Chapter 347: All Thanks to You
"Oh, and investigate this Jin Que. If he's really connected to the Angel Association and was previously discovered by Xiao Ye, the fact that he hasn't shown his face for so long makes it highly likely he's left the country!"
The Angel Association's main base of operations is overseas, so there's a high probability.
"Focus the investigation on people who have left the country. See if anyone matches Jin Que's profile. Start the search from the time Xiao Ye joined the Xiao Family."
Two days passed.
Xiao Ye had dealt with the Gathering Yin Array. He burned the infant's bones and, not forgetting to perform a ritual to guide its spirit, finally descended the mountain.
On his way back, he made a special detour to the village.
It was completely empty. Only the houses remained, without a single soul in sight.
Moreover, upon entering, it was obvious that the place had been cleared out. Anything valuable and daily necessities had all been taken away.
'Looks like they really did leave.'
Xiao Ye's heart relaxed slightly.
When he returned to the foot of the mountain, he immediately inquired about the situation.
The original villagers had all been settled in a town at the foot of the mountain.
There were resettlement buildings there, and the residents were mostly elderly men and women, making it a perfect place to settle them.
Just as Xiao Ye arrived at the resettlement buildings, he unexpectedly ran into the village chief.
The chief was currently chatting with a young man. "Oh, so that's how you use this thing. I get it now. Thank you so much."
After speaking, he fumbled with the notebook in his hands, looking a bit confused again.
He looked up and saw Xiao Ye.
"It's you! Young man!" The village chief hurried over, his face beaming with excitement. "Young man, it's all thanks to you! If it weren't for you, we'd definitely still be suffering back in the village!"
Xiao Ye smiled faintly. "They should have started giving you classes by now. From now on, you don't have to follow the village's old customs."
"Otherwise, it's illegal!"
The village chief blushed a little. Only after coming out here did he realize that most of the things he'd done were illegal.
For example, a girl married off at sixteen is still a minor in the outside world, a little girl still in school.
If someone's sixteen-year-old kid got pregnant, their family would probably call the police directly.
In addition, many of the animals and plants they used to hunt were also protected by the state.
But since they had always lived deep in the old forests, a forgotten people, they wouldn't be prosecuted.
The village chief grabbed Xiao Ye, refusing to let him leave no matter what.
"If it weren't for you, we would never have come out. You are a great benefactor to our village. We must thank you properly!"
As he spoke, he pulled Xiao Ye to his apartment.
The decor inside the resettlement building's apartments was, of course, very ordinary.
But to these villagers, who had lived in earthen houses in the mountains without even kerosene lamps, it was practically a paradise on earth.
These few buildings were all filled with their people. The village chief had someone run errands, calling all the villagers to gather in the small plaza downstairs.
Nannan came too. She blushed the moment she saw Xiao Ye, but her expression quickly clouded over with sorrow.
Seeing this, a woman beside her quickly gave her a tug. "Girl, stop looking. You're still just a child now."
"The officials said they absolutely can't marry you off at this age. Besides, you have to go to school!"
Nannan lowered her head. "I know."
The woman chuckled. "That's right. The good days are still ahead. In the future, you'll be able to live just like people out here!"
The village chief, still holding onto Xiao Ye, had already begun his emotional speech of gratitude!
"Everyone, if this kind-hearted young man hadn't let us know about the outside world and even found people to help resolve our situation, we wouldn't be living in such nice homes today!"
"Back then, forget about houses, we would've been lucky to just get by without disaster! We have him to thank for this wonderful life!"
"That's right!" the villagers responded in unison.
Aside from a few backward customs, these villagers were actually a rare breed of simple, honest people, free from the scheming and backstabbing of the outside world.
"So, we must thank him!" The village chief was the first to present his gift. "Young man, I don't have much of value here, but this is for you!"
Xiao Ye took a look and raised an eyebrow slightly. He hadn't expected it to be medicinal herbs.
'Then again, that's about all you can find in abundance in the mountains.'
The other villagers also presented their gifts one after another—some gave cured meat, others offered small trinkets.
Not many of them were valuable, but they were all heartfelt gestures.
Nannan also walked up. Looking at the man who had almost become hers, her expression was still clearly tinged with sorrowful resentment. "This is my gift to you."
Xiao Ye picked it up and saw it was a decorative ornament made from an animal's tooth.
"Thank you."
He didn't spare Nannan another glance. "Alright, I have to go now. Thank you for your kindness."
"If you have any problems, just find the person in charge. I will arrange for them to give you classes and physical examinations."
Since he had brought them out, he naturally had to see to their future lives as well.
In for a penny, in for a pound.
Nannan stared at Xiao Ye's departing figure, biting her red lip tightly.
"Girl, stop looking. He's not some simple character. A man who can arrange for the settlement of so many of us... how could he possibly be interested in you?"
"Just focus on living a good life for now. You can worry about things like that later."
Nannan turned away, unwilling to give up. She wanted to hold on, but there was nothing she could do.
Carrying the gifts, Xiao Ye left the resettlement building and went to the meeting point General He had given him.
As soon as he entered the lobby, he spotted a woman leaning against the bar.
She had crisp, neat short hair, a sharp and handsome appearance, and was dressed in slightly form-fitting black casual wear.
The woman saw him too, a slight smile playing on her lips as she walked over. While she lacked a conventional feminine charm, she exuded a different kind of sharp, fierce beauty.
Like a rose with thorns.
"I'm Jin Mingzhu." The woman extended her hand. "Xiao Ye, it's a pleasure to meet you."
'The Jin Family?'
Xiao Ye felt the name was somewhat familiar.
He quickly recalled it—there was a Jin Family in the Golden Saber Covenant.
What was associated with them was—Martial Arts!
Looking at the woman before him again, she was indeed different from an ordinary person. She carried the aura of a trained martial artist.
"Pleasure to meet you. Why don't you start by introducing yourself." After speaking, Xiao Ye headed toward the hotel room.
Jin Mingzhu followed behind him. "I'm one of General He's subordinates. Codename: Nightingale."
"I'm a special agent, a first-class one at that, so when it comes to security, I can protect myself."
"General He said that if we encounter any trouble, my primary objective is self-preservation."
Xiao Ye nodded. 'That's because General He knows what I'm capable of.'
"I'm here this time mainly to take you to several other locations." Jin Mingzhu sized up Xiao Ye. "When do we depart?"
"General He's intention is... as soon as possible!"
Xiao Ye entered the room. "Alright. I'll rest for a bit. We leave tonight."
He had been living in the mountains for several days straight. He was only human and needed a proper rest.
Especially this soft bed, which was much more comfortable than a tree branch.
Jin Mingzhu nodded. "Okay. I'll stand guard outside."
"No need. You should get a room and rest too. We'll meet in the lobby at five this evening."