One person: Lu Jin, do I look like your master?

Chapter 24 Freshmen

Wang Xuan's voice was calm and even, as if he had only done a trivial matter.

He gently withdrew his hand from Chen Duo's head, stood with his hands behind his back, and his white robes fluttered gently in the cool night breeze.

Chen Duo stood still, closed her eyes slightly, and carefully felt the earth-shaking changes inside her body.

The first thing she felt was "emptiness".

An unprecedented, light "emptiness".

The primal poison that had been lurking deep within her internal organs, meridians, and bone marrow, constantly wriggling, gnawing, and draining her life force, had now vanished without a trace!

That ever-present, cold sense of burden and the faint stinging sensation have completely disappeared!

Instead, a warm, vibrant sense of life spreads from the deepest part of the body, as if parched and cracked earth has finally received sweet rain.

Every cell was breathing with joy. Although the "Qi" she had cultivated within her body had also drastically decreased due to the disappearance of the Gu poison.

She was reduced to almost the lowest level of an alien, but this actually made her feel a real sense of "cleanliness" that belonged to her.

She is no longer a walking source of poison, no longer a "holy child of Gu" who needs to be closely monitored.

For the first time, she truly felt complete control over her own body.

Liao Zhong, who was standing to the side, was constantly on edge.

Seeing Wang Xuan stop, he immediately rushed forward and nervously grabbed Chen Duo's shoulders with both hands.

He looked her up and down carefully, his voice hoarse and trembling with excessive concern:

"Chen Duo? How are you? Are you feeling alright? Is there anything bothering you?"

His gaze was fixed on Chen Duo's face, afraid of missing any subtle change in her expression, afraid that there might be some unknown price hidden behind that miraculous cure.

Chen Duo slowly raised her head, meeting Liao Zhong's gaze, which was full of worry and concern.

This time, her face no longer showed the numbness and emptiness she usually displayed.

Although his expression was still not very rich, his pair of emerald green eyes were surprisingly bright, like gems washed clean of all dust, clearly reflecting Liao Zhong's anxious face and the bright moonlight in the sky.

She felt an unprecedented sense of comfort and ease within her body, a strange emotion called "joy," flowing gently through her heart like a stream in early spring.

She looked at Liao Zhong, the corners of her mouth curving upwards into a slightly awkward yet incredibly genuine and heartfelt smile, and answered in a clear and affirmative voice:

"Uncle Liao, I'm fine. I've never been this fine."

This simple sentence and that genuine smile were like a ray of sunshine, instantly dispelling all the gloom and worries in Liao Zhong's heart!

Overwhelmed by an immense, indescribable sense of ecstasy and relief, the rugged man's eyes instantly welled up with tears, and he grinned.

He gave a relieved, even slightly silly smile, and nodded repeatedly: "Good! Good! That's great!"

As for the company...

Liao Zhong's thoughts raced.

The most dangerous and uncontrollable primal Gu poison in Chen Duo's body has now been completely eliminated, and she is no longer a mobile source of disaster.

At present, Chen Duo is at most an ordinary supernatural girl with good innate talent but shallow cultivation, who has almost only Qi sense left and needs to relearn and adapt to society.

Although her previous actions were indeed against the rules, there were reasons for them, and ultimately no irreversible consequences occurred.

Leveraging his position as the head of South China and his long-standing achievements, he made every effort to protect Chen Duo and remove her from the temporary worker list.

To live a normal life as a "cured former victim".

It's likely that the old guys on the board won't be too harsh after weighing the pros and cons, since the biggest hidden danger has been eliminated.

Having figured all this out, Liao Zhong felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his heart, and he felt completely relieved.

"Alright, now that the matter is resolved, I should leave."

Wang Xuan clapped his hands, as if he were just casually wiping away some dust, and said in a relaxed tone.

He turned around, his white Taoist robe tracing a graceful arc, and took a step to leave, showing no intention of taking credit or asking for anything in return.

"Sir! Please wait!"

Upon seeing this, Liao Zhong hurriedly called out, his heart filled with too many questions and gratitude.

"Who...who are you? I will never forget your life-saving grace today! Please leave your name, so that in the future..."

Wang Xuan didn't stop walking; he simply turned his back to them, casually waved his hand, and a clear, peaceful name drifted on the wind:

Just two words, nothing more.

"Wang Xuan..."

Liao Zhong stood there, repeatedly chewing on the name, his brows furrowed tightly.

As the head of the South China region, he has an excellent grasp of the information and data on the major sects, families, and renowned masters in the domestic supernatural community.

He had a complete set of accounts in his mind, whether it was Zhengyi, Quanzhen, the Four Schools, the Shuzi Sect, the Natural Kung Fu, or even those troublesome characters within the Quanxing Sect.

However, the name "Wang Xuan" was completely unfamiliar! It had never appeared on any noteworthy list!

"So young... yet possessing such unfathomable abilities... Could he be a descendant of some reclusive old monster who has just entered the world? Or perhaps he has returned from abroad?"

Liao Zhong secretly guessed, but had no clue.

Most importantly, throughout the entire process, the other party used only those miraculous healing methods.

He did not reveal any distinctive skills or moves, making it impossible for him to determine the other party's lineage or background.

But there was one thing Liao Zhong was absolutely certain of: this young man named Wang Xuan was definitely not simple!

His true strength is probably unfathomable!

The ability to easily resolve the Primal Gu, which even companies find incredibly troublesome, is something that probably no one else in the entire world of supernatural beings can match!

He shook his head, temporarily suppressing these conflicting speculations.

Now is not the time to delve into these matters; the most urgent task is to settle Chen Duo down.

