As a Side Benefit!

"Who ordered us back? And for what exactly?"

Qin Yan looked calmly at the soldier below and asked.

"Reporting, sir, the order was personally issued by Grandmaster Xiao Shan. This subordinate does not know the specifics, only that I was ordered to deliver the message."

The soldier answered stiffly, his expression open and composed.

Hearing that Xiao Shan had personally given the order, Qin Yan's doubts lessened somewhat.

After all, the man had just saved them last night and was Xiao Wangshu's biological grandfather. By both reason and sentiment, he seemed to have no motive to harm them.

Even so, Qin Yan did not completely let down his guard.

"All right, we understand. Please lead the way."

The two leaped down from the reef.

As they followed the soldier away from the position, Qin Yan silently made up his mind: if this guide showed even the slightest sign of leaving the main road for some remote area, he would turn around and leave without a word!

And when he left, he would have to drag Xiao Wangshu—the "important person"—along with him by force.

With Xiao Shan's granddaughter at his side, their safety factor had to be a little higher, right?

Fortunately, nothing unusual happened on this trip.

The soldier led them along the most standard route back to Zhenhai City.

They passed several checkpoints along the way, all without incident.

Patrols occasionally passed along the road, and the figures of soldiers patrolling atop the distant city walls were clearly visible.

Though the atmosphere remained grim and murderous, everything was orderly, completely different from the lonely, eerie reef beach of last night.

Only then did the taut string in Qin Yan's heart slowly loosen.

About half an hour later, under the soldier's guidance, the two successfully passed through the pale blue