Chapter 71 - SURPRISE TRIP

AFTER thinking about it, Luo Yan decided to still send a message to Shen Ji Yun.  He opened his Status Window and went to System Tab.  He then chose Chat and picked Private Message.  

Noctis: [Brother Ji Yun, I have a question regarding the tasks here in Arcadia.  I'd be very thankful if you could answer.  I'll be waiting for your reply.]

"Yan, what are you doing, just standing there?" Luo Jin asked.  He was already beside the carriage.

"Oh, sorry.  I just messaged Brother Ji Yun."

Luo Jin's brows furrowed when he heard his second brother mentioning that guy.  "Why are you sending message to that guy?"

Truthfully, he thought that guy would be loitering around them since he met up with his brother.  But it's been a week now and he hadn't seen even a shadow of the guy.  Maybe his first impression of him was actually inaccurate?  He shook his head.  No.  How could he be wrong?  That guy was probably just lurking in the dark, waiting for the right moment to bare his fangs.

Luo Yan looked at Luo Jin's little face with a sour expression.  He couldn't help but chuckle.  "Don't tell me you still think of Brother Ji Yun as some kind of bad guy?"

"I don't just think of it; I know he is."

"Ah Jin, even though I'm this pretty, that doesn't mean that every person who tries to talk to me has some kind of hidden motive." Besides, he could feel if the people around him had some kind of malicious intent towards him.  Even if just a tiny bit.  Probably the result of him constantly observing people during his last life.  And he didn't feel even the slightest bit of maliciousness from Shen Ji Yun.  "Besides, Brother Ji Yun is more like you, you know."

Luo Jin had an almost constipated expression when he heard his brother calling himself 'pretty' again.  But then that immediately turned to extreme annoyance when he heard the last part.  "What part of me is similar to that guy?"

Luo Yan smiled.  "You're both kind."

That's right, the two were both warm and kind on the inside despite the outward attitude they showed to people.  If Shen Ji Yun was an unmovable ice scone, then Luo Jin was like a prickly porcupine.

Luo Jin's face immediately turned red.  "W-what nonsense are you saying?"   

This was the first time he was called 'kind' by anyone.  With the way he'd been acting like a brat and a thug these past seven years, there's no way people would associate him with the word 'kind'.  Only this stupid brother of his would think so.   

Luo Yan smiled and just opened the door of the carriage.  Inside was a male NPC wearing rich clothing with matching expensive looking jewelries.  "Are you alright?"

"Of course I'm not!  We've been continuously attack since we left Olkdale.  My life was put in danger time and time again.  Just what are the two of you doing?" he bellowed.

Luo Jin felt like a vein in his forehead just popped.  This NPC had been constantly complaining since earlier.  It's really getting on his last nerves.  "Should I just hack this guy?"

"Now, now, just be patient.  He's just programmed like that after all," Luo Yan whispered to him.  "Let's just go and escort him quickly to his destination."

They closed the door carriage and sat on the driver's seat.  Then they set off once again.  

After two more ambushes, they finally arrived at their destination.  The merchant reluctantly gave them their rewards – EXP, crystal coins, and the skill book.   

Luo Jin opened the skill book and a light from the book entered his head.  After that, the skill book slowly turned into particles of light.  He opened his Skills Tab to check the information of his newly acquired skill.

Curve Shot

- A shot with a medium attack power.  If you shot it within 50 cm of the vicinity of the target, the bullet would curve and then hit your intended target.  Be sure your shot was within the range or else, it would just be considered as a missed shot. 

Level: 1

Cool Down: 10 seconds.

"Is it a good skill?" asked Luo Yan.

"Okay, I guess." He closed his Skills Tab.  "Let's log out.  It's almost time for dinner."

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After dinner, the four members of the Luo family were sitting at the living room.

"Xiao Yan, Xiao Jin, your older brother is going to do a surprise inspection tomorrow on a beach resort built by our company.  Do you two want to go with him and stay there for the weekend?" Luo Wei Tian suddenly said.

"I haven't been spending that much time with Yan Yan lately, I would be very happy if you could go with me," Luo Ren said.   

"I thought you're going there for a secret inspection?" Luo Jin inserted, giving their older brother a sideway glance.  "You're talking as if we're going there for vacation."

"I am going there for an inspection.  Does Xiao Jin think that I couldn't do my job while having fun with my lovely brothers?" Luo Ren asked, smiling at Luo Jin.

Luo Jin snorted.  "Who's your lovely brother?"

Luo Ren put his arm over Luo Yan's shoulder.  "Of course it's Yan Yan.  But you're right, I shouldn't associate the word 'lovely' with you.  Should I call you my temperamental brother?"

"Brother, that's not right.  Ah Jin is really lovely, you know," Luo Yan immediately said, adding to the teasing.  

"Ah, you mean in that game?  Well, I do admit Xiao Jin's, what do you call that?  Right, his game avatar is really cute.  It just gives you the urge the pinch his cheeks."

"Right?"

"Could the two of you just stop?" Luo Jin said, interrupting his two older brothers.

Their father suddenly cleared his throat.  "Xiao Yan, Xiao Jin, what's your decision?  Are you going with your brother?"

"Dad is not going with us?"

Luo Yan was indeed very excited when he first heard that he could go with his older brother to this beach resort.  After all, he hadn't gone anywhere since he was discharged from the hospital.  Well, except from that time when his brother graduated.  Then he realized that their father might not be going with them and his excitement died down a bit.

Going to a resort, he'd rather go there with the four of them.

"Dad is a bit busy and can't free up his schedule," Luo Wei Tian answered and then saw the disappointed expression on his second son's face.  "But I can go on a date with Xiao Yan next Sunday, if that's okay with you," he immediately added.

Luo Yan finally smiled.  "Okay!"

"Ah, how unfair.  A date alone with Yan Yan."

He hugged Luo Ren's arm.  "Brother doesn't have to be jealous.  After all, me and Luo Jin will spend the weekend with you."

Luo Ren sighed.  "But we have a third wheel with us."

"Well, sorry for being a third wheel," Luo Jin said with a big frown on his face.

Luo Ren chuckled.  "I'm only joking.  Of course I would also love to spend time with Xiao Jin.  You're also my lovely brother, after all," he said, winking at Luo Jin.

Luo Jin shivered.  "That's gross.  Stop that."

Luo Yan laughed because of the interaction of the two.  Now, he's truly excited for their trip tomorrow.