Chapter 612: Young and Promising

Under the glow of the White Lantern Paper Cages, Gao Lingwei quietly watched the young man before her.

She also saw, on the back of Rong Taotao’s hand, the needle that had been inserted into his skin to deliver nutrient solution suddenly snap as a Lotus petal covered the spot.

Gao Lingwei hurriedly picked up the broken needle and stuck it back into the IV bag above to prevent the nutrient solution from dripping everywhere.

Rong Taotao, however, lay silently on the bed, and the room fell into a deep silence.

Indeed, Gao Lingwei had just told Rong Taotao about Xu Hunjiang and described the Lord Soul General’s specific situation.

Since then, Rong Taotao had fallen silent. But the Huilian that had suddenly manifested and severed the needle indicated that, inwardly, he was not as calm as he appeared.

Actually… for someone as unique as Rong Taotao, it wasn’t hard to tell something was amiss.

When there was milk and bread right in front of him, and Rong Taotao didn’t even glance at them, that was the biggest problem of all!

Gao Lingwei could understand. The person he had yearned for for over a decade had appeared right before his eyes, yet he had missed her completely. ‘It must be agonizing,’ she thought.

What saddened Gao Lingwei was that she didn’t know how to comfort him… All she could do was sit quietly by his bed, silently keeping him company.

“Why am I at Hundred Corps Pass?” Rong Taotao suddenly asked.

“Hm?” Lost in thought, Gao Lingwei lifted her gaze to look at Rong Taotao.

Rong Taotao sat up, his expression serious. Without mentioning Xu Hunjiang at all, he asked, “I should be at Wan’an Pass. Why go to all the trouble of escorting my unconscious self across the Three-Wall Area and back to Hundred Corps Pass?”

Gao Lingwei hesitated for a moment before responding, “It was Captain Fu’s decision. Maybe it’s safer here. Besides…”

“What?”

Gao Lingwei continued, “Captain Fu also ordered me to inform him the moment you woke up. Apparently, a very high-ranking officer wants to see you. Captain Fu is taking it very seriously.”

Rong Taotao looked up at the clock on the door. “Nine fifteen. Is it day or night?”

Gao Lingwei replied, “Daytime.”

The Three-Wall Area was shrouded in darkness, having already fallen into Extreme Night. Outside the window, there was nothing but wind and snow. As for the sun… its light had long been completely swallowed.

“Is Captain Fu in his office?”

“You…” Gao Lingwei said softly, “you should rest a little longer.”

“I should report immediately.” Rong Taotao, however, scooted to the edge of the bed and looked down, searching for his shoes.

Gao Lingwei stretched out her leg and swept his slippers out from under the bed. “Captain Fu isn’t in his office. This building is empty right now. Except for Mao Rabbit standing guard, the rest of the Twelfth Squad is out on missions.”

With that, Gao Lingwei got up, walked to the desk, picked up a walkie-talkie, and called out, “Captain Fu.”

“Go ahead,” Fu Tiance’s voice came through the walkie-talkie. The wind howled loudly in the background, making it easy to imagine the environment he was in.

Gao Lingwei said, “Pig is awake.”

“He’s awake? Good! Give me a minute, I’m on my way back.”

CLICK~ Rong Taotao flicked the room’s light switch, and with a crisp sound, the room finally brightened.

Shuffling in his slippers, he knelt on the floor and pulled a washbasin out from under the bed. “I’m going to go wash up.”

“Mm.” Gao Lingwei turned around and perched on the edge of the desk, silently watching Rong Taotao’s “perfectly normal” act until he disappeared through the doorway.

‘Perfectly normal?’

‘How could he possibly be normal…’

Gao Lingwei’s gaze fell on the bottle of milk on the floor, then to the bread with only two bites taken out of it. She walked over and tidied up the food.

‘So… what exactly am I supposed to do?’

She’d had times when she was in a terrible mood, and times when she was severely injured.

It was only at this very moment that Gao Lingwei realized that every single time, Rong Taotao had done an excellent job of comforting her.

When they were arresting Cold Flower, after she heard the news of her parents’ assassination, Rong Taotao had given her a hug out on that vast Snowfield. Later that night at Qianshan Pass, they had talked all night, and he had offered her so many solutions, soothing her troubled mind.

During the New Year, after she’d had a nightmare, Rong Taotao had thrown open the sixth-floor window, pulled her up to the rooftop, and engaged her in a hearty, cathartic battle, sweeping away all her chaotic thoughts and worries.

‘Thinking back, he’d handled everything so well.’

Gao Lingwei pressed her lips together. Just as this belated realization dawned on her, Rong Taotao returned, having finished washing up, with a towel draped over his shoulder.

“The conditions here are great. We have electricity and hot water even in this blizzard,” Rong Taotao said as he walked back into the office, seeming like a different person. He casually shoved the washbasin under the bed and snatched up the bottle of milk from the nightstand.

Seeing this, Gao Lingwei couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow slightly.

‘Did he just “heal” himself?’

‘I guess I really am useless…’

…

When Fu Tiance pushed the door open and entered, he found Rong Taotao neatly dressed and sitting behind the desk, messily stuffing his face with potato chips.

Seeing this, the knot of worry in Fu Tiance’s chest loosened. “Feeling alright?” he asked.

Rong Taotao’s mouth was too full to speak, so he just gave Fu Tiance a thumbs-up.

