Chapter 56: Familiar Faces

However, that nightmare left Song Zining thoroughly shaken. Drenched in sweat, he had sobered up to about seventy or eighty percent. His head was still throbbing, but after a moment of circulating his origin power, all the remnants of alcohol were gone.

The most vivid memory from the Netherworld back then was this incident. Recalling it now, Zhang Jing’s demeanor and even the look in her eyes were as clear as if they had just happened, not faded at all even after many years. He had merely buried these memories deep within his heart.

Song Zining suddenly remembered what Qian Ye had said last night and was momentarily stunned. Then, as if he had stepped on a fire, he jumped up and shouted, “Nonsense! Pure nonsense!”

But the image of Zhang Jing’s chest, quivering with every step, seemed to be right before his eyes, constantly dazzling him.

After all, he was the Seventh Young Master. Taking a deep breath, he circulated his origin power, sweeping away all discomfort, and his mind became clear as an icy lake.

He suddenly laughed, muttering to himself, “That girl almost got me. And Qian Ye, that fool, actually agreed to be her accomplice. Hmm, you two seem to work well together, which is also good. You won’t know how powerful I am until you jump into the pit yourself, you little brat!”

Song Zining went to the window and looked out. His bedroom was on the third floor, and not far away was the construction site where a warehouse was taking shape. A glance revealed Qian Ye. If it weren’t for Qian Ye effortlessly leaping onto the roof with tons of materials, it would have been hard to distinguish him from the ordinary mercenaries.

Looking at the mud and dirt on Qian Ye’s armor, it seemed he had been working for quite some time. No matter how much Song Zining resented it, he had to admit Qian Ye’s drinking capacity was beyond reproach.

Standing by the window for a moment, Song Zining was about to leave when Qian Ye suddenly appeared outside, saying, “You’re awake? Give me a rinse first.”

Speechless, Song Zining summoned raindrops to wash the mud off Qian Ye and then called forth a gentle breeze to dry him. With a cold face, he said, “Don’t make a habit of it.”

Qian Ye chuckled, reached in, and pulled Song Zining out the window, saying, “Come on, let’s go eat.”

After a night of heavy drinking, Song Zining was ravenous. The two found a restaurant, ordered a table full of food, and began to eat.

“Qian Ye, are you really going to prepare like this?”

“Isn’t this good enough?”

“Suit yourself.”

“Enough, no more of this nonsense. The Wolf King’s injuries are almost healed, and his revenge will come soon. What do you plan to do?”

Song Zining shrugged, “There’s nothing to fear. Let Tianqing handle it. Doesn’t she have a few tricks up her sleeve to deal with divine generals?”

At the mention of dealing with divine generals, Qian Ye immediately thought of Zhang Buzhou’s “personal token,” feeling that Song Zining’s suggestion was not very sound.

He recounted the Wolf King’s combat strength and abilities and then asked, “Do you have any way to restrain him?”

When it came to serious matters, Song Zining grew solemn, “As you described, at most half a second, and that’s only if you’re lucky.”

Qian Ye nodded, “Half a second is enough.”

Song Zining pondered for a moment, calculating in his mind, “The Wolf King’s body is extremely strong, probably due to a natural talent, and his recovery ability must be remarkable. Additionally, if a werewolf communicates with their ancestors, they can receive a brief boost in strength, significantly increasing their physical defense. Restraining him will be very difficult; you might only have time for one strike. But do you have the confidence to seriously injure him with one strike? Do you need to use that move again?”

Qian Ye said, “Half a second is enough. I can use Burial Heart.”

Song Zining remembered something and nodded, “Be careful, that gun will drain you with one shot.”

“With you guys around, what do I have to be afraid of?”

“You may not be afraid, but I am.”

Song Zining suddenly recalled something, “Oh, Qian Ye, if you encounter any old acquaintances, don’t be too surprised.”

“Old acquaintances?” Qian Ye sensed something ominous and frowned, “What are you up to now?”

“It’s for your own good.”

Having eaten and drunk their fill, Qian Ye returned to the construction site. Watching his back, Song Zining shook his head, abandoning the idea of persuading him to train. Perhaps only this way would Qian Ye feel better.

Song Zining returned to his quarters, concentrated, and wrote three letters, sealing them in three specially made silver tubes. Then he called a trusted aide and instructed him to prepare a vehicle.

Shortly after, the SUV left Nan Qing City and sped away. Qian Ye, engrossed in the construction work, did not notice Song Zining’s departure.

The SUV raced across the wilderness, traveling for half a day before stopping as dusk fell. An attendant hopped out and lit a special origin power lamp, waving it repeatedly towards the sky.

A while later, a sleek high-speed airship descended from the heavens and hovered in mid-air. Song Zining boarded the airship, ordered it to return to the void, and activated the onboard origin power array, placing the three silver tubes inside.

