158: The image of Su Xiaohua has collapsed: Who did she inherit this scheming personality from?

The Dragon Shield Bureau's secret sanatorium, VIP ward.

"How much?!"

Lin Yuan's shout nearly blew the roof off.

He tried to launch himself off the hospital bed, only to be yanked back by the restrictive bandages.

He widened his eyes, staring at Su Wanqing, who was peeling an apple by the window.

"Say that again? How many zeros?"

Su Wanqing was wearing blue and white striped patient clothes; although her left shoulder was still in a cast, her complexion was much better than before.

The fruit knife spun quickly in her hand, the peel forming a long Dragon, steady as a rock.

"Preliminary damage assessment: three point five billion."

Su Wanqing's tone was calm.

"That's only the repair cost for municipal facilities. It doesn't include the several office buildings you collapsed by attracting lightning, nor the compensation for over a dozen shops."

She raised her eyelids and glanced at Lin Yuan.

"That Senior carrying the sword said this amount will be charged to your personal account."

"Pfft—"

Lin Yuan felt like he had been shot through the chest with an arrow.

Three point five billion?

Even if they sold him... no, even if they sliced him up and sold him by the gram, and then listed his Primordial Thunder God Body on the stock market, he couldn't scrape together a fraction of that!

"Why?!"

Lin Yuan shouted in utter grief and indignation, pointing at the ceiling.

"I did that to save the world! It was for love and peace!"

"And that Drunkard with the broken iron sword!"

The more Lin Yuan thought about it, the angrier he got, ignoring the pain of his wounds as he slammed his hand on the bedside table.

"Since he's so awesome—able to shatter the mirror's spatial suppression with a single sword strike—why didn't he act sooner?"

"Did he have to wait until I used up my ultimate move and my mana bar was empty before he came out to show off?"

"I think he did it on purpose! This is workplace bullying! This is malicious wage theft! This is freeloading!"

Lin Yuan panted heavily, the fire of "poverty" flickering in his eyes as he ground his teeth:

"Don't let me see that old bastard again, or else I'll..."

A slightly hoarse voice drifted in from the doorway of the ward.

Lin Yuan's voice stopped abruptly.

Like a screaming chicken whose neck had been squeezed, the rest of his words were stuck in his throat.

At the doorway.

Zhou Weiguo had changed into his familiar Zhongshan suit, his expression solemn.

And beside him, the middle-aged man wearing a shabby jacket, sporting a messy beard, and carrying a hip flask, was looking at Lin Yuan with a half-smile.

Silence suddenly fell in the ward.

Lin Yuan maintained his posture of slamming the table, slowly turning his neck.

The face that had been "cynical" moments ago now blossomed into a smile.

"Or else... I would have to kneel down and give you a loud kowtow."

Lin Yuan's tone was incredibly sincere, and his emotion was profoundly genuine.

"Thank you, Senior, for saving my life! Senior's Divine Might is unparalleled, his sword light chills the nineteen provinces; Junior's admiration for you is like the surging river, endless and continuous..."

"That's enough."

The Drunkard uncle rolled his eyes and tipped his head back to take a swig of wine.

"Stop with the flowery nonsense. I don't fall for that."

He walked to the bedside, carrying the smell of cheap Erguotou liquor.

Lin Yuan shrank his neck, afraid that if this important figure became displeased, he would strike him down for fun.

"Director Zhou."

Lin Yuan decisively shifted targets, looking at Zhou Weiguo with a wronged expression.

"You've come at the perfect time. About this bill... we need to talk about the Dao. This is a work injury!"

"If you make me pay this three point five billion, I'll jump out the window right now and die for you to see!"

Zhou Weiguo was stunned for a moment.

He looked at Su Wanqing, who was peeling the apple, and then at Lin Yuan, who was making a life-or-death scene.

The corners of his mouth couldn't help but twitch twice.

"What three point five billion?"

Director Zhou frowned and said, "That's war damage, fully covered by the national treasury and the Dragon Shield Bureau's special fund. What does that have to do with you?"

"Huh?"

Lin Yuan's howling stopped midway, his throat catching.

He blinked, his brain crashing for two seconds.

Then, he abruptly turned his head to look at Su Wanqing by the window.

Su Wanqing had just finished peeling the apple.

She cut a piece of the apple and popped it into her mouth, her cheeks puffed out.

On that face, which was usually cold, a hint of... mischief appeared?

"I lied to you."

Su Wanqing swallowed the apple, her voice still cool, but Lin Yuan clearly detected a sense of revenge achieved.

"Seeing you're recovering so energetically, you should be fine."

Lin Yuan: "..."

Lin Yuan opened his mouth wide, pointing at Su Wanqing, his hands trembling.

"You... you..."

Where was the aloof, serious, and stern Beauty Su?

Where was the Ice Phoenix who would sacrifice everything for a mission?

"Ahem."

