Xiao Feng gazed at Ivy as she clung to him, and gently chided, "Ivy, you've had too much to drink. Let me escort you back to rest."
Alice, bristling with indignation, retorted, "I'm drunk too!"
Xiao Feng looked at her skeptically. "When did you even have a drop? I haven't seen you touch a sip..."
With a huff, Alice seized a mug of beer from a nearby mercenary and took a deep gulp. Then she challenged Xiao Feng, "Do you still think I'm sober now?"
Instantly, her cheeks flushed a deep crimson, her body swayed unsteadily, nearly collapsing.
Xiao Feng froze in surprise. "Wait—are you truly drunk, or just pretending?"
Ivy, still holding Xiao Feng, was equally astonished. "No way, you got tipsy from just one beer? Seriously?"
Xiao Feng moved to steady Alice, realizing she was genuinely intoxicated. With no other choice, he gently sat Ivy down on a chair. "Wait here. I'll see Alice safely back first, then return for you."
Ivy laughed softly. "No need. Alice and I share the same quarters. Let's go back together."
Cradling Alice's slender frame, Xiao Feng was followed by Ivy, her footsteps unsteady and her gaze hazy, as they made their way toward their dormitory.
The camp's lighting was dim in the darkness. Behind them, Xiaobai appeared, strolling calmly. Over these many days, Xiaobai had become inseparable from Ivy and Alice, a constant companion.
Xiao Feng laid Alice gently on her bed. That single cup of beer had rendered her utterly unconscious; she curled around a pillow and quickly slipped into slumber.
Ivy watched Xiao Feng resting on the bedside sofa with a mischievous smile before quietly closing the door behind her.
She then turned the lock—click—securing the door firmly shut.
Xiao Feng, having consumed only a modest amount of alcohol, was taken aback by the sudden click of the lock. Realizing there was no chance of escape, a flicker of apprehension crossed his mind.
Ivy swayed toward him, the chill of the evening softened, dressed merely in a shirt layered beneath a light jacket. After closing the door, she shrugged off the jacket carelessly, letting it fall aside. With a teasing smile, she staggered closer, fingers deftly unbuttoning her shirt.
In the dim glow, Ivy exuded an intoxicating, feminine allure.
One by one, her delicate fingers undid the buttons, revealing her slender neck, the swell of her chest, the intricate lace of her black lingerie—each detail slowly unveiled to Xiao Feng's eyes.
His breath quickened. Though he had seen Ivy's ample curves before, the intimate ambiance heightened the allure. Any man would surely respond to such temptation.
Ivy settled upon Xiao Feng's lap, discarding her gray-and-white plaid shirt, now clad only in black lace undergarments and jeans. Her burning hands cupped his cheeks as she purred seductively, "Xiao Feng, do you find me beautiful?"
He smiled softly. "Beautiful…"
She chuckled, "Do you desire me?"
"Of course I do..."
"Then come to me..." With that, Ivy boldly pressed her lips against his.
Xiao Feng hastily raised a hand to gently block her kiss. "Wait, there's something I need to clarify..."
Ivy laughed lightly. "Don't tell me you're backing out now..." She reached down teasingly, then grinned, "See? I'm ready. What are you afraid of?" As she spoke, her hands moved toward the clasp of her bra.
Just then, the door suddenly rattled.
Xiao Feng sighed with relief, quickly pulling away from Ivy, wrapping her in his shirt as he rose to answer the door.
Opening it, he found no one but Xiaobai pawing at the doorframe with its front paws.
Surprised, Xiao Feng asked, "Xiaobai, what are you doing?"
Xiaobai whined softly twice, then raised a paw, pointing distinctly toward the northern horizon.
Xiao Feng was puzzled by the dog's behavior but sensed it was trying to alert him to something urgent.
He swiftly climbed into a jeep, Xiaobai settling in the back seat, now too large for the passenger side and curling there instead.
Xiao Feng sped northward, Xiaobai poking its head out the window, scanning anxiously.
The northern city walls were manned by sentries who, though unfamiliar with Xiao Feng, recognized Xiaobai well—it was practically a legend in the mercenary camp, unforgettable to all who had met it.
Seeing Xiao Feng and Xiaobai approaching the watchtower, the guards did not impede them.
From the tower, Xiao Feng radioed Mark's team: "Any unusual activity north of the city?"
Mark's reply came swift and steady: "No abnormalities detected. No sign of the Alliance forces."
Xiao Feng peered through the tower's infrared binoculars, scanning the distance—nothing out of the ordinary.
Yet Xiaobai continued to howl softly toward the north.
Trusting the dog's instincts, Xiao Feng scrutinized the horizon more intently.
At last, he discerned faint plumes of smoke several kilometers away.
Checking the infrared magnification, he gauged the disturbance lay some seventeen kilometers to the north.
He radioed Mark again: "Any anomalies seventeen kilometers north?"
"Radar shows nothing..." came the reply.
"Sound the alarm. We're under stealth attack..."
Though skeptical, Mark's team trusted Xiao Feng's judgment and promptly triggered the alarm.
Within moments, the mercenary camp was thrown into disarray as soldiers scrambled to battle stations.
Reese clenched his cigar, grabbed a comm, and barked toward the command post, "Where's this alarm coming from?"
"North gate. Alert raised by Xiao Feng."
Reese stiffened, knowing Xiao Feng never sounded false alarms. "All units, prepare for combat! Concentrate artillery on the northern sector!"
One by one, trucks roared toward the northern walls of the city.
At the watchtower, two curious mercenaries observed the young man with keen interest. Both knew his position in the mercenary ranks must be significant, especially with Xiaobai so obediently by his side. The two began to speculate about Xiao Feng's true identity.