After dinner, I was rushing upstairs, but my father stopped me. "Going out to fool around again instead of studying at home?"

My mother covered for me. "Let Zhao Qian go upstairs to study business management with them. Ultimately, what is college for if not to build a foundation for future work? Zhao Qian already has some work experience; learning from them will make him amazing later on."

My father could only relent. "Spoil him rotten, why don't you. I bet he won't even know his own name again for a while..."

Upstairs, I found everyone bustling about. Since the two empty rooms had been exposed by Li Qi and Ouyang Qing, one was taken by the two of them, and the other was occupied by Yi Xiaorou and Cheng Susu, who were directing people in moving things.

Xiaoyu Di and Xiaohui weren't home yet. Once they returned, they could move into the room opposite Zhang Xiaoya’s. This way, all the women would finally have a private bedroom, two women per small apartment. In the future, I could go to whichever room I wanted, and no one would decline me out of inconvenience.

Considering the living room was a bit small, we had already knocked down the two adjoining living rooms upstairs. The next step was to merge the living rooms of the two ground-floor units and the two units opposite Zhang Xiaoya’s. Since everyone’s private rooms remained theirs, sharing the living rooms was perfect for easy visits without the trouble of using the main door.

Everyone gathered in the shared living room of Yi Xiaorou, Cheng Susu, Li Qi, and Ouyang Qian. Zhao Fang said, "Brother-in-law, why don't we knock down this wall too? Let the three upstairs units have a grand reunion; the space would be much larger."

I glanced at the personnel. "If the population continues to increase in the future, I might have to consider it."

Unexpectedly, this remark provoked an uproar. In an instant, arms, legs, and slender waists swarmed me. I barely managed to break free. "Alright, alright, everyone quiet down. I'm connecting with Liu Hu, Zhu Da, Cai Bao'er, and Xia Huren right now. We need to start working."

This statement was effective. The women swiftly brought out their laptops from their rooms and connected the signal shortly after. Zhu Da was slurping from a large bowl of instant noodles.

"Commander Zhu, you’ve worked hard, old man. On behalf of all the wives, I salute you."

Zhu Da took a sip of soup. "Forget the salute; give me something tangible. After this is done, treat me to braised old hen. That stuff is addictive. Did your father-in-law put any poppy husks in it? I heard vendors who cook pig's head meat like to use it as a spice—guaranteed to get you hooked."

Xu Jing retorted, "My family doesn't have anything like that! That's just my dad’s good cooking."

Zhu Da said, "Exactly, that’s what I thought too. When we win this battle, you must reward your hardworking subjects on behalf of your husband."

At that moment, Cai Bao'er also logged on. "What are you all talking about? Is someone treating? Damn it, I've been traveling all this way from Nansha to the plateau, and I’m starving. Ah, Commander Zhu, I’m jealous you have a big bowl of noodles; I only have synthetic nutritional paste here—tasteless. Miserable."

Liu Hu logged on too. "You two bosses, hang in there. Once we secure the Southwest and Northwest regions, the Commander will treat you to a proper meal."

The two replied, "A good meal is certainly in order. For now, let’s brief each other on the current situation."

I first listened to Taozi’s report, then addressed everyone, "The three old foxes have teamed up; they probably want to play Zhuge Liang, but they haven't taken any effective action yet. Everyone wait patiently; I estimate tonight won't be so quiet."

Li Qi asked, "Zhao Qian, are you trying to force Deng Sifang and Zhu Ergui to rebel?"

"Something like that. If they don't stir things up, we have no legitimate excuse to deal with them. Seizing their territory without reason—we wouldn't even be able to explain it to your grandfather."

Li Qi said firmly, "If that's the case, you can't just wait here for an opportunity, or you might end up with nothing. With that cunning old fox Tan Zhong involved, he won't let those two pawns be easily lost. Rebellion isn't a small matter; if it really comes to that, I'm afraid even Tan Zhong won't be able to save them."

