Stepping on the Demoness to become the strongest

After arriving at Yuzhou Prefecture Airport, it was already evening.

Considering the amplification of ghastly beings' powers at night, the military didn't dare to let the two teams tackle the Mysterious Realm overnight and arranged for them to stay in Yuzhou Prefecture.

As soon as Yan Yu and the others got off the plane, Chen Lingyun held up her phone and suddenly said,

"Zhang Huaide has invited us to dinner in the name of the team, what do you think?"

"Since when did you get in touch with Zhang Huaide?" Yan Yu glanced at her sideways.

"Jealous?" Chen Lingyun asked with a sweet smile.

"Wishful thinking." Zhao Yuanzhen snorted coldly beside them.

Yan Yu was not moved in the slightest but made a gesture at Lin Ning.

Lin Ning quickly leaned in and took a glance at Chen Lingyun's phone, explaining,

"The four deputy team leaders have created a group." Continue reading at empire

"Let's go eat," Yan Yu said without hesitation, "We're all Cultivators, why not have a meal together? Tell Zhang Huaide that we're all from the coast and can't take spicy food, ask them to pick a non-spicy restaurant."

After Chen Lingyun typed for a while, she smiled and asked,

"He asked if mild spice is okay?"

Yan Yu pondered.

The interpretation of "mild spice" might differ somewhat from region to region, especially for people from Sichuan and Chongqing.

Considering his deep friendship with Zhou Hongyu, as well as the high regard the whole team had for Zhou Hongyu, this "mild spice" could very well be a linguistic trap... However, based on past experiences, Zhang Huaide seemed to be quite a decent person, unlikely to join Tang Xiaolian and the others in playing pranks.

"Alright then," Yan Yu said.

"Then, can we go take photos in Hongya Cave after dinner?" Zhao Yuanzhen eagerly asked.

"Take photos?" Yan Yu's face immediately turned stern, "We are here on a business trip to carry out a mission! Not to let you check in at popular internet spots and take photos for social media! Each one of you is an active Cultivator, can't you be a bit more serious?"

"You're right," Chen Lingyun said with a leisurely laugh, "but it's dictatorship during war, democracy after the war..."

"All those in favor of taking photos, raise your hands!" Lin Ning shouted.

The four girls raised their hands one after another.

Yan Yu scratched his head in resignation. Of course, he could use his authority as the team leader to deny the girls' plans, but the cost would be a plummet in team morale... Clearly, it wasn't worth it.

"Forget it," he decided to temporarily concede, "then go by yourselves."

"We wouldn't beg the team leader to come anyway," Lin Ning joked with him, "When the beautiful girls are out, there's no place for a big guy like you."

Yan Yu snorted. Even if you begged me, I wouldn't go!

"But Yan Yu is really good at taking photos," Chen Lingyun suddenly said, taking out her phone with a smile.

Her eyes curved as she smiled, obviously starting to make trouble, and Yan Yu had a foreboding feeling in his heart.

"Really?" Su Yunjin went over curiously to look, and exclaimed in astonishment.

So Lin Ning and Zhao Yuanzhen also gathered around, and after the girls had looked for a while, they suddenly looked up at Yan Yu in unison.

Seeing the situation was not good, Yan Yu started to retreat slowly, saying,

"I just took them casually, it won't be that good if I try again, and pretty much anyone who takes them will do..."

Damn it, I'm supposed to be the strongest in this world!

He suddenly turned and ran, with the girls' shouts following behind him:

"Don't run!"

"Team leader, stop right there!"

"Ningning, hurry up and catch him!"

——————

Since the airport was a public place, and Shifting Technique couldn't be used, Yan Yu eventually was outnumbered and overpowered, caught by his teammates in a junior overriding senior officer situation, and was subsequently escorted onto a taxi.

Chen Lingyun sat alone in the front seat, while Lin Ning and Zhao Yuanzhen sandwiched Yan Yu into the back seat, one in front and one behind.

Su Yunjin followed behind, and the four of them squeezed the back of the taxi full.

The taxi driver glanced in the rearview mirror at the one man and three women and revealed an expression that said, "Is that all? I've seen bigger scenes than this," before silently driving off.

Yan Yu, however, had his own troubles that he couldn't express. Due to the summer heat, everyone was dressed in cool clothing, and the back seat of the taxi wasn't very spacious. Three people could squeeze in with some effort, but with four people sitting side by side, it was just a mass of flesh pressing against flesh.