The origin power array emitted a dazzling light, and the three tubes vanished. After the burst, the array dimmed, and the dozen or so high-purity black crystals embedded around it shattered. Even with Song Zining’s wealth and composure, he couldn’t help but flinch, wincing at the cost.

Almost simultaneously, a silver tube appeared in a secret base of Ning Yuan Heavy Industry on Qin Land. The other two tubes were nowhere to be found. The base, which looked like an ordinary house, was inhabited by an elderly couple with no children.

The old man carefully picked up the tube, examined the seal and mark, and then put it away, packed his luggage, and boarded an airship to the capital.

Back in the neutral territory, Song Zining still felt uneasy. He called the captain and handed him another tube, saying, “Head to Qin Land immediately and deliver this to General Wang Zuowang in the capital. Don’t ask questions, and don’t say anything. He will know what to do. After you reach Qin Land, return this ship and make your way to the capital yourself.”

“Understood,” the captain replied, and Song Zining leaped off the airship.

The high-speed airship slowly ascended, turned in the air, and then accelerated, flying into the endless void.

Once the airship was gone, the attendant asked, “Young Master, didn’t we already send a message? Why send another one?”

“That origin power array, though a masterpiece, may not be entirely reliable.” With that, Song Zining boarded the SUV and returned to Nan Qing.

The SUV jolted along the road, and Song Zining closed his eyes to rest. Suddenly, he sat bolt upright, shouting, “Stop the car!”

Startled, the driver quickly braked.

Song Zining got out, pacing back and forth, deep in thought. After a while, he gradually relaxed, muttering to himself, “Forget it. She should have discovered something and sent the message. If she can’t do that, she isn’t who I think she is.”

He climbed back into the SUV, saying, “Let’s go, back to Nan Qing.”

This time, the SUV did not stop again, driving straight back to Nan Qing City.

At the edge of the continent, Ji Tianqing stood atop a solitary peak, gazing into the distance. From the void, a ghostly airship silently emerged, gliding noiselessly through the air and hovering in front of her.

The airship was barely visible, and without careful observation, it would appear as a faint shadow.

Once stable, several figures flew out, stopped in front of Ji Tianqing, and bowed, “Miss, what are your instructions?”

Ji Tianqing took out an envelope and said solemnly, “Send this back. The contents are extremely important and cannot be lost. Use this warship to escort it.”

The leader was startled, replying hastily, “Isn’t that inappropriate? Our mission is to protect you. If we leave and something happens to you, we cannot bear the responsibility!”

Ji Tianqing’s face darkened, and she said coldly, “Send this letter back. Father will understand when he reads it. If there’s any mistake on the way, you’ll be the ones unable to bear the responsibility!”

The man wanted to argue further, but Ji Tianqing had already flown away, giving him no chance to speak.

The others were left in a bind, not daring to chase her. After a moment, an elder said, “Miss is with the Seventh Young Master of the Song Family. She should be safe. Sir Xu, we should follow Miss’s instructions and send the letter back.”

The leader’s brows furrowed, clearly conflicted. The elder added, “Sir Xu, you know Miss’s temper. Once she decides something, persuasion is futile. The best course is to travel at full speed, deliver the letter, and return immediately.”

Sir Xu sighed, “It seems there’s no other choice.”

They returned to the airship, and the ghostly vessel flickered a few times before vanishing into the vast void, leaving no trace.

Ji Tianqing had not gone far, standing on another solitary peak, gazing at the starry sky. Her face, no longer sunny, now bore a hint of sorrow. Lost in thought, she suddenly woke from her reverie.

Ji Tianqing gritted her teeth, seething, “Song Zining! You wait for me!”

In Nan Qing City, the Seventh Young Master of the Song Family, studying a blueprint, suddenly felt a cold malice like a bucket of ice water pouring over him. Startled, he hurriedly calculated, but the result was a blur with no clue.

Frightened, he lost interest in the blueprints and paced around the room, wondering where things had gone wrong.

At that moment, Qian Ye pushed the door open, grabbed Song Zining, and said, “Stop looking at this useless stuff. It’s time to drink.”

“Drink again?” Song Zining’s hair stood on end.

In the dead of night, Qian Ye carried the unconscious Song Zining back to their quarters, threw him on the bed, patted his hands, and left, satisfied.

The next day in Nan Qing City dawned. When the glaring sunlight penetrated the curtain and shone on Song Zining’s face, his breathing suddenly quickened, and he screamed, sitting up, drenched in cold sweat.

The whip-wielding instructor had appeared in his dream again.

At that moment, Qian Ye was humming a tune, ignoring the mud on his body, working on the construction site, occasionally exchanging coarse jokes with the nearby mercenaries.