Chapter 68: The White Hound

Chapter 68: The White Hound

The faith of North City?

That’s an interesting way to put it.

The old man continued, "When I was young, I visited North City once."

"I saw some skilled fighters there, a few accompanied by wolf-dogs. It’s said that these are individuals recognized by the wolf-dog packs, chosen as companions by the wolf-dogs, who will loyally follow and fight with them for life."

These wolf-dogs are incredibly formidable, being one of the few animals with a spiritual pool.

They also have a hierarchy within their groups. They can not only protect their masters and kill enemies, but they can also cooperate with their human partners who serve in the military to combat alien creatures. Their hearing, sense of smell, and perception of environmental changes are far superior to humans. With their help, it’s like giving wings to a tiger, which is one of the reasons why North City has been able to hold its ground for so many years.

However, they are naturally very proud.

For a chosen target, they’ll offer a chance to fight. If the opponent wins, they’ll acknowledge them as their master; otherwise, they’ll simply walk away with a flick of their tail. As for those they don’t like from the start, they won’t even glance their way.

So, spiritualists who earn the recognition of these wolf-dogs are highly respected in North City.

After hearing the old man’s explanation, Xu Qingran quietly watched the battle between the white hound and its enemies in the cage.

The old man seemed amazed by the swift white figure in the cage: "After so many years in West City, this is the first time I’ve seen such a wolf-dog in combat."

"I’ve heard they’re naturally very combative. When they face stronger enemies, no matter the number, they charge forward without retreating. They’re not even afraid of humans; it’s common for these wolf-dogs to defeat armed humans!"

Xu Qingran looked at the white hound—though he still thought it should be called a wolf—it definitely had something special. Especially its ferocious fighting stance, fierce and unyielding gaze, proud yet fearless, ready to fight to the death rather than retreat.

He really admired such a brave and bold spirit.

"However, the white hound is usually the pack leader, the king of North City’s mountains and forests," the old man said with a frown. "It looks incredibly powerful, so it’s strange it ended up in the hands of West City’s people."

He stroked his short beard, squinted his eyes, and observed for a while, then suddenly raised his eyebrows: "Oh? Is this white hound female? Given the hunters’ methods, they might’ve used its offspring to trap it, right?"

West City doesn’t just kidnap children and women; they also poach.

The Upper South Continent, especially the North City area, has the largest land area and the most intact natural ecosystem, home to many rare species not found even in other star systems. West City happens to have some land borders closely adjacent to North City. To make money, they often illegally hunt those animals along the border.

This white hound might be something a big shot specifically wanted.

Xu Qingran didn’t respond anymore.

With his hands in the pockets of his trench coat, he watched intently.

The dark, damp iron cage soon quieted down.

The cat-and-dog battle, which had lasted for who knows how many days, finally ended with the victory of the white hound.

To be honest, its current state wasn’t exactly beautiful.

Not to mention what it had gone through before being captured, the environment here was dirty and chaotic. It had added many wounds to itself during the fight, and its once white, fluffy fur was now stained with dirty gray and black, mixed with dirty water and blood, looking particularly disheveled.

The white hound defeated the last big cat but didn’t howl loudly like a typical beast after winning a fight, releasing a deterrent to prove itself.

It simply turned around calmly and walked slowly to the cleanest corner of the cage. Its posture was cold and confident, as if the victory in this bloody battle was a natural and expected outcome.

It lay down in the corner, turned its head, and glared at them with its icy, fierce eyes, bared its teeth, and let out a low growl for intimidation, then turned its head away towards the wall, presenting its backside and tail to them.

A miraculous scene occurred.

After it crouched down, its fur began to emit a faint glow. From a distance, the energy carried a deeply calming presence.

The knowledgeable old man explained, "This is the unique spiritual healing of the White Dog."

"It can accelerate the recovery of depleted mental energy and speed up the healing of wounds through rest and concentration."

"That's why those people keep throwing various fierce beasts into the cage, trying to prevent its power from recovering by continuously exhausting it, so that they can capture..."

Before the old man could finish, Xu Qingran took off his coat and casually threw it aside.

Then he pushed up his sleeves and kicked the sturdy cage door. Each kick was heavier than the last, and the sound of the door shaking roused the White Dog inside, which immediately stood up alertly, staring fiercely at the person outside.

The old man gaped in astonishment, "Kid, what are you doing?"

