Chapter 122: A Selfish Heart
December 18th, Wednesday, sunny.
In the past few days, Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao teamed up to eliminate three black dragon club safe houses one after another. Although they only killed a handful of the Black Blood clan, the spoils were impressive, amounting to at least over two million in various loot, including the almost out-of-stock boiling blood potions.
During this second round of the Wang family’s commission, Jiang Yan made all the decisions autonomously. The key point was that, under bolder raid tactics, the Jiang sisters’ combat power was more efficiently realized, and Hyacinth did not require the large-scale costly strikes of the past.
Wan Yue did not inquire about any operational details or appear frequently at the Golden River Club, but instead spent more time in her private villa at Longquan Mountain. In the past, even with Zhao Peng on duty twenty-four hours a day, she wouldn’t have found it easy.
Early in the morning, Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao were summoned to Wan Yue’s villa at Longquan Mountain.
In the front yard of the villa, the rare winter sunlight warmed the yellowing lawn, three yoga mats were laid out in a triangle shape, and a stone table nearby was boiling tea and laid out with various snacks and drinks.
At this moment, the Jiang sisters were both dressed in fitted long-sleeve workout clothes, their hair tied back in ponytails, surrounding Wan Yue.
Clearly, this was Wan Yue once again preparing a special session for the sisters, and Jiang Yao was very excited.
“I heard about the actions from a few days ago, a lot of loot was obtained, and Old Jin and Su Xiaomeng’s tone was quite sour… Jiang Yan, you did the right thing this time, know your limits, you should pick the soft persimmons to squeeze. Eliminating a few black dragon club safe houses is sufficient to save face.”
Wan Yue carefully coughed as she sipped the hot tea, smiling leisurely, it was evident that these days were the most comfortable for her since establishing Hyacinth.
Jiang Yan smiled but did not respond, and the side of Jiang Yao displayed a proud expression.
“The reason I called you both here is because I’ve had some practical gains myself, and I want to teach you how to enhance your internal and external hormone control and boiling blood stability. Now, sit down.”
Wan Yue set down her teacup with a smile, walked over to one of the yoga mats, and sat cross-legged, “Although my situation is different from yours, I feel that you have reached the best time for training.”
“Boiling blood stability, is it about combat endurance?”
As soon as Jiang Yao’s butt hit the mat, she suspiciously raised her hand, “Sister Wan, both my sister and I can sustain high-intensity boiling blood for at least thirty minutes, doesn’t that mean we’ve exceeded the level of an ordinary baron?”
Wan Yue first covered her forehead, then rolled her eyes, and finally pointed at Jiang Yan with irritation, “Jiang Yan, last time we were here, you used blood explosion while being out of control. What did you feel when you were sober afterwards?”
With a calm face, Jiang Yan replied softly, “It felt like my boiling blood was exhausted, like my body was hollowed out. After that, it’s hard to initiate boiling blood again, otherwise, I’d definitely feel bloodthirsty.”
“Exactly. If it were me, I could also sustain thirty minutes of high-intensity boiling blood combat, but during that time, I could use blood explosion at least five times. Even then, I have been called a monster.”
Wan Yue said this casually while also activating the minimum level of boiling blood.
In the perception of the Jiang sisters, the once unfathomable chaos aura around Wan Yue was unraveled and replaced by another type of extremely precise, subtle aura fluctuation, steady as a mountain, ready to strike, imposing.
Jiang Yan had witnessed Wan Yue’s meticulous self-control not long ago, so it was not surprising. However, for Jiang Yao, this was a first encounter; no matter how low her comprehension was, she could feel the unparalleled dominance within, leaving her wide-eyed.
Wan Yue nodded slightly, then asked, “Last time you did preliminary boiling blood control training here, how do you feel about it now?”
“Probably… I can only use it once, but not to the point of exhausting boiling blood,” Jiang Yan thought carefully before answering cautiously.
“Excessive. I let Brother Zheng steal medicine at that time, and afterwards, I got scolded severely, but you… you’re getting special treatment here…”
Jiang Yao glanced with dissatisfaction at Jiang Yan nearby, lowered her head, and murmured softly.
