QT: Against My Will-Chapter 550 - 8.67 - Why Is Stinky Bun Empty-Handed? - Monster Heist
"Daddy?" Stinky Bun spotted Ru Quan not far away from him. He swatted his hands around a few times to escape from Juliet’s windy clutch and found himself falling to the ground.
This caused a few to gasp in horror.
When they looked closely, they noticed that Juliet caught the boy in time and sighed in relief. Who in their right mind would send such young kids out there?! The ones who did, quickly retreated their children when they saw the danger that came with it.
Juliet switched her gaze between the boy in her hands and Shina. She went to that spot by Shina’s command, not expecting to lose control of the boy. Was she getting tired?
Doubt gnawed at Juliet, wondering if fatigue had taken its toll on her powers. Frowning, she hesitated and momentarily released her hold on the children, not wanting to risk inadvertently dropping others as well.
Juliet placed Stinky Bun on the ground, "Go pick up a toy."
"Mommy?" Stinky Bun’s little voice called out as he hurriedly picked up a toy that caught his eye amidst the chaos. With the box clutched in his hands, he wandered around the battlefield, resembling a lost child in search of answers.
"Daddy, daddy?" Whose toy is this? He approached a few kids one by one, but nobody could understand what he was doing or hear what he was saying.
Recognizing Stinky Bun’s intent, Ziek swiftly took the toy from his little hands, "Good job, buddy." He approached a nearby child and handed him the robot together with a few words, "That little guy over there wants to give this to you."
The boy exclaimed in excitement, ’That’s the newest home assistant in the market!’
Stinky Bun’s face lit up with joy as the child approached him to express their thanks. Without hesitation, he raised his tiny fist triumphantly. Their fists connected in a joyful fist pump, creating an instant bond of shared victory.
Bing Shi couldn’t help but feel her heart melt as she witnessed the cute interaction. When she saw how the kid’s shoelaces came undone, she decided to let the moment unfold naturally without intervening.
As the small tournament progressed, an aura of misfortune seemed to grow stronger around the stadium.
The handles on some of the seating benches mysteriously became loose. At first, it was just a subtle shift, hardly noticeable. However, as more people leaned on the handles, the misfortune revealed itself.
With a sudden and unexpected jolt, the handles gave way, causing a few unfortunate individuals to lose their balance and fall over. Gasps and exclamations filled the air as people around rushed to help those who had stumbled.
Bing Shi quickly ordered her team to speed up the tournament when the construction of the stadium became less and less stable.
Henry and Laura turned to the group of kids and called out for a synchronized strike.
Stinky Bun, eager to impress, gathered together with other kids and attempted to mimic the soldiers’ serious expressions and battle stances.
As the soldiers watched with anticipation, the kids began their synchronized attack.
However, instead of executing a coordinated strike, they stumbled over their own feet, bumping into each other like a comedic domino effect. Arms flailed, and feet tangled in a chaotic dance that resembled more of a slapstick routine than a battle strategy.
"Hey, wait up! I thought we were supposed to attack together!" Liam called out while tripping over his own steps.
As misfortune would have it, a tiny but impactful mishap disrupted their coordinated strike (Stinky Bun).
Amidst the laughter, the beasts, usually so serious and imposing, could only watch on speechlessly. Seeing soldiers flustered by the kid’s unpredictable nature was as entertaining for them as it was for the audience.
With a burst of energy, Douglas jumped into the air and executed a breathtaking spinning kick, aimed at Victor’s side. The impact reverberated through the arena, momentarily stunning both combatants and spectators alike.
At the same time, Laura unleashed a handful of weapons from her pocket dimension.
Hiding under a pile of children, Henry manipulated the falling weapons with his metal abilities, redirecting their trajectory with precise control.
Caught in the swirling storm of weapons, Ru Quan found himself trapped.
Laura swiftly maneuvered behind Juliet and skillfully restricted her movements. A few older students ran over to help her with the tackle.
Liam recognized an opportunity to exploit Alain’s weakness. He charged forward, confronting Alain head-on.
Bing Shi watched as the Nexus Challenge came to a close, and the once-grand nexus slowly emptied of its treasures.
The outcome was to be expected as this was ultimately still a game for kids.
She stepped up on the podium, ready to give a final speech, "Alright, my fellow adventurers, soldiers, and beats of the Nexus! What an incredible journey we’ve had together!"
