Max Level Return—I'll Protect That Fragile One

"I need to meet the President’s order." Xu Xingguang’s expression turned unusually serious, "This is no longer a crisis that can be resolved by a single country, organization, or group acting alone."

"This is a crisis concerning all humanity." Xu Xingguang envisioned Zhang Zhiyi’s face in her mind, feeling even more uneasy. "There may be many people like Zhang Zhiyi. We need to uproot them and eliminate them one by one."

Having made up her mind, Xu Xingguang quickly calmed down.

Perhaps after experiencing too many crises, Xu Xingguang always managed to calm down quickly when facing danger. Under her influence, Ye Mingluo felt less afraid.

Ye Mingluo soon came to terms with it, saying: "We must do something in our lifetime. Since we have discovered the truth, we can’t escape it anymore. Master, use me wherever needed, just give the command."

Xu Xingguang was not polite with him and said: "When we go to the Capital City, try to take care of Ying Ziyao for me."

"Ah?" Ye Mingluo said: "Ying Ziyao, the doctor from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hall? He is especially difficult to deal with. My grandfather used to say he is very rigid, and they collaborated for ten years in Cangshan Town without exchanging many words."

"It won’t work if you send me."

"Trust me, it will work." Xu Xingguang patted Ye Mingluo’s shoulder, saying sincerely: "Someone as guarded as Ying Ziyao is most vulnerable to someone as pure and sincere as you."

Ye Mingluo’s ears twitched, feeling uplifted.

"Really?"

"Yes, you managed to convince me to be your master, how could you not handle Ying Ziyao?" Xu Xingguang, well-versed in persuasion, coaxed Ye Mingluo effortlessly with a few sentences.

Ye Mingluo suddenly felt confident, "Alright, this task is on me. As it happens, Ying Ziyao is only about a dozen years older than me. They say he particularly dislikes women who flatter. If he refuses to pay attention to me, I’ll hire a group of beauties and have them deliver to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hall’s entrance every day, morning, noon, and night, to see if he notices me."

Hearing this, Huo Wen’an suddenly chuckled and turned to Xu Xingguang, saying: "It’s true that there’s always a way to tackle each issue."

"Absolutely."

Initially, everyone had a sense of curiosity; but returning home, they carried weighty concerns, remaining relatively silent along the journey. Reaching the suspension bridge, Xu Xingguang suddenly turned back to glance at the mountain top, and sure enough, spotted the black beast again.

It lay lazily on a large rock, basking in the sun, its beast-like eyes slightly narrowed, watching the suspension bridge below.

Huo Wen’an accompanied Xu Xingguang in watching for a while, then remarked: "We will meet again."

"Hmm."

Following the original path, the five returned. This time, Huo Wen’an managed to make them proud, without halting midway. Although they moved slowly, they managed to keep pace with Xu Xingguang and the others.

As dawn approached, they finally returned to the parking spot.

Once in the car, Huo Wen’an rested against the seat, dozing off in exhaustion.

Xu Xingguang was in the best spirits and suggested Song Chi and the others take a nap, while she drove the car off the mountain and into the village.

On the way, encountering an elderly couple digging sweet potatoes by the roadside, Xu Xingguang stopped the car and greeted them, saying: "My friends and I went on an adventure in the mountains, got lost, and wandered for two days before finding our way out. Elderly man, elderly woman, is it convenient for us to stay at your place for a day, have a hot meal, and get some rest?"

The elderly woman did not understand Mandarin. She placed her hands on a hoe’s handle, staring blankly at Xu Xingguang and her car.

The elderly man had worked outside in his youth, so he understood Xu Xingguang’s words and said: "There’s hot food, but there are only three rooms in my house, you all will have to squeeze in."

"No problem, we can sleep on the floor."

"Alright then." The elderly man called his wife and led Xu Xingguang and the others back to their home.

It was a one-story courtyard built with red cement bricks, tidily maintained; farming tools hung on the left wall, while a makeshift dog house sat at the right corner.

A black-backed dog stood imposingly in front of the dog house, growling lowly at Xu Xingguang and the others.

Xu Xingguang glanced at the dog, which promptly lay down in submission.

After entering the house, the elderly couple cooked a large pot of noodles for them, fried an egg for each, and made a fragrant dish of smoked meat and farm pickles.

The taste was genuinely impressive, and being starving, they drank up all the hot soup in the pot.

The elderly woman stood astounded, speaking in local dialect to Xu Xingguang: "Want some more? I’ll go boil another bowl?"

Xu Xingguang roughly understood her meaning, shook her head, and said: "I’m full, thank you, elderly woman. Your cooking skills are excellent."

The elderly woman didn’t understand and went to the kitchen with her bowl.

The elderly man said: "It’s the fragrance of the meat."

The elderly man told Xu Xingguang: "In the past, a barefoot doctor lived on the mountain. Whenever he came down to treat the villagers, he didn’t charge money, only demanded meat."

Upon hearing this, Xu Xingguang guessed that he was talking about her grandfather.

Xu Xingguang asked the elderly man: "Are you referring to an old gentleman who enjoys smoking with a pipe?" She worried the elderly man might not understand, so she mimicked the action of smoking with a pipe.

The elderly man eagerly nodded, "Yes, yes, that was the doctor, very skilled. He treated both the villagers’ illnesses and the livestock."

A warm current flowed through Xu Xingguang’s heart, realizing her grandfather wasn’t as unapproachable as he seemed.

"If you like it, I’ll send you some when you leave, take it to town and try it out." The elderly man asked Xu Xingguang: "Would you like it?"

Xu Xingguang said yes.

The elderly man then said: "The meat is smoked, looks dark and filthy. You city folks like things clean; I will wash it for you."

The elderly man’s house had three rooms; the couple occupied one, another served as a storage room, and the remaining one was their grandson’s room.

Their son and daughter-in-law passed away years ago, leaving only a grandson working in town, reportedly owning a factory, and visiting only two or three times a year.

The grandson’s room was clean and roomy, accommodating all of Xu Xingguang’s group for sleep.

Xu Xingguang and Huo Wen’an slept on the bed while Ye Mingluo and the others settled on the floor.

After a long sleep, they awoke to a dark sky.

Following dinner, with the dried meat gifted by the elderly man, Xu Xingguang secretly left ten thousand Yuan in the room for him and had Song Chi drive them back.

By the time they reached Cangshan Town, it was still dawn, and Cheng Yue saw them return on time, letting out a sigh of relief.

She informed Xu Xingguang: "We couldn’t reach you all this time. The Young Clan Leader of the Xiahou Family visited and asked when you’d be available to go to Tuo Ling Peak."

"I will call him." Xu Xingguang asked Cheng Yue: "Is there anything else?"

Cheng Yue added: "Miss Yin Su, whom you encountered at the Ying Family’s place, also visited last night. Seeing you weren’t around, she left without leaving a message."

"Oh, by the way, Mr. Xu passed through Cangshan Town yesterday and brought you some items. I’ve put them in your room without opening them."

"Xu Zeqing?"

"Yes."

The belongings from the Xu Family, she had almost cleared them out. What else would Xu Zeqing want to give her?