The next morning.

After getting up, Chen Shouyi went to the bathroom for a shower.

He had just finished and was about to brush his teeth when the door was knocked.

"Brother, are you done yet? It's almost seven o'clock!" Chen Xingyue urged.

"What's the rush? They probably aren't even awake yet," Chen Shouyi said, glancing at the watch on the sink—it wasn't even half past six.

She's never this concerned for her brother.

"Aren't you going to buy a gift?" Chen Xingyue said.

"Hold on!" Chen Shouyi said, feeling a bit agitated.

"Hurry up then!"

After washing up, he took out a set of clothes from the wardrobe and got dressed, while quietly speaking to the Shell Lady who was already curling up alertly in the air-conditioned quilt: "Stay at home and keep sleeping, I'm going to meet the bad Giant."

As soon as he spoke, a little head popped out of the quilt, seriously whispering, "Oh! You go ahead, little one will be good."

"Stay home, I'll be back soon."

Then he opened the storage cabinet, which was stacked high with cash.

His monthly salary and allowance as a Martial Artist was 1.5 million, and that was just the small part; the biggest portion was the bonus from missions.

As a Martial Artist, his mission bonuses ranged from 2 million to as much as 5 million.

Like last month, due to executing a high-risk mission in Ningzhou, his income reached 6.5 million.

Nowadays, society is quite unstable, and keeping money in the bank isn't secure.

So every time he gets paid, Chen Shouyi withdraws piles of cash to store at home. Now, there's over 10 million in the cabinet, and if it weren't for the fact that bank gold is no longer tradable, he'd have converted it all to gold.

He took some money, put it in his wallet, and closed the cabinet.

...

A light rain fell last night, leaving puddles on the road, and the withered willow leaves on both sides suddenly looked much greener.

After breakfast, Chen Shouyi and his sister headed out the door.

Chen Xingyue wore a white T-shirt and deep blue athletic shorts, revealing her long, toned legs. Her ponytail swayed energetically as she walked.

The two of them stopped at a nearby fruit and vegetable supermarket.

Amid Chen Xingyue's expression of disdain, Chen Shouyi bought a watermelon and carried it in his hand.

"Brother, you're just bringing a watermelon as a gift?"

"Then what should I buy, grapes?" Chen Shouyi asked, puzzled.

"Did you even get what I meant?" Chen Xingyue said furiously, "Mom told you to buy something valuable, and you're just bringing fruit?

This is a Martial Artist we're visiting! Even if not a lavish gift, it should at least be something with style!"

"Style? So a watermelon has no style? How do you know Colonel Xiao doesn't like watermelons?"

Frustrated by her brother's stubbornness, Chen Xingyue stomped in exasperation, "Fine, I'm not managing this anymore. You'll be the one embarrassed!"

"Embarrassed by what? You just overthink things!" Chen Shouyi said, then paused, and tentatively asked, "How about... you don't go? I can handle the embarrassment myself."

Visiting Xiao Changming's home could likely reveal his identity as a Martial Artist.

That would be awkward.

"Hmph!"

Chen Xingyue snorted coldly from her nose, turned away, and ignored Chen Shouyi.

Feeling awkward, he reluctantly headed towards the nearby police station.

He still didn't know where Xiao Changming lived.

Though he knew his house was in the villa district, the district was quite large, divided into east, west, south, and north sections, with a central park and a huge golf course yet to be developed, covering hundreds of acres.

The police station managed local households; Chen Shouyi had Chen Xingyue wait outside and upon revealing his identity, soon got Xiao Changming's address.

...

On the way, Chen Xingyue started chattering away again.

"Brother, what is Colonel Xiao's personality like? Is he very strict?" she asked nervously.

"He's alright!" Chen Shouyi replied casually.

"What's 'alright' supposed to mean?" Chen Xingyue asked, clearly displeased with Chen Shouyi's dismissive tone.

"Just what it sounds like!"

"Does he have kids? Boys or girls?"

"Can't you stop being so annoying? You'll see in a while!" Chen Shouyi retorted, feeling irritated.

Seriously, nothing to be so nervous about.

Chen Xingyue didn't care at all about her brother's bad attitude, "Just tell me!"

"He has a daughter, a bit younger than you," Chen Shouyi said helplessly.

...

Soon the two reached Xiao Changming's house.

The gate was wide open, and the living room inside was bustling, most wearing military uniforms—clearly, they weren't the only visitors.

Chen Shouyi stepped inside.

Later, Chen Xingyue also braced herself and followed with a nervous face.

Many people, upon seeing Chen Shouyi, subconsciously stood up, and the atmosphere suddenly quieted down a bit.

Xiao Changming came over and said with a smile, "Brother Chen, since you're here, there's no need for gifts, you're too kind!"

"Bought it casually on the roadside!" Chen Shouyi replied.

Chen Xingyue almost wanted to cover her face upon hearing this.

Xiao Changming accepted the watermelon and then looked at Chen Xingyue, asking, "And who is this?"

"This is my sister Chen Xingyue, insisted on coming over," Chen Shouyi introduced, feeling a strange sensation in his heart.