A few days ago, when you provided blood samples for Zhao Peng, I casually did some testing. Your blood energy proteins, both in quality and quantity, have reached the level of a mid-tier baron… quite enviable.
You rely on these assets to achieve nearly baron-level physical outbursts and combat endurance through unreasonable indulgence, but that does not mean you possess the boiling blood control ability of a baron.
Your blood energy protein conversion production efficiency is extremely high, but boiling blood stability is quite poor, and in the long run, it will form a false bodily memory. How should I put it… do you understand the meaning of a spendthrift?
You will unconsciously use simpler, more brutal, and extravagant methods to achieve the gratifying crushing victories, but once suppressed or interfered with by a higher-ranking blood clan, your true form will be revealed immediately.
At this point, Wan Yue exhibited a mix of joy and frustration.
Do we really have to fight with barons… what use are you barons for then…
Jiang Yao lowered her voice, muttering, visibly uncomfortable.
Oh no!
A dried pine cone flew from Wan Yue’s hand, hitting Jiang Yao’s forehead directly. She covered her head, her face flushed, and didn’t dare to chitchat further.
What is called boiling blood is the process of burning and decomposing the blood energy proteins in our body, transforming them into what we need. This is essentially a process of controlling the combination of internal and external hormones—efficiently or inefficiently consuming precious blood energy proteins.
For our Siberian blood clan, controlling internal and external hormones is a significant weakness. Therefore, upon encountering formidable foes in this aspect, many embarrassing situations could arise. For example, the illusion of the hated Apennine baron!
Being on the losing end in terms of internal and external hormone control means being vulnerable to someone like the Apennine baron. Everyone hopes to have an Apennine baron as a teammate, but nobody wants to see a treacherous Apennine baron in the enemy camp.
The process of suppressing the promotion to viscount isn’t pleasant, but it can cultivate my capability to control internal and external hormones. It’s a very peculiar feeling, and the best time for such training is only right before a major promotion. If missed, I would have to wait until the peak of the next-tier viscount for it.
While saying this, Wan Yue raised her boiling blood intensity again, and Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao sensed the precise changes, exchanging looks of surprise.
No wonder Sister Wan has been suppressing her promotion all these years; she has been fixated on that Zhuo Jianfei? What a vengeful and sinister woman… Jiang Yao rubbed the spot on her forehead where the pine cone hit, secretly grumbling.
You two are the numerical freaks mentioned by Zhou Ping, and you haven’t reached the so-called growth bottleneck yet, but the cap of your strength keeps rising, making all the half-step barons embarrassed.
Previously, although Zhao Peng was also referred to as a half-step baron, in terms of the quality and quantity of blood energy proteins, he hadn’t reached the minimum standard for triggering realm upgrades, affected by his innate quality, not due to a lack of effort.
Wan Yue shook her head, but the look of comfort on her face was unmistakable.
So, you have given Zhao Peng a favor that’s equivalent to a life, but I would rather you focus on yourselves. I’m not too sure if my method can be an opportunity for you to find the ability to release baron level capabilities autonomously.
Upon hearing this, not only did Jiang Yan tighten her fists, but Jiang Yao was also eager to try.
Seeing that both women’s emotions were in place, Wan Yue finally revealed a satisfied smile: “Alright, now I have a question for you. How many levels of boiling blood intensity can you control below the boiling blood threshold?”
“Three levels: low, medium, high.”
Having possibly understood Wan Yue’s lead-in, Jiang Yao hesitated before shyly indicating the number with her fingers.
Wan Yue rolled her eyes in silence, while Jiang Yao laughed awkwardly. She knew that this level of boiling blood control was quite poor, barely at the servant level.
However, Jiang Yao seldom worried about this because her approach was to directly max out her boiling blood to crush her opponents most of the time.
“Five levels, ever since Sister Wan guided me, previously, it was just four levels.”
Jiang Yan thought for a moment before responding, shaking her head with a hint of regret.
“Well, Jiang Yan, not bad. Generally, mid to lower-tier knights are about this number…”
Wan Yue nodded, then turned over on the yoga mat, with a slim waist and perky hips, she smiled as she stretched her limbs, exhibiting her alluring figure without a care.
