Chapter Eighty-Fifth: Making Friends with Chen Jing

  The reconstruction of the Dragon Guard made the task of finding Sun Heng a top priority. After discussing with Chen Jing, we both agreed that the current mission of the Dragon Guard is to find Sun Heng, the leader of the Dragon Guard, as soon as possible.

  So we withdrew twenty warriors from the Hu Long Lian, divided them into five small groups, led by Nan Gong Qian Lan and four others from the Nan Gong family who I brought with me, to disperse across the country to investigate Sun Heng's whereabouts.

  Originally, due to the gene medicine incident, even if Sun Heng was found, he would not be able to resume his position as the captain of the Hu Long Lian. However, thanks to Old Chen's efforts, both Sun Heng and I were "rehabilitated", and our positions were also restored for a time.

  After Nan Gong Qian Lan and the others left, the remaining 130 warriors of the Hu Long Lian, under my and Chen Jing's organization, conducted a trial exercise to let everyone get familiar with each other and their respective combat methods, so that when we truly go into battle, everyone can assist each other.

  Mr. Chen gave us the first task of the Dragon Guard, and our communication class quickly reached my hands. The Dragon Guard has set up an independent communication class consisting of four people, directly managed by Chen Jing.

  The warriors of the communication team are all people who have experience in this aspect and don't need to be trained again, they can go on duty directly.

  Looking at the task in my hand, I asked Chen Jing with some confusion: "Turning Wulin people into new members of the Dragon Guard and setting up an independent special operations group, abbreviated as 'Special Operations Group', whose idea is this?"

  Chen Jing said in a soft voice, "It's something we all agree on. Before you returned to the team, several of us platoon leaders had a meeting and discussed this matter. Do you think there's a problem with it?"

  I shook my head: "We now have only five members of the Nan Gong family's martial arts, to form this 'Special Task Force', it may be difficult."

  Chen Jing said: "Isn't there still your Master Kong, you, and several senior monks from Shaolin?"

  I slightly furrowed my brow: "My Shifu's age is too old, this time I came over to replace him. As for myself, I am already the instructor of the Dragon Guard, so I can no longer serve in the Special Task Force, lest it cause confusion and affect combat. How many Shaolin monks have come? Won't they also be elderly?"

  Chen Jing smiled lightly: "Don't worry, the ones who came to Shaolin this time are all young monks. I think they should be nine of the legendary eighteen Arhats of Shaolin. The leader is your acquaintance, Master Yu Cheng, who is over seventy years old."

  My heart skipped a beat, and I said with some surprise: "Is it Master Yu Cheng? That's great! The eighteen arhats of Shaolin, the temple's protective power, have also come this time, it's really great."

  Chen Jing smiled and said: "Then what I just said, isn't it going according to our previous plan?"

  I glanced at Chen Jing's smiling face, suddenly stunned, and couldn't help but say: "You're still so beautiful... Ah, sorry, I'll do as you said..."

  Chen Jing was also stunned, and then said with a straight face: "Now is during working hours, and it's also wartime. I refuse to discuss any personal issues. I hope the instructor can remember this point, so that everyone will not be embarrassed when working together in the future."

  I nodded and smiled wryly: "I remember, please supervise, Chief of Staff."

  My heart is actually quite depressed, isn't it just that I like you? Why do you have to say such things about me? Am I some kind of scoundrel or rascal? Do you need to be so guarded against me?

  I didn't dare to say it out loud, because Chen Jing was clearly unhappy at the moment. So I immediately started preparing for the establishment of a special task force under the Hu Long Lian flag and stopped talking to Chen Jing.

  At this time, the communication team passed on a message that all the martial artists who had come to our Dragon Guard Regiment had arrived at the underground parking lot and requested that I and Chen Jing go there immediately for a "lecture". I knew that what was called a "lecture" was actually just a speech to boost morale, so I directly told Chen Jing: "You go take care of this matter. There are many people from Shaolin, let's appoint their leader, the high monk Yu Cheng Dashi, as the leader of the special task force. My master is about to leave immediately, so there's no need to arrange a position for him."

  Chen Jing said, "Aren't you going to meet those martial artists? You're the instructor of the Hu Long Lian, and also a fellow... fellow practitioner, everyone will eventually meet..."

