The worried looks on everyone’s faces eased slightly.

Ling Anxun was finally free to deal with the lawless villagers.

He no longer hid his movements. He directly mobilized his men to seal off the village entrance, register everyone coming and going, and conduct door-to-door checks for any suspicious activity.

Once night fell, he planned to enter the village to scout the situation.

Shanshan knew how dangerous that place was. She gripped the corner of his shirt, refusing to let go.

"Dad, you have to be careful. It’s full of traps and tunnels over there. They’ve laid a lot of hidden snares..."

She leaned close to her father’s ear and whispered the location of every danger spot and the nature of every trap.

Even after he was long gone, she still felt uneasy. She quietly summoned the small animals from the forest.

She had them work through the night to dismantle every ambush they could find.

Every day, he returned with new intelligence, as well as a body full of exhaustion and scrapes.

He was also always having closed-door meetings with Ling Zhenkang, and sometimes they argued so loudly the whole house seemed to shake.

No one knew what they discussed, but from outside the walls, Ling Anxun could be heard raising his voice to demand, "Doing it this way will only tip our hand!"

And Ling Zhenkang would respond by slamming his cane on the table.

"If we drag this out any longer, we’ll be the ones at a disadvantage!"

The two of them argued fiercely, unable to reach an agreement.

Listening to the commotion inside, no one outside dared to make a sound, only exchanging glances.

Everyone hid in their own rooms, pretending to be busy, but their ears were pricked toward the main house.

Conversation at the dinner table grew scarce. Even the children didn’t dare to laugh or play loudly.

In his sickbed, Ling Zhiwei was recovering with incredible speed thanks to the varied and nutritious meals Shanshan fed him.

The soups changed daily, the ingredients carefully selected to be both fortifying and nourishing.

His originally pale and weak complexion gradually became rosy, and the muscles in his arms began to build back up.

The moment he got the doctor’s clearance, he immediately started working out.

He would wake up at five in the morning to run, jogging laps around the courtyard.

After a short rest, he would continue with combat drills, repeatedly practicing grappling and counter-attack techniques.

In the past, he was always thinking about becoming a star and getting on camera; he couldn’t have cared less about being strong.

The family had plenty of soldiers, so what difference would one more make?

He’d found the training tedious back then, something for other people to do.

Now he understood how naive that thinking was.

A hail of bullets doesn’t pick and choose, and danger won’t take a detour just because you’re a celebrity.

He understood now that strengthening himself wasn’t about carrying a gun.

He was no longer focused on looking handsome, but on improving his practical combat skills.

On the day he was finally discharged and allowed to go home...

...that very night, all hell broke loose in the direction of the village, and the sound of gunfire crackled through the air.

At Ling Zhenkang’s command, the entire family immediately gathered, huddling together to wait for news.

Ding Qin hugged Shanshan tightly, patting her on the back again and again. "Don’t be scared, don’t be scared. It’ll be okay..."

Before long, the gunfire stopped, and a breathless Xiao Zhou ran back to report.

His first words upon entering brought a small sigh of relief from everyone.

"It’s done! We’ve taken care of it! A few guys got scraped up, but no one’s down."

He grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, as if trying to put everyone at ease.

But Shanshan grew anxious the moment she heard and, pulling free from her grandmother’s hand, rushed forward.

She strode up to Xiao Zhou and stared up at him.

"Uncle Xiao Zhou, where’s my dad? How is he? Is he hurt? Can I go see him? I want to see him!"

The questions tumbled out one after another, her tone growing more and more urgent.

"Well..." Xiao Zhou froze, caught completely off guard by her questions. He stammered, unable to speak, but his expression had already given him away.

"What happened? Did something happen to Anxun? Tell me the truth!"

Ling Zhenkang shot his head up, his voice cutting like a knife, and the temperature in the room seemed to plummet.

How could Xiao Zhou dare to beat around the bush in front of him? He couldn’t even hold out for a single sentence before spilling everything.