Ordinary Siberian barons are probably between ten to fifteen levels. As for me, I can autonomously control twenty-five levels, and each level’s switch and duration… theoretically, if I wanted to, I could use different boiling blood intensity rhythms to play out a version of “Fur Elise”…
As soon as this was said, Jiang Yao’s mouth dropped open, while Jiang Yan fell silent.
Twenty-five levels—what an exquisite level of micro-experience would be needed to reach such a height! No wonder her internal and external hormone aura could even influence ordinary people; is Sister Wan really just a half-step viscount?
“Okay, enough chatter. Now, follow my movements. I’m going to teach you some basic training methods, realizing them through yoga breathing techniques… Pay attention to control your boiling blood intensity.”
Wan Yue flipped again, tilting her body forward and raised her long legs elegantly and sensually.
“Jiang Yan, pause a moment. Pay attention to your breathing depth and rhythm…”
“Jiang Yan, I told you to hold your breath while pressing your waist and lifting your leg, not to arch your back! Do you want to be hit?!”
In the next half an hour, Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao felt they had gone through a battle that was no less intense than high-strength boiling blood combat while being required by Wan Yue to carry out yoga training with different boiling blood intensities, where the torture was indescribable.
The result of all three maintaining boiling blood was a surging pheromone storm repeatedly sweeping through the lost forests, exciting the hibernating insects inexplicably, causing a large number of them to die, a gruesome scene.
……
……
Close to noon, Zhong Jing arrived at Shengci Hospital in her car.
“You just wait in the car, or you can look around the nearby mall. I’m going to visit a friend.”
After the car stopped, Zhong Jing unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to look at Hejian Qingya for the first time today, previously having ignored her.
“Jing…”
Since leaving the house, Hejian Qingya had been huddled like a quail in the passenger seat, her head down, pale, and too afraid to look at Zhong Jing’s face.
“Jing-kun!”
As Zhong Jing opened the car door, just about to leave, Hejian Qingya reached out and grabbed his suit, “Jing-kun, you can’t stop the medication…”
I know I’m selfish, I beg you!
You need to think about how to explain this to those twisted relatives of the Fujihara family later…
Zhong Pu sighed, pulled Hejian Qingya’s hand away, and strode away.
Staring at the young man’s retreating back toward Shengci Hospital, the corners of Hejian Qingya’s lips were almost bleeding from biting.
……
On the top floor of Shengci Hospital, in the special care area.
“Brother Pu, hello…”
Pushing open the hospital room door, the young girl sitting beside the bed hurriedly stood up, her expression a mix of shyness and restraint.
This is Xiao Mei, who, after a miraculous encounter, had jumped two ranks, successfully completing her promotion to waiting status. Now she had officially joined the Golden River Club, and under Xiao Ai’s guidance, was responsible for taking care of Zheng Shaolin and Zhou Ping, who were still recuperating their injuries at Shengci Hospital.
“Hehe, Zhong Pu, you have time today; why do you look so pale?”
With the bargaining chip of two portions of RMCE, the results were immediate, and the Wang family finally released their true offers. Within a week, Zheng Shaolin’s recovery showed remarkable results, and his mental state was also very good. Although his realm had dropped to the next-tier knight, at least there was no fundamental damage.
“I came for a check-up and to see Brother Zheng. Xiao Mei, could you bother you to get two bottles of water?”
Zhong Pu sat next to Zheng Shaolin, and Xiao Mei intuitively exited the room.
Once they were alone, Zhong Pu took out a cigarette, and Zheng Shaolin’s eyes immediately lit up, rubbing his hands together.
“What are you doing?! This place doesn’t allow smoking! Zhong Pu, come out!”
The door swung open, and Su Xiaomeng walked in with her eyebrows raised, her expression stern.
Both Zhong Pu and Zheng Shaolin, holding cigarettes in their hands, hadn’t even lit them before getting caught by Su Xiaomeng.
Embarrassed, Zheng Shaolin could only toss the cigarette into the wastebasket beside the bed, while Zhong Pu awkwardly stood up, touching his nose.