A flicker of determination flashed in Xu Qingran's eyes, as if he had mustered all his strength, and finally kicked the cage door, which even the White Dog couldn't break, flying.

He let out a low laugh and casually replied, "Of course—fighting."

At this moment, the old man saw in Xu Qingran's eyes a ferocity very similar to that of the White Dog.

A ferocity that hungers for combat against all powerful opponents.

Even more insane things were yet to come.

Xu Qingran also took off his mask, stepped boldly inside, and after locking eyes with the White Dog, asked, "Do you want to fight me?"

The old man was shocked, thinking, could this young man really want to subdue the White Dog?

This is too unrealistic.

As the leader of the wolf pack, the White Dog almost never bows to humans. Historically, only the king who founded the empire and ruled from North City before South Continent's submission ever tamed a White Dog.

In contrast, his descendants, wanting to emulate their ancestor's achievements and gain recognition, sought glory and prestige. They used forceful tactics to capture the White Dog, but it soon starved to death, even offending the entire local wolf pack.

It took the whole city hundreds of years to mend relations with the wolf pack.

So, someone like Xu Qingran—an outsider with no ties to North City—the old man glanced at him, assuming he must be an outsider, not even from West City. Someone with no connection to the land of North City, not to belittle Xu Qingran, but theoretically, it's an impossible task!

Absolutely no one could do it!

Inside the cage, the White Dog lowered its stance, baring its teeth and growling low at Xu Qingran.

It didn't seem to agree to his request, more like a threat to deter the enemy. Its sharp teeth looked as if they could bite through a person's ribcage in one go.

Xu Qingran, however, showed no sign of nervousness. After drawing a short knife from his waist, he muttered under his breath, "Ah, you think that in my current state, fighting you would be a bit unfair, right?"

"Simple."

After saying this lightly, he held the knife and, without changing his expression, stabbed himself.

To be precise, he stabbed himself several times.

The White Dog was severely injured, with horrifying wounds all over its limbs and back.

So Xu Qingran imitated it, making several similar wounds on his own body.

The old man, watching from the side, was utterly dumbfounded.

Even the White Dog was taken by surprise, slightly retreating with its upper body raised, its icy blue eyes flickering with a hint of astonishment.

After Xu Qingran leveled the playing field, he said, "As for weapons—I’m keeping mine."

His eyes curved slightly, long eyelashes trembling.

He continued, "After all, using a weapon against you is a sign of respect for your strength."

The White Dog’s claws and teeth are its deadliest weapons, and they can be used in conjunction with psychic energy.

Xu Qingran might be a little crazy, but he wasn’t reckless enough to take on such a ferocious beast injured and unarmed. If he did that, it wouldn’t be called a spar but a suicide mission.

The cell fell silent in an instant.

The White Dog’s sharp gaze shifted from wariness to scrutiny.

The old man heard children running from the secret passage behind him.

Worried that the scene before him—and what was coming—might be too bloody, he hurriedly blocked the entrance of the passage and said kindly to the curious children, "This is adult business, not for kids to see. Let’s go out first."

Upon hearing this, Little Jasmine, her eyes sparkling, said, "Grandpa, don’t worry so much!"

She saw through his reason for stopping them: "We’ve grown up in Shangnanzhou—there’s nothing we haven’t seen! We won’t be scared!"

The old man was at a loss for words.

Among the children was a mute soldier, blinking his eyes and silently meeting his gaze, looking innocent.

The children ran past, unfazed by the chaos inside, and even pointed at the White Dog, saying, "Look, a dog!"

"It looks seriously hurt!"

"Is that guy fighting it?"

"Maybe they’re just playing!"

Meanwhile, in the iron cell, the man and the dog had already started fighting when no one was paying attention.

It was unclear whether Xu Qingran had blatantly ignored the White Dog’s wishes and charged in with his knife, or if the White Dog had been impressed by his boldness and given him the chance to spar.

Claws met blade with a resounding clang.

The psychic energy clash was so intense that even the onlookers outside the cell felt a prickling sensation on their skin. This was a no-holds-barred fight, with neither side holding back.

The White Dog’s sharp teeth sank into Xu Qingran’s arm, its eyes fierce, its bite strong, leaving a deep, bloody hole.

Seizing the opportunity, Xu Qingran’s psychic blade also stabbed into the White Dog’s body. Taking advantage of its distraction from the pain, he forcefully threw it away. Even as chunks of his flesh were torn away, his face remained stoic.

