Page 247

At night, when Gu Xiaoxi went to sleep, she had a terrible nightmare.

Right when she was about to marry Quan Shaoqing, tragic news came, telling her that Quan Shaoqing had died!

Frightened, she broke out in a cold sweat, jumping out of bed.

It was only five thirty in the morning. Gu Xiaoxi, still unsettled, clutching her quilt, touched her forehead to find it covered in fine beads of sweat.

Looking at the sweat stains in the palm of her hand, she could hardly believe it. She was actually starting to care about him so much.

Five thirty, and she couldn’t fall back asleep.

After washing up and getting dressed, she left her room.

The door to the room next to hers was tightly closed.

Gu Xiaoxi stood at the door for a good while, listening, but there was no sound inside, not even breathing. Her heart suddenly clenched, and without thinking, she pushed open Quan Shaoqing’s room door.

Inside, it was pitch black, with only a scattering of light from the corridor seeping in, illuminating a small space.

The bed was neat, with even the bedding and pillows folded meticulously. Quan Shaoqing was nowhere to be seen.

Where was he?

Gu Xiaoxi stood at the door without going in, and casually closed the room door.

As she turned around, she heard a faint sound from the furthest room. It must be the crisp sound of a cup lid clinking against a porcelain cup.

Gu Xiaoxi walked over, knowing without a guess that it was the study.

Could it be that Quan Shaoqing hadn’t slept? Was he still working?

She approached with mixed emotions, the morning air still a bit cool, carrying the sweet freshness of all things waking. Located deep in the mountains, one could clearly smell the fragrance of grass and trees.

The door to the study was closed, with just a bit of starlight peeking through the crack.

Gu Xiaoxi reached for the doorknob, and as she opened the door, Quan Shaoqing abruptly looked up from his computer, staring at her in surprise.

Those dark eyes flashed with a deep, penetrating light.

The next second, Gu Xiaoxi clearly saw him hastily attempt to close the webpage on his computer.

"Why are you up so late? It’s almost dawn," Gu Xiaoxi asked in wonder, disregarding his subtle action.

Quan Shaoqing’s thin lips curved into a slight arc, his voice tinged with a low and husky allure, "I just woke up earlier than you. Why don’t you sleep a little longer."

Gu Xiaoxi, hands in her pockets, walked over with a casual stride and stood in front of his desk, smiling, "I just had a nightmare, so I woke up. Early in the morning, what work do you have that’s keeping you busy?"

"I’m studying Tai Chi. Would you like to practice with me?" Quan Shaoqing asked in a relaxed tone. Tai Chi is effective in calming and stabilizing the mind and spirit, making it the most suitable martial art for him to practice for self-cultivation.

Gu Xiaoxi laughed, "No thanks, I’m taking Xiao Xiao for a run back to the military unit. You keep practicing. I’m off now. See you next time."

Quan Shaoqing stood up, took his coat from the chair, and put it on before saying to Gu Xiaoxi, "I’ll walk you out."

"Okay!"

Although it was an hour’s drive from there to the military camp, Gu Xiaoxi’s qinggong was no joke, and naturally, Xiao Xiao’s physical abilities were not a problem either.

It just took a bit longer with Xiao Xiao in tow.

Going downstairs, to Gu Xiaoxi’s surprise, she actually saw Aunt Lin with Xiao Xiao, already waiting at the door.

"Miss Gu, I thought you would get up later, but you’re up early too. I was planning to take Xiao Xiao out for a run," Aunt Lin immediately explained.

"This..." Gu Xiaoxi was incredibly surprised. Aunt Lin was initially frightened by Xiao Xiao, and Gu Xiaoxi had thought she was afraid of dogs, but surprisingly, Aunt Lin was ready to take Xiao Xiao for a run.

Quan Shaoqing smiled wryly, then placed his hand on Gu Xiaoxi’s shoulder and explained, "Aunt Lin used to be an elite member of the Anti-Terrorism Squad. She was seriously injured and later retired. So, she’s quite familiar with military dogs.

She’s also the master I’ve mentioned to you.

From now on, Aunt Lin will pick you up from your military unit in the evening and give you special training at night. You should learn well."

Gu Xiaoxi was utterly shocked. Aunt Lin was Quan Shaoqing’s mentioned master?

"I’m Lin Shu! Xiao Xi, just call me Aunt Lin. I’m not really a master, but if you learn what I teach you, you’ll be sure to do well with Xiao Xiao in the competition," Lin Shu said with a smile.

"But what about my unit?" Gu Xiaoxi stared at Quan Shaoqing with wide eyes. Coming back every afternoon didn’t seem right!

"Although the dog training base is an important part of the military, it’s not a front-line combat unit. So, just give Gao Yitian a heads up, and everything will be OK!" Quan Shaoqing explained.

