Chapter 44 Xiao Heng's Identity

Jiangjiaqiao was reduced to ruins. The once neat and beautiful guesthouse was mostly destroyed by the rampage of wild boars. The remaining houses, though not collapsed, were riddled with holes. A foul smell of blood permeated the air, and bloodstains could be seen on the ground every few steps, making it easy to see how fierce the battle had been the previous night.

The surviving villagers helped each other walk toward the artificial pond, but before they got close, they were shocked by the mountain of wild boar carcasses.

The largest pigs had ferocious faces, with tusks half a meter long. They lay facing the crowd, their tank-like bodies sending shivers down the spines of those who saw them. A gasp rippled through the crowd: "My God, are these the wild boars that attacked us?"

No wonder the houses in the village collapsed so badly. What kind of houses could withstand such an impact? If it weren't for the superhumans, none of the people present would have been able to escape.

The smallest of these pigs was larger than an adult, and each had one or two fatal wounds. Through the wounds, one could see skin a finger's thickness and dense subcutaneous fat. People were still shaken: "With skin this thick, no wonder knives and guns couldn't hurt them. These superhumans are fighting wild boars like these? Are they alright?"

The superhumans weren't doing well; after a night of fierce fighting, each of them had several wounds. They were behind the wild boar carcass, and Wang Chunlan was treating and applying medicine to them.

Ruan Hanyu was pierced in the thigh and abdomen by wild boar tusks, and blood stained half of her body. As a girl going to the battlefield for the first time, her performance was amazing. Under Guan Shao's command, she blocked and intercepted dozens of wild boars, and even killed several of them with icicles.

After being baptized in blood, Ruan Hanyu's eyes became resolute, and her demeanor changed from timid to confident. At this moment, she was using her supernatural abilities to bathe Xiao Guaiguai. Xiao Guaiguai had killed many wild boars and helped everyone drag the dead wild boars out of the mud. The red vines were covered with mud and filth.

Seeing the crowd gathering, she glanced at them calmly and then returned to her work.

Pan Pan had fought the Bloodthirsty Vine before, but last time he was chased and rolled on the ground by it. This time, he finally regained his confidence against the mutated wild boar. Who says earth-type ability users can only be shields? He not only protected his teammates, but also learned from them how to attack with mud.

In last night's battle, he suffocated more than a dozen wild boars with the silt in the artificial pool. Of course, he was also slightly injured, but with Wang Chunlan around, his superficial wounds were quickly healed. Right now, he is clearing the mud wall and roadblocks that were erected yesterday, trying his best to restore the area around the artificial pool to its original state.

Chu Qiang and Guan Shao were only lightly injured, their wounds easily treated with a few bandages. Chu Qiang's thick skin made him impervious to ordinary injuries. Guan Shao, on the other hand, was highly skilled, making him virtually immune to the wild boar's attacks.

Jiang Rong was the most seriously injured among the group. Poor thing, he had just recovered from a concussion when his arm was broken.

When everyone arrived, Jiang Rong was receiving treatment, his face pale. Luckily, Wang Chunlan was there; otherwise, his arm would definitely have swollen to the size of a bucket.

Wang Chunlan carefully bandaged and splinted Jiang Rong's arm. She apologized, "My superpower is only effective for superficial injuries for now. It can only stop your pain and reduce some swelling. Xiao Rong, you need to take good care of yourself during this time and try to help your bones heal as soon as possible."

Jiang Rong said gratefully, "Thank you, Sister Chunlan, this is already very kind." If it weren't for Wang Chunlan, he didn't know how long he would have had to endure the pain.

Chu Qiang's voice was low and his face was full of guilt: "Sister Chunlan, if you have time when we get back, could you teach me some basic medical knowledge?" It turned out that Jiang Rong's injuries were so severe because of him.

Seeing Chu Qiang so upset, Jiang Rong comforted him, "Thank you, Qiangzi. If it weren't for you, I would have been knocked away by a wild boar long ago."

However, he agreed with Chu Qiang's point. Their group had previously worked in various fields and were completely unfamiliar with other professions. Their team included a doctor, a mercenary, an optoelectronics designer, and a civil engineer. Exchanging ideas and integrating their knowledge might just save lives in a critical moment.