On the opposite side, although Xiao Changming was smiling, his expression was somewhat stiff and gloomy, and facing him, Chen Shouyi felt a faint sense of oppression, his sharp sense of smell also detected a faint smell of stench emanating from him.

At this point, Xiao Changming's wife, holding two cups of tea, came over, interrupting his unusual thoughts.

"General Manager Chen, don't just stand, have a seat, have a seat. And little sister, don't be shy, make yourself at home!"

Her face was somewhat haggard, and her smile seemed forced, as if burdened with heavy thoughts.

Logically speaking, Xiao Changming, having narrowly escaped death and returned, shouldn't be in such a state.

But these are someone else's household affairs, he was too lazy to inquire further; accepting the teacup, he said with a smile, "Thank you, sister-in-law."

Then he and Chen Xingyue sat down on the sofa.

Xiao Changming put the watermelon away, returned, and smilingly said, "Almost forgot, let me introduce you, this is the Provincial Security General Advisor, Chen Shouyi, this is Huang Luoxi, instructor of the special squad, Deputy Captain Wang Feng, and this is from the military district logistics department..."

"General Advisor, nice to meet you!"

"Hello!"

...

Several people stood up to greet him.

If he were merely an ordinary civilian martial artist, even a grand martial artist, these military folks wouldn't pay much attention, but a martial artist is on a completely different level.

When personal power reaches such a level, even the military, a force of violence, can no longer ignore it.

Chen Shouyi stood up, exchanged polite words, and had just sat down when Xiao Changming smilingly said, "You've come at a good time; we were just talking about you."

"Oh, talking about what?" Chen Shouyi smiled and asked.

"About the mission in Ningzhou this time; I really have to thank you, if you hadn't taken over the mission at the end, found the church's lair, and completed the bombing, I probably wouldn't have made it back." Xiao Changming said with a laugh.

"That's not my credit!" Chen Shouyi said modestly, unable to hold back his curiosity and asked, "What happened then? Why was it delayed for so long?"

"It's really luck; thinking back, it's like a trip through hell..." Xiao Changming shook his head and proceeded to recount his near-death experience.

Listening to his account, Chen Shouyi finally understood; it turns out that initially, he only managed to escape heavily injured.

He then hid in the sewer all the while recovering, surviving on rats and sewage every day, completely unaware that Ningzhou had been liberated, not until his injuries healed, did he quietly come out and find out that everything had changed.

Beside him, Chen Xingyue pricked up her ears, listening to their conversation, but the more she listened, the more confused she became, feeling that something was off.

...

Chen Shouyi sat for ten minutes and then announced his departure.

Xiao Changming tried to hold him back a few times, along with the other military personnel, got up to see him off at the door.

Watching Chen Shouyi's departing figure, Xiao Changming's expression became uncertain, his fingernails rapidly turning black, but when he turned around, he was smiling again: "Let's continue talking, where were we?"

...

At that moment, the sun had fully risen, its rays dazzling.

The coolness of the morning was completely dispelled, replaced by a hint of heat.

Chen Xingyue walked silently the whole way, perhaps because there were too many people earlier, or maybe she was too nervous, she never got around to asking Xiao Changming.

After walking in silence for a few minutes, she couldn't hold back any longer, filled with doubts: "Brother, why do they call you the Provincial Security General Advisor."

"I've always been the Provincial Security General Advisor!" Chen Shouyi said with a stiff face.

Chen Xingyue looked skeptical, though she wasn't familiar with it, it seemed her brother did have a general advisor position.

"Then what about the task in Ningzhou you guys mentioned at the beginning?" she pursued.

"It was just a battlefield reconnaissance mission, underestimated by the opponent, who was seriously injured by a Barbarian expert; I was lucky enough to avoid danger and incidentally helped him a great deal."

"Then why was Colonel Xiao so warm towards you?" Chen Xingyue continued to question,

"Maybe he thinks I'm a genius, admires talent despite status, plus I indirectly saved his life. So why are you asking all this?"

Chen Xingyue thought it made sense, she could understand her brother's explanation, because she often experiences this herself; no matter how strict the teachers were, they always treated her warmly and kindly.

She suddenly relaxed, smiling brightly: "Wow, I was scared, I thought..."

"Thought what, thought I was also a martial artist?" Chen Shouyi glanced at her, cutting her off.

Internally, he sighed with relief; he had narrowly managed to fool his difficult sister again, otherwise, all his efforts convincing her he was still a Martial Artist Apprentice would be undone.

It's best if the sister remains forever a Martial Artist Apprentice!

In these times, becoming a martial artist is indeed too dangerous.

"I thought you were a big idiot!" Chen Xingyue laughed, dodging swiftly.

Chen Shouyi felt contempt in his heart, I want to hit you, can you dodge?

Yet now is different from the past, he feels old mentally, no longer wanting to do such childish things.

"Humph, humph, I'm truly a martial artist!"

"I don't believe you, when I become a grand martial artist, you might have a tiny bit of possibility."

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