A Range Rover was speeding along the central avenue.

"Faster!"

In the back seat, a man who was nearly sixty, with white at his temples, gripped the front seat. His face was a mask of excitement and thrill as he urged the driver on impatiently.

The driver accelerated again.

This man was none other than Zhao Dejiang. It had been almost a decade since he retired from the Martial Department. Now, he ran a landscaping company with an annual income of several million, living a rather comfortable life.

Recalling those years in the Martial Department... the scenes of tens of thousands of Martial Guards charging into battle, their iron will and bloody slaughter, often haunted his dreams. The former Commander-in-chief had become the Nine Gates Admiral, the Zhennan Prince.

Zhao Dejiang had thought he would never see the Zhennan Prince again. After all, the moment he took off his uniform and left the Martial Department, he had said a final goodbye to Chen Yang and his military career.

But he never would have thought it. The prestigious Nine Gates Admiral had come all the way to Qiyun Road and had even taken the initiative to contact him. For an old soldier like him, this was an incomparable honor. At this very moment, he wished he had wings to fly straight home.

It's a transgression to make the Nine Gates Admiral wait.

With this thought, Zhao Dejiang grew even more anxious and urged again, "Zhang, a little faster."

"Master, this is already as fast as we can go." The driver wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. At nearly one hundred miles per hour, he was already pushing his limits. Veins bulged on his hands as he clutched the steering wheel. "Master, who is this person that has you in such a fiery rush?" Zhang asked curiously.

"He is the youngest general since the founding of our nation, and the first Undefeated Commander." Zhao Dejiang's lips curled into a proud smile. "Serving under him was the most glorious thing in my entire life."

Zhao Dejiang laughed as memories flooded his mind like a tide.

「Inside the residential area.」

Wu Chen's face turned livid, and he felt as if a stampede of ten thousand horses was galloping through his heart.

Did I forget to check the almanac before leaving today?

Today was his first time meeting his future wife. Good lord, he hadn't even laid eyes on her, yet he'd been repeatedly mobbed and beaten. And this crowd in front of him was boldly declaring they'd maim or kill him? Wu Chen felt wronged, and even more furious!

What do these trashy, ragtag thugs take me for?

"Boss, this guy doesn't seem like a simpleton, does he?"

The leader's face darkened as he said coldly, "Who cares who he is? As the saying goes, two fists can't beat four hands. There are so many of us, why should we be afraid of him?"

"Get him! Mr. Wang gave us a kill order!"

With a roar, the scene exploded into chaos, filled with the rising and falling sounds of pained screams.

Seeing this, Zhao Xiaoya couldn't pretend she didn't see it anymore. She gritted her teeth and yelled, "Stop! All of you, stop! You've got the wrong person!"

What? They could get this wrong?

Facing everyone's stares, Zhao Xiaoya averted her eyes and said in a low voice, "The person who was bullying me... it wasn't him."

The thugs were speechless.

So was Wu Chen.

We've already fought until we're battered and bloody, and *now* she says it's a mistake? Where was she earlier?

Zhao Xiaoya kept her head down and glanced at the minivan. The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't bring herself to say them. That guy was detestable, yes, but she had been the one to curse at him first.

Just as she was at a loss for what to do, a Range Rover screeched to a halt beside them.

Seeing Zhao Dejiang step out of the car, Zhao Xiaoya let out a huge sigh of relief.

But when he saw the chaotic scene, Zhao Dejiang's face instantly turned grim. What on earth happened here?

Then, his eyes fixed on the minivan not far away, and his breathing grew rapid.

"Old Master Zhao, you're finally back," Wu Chen greeted him immediately, though his gaze remained locked on Zhao Xiaoya.

Tsk tsk, she's even prettier than in her photos. She's qualified to be my wife.

"Wu Chen, we'll talk about our business later," Zhao Dejiang said, ignoring him. After seeing Yang Hu gesture toward the minivan, he walked over, his heart pounding with apprehension. He was more than apprehensive; his face was flushed red with excitement, and even his breathing had become ragged.

What... what is he doing? Zhao Xiaoya was completely stunned.

Wu Chen's expression shifted slightly before he let out a sneer. "Old Master Zhao, I've had it with that guy in the car. I'll go drag him out right now."

However, to Wu Chen's astonishment, Zhao Dejiang spun around, his gaze like ice. "Who do you think you are, daring to speak to him like that?"

Wu Chen froze.

What's going on? He's just some worthless poser. Do I really have to be polite to him?

Zhao Dejiang's steps were heavy, yet his back straightened with every move. There was a saying in the Hanyun Valley Martial Department. Though ten years had passed, it was etched into his mind as if carved by a knife and chisel.

"I pledge my blood to the heavens! Whether it stains the yellow sands or my corpse is wrapped in horsehide, for our vast and beautiful land, every inch must be fought for!"

Fear not death, protect our homeland!

This declaration silenced the large courtyard, so much so that you could hear a pin drop.

The half-open car window suddenly rolled all the way down, revealing a young man's face. He smiled and said, "Old Master Zhao, it's been many years. You're as imposing as ever."

"I dare not forget!"

In an instant, everyone was dumbfounded. An inexplicable surge of passion rose in their hearts. Some were even moved to tears. Even Wu Chen stood gaping, his face a mask of disbelief.

Not far away, Zhao Xiaoya stared in astonishment, slowly covering her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide. That guy she'd called useless commanded such reverence from her own grandfather?

Who... who is he?

Chen Yang stepped out of the vehicle.

A gentle breeze drifted by. As it lifted his hair, it seemed to also lift the battle flags on the borders of Hanyun Valley.

Are the spirits of the fallen warriors crying out? Do they traverse mountains and rivers, roaming every corner of this land, speaking of their blood and tears as they look down upon this vast, beloved soil?

"Salute!"

A single word, yet it cracked like thunder.

The unexpected command made Chen Yang subconsciously glance in the direction of Hanyun Valley. How could he not understand what that salute meant, or for whom it was intended?

Wu Chen pursed his lips, a complex smile on his face. "Old Master Zhao, who is this fellow?"

His innate sense of superiority made him a man who loved a challenge and never admitted defeat.

He's just some punk who's younger than me. Could he possibly have achieved more than I have? Ridiculous!

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