Jiang Rong suggested, "When we get back, we should not only learn basic medical knowledge, but also strengthen our physical training to improve our physical fitness. Guan Shao, can you teach us how to train when we get back?" If he were a little more agile and knew how to exert and release force, he wouldn't have suffered such a serious injury.

Guan Shao nodded slightly: "Okay."

Chu Qiang nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, Guan Shao is incredibly skilled. If he were to personally lead the charge, our teamwork would definitely be better than it is now!" Guan Shao is a veteran who has fought his way up from the battlefield and leads a team. With his guidance, their teamwork would only become more seamless.

Jiang Rong made the final decision: "Alright, when we get back, everyone should write down what they are good at. We can get together and study together whenever we have time."

The team members all responded, "Okay!"

Ruan Hanyu rubbed her hands together sheepishly: "But, all I know is how to play the guzheng and paint..." Compared to everyone else's practical professional skills, what she knows is really weak.

Jiang Rong, however, had a different opinion: "Han Yu can play the guzheng? That's great!"

Chu Qiang gave a thumbs up: "Hey, we need to learn this properly. Maybe we can develop a code that only we know."

As more and more people gathered, Jiang Rong frowned slightly. He glanced at the crowd and tried to stand up. However, his arm was in a splint, making him unsteady. If Guan Shao hadn't caught him in time, he might have fallen.

An elderly man with gray hair stepped out from the crowd. He was the old village chief of Jiangjiaqiao, and Jiang Rong had seen him several times before.

The old village chief walked shakily to the front of the crowd. He raised his hands to his chest, clenched them into fists, and shook them up and down three times. Then, the old village chief bent over and knelt on the ground.

Jiang Rong, having understood the old village chief's intention, quickly stepped forward, "Village chief, please get up! This is unacceptable!"

The old village chief reached out and grasped Jiang Rong's hands, then knelt heavily on the ground. Before he could speak, his eyes were already brimming with tears. "Child, you all saved our lives. Thank you, thank you..."

The old village chief wept uncontrollably: "If it weren't for you, none of us would be here today. You must accept this courtesy!"

Led by the old village chief, the villagers behind him also knelt down. Jiang Rong and his group looked at each other, frankly, they had never seen such a scene before and didn't know what to do.

Fortunately, after kowtowing a few times, everyone got up on their own. The old village chief held Jiang Rong's hand tightly with earnest eyes, "Jiang Rong, we owe you a lot this time."

He had learned a few days ago that Jiang Rong had formed a team of superpowered individuals. Hearing that joining the base required sacrificing a portion of their family fortune, everyone was suspicious, feeling that Jiang Rong and his group were robbing them. Many of them stubbornly insisted that as long as they stayed at home, they could survive.

What's wrong with the superhuman team? Does that mean ordinary people can't survive without these superhumans?

What's wrong with not joining the base? Aren't they living just fine now? Why give up freedom and instead go to the base to be enslaved by superhumans?

But after last night, they deeply felt their own insignificance. They realized a harsh reality: without superpowers, they really couldn't survive.

From today onward, they will do everything in their power to cultivate a good relationship with those with superpowers. Isn't it all about getting everything they own to obey them from now on? As long as they can survive, these material possessions mean nothing.

Jiang Rong pursed her lips: "No need to thank me, we're just mutually benefiting."

The old village chief waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no, this isn't about mutual benefit; this is about saving people from dire straits." The old village chief was very eloquent, always having a string of nice words to say.

Jiang Rong kept his eyes down and didn't speak. He knew what the old village chief meant. He was just trying to flatter them first, then praise them, and finally state his own request, hoping that the superhumans would protect them.

Sure enough, the old village chief started playing the emotional card: "Speaking of which, you're still from Jiangjiaqiao. Although your family moved away, your parents' names are still on the big stone at the village entrance. I know you're a loyal and kind child. You..."

Guan Shao glanced at Chu Qiang and lowered his voice: "Is Jiang Rong from Jiangjiaqiao?"

Chu Qiang responded, "Yes, but they moved away three years ago." They sold the guesthouse in Jiangjiaqiao, leaving only the old house deep in the mountains.

From behind the crowd came the sound of a child crying: "Daddy—"

Following the sound, they saw Jiang Xiaoheng running from the back of the crowd, his face streaked with tears, Jiang Hao close behind. Aunt Chu, panting heavily, couldn't catch up with the two children.