“Heh.” A smile finally broke across Fu Tiance’s face at the sight. “Since you’re fine, you two come with me. Commander He wants to see you.”

Rong Taotao was stunned. ‘Commander He?’

Seeing Rong Taotao’s shocked expression, Fu Tiance nodded again to confirm. “The Supreme Commander of the Snow Burning Army, the director of the Three Passes.”

Rong Taotao: !!!

In all his life, the highest-ranking officer Rong Taotao had ever met was Fu Tiance. His specialized military branch had placed Fu Tiance’s rank at the regimental level.

‘Holy crap. I’m skipping so many ranks to meet the Supreme Commander of the Snow Burning Army directly?’

Then again, old Headmaster Mei Hongyu’s rank was definitely not low either. But he managed a school, after all, which was fundamentally different from the Snow Burning Army.

Rong Taotao chewed his chips furiously, quickly patting the crumbs off his hands. He nodded repeatedly and gestured toward the warthog mask on the desk.

“No need to wear it. Let’s go.” Fu Tiance stood at the door, watching Rong Taotao stride over. He put an arm around Rong Taotao’s shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze. “When you see the commander, remember to salute. And be serious.”

“Mmph, mmph,” Rong Taotao mumbled, nodding as he chewed.

Beside him, Gao Lingwei caught up and handed him a carton of milk.

Fu Tiance: “…”

‘It’s over, it’s over. My authority as an officer is completely gone!’

‘These two kids, stuffing their faces right in front of me. Have they completely stopped treating their captain as a superior?’

Although he thought this, Fu Tiance didn’t say anything. Since they were his own men, it was fine for them to be a bit casual in private. Besides, Rong Taotao’s physical condition was indeed unique.

What’s more, at this moment, Fu Tiance found it truly difficult to treat Rong Taotao as an ordinary subordinate.

Rong Taotao had performed meritorious service—a great service, at that!

In fact, Rong Taotao’s very existence made him the savior of the entire Twelfth Squad, the Cyan Mountain Army, and the Bailing Tree Maiden clan.

And more crucially, at the most dangerous moment, the number one Soul General of the Outer Region had arrived…

That legendary figure had shown the world through her actions: This is my son, Xu Fenghua’s son!

Mired in an extremely complex state of gratitude, awe, and admiration, how could Fu Tiance possibly treat Rong Taotao as a regular subordinate?

The news of Xu Fenghua’s appearance thirty kilometers outside Wan’an Pass had already reached the high command of the Snow Burning Army. The Twelfth Squad and the Cyan Mountain Army had, of course, truthfully reported everything they encountered upon their return.

The director of the Three Passes specifically asking to see Rong Taotao was likely because of this.

Of course, besides Rong Taotao’s special status, the strength and potential he himself had displayed could not be ruled out as a reason.

Wielding a Lotus, and a three-petaled one at that.

An impeccable background, combined with the will and Quality he had genuinely demonstrated in battle… All of this made it hard for Rong Taotao not to enter the public eye.

‘Perhaps the director of the Three Passes had long wanted to meet this descendant of generals, and was just waiting for the right opportunity?’

‘Who knew…’

With a sense of trepidation, Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei arrived at a building in the Northwest District of Hundred Corps Pass.

After being announced, the trio was led by a soldier up to the second floor, to the door of an office.

Rong Taotao had never seen such tight security. Suddenly, he seemed to understand something…

‘Is my father, Rong Yuanshan, guarding someone of the same rank in Imperial Capital City?’

‘Yes, I think Father mentioned once that the veteran official he protects is technically retired, but is still active in the Soul Martial world?’

‘Influence fades when you’re out of the picture; it’s a simple truth.’

‘But for someone who is retired and should be enjoying his golden years to still have the ability, resources, and even the power to be “active” in the Soul Martial world… just what kind of special existence is that big shot?’

Rong Taotao wasn’t sure if his line of thinking was correct. As he pondered, he heard the soldier’s voice reporting: “Reporting!”

A middle-aged man opened the door. He looked straight ahead, immediately stepping aside as the door opened.

Led by Fu Tiance, Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei followed him inside.

The office was quite large, looking more like a conference room. Inside, an old man with salt-and-pepper hair was sitting on a sofa, watching them enter.

“Salute!” At Fu Tiance’s command, the three members of the Twelfth Squad moved in perfect unison.

Yes, on the way over, Fu Tiance had specifically made Rong Taotao review the movements and details, afraid the kid would mess up…

The old man with salt-and-pepper hair wore a Mao suit. He had a square jaw and well-defined features, giving him a dignified air. He looked old, but he was hale and hearty.

The old man seemed to be a very serious person, stern and unsmiling. He watched Rong Taotao in silence, but a trace of admiration showed in his eyes.

In the silent room, no one moved or spoke. For a moment, the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.

After a long moment, the old man spoke eight words:

“So young and promising; truly, a formidable successor.”

Rong Taotao was truly young. Before, when he received the First Class Star Disc Snowflake Medal, he had lacked any real gratitude.

He didn’t know what that medal truly meant to a soldier.

Similarly, at this moment, Rong Taotao had no idea what a great honor it was for a soldier to hear those eight words from the mouth of the Snow Burning Army’s Supreme Commander, the director of the Three Passes.

Rong Taotao knew even less what a positive impact such a statement would have on his future life… at least on his military career in the Snow Burning Army.