All the women nodded in agreement. "Qiqi is absolutely right. I guess we’re only suited for scientific research and economics; we know nothing about these kinds of matters."

Li Qi countered, "Political and military schemes are much like economic struggles. The difference is, in economics, you lose money, but in politics and the military, you lose lives. With your intelligence, sisters, you could adapt after just a few days of learning."

Everyone laughed. "We have you, don't we? Why should we learn this stuff?"

"Right. Qiqi told me she intends to become a shrewd politician, an ambitious schemer, and a master conspirator in the future. Hurry up and share your thoughts."

Li Qi asked, "Are you complimenting or insulting me? With Tan Zhong involved now, he definitely won't let those two take any drastic, large-scale military action. So, first, we need to separate the three of them, then provoke the other two into anger. Don't they both trust Tan Zhong? Then we can use Tan Zhong's voice to feed them false information, making them flee the capital city. They won't make any moves unless they return to their home territories. Only when they are back in their domains will they dare to threaten my grandfather, and that's when our main army can move in to stabilize the two military regions."

I told Li Qi, "Very well, I entrust this battle to your command. Let this be a warm-up for your future political career."

Li Qi replied, "Alright, I'm willing to follow my husband's orders. As a member of the Zhao family, it's my duty to share the workload. I need to call my grandfather first. We must stand on solid moral ground in this matter so no one can find fault. None of you speak, lest my grandfather notices something amiss; he's sharp."

Li Qi gathered her emotions, made a playful face at me, and dialed the number. Her tone immediately shifted into a tearful cry. "Grandpa! I don't want to live anymore! Your subordinates are bullying me! Deng Qiang, Deng Sifang's son, tried to molest me! You must stand up for me!"

Li Zhenyu’s mind raced. "Qiqi, don't speak nonsense! Are you okay? What exactly is going on? Where are you right now?"

Li Qi said, "Grandpa, do girls joke about something like that? Everyone at Longteng University probably knows what happened this evening. You can ask someone yourself. Deng Qiang publicly insulted me and another female student, and he even bragged, relying on his father's power, saying he would assault both of us. If Zhao Qian hadn't stepped in to help us in time, you wouldn't be hearing my voice now, and you would never see me again!"

Li Zhenyu said, "Let Zhao Qian take the phone. I want to hear what he has to say."

Li Qi winked at me and handed over the phone. I said, "Chairman, this is true. That kid Deng Qiang really is too arrogant. All several thousand students at the university saw it. I think you should warn Deng Sifang to teach his son some manners in time. If he lets him continue acting out like this, Longteng University might as well close down early."

Chairman Li Zhenyu said, "Deng Sifang’s son committed a serious rape case when he was in high school. I was soft-hearted and helped suppress it, but I never expected him to become so audacious as to target Qiqi! I need to have a serious talk with Deng Sifang. The Military Commission is holding an expanded meeting these few days, and due to the confidential nature of your status, you weren't notified. However, General Yi Tianfeng will come to see you. Get ready."

Li Zhenyu hung up the phone immediately and ordered an investigation into the evening's events at Longteng University. It wasn't that he didn't believe his granddaughter, but the matter was of great importance. If it affected the unity within the military, the losses would be far from minor, so he had to be cautious, extremely cautious.

The investigation results filled Li Zhenyu with anger and shock. He was angry that Deng Qiang had indeed groped his granddaughter's backside in front of thousands of teachers and students, uttering vulgar insults that tarnished her purity, and even ordered his bodyguards to confront those who tried to stop him.

However, what troubled Li Zhenyu was that Deng Qiang's two arms and lower body were later crippled. Now, handling this situation became difficult. He feared Deng Sifang was likely furious right now. If he criticized him further, he wondered if Deng Sifang would accept it.

After some hesitation, Li Zhenyu decided to call Deng Sifang first to gauge his attitude. When the call connected, Deng Sifang's tone was unfriendly.

"Little Deng, I know about what happened at the university this evening. What are your thoughts on this matter? Involving our children is truly worrying."