In the midst of the fight, the man and the dog in the cell saw the look of immersion in each other’s eyes.

By some unspoken agreement, they recognized the madness in each other, growing more and more excited as they fought. Eventually, Xu Qingran dropped his knife, and the White Dog’s claws were injured. They began the most primitive form of combat: punching, kicking, and slamming into each other.

While the two were fighting with increasing fervor, the people outside the cell grew more and more horrified.

The brutal, bloody scene finally began to scare the children. The old man shook his head and urged them to leave, "Let’s go out first. Once your hero finishes fighting, he’ll definitely send you home safely."

Little Jasmine hid behind the mute soldier, both scared and insistent, "No, what if the brother dies!"

The other two children also nodded solemnly.

The idea of Xu Qingran dying was, of course, out of the question.

By the end of the fight, both combatants were utterly spent. However, Xu Qingran was a bit tougher than the white dog. He seized the chance to grab his short knife, which the dog had knocked into a corner, kicked it down, flipped it over, and pinned it to the ground, the blade pressed against its neck.

The cell, after a long bout of intense fighting, finally fell silent.

Only the sound of ragged breaths lingered.

The white dog, pinned to the ground and battered and bruised, no longer had the strength to fight back.

It could only gasp faintly, its icy eyes locked calmly on Xu Qingran, who was looking back at it. Perhaps it recognized his strength and accepted its own defeat, but even knowing it might die, it resolutely refused to close its eyes.

Even on the edge of death, it met its fate with courage.

Xu Qingran was drenched in sweat, his soft hair plastered to his skin.

His body was riddled with wounds inflicted by the opponent, and the strong smell of blood filled the prison. Yet, despite the pain, he felt a thrill of exhilaration he hadn’t known in ages. The last time he had felt this way was during a match with Shen Tingyu.

Xu Qingran did not actually kill the white dog.

Mainly, he’d fought simply because he admired its strength. The fight had been so intense because he relished the thrill of dancing with death.

So he sheathed the knife and gave the white dog a gentle pat on the head.

After transferring some healing energy to it, he pushed himself to his feet and walked out without a backward glance. "I’m done. Let’s go."

His steps were slow, weighed down by the injury to his leg.

The old man stared in disbelief. "You... you beat it, and now you’re just walking away?"

"Aren’t you going to keep it?"

This kid was already strong; with a beast like the white dog, he’d be unstoppable.

Xu Qingran was puzzled: "Do I really have to keep it?"

"I just wanted to see how strong it was."

The old man hesitated.

There wasn’t a hard rule, but that’s how things usually went. Moreover, it was typically the wolf-dog that issued the challenge for a spar. It was rare for someone like Xu Qingran to seek out a fight, as normally, unwilling wolf-dogs would simply flee the scene.

More importantly, did this young man even know how rare the white dog was?

He had a golden chance, yet he walked away without a second thought. What’s the difference between that and ignoring a gold brick lying in your path?!

While the old man was still pondering, Xu Qingran had already picked up the coat he had discarded nearby and was the first to walk out of the secret chamber.

The others could only hurriedly follow.

Only the white dog in the cell, after receiving the healing energy, managed to stand up.

It stood motionless, its beautiful eyes fixed intently on the direction Xu Qingran had left.

After Xu Qingran led the children out of the basement, he took some medicine and bandages from the medical kit in the back of the car and treated the more serious wounds.

—Anticipating that he would either be fighting or on his way to a fight, he had specifically requested some backup medicine from the medical unit at Ma Biao's camp before coming to West City.

The car’s interior was roomy, with plenty of space to move around.

The old gentleman sat in the passenger seat, while the silent soldier took the children to the back seat, holding the only boy in his arms.

Xu Qingran, despite his injuries, delivered the children home one by one under the cloak of night.

In the end, only Little Jasmine and the kind old gentleman were left.

The old gentleman lived alone in a small, dilapidated wooden house in the suburbs.

Though simple, the small plot of land outside the house was well-kept and tidy, with flowers blooming in bright, vivid colors.

Xu Qingran leaned one hand on the open car window, watching the old gentleman leisurely walk away, thinking that the people of West City were truly of two extremes.

The good ones were quite good, and the bad ones were quite bad.

Just as the old gentleman was about to reach his door, a loud thud echoed from the car roof.

The noise was so loud that it startled Little Jasmine, who had been dozing, into full wakefulness.

