Chapter Eight: Louder Voices

As soon as they left the villa district, now reduced to ruins, a vehicle approached. The driver was someone Xiao Nan recognized—the woman who had been hiding in the distance, shooting arrows earlier. She spoke little, merely nodding to Zhang Yi in greeting, exchanged a few words, and then drove straight toward Yuanjiang Central Hospital.

Only then did Zhang Yi finally relax. He carefully placed Zhang Xiaorou onto the back seat, still muttering angrily under his breath. "Damn Changsheng Society rats! If I hadn't planned to pick someone up at the swordsmanship hall and received the news in time, I might never have seen Xiaorou again."

Seeing the scrapes on Xiaorou's arm and shoulder, the burly man winced with pain. He rummaged through the car for some medicine to treat her wounds, completely forgetting about Xiao Nan, who sat awkwardly to the side.

"My good girl, how did you escape earlier? That was really dangerous."

"It was Xiao Nan. He's so clever, he came up with a great idea," Xiaorou replied, glancing back at Xiao Nan with eyes full of excitement.

Now out of danger, the girl had become lively again. Perhaps because her father was beside her, she showed no fear; she chattered away, recounting everything that happened in the secret room.

"What? He lay on top of you? And used his hands?" Zhang Yi exclaimed in shock, his breath heavy, causing his thick mustache to bristle upward.

The curvaceous woman driving let a smile curl at her lips, barely suppressing her laughter. She squinted playfully at Xiao Nan in the rearview mirror, her expression full of interest.

Xiao Nan shrank back, feeling an icy chill fill the car. Girl, why do you say everything?

He felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles, danger lurking everywhere.

Xiaorou puffed out her cheeks like a goldfish, giving her father a displeased glance. "I told you, it was acting. It worked really well—those two bad guys were lured into the room quickly... Xiao Nan was amazing, he took them down in a few moves. I don't even know how we escaped."

The more she spoke, the more animated she became, not forgetting to boast, "Xiao Nan said I contributed a lot too—I had to struggle hard and scream loudly!"

"Scream loudly?"

Innocent words from a child, Zhang Yi's short hair seemed to stand on end, his facial muscles twitching. His daughter was still young, entirely ignorant of matters between men and women, seeing it all as a game...

Everything was that boy taking advantage. And yet, after doing such things, he acted as if nothing had happened.

This was blatant deception—unforgivable! He must teach him a lesson.

Before Zhang Yi could vent his anger or make a move, a dull thud came from the back seat.

"Dad, he's fainted! Aunt Jiang, drive faster! How much farther to the hospital?" Xiaorou turned to see Xiao Nan pale as a sheet, eyes rolled back, slumped in the seat. She called out anxiously, on the verge of tears again.

"Uh..."

Zhang Yi was dumbfounded—what timing to pass out.

He held his breath, unable to vent his frustration. After all, the young man had saved his daughter and was injured himself; it wouldn’t be right to blame him now.

It wouldn’t do to lose his temper, at least not in front of his daughter...

...

Xiao Nan inwardly lamented—whether he wanted to faint or not, he had to. If Xiaorou kept talking like that, he wouldn’t need the hospital; the burly man would kill him right here.

That volcanic rage, like a tidal wave, sent shivers down his spine.

If it had been his own precious, naive daughter being manhandled, he’d be furious too. It was understandable.

After finally “fainting” all the way to the hospital, Xiao Nan was surprised to find that the burly man, angry as he was, hadn’t abandoned him.

He even paid the fees and had Xiao Nan admitted to a ward, where doctors began examining him...

Amidst the bustle, Xiaorou’s voice faded into the distance; clearly, her father had taken her to another ward.

Her voice sounded weak now—the blast of white light that had slain the monster earlier took a heavy toll. Although she dodged swiftly and Zhang Yi rescued her in time, her body still suffered some trauma—inevitable, really.

...

The plot may be moving slowly, but let’s take our time. After all, you’re not here for the story, but for the author, aren’t you?

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