Chapter 467 - 400: The Issue of My Daughter’s Safety
Chapter 467: Chapter 400: The Issue of My Daughter’s Safety
"Captain Cross, don’t attack them! They’re the mountain dwellers from around here, along with some refugees from Korsan City. They didn’t mean to attack!"
And so, enveloping all three of them in black energy, Lex suddenly burst out of the villagers’ barrage of superpowers with Flora and leaped a great distance away.
"Oscar! Are you okay? We came to save you!"
Marina Goldsmith shot a fierce glare at Flora Bloom and Lex Cross, but Oscar Owen gave Flora an apologetic look before shouting to Marina’s group.
"Marina, Uncle Lee, Auntie Lee, don’t attack! They’re my friends!"
Oscar Owen moved away from the pair and went back to the villagers.
"Everyone, it’s a misunderstanding! They’re my friends!"
Marina Goldsmith, however, remained guarded as she asked.
"Oscar, what about that big bird? The one covered in golden flames!"
"That... That’s my friend’s... mount. It’s not here to attack us!"
Lex Cross stood in front of Flora Bloom as the two of them slowly walked closer.
After seeing Flora, Marina immediately turned to look at Oscar. Although Oscar wasn’t looking at Flora, the entire aura he gave off was different.
Her woman’s intuition instantly told her that Oscar liked Flora.
Marina looked at Flora, her gaze settling on her stomach.
"Are you pregnant?"
Flora nodded. "Yes, I am."
Marina then looked at Lex. He was tall, with a defined physique, and a face that could topple nations—though in Marina’s eyes, it was just okay.
"Is it yours?"
Lex Cross nodded coldly.
Marina let out a sigh of relief, which struck Flora as odd. But then, Marina enthusiastically grabbed Flora’s hand and insisted that she and Lex be guests at her home.
In the entire mountain village, Marina’s house was the largest. After her mother and sister died, their family had a spare room that no one used.
However, Flora had been planning to take the Golden Crow out for a quick trip tonight and then head back, worried her family would be anxious. But the villagers before her seemed truly enthusiastic. So much so that she didn’t quite know how to refuse.
"Oh, you two have to stay the night! It’s so late!" Marina insisted, coming right over and linking her arm with Flora’s.
"Yes, yes! Oscar’s friends are our friends!"
"The Chief’s friends are guests of Korsan Base! Please stay!"
Surrounded by the enthusiasm of one or two thousand people, the pair finally decided to return to the village with them.
Upon entering the village, they saw that every household had preserved the look of a pre-apocalypse farmhouse courtyard. They could also tell that many of the residents’ courtyards had been newly built.
Oscar’s mother, Lianne Kendall, was at the back of the crowd, protected by the main group. As the crowd dispersed, she walked over to her son’s side.
Having not seen her for several months, Lianne Kendall recognized Flora Bloom at a single glance.
And how could she not? From the start of the apocalypse to this day, Flora had always been spotless and neatly dressed. Her beautiful, youthful face had gained a mature charm.
Overall, she hadn’t changed much, and had even filled out a bit due to her pregnancy.
In contrast, although she herself had awakened a Water Ability, improving her constitution and making her look a bit younger, life in the mountains meant doing trivial farm work and cooking meals every day.
Her hands had become rough, and she no longer had her former elegant and stately air.
’People can’t help but make comparisons.’
Lianne Kendall, who had previously thought that spending a lifetime in these mountains wouldn’t be so bad, had a change of heart after seeing Flora.
She cordially took Flora’s hand. The smooth, soft feeling of her skin and the faint, pleasant scent coming from Flora filled her with envy.
"Flora! It’s been so long. Have you been well?"
Flora looked at Lianne Kendall. She was the same person, but she looked much more haggard.
Although Lianne Kendall’s body was full of rich Water Energy, she was physically much thinner and weaker than when they had first met.
"Auntie, have you been doing well?"
"Living in these mountains, life certainly can’t compare to how it was before the apocalypse. But with Oscar and everyone here looking after me, I’m doing pretty well!"
She was telling the truth, but if Marina Goldsmith and Winston Goldsmith hadn’t been there, she wouldn’t have put it that way.
’This Flora Bloom seems to be doing very well—so well that I feel she’s living even better than she had before the apocalypse.’
"Flora, and this is...?"
"Mom, that’s Captain Cross, don’t you remember? He’s the one who saved us and took us to Argent!"
Lianne Kendall said, "Oh." Then, "Of course I remember, how could I forget! What I mean is, Captain Cross, what is your relationship... with our Flora?"
Flora was a little uncomfortable with Lianne’s sudden over-familiarity. But since she was Oscar’s mother, she didn’t say anything.
"Him? He’s the father of the baby in my belly!"
Lex was very pleased with Flora’s answer. He put a hand on her shoulder and whispered in her ear, "I’m very satisfied with that answer."
Seeing the interaction between Flora and Lex, and then glancing at Oscar’s slightly melancholic expression, Marina immediately said, "Flora, you and the Captain can sleep in our spare room."
Before Flora could say anything, Lex replied with a single "Good," a smirk playing on his lips.
Winston Goldsmith watched as Marina led Flora and Lex into the house side-by-side. Then he said to Oscar and his mother, "Lianne, Oscar, it’s very late. You two should go back and get some sleep. They’ll be safe at my place!"
Winston Goldsmith had long since noticed the way Oscar looked at Flora. It was so obvious that even Marina could sense it. As a man himself, he understood what it meant when a man looked at a woman that way.
’Sigh. Looks like my daughter is in for some heartache.’
The Golden Crow and the Thunderbird found a clearing in the mountain forest to rest. With their imposing presence, it was impossible for any zombies or other life forms of a lower level to come within miles of the entire Korsan Base area.
All this time, Flora had always had her own room in the Morhaven villa. Lex had never spent the night alone in a room with her.
The two of them entered a spartan room.
Marina had just laid out the mattress and quilt. But this place wasn’t like Morhaven. Even in winter, the temperature in Morhaven was much warmer than in other cities.
Lex wasn’t afraid of the cold, and since Flora’s second superpower was the Fire Element, she was also very resistant to it.
Flora stared at the single quilt on the bed, feeling awkward.
"How about we just... chat for a while? We have to go back early in the morning anyway. My parents will worry if they don’t see me!"
Flora sat on the edge of the bed, holding her belly, looking a little reserved.
Although she had been around Lex for a long time now, there were still certain things she couldn’t quite relax about. For example, sharing a bed and sleeping under the same quilt.
Lex, on the other hand, casually took off his shoes and jacket, got into bed, and pulled the quilt over himself.
"Are you overthinking this? With your belly that big, even if I wanted to do something, I’d have to consider my daughter’s safety."
Exposed so directly by Lex, Flora’s face flushed red with embarrassment.
"What are you talking about? Who’s overthinking anything! I just... I’m not used to having someone next to me when I sleep."
Lex lifted the quilt, draped it over Flora’s back, and then gently pulled her backward. Supporting her back with his arm, he slowly settled her down beside him and covered them both.
"Start getting used to it now."