Chapter 43 This journey leads to the forbidden zone of the gods!
The aftermath of the Qizhen Pavilion auction is still ongoing.
The purchase of a ginseng king for five hundred taels of gold has become a legendary tale among the upper-class circles of the capital.
Meanwhile, the "Azure Blood Pill" and the mysterious "Mr. Su" have quietly gained recognition in the undercurrents.
As the instigator of all this, Su Wanqing's life returned to peace.
She declined Mr. Qian's subsequent tea party invitation and did not contact Yan Shaocheng.
The fishing hook had sunk underwater; she only needed to wait.
The hungrier the fish, the more ferocious it will be when it bites the hook.
She devoted all her energy to the Lu family's businesses that had been hollowed out by insects.
The first cut landed on the textile factory.
She used the private seal personally granted to her by Lu Zhenguo to directly dismiss Liu Yuzhen's brother, who was holding a position without performing his duties.
Instead, they promoted a deputy factory director from among the veterans, a man who was reliable and quiet.
Following that, relying on her aesthetic sense, which was decades ahead of its time, she personally designed more than a dozen new fabric patterns.
Those colors, some as elegant as the night-blooming cereus under the moon, others as bright as a rainbow after the rain, completely overturned the dull and monotonous style on the market.
When the first batch of samples was delivered to the east wing, Lu Yao's eyes widened in amazement.
"Sister-in-law, this...this is so beautiful! If this were made into a dress and worn out, all the girls in the capital would go crazy!"
Su Wanqing smiled slightly.
She knew that she had made the right move.
In addition to the textile factory, she also drastically reorganized the transport fleet.
A strict reward and punishment system was established, and the fuel consumption, mileage, and maintenance costs of each transport trip were all recorded clearly and transparently.
Within just a few days, the shady dealings in the fleet's accounts were exposed.
Her ruthless methods naturally reached Lu Zhenguo's ears.
The old man did not utter a word.
He simply instructed Butler Li to convey the message that she should go ahead and do as she pleased, and that she could mobilize all of the Lu family's resources.
This is the most stable and strongest support.
Su Wanqing became the busiest person in the Lu family compound. Apart from paying her respects to the old lady every day, she spent the rest of her time buried in the mountain of documents in her small study.
Lu Zhanting was also extremely busy.
The "Sharp Sword" brigade was newly established, and there were many things to do.
As the captain, he practically welded himself to the secret base on the outskirts of Beijing, selecting team members and formulating training plans.
The couple rarely saw each other.
But their hearts had never been so closely intertwined before.
No matter how late Lu Zhanting returned, a lamp was always left on for him in the east wing, and a bowl of soup was kept warm.
No matter how tired he was from training, he would always go to the small study first after entering the house, spend a few words with her, and listen to her tell him about the trivial things that happened during the day.
Even just quietly watching her focused profile seems to wash away all your fatigue.
That night, the first rain of autumn fell in the capital.
The rain was light, a gentle drizzle, carrying a chill in the air.
Lu Zhanting, unusually, did not go to the base and rested at home.
After dinner, the two returned to the east wing early.
Su Wanqing was treating the abrasions on his shoulder from training, gently applying medicine with a cotton swab, but scolding him under her breath.
"I've told you so many times, think about yourself more during training. You're the captain now, not alone. What will happen to 'Sharp Sword' if you fall?"
There was a hint of genuine annoyance in her tone.
Lu Zhanting was shirtless, his bronze skin crisscrossed with old and new scars, each one a medal belonging to a soldier.
He enjoyed this unique nagging, and the corners of his lips unconsciously turned up.
"I know." He took her slender wrist in his hand, brought her fingertips to his lips, and kissed them gently. "Be careful next time."
"They always say that."
Su Wanqing glared at him, but the worry in her eyes lessened a little.
She bandaged his wound and then brought him a clean shirt.
As Lu Zhanting buttoned his shirt, he asked, "Is there any movement from Yan Shaocheng's side?"
"Not yet." Su Wanqing shook her head. "The medicine I gave him can only prolong his life for seven days. Counting the days, it's almost over. His sister's illness is a chronic diarrhea that she was born with. The more anxious he is, the fewer cards he has left to play."
"Aren't you afraid he'll find someone better?"
Su Wanqing's eyes held an absolute confidence.
