A Former Police Officer Who Died And Get A Second Life!-Chapter 174: A Strange Encounter

"I’m glad to hear that. Sorry for coming here so suddenly. Today I’m came to introduce my new family member to you."

"Huh? New... family? What?"

Qiong Xing beckoned him over.

When Naz stepped closer, Qiong Xing suddenly placed something in his hands.

"Huh? Wait—"

Before Naz could react, Qiong Xing gently took his hands and placed the baby into his arms.

"W-What should I do?"

Naz had never held a baby before and since this was Qiong Xing’s child, he was even more afraid of hurting her.

His hands started trembling.

"It’s okay, it’s okay," Qiong Xing said gently. "Look, she’s not crying, right?"

Now that he mentioned it, even though Naz was holding her very awkwardly, the baby wasn’t crying.

Carefully, Naz looked down and a pair of big bright eyes stared right at him.

"Ah... she’s cute."

"Right?" Qiong Xing said proudly.

The baby’s golden eyes that was inherited from Qiong Xing were very beautiful.

"Her name is Qiong Lian. She’s a girl."

"Qiong... Lian..."

Naz gently touched her.

She was incredibly soft. Her chubby little cheeks were so squishy that he felt like he could keep touching them forever.

"She’s amazing. She’s so tiny, but she’s really alive."

"It’s surprising, right? Something this small was inside a person’s stomach," Qiong Xing said. "Look, Lian. This is Naz. He’s one of my precious friends, so please get along with him."

"Hey, hey. She’s too young to understand that," Duzy said with a chuckle.

Naz laughed too and carefully passed the baby to Duzy who was standing beside him.

"Holding her like this reminds me of when Naz was born," Duzy said. "He was about this small too."

Duzy held the baby with practiced ease.

Seeing that, Naz felt a little embarrassed wondering if he had also been held like that when he was a baby.

"If it was Naz, he must have been very cute back then too," Qiong Xing said. "I wishes I could have seen it."

"T-That’s not true! I-I mean... someone like me... Little Lian is way cuter!"

Naz shook his head quickly.

For some reason, everyone began patting his head.

"It looks like you and Duzy are getting along well," Qiong Xing said. "I was worried because I couldn’t come check on you very often."

When he heard that Qiong Xing had been worried about him all this time even after doing so much for him made Naz feel like he might cry.

"S-Sorry. Thank you. My uncle is very kind. I... rely on him a lot, but I’m really happy."

"That’s what matters most," Qiong Xing said warmly. "Now that Lian has been born, I will come visit more often. Let’s eat meals together sometime."

"Okay!"

The meals Qiong Xing cooked were very delicious and being able to eat them together with everyone made Naz very happy.

"Cough, cough. Ah... it’s about time you switch with me—ugh!"

"Oh dear, it seems like there was a bug around here. Anyway, everything looks fine, so we’ll head back now. Oh, and come visit again sometime. Um... bring Lian with you. G-Got it?"

"Huh?"

Naz was stunned by the guild master’s behavior, which he had never seen before.

But since Qiong Xing answered her so normally, it was probably something ordinary for him.

Naz was surprised, but seeing Katarina walk away while looking a little embarrassed somehow made her seem cute.

"She’s an interesting person. I thought she would be much scarier," Naz said.

Sarin had come by from time to time to check on things, but Katarina herself rarely visited.

Because of that, Naz had always been too nervous to really talk with her.

"She’s a very kind person," Qiong Xing said. "And also a little shy."

Naz couldn’t help but admire the fact that Qiong Xing could say that the guild master was shy with such confidence.

...

Something strange appeared in Qiong Xing’s vision or rather, it wasn’t exactly something he saw clearly.

It felt more like something had flickered in his sight, like a shape that was being hidden or covered.

"Albe... what is that person?" Qiong Xing asked quietly.

"What do you mean?" Albe asked.

Albe looked in the direction Qiong Xing was pointing, but he seemed confused and tilted his head, not understanding what Qiong Xing was talking about.

"It’s like... I can see something blurry. Like their figure is flickering or shifting—ah."

Qiong Xing lowered his voice and whispered, unsure whether it was something he should say out loud.

At that moment, the person suddenly turned around as if he had heard them.

"... ..."

"... ..."

The two of them stared at each other in silence for five whole minutes.

Qiong Xing began wondering why they were even staring at each other like this. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

When he finally looked away, it seemed to trigger something, because the man suddenly began walking toward them.

"...Do you know him?" Albe asked.

Seeing Qiong Xing’s strange reaction, Albe stepped forward protectively, placing himself between Qiong Xing and the approaching man.

"I don’t remember meeting you... but have we met somewhere before?" Qiong Xing asked politely.

"You can see me, can’t you?" the man said.

"? ...I don’t have money," Qiong Xing replied.

"Huh?"

The conversation clearly wasn’t matching up.

"Um... do you need something?" Qiong Xing asked.

"...Who exactly are you?" the man asked.

"I’m not important enough to introduce myself," Qiong Xing replied calmly.

"... ..."

Do you think I’d just tell you that easily?

That thought was half a joke, but Qiong Xing truly had no intention of telling a suspicious stranger who he was.

"If you don’t have any business with us, then excuse us. We’re in a hurry," Qiong Xing said.

Albe continued glaring at the man while Qiong Xing asked him to hold Lian. Then Albe gently pushed Qiong Xing forward, urging him to leave.

"Wait a sec—"

The man tried to grab Qiong Xing’s shoulder.

In the next moment, Qiong Xing twisted the man’s arm and forced it behind his back and he pinning him in place.