already finished, sitting in the passenger seat.
He put his things away and got into the driver's seat. He looked at Han Xiao and asked. - Where to?
-I have no idea. I only drove in one direction. - Han Xiao shrugged.
Ringo rolled his eyes, started the car, and drove on. Like Han Xiao, his driving was swift, but while Old Han was like a leopard accelerating with speed yet dexterity, he was like a raging bull, charging forward and hitting everything that wouldn't completely damage the car.
He wasn't the best driver, Han Xiao realized that quickly, but his evolution was taking effect. If it took years to master driving, he only needed a few hours.
Three hours later, Han Xiao finally trusted him enough to take a nap.