  I shook my head: "I want to see my master alone, you help me arrange it, ten minutes later, please ask my master to come here."

  Chen Jing frowned and said, "Then you should also go see Master Yu Cheng and the others first. Besides, if you want to see your master, it's only right that you go see your master yourself, not have your master come see you. How can you be so impolite?"

  I let out a wry smile and pointed to the large pile of documents on the table, saying: "Do you think I have that much time to run around? Just do as I say, my master will understand me."

  Chen Jing let out a "hmmph" and turned around to leave, looking like she didn't understand the current arrangement at all.

  I let out a wry smile and began to focus on the documents on the table. These documents included various reports that needed to be submitted after the establishment of the Dragon Guard, information about the members of the Dragon Guard, and our mission objectives. In short, there were a lot of documents, far exceeding the amount that should be possessed by a single company.

  So after watching for a while, I started to feel a headache. Three years ago, I lost part of my memory due to a severe head injury, and although my memory slowly recovered later, I was left with the problem of headaches, which would occur from time to time.

  My master Kong Hou came very quickly, he really can understand me, so there is no blame on me at all.

  I yielded my seat to Kong Shou, made a cup of tea and then said directly: "Master, are you okay? I'm here to replace you. You can pack up now and I'll have someone send you back later. There are over a dozen junior brothers and sisters in the sect waiting for your return to teach them Wudang Kung Fu!"

  Kong Hou smiled faintly: "I'm fine. Jin Cang, it seems you've already touched the threshold of the third layer of Heart Method. You're indeed a rare cultivation genius in Wudang Sect's hundred years."

  I smiled slightly: "The disciple has indeed entered the state of great accomplishment, but there is still a distance from truly mastering the heart method. Moreover, the disciple lacks actual combat experience, and in real battles, he may not be able to bring out even half of my fighting power."

  Kong Shou nodded: "You're right, to improve combat effectiveness, actual combat is the most suitable. Now you've returned to Hu Long Lian and even became an instructor, hehe... didn't disappoint me, Wudang Sect's reputation remains intact, worthy of being my disciple."

  I smiled and said, "Master is overpraising. Actually, I'm not suitable for this instructor position. Once Captain Sun Heng of the Dragon Guard returns, I'll resign from this post and focus on being a soldier."

  He stood there in a daze for a moment, then smiled and said: "That's good too. If being a warrior is more suitable for you, then you make your own decisions. I'm leaving now, take care of yourself here, when you're on the battlefield, don't just charge forward, safety first."

  I smiled and looked at the worried Kong Xuan, saying in a low voice: "Our main enemy should be the Wan Long Hui and those martial artists from enemy countries. With my current cultivation, Master, you can rest assured."

  Kong Hou nodded and stood up, saying: "Then I'll take my leave. When the war is over, I hope you can return to Wudang safely."

  I nodded slightly and saw Kong Shou out the door, saying as we walked: "The car will take you directly back to the Wudang Sect, don't worry, I'll be fine."

  Kong Shou looked at me for a moment, then suddenly pulled out a well-wrapped package from his pocket and handed it to me: "This is the gold-producing medicine I prepared, take it with you, just in case."

  I accepted the ointment from Kongshou and said gratefully: "Thank you, Master."

  Kong Shou didn't say another word and followed the driver I assigned to him with big strides.

  Back in the office, I started looking at the documents on my desk again. Chen Jing soon returned to the office as well, and upon seeing me, she said: "Just now, another ten people from a martial arts sect came to report for duty. Including the previous ten people from Shaolin, five people from the Nan Gong family, our Special Task Force now has a total of twenty-five people."

  "I asked with a smile: 'Which sect's person has come to report?'"

  Chen Jing gave me a cold glance and said: "Can't you go see for yourself? You have to ask me everything, it's better if I didn't have you as my instructor!"

  I wanted to say something, but I heard your voice coming over: "It's one of us Zhang family people..."

  As I looked in the direction of the sound, I saw a very pretty girl looking at me with a smile on her face and her eyes blinking constantly towards me.

  I exclaimed in surprise: "Are you... Zhang Shuang?"

  I remembered what Nan Gong Qian Lan had said before and asked Zhang Shuang like this.