He turned around and looked at the girl beside him who seemed to have been reborn.

A gentle, indulgent smile appeared on his face as he solemnly extended his large, rough hand to Chen Duo:

"Come on, girl! Let's go home!"

This time, the word "going home" no longer refers to returning to that dark fortress filled with rules and regulations, but to returning to a truly warm home that belongs to the two of them.

Chen Duo looked at Liao Zhong's outstretched hand, then looked up at Liao Zhong's eyes, which were full of sincerity and warmth.

She remembered what Uncle Liao had said before—"Do what you want to do" and "Uncle Liao will take care of you."

A strange, warm feeling enveloped her.

Slowly and tentatively, she gently placed her fair, slender, and slightly cool hand into Liao Zhong's warm and generous palm.

Liao Zhong's large hand immediately closed gently but firmly, holding her hand tightly, as if he were holding a lost treasure that had been found again.

Two figures, one tall and one short, walked hand in hand, stepping through the silvery sunlight, slowly emerging from this abandoned and dilapidated factory that had witnessed a turning point in its destiny.

The night breeze carried their soft, warm conversation far, far away...

"Uncle Liao..."

"Hmm? What's wrong, little girl?"

"Can I...can I go eat KFC?"

The girl's voice carried a hint of cautious anticipation and curiosity; it was something she had seen in television commercials but had never been allowed to try.

"Hahaha! Of course it can! It absolutely can!"

The man's hearty and cheerful laughter echoed in the night sky.

"Let's go! Let's go now! Eat as much as you want! All you can eat!"

The moonlight stretched their shadows long, intertwining them as they walked towards the distant, warmly lit city lights, towards a new beginning filled with the unknown yet finally filled with hope.

Chapter 25 Return to the Company

Wang Xuan left the abandoned factory, his figure flashing a few times in the night before disappearing into the distance.

He didn't go far, but instead found a clean and tidy-looking hotel in Liupanshui city and checked in.

After closing the door and shutting out the noise from the outside world, Wang Xuan sat cross-legged on the bed, his mind as calm as a still well.

The incident that had just intervened and changed the course of Chen Duo and Liao Zhong's lives did not cause much of a stir in his heart.

It's more like picking up a pen while reading a book whose tragic ending you already know, and then casually erasing that unsatisfying passage.

According to my own wishes, I rewrote a relatively warm and bright ending.

"Since we've come into this world, we should do something and leave a unique mark."

Wang Xuan thought calmly to himself.

"If you know that tragedy is about to happen, but you still stand by and watch coldly, what is the difference between you and a numb bystander? In spiritual practice, cultivating the mind and clear thinking is the most important thing."

As for why the Chen Duo incident happened ahead of schedule, given his vague memories of his past life and the fact that he happened to witness and intervene, Wang Xuan did not delve into it.

Is it the butterfly effect? ​​Or is it the world's own corrective force or some kind of destiny's arrangement?

He was too lazy to dig deeper. Since he had encountered it, it must be fate, and he would simply do as the wind blew.

His primary objective remained the upcoming meeting with Baron and the plot to seize the crucial "Six Treasures of the Immortal Thief".

On the other side, Liao Zhong, with Chen Duo, did not immediately return to their so-called "home".

He drove Chen Duo to the 24-hour KFC in the city center.

Watching Chen Duo clumsily learn to drink cola with a straw, and her eyes light up the moment she carefully took her first bite of fried chicken wing.

Liao Zhong, this rough and tough man, was almost melted. He waved his hand and ordered almost everything on the menu, piling the table full, and said generously:

"Eat! Girl! Eat as much as you want! From now on, Uncle Liao will take you to eat whatever you want!"

Chen Duo ate slowly but attentively, each new and unusual flavor giving her an unprecedented experience.

Although her expression remained largely unchanged, the light in her eyes was more vivid than ever before.

After the meal, Liao Zhong did not take Chen Duo back to his own dormitory, which was always deserted and only had basic living facilities.

He devoted almost all of his early life to his work, making him a typical workaholic, coupled with his rugged appearance and fiery personality.

Instead of starting a family, he drove directly back to the company headquarters in South China.

For Liao Zhong, the company is his home, and his colleagues are his closest family.

Moreover, Chen Duo's matter must be handled properly as soon as possible, and staying at the company is the safest and most efficient option.

At this time, the company headquarters was still brightly lit.

Most of the employees who were previously sent by Liao Zhong to search for Chen Duo's whereabouts across the mountains and fields have received a message from Liao Zhong that "the mission has been canceled."

Following the notice that "all employees should return to standby," they gradually returned to the company.

Everyone was exhausted, their faces showing worry and anxiety. They gathered in twos and threes in the lobby and rest area, discussing in hushed tones, creating a tense atmosphere.

When Liao Zhong's tall figure appeared at the door, followed by the girl they had been searching for.

The entire hall fell silent for a moment!

Immediately, a huge cheer erupted, a mixture of surprise, relief, and joy!

"It's Chen Duo! She's back!"

"The boss found her! That's great!"

Many of the long-time employees here are aware of her later situation and how she was not in control of her own destiny.

They generally felt deep sympathy and concern for this quiet, unassuming girl with a tragic fate.

We were all genuinely happy to see her return safely.

Liao Zhong's deputy, a shrewd and capable middle-aged man, immediately came forward to greet him.

His face also showed joy, but even more so solemnity and lingering fear.

He understood the seriousness of the incident better than other ordinary employees—Chen Duo was out of control, out of contact, and suspected of contacting unknown forces, which could even endanger the person in charge, Liao Zhong…

The deputy lowered his voice and asked urgently.