Chapter 274: Did I Give You Permission?
Shi Zijin quickly treated Su Tao’s wound, applied a bandage, and instructed her not to get out of the car before stepping out with a cold expression.
Xuedao, seeing him come down, immediately withdrew its paws from the woman it had pinned down, snorted a few times, and ran behind Shi Zijin.
The woman who had stopped the car lay on the ground, wailing in pain.
Xu Qi and Nie Sibo had also been jolted hard by the sudden braking.
Mist had turned into fog at the moment of the sharp turn, making him the least affected among them.
The worst hit was Cen Tianjiao, who had been driving at the front. His head slammed into the windshield, shattering it completely.
But thanks to his thick skin and “Stone Skin” ability, he was relatively unscathed.
Still, he was furious. He cursed as he climbed out of the car, stormed toward the woman on the ground, and shouted:
“Are you out of your damn mind?! I should’ve just run you over!”
A sudden turn like that could have easily flipped the vehicle!
What she did wasn’t just reckless—it was a danger to everyone, including herself!
Wei Xiang quickly stepped forward, placing himself between the woman and Cen Tianjiao.
“I’m sorry, our boss’s wife was injured. She’s desperate for help, so she acted rashly.”
Lying on the ground, Fang Yan thought Wei Xiang was just wasting time with his explanation!
What was the point of talking? Saving her husband was more urgent!
Despite her fear and anxiety, Fang Yan’s mind remained clear.
With just one glance, she immediately recognized the leader—Shi Zijin.
His presence alone exuded authority and dominance—he was clearly the one in charge.
Tears streaming down her face, Fang Yan pleaded directly to Shi Zijin:
“We’re from the Luonan Base! My husband’s last name is Deng! We were ambushed by bandits—they took everything! They left us with only a damaged vehicle! My husband has been shot—he’s losing blood fast and is in critical condition! Please, I beg you, let us ride with you to the nearest settlement or base to save him!”
“A human life is at stake—please save him!”
“If you help us, we’ll reward you generously once we reach Xindu. You can name your price! Besides, my son-in-law is the second-in-command there. You’re heading to the conference, right? He can even arrange special treatment for you—”
Fang Yan assumed they were from a small base attending the conference for the first time.
Last year, Luonan Base had participated, but she had never seen these people before.
That could only mean they came from a recently qualified base.
And bases like that would certainly crave Xindu’s attention and favor.
At that moment, a young girl ran out of the vehicle in the distance. She looked around 18 or 19 years old, just about the same age as Su Tao. She had delicate and charming features, clearly a beauty in the making.
She rushed over to Fang Yan, crying:
“Mom—are you okay?”
Fang Yan shook her head. She hadn’t been hit—just scratched up a little by that damn dog’s paws.
Deng Zixuan let out a sigh of relief before turning her teary eyes to Shi Zijin, sobbing pitifully:
“Sir, please save my father! He’s in critical condition! It’s so hot—his wound could get infected at any moment. If that happens—”
She trailed off, looking at Shi Zijin with a pitiful, helpless expression.
She knew that whenever she looked at men like this, they couldn’t help but feel protective.
Her father doted on her like that. Even her high-ranking brother-in-law couldn’t help but glance at her more than once.
Wei Xiang also wanted to say something to plead their case.
He didn’t want to see his boss die here.
If he died, what if they never got their wages? Wouldn’t that mean their trip to Xindu was for nothing?
Their luck was absolutely terrible this time.
Those bandits weren’t just any thugs—they had over twenty members, with fifteen or sixteen being ability users, most of them combat-focused. Their fighting strength was terrifying.
Once Wei Xiang realized this, he immediately advised his boss to surrender.
Going head-to-head would have ended in disaster.
His boss also reluctantly agreed, thinking that money could solve the problem.
But in the end, those bandits saw that they didn’t have much, got angry, shot Boss Deng, and left them for dead.
Wei Xiang was still reeling from the chaos when he cautiously asked, “Sir, how should I address you—”
But before he could finish, a familiar voice interrupted:
“Wei Xiang?”
“Brother Wei?”
Wei Xiang froze.
Tang Le, standing beside him, hesitated before calling out:
“Old Xu? Mist?”
Fang Yan’s eyes lit up.
“You know each other? That’s great! Wei Xiang, hurry! Take two men and bring Old Deng onto their vehicle.”
Her gaze swept over the four vehicles, stopping at the largest and most luxurious RV.
“Put him in that one. Does it have air conditioning? If so, turn it on—Deng’s wound can’t be exposed to the heat for too long.”
She didn’t hesitate as she gave orders, completely losing her earlier desperate tone.
She pointed at Xu Qi and instructed:
“You, go clear some space inside. Leave a bed open. And don’t let that dog inside—it’s too dangerous! What if it smells the blood and attacks him?”
She kept commanding everyone around, as if she were in charge now.
She no longer had the humility of someone asking for help.
Deep down, she looked down on Wei Xiang and his people—just a bunch of hired guards.
Now that she saw they knew Xu Qi, her sense of superiority grew even stronger.
They were all just watch dogs.
Deng Zixuan sensed that the atmosphere had shifted and gently tugged her mother’s sleeve.
Fang Yan frowned and snapped at Wei Xiang:
“Why are you just standing there?!”
Wei Xiang felt awkward.
He never expected to see Xu Qi again under these circumstances.
After barely surviving a brutal ambush, he and Tang Le looked completely miserable—covered in dust, with scratches and bruises all over.
They had lost everything, left with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
Before recognizing Xu Qi, Wei Xiang had even considered begging these people for water.
But now, looking at Xu Qi, he was shocked.
In just a few months, he looked even better than before.
He seemed stronger, healthier, even younger.
Most importantly—he didn’t look defeated at all.
And Nie Sibo—the useless guy?
He had actually gotten chubbier?!
Despite the scorching heat, he wasn’t even sunburned!
And Mist—
He had been branded a traitor and abandoned by Tan Yong.
Yet he was still alive and well?!
How had they stayed behind and ended up better off?
Or had they not stayed with Su at all?
Had they found a different leader to follow?
Wei Xiang’s mind was racing, but he couldn’t figure it out.
So he stood frozen, not knowing what to do.
Fang Yan, growing impatient, snapped at him:
“Are you deaf?!”
Then she turned to Tang Le.
Tang Le hesitated, swallowed hard, and muttered to Xu Qi:
“Old Xu…”
His pleading eyes were practically begging for help.
Wei Xiang felt a surge of frustration.
Fang Yan, losing patience, urged again:
“Tang, go get Old Deng!”
Xu Qi remained silent, and Tang Le, with no other choice, grabbed another man and lifted the unconscious Deng Chengye.
As they approached the RV, a low, icy voice finally broke the silence.
Shi Zijin, who had been silent the entire time, raised his gaze slightly and said:
“Did I give you permission?”