  "I'm Zhang Shuang. Jin Cang, you still remember me, hehe......" The girl smiled and said: "I've been looking for you all the time, now I finally found you."

  I also smiled and said, "Really? Welcome you and your clansmen to join the special task force of our Dragon Guard. And thank you for standing out at a critical moment for the country and making contributions to the nation."

  Zhang Shuang immediately said loudly: "As it should be, please instruct the instructor!"

  I was taken aback and then said: "After all, we are classmates, so there's no need for this, right?"

  Zhang Shuang smiled: "You still recognize me as a classmate, then why didn't you go see me earlier?"

  I forced a smile: "Look at all these files I have here, many of which I haven't even had time to read yet. Now I'm about to go on another mission and the timing is too tight."

  Zhang Shuang took a few steps forward, glanced at the documents on my desk, and said with some helplessness: "I also hate reading documents. It's not only dry and tasteless, but I also have to be careful and meticulous, can't afford to make any mistakes, just looking at it gives me a headache."

  I nodded: "Me too, I'm getting a headache from watching. By the way, you sent over ten people this time, are they all elites of your family?"

  Zhang Shuang nodded slightly and smiled: "Everyone in our family is an elite. Jin Cang, don't you want to ask me why I'm looking for you?"

  I felt that someone had given me a very suspicious look, and that person was Chen Jing. So I quickly said: "I know, you're here to serve the country."

  Zhang Shuang shook her head and said loudly: "We are here to protect you."

  I was taken aback and immediately said: "Protect me? What is there to protect?"

  Zhang Shuang furrowed her brow and said: "You are my lifesaver, also... the person I like. Now that the situation is so chaotic, of course we have to come protect you."

  I glanced at Chen Jing, who was staring at me, and said somewhat awkwardly: "Thanks for that, but I don't need protection. We're all here to do our part for the country; personal safety isn't as important anymore."

  Zhang Shuang wanted to say something, but Chen Jing had already said: "Let's not talk about this for now. Zhang Shuang, you're here, and I welcome you on behalf of the military. However, we still have a lot of things to do, so please go arrange your accommodations first. Tonight, I'll be hosting a dinner with the instructor to welcome you."

  Zhang Shuang glanced at Chen Jing and smiled slightly: "Alright then, I'll leave first and won't disturb you guys from working."

  I smiled and said: "You go arrange your accommodation first, later there won't be time to arrange these things."

  Zhang Shuang left with a smile, but Chen Jing glared at me with hatred and said: "Another romantic debt, how can you be so... a big flirt!"

  I forced a smile: "What are you talking about? We're just classmates, nothing's going on between us. You...you're mad?"

  Chen Jing suddenly said angrily: "What am I angry about? What do you want to do, what's it got to do with me? Even if you... you find a hundred wives, I won't suffer any loss..."

  I feel a dryness in my throat, unable to speak out the words, and can only smile bitterly again, silently looking at Chen Jing.

  Chen Jing seemed to be really angry, her voice loud: "What are you thinking? You'd better give me an explanation today, or else I won't...I won't just let it go like this."

  I muttered to myself: "What was I thinking? What does it mean?"

  Chen Jing suddenly calmed down and said disdainfully: "Didn't you say you liked me? Well, I'll tell you now, it's impossible for us."

  I got excited, stepped forward and grabbed Chen Jing's shoulder, saying loudly: "Why?"

  Chen Jing looked at me and said calmly: "Because I don't like you, a big flirt."

  I was stunned, and then laughed: "That is to say, as long as I'm not with others, you'll like me? Hehe... That's great, I'm still alone now, how about you..."

  Chen Jing hastily said: "Dream on, I would never agree to be your girlfriend... Don't deceive me, you have a fiancée, I already know..."

  I smiled wryly: "Are you talking about Dongfang Yu? I've explained it before, how can you still... I really like you, why don't you know my heart?"

  Chen Jing was taken aback for a moment, suddenly blushing and whispering: "You say you like me, will I believe it?"

  I was stunned by Chen Jingjiao's shy appearance, and for a moment I forgot everything in the world, only wanting to take a good look at her.

  Chen Jing seemed a bit embarrassed by my gaze, and she pushed me hard: "Let go of me, have you seen enough?"

