After five bigwigs in Beijing's elite circle fell into their trap, I fled.

Chapter 190 Unable to refuse
One tube after another of dark blood was drawn from Jiang Liuyun's body.

The lab doctor frowned deeply: "The color of this blood is abnormal. Preliminary assessment suggests it's been contaminated with some kind of toxin. We'll have to wait for further test results to determine the exact situation. Commander Nie, try to gather as many details as possible about the injury; it might be very helpful in determining our next treatment plan."

Nie Zheng nodded: "Okay."

The doctors left one after another.

In the cold hospital room, Nie Zheng looked at Jiang Liuyun, who was in a weak state and resting with his eyes closed, and a dozen or so Xinghua Village villagers with slightly milder symptoms lying next to him.

"Piaomiao Continent has always been a forbidden area globally, with a complex situation and rampant crime." Nie Zheng's tone was apologetic. "I should have gone on that mission myself. I'm sorry for causing you all trouble."

“It’s not trouble, they’re all people who should have died long ago.” Li Erniang paused for a moment. “We are the ones who should apologize more than you. We should have gone with her when she took on that mission.”

"Please tell me more about the details of what happened back then." Nie Zheng's expression was very tense.

“In the third month after she went to Misty Continent, our intelligence system found that a group of remnants of the evil forces that she had destroyed a few years ago were following her to Misty Continent with a new type of virus from the dark laboratory of Country R.” Li Erniang’s face was very ugly. “We felt that things were not good, so we immediately organized ten people to go and help her.”

The old village chief squinted and tapped his cigarette ash: "When we found her yesterday, she was surrounded by hundreds of internationally wanted criminals. There was a bloody scene with knives flashing and hundreds of guns firing. We all thought we could only collect her body. But just as we were desperately trying to save her, a dense aura suddenly appeared on her body, like... a withered tree suddenly coming back to life, which neutralized almost ninety percent of the attack."

Uncle Zhou continued, "We rescued her from that group, but we were outnumbered. After taking down dozens of people, we ran out of resources and had to temporarily flee. On the eighth hour of our escape, we encountered trainees from the Holy Spirit Academy."

Nie Zheng was slightly moved: "The Holy Spirit Academy of Misty Continent?"

“It’s that legendary Holy Spirit Academy.” Uncle Zhou sighed. “The only pure land in the Chaotic Lands, and the only holy land that can suppress those villains in the Chaotic Lands. It is said that they keep to themselves, but they helped us and personally escorted us out of the Misty Continent.”

Li Erniang pondered, "I still feel something is off. The few Holy Spirit Academy trainees who escorted us seem to have come specifically for us. I've heard that the people from the Holy Spirit Academy are arrogant and haughty, but their attitude towards Liu Yun is unusually kind."

Nie Zheng pondered for a moment: "Did they say anything?"

"No, they only said that Liu Yun had residual spiritual energy from their Holy Spirit Academy, and asked if Liu Yun had any connection with the Holy Spirit Academy. We also suspected that they wanted to steal the confidential documents that Liu Yun had retrieved, but we didn't see them make any moves until the documents were handed over to you."

“The spiritual energy of the Holy Spirit Academy…” Nie Zheng thought for a moment, “That’s the most precious thing in the Holy Spirit Academy, how could Liu Yun have it?”

Jiang Liuyun slowly opened his eyes and weakly said, "That spiritual energy was emitted from the bracelet that Xiaoshu gave me—that child Xiaoshu has always liked to study all sorts of random things. Since she didn't mention it, I didn't ask."

"Alright, then I won't ask." Nie Zheng leaned down, gazing intently at Jiang Liuyun. "Are you feeling any better?"

"It's not great, but we should be able to survive for a few more days." Jiang Liuyun said indifferently, "Those bastards were carrying at least ten new types of toxins. When I retrieved the classified documents, I destroyed their toxin sources and also intercepted some secrets from R and M countries. Even if I die, I'll have made a fortune."

“You…” Nie Zheng said in a complicated tone, “Don’t keep using that word. You should always think about what will happen to me and Xiao Shu if something happens to you.”

"You're all grown up, stop with the sentimental stuff." Jiang Liuyun paused for a moment. "To be honest, I got quite a bit of the toxin myself while destroying the source, so I'm probably doomed. If... don't make a scene for me and stay chaste for the rest of your life, wasting twenty or thirty years of your life is enough. I don't want to be a ghost with a debt of love!"

"I don't want to hear what you have to say." Nie Zheng stood up, his expression grim. "I'm going to the lab to wait for the results."

Nie Zheng left.

Jiang Liuyun glanced at his retreating figure out of the corner of her eye, a sense of powerlessness welling up inside her.

midnight.

Li Yubai and Rong Jingchen's phones rang one after the other. Li Yubai answered, "Commander Nie?"

"You are on good terms with the Puppet Man streamer. Could you please help me obtain a level 10 healing potion made by the Divine Pharmacist? Name your price."

Li Yubai paused for a moment: "Commander Nie is Madam Jiang?"

"Yes." On the other end of the phone, Nie Zheng looked at the test results in his hand, his voice dry. "It would be best if there was a medicine that could remove the toxins. If not, other wound medicines will do. Better than nothing."

“Commander Nie is probably aware of my connection with Madam Jiang.” Li Yubai walked to the window, looking calmly at the moonlight outside. “I will naturally help you; there’s no need to mention money.”

"Thank you, Your Excellency!"

"Madam Jiang's condition...is very bad?"

"This is very bad." Nie Zheng looked at the thin few pages of the test report, feeling as if a heavy boulder was pressing on his heart. "Several new variant viruses are intertwined, and the doctors in the laboratory are helpless. If possible, please ask me for another level 10 pill."

Li Yubai's voice was slightly different: "There's something you might not know yet."

Nie Zheng asked absentmindedly, "What is it?"

“The puppet,” Li Yubai said, his tone softening slightly. “It’s Xiao Shu.”

"..." Nie Zheng paused for a long time, "Then, can I take a few more?"

“The divine medicine master has already sent over all the remaining pills, probably dozens, and more will follow.” Li Yubai’s expression was not good. “But level ten pills are not elixirs; they are just much more effective than ordinary pills. Commander Nie, don’t have too high expectations.”

“I know. Thank you for informing me of today’s events.” Nie Zheng’s tone became slightly more relaxed. “Since we’re all on the same side, let’s not talk about money. I’ll transfer my entire family business to Xiao Shu’s name later.”

The phone call Rong Jingchen received, however, was about something completely different.

Nie Zheng: "I haven't assigned you a task in a while, so I'll give you a big one all at once."

Rong Jingchen: "...You go ahead."

"Take your men to the chaotic lands of Misty Continent and kill as many as you can," Nie Zheng said casually. "There will be no salary, but I promise you that if you can get Xiao Shu to agree to marry you in the future, I will help you solve all other obstacles."

"All obstacles..." Rong Jingchen's heart skipped a beat for a moment, "including Li Yubai and his rivals in love?"

"Not included," Nie Zheng reminded him, "but it includes obstacles from your future mother-in-law's side."

"I'll set off shortly to get revenge for Madam Jiang."

Rong Jingchen hung up the phone, and his subordinate was furious: "It's that Nie Zheng again! In a place like the Chaotic Lands, you've clashed with him twice before and didn't gain the upper hand. Where does Nie Zheng get the nerve to use our people as his weapons? My lord, I've noticed you're becoming less and less able to say no!"

“I can’t refuse.” Rong Jingchen said quietly, “From now on, I’ll have to call him Dad.”

(End of this chapter)