……
Su Xiaomeng’s personal office had obviously gone through a round of new decoration, looking somewhat unlike a doctor’s workplace ambiance. The same three-dimensional martial arts atmosphere was rich, just not as exaggerated as Zhong Pu’s study.
“Speak. What brings you here? I noticed your car just entered the parking lot. Why didn’t that Japanese girl come up?”
Su Xiaomeng grinned at the young man in front of her, quite smug.
“Su Xiaomeng… I came today to…”
Zhong Pu glanced at the window, resting both hands on the table with a playful smile.
“How rude! Call me Dream-sister!”
Su Xiaomeng’s attitude suddenly shifted as she said,
“Twenty-eight thousand eight, including the confidentiality fee! I can line up all the female check-up items for you. It’s rare for you, the second young master of the Zhong family, to spend here, so it must be top-tier!”
Seeing Zhong Jing take such matters seriously for the first time, Su Xiaomeng’s heart tensed, but her smile remained unchanged and her chatter continued.
“You… fine…”
Zhong Jing grinned, forgetting what to say, only able to smile wryly and nod.
“By the way, do you need an anal exam? I could personally do it for you…”
Su Xiaomeng suddenly became coy, her cheeks flushed slightly, deliberately putting on a shy look while glancing at Zhong Jing, instantly exuding a multitude of charms… which was painfully fake.
“I can’t believe you’re blushing!” Zhong Jing could no longer hold back, slamming the table as he roared, “Since kindergarten, you’ve been tempting me. Don’t think I don’t know!”
In the face of Zhong Jing’s emotional outburst, even featuring exaggerated behavior, Su Xiaomeng burst into laughter, slapping the table with both hands, unable to contain her amusement. But the unease in her heart only intensified.
Because Zhong Jing seemed frivolous and laid-back, but he wasn’t someone who acted aimlessly.
……
……
A super luxurious VIP comprehensive physical examination personally overseen by Su Xiaomeng lasted for almost two hours. However, in the passenger seat of a certain Bentley SUV in the parking lot, a certain Japanese girl remained motionless, her expression indifferent.
“Shall we go? Aren’t you hungry?”
Zhong Jing swayed back, his characteristic lighthearted smile still on his face, “Thanks to the things you sent, my friend’s condition has improved.”
“Jing-kun, did I do something wrong?”
Hejian Qingya seemed still immersed in her own thoughts, not accepting Zhong Jing’s gratitude, merely staring ahead and abruptly asked.
“From your standpoint? Was it wrong? I don’t know, you’re just playing with fire.”
Zhong Jing rolled down the car window, lighting up his first cigarette of the day, his expression calm, “And even if I became a blood clan, I couldn’t reach the level you want.”
As he spoke, Zhong Jing mockingly pointed at Hejian Qingya’s body, “I heard the British blood clan is quite weak; you didn’t even let me answer a multiple-choice question?”
“You’re not even afraid of dying?”
Ignoring the other person’s sarcasm, Hejian Qingya leaned forward, her beautiful, icy eyes nearly touching Zhong Jing’s face, her gaze flickering with a mix of fear and despair.
“I’m afraid, but I only want to die as an ordinary person, leaving behind a complete corpse.”
Zhong Jing reached out, touching Hejian Qingya’s face, smiling eerily, “It’s you; I think you shouldn’t fear death, even a stupid death… but why are you so obsessed with false freedom?”
Her body quivered, Hejian Qingya lowered her head, a chaotic mix of confusion, fear, sadness, and disappointment filled her chest, impossible to untangle.
“I hate you… I hate you… I hate you!”
Hejian Qingya suddenly pushed Zhong Jing away, her hand brushing her face while mumbling incomprehensible words, directly opening the car door, lifting her skirt, and fleeing as if escaping from some demon.
“I never expected, in my lifetime, I would meet a yandere… especially one over seventy years old.”
Exhaling smoke, Zhong Jing resumed his serious expression. Just as Hejian Qingya’s back was about to vanish entirely, he sighed deeply, getting out of the car to follow.