Even the old gentleman in the distance heard the commotion, turned around, puzzled, and then chuckled, his hands clasped behind his back.

Xu Qingran pushed the car door open and got out, looking up to meet a pair of icy, beastly eyes.

It was the white dog he had fought earlier, staring at him with a cold, angry gaze.

Just as he was feeling puzzled, the white dog lunged at him without warning.

Xu Qingran, with his injuries, reacted a bit slowly. Unprepared for the supposedly trustworthy and loyal white dog breaking the rules, seeking trouble after losing the fight, he didn't sense any immediate intent to attack and was knocked to the ground by the force of its pounce.

He gripped his knife, ready to counterattack if needed, but suddenly, a large paw gently pressed against his brow.

Then, a strange, cool energy flowed into his mind, seemingly forging a connection with his soul. He couldn't describe the intangible link, but he could feel it.

Looking back at the white dog, after performing this action, it stepped back and stood still, staring directly at him.

Two heads, one big and one small, peeked out from the car window, their eyes wide with curiosity.

Xu Qingran was still pondering what this meant when the old man, who should have gone back inside, returned.

Standing beside him, the old man said, "Child, I told you, after fighting such a wolf dog, if you defeat it, you must establish a master-pet bond, as per the rules."

Xu Qingran pushed himself up from the ground with his palm, brushed off the dust, and said, "But didn't you say we should respect their wishes too?"

"I didn't fight just to acquire a pet."

The old gentleman gestured towards the white dog, "Isn't it obvious that it's willing?"

"Besides, if it weren't willing, no matter what you did, it wouldn't fight you. After all, once defeated, it must bear the consequences. That's the rule of their pack."

"Even the most precious white dog cannot break this rule."

So, from the white dog's perspective—

I condescended to agree to fight you, and during the fight, I felt we were indeed compatible. After losing, I obediently accepted my fate. Yet, you didn't kill me or establish a master-pet relationship, and just walked away.

What's the difference between that and a scoundrel who flirts and leaves?

Thus, as the white dog observed and followed, its initial reaction was one of fury.

And so, Xu Qingran, while helping Ma Biao find a child, inexplicably picked up a dog.

The dog was remarkably intelligent and seemed to understand human emotions well. It had already decided on a master-pet relationship with him, without even waiting for his approval.

After bidding farewell to the old gentleman, the mute soldier cradled Little Jasmine and took the passenger seat, leaving the spacious backseat for the white dog. It lay there quietly, resting with its eyes closed, its fur once again starting to shimmer.

Of everyone in the car, Little Jasmine was the most curious, leaning against the soldier and staring intently at the white dog in the back.

But recalling the life-and-death struggle between it and Xu Qingran in the prison, she didn’t dare touch it, content to watch from afar.

The mute soldier was the last to get off in West District 19.

Standing outside the car, Xu Qingran thanked him and asked, "Are there many soldiers like you in West City?"

The mute soldier lowered his head.

Essentially, yes, but not many.

Xu Qingran nodded, "I understand."

"I’ll head back to South City first, make sure the child is safely delivered to her father, and then return to take care of things."

Handle what? The unnecessary 'trash,' of course.

The mute soldier, not grasping the implication of Xu Qingran’s words, nodded in confusion, then returned alone to the residential building.

Xu Qingran drove the car back towards South District 1.

Before they knew it, it was the early hours of the morning, and the already empty roads grew even quieter.

The car drove past a small commercial street, its shops already closed for the night.

Only the streetlights remained lit.

Passing a certain area, the white dog, resting in the back seat, suddenly opened its eyes, raised its head, and howled in a specific direction outside the car.

Xu Qingran stopped the car.

The white dog was focused on a narrow alley between two shop buildings.

No streetlights illuminated the alley, making visibility extremely poor.

Xu Qingran listened intently, catching faint sounds coming from deep within the alley.

Little Jasmine had fallen asleep in the passenger seat.

Xu Qingran said to the white dog, "Stay in the car and keep an eye on the child for me. I’ll be back shortly."

Then he got out of the car.

Xu Qingran ventured deeper into the dark alley. His sharp vision quickly adjusted to the surrounding gloom.

The system in his head whined, "Host, why do you always insist on wandering alone into places that feel like they’re straight out of a horror movie, wuwu..."

He tuned out the system’s chatter, focusing instead on the faint but growing sounds, until he finally stopped in front of a bakery’s storage area.

A faint whimpering sound came from inside. He guessed it was an animal, explaining the white dog’s reaction.