Jiang Xiaoheng was running too fast and tripped over a stone. The little boy fell heavily to the ground, his palms scraping against the earth. Unlike other children who would lie on the ground, Jiang Xiaoheng quickly got up, wiped the mud and tears from his face, and continued running towards his father.

Jiang Rong quickly went to greet him: "Hey, Xiao Heng, don't run away, Dad's alright."

Jiang Xiaoheng, with his short legs, buried himself in Jiang Rong's arms, his sobbing echoing through the crowd. He cried uncontrollably, gently touching the splint on Jiang Rong's arm with his little hand: "Daddy, does it hurt? I'll blow on it for you, and it won't hurt anymore..."

As he spoke, he puffed out his cheeks and blew on Jiang Rong's arm, large tears streaming down his face: "Hoo... Waaah... Hoo... It doesn't hurt anymore, it doesn't hurt anymore..."

Jiang Rong hugged his son tightly, lowered his head and kissed his son's forehead, "Don't cry, Daddy's not in pain, it's okay. Xiao Heng, be good, don't cry anymore..."

Jiang Xiaoheng fell hard, leaving several bleeding cuts on his palm. Jiang Rong held her son's soft little hand and tenderly blew on his palm. "Sister Chunlan, do you have any more band-aids?"

Wang Chunlan quickly came over: "Yes, Xiao Heng, don't be afraid, Auntie will apply the medicine for you."

Leilei quickly followed with the medicine box. Seeing Jiang Xiaoheng's palm, the little girl gently patted Jiang Xiaoheng's head: "Don't cry anymore, or you'll become ugly if you keep crying~"

It was only then that Aunt Chu caught up with the two children. She was out of breath and her face was flushed. After a while, she caught her breath and said, "The two children didn't sleep all night. When they heard that you were injured, they insisted on coming to see you."

After all the wild boars were killed, Chu Qiang sent a message to his parents to let them know he was safe, mentioning that Xiao Jiang was injured. Little did they know that the two boys hadn't slept, staying up all night by the radio station.

Upon learning that his father was injured, Jiang Xiaoheng could no longer sit still. He tugged at Uncle Chu's sleeve, begging him to take him to see his father. He managed to keep his composure in the car, but as soon as the door opened, he lost all his composure.

Seeing the bloodstains on Jiang Rong's clothes, he couldn't care less about anything else; all he wanted to do was rush into his father's arms. Jiang Xiaoheng clung tightly to Jiang Rong, resting his little head against his father's chest. Feeling the familiar breath and heartbeat, Jiang Xiaoheng's panicked heart finally calmed down. "Daddy..."

He was really scared just now; he was afraid that his father would die like his grandparents.

Jiang Hao grabbed Jiang Rong's arm anxiously, his eyes reddening as he tried to open his mouth wide. But no matter how hard he tried, he could only manage short "ah ah" sounds.

Feeling the children's anxiety and worry, Jiang Rong felt a warmth in his heart. He stretched out an arm to try and hug both children: "Don't cry, don't cry, I'm fine, you don't need to worry. We'll go home in a little while."

Whispers arose from the crowd, and many people looked in Jiang Zixuan's direction: "Is this the child?"

"It looks like it's definitely the right one. I didn't expect it to be so big already."

"Who is the other child?"

Jiang Zixuan's face flushed red and then paled. He took a few steps back and stood at the back of the crowd, his eyes constantly darting towards Jiang Xiaoheng. Seeing how much the child clung to Jiang Rong, he lowered his head and clenched his fists.

Seeing Jiang Rong embracing the two children, those present truly realized that superhumans are also human; they have families and they can get hurt. They are indeed powerful, but everything they have is earned with their lives.

To gain the protection of those with superpowers, you need to show more sincerity.

After calming the two children down, Jiang Rong and her group prepared to return home.

At this moment, the villagers of Jiangjiaqiao truly witnessed the terror of superhumans. With Jiang Rong's call, crimson bloodthirsty vines crawled out from behind the wild boar carcasses. After drinking the blood of more than a hundred wild boars, Little Darling grew several times its original size overnight.

Now, when it curls up, it's taller than a car, so it can only go back in Chu Qiang's big pickup truck. Chu Qiang looked at the little darling's figure: "Darling, if you grow any bigger, I'll have to get a heavy truck."

