Chapter 220: 220, Meet Fire Seed again!

Li Shengtan's gift caught Ren Xiaosu off guard, for when he had asked Xiaoyu if anyone had been causing trouble, she had said no, yet he knew full well she was lying.

How could the compound of over a dozen women go unnoticed in a bustling market town?

Thus, this was also why Ren Xiaosu feared Jiang Wu might be exposed—if someone harbored ill intent, Jiang Wu might be forced to unleash his supernatural powers.

When that happened, it would draw the attention of Huozhong Company, and that would be a great crisis.

Ren Xiaosu looked at Li Shengtan and said, "This gift is truly appreciated."

Li Shengtan waved his hand with a smile, "No need to be so formal. Also, the Li family plans to send their elite nanobot warriors to hunt the wolf pack. It’ll be good practice for them, and your wolf friends can take cover for a while. Some of those nanobot warriors... are quite formidable."

Ren Xiaosu froze. Could he collect nanobots again?!

Suddenly, Li Shengtan wondered if he had misread something—he could have sworn he saw a glimmer of anticipation in Ren Xiaosu’s eyes.

"Do you know where the Huozhong Company members are hiding?" Ren Xiaosu shifted the topic.

"They just left this afternoon, but I don’t know where they went. Probably hoping for luck. Don’t worry, they don’t know you," Li Shengtan replied, then walked toward the door.

This demon would follow the Li family’s army to the front lines, and Ren Xiaosu suddenly felt that if more people like Li Shengtan existed in the world, war might truly be far away.

Between the factions, there had always been a balance, each slowly plundering resources to strengthen themselves—a collective process of growth.

But if one faction showed a flaw, the others would surely relish dividing the spoils.

After Li Shengtan left, Xiaoyu emerged from the house, curious, "That was Li Shengtan, wasn’t it? I’ve seen him before at the shop in the 109 Bastion."

"Hmm," Ren Xiaosu frowned, lost in thought, then said, "I might have to go back. I feel there’s something hidden in his words."

Originally, Ren Xiaosu had planned to stay the night in the market town, as they had much to discuss after such a long separation, but when he inquired about Huozhong Company, Li Shengtan mentioned they had left in the afternoon, leaving Ren Xiaosu uneasy.

Yan Liuyuan, standing nearby, paused and asked, "Leaving so soon?"

"Yes," Ren Xiaosu sighed, "There’s still a month until the New Year. I’m sure I’ll have another chance to return, or... I’ll bring you both to the outpost for the New Year."

"Really?" Yan Liuyuan’s eyes lit up; he too wanted to see the outpost where Ren Xiaosu served as a sentinel.

After speaking, Ren Xiaosu stepped out. At that moment, Wang Fugui and Li Qingzheng had just finished handing over money and goods, their expressions suggesting mutual satisfaction.

"Wolf King, we must go. There’s urgent business back home," Ren Xiaosu said to Li Qingzheng.

Li Qingzheng frowned, "Now? Shouldn’t we wait a bit? I haven’t... finished here yet."

"We must go," Ren Xiaosu said firmly.

After a moment’s thought, Li Qingzheng relented, "Alright, let’s head back now."

As Li Qingzheng and Ren Xiaosu climbed into the vehicle, Wang Fugui called out, "Xiaosu, take care. Our family depends on you. You can’t afford to get into trouble."

"Don’t worry," Ren Xiaosu replied quietly, "I’ve survived the collapse of two bastions. My life is tough."

Wang Fugui laughed, "True enough. With you around, our days will only get better."

With that, Li Qingzheng started the vehicle and drove out of the market town.

At the gate, there were two general stores—one run by an elderly woman, the other newly opened by Wang Fugui. After Wang Fugui arrived, the neighboring store’s business plummeted, leaving its owner resentful.

As Wang Fugui bade Ren Xiaosu farewell, the elderly woman leaned against the doorframe with a water bucket, cracking melon seeds while sneering. After Ren Xiaosu left, she suddenly called out to Wang Fugui, "So, is this one of your people?"

Wang Fugui chuckled, "This is our boss. Quite something."

The elderly woman scoffed, spitting melon shells onto the ground, "Just a soldier from a broken private army. Not seeing what’s so impressive."

In the eyes of the wandering refugees in the market town, private soldiers were no longer worth much—only the faction soldiers were truly formidable. Not just the elderly woman, but others who had once believed Wang Fugui’s family had connections now felt disappointed. Just a private soldier, after all.

Wang Fugui smiled and said nothing, for they were not of the same world—summer insects cannot speak to ice.

…

On the way, Li Qingzheng did not ask why Ren Xiaosu was so eager to return to the outpost. Instead, observing Li Qingzheng’s demeanor, Ren Xiaosu suddenly realized the other might have discovered something.

Ren Xiaosu looked at Li Qingzheng, "You…"

Before he could finish, Li Qingzheng cut him off, "I know nothing."

Ren Xiaosu could only sigh, recalling how Li Qingzheng had once urged everyone to retreat indoors during the wolf pack’s attack on the supply convoy—perhaps he had already sensed something then.

"I heard a fortune teller once say I’d live a wretched life," Li Qingzheng said. "My father nearly struck him, but the old man added I’d have one chance to turn things around."

"What chance?" Ren Xiaosu asked curiously.

"He said I’d meet a benefactor at twenty-nine. That day I met you, I had just turned twenty-nine."

Ren Xiaosu sighed, "Such feudal superstition is a curse."

The drive took three hours. Due to Ren Xiaosu’s urgency, Li Qingzheng drove faster. As they reached the foot of the hill leading to the outpost, Ren Xiaosu suddenly spotted tire tracks on the ground, his face paling, "Faster—there’s someone up the mountain!"

The dirt path led only to the outpost. With the snow just melted, the ground was muddy, and any vehicle would leave clear tracks. Ren Xiaosu’s sense of crisis deepened.

As Li Shengtan had said, Huozhong Company had merely come to try their luck. Perhaps upon hearing of the two missing officers, they suspected supernatural forces and came to investigate the outpost for potential anomalies.

The truck arrived at the outpost, yet the frantic Ren Xiaosu halted abruptly at the sight before him.

Hu Syaoyao sat leisurely by the bonfire, roasting meat with others, while five strangers knelt in a row nearby, battered and bruised. One coughed blood as he knelt…

At the sight of Ren Xiaosu, Hu Syaoyao’s face darkened, "Why did you return so quickly!"

…

It’s time for the daily moon ticket again. I, Zhouzi, ask for the moon ticket.