Top Soldier Pursued by a Beauty

"I just arrived in Provincial City today, and I'd like to ask about my mother."

Upon hearing this, Old Master Han fell silent for a long time.

"Zhao Dong, I do know someone in Provincial City called Ghost Lord. He's known as the All-Knowing Maestro of Provincial City. Although this title has a hint of boastfulness, the man is not to be underestimated. You should go find him; you might get the information you're looking for!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Dong was overjoyed. After expressing his gratitude, he hurried to the address Old Master Han had sent him.

But when Zhao Dong opened the car door and stepped out, he was stunned.

Before him was a stretch of pitch-black tenement buildings. The alley, barely wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side, was filled with dirty water and garbage. Large black rats scurried about, and a foul stench assaulted his nostrils.

He walked further in, where various small vendors had set up along the roadside. They sold unidentifiable items, and there were even voluptuous women in loose pajamas waving at passersby. The pedestrians were plainly dressed, most walking with slumped shoulders and lifeless eyes. When a relatively well-dressed person like Zhao Dong stepped into the area, he immediately became the center of attention.

Is this… a slum?

Zhao Dong was bewildered. He checked the address Han Qingtian had sent him again, confirming it was the right place.

"How is this possible? The All-Knowing Maestro of Provincial City might not be incredibly wealthy, but he's certainly no nobody. Why would he live in a place like this?" he muttered. "Could it be a mistake?"

But then he remembered that Han Qingtian wasn't an unreliable person. Suppressing his discomfort, Zhao Dong began searching for the building number on the address.

He knocked on the door.

An old man with a scruffy beard opened it. He wore a worn-out black t-shirt, his messy hair obscuring one of his eyes. Upon seeing Zhao Dong, he asked, "Who are you looking for?"

Zhao Dong took a deep breath and said respectfully, "Good day, sir. I'm looking for Ghost Lord."

"Ghost Lord?" The old man's expression changed, and he immediately tried to shut the door. "There's no Ghost Lord here! You've got the wrong place!"

"Wait! Han Qingtian sent me!"

As Zhao Dong blurted out Han Qingtian's name, the old man paused. "What's your relationship with Han Qingtian?"

"I suppose you could call me his grandson-in-law," Zhao Dong replied honestly.

"Grandson-in-law?"

The old man scrutinized Zhao Dong for a moment before opening the door to let him in. The furniture inside was a collection of mismatched, dilapidated pieces, but the room was otherwise clean, indicating the old man was somewhat particular.

"Have a seat. I'm Ghost Lord." The old man pulled up a chair, gesturing for Zhao Dong to sit.

Zhao Dong had already guessed the man's identity, so he said respectfully, "Ghost Lord, I've come to ask you about someone."

Ghost Lord squinted at Zhao Dong and smiled. "Go on. Who are you looking for? Do you have any clues?"

Zhao Dong thought for a moment, then took a cracked Jade Pendant from his shirt and handed it to Ghost Lord. "This is the only clue. Please, take a look."

The moment he saw the Jade Pendant, Ghost Lord's expression changed. "How… how do you have this?"

"You've seen it before?" Zhao Dong's own expression shifted.

Ghost Lord fell silent. After a long moment, he said, "If you weren't Han Qingtian's grandson-in-law, I would absolutely refuse to get involved in this matter."

"Thank you, Ghost Lord!" Zhao Dong said, clasping his fist in his palm in a bow.

Ghost Lord waved him off, motioning for him to sit down again before he slowly began to speak. "To be honest, I saw this Jade Pendant many years ago. It was on a woman who was being hunted."

Zhao Dong's heart sank as he stared blankly at Ghost Lord.

Just then, a sudden, intense sense of mortal danger washed over him!

"Duck!" Zhao Dong yelled, shoving Ghost Lord to the ground.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The next second, a hail of bullets tore through the door, riddling the spot where they had just been standing.

THUD!

The next moment, the door was violently kicked open, and three men in black, brandishing guns, charged into the room.

Zhao Dong executed a deft flip, grabbed a nearby stool, and smashed it over the first man's head.

"Ah!"

The man crumpled, knocked out cold. Without hesitation, Zhao Dong lunged at the second attacker. His right fist shot out, knocking the man unconscious as well. Seeing things go south, the third man turned to flee but was sent flying by a kick to the back from Zhao Dong, who then dragged him back inside by the collar.