Zhou Weiguo coughed once, ending the topic.

"Alright, stop messing around."

He pulled over a chair and sat down, his expression turning serious.

"I came here this time for serious business."

Seeing this, Lin Yuan also dropped his playful grin and leaned back onto his pillow.

"Because of that live broadcast?"

"Yes."

Zhou Weiguo nodded, pulled a document out of his briefcase, and tossed it to Lin Yuan.

"Although the signal was cut, the impact has already occurred. Things outside are currently in chaos."

"Ordinary people are starting to panic, some hidden ability users are becoming restless, and even some cult organizations are taking advantage of the situation to spread doomsday theories."

"However, these are all public safety issues, and the action teams below will handle them."

Zhou Weiguo paused, his gaze darkening.

"The real trouble is external."

"External?" Lin Yuan opened the document; inside was a nautical chart.

It was marked with dense red dots.

The location was... the East Sea.

"The Jiangcheng Incident allowed the whole world to see the truth of the 'Spiritual Qi Revival'."

The Drunkard uncle chimed in from the side, shaking his hip flask.

"Some people can't sit still."

"Those trash on the eastern islands think that Huaxia is internally unstable right now and want to take advantage of the chaos."

"In the past two days, unidentified ability users have frequently crossed the East Sea border."

"Also, the mutated sea beasts in the ocean have started gathering abnormally."

Lin Yuan closed the document, slightly furrowing his brow.

"So, is there going to be a war?"

"It won't come to that."

The Drunkard uncle scoffed, "They wouldn't dare start a full-scale war. They're just trying to infiltrate, cause trouble, and snatch some resources."

"Then you mean..." Lin Yuan had a bad feeling.

Zhou Weiguo pointed at the Drunkard, then at Lin Yuan and Su Wanqing.

"Senior Lu Changfeng will serve as a special commissioner and head to the East Sea to stabilize the situation."

"And the two of you will accompany him as members of his special action team."

"Me?" Lin Yuan pointed at his own nose. "Old Zhou, look at all these bandages! I'm an injured person! I need a vacation!"

"Plus, I haven't truly reached B-rank yet! Going into a national-war-level instance like this, won't I just be cannon fodder?"

"No way, no way, I won't go even if you kill me."

Lin Yuan shook his head like a rattle-drum, pulled up the quilt, and covered his head.

Zhou Weiguo had anticipated this reaction and spoke slowly.

"The reward for this mission, I've already had someone prepare it over there."

"That thing is tailor-made for you. As long as you can get your hands on it..."

He paused, his tone certain.

"I guarantee you, advancing to B-rank will be a sure thing."

The next second.

"Whoosh!"

The quilt was thrown off, kicking up a gust of wind.

Lin Yuan sat up with a righteous expression, all traces of his previous sulking gone.

"Director Zhou! What are you saying!"

"The rise and fall of the nation concern every citizen!"

"Money? How vulgar! My main goal is to witness the magnificence of the ocean and, incidentally, help Senior Lu carry his hip flask."

The speed of his change in demeanor made even Su Wanqing rub her forehead.

Lu Changfeng, the Drunkard uncle, chuckled from the side, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.

"Alright, kid."

"Since you're so enlightened."

He grabbed Lin Yuan by the collar, snapping the bandages, and lifted him off the bed.

"Then let's go now."

"Hey? Hey?! Wait! I haven't changed my clothes! I'm still in my patient gown!"

"Change what? When we get there, you'll have plenty of time to change."

Lu Changfeng completely ignored Lin Yuan's protests.

He turned his head to look at Su Wanqing.

"Girl, can you still move?"

Su Wanqing stood up and moved her left shoulder; although it was still somewhat painful, her gaze was firm.

"No problem."

"Then let's go!"

Lu Changfeng laughed loudly, and the broken iron sword in his hand let out a sword cry, floating in mid-air.

With one hand, he carried the struggling Lin Yuan, and with the other, he made a guiding gesture, preparing to fly away on his sword.

Before leaving, he looked back at Zhou Weiguo, who stood in the center of the ward, and shook the hip flask in his hand.

"Old Zhou, the wine here is good, but I'm taking these two kids with me."

"Don't worry, as long as I still have a breath left, I guarantee I'll bring them back to you."

Zhou Weiguo didn't speak, he just waved his hand, his solemn expression carrying a degree of trust.

Lin Yuan, dangling in mid-air, was displeased and shouted at Zhou Weiguo while kicking his limbs: "Hey, hey! Old Zhou! We had an agreement! That reward must be delivered!"

"Also, the travel allowance, the high-temperature subsidy, the emotional distress compensation... if even a single cent is missing, I'll tear down the door of your office when I get back!"

"Get lost!" Zhou Weiguo cursed with a laugh.

The next second, a brilliant green light erupted.

The window burst open, and a fierce wind poured in.

The figures of the three transformed into a streak of light and vanished into the horizon.