Then There Was Only One Answer

"Grandfather—!"

A cry tinged with tears interrupted Jing Hongchen's thoughts.

Meng Hongchen stumbled into the clearing, her wine-red hair a complete mess from being snagged by branches. Two dried tear tracks stained her usually bright and lovely face.

She spotted Ye Chenxing leaning against a rock at once. Her blue eyes immediately welled with mist again, and she choked up before she could even finish speaking.

"Chenxing! Are you... are you all right?"

She crouched before him and reached out, yet did not dare touch him. She feared hitting some unseen wound, feared hurting him, and tears fell from her eyes in rapid drops.

"Am I not perfectly fine, Meng?"

At those words, Meng Hongchen could no longer hold herself back. She leaned forward and threw herself into Ye Chenxing's arms, pressing her forehead to his chest as she began to sob.

Xiao Hongchen followed behind her, his steps two beats slower. Seeing that both Ye Chenxing and his grandfather were safe, he too let out a breath of relief.

Another burst of hurried footsteps came from the edge of the clearing. Xu Ping, the vice commander of the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Corps, arrived with several subordinates.

Xu Ping immediately recognized Jing Hongchen's distinctive round, plump figure. His heart jolted, and he hurried forward to give a crisp military salute.

"Your subordinate Xu Ping greets Hall Master Jing! Our reconnaissance was inadequate this time, allowing Hall Master and His Highness to be attacked near the garrison. I cannot evade blame. I ask Hall Master to punish me!"

After so many years in official circles, he understood perfectly well. The royal descendant whom Hall Master Jing had personally brought out to hunt soul beasts could not possibly have an ordinary relationship with him. Now that the boy had been attacked within Xu Ping's jurisdiction, whether or not Xu Ping was truly at fault, he had to accept punishment first. If he tried to shirk responsibility, he might instead incur the wrath of the man who publicly led the Soul Engineers.

To his surprise, Jing Hongchen waved a hand.

"It's fine, Commander Xu. These enemies were not people you could have guarded against. This cannot be blamed on you."

He paused and glanced back at Ye Chenxing, who was still leaning against the rock. The lingering fear had yet to fade from his eyes, but his tone had regained its steadiness.

"Besides, the children are all safe."

Safe?

Xu Ping followed Jing Hongchen's gaze and only then truly noticed the figure he had overlooked at first glance.

The white-haired boy leaned against a charred rock, his face pale and his breathing weak. Meanwhile, Meng Hongchen, the little princess of Illustrious Virtue Hall, crouched before him, crying so fiercely that all concern for appearances had vanished, her fingers tightly clutching the boy's sleeve.

Xu Ping froze completely.

"C-could it be..." Xu Ping's voice changed slightly. "This person is..."

Jing Hongchen slowly nodded.

Xu Ping felt his mind explode with a buzz.

This boy was probably not even as old as his own son, yet he had escaped from the hands of a Soul Douluo?

From the moment he received the report and set out, he had held no real hope for this rescue.

A teenager being pursued by an Evil Soul Master at the Soul Douluo level was bound to face terrible odds. All the way here, he had repeatedly considered how to handle the aftermath, how to apologize to Jing Hongchen, and how to account to the imperial family. He had even prepared for the worst... for the possibility that they would not even be able to bring back an intact corpse.

The one thing he had never considered was that the target might be safe and sound.

Yet this boy was sitting there so quietly.

The way Xu Ping looked at Ye Chenxing changed completely. A man like Jing Hongchen would never lie to a mere vice commander.

The "radar" forged by decades of experience among the Sun Moon Empire's upper ranks began to blare wildly in his mind.

It was not a warning of danger.

It was an opportunity.

He had survived from his first day among the upper ranks by relying on that radar—knowing whom to draw close to, what matters to avoid, and what words to say in what tone on what occasion. Nearly every choice in his life had depended on that instinct.

At this moment, before this young man, his radar sounded louder than it ever had before.

Then there was only one answer!

Xu Ping immediately walked over to Ye Chenxing and dropped to one knee.

"Your Highness, Xu Ping, vice commander of the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Corps, failed in his duty of protection. I ask for punishment!"

Ye Chenxing was also stunned. They had never met before. The Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Corps was, after all, a hand that protected the nation. Although its vice commander was not as noble as a legitimate member of the imperial family, his authority definitely exceeded Ye Chenxing's. Why was he behaving so humbly before him?

Could he be one of Elder Kong's people?

Though puzzled, Ye Chenxing did not slight him in the least.

"Commander Xu, please rise. What happened today was not your fault. They came suddenly and deployed only a handful of powerful experts, who were exceptionally skilled at concealing themselves. This was not something your troops could have guarded against."

Xu Ping rose, his attitude still respectful. "Your Highness, this is my duty. Failure to protect you is negligence. No matter what methods the enemy used, they cannot serve as an excuse to evade responsibility. Please..."

Ye Chenxing waved a hand. "Commander Xu, there is no need to blame yourself. Evil Soul Masters are not people whose movements can be tracked so easily."

Jing Hongchen suddenly asked, "Chenxing, under those circumstances, anyone would have assumed they were coming for me. How did you determine that their target was you? And how did you escape from his hands?"

Ye Chenxing pondered for a moment.

"Hall Master, do you remember the second soul ring I just obtained?"

Jing Hongchen raised his brows slightly and nodded.

"It did not merely improve my control abilities," Ye Chenxing said. "My scouting and observation abilities were also strengthened considerably by that soul ring. While you were fighting them just now, I could see clearly from the rear. Those three Soul Douluos did not possess particularly strong vitality and blood energy."

He paused as though recalling something, then continued, "Over the past few days, I have read quite a few texts about the Noumenon Sect. The Noumenon Sect's most defining characteristic is vitality and blood energy. Without exception, their Soul Masters possess blood energy far denser than others of the same rank. Even if they deliberately suppressed it, they could not possibly conceal it completely while fighting an expert of your level. They would not dare hold back before you."

"Besides, if they truly intended to trouble you, even if Sect Master Du Bushi did not act personally, they should at least have sent their second-in-command. Three Soul Douluos and a ninety-fourth-rank Titled Douluo. That lineup would be enough against others, but against you, it was far from sufficient."

He abruptly stopped, turning his gaze toward Xu Ping, who was still standing nearby.

What kind of person was Xu Ping? He had spent decades navigating officialdom and had seen scenes where someone stopped halfway through a sentence more than a hundred times. The instant Ye Chenxing's gaze swept over him, he understood.

What came next was not something an outsider like him should hear.

Without the slightest hesitation, he stepped forward and clasped his hands toward Ye Chenxing. "Your Highness, since everyone is safe, this subordinate will gather the troops at once and escort you and Hall Master back to Ming Capital." He straightened and looked solemnly at Ye Chenxing. "Regarding today's incident, this subordinate bears inescapable responsibility. If Your Highness has any need in the imperial city in the future, simply come to the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Corps and mention my name. Xu Ping will certainly do everything in his power."

"Commander Xu, you are too courteous. I will definitely pay you a visit another day."

Xu Ping's heart warmed.

It worked!

Though it was merely polite talk, they had at least established a connection. Moreover, Ye Chenxing had clearly put himself in danger to allow Jing Hongchen's grandson and granddaughter to escape. He was plainly a person of deep loyalty and affection.

With Xu Ping's ability to judge people, Ye Chenxing was certain to have an immeasurable future. Making himself familiar here would bring endless benefits later on!

He clasped his hands once more, then turned and left briskly.