After subduing the three assassins, Zhao Dong immediately turned back to Ghost Lord. A bloody hole was visible in Ghost Lord's lower abdomen. Bright red blood flowed freely, and his life was hanging by a thread.

"Go… quickly…" Ghost Lord sputtered, blood trickling from his lips, his voice fading.

Zhao Dong roared, "Don't talk! You can't die! I won't let you die!"

With that, Zhao Dong took out several Healing Pills and fed them to Ghost Lord before using his Spiritual Energy to staunch the bleeding. Fortunately, the gunshot wound wasn't in a critical location.

Half an hour later, an exhausted Zhao Dong sat gasping for breath on the ground. Beside him, Ghost Lord's lower abdomen was wrapped in gauze, and the color was visibly returning to his face.

"Thank you… Thank you, young brother, for saving me. I am immensely grateful…" Ghost Lord looked disheveled as he staggered to his feet, clasping his fist in his palm to show his gratitude.

Zhao Dong waved his hand. "Don't just thank me with words. Tell me something useful."

"Young brother, you saved my life. Naturally, I'll tell you everything I know…" Ghost Lord said, sitting down beside Zhao Dong and slowly beginning his story.

It turned out that Ghost Lord had once been a major figure in the Provincial City underworld and had made countless enemies. After being double-crossed, he withdrew from that life and had been hiding here in anonymity ever since. The assassins who had just attacked were likely old enemies.

When it came to the Jade Pendant, Ghost Lord explained that it happened one winter. He had been in a fierce battle with another gang. Little did he know, he had walked into an ambush. His men suffered heavy casualties, and he barely escaped with his life. Fleeing to a snow-covered field on the outskirts of the city, he stumbled upon a severely injured woman lying unconscious in the snow. Hanging around her neck was this very Jade Pendant.

Although Ghost Lord was a criminal, he was the type who valued loyalty and had principles. He couldn't bring himself to leave someone to die. So, he took the woman with him back to his base and even sent word out for her family to come and retrieve her. The very next day, a group of people arrived to take the woman away.

"Did you know those people?" Zhao Dong asked urgently.

Ghost Lord shook his head. "I didn't recognize most of them, but there was one man I had seen before."

"Who?" Zhao Dong's face was etched with anxiety.

Ghost Lord sighed. "His nickname was Thunder Tiger. Back in the day, he was the top dog of the Provincial City underworld."

"Where is he now?" Zhao Dong shot to his feet, agitated.

Ghost Lord just shook his head helplessly. "People in our line of work don't last long. Thunder Tiger disappeared many years ago… However, he had a lot of enemies. It wouldn't have been easy for him to leave Provincial City. It's very possible he's hiding somewhere under a new name, just like me. If you ask around the city, you might be able to find a lead on his whereabouts."

With that, Ghost Lord wrote down his phone number for Zhao Dong. "Young man, don't worry. You saved my life, so your problem is my problem. As you make inquiries, I'll also mobilize my own connections to help you look."

Hearing this, Zhao Dong was deeply moved. He stood and bowed to Ghost Lord. "Thank you, Ghost Lord!"

"No…" Ghost Lord waved his hand with a bitter smile. "You saved my life. It is I who should be thanking you."

"You misunderstand," Zhao Dong said, also with a bitter smile. "I'm thanking you for saving my mother's life."

"What? That woman was your mother?" Ghost Lord was stunned.

Zhao Dong nodded emphatically. "Yes, she is my mother!"

"Good! Good, good, good!" Ghost Lord nodded repeatedly, looking pleased and gratified. "That woman is no ordinary person. It's her good fortune to have a son as dutiful and capable as you! Rest assured, since she is your mother, young brother, I will do everything in my power to help you investigate!"

"Thank you!"

After exchanging a few more words, Zhao Dong prepared to leave.

Just then, footsteps suddenly sounded at the door.

Zhao Dong's expression changed. He quickly pulled Ghost Lord aside and positioned himself in ambush next to the doorway. The iron door hadn't been closed. An outstretched hand pushed the door, which creaked open.

"Don't move!"

With lightning reflexes, Zhao Dong grabbed the newcomer by the neck and pinned them against the wall. A pleasant fragrance filled his nostrils, and Zhao Dong was surprised to realize the newcomer was a woman. Still, Zhao Dong didn't loosen his grip. After all, an assassin could be a man or a woman.

However, when the woman got a clear look at Zhao Dong, her expression shifted to one of shock.

"Zhao… Zhao Dong? What are you doing here?"