The situation had been complicated, and he’d wanted to be vague, but he couldn’t hide Mr. Ling’s injury.

Besides, Shanshan’s eyes were staring right at him, her questions so urgent and sincere that he couldn’t possibly invent a lie.

"The boss took a bit of a hit while saving someone, but don’t worry, it’s just a flesh wound. Nothing serious. There’s still a lot to do over there, so he can’t get away. He’ll be back later."

The moment Shanshan heard this, she shot up from the sofa.

Her mind was filled with images of her father being injured.

"Where is Dad now? Uncle Xiao Zhou, you have to take me to see him right now!"

"Don’t be reckless!"

Ding Qin threw her arms around her granddaughter, her movements much faster than usual and her grip surprisingly strong.

At a time like this, with the situation outside unclear, no one could guarantee her safety.

"Grandma, let go! I just want to take one look. As soon as I see he’s okay, I’ll come right back, I promise!"

Shanshan’s voice was tinged with tears as she pleaded, but she didn’t dare to struggle too hard.

She knew her grandmother was old and couldn’t withstand a fall.

It would be even more trouble if she got hurt during their struggle.

But how could Ding Qin dare to let her go?

Her son had just been hurt. Even if it wasn’t a serious injury, on a battlefield, there’s no such thing as a "small" incident.

They might make it sound trivial over the phone, but who knew how dangerous the actual situation was?

If her granddaughter went missing too—one fighting for his life outside, the other disappearing from inside—how could she hold this family together?

"Don’t you know how capable your dad is? He’s practically invincible. What’s a little scratch to him? Just stay here and keep me company. We’ll wait for news together, okay?"

The family members took turns trying to persuade her.

Shanshan stood her ground, tears welling in her eyes, before she finally, slowly, calmed down.

"Uncle Xiao Zhou, wait. I have something. Please, you must take it to my dad for me."

She turned and rummaged through her bag, taking things out and stuffing them back in one by one.

"This bottle is for external use. You can use it on cuts and scrapes. It stops bleeding, reduces inflammation, and protects the wound. This small packet is for internal use, twice a day. Dissolve it in warm water and drink it..."

She was exceptionally solemn as she handed the medicine to Xiao Zhou, repeatedly reminding him of the dosage and timing.

"Uncle Xiao Zhou, you have to tell my dad not to be stubborn and not to push himself too hard. He has to take care of himself even when I’m not there. I’m at home counting the days until he comes back."

"Don’t worry, Shanshan. I’ll pass on every single word!"

Xiao Zhou straightened his back and gave a salute, taking the medicine bottle and gripping it tightly in his hand.

The hallway light illuminated his back as he left, and he quickly disappeared into the night.

Ling Anxun was leaning back in a chair, catching his breath, when he received the medicine.

Not all the lights in the room were on; only a single desk lamp cast a dim, yellow glow.

He had just finished processing the casualty list reported from the front lines, and his shoulders ached so much he could barely lift them.

After listening to Xiao Zhou relay the message, he couldn’t help but smile.

"Why don’t you make a trip back? I think Shanshan is really worried sick..."

Xiao Zhou scratched his head but decided to say what was on his mind.

He knew the rules: a leader could not abandon his post before the mission was complete.

But the look in the girl’s eyes made it impossible for him to pretend everything was fine. He felt that if he didn’t say something, he’d be betraying her trust.

Ling Anxun shot him a sidelong glance.

"The fact that you’re saying this just proves my daughter had this move planned all along."

His daughter had always been clever. She knew her grandma wouldn’t let her leave, so she knew to use someone else to pass the message.

She had sent medicine, conveyed her feelings, and forced his hand into making a phone call.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Xiao Zhou looked completely baffled.

He stood there stunned, not understanding the intricacies of the situation.

He just felt that things had gotten strange, but he couldn’t put his finger on what was wrong.

"Alright, go get some sleep. I’ll make the call."

Ling Anxun raised a hand to press against his chest and coughed lightly.