“I’m not afraid. He witnessed the effects of the Pure Yang Pill with his own eyes. Anyone who can produce such a pill must be unfathomable in his eyes. Moreover, in the entire capital, there is no one else who can cure his sister’s illness except me.”
Looking at her confident and composed demeanor, Lu Zhanting chuckled softly.
His young wife was like a shrewd little fox.
“You…” He raised his hand and gently rubbed his fingertips against her cheek.
Before the words were finished, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the courtyard, disrupting the cozy atmosphere inside.
Butler Li's voice rang out from outside the door, carrying an unusual solemnity.
"Young Master, the military command headquarters has called with an urgent military situation, requesting your immediate presence!"
The smiles in the room froze instantly.
Lu Zhanting and Su Wanqing looked at each other and saw the seriousness that only soldiers could understand in each other's eyes.
"Understood," Lu Zhanting replied in a deep voice.
He stood up abruptly and quickly put on his military jacket.
Su Wanqing didn't ask a single question.
She understands discipline.
She simply walked quietly to the coat rack, took off his military cap, gently brushed away non-existent dust with her fingertips, and then handed it to him.
“I’ll wait for you to come back,” she said.
"Um."
Lu Zhanting took the military cap, gave her a deep look, then turned and resolutely stepped into the rain.
The jeep tore through the waterway in the rainy night and sped away.
Ten minutes later, at the military region command's operations center.
The place was brightly lit, yet the air was as tense as a bowstring.
Staff officers dressed in various military uniforms hurried along, each with a tense expression on their face.
As soon as Lu Zhanting stepped inside, he was enveloped by the somber atmosphere.
An operations staff officer quickly approached: "Captain Lu, the leaders are waiting for you in the conference room."
Lu Zhanting nodded and followed him into the conference room that symbolized the brain of the entire military region.
In front of the huge sand table, several generals with gold stars on their shoulders stood solemnly.
Lu Zhenguo was among them, his expression more severe than ever before.
"Report! Lu Zhanting, captain of the 'Sharp Sword' squadron, is here to report for duty!" Lu Zhanting stood at attention and saluted, his voice piercing through the stagnant air.
"Zhan Ting is here." Lu Zhenguo nodded to him and pointed to a corner of the sand table. "Come and look here."
Lu Zhanting's gaze fell on the sand table.
It was a region marked in blood red, located in the primeval jungle on the southwestern border of the motherland.
The mountains are steep and the forests are boundless, with the border line jagged and interlocking here.
Several small black flags, signifying "extreme danger," were planted among them, creating a shocking sight.
“Three days ago, a seven-man team we sent to this area to carry out a surveying mission lost contact,” a general said in a low voice. “We suspect they encountered enemy special forces who had crossed the border. Or… they were trapped by something in this jungle.”
“Things?” Lu Zhanting keenly grasped the choice of words.
“This area is codenamed ‘Black Widow’.” The general’s face grew even more grim. “It’s the most primitive and dangerous no-man’s land for hundreds of miles around. Not only are there poisonous insects and ferocious beasts, but phenomena that cannot be explained by science also frequently occur there. The local border guards say it’s a ‘forbidden zone for the gods,’ and of those who go in, not one in ten survives.”
Lu Zhanting's brows furrowed into a deep frown.
"The orders from above are to find the missing team at all costs." Lu Zhenguo looked at him, speaking each word clearly and forcefully, "We must find them alive or dead."
"Sending in conventional troops would be like throwing them away for nothing. Only your 'Sharp Sword' can carry out this mission."
"This is the first battle since the establishment of 'Sharp Sword,' and also the most dangerous one. Only success is allowed; failure is not an option!"
"Mission accomplished!"
Lu Zhanting spoke without the slightest hesitation, his voice booming like a bell.
"Alright." Lu Zhenguo stepped forward and patted him hard on the shoulder. "You have three hours to prepare. Select twenty of your most elite team members, equipped with the highest-level gear. The transport plane will be waiting at the West Suburbs Airport in three hours."
"yes!"
As Lu Zhanting emerged from the conference room, he felt the weight of his military rank on his shoulders weigh more than a thousand pounds.
This was more than just a rescue.
This is the first and most brutal test of the "sharp sword," the nation's most powerful weapon.
He got home at midnight.
The light in the east wing was still on.
