But the next instant, his shouts abruptly ceased, for what appeared before him... was a small mountain, countless thick, black vines hanging down, appearing extremely terrifying and eerie under the night sky.
The rollover had been caused by the vehicle crashing into the foot of this "mountain."
I stepped out of the car with Xue Tang in my arms, and was momentarily stunned by the sight before me. Leaving aside why there would be a small hill in the middle of a bustling city like Shanghai, its sudden appearance was bizarre enough…
However, I quickly realized it wasn't a small hill at all.
It was—a giant dog, resembling a golden retriever but over ten meters tall. The cascading hairs weren't "vines" at all, but thick, golden-brown fur.
At the same time, its massive head reflected light like two searchlights; I then realized those were its eyes.
The giant dog seemed to give me a deep look, then rumbled to its feet. Just as I tensed up in anticipation, its size rapidly shrank, from over ten meters to a more manageable two meters. But it was no longer a dog; it was the image of a disheveled, taciturn, and downtrodden middle-aged man.
"Give her to me."
The silence didn't last long. His eyes, unusually bright and clear amidst his disheveled hair, gazed at me intently before he spoke in a hoarse voice.
I felt that the reason those eyes were so bright…
was as if they were being cleansed by the wrath of a powerful king, burning fiercely.
But at the same time, I could also sense that this wrath seemed directed at someone else.
However, I still shook my head. "I won't give her to anyone…"
My arms encircled Luo Xuetang's slender waist. Her smooth body, through the thin fabric, seemed to tremble slightly. Her two small, white hands clung to my chest, and I held her even tighter…
I would never let go.
The man opposite me looked up. I seemed to see a hint of relief on his face, but it vanished instantly, for the flame in his eyes was so intense that it seemed to have burned away all other emotions.
"Bastard, how dare you...!"
Seeing this scene, for some reason, a sharp pain shot through my head, and a sliver of pity instinctively arose. Just as I was about to say something more, a shout rang out beside me. Then, Qin Yan, enveloped in scorching heat, lunged at the man.
I suddenly felt an urge to call out to Qin Yan, though I didn't know where it came from. Rationally speaking... this man's sudden appearance seemed to indicate an intention to kidnap Xue Tang; what reason did I have to help him?
My head throbbed, my thoughts were in turmoil. I hesitated for a moment, but then I could no longer restrain myself.
"Bang!"
Centered on the spot where the man stood, the ground suddenly caved in half a meter, cracks appeared instantly, sand and gravel flew everywhere, as if struck by a large-caliber cannonball. A figure flew out rapidly, his clothes torn to shreds, and crashed heavily to the ground.
And this person, unsurprisingly, was Qin Yan.
However, due to his enhanced supernatural abilities, although he appeared quite disheveled, he wasn't actually injured. The shock in his eyes was undisguised. In fact, Qin Yan was called "Second Martial God" precisely because he was almost undefeated in matches against other supernatural beings of the same level.
The only time he suffered a defeat was during his sparring session with Tang Lanyan, which became a mental block for Qin Yan…
The attack his opponent had just used was merely pure psychic power, yet it felt like an invisible giant fist striking him, leaving him trembling, numb, and with his blood rushing to his head.
A clean and decisive blow, leaving him powerless to retaliate…
And what was most outrageous was that this psychic power was indiscriminately targeting both friend and foe while the opponent remained as steady as a mountain. Just how absurd was this physical enhancement ability?!
Even against Tang Lanyan, he had never been so utterly helpless!
For the first time, Qin Yan felt fear and hesitation when facing an enemy… He clenched his fists, but dared not advance further.
At this moment, the man with disheveled hair took a few more steps forward, his piercing eyes peering through the messy hair. He continued in a hoarse voice, "Hand her over."
Qin Yan gritted his teeth, caught in a dilemma…
If he ran now, he would never have another chance to get close to Luo Xuetang. Although it had only been a fleeting moment, the beauty's soft, smooth skin and alluring, fragrant black-stockinged feet were unforgettable. He desperately wanted to kiss her again, but at the same time, he felt the immense pressure from the man opposite him.
The conflict between ideals and emotions left Qin Yan in a state of extreme hesitation, unsure whether to fight or flee.
…
Watching the man closing in, I took a deep breath, steeling my resolve. No matter what, I had to protect her in my arms, even if it meant temporarily entrusting her to Qin Yan.
I moved closer to him with Xuetang in my arms, saying calmly, "Protect her. I hope you can at least do that. Don't let her suffer even the slightest harm."
"Otherwise…" I gave him a deep look.
Qin Yan was about to explode in anger, but upon seeing my gaze, he suddenly trembled, his throat tightening as he nodded slightly.
So, I prepared to step forward. Although the middle-aged man who had suddenly appeared before me was exceptionally powerful, to protect Xue Tang, I had no way out.
"Don't...leave..."
However, her two small hands still tightly gripped my clothes. Her beautiful face was lowered, her thick hair trembling, seemingly trembling with fear.
My heart felt as sweet as honey, indescribably soothing, but I still had to step forward and comfort her, saying, "Don't be afraid, I will definitely come back."
"Don't lie to me anymore..."
The beauty finally raised her head, a hint of shy resentment on her exquisite face. Something deep within my mind seemed to be stirred; a strong sense of shame welled up within me, and at the same time, some somewhat blurry, yet intensely familiar images flashed through my mind.
The stunningly beautiful girl with a mischievous expression, her slightly childlike face gradually merging with the beauty before me. Overwhelmed by a strange flutter, I nodded emphatically and blurted out, "No... I won't keep you waiting again..."
My words were cut short by a sharp pain in my mind, but a strong sense of familiarity lingered, as if this wasn't the first time I'd experienced something like this...
This strengthened my resolve. Even though she seemed not to recognize me at first, there was no doubt she was once the most important person to me.
I decided that after dealing with this matter, I would immediately confess everything to her.
I desperately wanted to know who I was, and what she... meant to me.
Turning to face the towering middle-aged man, I felt a surge of pride and confidence. Xue Tang, wait for me!