Top Soldier Pursued by a Beauty

"I have something to do. Please stop the car for a moment."

Zhao Dong looked at Gu Moning skeptically but still pulled over. "Do you want me to get out?"

"No need, just wait for me in the car."

With that, Gu Moning got out and walked toward a grocery store on the roadside. In front of the store sat a stunningly beautiful girl with exquisite features. The fact that she wore no makeup and was dressed in simple, coarse linen clothes only added to her rustic charm of a mountain girl. She sat on a small stool by the road, curiously looking their way.

Zhao Dong was puzzled. The girl didn't look like she was from the mountains, yet her attire suggested otherwise. He was momentarily confused. Just then, Gu Moning walked up to the girl and sat down beside her. The two were chatting with bright smiles, seemingly very close.

Zhao Dong grew even more perplexed. What is her relationship with Gu Moning?

At that moment, Guo Chao's BMW caught up and pulled over behind them. He got out and angrily strode up to Zhao Dong's car, knocking on the window.

Zhao Dong lowered the window and frowned. "What's up?"

"Do you even know how to drive? Why were you speeding through the village?" Guo Chao demanded furiously, glaring at Zhao Dong.

He'd been annoyed with Zhao Dong ever since the hospital. It was galling that such a young man could be skilled in medicine and so highly regarded by the Gu Family. Now, he'd even come with Gu Moning to the ancestral home. He had a nagging premonition that Zhao Dong would ruin his plans. After all, the way Gu Moning's parents had looked at Zhao Dong in the hospital room was far too affectionate, which made Guo Chao feel threatened. That was why he had insisted on coming along, to prevent their relationship from growing any warmer.

Now, as he looked at Zhao Dong, Guo Chao's eyes flickered with malice. Now that we're out here, I have to put this guy in his place.

With this thought, Guo Chao snorted coldly at Zhao Dong and said, "Listen here, Zhao. I'm telling you straight. Don't think you're hot stuff just because you know a bit of medicine. Moning wouldn't be interested in a man like you, and neither would the Gu Family. I'm the one the Gu Family approves of. You better remember that!"

Zhao Dong chuckled scornfully, looking at Guo Chao as if he were a clown. He simply shook his head without a word.

Embarrassed and enraged, Guo Chao pointed at him. "What's your problem, Zhao? Are you looking for a fight?"

Zhao Dong's eyes turned cold in an instant. Looking at Guo Chao, he said slowly, "We're deep in the mountains here, with no surveillance. I'd advise you to watch your mouth."

A chill ran down Guo Chao's spine. Zhao Dong's gaze was terrifying, making him shiver instinctively. He swallowed hard and stammered, "What... what do you mean?"

"Nothing. It's just a warning. If something were to happen to you out here, no one would be able to get justice for you."

The threat in his words was unmistakable. Guo Chao trembled, and a shiver ran through his entire body. He shot Zhao Dong a fearful glance, swallowed hard, and returned to his car with a grim expression, having already made up his mind.

I have to stay far away from Zhao Dong! After all... the feeling he gives off is terrifying!

Seeing how terrified Guo Chao was, Zhao Dong smirked to himself. What a coward, trying to act tough in front of me. How ridiculous.

His gaze shifted to the side of the road, and he was surprised to see Gu Moning walking back to the car with the girl. They both got into the back seat.

Zhao Dong looked on in surprise and turned to Gu Moning. "What's this...?"

Gu Moning smiled faintly. "Let me introduce you. This is Li Xiaoran, a good childhood friend. I spent some time here in my family's hometown as a child, and Xiaoran was my best friend." Turning to Li Xiaoran, she smiled. "Xiaoran, this is Zhao Dong, a... a friend of mine."

Li Xiaoran looked at Zhao Dong, a sweet smile gracing her pretty face. "Hello, Brother Zhao."

Zhao Dong smiled and returned the greeting. "Hello. Have you always lived in this village? You didn't go to school?"

A complex emotion flickered in Li Xiaoran's eyes, but she simply smiled. "I did, but I didn't want to continue later on, so I just stayed home."

Zhao Dong was surprised. "You look like you're twenty-two or twenty-three. You've just been staying in the countryside all this time?"

"Yeah..."

Beside her, Gu Moning sighed. "Zhao Dong, Xiaoran's family had some trouble, so she's been living in the countryside ever since. I told her she could go to school and even live with me, but she refused."

