Chapter Two: A Maiden’s Heart

A piercing scream echoed through the cabin. Whether it was due to the biting cold air, the violent turbulence of the plane, or the predatory, terrifying expression on Lei Dong’s face, the hundreds of eyes in the cabin were filled with fear, and every body trembled uncontrollably.

Lei Dong sneered. "You’re wrong. I’m no devil; they call me 'Mad Dog.' This is your last chance—are you going to talk or not?"

Chen Weizhe’s physical and mental state was on the verge of total collapse. Regardless of whether he was suspended in mid-air or if the other party could see him, he nodded frantically, his voice cracking as he shrieked, "I’ll talk! I’ll talk! I... I am willing..."

Lei Dong let out a chilling, horrific laugh and barked, "Talking now? Too late! Go to hell!"

Before Chen Weizhe’s brain, stiffened by the extreme cold of high altitude, could even react, he felt the massive hand around his ankle loosen. As the howling wind caught his body, sending him drifting outward, the sudden shock completely shattered his will. His vision went black, and with a harrowing scream, he fainted.

"No—!" Shui Yaoxian cried out, her face pale with terror. She had barely uttered the words when she saw Lei Dong extend his arm. With lightning speed, he snatched Chen Weizhe’s ankle again, hauled him back into the cabin, and slammed the tail ramp shut with a resounding thud.

Shui Yaoxian almost doubted her own eyes. In that brief moment, she had clearly seen Lei Dong’s arm stretch and lengthen as if by magic!

Staring blankly as Lei Dong dragged Chen Weizhe by his ankle and tossed him onto the floor like a sack of potatoes with a dull thud, Shui Yaoxian felt as if she were looking at a monster.

It wasn't until Lei Dong walked up to her that she regained her composure. Her pale lips parted slightly, and she hesitated, "How did you..."

The savage, fierce look on Lei Dong’s face had completely vanished, replaced by a profound helplessness amidst the sorrow in his eyes. "This guy is completely broken. Once we land, he’ll answer whatever you ask." Before he could finish, he turned back to Huang Xiwen’s remains. He crouched down gently, staring at the waxen face of the deceased, his tiger-like eyes welling with tears, and fell into silence.

Shui Yaoxian steadied herself. Looking at Lei Dong’s solemn expression and thinking of everything he had done for her, she suddenly felt a warmth slowly rising from the depths of her heart.

Veteran intelligence agents like Chen Weizhe were undoubtedly subjected to extreme, rigorous training. Ordinary interrogation methods would likely be useless in prying information from him. Perhaps some of the secret arts of the Witch Sect that she possessed could achieve this, but Shui Yaoxian had joined the intelligence department only by chance and through some mysterious guidance. At heart, she was reluctant to reveal her special abilities in front of so many ordinary people.

Had it not been for the battle at the Holy Emperor’s Bright Island, where she discovered that Lei Dong and his comrades were themselves cultivators, and given the critical nature of the situation, she might never have revealed her hand.

However, as an intelligence officer, there were tasks she had to perform—such as obtaining Chen Weizhe’s confession. She had been worrying about how to proceed, yet unexpectedly, Lei Dong had seized upon a tiny gesture and, with brutally violent methods, shattered the opponent’s defenses both physiologically and psychologically. One could imagine that upon returning to the Hanjing headquarters, Chen Weizhe, who was already broken and losing control of his bodily functions, would likely spill even the most embarrassing secrets from his childhood.

To be able to keenly spot an opportunity in such a short time, execute it with unwavering resolve, and deal a fatal blow to the opponent—behind the facade of the violent "Mad Dog," what kind of monstrous intelligence and ability was this young man, who was no older than herself, concealing?

Wu Yun and the other comrades walked over, gently patting Lei Dong on the shoulder. They let out long sighs, no one speaking, but their eyes held a hint of unmistakable gratification.

They knew that Lei Dong—a young man who was usually bright and sunny but lost his mind like a rabid dog when angered—had finally learned to control his emotions. He had learned not to make decisions in the heat of anger, had finally begun to mature, and had taken the first step toward becoming a qualified special operations commander.

Thinking of this, and then thinking of An Jing back at the base, the team members felt a pang of jealousy. Wu Yun even blurted out his inner thoughts: "Damn it, monsters! You two are both monsters! How are your brains even wired?!"

"You two? Who? Could it be..." Shui Yaoxian, who had been resonating with Wu Yun’s use of the word "monsters," was stunned to hear him mention a couple.

"Get lost!" Lei Dong feigned a kick at Wu Yun, laughing and cursing. Yet, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Shui Yaoxian’s complexion turn pale for an instant. Her lips twitched as if to speak, but she hurriedly closed them. Feeling a bit strange, he asked gently, "What’s wrong?"