She turned to the beasts and soldiers, then at the audience, "Though our team of soldiers has shown great strength in battling the real beasts, teaming up with the kids has posed a unique challenge for all of us. They’ve definitely kept us on our toes!" she exclaimed with a playful grin, earning chuckles from the crowd.
Bing Shi continued to extend her thanks to the top clans and sponsors, acknowledging their invaluable support in bringing the Nexus Challenge to life.
The kids, especially Laura’s and Aria’s siblings cheered proudly. They all felt empowered to become LADs too!
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With Ziek’s strong arms wrapping around Stinky Bun, the little boy waved his tiny hand enthusiastically at his mommy, "Mommy, mommy!"
Growing up in a household where his mommy was once a renowned celebrity and politician, he was accustomed to seeing her from a distance (without meeting her in person). He often watched as she appeared on screens or graced the pages of magazines.
"Hey, my little shining star!" Bing Shi greeted Stinky Bun, her hand gently patting his head.
The event had come to an end, and as they looked around, some toddlers and parents arrived to claim the remaining toys (kids that were too young to participate).
Bing Shi couldn’t help but wonder why Stinky Bun was empty-handed. She leaned down to his level, "How come you’re empty-handed?"
"Mommy, mommy, mommy," Stinky Bun’s eyes were filled with excitement and a hint of pride as he pointed at his crossbody bag. Stinky Bun didn’t get his toys stolen by any bullies!
"Oooh," Bing Shi exclaimed, a playful glint in her eyes as she looked up at Ziek, "I see what you mean!"
Taking Stinky Bun’s hand, she led him on a delightful tour around the stadium until they reached a vending machine in a less crowded place.
With Bing Shi’s guidance, Stinky Bun eagerly pressed mommy’s card against the vending machine, ready to claim his chosen fluffy marshmallow treat.
The vending machine chimed with a soft beep, and the treat dropped into the tray below.
Stinky Bun carefully selected a few different treats, each one specially chosen for his Daddy and his beloved systems at home.
Bing Shi helped Stinky Bun tuck the treats into his bag. Each treat found its place carefully, nestled snugly among his other belongings.
Ziek, who had patiently waited nearby, approached them quietly, "It’s time to head back."
Bing Shi nodded, giving her son a small salute, "Thank you for helping me out today," she said, pressing her palm against her forehead in a playful gesture.
"Mommy, mommy." You are welcome, mommy. Despite Stinky Bun’s cute salute, he seemed more focused on the treat in his hand, "Mommy, mommy?" Is mommy coming home with Daddy and Stinky Bun?
Bing Shi shook her head, saying how she still had to deal with a few bullies.
The little guy didn’t protest and allowed his daddy to pick him up. His tiny hands persistently tried to unwrap the package, making adorable little noises.
Ziek carefully revealed a squished flower they had uncovered by the sidewalk from his son’s pants pocket.
He handed it to Stinky Bun, whispering, "Did you forget about the surprise you wanted to give Mommy?"
Stinky Bun’s eyes lit up with recognition as he accepted the squashed flower from Ziek’s hand. Beaming with pride, he extended the flower with blue petals towards Mommy, exclaiming, "Mommy, mommy!" It’s a flower for you, mommy! Stinky Bun found it during a walk. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞
Bing Shi gently took the squashed flower from his hand, placing it close to her heart, "Thank you! You’ve made me fall in love with flowers all over again!"
Stinky Bun cast a triumphant glance at his daddy, his eyes sparkling with victory, "Daddy, daddy." See, Daddy? Stinky Bun told you Mommy will love it!
Ziek admitted defeat, then sent Bing Shi an offended expression, |"You enjoy getting flowers from our son, but not from your own husband?"|
Bing Shi clapped her hands together in apology, |"I’m so sorry! You’re just too handsome for me to handle flowers from you! I might faint from all the charm! Also, our space is not big enough to accommodate that amount of romantic gestures. I’d prefer to be overwhelmed with a bouquet of your hugs instead, you see?"|
"..." Ziek reached into the depths of his jacket and pulled out an intact, vibrant flower he had been hiding. Extending his arm, he placed the flower in her hand and stole a quick hug before scampering away with his son.
Bing Shi watched as Ziek and Stinky Bun walked towards the exit of the stadium, her heart swelling with pride. She wanted to run over and kiss both of their cheeks so much, ah!
"Found her!" Douglas exclaimed, pointing to Bing Shi’s direction.
Bing Shi gazed down at the two flowers nestled in her palm before slipping them into her chest pocket. She let the flower heads peek out, adding a touch of softness to her intimidating military uniform.