A hint of suspicion appeared in Zhao Dong's eyes. This was all too strange. He looked deeply at Li Xiaoran and asked, "What about your parents?"

"My parents both passed away," Li Xiaoran replied.

"So you live alone in the countryside?"

"Yes."

A peculiar light flickered in Zhao Dong's eyes as he felt that something was very wrong. A normal girl wouldn't choose to live alone out here in the deep mountains, would she? This is just an impoverished little town. There's barely anyone on the streets. What's so great about staying here?

After giving Li Xiaoran one last deep look, Zhao Dong decided not to press further.

He started the car, and they set off again. They were in a small town, but the Gu Family's ancestral home was still a ways off, located in a remote country village. The last of the sunset glow faded from the horizon, and the sky was already growing dim. Zhao Dong felt a growing sense of unease. He couldn't pinpoint what was wrong, but it was a creepy feeling.

He glanced at the rearview mirror and his eyes met Li Xiaoran's reflection. In that instant, Zhao Dong's pupils constricted, and his heart skipped a beat. For a moment, Li Xiaoran's gaze had been incredibly cold, so chilling it filled him with terror. When he looked again, her expression was back to normal, her face still adorned with a smile.

Cold sweat broke out on Zhao Dong's forehead. What's going on? Did I imagine that?

As they drove deeper into the mountains, the horn of Guo Chao's car suddenly blared behind them, and he came to a stop. Zhao Dong also pulled over, looking back with suspicion. Guo Chao got out of his car, and Zhao Dong's group did the same. When they saw the scene in front of Guo Chao's car, they all gasped in shock.

Guo Chao had run over a weasel. Its intestines were spilling out and the tire was covered in blood—an incredibly gruesome sight.

Guo Chao's face went deathly pale. "I swear I didn't see anything on the road," he said, his eyes wide with terror. "Where... where did this thing come from?"

A heaviness settled in Zhao Dong's heart. Running over such an animal was often considered a symbol of bad luck and evil.

Guo Chao's fear intensified. He suddenly looked at Gu Moning and said, "Moning, I think we should turn back. It's almost dark, and... I'm feeling really anxious. Why don't we come back tomorrow?"

Gu Moning frowned slightly. She had wanted to get this over with today, since the family auction was tomorrow. She hesitated for a moment before saying, "Guo Chao, I still need to go. How about this? You can head back first."

Guo Chao was drenched in a cold sweat. He was thoroughly spooked. His family was very superstitious, and hitting a weasel was a terrible omen. Wiping his brow, he said, his voice trembling, "Moning, then... then I'll head back first. I... I also have some things to take care of at home."

Gu Moning responded with a noncommittal "Mhm," and her disappointment was evident. She could see his fear clearly, and she couldn't help but feel a little contempt for a grown man being so easily frightened. Of course, she also understood, so she didn't say anything more and watched him turn his car around and leave.

Gu Moning then looked at Zhao Dong, biting her lip. "What about you?"

Zhao Dong glanced at the sky. "Let's go. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can head back."

"Okay!"

Everyone got back in the car. Zhao Dong glanced at Li Xiaoran again and saw she was watching him with a faint, unreadable smile.

Zhao Dong's heart gave a lurch. He just couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about Li Xiaoran. When he recalled the dead weasel on the road, a chill ran down his spine.

I hope nothing bad happens today...

Soon, the sky darkened completely. Driving on the dirt road deep in the mountains felt truly unnerving. Finally, they arrived at a small village. There were not many households, just low, haphazardly arranged houses and a few thatched huts scattered about. Many of the houses were deserted and pitch-black inside; only two or three had the dim glow of an oil lamp. The village was right next to a mountain that appeared as a vast, gray expanse. It felt as if the place were cut off from the rest of the world.

Zhao Dong couldn't help but grip the steering wheel tighter. The place was indeed remote and desolate.

Finally, the car reached the village entrance. Just as they arrived, a figure suddenly appeared at the side of the road. Zhao Dong's expression changed. Caught completely off guard, he slammed on the brakes and wrenched the steering wheel.

Gu Moning cried out in alarm from the back seat as her head slammed against the window, almost hard enough to draw blood. They all looked out the window and were taken aback by what they saw.