"Hmph! Chairman, I know my son deserves to die for touching your granddaughter, but no matter how wrong he was, it wasn't anyone else's place to teach him a lesson. Now my Deng family line is cut off. I wonder if someone is secretly gloating."

"Little Deng, what do you mean by that? Deng Qiang was just spoiled by you usually. I helped suppress the last case he committed, but how could he fail to repent and keep making mistakes? You need to reflect deeply on this; as a parent, you bear great responsibility!"

"Chairman, whatever you say now, my son has been crippled. I don't care who supports the person behind him, but tonight will be his death!"

Deng Sifang slammed the phone down. Tan Zhong and Zhu Ergui, who were beside him, sighed repeatedly. Tan Zhong said, "Little Deng, what can I say about you? How could you fall out with Li Zhenyu at a time like this? You still can't control that temper of yours. I think you will eventually fall because of it."

Deng Sifang retorted, "What are we afraid of him for? Old Zhu and I have secured the southwest and northwest gateways of the Great Dragon Country. Even if we don't have merit, we have labor. How can we tolerate being arbitrarily humiliated by these juniors? If our countries, Niu Guo and Xiong Guo, hadn't been held back, they would have invaded long ago."

Tan Zhong shook his head. "Even without your two countries, they still couldn't get in. Don't be so arrogant, or something will happen sooner or later. The Earth doesn't revolve around us."

Deng Sifang said, "Old Tan, I notice you’ve become more low-key the older you get. As soldiers, we fight for a breath of spirit. Now that others are stepping on us and defecating, if you remain timid, are you still the heroic figure you once were?"

Tan Zhong said, "You can't talk like that. Things are different from wartime. Back then, mistakes could be forgiven. Now, to secure your position, every step must be cautious. This is the lesson I've learned over the past few years. If you don't listen to me, you will suffer sooner or later. Enough, I've taught you how to proceed. There’s no point in staying here. My family just called—apparently, my useless grandson is causing trouble outside again. I’m heading back first. Contact me by phone if anything happens."

After Tan Zhong left, Zhu Ergui said to Deng Sifang, "I never expected the hero of yesteryear to become such a coward. So what if that kid has Li Zhenyu backing him? Will our L-Province and C-D Military Regions still fear him?"

Deng Sifang said, "Act according to the revenge plan we just discussed. If we don't kill him, it won't ease the pain in my heart!"

The rain grew heavier, mixed with lightning and thunder, which moved the plan, originally set for the latter half of the night, up by several hours. Taking advantage of the weather to cover their tracks—kill the whole family, burn the house down, and let the rain wash away the evidence—would make tracing clues impossible by morning.

By midnight, the two teams of snipers sent out returned no messages. By dusk, three teams split up to capture people close to the target, but they hadn't returned either. Deng Sifang and Zhu Ergui grew anxious, and Deng Sifang reluctantly sent Qi Tian out to check the situation.

Qi Tian returned shortly after, reporting that both sniper teams were killed three kilometers from the target's residence, each with a single sniper shot to the head. As for the three teams sent to capture hostages, there was no trace; it seemed they were doomed.

Deng Sifang calmed down after an outburst of rage. He wasn't an idiot; it was just that years of peace had eroded his vigilance, making him somewhat arrogant. When things reached a critical point, his inherent military nature surfaced.

"Old Zhu, something is wrong here. Even with Li Zhenyu backing him, how could a mere citizen possess such capability? Think about it: even Qi Tian is no match for him. What kind of background does such a person have?"

Zhu Ergui replied, "It seems the few squads we brought won't be enough to deal with him. Does he have some other status that General Tan hasn't told us about?"

"Very likely. Heh heh, perhaps Tan Zhong wants to use our hands against that kid. Didn't you hear him say that kid stole his granddaughter-in-law? That cuckold's hat is hard to wear."

Zhu Ergui asked, "What should we do now?"

Deng Sifang gritted his teeth. "Send Qi Tian with men out again. If this time fails, I suppose we’ll have to deploy a large army to encircle and annihilate him!"