"Oh! Alright then. Aunt Lin, I’m going to take Xiao Xiao for a run back to the military unit now, so you don’t need to trouble yourself. You can rest a bit longer, and I’ll ask for your guidance when I return this evening," Gu Xiaoxi politely stepped forward, taking Xiao Xiao from Lin Shu’s hands.

Quan Shaoqing nodded in satisfaction and said to Lin Shu, "I have a mission for the next three days, so Xiao Xi and Xiao Xiao are in your hands. Please take good care of them."

"Shaoqing, go with peace of mind! I will take good care of Miss Gu and Xiao Xiao," Lin Shu said in a tender voice.

Afterward, Quan Shaoqing took Gu Xiaoxi out of the house.

As they walked along the path outside the villa, Gu Xiaoxi turned her head to look at his fair complexion and asked, "What mission are you on?"

She couldn’t help but worry about his safety; to her, the outside world seemed so unsafe.

"Are you worried about me?" Quan Shaoqing asked with a tender smile, reaching out to pinch her pretty little cheeks.

Gu Xiaoxi, a bit restrained, swatted his hand away, "With so many enemies, you’d better be careful when you go out."

Quan Shaoqing tilted his head up and laughed proudly, "Don’t worry, even if I don’t come back for a few days, I’ll be careful."

"Then I’ll wait for you to come back," Gu Xiaoxi gripped the dog leash in her hand, feeling somewhat uneasy. The nightmare had left her scared that something might happen to him.

But as a soldier, he had to face many dangers knowingly. She understood he couldn’t help it and therefore couldn’t stop him; further words were of no use.

"Let’s go! I’ll be careful," Quan Shaoqing said, reaching out to touch her head.

Gu Xiaoxi pursed her lips, squeezing out a reluctant smile, took Xiao Xiao, and turned around...

"Wait!" Quan Shaoqing suddenly called after her.

Gu Xiaoxi looked back at him puzzled, just to see Quan Shaoqing step forward, reach for her chin, and gently peck her red lips.

"Go on! Work hard."

Gu Xiaoxi’s ears immediately blushed, a hint of shyness flashed in her eyes, and his breath still lingered on her lips, leaving her somewhat dazed.

"Then I’m leaving!" Gu Xiaoxi hurriedly turned and strode away.

Quan Shaoqing watched her retreat, a faint smile gracing his lips. Only when her figure disappeared at the end of the path did he turn back toward the villa.

By now, the sun had risen, brightening the day.

The light through the library’s glass illuminated the dark room. Quan Shaoqing switched on the computer, opened a webpage that was filled with ancient Western text about spells—a compilation of information researched by Ai Xiang and sent to him.

The piercing heartache marks the beginning of the Love-Forbidding Curse.

One characteristic of the spell is that once triggered by someone, it grants undying love. No one can replace her in his heart, but it brings with it the greatest punishment and terrifying pain.

In this vast world, all things have spirits.

When the strong rise, many uncontrollable things grow as well.

The mission he was going on was naturally not a simple one.

In the Jiangzhong Sea Area, an unnatural being has emerged, destroying fishing boats, harming humans, and disrupting the peace. He was to lead a navy team to secretly execute this creature.

A long and perilous road lies ahead, but retreat is not in his nature.

Quan Shaoqing shut down the computer, took out his phone, and made three calls, summoning three individuals with special abilities. He had planted them in ordinary units, lying in wait as his final, most hidden trump cards.

Tang Yisheng was one of them.

Gu Xiaoxi’s pace wasn’t very fast on her way back; she arrived at the squad at seven in the morning.

It was just breakfast time. As she entered the training ground through the small path, she jumped over from behind a row of cedar trees and accidentally collided with someone. When she steadied herself and recognized the person, her expression changed.

"Gu Xiaoxi, don’t you look where you’re going?" Huang Xin was inexplicably irate. This person had been in the troop for half a month, and this was the first time they had run into each other.

She was shrewd, avoiding him, so he hadn’t had a good reason to confront her.

"Sorry, my eyes are set rather high. I didn’t see you!" Gu Xiaoxi replied, pulling Xiao Xiao to a stop and lifting her chin haughtily.

Damn!

Huang Xin instantly rolled his eyes in annoyance, his brows furrowing. Her eyes are set high, meaning she doesn’t regard him at all?

"Gu Xiaoxi, apologize to me. It’s such a wide road, and you had to bump into me. Are you trying to start a fight?" Huang Xin said angrily.

Gu Xiaoxi raised an eyebrow; it was he who was picking a fight, wasn’t it? She rolled up her sleeves, feeling it had been a long time since she sparred with someone, her hands itching for a challenge.