The little darling shyly swayed its two tendrils out, saying, "Be good~"

The little, blood-red creature exuded an intense sense of oppression among those present; many took several steps back in fear upon seeing it. After learning it was a mutated plant subdued by Jiang Rong, the crowd whispered amongst themselves, "My god, this mutated plant alone is worth a reinforced platoon, isn't it?"

"Don't talk nonsense, even a reinforced platoon can't handle this thing."

With Chu Qiang and Xiao Guaiguai's help, Lei Lei's workload was greatly reduced. She no longer needed to walk all over the village to collect all the wild boars. Lei Lei stretched out her hand, and the mountain of carcasses vanished in the next moment.

A gasp rippled through the crowd: "A space-type ability user!"

Jiang Rong and her group are terrifying. They already had several powerful superhumans among them, and now even the most unassuming little girl possesses a spatial ability...

How wonderful it would be to have the protection of this group.

Before setting off, Jiang Rong said slowly to the village chief, "If there's nothing else, we'll head back now. If you need anything from us later, you can go to Fishery Village No. 3 to find Chu Qiang."

The old village chief nodded repeatedly: "Yes, very good..."

As Jiang Rong carried Jiang Xiaoheng away, a strange gaze came from the crowd. Jiang Rong turned her head and saw Jiang Zixuan staring straight at Xiaoheng. He slightly turned his body to shield Jiang Xiaoheng's face, and Chu Qiang stepped forward to completely block Jiang Rong and his son from view.

Guan Shao witnessed this scene; it seems Jiang Rong and the others don't get along with this person.

*

After a fierce battle, the superhumans were utterly exhausted. They needed to go back, take a good shower, and catch up on their sleep before discussing how to prepare the wild boar meat.

As soon as Chu Qiang's pickup truck came to a stop, Little Darling eagerly climbed onto Little Fairy's body. Listening to the two mutated plants communicating with their limited vocabulary, Chu Qiang chuckled, hands tucked into his pockets. Since Little Darling arrived, Little Fairy rarely teased him anymore.

Just as Chu Qiang was about to drive away, there were two knocks on the car window. Guan Shao stood outside the window with a serious expression: "Are you free? I have something I want to ask you."

Chu Qiang rolled down the car window: "What's the matter, what's the juncture?"

Guan Shao cut to the chase: "Was Jiang Rong bullied by people from Jiangjiaqiao?"

Chu Qiang's smile slowly faded. "Well... I guess so."

Guan Shao's eyes darkened: "Why are they bullying Jiang Rong?"

Chu Qiang scratched his head in distress and stammered, "Well, it's really hard for me to bring this up. How about I ask Xiao Jiang first, and if he doesn't mind, I'll tell you."

Guan Shao nodded slightly: "I understand, you don't need to ask. I'll ask him directly in a bit." If the people from Jiangjiaqiao have harmed Jiang Rong, he will remove them from the base's list.

*

Jiang Rong was covered in the stench of fish and wild boar, and he desperately needed a hot shower. However, his injured arm made things difficult; he couldn't even take off his clothes, let alone scrub himself.

When Guan Shao entered, he saw Jiang Rong discussing with Jiang Xiaoheng, "Baby, can you help Daddy rub his back later?"

Jiang Xiaoheng raised his little hand: "Okay~ Daddy, do you want some ducklings? I can give you all my ducklings~" Jiang Xiaoheng expresses his affection directly; he will share his cherished things. If his kindness is rejected, he will be very sad.

Jiang Rong knew this perfectly well. "Okay, go get the little duck. Dad's going to the bathroom first."

Jiang Xiaoheng nodded repeatedly: "Okay, Dad, I'll be there in a bit."

As soon as Jiang Rong entered the bathroom, the smell of blood on his body overpowered the refreshing mint scent. He bent down and slowly unbuttoned his shirt with one hand. What was so easy to do with both hands was very inconvenient with one. It took him several minutes to unbutton all the buttons, during which he pulled at his wound several times, causing him to gasp in pain.

There was a soft knock at the door. Jiang Rong assumed it was Jiang Xiaoheng and, without turning around, said, "Son, come in."

The door opened, and Guan Shao, carrying a handful of rubber ducks, walked into the bathroom. As soon as he entered, he saw Jiang Rong's bare back. Although Jiang Rong didn't have any bulging muscles, his body was well-proportioned with no excess fat.