Deploying a large army was just a momentary burst of anger; the capital city wasn't a place any unit could just enter at will. But for now, sending their top expert, Qi Tian, and his team was the only option. If he failed, they would have to make other plans.

An hour later, a guard entered the room to report to the two commanders. Of the 20 men Qi Tian took, only three returned alive. Deng Sifang and Zhu Ergui were greatly alarmed and quickly ordered the three survivors inside to question them.

One of them had an arm severed. He grimaced through the pain, having bandaged the wound, and reported to Deng Sifang, "Commander Deng, we failed. Chief Instructor Qi is dead. The three of us fought desperately to recover his body. Please punish us, Commander."

Zhu Ergui exclaimed, "How could Chief Instructor Qi die! Are you talking nonsense? He is a first-rate Qigong master in the Great Dragon Country; his internal true energy is unmatched! We saw bullets fail to harm him with our own eyes!"

"I dare not deceive the Commander. That is the truth. The body of Chief Instructor Qi is outside; Commander, you can go look."

The group went outside and saw it: the already half-stiff Qi Tian had a blackened face. Deng Sifang asked, "How did he die?"

The man with the severed arm replied, "The twenty of us, led by Chief Instructor Qi, stealthily approached the target's location. However, two kilometers from the target, we were ambushed at a stadium. A fully armed, terrifying force of 20 men massacred our action squad, while four others went to attack Chief Instructor Qi."

"Four people?"

"Yes. One of them was the person who fought Chief Instructor Qi to a draw this afternoon. The other three—one older, one who looked simple-minded, and another very young, likely ex-special forces—didn't use standard tactics and weren't afraid of Chief Instructor Qi's fierce palm strikes. They attacked him simultaneously from the top, middle, and bottom. Before Chief Instructor Qi could execute three moves, the simple-minded one sprayed black mist directly into his face. If the rain hadn't been coming down so hard to dilute some of the mist, Chief Instructor Qi's face would have rotted away by now."

"You mean Chief Instructor Qi was poisoned to death?"

"Not entirely. Those four men were vicious. While poisoning him, the three attacking his upper, middle, and lower sections showed no mercy. His skull, arm, and thigh were all crippled. In short, Chief Instructor Qi was killed by the four of them simultaneously."

Deng Sifang felt a chill run down his spine. "It only took three moves to kill Qi Tian? What kind of people are they? Old Zhu, what should we do next?"

Zhu Ergui hadn't come up with a solution when the hospital called suddenly. Deng Qiang had disappeared inexplicably. The two guards stationed outside the hospital room hadn't noticed anyone entering or leaving. It was only when the doctor checked on the patient that they realized the patient was long gone.

Deng Sifang was somewhat at a loss. Nearly all the men he and Zhu Ergui brought had been wiped out, and the rest were mediocre. Now his son had suddenly vanished, certainly linked to the opponent. What was he to do? Had Tan Zhong been right after all—his arrogance had brought disaster upon him?

Zhu Ergui suggested, "The capital is Old Tan's turf. Let him help us think of a solution."

Deng Sifang countered, "Is there anyone more powerful than Qi Tian? The opponent is so strong; how can we get Deng Qiang back?"

Zhu Ergui said, "Are you foolish? Can a person be stronger than a gun? We control hundreds of thousands of guns. If we can just get back to our military regions, even Li Zhenyu will treat us with some respect. Xinjiang and Xizang have always been rebellious areas. Isn't he afraid we will consolidate our power and collude with anti-China forces abroad?"

Deng Sifang said, "But if we really do that, it means pushing ourselves to a dead end, with no turning back."

Zhu Ergui replied, "I can't make this decision for you. You decide."

Before the two could call Tan Zhong, Tan Zhong’s call came first. "Commander Deng, Commander Zhu, things are looking grim. I just received news that Li Zhenyu, spurred by his granddaughter's wailing, is flying into a rage and is on his way to the hotel where you are staying. According to his secretary, he is bringing an entire guard company. You must figure out a solution yourselves, quickly."