Xu Qingran glanced at the warehouse door and immediately began to channel his psychic energy, kicking with full force.

The metal rolling shutter door shook violently under his kicks, the sound reverberating loudly and clearly in the quiet neighborhood. The door of an ordinary house wasn't as hard to break as a reinforced iron cell, and it was smashed open in just a few strikes.

The shutter door crashed down.

Inside the dimly lit warehouse, besides piles of ingredients such as eggs and flour, there were two girls, one older and one younger.

The older one was quite young, looking to be around twenty years old.

She had her hair styled in segmented lantern braids and was wearing a very expensive and high-end dress with a coat.

The younger one was about eight or nine years old.

Her long hair was spread out, and she was dressed in tattered clothes that were more fitting for the harsh conditions of Taiyue Star. Her face was dirty, and she wore a slightly worn hairband with a dirty red bow.

When Xu Qingran broke through the warehouse door, the little girl had just managed to use her own psychic energy to weaken the thick rope binding her hands behind her back.

Hearing the commotion, both of them looked toward the entrance.

Xu Qingran's gaze, however, locked onto the girl, and he instinctively spoke, "...Yaoyao?"

"Huh?"

A voice answered from inside the warehouse.

But it wasn't the little girl; it was the older one.

Their mouths, which had been gagged with rags, had been freed when the girl managed to loosen her bindings.

The young woman looked at Xu Qingran, puzzled, and asked, "How do you know my nickname?"

"Ah, are you with the people who captured us during the day? Did you research our backgrounds before capturing us?"

Xu Qingran was slowly snapped out of his thoughts by her increasingly angry questioning.

Looking again at the girl who was about the same age as Xu Qingyao from his memories, he quickly realized in the dim light that they were not the same person.

Xu Qingyao's eyes were always bright and lively, whether she was angry or happy, her emotions always shone through.

But this girl, who seemed to have grown up in West City, had a very dark gaze, filled with a fierce, gloomy, and cold demeanor that didn't belong to a child of her age.

"I wasn't talking to you," Xu Qingran said, "I mistook her for someone else."

His words were blunt and tactless.

The woman showed no embarrassment, and after being freed from her bindings with the help of the silent little girl, she asked him, "So, are you here to save us?"

Xu Qingran glanced at them but didn't answer the question with an obvious answer, turning around to leave the way he came.

The young woman immediately followed, and the little girl quietly followed behind.

They walked out of the dark alley and into the sunlight.

The imposing off-road vehicle was still parked by the roadside, the girl in the passenger seat deep asleep.

Only the white dog in the back seat slightly raised its head, its calm gaze watching the three people outside the car.

Back in the bright light, the first thing the recently kidnapped woman did was take out a compact mirror from her pocket to check if her makeup was smudged.

Her expression instantly fell as soon as she saw it: "Ugh, why is it so ugly?!"

The girl who had followed them vanished in the blink of an eye.

Xu Qingran didn’t bother chasing her; she seemed like a local resident, probably more familiar with West City than he was.

Little Jasmine, sitting in the passenger seat, woke up to the commotion outside. She rubbed her eyes, leaned against the window, and tilted her head, puzzled: "Big brother, did you save someone again?"

To her, Xu Qingran was practically a superhero who saved people.

Xu Qingran remained silent.

So many strange things had happened that night, and he kept picking up more and more living beings.

After opening the door and sitting in the driver's seat, he noticed the girl outside was still looking in the mirror. He asked flatly, "Are you coming or not? If not, I'm leaving."

The girl scrambled into the passenger seat, fastened her seatbelt, and clutched Little Jasmine tightly.

The white dog in the back seat lay down and went back to sleep.

A cool breeze drifted through the window.

Xu Qingran had planned to ask the girl for her address to drop her off, but he later found out that she was a 'tourist' from another star system.

These days, tourists rarely visited the Southern Continent of Taiyue, especially in the Dragon System.

The girl said, "My second sister works in the military department in the Southern Continent, something about the Lower Southern Continent. She didn’t explain it well, and I ended up landing my aircraft here by mistake."

"I came down to ask for directions, but I ran into some thugs who wanted to sell me for a profit. They knocked me out and took me away."

The nameless little girl had met the same fate.

When Xu Qingran found them, they had just woken up from unconsciousness. However, the girl was quite remarkable; despite her young age, her psychic energy was incredibly strong. Without any weapons, she managed to break the ropes by generating psychic energy through friction with her hands!

