Chapter 269: Chapter 269
"Alright." Rong Zhi tucked her chin slightly, gracefully taking the clothing. The man gentlemanly opened the Hummer’s rear door, and before she climbed in, she gave him a deep look.
It was evident this vehicle was custom-made for important figures, with a special partition nailed between the cabin and the back seat, covered in dark velvet, creating a small private space once the door was closed.
Though not large, it was a rare moment of stability amidst the ravages of war.
Rong Zhi lowered her long eyelashes as she quickly put on the bulletproof vest.
The warzone imposed an instinctive pressure, urging one to hasten their movements unconsciously.
"I’m ready, Bai Su." The young man pushed open the door, about to alight, when warmth pressed at his side; the man’s elegant and handsome features appeared in her line of sight, with a slight smile at the corner of his lips: "Zai Zai, move over a bit."
Seeing him, Rong Zhi raised her fine eyebrows subtly, quietly making space. He sat down, carefully fastening the seat belt for her. Jiang Gujun watched the two get in and then followed into another long-waiting Hummer.
The black vehicle sped over the pockmarked road, dodging flying debris from time to time.
The driver seemed a seasoned soldier, skillfully swerving around blockade after blockade in the battlefield. The once smooth metal fence was corroded by gunpowder into dying branches, gnarled and eerie.
Occasionally, stray bullets grazed the car, raising pits of varying sizes on the ground, and dust repeatedly coated the dark windows.
In the corner of her eye, another missile wrapped in wind exploded beside the window, and Rong Zhi squinted, realizing those that brushed past might never have been stray bullets, just unchecked enemy attacks.
The custom partition shielded them from most of the noise; the scenes visible from the driver’s seat were imaginable.
The young man’s eyes flicked to the man sitting upright beside him, whose straightforward gaze implied habitual familiarity with the circumstances.
The name rolled on Rong Zhi’s tongue twice before she swallowed it back.
The streamlined black car avoided all attacks and steadily drove into the eerie forest. At the end of the forest path was a formidable low wall with sentry posts and layers of guards at the entrance.
It was a base standing on the warzone’s outskirts.
The guards saw the slowly approaching cars, straightened up, and put away their guns; the three vehicles passed through unhindered, stopping in front of a small building.
"Here we are." The man’s voice was habitually lazy and gentle. The young man unfastened the clasp, as he opened the car door for her. Rong Zhi landed on the ground, glanced at the small building ahead, and a hint of interest surfaced in her eyes.
The man held her hand, leading her inside unhurriedly; she remained silent, curious about Bai Su’s intentions.
"As you can see, this is a base on the edge of the restricted zone," the man began, with a composed, soothing tone. "And I am Su Bai."
"Divination Master?" The one who helped the Royal Family attack the restricted zone, inadvertently sparking chaos throughout O State.
Rong Zhi curved her lips, recalling Fu Yaoyao’s mocking remark. The source of this content ɪs NoveI(F)ire.net
Maybe Su Bai was sent by the Underground Moon Group.
"Yes." Bai Su replied, his palm sweating slightly as he held hers.
"Hmm." The young man nodded in understanding, with a bit of curiosity remaining in her heart, but she wouldn’t ask if he didn’t bring it up.
"I’ll take you up to see the room; tonight might not be too peaceful," Bai Su said. When he didn’t hear her pursue further, he sighed with relief, mixed with a slight sense of loss, knowing Rong Zhi always had this temperament.
The night in O State differed from that in Beijing, with a damper wind carrying a hint of marine currents, a half-warm, half-cool temperature paired with heavy humidity, making breathing difficult.
Rong Zhi stood by the window, gazing outside. The sentry lights flickered, and the dark distance occasionally blazed with orange-yellow fire, stirring a trace of unease in her as she turned and left the room.
"Not asleep yet, Zai Zai?" The man sat leisurely by the table, with a sand table spread out across it, and an unfinished chess game on the glass coffee table, where the black knight was deeply surrounded by white forces.
Besides that, a lit laptop displayed a screen divided into a dense grid, possibly a special monitoring system.
"Can’t sleep." Rong Zhi averted her gaze, smiling slightly. "You aren’t asleep either."
"Waiting for news." The man tapped the table lightly with his long fingers as the wall clock chimed midnight.
"News." The young man softly murmured the word, as the small building’s door was suddenly pushed open. Jiang Gujun hurried upstairs with a walkie-talkie, handing it to Bai Su.
"It’s here." The man smiled, striding to the coffee table, adjusting the small screen while picking up a black pawn.
"Team A, infiltrate from behind; stay concealed." As a piece fell, earth flew, and the dark gun barrels bloomed vividly.
"Team B, cut in from the southeast to support the frontline."
"Left team one, let go."
Rong Zhi sat by the sofa, watching the man calmly issue commands, the screen displaying heated combat, and the chessboard in fierce turmoil.
The previously encircled black knight had somehow become a live piece.
"Collect," he said, placing the final piece down, with white chess defeated and the battle’s outcome clear.
That night, the Royal Family triumphed.
Troops remained in the warzone to inventory the spoils, the task assigned to Jiang Gujun. Bai Su took Rong Zhi back to rest.
Having freshened up and lying on an unfamiliar bed, Rong Zhi couldn’t sleep a wink.
She tossed and turned before getting up to play on her phone.
Two slender, pleasant fingers fell onto the screen, and Rong Zhi looked up expressionlessly, meeting the man’s captivating, passionate peach blossom eyes.
"Play tomorrow?" In his other hand, he held a cup containing half a cup of water.
Handing the cup to the young man, Bai Su furrowed his brow before relaxing, a trace of helplessness in his softly coaxing tone: "A little sedative potion, take it first."
If not absolutely necessary, he really didn’t want Rong Zhi taking these medications.
Rong Zhi lowered her eyes, staring at the gently swaying transparent liquid for a moment before raising her hand to accept the cup and drinking it in one go.
The taste was quite sweet.
Bai Su set the cup aside, knowing there was work to do outside, possibly unable to sleep tonight, but for now, he had to coax the young man to sleep.
He lay on the bed, embracing her, making Rong Zhi appear like a child as he pulled her to him. "Aren’t you busy?" she asked, pushing him away.
"The most important thing I need to be busy with is sleeping with you." He removed her hand from his shoulder, holding it in his palm to warm it; it was ice-cold from her phone play.
His leg shivered slightly upon encountering her cold feet.
"How come your body still hasn’t recovered?"
Rong Zhi’s constitution was indeed poor, showing little improvement after nearly two months, exposing myriad issues in winter; she was long accustomed and indifferent to these problems.
Bai Su turned sideways, holding her in his arms, his head resting on her arm, his legs warming hers. "Sleep now."
He would think of a way; there’d always be a way to make up for it.