It disturbs my focus, how annoying!

He struggled to take out his mobile phone and messaged Lin Ning:

"Don't put your leg on mine, it's heavy."

Lin Ning's face immediately turned red, but Su Yunjin on her right had already been squeezed to the point of discomfort and definitely couldn't move further in that direction, so she decisively replied with a message.

[Ningning]: Then move your leg to the left a bit, or else I have no place to put mine.

[Yi De Fu Ren]: Can't do. Your Sister Zhao's chubby leg is on the left.

Zhao Yuanzhen's leg wasn't actually chubby, but her figure was indeed the most voluptuous among the four girls, so she naturally took up the most space.

Lin Ning sneaked a glance and found that it was as Yan Yu had said; there was indeed no space left on that side, so she could only sigh and continue messaging.

[Ningning]: There's also no space on my side, bear with it for now, we'll be there soon.

[Yi De Fu Ren]: You should consider losing some weight.

The hand Lin Ning held her phone with instantly tensed up.

She switched her phone to her left hand, and with her right hand stealthily reached behind and pinched the flesh at Yan Yu's waist.

[Ningning]: I'll give you an opportunity to retract your message.

[Yi De Fu Ren has retracted a message]

Lin Ning smugly retracted her right hand, unaware that Su Yunjin beside her had quietly witnessed her little maneuver.

She silently turned her head and gazed out of the window.

When the taxi finally arrived at its destination, the four in the back rushed out one after another, breathing in the fresh air deeply.

"What happened to you all?" asked Chen Lingyun, feigning ignorance.

"Chen Lingyun, you're so cunning!" Lin Ning wrapped her arms around her neck from behind, a look of misery on her face as she complained, "We were almost squashed to death in the back."

"Actually, the front seat could fit two people," Yan Yu chimed in. "Letting Chen Lingyun sit on someone's lap would have worked. With her height, even if caught by a camera, would be mistaken for a child."

"A child can't share a seat with an adult either!" Lin Ning immediately retorted, and then quickly realized her mistake, "I'm sorry, Ling Yun, I didn't mean to call you a child... It's all the captain's fault!"

"Where is the hotpot restaurant?" Zhao Yuanzhen looked around.

"Over there, I think." Su Yunjin pointed the way. "Is that the sign?"

The restaurant Zhang Huaide had chosen specialized in eel and was a famous local hotpot place in Yuzhou Prefecture.

The restaurant was only on the second floor, and one had to walk up the metal staircase to get there. The hygiene was not worth mentioning; what mattered was the lively atmosphere of the marketplace.

As the group made their way to the second floor and entered the room, they saw Zhou Hongyu and others occupying half of a large table, which was already full of various dishes, the hotpot bubbling merrily away.

A yin-yang hotpot with red and white broths? They didn't set a trap for me?

Yan Yu carelessly pulled up a chair next to Zhou Hongyu and said with a laugh:

"Xiao Zhou, long time no see."

Tang Xiaolian, Qin Meng, Zhang Huaide, and Meng Qingxi, sitting to the left of Zhou Hongyu, immediately felt a sense of foreboding.

They knew all too well the fiery temper of their captain.

It was said Zhou Hongyu had a fierce temper since junior high, once beating a classmate so badly they ended up in the hospital, and in high school, she went to a martial arts school, still claiming the throne of the school boss with a temper famously "flammable and explosive."

Yan Yu not only lacked any friendship with her but also had a pretty substantial past grievance. Yet here he was, sitting right beside her and calling her "Xiao Zhou"... Did he tire of living?

If Zhou Hongyu suddenly stood up the next second, grabbed the hotpot, and dumped it on Yan Yu's head, no one would find it strange.

However, contrary to the team members' expectations, Zhou Hongyu did not explode on the spot, but coldly stated:

"Sit here by me, you eat from the spicy side."

Tang Xiaolian took a closer look and inwardly cheered. Because although they ordered a yin-yang hotpot, the spicy side was indeed right in front of Zhou Hongyu.

Spice-intolerant men, quickly roll away from the captain! Far away!

"Haha, no worries," Yan Yu said with a relaxed smile, casually picking up the shared chopsticks from the table and placing them on his own bowl.

"I've got long arms."