The taxi entered the county town, and Long Xiao first found a breakfast stall to eat. While eating, he observed his surroundings, checking if anyone was following him.
After breakfast, and confirming no one was tailing him, he asked the stall owner where he could buy a car in town.
Once he bought a car, Long Xiao directly got on the highway, heading south. As he drove, he observed his surroundings, and only felt relieved after confirming he wasn't being followed again.
Upon receiving Long Xiao's call, Xiao Ming informed Ji Yuelan next door. The next morning, the two of them hastily packed their belongings and set off.
Before even leaving the capital, Xiao Ming noticed two cars following them through the traffic.
"Sister Yuelan, let's not get on the highway yet," Xiao Ming said in a low voice.
They left the capital and drove along a poorly maintained road, moving slowly. Xiao Ming ate snacks and observed the two cars behind them.
One was a BMW, the other a Land Rover. There were five young men in total, all wearing suits. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Soon, Long Xiao's car turned onto a narrow mountain road. After cresting the ridge, they could no longer see the cars behind them. Xiao Ming said, "Sister Yuelan, wait for me here, about three hundred meters ahead."
With that, Xiao Ming opened the door and jumped out, standing in the middle of the road.
As the BMW rounded the corner, it spotted Xiao Ming, backpack on, standing in the middle of the road. The young man driving slammed on the brakes.
Xiao Ming took out his Xuan Tie cleaver from his backpack and charged towards the BMW. He leaped up, swinging the cleaver at the car.
The two young men inside were startled, opened their doors, and jumped out. Just as they were about to draw their knives from their waistbands, they heard a "bang" from the car. Xiao Ming's Xuan Tie cleaver had cleaved the car roof open.
The two young men quickly retreated. As Xiao Ming pulled his cleaver out of the BMW's roof, he saw the Land Rover approaching. He leaped up again and lunged at the Land Rover. Before the driver could even brake, Xiao Ming's Xuan Tie cleaver came down.
With a "bang," the windshield exploded. The driver's head was cleaved open.
The Land Rover slammed into the BMW with a roar. Xiao Ming leaped into the air, landing on the road behind the Land Rover.
As the two surviving young men from the Land Rover crashed their doors open and got out, Xiao Ming's cleaver swung down.
One managed to dodge by rolling, while the other was struck diagonally from the shoulder, his head separated from his body.
Seeing Xiao Ming, who looked ferocious, the remaining three young men trembled involuntarily. Although they held short knives, none dared to charge forward.
"You have the guts to follow me, but not to fight?" Xiao Ming roared.
The three young men looked at each other. One said, "Let's go together, kill him."
With a clatter, a short knife fell from a young man's hand. Terrified, he turned and ran.
With one fleeing, the other two also turned and ran.
Xiao Ming employed his 'Chī Mèi Xiāo Yáo Bù' (Ghostly Carefree Steps). The three young men didn't even manage to escape ten meters before he intercepted them.
A sweep of his blade, and the three young men, who had lost all will to fight, were too weak to resist. All were cleaved to death by Xiao Ming.
Xiao Ming never showed mercy when killing. If he had, he wouldn't have survived over a year on the run.
Covered in blood, Xiao Ming walked along the road to find Ji Yuelan. Ji Yuelan was shocked when she saw him.
"Xiao Ming, you killed them all?"
Xiao Ming nodded and said, "If we didn't kill them, we would have died."
He took off his clothes and shoes, wrapped the shoes in his clothes, put them in his backpack, and then got into the car.
With their pursuers eliminated, they resumed their journey. Ji Yuelan used the navigation to find the nearest exit and got onto the highway. They drove south all the way, not daring to leave the highway even after dark.
Upon returning to Donghai, Ji Yuelan first dropped Xiao Ming off at Xinglin Caotang, then drove home alone.
Xiao Ming put the several large bags of herbs into the pharmacy and then went to the backyard to rest in Luo Tianshui's room.
Luo Tianshui saw Xiao Ming's bulging backpack and asked, "Xiao Ming, did you bring me anything good to eat?"
Xiao Ming smiled and pointed to his backpack, saying, "See for yourself."
When the backpack was opened, a pungent smell of blood wafted out. Luo Tianshui, taking out the blood-stained clothes from the backpack, threw them on the ground and rushed to wash his hands.
Xiao Ming chuckled gloatingly and used a stick to pick up the bloody clothes, taking them to the front yard to burn them.
Xiao Ming returned to Luo Tianshui's room. Luo Tianshui asked, "How many people did you kill to get so much blood?"
"I killed five, and I don't know who they were. I don't know what happened to Brother Long, we were being followed."
"Where did Brother Long go?" Luo Tianshui asked urgently.
Xiao Ming shook his head and said, "I don't know. He told me he was in trouble and we should go our separate ways. Sister Yuelan and I came back first."
Luo Tianshui glared at Xiao Ming and said, "Just pray Brother Long is okay, or I won't let you off."
Xiao Ming said nonchalantly, "What are you going to do if you don't let me off? You can't beat me anyway."
Luo Tianshui sighed and said, "Xiao Ming, use your brain. If Brother Long is in trouble, neither of us will be okay."
Xiao Ming thought for a moment, nodded, and said, "You're right about that. If he doesn't come back tomorrow, I'll go look for him."
Long Xiao drove back to Donghai after midnight. He didn't disturb anyone, sleeping in his car for a few hours.
As dawn broke, Long Xiao was woken by two cleaning workers complaining about the excessive construction waste piled in front of Xinglin Caotang.
Long Xiao got out of the car and looked. The new entrance to Xinglin Caotang had been installed nearby, with a newly built archway in an ancient architectural style, and the Xinglin Caotang plaque was already hung.
The old Xinglin Caotang was in a small alley, but this new entrance faced the main road directly.
Long Xiao stood at the entrance for a while, and then the construction team's vehicles arrived and parked in front of the gate.
A few construction workers got out. Long Xiao asked them and was told that it would take another half a month to complete.
Following the construction workers inside Xinglin Caotang, the first courtyard was already renovated. Long Xiao toured several courtyards and felt quite satisfied.
The expanded and rebuilt Xinglin Caotang was no longer a small clinic but had become a comprehensive hospital. It now featured Western medicine diagnostic equipment and a pharmacy, as well as traditional Chinese medicine consultation rooms, a pharmacy, and treatment rooms.
Although Xinglin Caotang still focused on traditional Chinese medicine, it did not completely exclude Western medical diagnostic and treatment methods.
Long Xiao believed that in the future, Xinglin Caotang would primarily focus on treating illnesses. Medicine was medicine, and there was no need to distinguish between what was good medicine and what was not. The best medicine was whatever could allow patients to spend the least amount of money and receive treatment with the fewest side effects.
While Long Xiao was looking around, Mi Tianfu walked over. He woke up early every morning to discuss the day's work with the construction crew. He intended to make this clinic the best in Donghai.
"Long Xiao, you're back," Mi Tianfu said with a smile.
Long Xiao nodded. Mi Tianfu continued, "Take some time to call your sister Luan. She's been here five or six times, and if you're not around, she doesn't say why."
Long Xiao connected Luan Jiping's call. Luan Jiping's voice was tinged with sleepiness as she said, "Long Xiao, is something the matter?"
"Nothing much. Brother Mi said you've been coming to Xinglin Caotang every day recently. Is there something you need me for?"
"It's not a big deal. I'll be over in a bit. We can talk when I get there."