He pushed open the door and found Su Wanqing not asleep, but sitting at the table, seemingly tidying something up.
Seeing him return, she stood up, not asking about the meeting's content, but simply asking softly, "Are you leaving?"
"Okay." Lu Zhanting nodded. "Mission, immediately."
"how long?"
"I don't know." His voice was a little hoarse. "It could take as little as half a month, or as long as... it's hard to say."
Su Wanqing's heart sank suddenly.
But her face betrayed nothing.
"Okay, wait for me a moment."
Instead of helping him pack his bags, she turned and quickly walked into the inner room.
A moment later, she came out with a small object tightly wrapped in oilcloth and put it into Lu Zhanting's hand.
"There are some medicines in here. You must keep them close to your body and never leave them unless absolutely necessary."
She gazed into his eyes and gave him her instructions, word by word.
"The black bottle contains an antidote. No matter what kind of poison you've been poisoned by, one pill can save your life."
"The white bottle contains a powerful hemostatic powder; when sprinkled on a wound, it has an immediate effect."
"There's also a packet of dried meat, which I made with spirit beef from my space. One piece will keep you full for twelve hours."
Her voice paused.
"There's one more thing."
She opened her palm, and a pendant shaped like a wolf's tooth, strung on a red cord, lay quietly in her hand.
The object was neither gold nor jade, its material was unknown, it felt slightly cool to the touch, and its surface had very faint patterns.
"This is a 'warning talisman' that I made using several special medicinal herbs and metals." Su Wanqing raised her hand and personally tied the red rope around Lu Zhanting's neck, letting the "wolf fang" press against his chest skin.
"It will heat up as a warning if there is a deadly threat around you, or if something with strong malice toward you gets close."
"Remember, as soon as it gets hot, don't hesitate, get out of that spot immediately."
Lu Zhanting looked down at the cool touch on his chest, then looked up at the concerned face under the light. A warm feeling welled up from the deepest part of his heart and instantly spread throughout his body.
His young wife, in her own unique way, always gave him the most indestructible armor.
He suddenly reached out and pulled her into a tight, fervent embrace.
"Wanqing..." He buried his face in her hair, took a deep breath of her light fragrance, and said in a muffled voice, "Wait for me to come back."
"I'm waiting for you."
Su Wanqing hugged him back, her voice soft but incredibly firm.
"Just remember, no matter where you are or what you face, I will be here waiting for you to come home."
She didn't say "be careful" or "I'm so worried".
Those words will only become a burden on his heart.
What she needed to do was to let him go without any worries, and then return completely intact.
"I'm leaving."
Lu Zhanting released her, cupped her face in his hands, and planted a deep kiss on her cheek.
This kiss was devoid of any lust, only the resolute determination of about to go to battle and the endless longing for the person before him.
After the kiss, he didn't look back. He turned around and strode out of the room.
That tall and resolute figure was instantly swallowed up by the heavy night and the cold rain.
Su Wanqing stood at the door, letting the chilly raindrops fall on her face.
She did not shed a tear.
They just stood there quietly, until the sound of the jeep's engine completely disappeared into the end of the rainy night.
She slowly closed the door, leaned against the cold door panel, and slowly slid down to sit.
His chilling yet familiar scent still lingered in the room.
But that broad, warm embrace is no longer there.
A profound emptiness and belated fear overwhelmed her like a tidal wave.
She looked up and her gaze fell on the bowl of soup on the table that he hadn't had time to drink; the soup had gone cold.
My eyes finally welled up with tears.
The Black Widow Jungle... a forbidden zone for the gods...
Just now at the door, her extraordinary hearing caught a few words.
She knew that his journey there was a high chance of survival.
But she couldn't stop it.
He is a soldier.
Protecting the country is his sacred duty.
And she was a soldier's wife.
Protecting this home so that he has no worries is her battlefield.
Su Wanqing took a deep breath, suppressing all her surging emotions back into her heart.
When she looked up again, a startling light had rekindled in her reddened eyes.
She stood up, walked to her desk, and unfolded a brand new sheet of paper.
Lu Zhanting, go and defend your country.
I've come to protect our home.
She wanted to build him a business empire that was far more powerful and indestructible than it was now, before he returned.
A home that would allow him to lay down all his armor and enjoy a peaceful life in the future.
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