If he couldn’t provide an explanation to the higher-ups, they would start to question his capabilities.
He needed some heads to settle the matter.
As for whose heads...
That was a story he could concoct himself.
"Yes, I guarantee to complete the mission," Wang Tianlong took the order once more.
"Well, go get to work," Lei Zongnan said.
Wang Tianlong looked towards An Ning and said, "Doctor An Ning..."
"Doctor An Ning needn’t go back," Lei Zongnan said, "Such talent is wasted at the Henshan Gathering Area. She can stay in Lingyang and serve as a medical officer within our Shrine... Doctor An Ning, would you be willing?"
"I need to go back. My mother is still at the Henshan Gathering Area," An Ning said.
"You could bring her here to live comfortably; the conditions in Lingyang City are much better than at the Henshan Gathering Area..."
"My mother doesn’t want to move. She has neighbors and friends there to look after each other. Being here, in unfamiliar surroundings, I’m afraid she won’t be able to settle in..."
"If she wishes to stay at Henshan Gathering Area, then Wang Tianlong will take good care of her. I believe she won’t be wronged," Lei Zongnan suggested.
"Yes," Wang Tianlong bowed and said to An Ning, "Doctor An, since the Lord Divine Envoy values talent so highly, why not stay here? Living in Lingyang is much better than our Henshan Gathering Area, and you’ll have the protection of the Flame Shrine. I believe you’ll have no difficulty living here."
"As for your mother, don’t worry about that at all. I, Wang Tianlong, swear to treat her as I would my own mother... ensuring she has not a worry about food or clothes, nor will she suffer any mistreatment..."
"When you’re not busy with work, you can go back to visit anytime... Or when I come to Lingyang City to report to the Lord Divine Envoy, I can bring your mother along, and you can spend a good three days with her... Then take her back when you return. How does that sound?"
An Ning pondered for a moment and then said, "Alright."
"Hahaha, Doctor An Ning, Lingyang truly needs good doctors like you. Rest assured, Lei won’t mistreat you."
He looked towards the black veil covering An Ning’s face and said, "Take off the black veil, let me have a look... I can’t only know the name without seeing the face of the one who saved my life."
"Lord, Doctor An Ning... has suffered facial injuries..." Wang Tianlong interjected, "We wouldn’t want to alarm the Lord Divine Envoy."
"It’s fine," Lei Zongnan said indifferently, "What kind of people hasn’t Lei seen?"
An Ning hesitated for a moment and then reached up to remove the black veil from her face.
Lei Zongnan glanced at her and then gestured with his hand, "Put it back on. Doctor An Ning is also a pitiable person..."
An Ning’s expression darkened as she reattached the black veil over her ears.
Wang Tianlong took his leave to go and reorganize the Henshan branch of the Flame society, while An Ning, with the excuse of passing a few words to her mother, saw him to the door.
"Tell my mother that I will find time to return to see her and not to worry," An Ning said.
"Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of her."
"You must handle Lei Zongnan’s orders quickly, with young villagers as the core backbone, gather members from the surrounding human settlements... find a few predators that haven’t been ferreted out yet, chop off their heads, and send them to him to report..."
"Rest assured, I’ll handle it well. There won’t be any slip-ups."
"And..." An Ning took out a small porcelain bottle from her pocket and tossed it over, saying, "Here is three months’ worth of antidote. Within three months, you must come back to Lingyang City."
"Thank you," Wang Tianlong caught the porcelain bottle and tucked it into his inside pocket.
"Don’t blame me," An Ning said, "There must be no mistakes in this matter..."
"I understand. I do the same to others... anyone who dares to betray faces only death."
"Good that you understand," An Ning said.
"Have you been in contact with Brother Tang?"
"No," An Ning shook her head, "This is what we ought to do. It’s done when the task is completed."
"Understood, understood..." Tian Wanglong looked around and whispered, "Be careful, and make absolutely sure that Lei Zongnan doesn’t detect anything..."
"He won’t find out," An Ning said, "The day he does will be the day of his demise."
"I trust your abilities," Wang Tianlong said cheerfully.
Who knew that the same person who provided the antidote might also be the poisoner?
And couldn’t the method of detoxification also be a method of poisoning?
Wang Tianlong would stake his life on the belief that this woman had not fully detoxified the poison in Lei Zongnan’s body...
He lived blissfully in ignorance.
If he ever discovered anything amiss, he feared the woman would immediately take his life.
He just couldn’t understand how such a small Henshan Gathering Area could harbor so many ruthless people...
As for Tang Fei, that was an even more formidable figure that he could hardly hope to match.
Having gained the favor of the Princess, New Star’s path would surely be smooth sailing, soaring high into the sky, wouldn’t it?
The question was, would he ever return?
Outside, the world was bustling and lively, but Tang Fei had sequestered himself.
Every morning he would rise early for training, then after breakfast, he would go to school with Little Fatty.
Martial Arts classes in the morning, mechanical classes in the afternoon.
Then at night, he would return home and practice the second sword technique from the Netherworld Scroll in the Training Room.
Ten thousand repetitions every night...
Yet, problems emerged simultaneously.
The first sword technique from the Netherworld Scroll was about learning, imitating, and mastering through familiarity.