  I immediately came back to myself and smiled somewhat awkwardly: "It's not enough to just look, but... if you get angry, I'll look again next time."

  Chen Jing's face turned even redder, she glanced at me with difficulty and suddenly turned around and ran out. I was surprised in my heart, but couldn't help feeling a little happy: this was the first time Chen Jing had "close contact" with me, and I finally managed to slowly get closer to her.

  Before I could get happy, I heard Chen Jing loudly calling me: "Jin Cang, come over quickly."

  I rushed out and saw Chen Jing in the corridor, hastily running towards me. I immediately went forward and hugged the flustered Chen Jing.

  Chen Jing rushed into my arms and said in a low voice: "Hurry up, the enemy has broken in, many of our people have been killed or injured..."

  I was shocked and immediately helped Chen Jing up, asking: "Who broke in? Is it someone from the Wanlong Association?"

  Chen Jing was frightened, but she still maintained a certain degree of rationality. She hastily said: "I don't know who they are, but... they killed our guards and shot crossbow arrows at me... Let's go quickly, they will catch up with us soon."

  I frowned and said: "You go into the office first and hide, I'll go take a look at what's going on. There is a gun in my desk drawer, if you see an enemy, just shoot."

  Chen Jing calmed down a bit, grasping my hand tightly: "Don't go. I...I'm afraid it's dangerous for you to go alone, let's wait for reinforcements instead."

  "I said with a smile: 'Don't worry, I'll let them know the consequences of attacking our Dragon Guard Regiment. You hide first, I'll be right back.'"

  As I spoke, I pushed Chen Jing into the office and turned around to sprint towards the staircase, where several burly men with crossbows were already rushing up.

  They came suddenly, and I wasn't prepared. I met them empty-handed. Fortunately, my current skills are vastly different from before, so when I took action, not only did I successfully dodge several crossbow arrows flying towards me, but also knocked down a big man who was facing me.

  I attacked while asking: "Who are you people?"

  These big men didn't say a word, and just kept attacking me. The power of the crossbow arrows at close range was still very great, so I had to avoid them as much as possible, and with one against many, for a while I was also a bit flustered. However, I found that these big men's skills were not very good, if they didn't all have weapons, they wouldn't even be my match.

  I lack actual combat experience, and I'm a bit clumsy in a fight, but this is also the best way for me to accumulate experience. So I used all my strength to launch an attack, occasionally gathering the true energy within my body to deal with these ordinary people, sending them flying out directly.

  Our office of the Dragon Guard is on the third floor, and some of those who were blown away by me fell directly from the third floor, either dead or injured. For a time, those big men who had not been attacked by me all took a step back, looking at my eyes with terror.

  I took advantage of the opportunity to adjust my attack route and began to display various moves that I had practiced for three years, knocking down all these invading people to the ground.

  After I finished collecting these invaders, a group of guards rushed up. They stared blankly at the invaders rolling on the ground, and each of them looked at me with a hint of surprise and unease in their eyes.

  I smiled and said: "Get them all rounded up. Take stock of our casualties. Strengthen the guard, this kind of thing can never happen again."

  The guards shouted in unison: "Yes!"

  I feel very relaxed, turned around and walked towards the office, saying: "Chief of Staff, everything has been resolved, it's safe!"

  Chen Jing opened the office door, took a look at the enemies in the corridor and downstairs, and said with great surprise: "I didn't know you were so powerful. If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have been afraid..." She suddenly smiled and said: "After this incident, I've decided to let you protect me for a while."

  I smiled wryly and said, "You're also starting to joke around, aren't you? I'm just doing my duty."

  Chen Jing smiled slyly: "But you still protected me, I should thank you."

  "I couldn't help but laugh: 'Then be my girlfriend, anyway you have to thank me, might as well follow me then.'"

  Chen Jing's face flushed slightly as she said, "That's impossible. Let's just be friends, maybe that'll stop you from fantasizing."

  I forced a smile and didn't know how to continue, after a long time I nodded slightly: "Let's just be friends, at least that's progress."

  Chen Jing smiled and stretched out her hand to hold mine, saying loudly: "We are friends for life, and we can't regret it in this lifetime!"

  I stared blankly at Chen Jing, and for a moment I was stunned again...