Chapter 191: A Stupid Notion

The moment Hu Lan arrived, she and number twelve immediately fell on the ground. As expected, everyone who was sleeping outside approached the two, lifting them up and letting them sit in a chair.

"Hu Lan… you and number twelve… where have you been?" a woman asked as she glanced at Hu Lan's pitiful appearance. "You said earlier that you can make it back in six hours. It's more than twelve hours!"

"Hey… can you stop blaming her? She only helped me earlier… when she saw me wounded." Number twelve glared at the woman. He tried to reach out to Hu Lan's hands, trying to comfort her. But the latter turned her arms away, avoiding the latter's hands. The man only sighed in response. "Can you at least give us some water and food?"

"Twelve… we can only give you crackers. Miss Xi said to eat everything and we were really hungry. So… we ate everything." Someone from the back said.

"Then… at least let her rest inside the tent! She is wounded and tired."

"Did you return with a dry paper?"

"What paper?" Hu Lan frowned. "My feet hurt and something bit me in the leg, and yet you are thinking about a piece of paper?"

"Hu Lan… I think it is time that you curb down your arrogance." Ma Ping's face was dark as he approached them. "The mission was to keep the paper dry. If you made it here with dry paper, then you can sleep in a tent. Why would we care about your legs when everyone here is tired of running? We were lucky that Miss Xi didn't starve us because you were late." Ma Ping's sharp words made everyone silent.

Now that they thought about it, most trainings included a rule like that. A person could easily drag everyone down because of their stupidity. Luckily, Lyca wasn't working on their cooperation, or everyone would end up hungry and thirsty! With this in mind, most people started glaring at the two.

"Where is Mr. Hogan? I'm sure he will help me."

"Mr. Hogan had to leave. He will take care of our supplies while we are here." When Rue appeared, most people turned silent. "You two are alive… you can find your own food and a place to sleep tonight." She looked at Hu Lan's feet. "We are looking for experts, not people who tripped just from a small run."

"You— You do know that experts start from being weak, right?" the man who sat next to Hu Lan said.

"The rules are the rules twelve. We can't bend it because you were wounded. Hu Lan was already wounded because of a race that she lost with Xi. She still insisted to train with everyone and bragged that she can finish it in six hours. Her carelessness was the reason why this happened." Again, Cleo used the fake injury to roast Hu Lan. She glanced at the stupid woman and sent her a smug smile. For some reason, this Hu Lan loved using an injury as an excuse. Did she think people will pity her because of that?

Hu Lan's face turned red. This— This wasn't what she was expecting at all! She was expecting everyone to side with her! After all, she looked really pitiful right now. She was tired, hungry, and thirsty, and all she got was a smug smile? She lowered her head, biting her lower lip. She originally came here to try and gain sympathy. Make people think that Xi was bullying her because she was jealous!

Who would have thought that they were the ones who actually bullied her! And Xi is not even here, yet! She gritted her teeth inwardly. She had actually forgotten that these people were… people in the streets! Selfish criminals who were too young to go to prison so they only spent some time in a correctional facility and did some community service to get away with their crimes.

From thieves to drug users to alcohol addiction. Some of these were actually prostitutes! Hu Lan wondered why the boss actually allowed these people to work for him! These were selfish homeless young adults, and the reason why their selfish assess were here is that the boss pitied them.

Hu Lan's assessment made her feel a little better.

"Where is Miss Xi?"

"Sleeping," Cleo answered. "Because that's what people do when it's almost midnight. You should go and sleep too. Or you can find something to eat. A rat or snakes." She snorted and started walking away from the crowd.

"I want to see Miss Xi." Hu Lan uttered.

"Why do you want to see me?" Lyca's voice shattered the whispers. She looked at everyone. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you save your energy for tomorrow?" Almost immediately the crowd scattered, leaving Lyca with Rue, Hu Lan, and Number Twelve. "So you're still alive." She didn't hide the disappointment in her voice.

"Miss Xi… can you stop being so harsh with Hu Lan? She is wounded because of the training. Can we call some doctors perhaps a person that would help her?"

"I see… so you are actually this stupid." Lyca nodded. "No wonder she used you."

"That's not true! I never used anyone!"

"But you asked him to carry you, yes?" Lyca sat opposite them. From where she was, she could clearly see her tent where Shen Qui was waiting for her. She crossed her arms and looked at the stupid man. A hero complex at it's finest.

Not that she could blame him. Hu Lan is young and fit. She is also an enchanting woman. Any man — any stupid man would look past her nasty attitude and liked her.

"That— That was only because she was wounded."

"Is she?" Lyca smirked.

"Miss Xi, how could you treat Hu Lan like this. Can you just— "

"No." She shrugged. "You can, of course, carry her to the hospital. But don't expect me to welcome you two, tomorrow. The rules are made for everyone to adhere to. You are weak, and you use the excuse of a wound to bend the rules. Such a stupid notion." One of these days, she was really going to give this woman a wound she wouldn't be able to recover from.

Of course, this would be for later. Right now, she would enjoy watching the woman make a joke out of herself. This was just like the dramas that she was watching and she was planning to enjoy it.