Chapter 105

Chapter 105

"Jiang Long, someone is looking for you. You need to go to Regiment Commander Qian's office immediately—they said Feng Xia is in trouble."

Jiang Long was still in the mess hall learning the Field Army base's special braised pork belly recipe, since Feng Xia had been craving it. He wanted to master it and make it for her back home, when he heard this devastating news. The young soldier who had come to deliver the message blinked, and in that instant, the man who had been gently consulting the chef rushed out like a madman, not a trace of a smile on his face, his demeanor icy and terrifying.

Once Zhang Ying and the others had all gathered, she recounted Feng Xia's ordeal, emphasizing the name Yang Tianhua. Qian Jun was furious—given Feng Xia's contributions to the nation, how dare these people do this! If Feng Xia had truly been a defenseless young girl, a brilliant rising star for the country would have been extinguished!

Qian Jun thought more deeply, exchanging a glance with Political Commissar Chen Hua. They both came to the same conclusion—could this be the work of spies from the Cherry Blossom Country or some hostile faction? Had they learned of Feng Xia's unique abilities and targeted her? The more they thought about it, the darker their expressions became, their brows furrowed with tension.

Chen Hua left the office without another word and went to the communications room to dial a number. Someone answered immediately, and both voices were extremely grave. When Chen Hua revealed that Feng Xia had nearly been harmed and suspected foreign interference, the other party paused briefly before finally telling Chen Hua that they would send people right away, urging them to protect Feng Xia's life at all costs—never, ever let the young lady get hurt.

Chen Hua returned and informed Zhang Ying that higher authorities would immediately dispatch a team to investigate the matter. Qian Jun asked if they should send more people to protect Feng Xia, but Zhang Ying waved off the suggestion—she and Jiang Long were enough, and Feng Xia herself was no slouch in a fight. The key was to bring the culprit Yang Tianhua to justice. This man was utterly lawless; in the Flower Kingdom, they can destroy a person's reputation and kidnap them on a whim, with no regard for the law.

Qian Jun nodded, simply saying that if needed, they should bring Feng Xia to the Field Army base and never let her put herself in danger.

Zhang Ying nodded, confirmed that higher-ups would send people down immediately, and then took Jiang Long back home.

Meanwhile, Feng Xia was happily munching on roasted sweet potatoes, unaware that the city had formed an anti-gang task force overnight to get justice for her, and were even now driving toward Daba Village.

When Jiang Long returned, Feng Xia took him to see Biaozi and his gang. After a day of torment, they looked utterly miserable—pale, lips cracked, and they howled pitifully for water when they saw Jiang Long. Jiang Long fetched a big ladle of water from the Feng family's backyard and poured it down their throats, then started thinking about where to keep them for the night.

They definitely couldn't take them to the county seat—Yang Tianhua was the county magistrate's brother-in-law, and if they went there, they might never come back.

But they couldn't leave these men tied up at the foot of the mountain either, in the dead of winter; they might freeze to death, and these men were crucial witnesses with valuable testimony. That couldn't be allowed.

After some discussion, Jiang Long cleaned out the cellar in the Feng family's backyard. They set up a basin of charcoal fire inside, left the cellar lid open, and it would be warm enough for the night. Feng Xia untied the ropes around Biaozi and his men's wrists, let them take care of their business, then dislocated their limbs again, leaving them limp in the cellar. The glow of the charcoal fire fell on Feng Xia's delicate face, making her look like a jade-faced demon, utterly terrifying.

The three had dinner and went to bed.

Jiang Long's identity wasn't easy to explain, so Zhang Ying simply said he was her brother. She made a makeshift bed out of stools and planks in the living room and slept there.

Feng Chun didn't believe a word the other two said. She felt Feng Xia and the others were up to something secretive, always sneaking toward the cellar. She didn't dare get too close, but from a distance, she caught a glimpse of Feng Xia appearing to shove several people into the cellar. It scared her so much she didn't dare ask, and she had nightmares all night.

The next morning, before eight o'clock, two large vans rolled into the village. The villagers were still half-asleep when someone from the van asked for directions—where was Feng Xia's house? The villagers pointed the way, the people thanked them and sped off.

Feng Xia hadn't gotten up yet, but Zhang Ying was up early. Jiang Long had made breakfast, and the two of them ate quickly and sat in the main room waiting. The visitors arrived fast; two vans roared up.

A middle-aged man in a Mao suit led the group, followed by several others with straight postures and sharp, capable demeanors—clearly with military backgrounds.

Zhang Ying and Jiang Long stepped forward to shake hands. The man got straight to the point: "We've learned the full story from Political Commissar Chen Hua. Higher-ups take this matter very seriously. They formed our anti-gang task force overnight and are deeply concerned about Comrade Feng Xia's safety. Where is Comrade Feng Xia? Is she still resting?"

Zhang Ying, like a doting parent, replied without hesitation, "Yes, she was exhausted yesterday, so she'll probably sleep in a bit longer. Let's go see the captured men first—they have a lot of information."

The man nodded and waved his hand. A dozen armed police officers took up positions around the Feng family home, covering every blind spot.

Jiang Long led the group to the cellar, while Zhang Ying took a damp towel to wake Feng Xia. The girl was sleeping with rosy cheeks, and the sight softened Zhang Ying's heart. She pressed the damp towel on Feng Xia's face for a moment, and Feng Xia woke up. The little black snake, which had moved from its mistress's head to her wrist, curled up obediently.

Still half-asleep, Feng Xia's voice was a little hoarse as she softly asked Zhang Ying, "Sis Ying, what's up?"

Zhang Ying combed the girl's hair as she said, "The people sent by higher-ups to investigate the matter have arrived. You need to meet them." With quick, deft movements, she tied Feng Xia's hair into a small topknot at the back of her head. Feng Xia didn't like long hair—it was only shoulder-length now, with a few wisps falling beside her cheeks, looking natural and flowing.

Zhang Ying went to the kitchen to grab two big meat buns, told Feng Xia to snack on them, and then led her to meet the visitors.

By then, Feng Jinlian and Feng Jingui had also gotten up, vaguely sensing something unusual about the house. Feng Jinbao was shouting noisily about the two big vans parked outside the yard. Feng Xia smiled at the two sisters to calm their uneasy hearts.

In the backyard, Biaozi and his men had been pulled out of the cellar by the soldiers in olive-green, and their dislocated hands and legs had been reset. It was true—the military always had people with incredible skills. The group was tightly cuffed with silver bracelets, black hoods pulled over their heads, and loaded onto a van near the house.

The leader in the Mao suit had a very grim expression, but he forced a smile for Feng Xia. He knew about her contributions—they were all from the intelligence department, so he understood Feng Xia's importance. She was a young genius personally favored by the top leader.

"Comrade Feng Xia, hello. I'm Shan Ming, head of this investigation team. Hello. We'll need to trouble you, young comrade, to come to the county seat with us."

Shan Ming warmly shook Feng Xia's hand. Feng Xia was naturally happy to oblige—she was delighted to see Yang Tianhua get what he deserved. But she hadn't expected higher-ups to send people so quickly. She felt a sense of being valued, and couldn't help feeling pleased. Hehe, so happy!