Top Soldier Pursued by a Beauty

Seeing this, the man immediately threw a punch.

"Kid, you should feel honored to die by my hands!"

The wind from his fist whistled, thick with a murderous intent that terrified the onlookers into gasping aloud. But in the next moment, the terror on their faces twisted into pure astonishment!

Zhao Dong had nonchalantly raised his right hand and caught the man's fist, holding it in an iron grip. The man's face contorted in agony, his trembling eyes wide with a terror he couldn't hide.

"You... you're also a Great Grandmaster!" the man cried out.

Zhao Dong squeezed.

CRACK!

The man's fist was instantly crushed into a pulp.

"AHHH!" His scream tore through the air.

THUD!

Zhao Dong kicked out, sending the man's body flying backward. He then walked slowly over to Li Batian and sneered, "Young Master Li, was it? Do you still want me to kneel and apologize?"

Li Batian's face went pale. He swallowed hard and threatened, "Kid, don't think you're hot shit just because you can throw a punch! I'm from the Li Family, and the Li Family is affiliated with the Xiao Family! You touch me and—Ah!"

Before Li Batian could finish, Zhao Dong slapped him across the face, sending him flying. Before he could even get up, Zhao Dong planted his foot on his face.

"The Xiao Family? Did you know their butler died recently?"

SWISH!

Li Batian's expression changed dramatically.

"You... it was you!"

"That's right. I killed him," Zhao Dong said with a playful smile. "So, you understand your situation now, don't you?"

Li Batian was plunged into despair. Overcome with fear, he wet himself, a foul stench filling the air. The Xiao Family was the greatest pillar of support for his Li Family. Yet this man had dared to kill even the Xiao Family's butler. What was a mere member of the Li Family like him in comparison?

Zhao Dong said calmly, "Weren't you just going to stand up for He Jing? Go on. I'd like to hear you try."

"No, no, no... I wouldn't dare... It's my fault! I was blind and failed to recognize a great man like you! Please, just treat me like a fart and let me go..."

Li Batian had completely lost his will to resist, capable only of begging for mercy.

Seeing this, Zhao Dong couldn't be bothered to pursue the matter. He lifted his foot and was about to turn away when He Jing's furious roar erupted.

"Li Batian! You promised you'd stand up for me! How can you just chicken out like this? Go on, teach him a lesson! Didn't you say your Li Family was full of experts? Call them over to deal with him!"

"Stand up for you? To hell with that!" Terrified, Li Batian shot up when he heard He Jing still screaming at him. He roared, "If it wasn't for you, you bitch, would I have been so damn humiliated? Say one more word and I'll rip your mouth to shreds!"

"Oh, really, Li Batian? You sang such a sweet tune when you were trying to get with me, but now you've changed your story?" Enraged, He Jing blurted out everything on her mind, no longer caring what was appropriate. "You really think I'd be interested in a fat pig like you? If it wasn't for your powerful Li Family, what the hell would you be? Now you say we should just forget it? On what grounds?"

SLAP!

A loud slap echoed through the room.

"You damn bitch! Who the hell do you think you are? You dare to curse at me? I'll beat you to death today, you bitch!"

With that, Li Batian lunged forward, pummeling her with his fists and feet.

"Stop hitting her! Please, I beg you, stop! If you have to hit someone, hit me... hit me..." He Jing's mother rushed over and shielded her daughter with her own body.

Wary of Zhao Dong, Li Batian didn't dare to strike the mother. He shot Zhao Dong a fearful glance before hastily grabbing his beaten subordinate and fleeing in disgrace.

Inside the house, He Jing was wailing pitifully. Her worried mother wanted to comfort her but didn't know how to begin.

When the sobs finally subsided, He Jing looked at Zhao Dong in terror, shrinking back against the wall.

Her mother pleaded, "Young Zhao, please don't hurt her anymore. No matter how awful Jingjing has been, she's still my daughter!"

Her words sent a pang of pain through Zhao Dong's heart. The love of parents truly knows no bounds. He Jing should have been a pitiable girl. Thankfully, her adoptive parents gave her a complete family. But her actions... they were simply too much!

Zhao Dong sighed helplessly. "He Jing, you saw what happened today. The mountains you rely on can crumble, and the trees you lean on can fall. The only people you can truly count on are your parents. Uncle and Auntie aren't related to you by blood, yet they raised you to adulthood. Even after you treated them so horribly, the moment you were being beaten, they were the first to jump out and protect you. If you don't turn over a new leaf and change your ways, you're no better than an animal!"

As his words sank in, He Jing stared blankly. Looking at her weeping mother, her own heart was pierced with pain. Tears of regret slid down her cheeks.

Just then, He Xiao walked over, squatted beside He Jing, and took her hand.

"Jingjing, I know you resent our family, but we can't choose where we're born. We can, however, choose our own future, right?

"Think about it. After Dad became disabled, our family reached a point where we could barely put food on the table.

"But Mom always gave you food first. She'd rather she and Dad go hungry, and even give me—her own biological daughter—less to eat, just so you wouldn't be hungry. She did all that because she was afraid you'd feel like an outsider for not being their real child, right?

"And remember that time you had a high fever as a kid? All the clinics were closed. Dad carried you on his back and ran ten miles to the hospital in town. That day, his feet were rubbed raw, and he fainted right there in the hospital. Have you... have you really forgotten all of that?"