Chapter 217: Can We Still Go Back?

"A small accident happened in my tent just now, so I can't stay there for the time being. You'll have to squeeze in with Qiuruo and Qiuluo."

An Luo looked around the tent with a face full of curiosity.

"I'm fine with it, but won't it bother them?"

"No, no, not at all!"

Before Cheng Chengxuan could say anything, Cheng Qiuluo, who had long been unable to contain her curiosity, dashed right up to An Luo.

"Are you the fairy who's been helping us all along?"

Hearing that form of address, An Luo was instantly so embarrassed she could hardly bear it, shaking her head and waving her hands repeatedly.

"No, no, no, I'm just an ordinary person."

"Qiuluo, don't be rude!"

An aged yet still dignified voice drifted into the tent. Cheng Qiuluo pressed her lips together, stepped aside, and dutifully greeted the newcomer alongside her second brother.

"Grandmother, Eldest Aunt (Eldest Uncle's Wife), Mother (Second Uncle's Wife)."

Cheng Old Madam smiled as she looked at An Luo, then glanced at the stool beside her.

"Miss An, please sit."

"Alright, thank you."

The instant An Luo had just settled onto the stool, she nearly fell right off it.

Cheng Old Madam's face was solemn, her tone grave.

"The Cheng Family members here thank Miss An for the life-saving grace, and for the grace of your protection and assistance all the way here."

Having said that, she bowed deeply first.

The other members of the Cheng Family also bowed in thanks.

An Luo was so startled she quickly sprang up from the stool and went over to support Cheng Old Madam by the elbow.

"Please don't, everyone, please get up!"

"I really didn't do anything."

"No!"

Cheng Old Madam held her hand.

"If not for Miss An, people like us — old and young alike — could never have made it safely to Beihuang City. And if not for the things Miss An sent, the Cheng Family could never have gained the ability to take revenge so quickly."

"The Cheng Family will never forget Miss An's great kindness, not for all eternity."

Seeming to notice her discomfort, Cheng Old Madam spoke again.

"It's getting late. Miss An should rest early. We'll be heading back now. If you need anything, just tell Qiuluo and the others."

Having said that, she led her daughters-in-law and granddaughters out of the tent.

Outside the tent, Cheng Qiuluo sneakily pulled her two elder sisters to a corner to whisper.

"Eldest Sister, Sister, why do you think an immortal suddenly came to our place?"

Saying so, she rubbed her chin.

"But Miss An isn't quite like the kind of immortal I imagined — the ethereal, cloud-riding, palm-turning-into-clouds-and-rain kind."

Qiuyun and Qiuruo exchanged a glance.

Of course she's different — she's never been a deity to begin with.

"Didn't Miss An just say so herself? She's an ordinary person. Don't go spouting nonsense from now on."

To them, whether Miss An was an immortal or not didn't matter at all. They only needed to remember she was the Cheng Family's benefactor.

Cheng Qiuluo nodded in understanding.

"I get it, I get it. I know all that."

"Didn't the picture books say? When an immortal descends to the mortal world to undergo their tribulation, they become a mortal, and lose all their divine powers."

"Don't worry, I absolutely won't let the secret slip."

Qiuyun and Qiuruo exchanged a glance, both faces helpless: "……"

No, you don't!

In a small mountain hollow three li from the Camp.

Three men in black waited here anxiously.

After a while, a figure came running back, with three packs on his back.

"Captain, this subordinate has returned."

The man called Captain frowned and glanced behind him.

"Only you came back?"

The man carrying the packs lowered his head in sorrow.

"The other brothers didn't make it back."

"But this subordinate got their Secret Weapon!"

Saying so, he took down one of his packs and opened it, revealing a black jar.

The squad captain glanced at it and nodded.

"With this, we can finally report back to Your Majesty. Well done!"

Their group had two missions this trip: one was to assassinate the rebel leader, the other was to investigate that Secret Weapon that could split mountains and shatter stone. Finding the formula would be best, but if not, bringing back two would also do.

"Let's go, back to report!"

……

Inside the tent.

Feeling the gaze settle on her, An Luo shifted her body uneasily.

"Why do you keep looking at me?"

Cheng Chengxuan gave a small cough at her words and looked away.

"Did something happen in your world?"

"My Light Screen disappeared, and I can't reach Yu'an either."

At his words, An Luo froze.

"You said the Light Screen disappeared? And Yu'an can't reach me?"

She quickly took out her phone.

Glancing at the battery indicator in the upper right corner, she blinked in confusion, but her hands kept moving as she tapped into the Live Stream Room.

All she saw was a backend home page — the Time-Space Gate inside was gone!

"It's gone — does that mean I can't go back?"

An Luo let out a deflated sigh, set down her phone, and muttered in a small, lost voice.

Hearing her words, Cheng Chengxuan beside her first stared in disbelief, eyes wide.

Then came a rush of wild joy.

Is this real?

Miss An can stay here forever?

He wanted to laugh, but he couldn't laugh out loud, because An Luo looked very upset right now — yet he was truly so happy he could only press his lips tightly together.

"Oh, my dear boyfriend, looks like for a long time to come, I'll have to stick to you."

An Luo gazed at him with pleading eyes.

Whoosh—

Hearing those words, Cheng Chengxuan's face turned so red it looked ready to bleed.

He knew what "boyfriend" meant, but just…

Dear?

This, this—how could she be so blunt?

Th-this, how could she be so blunt?

Noticing something off about him, An Luo stood up and poked his cheek with a finger.

"Why is your face red?"

Cheng Chengxuan caught her finger, his gaze drifting evasively toward the outside.

"I-I'm fine."

"Um, I-I'll step out first. You get some rest."

With that, he walked out stiffly, arms and legs moving in awkward unison.

Watching his almost panicked fleeing back, An Luo couldn't help laughing out loud.

"Could he be shy?"

"But I didn't do anything! How can he be this shy?"

But the moment she thought of what had happened before she came, her expression cooled.

She wondered whether those two could be caught.

Outside the Tent, Cheng Chengxuan had finally managed to will the heat from his face. Thinking of the way she'd addressed him just now, he couldn't help curling up the corners of his mouth.

"Young General, bad news!"

Cheng Xin suddenly came running over.

"The soldier guarding the weapons Tent reported that several jars of Gunpowder are missing."

Cheng Chengxuan's expression instantly sharpened.

"What?!"

……

Modern Era.

"I'm not sure either. I vaguely thought I saw a figure up ahead, otherwise I wouldn't have braked so hard."

"But the thing is, I got out and looked around — not a single soul in sight."

The big-rig driver was explaining what had happened to a few officers in hats.

Officer Lu, meanwhile, was inspecting the area around the truck with two colleagues.

Suddenly, his phone rang, and a voice came from the other end.

"Boss, we've already found An Biao and Xu Jing. Also, not far from the foundation's underground parking lot, in a trash can, we found a cloth containing ether, and a lady's bag with An Luo's things inside."

"We already checked An Biao's car — in the trunk we also found a few strands of An Luo's hair."

Hearing this, Officer Lu's expression sharpened.

"Good, I'm on my way back right now!"