The girl was a chatterbox, rambling on before finally noticing Xu Qingran hadn’t said a word.

She glanced over and saw him staring straight ahead, focused on driving.

For some reason, she found his profile increasingly familiar.

After racking her brain, the girl in the passenger seat suddenly realized, "Wait... aren’t you that Young Master Xu who went viral online a while back?!"

Xu Qingran still didn’t respond.

"Oh my god, I can’t believe I’m meeting you in person here!"

"It’s such a bummer I can’t livestream here, or I’d be broadcasting this right now!"

The girl was both excited and astonished.

She seemed to be from the Serpent System, so Xu Qingran wasn’t shocked she recognized him.

It wasn’t until she said, "Speaking of which, Young Master Xu, you and I have a bit of a connection."

"Do you remember that Feng Wei, the classmate who tried to frame you in various ways during your military academy training? I'm Feng Yao, his sister!"

After a sharp screech of brakes, the car came to a halt in the middle of the road.

Xu Qingran gripped the wheel, debating whether to kick Feng Yao out of the car to avoid her being as annoying as her mother, who would likely come to accuse him.

In the next moment, she excitedly clapped her hands and said, "I really wanted to find a chance to tell you, you totally nailed it!"

"You know what? My sisters and I have been fed up with that jerk of a brother for a long time, but he's so coddled at home that we never got a chance to teach him a lesson. Our eldest sister did try to scold him once, but the next day she almost got hit by a flowerpot that mysteriously dropped from above."

"Who else but that devil could’ve done it!"

"He's harmed so many people, and now someone has given him a taste of his own medicine—it’s so damn satisfying!"

Xu Qingran stayed quiet again.

The little Jasmine in Feng Yao's arms also looked up at her, probably wondering how someone could talk so much, talking so much it kept her wide awake.

"By the way, those public apology statements from my mom, dad, and the official Feng family account—I wrote those drafts, hehe! I did a great job, didn’t I? Did it help you, the victim, blow off some steam?"

Feng Yao rambled on and then finally noticed, "...Huh? Why did we stop?"

Xu Qingran was silent for a moment before hitting the gas again, driving forward without a change in expression, replying, "I remembered something, but it's nothing important."

Feng Yao didn’t know that she almost got thrown out of the car for being the sister of an enemy.

In a way, her bluntness saved her skin.

After finishing these trivial matters, Feng Yao remembered something else, "Oh, by the way, my second sister told me that a new colonel’s been assigned to Shangnanzhou."

"She gave me his contact information, saying that if I ever got into a jam or wound up in Shangnanzhou, I should call him for help..." As she spoke, she took out her phone, scrolled through it for a bit, and her eyes lit up, "Ha, found it!"

"My second sister’s got a sixth sense, knowing I’d end up in this mess!"

After exclaiming, she dialed the number.

At the same time, Xu Qingran’s phone rang in his pocket.

Feng Yao, holding her phone, turned to him with a puzzled look, then reminded, "Young Master Xu, your phone is ringing."

The car stopped for the second time in the middle of the quiet, deserted road.

Xu Qingran took out his phone.

Soon, Feng Yao's call was also connected.

She cheerfully said 'hello' and asked, "Hello, are you the new colonel of Shangnanzhou on Taiyue Star?"

"Yes, I am."

A familiar and clear voice quickly came from the other side of the phone, but—why was there an echo?

She turned her head dumbfoundedly and saw Xu Qingran in the driver's seat leaning against the car door, the hand resting on the door still holding the phone, giving her a look like she was an idiot.

Feng Yao: "..."

...What??

Xu Qingran is the new colonel of Taiyue Star?!

How is that possible? Why? Has this poor guy been targeted again?!

Thus.

Xu Qingran had no choice but to take Feng Yao back to Nancheng first.

When passing through the checkpoint between West City District 19 and South City District 1, the bodies were still lying there, ignored.

It was unclear whether no one had passed by all day or if those who did simply didn’t care.

Ma Biao, who had been anxiously waiting in the camp all day, fearing that Xu Qingran would bring back bad news, finally felt relieved the moment he saw Little Jasmine.

The fierce and burly man, in front of everyone, hugged his little daughter and cried, tears and snot streaming down his face, while his daughter patted his shoulder to comfort him, saying, "Papa, I'm fine!"

As for Feng Yao.