The tall, upright young man lowered his head slightly, revealing his fair neck. Guan Shao's gaze followed Jiang Rong's spine downwards; his beautiful shoulder blades resembled butterflies spreading their wings, captivating his eyes.

Jiang Rong was carefully pulling the sleeve of his shirt off his arm, which was in a splint, when he felt a pressure from behind. He turned around and immediately used his shirt to cover his front: "Guan Shao? What are you doing here?"

Guan Shao placed the little duck in his arms into the bathtub inside the shower area: "Xiao Heng still needs your help to take a bath, how can he take good care of you? Let me do it."

Jiang Rong's shower room is divided into two parts. After showering outside, you can move inside to take a bath. Guan Shao turned on the shower and adjusted the water temperature. "Okay, come in quickly."

Turning around, I saw Jiang Rong still standing outside the shower room wearing only her underwear.

Guan Shao said helplessly, "Take them off. It's not comfortable to shower in your underwear. Is it inconvenient to take them off? Let me help you."

Jiang Rong's ears turned slightly red, and he took a step back: "I can."

Guan Shao chuckled, "We're both men, you don't need to be nervous. Besides, didn't you help me wipe my body when I was unconscious?"

Jiang Rong turned her back and pulled down her shorts, saying, "Mmm..."

Guan Shao turned his head slightly, and out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the white that captivated him, causing his heart to beat even faster.

The water temperature was just right, opening up every pore as it was poured over her. Guan Shao was very caring; after rinsing Jiang Rong with warm water a few times, he applied shower gel to the foam puff.

A sweet minty scent filled the bathroom. Jiang Rong stood under the showerhead, one hand supporting himself against the wall. Guan Shao placed his left hand on Jiang Rong's left shoulder, while his right hand applied a foaming sponge to his back.

Even through the foam sponge, Guan Shao could feel the muscles in Jiang Rong's back taut. The warm, smooth sensation on his fingertips captivated him, so he rubbed the foam sponge against Jiang Rong's back several times.

Jiang Rong's ears turned bright red, and he gritted his teeth: "Is it done?"

Guan Shao said seriously, "Not yet, don't worry, I will help you clean it properly."

To ease Jiang Rong's embarrassment, Guan Shao casually asked, "I saw someone at Jiangjiaqiao today, and you look a bit like him. You both have the surname Jiang, have you known each other before?"

Jiang Rong responded, "The person you saw should be my relative; strictly speaking, he's my cousin."

Guan Shao bent down and lathered Jiang Rong's long, straight legs with foam: "Why do I feel like you two don't get along very well? Did he bully you before?"

Jiang Rong remained silent. Guan Shao said seriously, "Xiao Jiang, we're teammates, and our goal is to build a base. I don't want our base to house people who bullied you. If you're unhappy, we'll remove Jiangjiaqiao from the base..."

Jiang Rong turned her head slightly and met Guan Shao's eyes: "The person you saw is called Jiang Zixuan. He is Xiao Heng's biological father."

Guan Shao's pupils suddenly contracted: "Xiao Heng...isn't your biological son?"

Jiang Rong nodded slightly: "Jiang Zixuan got his girlfriend pregnant in college and didn't want to take responsibility. As time went on, the girl's belly grew bigger. If she had an abortion at that time, her life would have been in danger. So she gave birth to the child and sent it to Jiang Zixuan's family. Jiang Zixuan's family didn't want the child, but my parents did, so they stepped in and took the child back."

Guan Shao nodded thoughtfully. "If your uncle and aunt brought the child home, why would they register it under your name? You're not that old, and you'll have your own family in the future. If they want a child, wouldn't it be better for them to register the child under their own name?"

Jiang Rong's lips curled slightly upward, but her smile was incredibly bitter: "Because they brought Xiao Heng back for my sake. I'm gay. I can't start a family with a woman, let alone have my own children. They brought Xiao Heng back to raise as my child, hoping he'll take care of me in my old age. Do you understand?"

"Guan Shao, I like men. Are you scared now?"

Author's Note:

Jiang Rong: I like men, are you scared? If you are, then get out of the bathroom.

Guan Shao silently prepared the bathwater: What a coincidence, I also like men.

Old Cat, who can't write romance scenes, is losing his hair.