Chapter 349: Arrival

Ning Xi’s long, jade-like legs were smooth and flawless, as perfect as a work of art. However, at this moment, there was a faint bite mark on this otherwise flawless leg. The skin around the wound was red and swollen, with a faint purplish hue, ruining its beauty.

Lin Xiao’s pupils shrank when he saw the bite mark.

That purplish color was a sign of poisoning. And judging by how quickly it was spreading, it was clearly highly toxic.

Without hesitation, Lin Xiao tore his jacket in half. He rolled it into a long cloth strip and tightly tied Ning Xi’s leg to prevent the poison from spreading.

“Sister Ning Xi, that snake was venomous. I’m going to suck out the poison now. It might hurt a little, but you have to bear with it.” Lin Xiao knelt beside her, looking directly into her eyes as he spoke in a serious tone.

“Mm.” Ning Xi bit her lower lip and nodded firmly.

Lin Xiao extended a finger, channeling his inner strength to his fingertip. With a light stroke, he made a small incision on Ning Xi’s thigh before lowering his head and pressing his lips against the wound, sucking forcefully.

Ning Xi’s delicate body trembled. A faint blush appeared on her previously pale face, and a strange sensation rose in her heart.

After about ten seconds, Lin Xiao pulled away, spitting out a mouthful of blood mixed with purplish venom before repeating the process.

Again and again, he continued until the poison was completely extracted. Only then did he finally stop.

“It should be fine now. The poison has been removed,” Lin Xiao said, exhaling a breath of relief.

Ning Xi stared blankly at Lin Xiao for a moment before suddenly throwing herself into his arms. The clothes she had been using to cover herself slipped down, revealing her exquisite figure, but she didn’t seem to care.

“Lin Xiao, thank goodness you were here. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

“Sister Ning Xi, you’re safe now,” Lin Xiao reassured her, gently patting her back. He then said in a low voice, “Let’s talk later. For now, put on your clothes first, okay?”

“Mm…” Ning Xi responded softly, suddenly feeling shy. “Turn around and close your eyes. No peeking.”

Even if she hadn’t said it, Lin Xiao had no intention of looking. He not only closed his eyes but also turned his back to her.

Ning Xi left his embrace and, with Wang Xue’s help, began getting dressed.

Although the poison had been extracted, the pain and swelling wouldn’t disappear immediately. With her injured leg, Ning Xi could no longer continue their outing. Left with no choice, Lin Xiao carried her on his back and headed back to the summer retreat.

On the way, Wang Xue kept her head down in silence. She blamed herself for Ning Xi’s injury and felt extremely guilty.

“Little Xue, this isn’t your fault. It was my own mistake,” Ning Xi gently comforted her. “I’ll leave my phone number with you later. If you ever come to Jinghai City, give me a call, and I’ll take you out to have fun, okay?”

“Big Sister, you really don’t blame me?” Wang Xue lifted her head, her delicate face streaked with tears.

“Of course not,” Ning Xi smiled, pinching her cheek playfully. “Not only do I not blame you, but Big Brother doesn’t either. Right?”

She nudged Lin Xiao with her elbow.

“Right. Little Xue, Sister Ning Xi getting injured wasn’t your fault. And besides, she’s fine now, so there’s no need to be sad.” Lin Xiao smiled at Wang Xue. “When we get back, we’ll need your help taking care of her.”

Wang Xue wiped away her tears and nodded earnestly. “Don’t worry, Big Brother! I’ll take good care of Big Sister.”

She was still a child, and after being comforted, her mood quickly brightened again. She stayed close to Ning Xi, cheerfully chatting about interesting things in the mountains.

***

At that moment, on the Qing Shi Highway, several black sedans were moving slowly along the winding mountain road.

Inside the middle car sat a lean, grim-faced middle-aged man. His hair was neatly combed, and his fingernails were trimmed perfectly, showing that he was someone accustomed to a life of comfort.

“Still haven’t found them?” After a long silence, the middle-aged man suddenly spoke.

He was addressing a burly man seated in the front passenger seat.

The burly man had broad shoulders and a muscular build, filling the seat completely. His eyes were fierce, clearly not someone to be trifled with. Yet in front of the middle-aged man, he was as obedient as a cat.

“Master Qiao, the brothers have been keeping an eye on the surroundings, but we haven’t found any bodies,” the burly man replied in a low voice.

“Keep searching. I want them dead or alive,” the middle-aged man, Qiao Fei, said as he closed his eyes, lightly tapping his fingers on his thigh. “I, Qiao Fei, will not allow my men to die without reason.”

The burly man’s eyes flashed with admiration. “Understood, Master Qiao.”

A short while later, the lead car suddenly came to a halt.

The doors opened, and several strong men jumped out, inspecting the roadside carefully. Their expressions changed drastically, and they waved urgently toward the cars behind them.

“Master Qiao, we’ve found them.” The burly man in the passenger seat reported in a low voice.

Qiao Fei opened his eyes, his tone calm and unreadable. “Let’s go take a look.”

The burly man got out first and opened the door for Qiao Fei. The two of them walked forward, approaching where the others had gathered.

What lay before them made Qiao Fei narrow his eyes.

Three corpses lay on the roadside, spaced roughly ten meters apart. Two of them had their entire skeletons shattered, while the third had been shot through the head. Each had died in an exceptionally gruesome manner.

More black sedans continued to arrive, and one by one, muscular men with fierce expressions stepped out.

These men stood behind Qiao Fei, looking at the bodies in silence. But in their eyes, a burning rage and a thirst for vengeance flickered.

Qiao Fei knelt beside the dead men and gently closed their still-open eyes. “Rest in peace, my brothers. I will avenge you.”

After finishing, Qiao Fei took a deep breath, his expression suddenly turning savage. His forehead veins bulged as he scanned the gathered men with piercing eyes and bellowed, “If someone dares to kill our brothers, what do we do?”

A brief silence followed, then a deafening shout erupted.

“Blood for blood! Tooth for tooth!”

“That’s right! Blood for blood, tooth for tooth! No one who crosses me gets to live!”

Qiao Fei clenched his fists, his face contorted with fury. “I don’t know who killed our men, but it doesn’t matter. Even if we have to chase them to the ends of the earth, we’ll find them and make them pay! Da Biao, what’s the closest place to here?”

The burly man, Da Biao, answered without hesitation, “A place called Summer Retreat Lodge.”

“Good. Then we’ll head there first. We’ll question every single person and search every house.” Qiao Fei raised his hand before slamming it down forcefully. “Brothers, bring our fallen men. We move now! It’s time for vengeance.”

“Yes!”

The fierce men scattered, quickly getting back into their cars.

The convoy of black sedans roared to life, speeding toward the Summer Retreat Lodge.