Tomb raider: You're going to extract my alien bloodline?

Chapter 53 The Little Brother's Big Yellow Chicken

As they were leaving after paying, they passed a night market stall selling home goods and trinkets. Qin Yuan immediately spotted a huge, fluffy, grinning yellow chicken plush pillow on the stall.

His gaze involuntarily drifted towards Zhang Qiling's location.

He walked over, paid the bill promptly, then, holding the nearly half-person-tall, bright yellow, fat chicken, turned around and, before Zhang Qiling could react, shoved it directly into his arms.

Zhang Qiling: "...?"

He was suddenly stuffed into his arms by a huge, soft, brightly colored plush object, and he froze.

Qin Yuan adjusted his sunglasses and said sincerely, "Brother, we can't be the only ones being looked at strangely. We should share the good times and the bad. Hug me, it'll keep you warm."

Black Bear almost burst out laughing, quickly covering his mouth as his shoulders shook violently. He didn't forget to add insult to injury: "Right, right! A mute is perfect for you! Hugging you would be so cool!"

Zhang Qiling looked down at the silly-looking yellow chick in his arms. Its eyes were two black dots, staring at him innocently. He almost threw it away, but this cushion… it actually felt quite nice, soft and cozy. And besides, this was the first gift he'd ever received… he liked it…

He stood there, clutching the yellow rooster-shaped pillow that clashed terribly with his aloof demeanor, lost in a brief moment of confusion. Throw it away? It seemed a little...reluctant. Keep it? This thing...

Finally, under the watchful, barely suppressed laughter of Qin Yuan and Hei Xiazi, Zhang Qiling silently moved the yellow chicken pillow up a bit, letting its large head rest on his shoulder, obscuring half his face. Then, he pulled the hood down even lower, almost covering his entire face. He turned around, chicken in hand, and walked silently toward the alley, his steps a little faster than usual.

Qin Yuan and Hei Xiazi exchanged a glance, and finally couldn't help but burst out laughing from behind.

That night, a large, strutting yellow rooster appeared on the only chair in Zhang Qiling's room. And it became one of the regular sights in the courtyard for the next few months.

In the days that followed, Qin Yuan stayed in this small courtyard house.

The problems with his eyes and nails couldn't be solved for the time being, but fortunately, sunglasses and gloves became semi-permanent equipment, and he got used to them. Hei Xiazi seemed to have accepted his mute younger brother's identity and accepted him as one of his roommates.

Qin Yuan wasn't idle either. Whenever he was bored, he would spar with Zhang Qiling and Hei Xiazi. Fighting Zhang Qiling was like asking for trouble, but it honed his reflexes and skills. Fighting Hei Xiazi was a completely different experience. That blind guy was ruthless, unorthodox, and always had a sharp tongue. A single fight with him was a double drain on his mental and physical strength.

When they weren't fighting or making a fuss, the three of them could stay quietly in the courtyard. At those times, Zhang Qiling would usually be wiping his black gold ancient sword or staring blankly at the old locust tree.

Hei Xiazi would either sit with his legs crossed, humming off-key tunes, or fiddling with his strange little gadgets. Qin Yuan, on the other hand, preferred to lie on the old, worn-out recliner that Hei Xiazi had somehow brought from somewhere, basking in the sun, feeling the warmth of the light through his sunglasses, and planning his equipment and route to the Western Queen Mother's Kingdom.

Every few days, he would call the shop in Beijing, chat with Fatty for a while, and listen to Qin Jiu's childish report on how many words he had learned that day, what strange dishes Fatty had made, and how Uncle Evil had fallen flat on his face again.

The days passed peacefully until a few months later, on a sunny afternoon.

Qin Yuan was dozing off on a deck chair, wearing sunglasses, when Hei Xiazi rushed back from outside, holding a crumpled piece of paper in his hand.

"Dumb guy, we've got a job." Black Bear handed the note to Zhang Qiling, who had just come out of the house. "In Golmud, Qinghai, there's a group of foreigners, including lamas, who specifically asked for you. They're offering this price." He gestured.

Zhang Qiling took the slip of paper and glanced at it. It contained an address and some hastily written information. He nodded almost without hesitation: "Go."

Qin Yuan opened his eyes from the recliner, his gaze sharpening behind his sunglasses.

Foreigners mingling with lamas in Golmud, Qinghai?

A certain memory was triggered.

He sat up, stretched, and his bones made a slight cracking sound.

"It's finally time," he muttered to himself, a predictable smile curving his lips.

Qin Yuan stood up from the recliner, dusted off non-existent dust, and gestured with his chin towards Zhang Qiling: "Together?"

Zhang Qiling glanced at him but didn't say anything, which was taken as tacit agreement.

Black Bear chuckled and put his arm around Qin Yuan's shoulder: "Oh, little brother's going to roam the world too? Sure, let's go together! We can look out for each other on the road and split the fare."

With that settled, the three quickly packed the necessary equipment and set off for the meeting point in Golmud.

The agreed meeting place was a place that looked like a temporary warehouse. When Qin Yuan arrived, he immediately saw a tall woman wearing a black leather jacket and pants, with a capable and efficient aura.

Ah Ning was giving instructions to her subordinates when she turned around and saw the three people walking towards her. Her gaze swept over Zhang Qiling and Hei Xiazi, and when it landed on Qin Yuan's face, she was clearly stunned for a moment before revealing a smile.

"Mr. Zhang, Mr. Hei." Ah Ning greeted the two industry celebrities first, then looked at Qin Yuan, her tone familiar yet cautious, "Mr. Qin, it's been a long time. I didn't expect you to be here this time as well."

The cooperation, or rather, mutual exploitation, beneath the underwater tomb clearly made her remember Qin Yuan.

Hei Xiazi immediately picked up on the key words, raising an eyebrow behind his sunglasses: "Oh? Little brother, you know her? Not bad, Miss Aning is notoriously difficult... oh no, I mean professional."

Qin Yuan adjusted his sunglasses and nodded to A Ning: "Miss A Ning, how have you been? Just looking for a way to make a living, and joining my brother for some fun."

Ah Ning smiled, not delving into the authenticity of the brotherly relationship, and quickly got to the point: "Time is tight, so I won't waste time with pleasantries. The reason I invited you all here is to use your abilities to accompany us on a trip to the Queen Mother of the West's Palace."

"But before you go, I need you to go into an abandoned sanatorium on the outskirts of Golmud city to retrieve something." She gestured for her subordinate to hand over a photograph showing an old-looking blue-and-white porcelain plate with a peculiar pattern.

"This is it. It's a crucial clue to getting into the Queen Mother of the West's palace. As agreed before, we'll pay 50% as soon as we get the item, and the remaining balance when we return."

Sanatorium? Porcelain plate? Qin Yuan knew immediately; it was indeed that place.

Zhang Qiling looked at the photo and nodded. Hei Xiazi whistled, "Sounds simple. Let's go, Boss Aning, lead the way!"

Without further ado, Ah Ning waved her hand, and the doors of two unassuming-looking bread vans that had been waiting for a long time opened.

"Get in the car, we'll go straight there, we'll talk in detail on the way."

Qin Yuan followed Zhang Qiling and Hei Xiazi into one of the vehicles. The vehicle started and drove out of the warehouse district, heading towards a more desolate area outside the city.