Pei Nansheng didn't wake up until the next morning, while Zuo Ling and the three little ones were still sleeping.

He slowly moved out of the house and sat down on the wicker chair in the yard. The bamboo forest swayed, a gentle breeze caressed his face, and all kinds of small flowers were in full bloom. Pei Nansheng took a deep breath and a smile appeared on his face. It's so good to be alive!

The dog, who was light sleeper, was the first to spot Pei Nansheng and barked excitedly.

Its call woke up Zuo Ling and the two little ones, and the courtyard immediately became lively.

"Brother, you're awake! That's great! How are you feeling? Is anything bothering you?"

Without bothering to dress properly, Zuo Ling threw on a long coat and came out.

Despite losing too much blood, Pei Nansheng's face remained very pale.

"I'm fine, much better."

Despite his efforts to keep his voice steady, the weakness in his voice was impossible to hide.

Zuo Ling moved her lips, wanting to say thank you, but then felt that thank you was too light and too pretentious, so she swallowed it back.

The brother and sister have lived together for almost ten years, and they can tell what the other is thinking with just one look.

"Luckily it was me. If you had been the one injured, I really don't know what I would have done."

Pei Nansheng spoke first.

Although he was unconscious, he was not completely unaware of anything. In his hazy state, he knew that Zuo Ling was trying her best to save him.

If it were Zuo Ling who was injured, he would not be able to save her because he does not have her special abilities. He would definitely fight the Ding family to the death, and in the end, neither of the siblings would survive.

This is the best possible outcome.

No need for further words of gratitude. Patting Pei Nansheng on the shoulder, Zuo Ling turned and walked into the kitchen.

I cooked a pot of millet and red date porridge, and also stewed an old hen. I added some Chinese medicinal herbs such as ginseng, angelica, and astragalus to the soup to nourish Pei Nansheng.

Before long, the courtyard was filled with the enticing aroma of food.

Pei Nansheng lay half-reclined on the rattan chair, occasionally opening his eyes to glance at the three little ones playing and frolicking beside him.

The warm and harmonious family atmosphere made him feel happy and content, and despite his serious injuries, he felt extremely relieved.

The fear in my heart seemed to have been dispelled.

He thought to himself, "It's worth it to exchange half my life for the peace and happiness of my whole family!"

Deep down, however, a lingering unease remained, a feeling that things weren't so simple.

Her gaze drifted toward the kitchen, a faint smile playing on her lips. She raised her hand to shield her eyes from the glaring light, thinking perhaps she was just overthinking things.

Compared to the happiness and warmth of the family in the space, the Ding family's secret base was in a very bleak state, with Zuo Ling's grenade bombardment causing great damage.

Not only were there heavy casualties, but much of the fortification was also damaged, with cracks appearing in many places inside, and stones and ash constantly falling down.

The power supply system was damaged, most areas were without power, some places were leaking water, and the sounds of cursing the brother and sister could be heard everywhere.

Liu Bao'er remained calm; compared to what he was about to gain, this loss was nothing.

As night fell, a huge screen was erected at the entrance of the secret base, playing a carefully edited video.

A pair of large feet wearing leather boots appeared in the picture. The man walked slowly, and the leather boots made a crisp clicking sound on the stone slabs.

The camera pans up to reveal a dark, damp tunnel. The man frowns, pulls out a handkerchief, and covers his mouth and nose in disgust. The tunnel has been there for many years, never seeing sunlight, with poor ventilation and an unpleasant stench permeating the air.

A faint light flickered ahead, elongating the man's shadow. A gust of wind blew, causing the light and shadow to sway, as if the entire tunnel was shaking.

The tunnel is very long, winding and turning, like a maze that makes it hard to find your way.

The footsteps stopped, and the man pulled out a large bunch of keys. After rummaging around for a while, he found one, inserted it into the keyhole, turned it twice, and the lock opened.

Pulling open the iron gate, inside there are more than a dozen rooms on each of the left and right rows.

The passageway was lit by only one low-wattage light bulb, which illuminated both rooms on either side. It was pitch black and filled with a sinister and eerie atmosphere. It took the man a while to adjust before he went inside.

The camera slowly pans to one of the rooms.

The room was about seven or eight square meters, and four disheveled women were crammed into the narrow space. Their messy hair covered their faces, making it impossible to see their true appearance.

The women's clothes were so tattered that their original colors were indistinguishable, and they wore slippers with missing teeth and loose straps. One of the women didn't even have slippers and was barefoot.

There were no beds in the room; thin mattresses were laid on the floor for them to rest on.

Upon seeing someone enter, the women were terrified, huddled together, and trembled uncontrollably.

With a snap, a powerful flashlight beam illuminated the room, sweeping across each woman in turn before finally settling on a woman with a noticeably protruding belly.

"Hmm, not bad."

The man's voice revealed a hint of satisfaction and pleasure.

He forcefully pulled the woman up. Caught off guard, she screamed, a shrill sound that sent chills down one's spine.

The other three women hunched over, huddled together, as if that would protect them from harm.

*Slap!* The man slapped the woman across the face and shouted:

"What are you yelling for? I'll move you to a more comfortable place, much better than here. You don't know what's good for you, what's there to yell about?"

The woman seemed not to hear what he was saying, and covered her head, screaming even more shrilly.

The man grew impatient and struck the woman on the neck, knocking her unconscious. He then half-dragged, half-carried her out of the room and placed her on the ground.

The camera lingered on the woman's face for a few seconds, then suddenly went black, only to come back on after a while.

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