Peerless Little Immortal Doctor

"Yes, although I've retired, many formalities still need to be handled through the military. Before coming to Harbor City, General Fang told me a lot. So even if he's a Martial Artist, he can't casually use violence against me."

Xia Liu didn't shy away from revealing this; it's exactly what his profile states.

As such, if Zhuge Yingtian were to call Fang Huasheng to confirm his identity...

Perhaps this would earn him greater recognition from Guo Man.

"Fang Huasheng, huh..."

Zhuge Yingtian murmured softly before fixing his piercing gaze on Liang Yu: "Liang Yu, let me handle this matter. What do you think?"

"This..."

For some reason, facing Zhuge Yingtian's intense look, Liang Yu felt an inexplicable sensation.

Even though he possessed Earth-Rank Primary Level cultivation, that gaze caused his body and mind to tremble slightly.

It felt akin to the aura possessed by Heaven-Rank Warriors.

"Deputy Li, this matter isn't as serious as it seems, and you're an outsider looking at this objectively. Please calm down; I'll give you all an explanation in a few days."

"Uh, uh..."

Li Bai looked a bit flustered. Zhuge Yingtian's current seriousness reminded him of the old days.

Back then, Zhuge Yingtian had been a passionate young man, and the two of them carried out missions together on foreign battlefields...

"Liang Yu, if he says he'll give you an explanation, he absolutely will."

"Understood."

Liang Yu had been in a difficult position earlier, but now Zhuge Yingtian's words aligned with his thoughts.

After speaking, Liang Yu shot Xia Liu a deep look before briskly walking into the base.

"Xia Liu, my young friend, would you mind if I took up a bit of your time?"

After Liang Yu and Li Bai left, Zhuge Yingtian spoke with a kindly smile.

"Of course, it'd be my honor."

Since he'd come this far, Xia Liu had nothing to fear.

To uncover his identity, one would need him to make a mistake.

Otherwise, no one could succeed.

Guo Man and Guo Ye were both curious.

Xia Liu was a mainlander.

A former special forces soldier, yet he displayed no odd behavior facing Liang Yu, an Earth-Rank Warrior.

Wasn't that strange?

And what exactly was his real background?

Did he truly come to Harbor City to look for his wife and kids?

Guo Man had trusted him before, but today his reactions seemed peculiar.

As if he wasn't an ordinary person.

"I haven't seen General Fang in a long time. How's he been recently?"

"General Fang is doing very well. He might make even greater progress soon."

Xia Liu responded.

This "greater progress" was merely his speculation.

"Oh! I didn't expect General Fang could advance so much."

Zhuge Yingtian's face lit up with admiration and joy.

In their younger years, they'd known one another, but later they rarely had time to meet.

"Haha, Xia Liu, my young friend, were you previously with the Spearhead Troop?"

Setting the topic of Fang Huasheng aside, Zhuge Yingtian's eyes flashed with an inscrutable gleam, making it hard to guess his intentions.

"The Spearhead Troop only recruits Martial Artists. Otherwise, you'd end up at the bottom, and I wasn't qualified to join."

"Is that so? Then surely you were a standout in another unit."

"More or less, but that was years ago. Now I'm just a broken man."

Xia Liu sighed heavily as he spoke.

"Oh? What do you mean by that?"

Though he recalled Xia Liu's profile, Zhuge Yingtian chose not to expose it; otherwise, both he and Guo Man might provoke Xia Liu's resentment.

"After failing that mission, I was left with half a life. Even though my injuries healed, I was no longer part of the military."

"I see. Do you have any intention of rejoining?"

"Grandpa Zhuge, are you trying to poach my guy?"

At this moment, Guo Man, who had been watching Xia Liu recount his painful past, couldn't hold back anymore.

"Little Man, how could I poach your guy? I'm simply appreciating talent and welcoming Xia Liu, my young friend, anytime he wishes."

Zhuge Yingtian chuckled kindly. This young girl couldn't hide her emotions at all.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Commander Zhuge. But I likely won't return to service anymore; my family might be my focus moving forward."

"Haha, see that, Grandpa Zhuge? I told you Xia Liu doesn't have the time for that now."

Guo Man said with some triumph.

"Alright, alright. Since you don't wish to return, I won't force the issue. Besides, leave the matter with Liang Chao to me."

"Thank you, Grandpa Zhuge, and thank you, Brother Guo Ye."

Guo Man expressed her gratitude to both of them, her heart lightened by Guo Ye's presence as the main reason she dared to bring Xia Liu here today.

Guo Ye was a Martial Artist with Mysterious Rank Peak cultivation.

If Liang Yu hadn't suddenly unveiled Earth-Rank Primary Level cultivation, she might have assumed he was at a similar level to Guo Ye.

Guo Ye might lose to Liang Yu in martial prowess, but with Zhuge Yingtian, the Commander, present, neither Xia Liu nor she would face any trouble.

Facts proved this correct.

"Little Man, take your Xia Liu back now, and avoid this place for the time being."

For unknown reasons, hearing Zhuge Yingtian's words made Guo Man's face turn slightly awkward.

Even her ears reddened a little.

Watching the car pull away into the distance, Guo Ye sighed: "Little Man has never been particularly close to any guy before. But with Xia Liu..."

"Hmm, I agree. Though I hadn't seen them together for a while, today it was clear Little Man has changed, possibly because of Xia Liu..."

Zhuge Yingtian shared the sentiment, though he wasn't entirely certain yet.

"Let's go. Help me get in touch with Fang Huasheng at Liuhai Military District."

...

On the way back in the car, the air was heavy with silence.

As a bodyguard, Xia Liu naturally wouldn't initiate casual conversation with his employer.

Guo Man, however, struggled to figure out what to ask.

Once they entered the city center, she finally couldn't resist breaking the quiet: "Xia Liu, you know about Martial Artists, right?"

"Yes, I came into contact with them back in the military."

"Are you a Martial Artist?"

"Yes, and no."

Xia Liu hesitated for a moment before replying.

"What do you mean by that?"

Guo Man's interest was piqued. "Yes and no"? What could that possibly mean?

"On the final mission, I failed. My Martial Veins were destroyed, and I became just an ordinary person. My wife, a Yellow-Rank Martial Artist, left me, taking our child along."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know it was this severe."

Xia Liu's voice turned ice-cold at the end, and the car sped up noticeably.

Guo Man realized she'd misunderstood Xia Liu again.

She also gleaned deeper insight into the situation with his wife and child.

If his wife were also a Martial Artist, it made sense for her to take their child and leave.

Martial Artists didn't adhere to the strict codes of the secular world. If Xia Liu's wife had been an ordinary person, she wouldn't have gotten far...