It is said that she had a fight with her family and secretly flew across so many star systems alone to find her second sister. Now, she needed to contact her sister in Lower South Continent through the comms at the East City camp, so Xu Qingran had to bring her back to East City.

Meanwhile, in West City District 19.

One of the cult bases that Xu Qingran had smashed was visited by a group of people after dawn.

The leader wore a hooded jacket, the hood pulled high to reveal only half of his pale face. He stood motionless in the room, hands in his pockets, looking at the corpses on the floor.

The ritual wasn’t what he cared about.

It was the treasures that the West City people had prepared for him in the basement.

Soon, a few people emerged from the open hatch and reported to him, "Boss, the cell door has been broken, and the White Dog is gone."

"Do you need us to go find it for you right away?"

The man being questioned smirked, "No, no need."

"I know who took it."

The psychic residue left in this place was so familiar that it immediately reminded him of someone.

To think he’d also come to South Continent. Was this fate?

The man laughed under his breath, "If he likes it, let him have it."

His gloomy mood lifted, and he turned and left.

·

East City Military Headquarters.

Xu Qingran's return drew a lot of attention in the camp.

Mainly because he was accompanied by a beautiful girl on his left—wearing high-heeled boots, with flawless makeup and high-end clothing—and on his right, a large white wolfhound they’d rarely seen before. Such an eye-catching scene was hard for the soldiers in the camp to ignore.

They all wondered about Xu Qingran's identity as a new recruit.

Even the old colonel, who usually kept to himself, had approved his request for troop deployment last time.

Some began to guess, "Could he actually be that mysterious colonel?"

This speculation was quickly dismissed, "At his age, anyone who could be a colonel wouldn't come to this backwater, right? He doesn't even train much, roaming around like he's on vacation. Maybe he's some relative of the colonel, here to mess around in Upper South Continent."

Feng Yao managed to contact her sister in Lower South Continent, but her sister was currently leading the army on a critical sweep operation and wouldn't be able to pick her up for a few days. So, Xu Qingran had Deputy Mao set her up with a room to stay temporarily.

Similarly, Xu Qingran cautioned Feng Yao not to reveal his identity as a colonel to others in Upper South Continent.

Feng Yao nodded eagerly.

Xu Qingran and his newly acquired white dog each had their own miraculous methods for speeding up recovery.

After about two days, the superficial wounds on their bodies started to heal and form scabs. Xu Qingran first scrubbed himself clean from head to toe, then, in a quiet corner of the camp, he grabbed a hose to wash the poor white dog's fur.

The fluffy dog was much harder to clean than he was.

It took about six or seven washes to turn it from a grimy 'big gray dog' back into a white dog.

After cleaning it, Xu Qingran realized the large white wolf dog was stunningly beautiful.

Its fur was soft, fluffy, and glossy, incredibly pleasant to touch, and it even shimmered with a silvery glow in the sunlight. With its icy blue eyes, it looked undeniably noble and elegant.

Xu Qingran, used to being a lone wolf, had never planned to keep any pets.

But now, after cleaning it, he found himself growing fonder of it.

Thinking about that dog-like man back home, he suddenly realized his tastes had always been consistent.

Xu Qingran was sitting by the sea at the main camp, sighing about this.

It was peaceful there, sitting on the rocks, listening to the waves crash, which was relaxing and rejuvenating.

The white dog, when not fighting, was calm and reserved.

It didn't fuss, just lay obediently beside him, enjoying the sea breeze with him. Its eyes slightly narrowed, clearly enjoying the comfort of the moment.

Xu Qingran bent one leg, removed the communicator from his ear, and stared at it for a while.

Then he muttered coldly, "Dog man, if I don't message you, you really stay silent?"

He had been bottling up his anger for days and finally vented when no one was around, his tone icy: "Shen Tingyu, you idiot."

"Bastard."

"Shameless."

"You deserve that headache."

"Don’t let me catch you."

Otherwise, he’d beat him so badly even his dad wouldn’t recognize him.

After cursing expressionlessly a few times, Xu Qingran finally felt a little better.

But then he suddenly heard a sneeze behind him.

Almost at the same time, the white dog beside him and he himself went on high alert.

—At such close range, they only noticed the person when they made a sound, suggesting the newcomer’s abilities were formidable, possibly even surpassing their own spiritual power.

Just as he was about to turn, he heard the person say, "Stop cursing."

"I know I was wrong." The deep voice was so familiar it sent a shiver down his spine.