Shui Yaoxian slowly shook her head and gave a forced smile but remained silent. She found an empty spot, sat down, and stared out the porthole at the ever-changing, drifting white clouds that looked like mounds of cotton.

***

"Lei Dong!"

Hanjing, western suburbs military airfield.

As Lei Dong walked down the stairs from the tail ramp, the first thing he saw was the face he had been dreaming of, blooming like a white lotus. The first thing he heard was that gentle, melodious voice that could not mask the longing within.

An Jing!

Standing in the first row of the welcoming party was An Jing, dressed in a crisp, neat uniform with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel!

From the moment he saw her beautiful face, Lei Dong had no room in his eyes or heart for anything or anyone else. It was as if his soul had finally returned home; the entire world seemed to vanish in an instant, leaving only those glistening, tender eyes and that lotus-like, delicate face.

Long before the detachment disembarked, all passengers had been evacuated. Others were responsible for their placement, signing agreements, and issuing gag orders; the team didn't need to worry about such things, nor was it their place to decide how the news would be released to the public. Their task was simply to eliminate the enemy and bring the passengers back to the Republic safely.

Now, the mission was complete! Lei Dong only wanted to rush into An Jing’s arms, to tell her of his glory, his endless sorrow, and his boundless longing...

But he couldn't—not yet. He was still carrying the remains of Huang Xiwen, and just a few meters away stood his father, Lei Tiangang, scowling with a dark expression. Behind his father was the Deputy Minister of the Third Department, the refined-looking Major General Yin Cunyang.

Further back were a sleek, black luxury sedan and two bulky military SUVs. Clearly, the sedan was meant to pick up Cao Jingren, while he and his wretched band of soldier comrades were only fit for those bone-jarring, "hardcore" military vehicles.

As the only officer in the Fourth Detachment besides Huang Xiwen, Lei Dong straightened his uniform and strode forward, holding Huang Xiwen’s body. "Director, sir! The Fourth Detachment has returned from its mission. Please give your instructions! Detachment Combat Instructor, Lei Dong!"

Lei Tiangang returned the salute, completed the required motions, and then said, "Relax, you brats. You did well!" He then looked toward the remains in Lei Dong's arms, saluted silently, and said, "Martyr, rest in peace. Your blood will not have been shed in vain!"

He then walked with Yin Cunyang to Cao Jingren, exchanged a few pleasantries, and began speaking in low voices.

Everything they said reached Lei Dong’s ears perfectly, but he had no interest in these topics that he usually found intriguing. He simply looked at An Jing in silence, his heart a tangled mess of emotions, not knowing what to say.

For some reason, An Jing’s gaze was firmly drawn to a figure standing behind the team.

"So beautiful..." An Jing felt a surge of awe. The clear, exquisite features, the slender yet graceful figure, and the mysterious eyes all made her involuntarily recall the phrase: "If I find her so lovely, how much more would others?" She immediately felt it was strange to think of that line. Who was the "others"? An Jing glanced briefly at Lei Dong and suddenly noticed that this young woman—the ace female agent of the intelligence department—seemed to be deliberately avoiding something. She was momentarily stunned.

Shui Yaoxian was also observing An Jing. Was this the other "monster" Wu Yun had mentioned? She was incredibly beautiful; her face and figure were perfection itself, and her demeanor exuded a natural, refined elegance. In her tailored green military uniform, her feminine gentleness was complemented by a sense of awe-inspiring dignity.

"If I find her so lovely, how much more would others?" The same thought crossed Shui Yaoxian’s mind. She felt a sudden bitterness. Had it all ended before it even began?

The conversation with Cao Jingren ended quickly. Lei Tiangang waved his hand, ordering Lei Dong to organize the boarding of the vehicles, while Yin Cunyang beckoned Cao Jingren and Shui Yaoxian toward the car. Throughout the entire process, Shui Yaoxian did not look at Lei Dong again, nor did she speak a single word to him.

Few noticed anything unusual, except for the white-haired Cao Jingren. Seeing all this, he smiled meaningfully, patted Lei Dong on the shoulder, and stepped into the sleek black sedan with his usual grace mixed with an air of authority.

"This old man, leaving is one thing, but he can't even speak properly. What’s with patting my shoulder?" Lei Dong curled his lip. "Professors really are weird people..."

An Jing gritted her teeth and glared at Lei Dong, then rolled her eyes and put on a gentle expression again.

An Jing’s expression changed quickly, but Lei Dong, whose heart was entirely focused on her, saw it all and felt puzzled. "Why are all these people acting so strange today?" He scratched his head vigorously, completely unable to fathom the reason.