Deng Sifang asked, "He wouldn't really move against us over this, would he? Is it worth it? Besides, my son is being held by that Zhao fellow. Old Tan, please help me think of a way."

Tan Zhong paused for a moment. "There is only one way. I don't know if you dare to take it."

"What?"

"Leave the capital city immediately and return to your military regions. Then force Li Zhenyu to hand over Zhao Qian and your son, or else..."

"Or what?"

"Do I need to spell it out? Your two military regions are strategically important, backed by Niu Guo and Xiong Guo, historically gathering places for foreign anti-China forces. With such a good foundation, you should know what to do without me having to say more, right?"

Deng Sifang was shocked. He never expected General Tan Zhong, who had made great contributions to the founding of the Republic, to say such things. However, if Li Zhenyu truly came after them in anger, and his son was in Zhao Qian's hands, then he would truly be at the mercy of others.

Tan Zhong's words struck a chord with Zhu Ergui. He urged Deng Sifang, "Old Deng, if you hesitate any longer, Li Zhenyu will be here with his men. By then, it will be hard for you not to surrender meekly. Make a decision quickly, or you might lose both your rank and your son."

At that moment, a guard rushed in to report, "There are vehicles bearing Military Commission license plates heading toward the hotel. Commander, shall we go out to greet them?"

Deng Sifang waved his hand. "No need. Block them with all your strength. Tell them I'm suffering from insomnia and must not be disturbed if I fall asleep."

The guard withdrew. Zhu Ergui said, "Old Deng, this started because of you. I've done my best to help you. Even if the Chairman blames us, my responsibility won't be great. But yours is different. If that kid surnamed Zhao truly has Li Zhenyu backing him, and you sent troops to assassinate him multiple times tonight, the entire crime will fall on your head. I wonder if you can bear it."

Deng Sifang waved his hand. "Let's go, back to the military region! Li Zhenyu is forcing me to do this. If he doesn't hand over Deng Qiang and the kid surnamed Zhao, we will rebel!"

Two taxis pulled out of the hotel's back entrance, speeding through the heavy rain toward a military airport in the suburbs of the capital. Soon after, a private jet managed a successful forced takeoff in the downpour, heading toward the Northwest, thousands of kilometers away.

Xia Huren stealthily returned from the military airfield. He wiped the rain from his face inside the car and reported, "The two of them got on the private jet and left."

The Village Chief slapped his thigh. "Good, we finally forced them out. Little Zhao, what should we do next?"

I smiled and said, "Let's go home and sleep. The earliest they can return to the military region is tomorrow morning. Even if they truly intend to rebel, they need time to plan. Moreover, for now, they only want to force me into submission. We can only wait patiently."

The Village Chief remarked, "I didn't expect that Qi Tian to be so skilled. If we hadn't been wearing the new style of bulletproof vests outside, our clothes would have been shredded by his attacks."

He let out a breath, a hint of lingering fear coloring his voice: "Luckily, there aren't many like him. If Deng Sifang had trained all his troops to this standard, how on earth would we have fought that battle?"

Xia Huren nodded thoughtfully. "I think Qi Tian is also some kind of metahuman. Although a part of his power was gained through hard training, his physical body must possess inherent special qualities; otherwise, he could never have reached this level. That explains why his Iron-Blooded Twelve Guards were so fragile."

The Village Chief concurred. "That makes sense. Thank goodness we eliminated him; keeping him around would have been a constant menace."

I pulled up a long roster on the display for everyone to see. "This is the intelligence Peach gathered. Every single person on this list deserves the death penalty in the future. From colonels and generals down to company and platoon leaders—it proves the saying: what's rotten at the top infects everything below. With these scoundrels polluting the Dragon Nation's army, how could our military strength ever improve?"

Xia Huren steered the car back onto the main road. Since they had successfully forced the other two out, all that was left was to go home and wait for them to make their next move...