“Ghost Physician of the Southwest?”
The moment those four words were spoken, most of the people present looked utterly confused. Only Lei Zhenshan and Jiang Yingxue’s expressions changed instantly.
Lei Zhenshan was shocked and overjoyed, while Jiang Yingxue’s face turned deathly pale. The last shred of hope in her eyes completely collapsed.
In this era, information was limited, but in certain high-level circles, legends about the “Ghost Physician of the Southwest” were widely circulated.
It was said that this person was mysterious and elusive, often appearing in the Ten-Thousand Mountains along the China-Vietnam border, and was skilled in using Gu poison to save lives.
Even more frightening was the physician’s bizarre set of rules:
If they were in a bad mood, they wouldn’t treat you.
If they didn’t like the look of you, they wouldn’t treat you.
Officials? They wouldn’t treat them.
Rich people? They might not treat them either.
There had once been a major Southeast Asian drug lord who offered a ton of gold in exchange for the Ghost Physician saving his son’s life.
In the end, he never even got to see the Ghost Physician.
A swarm of poisonous bees stung him into looking like a pig’s head at the foot of the mountain.
And just three months ago, the higher-ups had indeed issued a top-secret document instructing border forces to keep an eye out for a highly skilled practitioner of Miao medicine.
The identifying characteristics were—
A beautiful woman, often accompanied by poisonous creatures.
“Ghost Physician… The Ghost Physician…”
Lei Zhenshan murmured to himself, his eyes locked firmly on Su Man.
The more he looked at her, the more convinced he became.
That temperament.
Those abilities.
And that audacious attitude of not giving a damn about even the Emperor of Heaven.
She was practically identical to the legendary Ghost Physician!
Su Man did not answer directly. Instead, she casually took the golden krait from Huo Xiaoxie’s hands and twirled it around in her palm twice, as though she were playing with a walnut.
“Ghost Physician? Divine Physician? What ugly names.”
She curled her lips, her tone lazy.
“I’m just a village woman who brought her children here to collect a debt from a heartless husband.”
It sounded like a denial, but anyone who wasn’t an idiot could hear the tacit admission in her words.
What village woman casually played with a deadly golden krait?
What village woman could cure a thirty-year-old chronic illness with a single pill?
“Ah! I knew it!”
Lei Zhenshan slapped his thigh, so excited he nearly jumped.
“What kind of luck does this brat Huo Feng have to actually bring you back? This isn’t just finding himself a wife! He’s practically brought a living Bodhisattva back to our military district!”
At this moment, the way Lei Zhenshan looked at Su Man completely changed.
If he had previously only been grateful that she had cured his leg, now he regarded her as a strategic national asset!
A miracle-working physician capable of creating miracles with herbs and Gu insects could be worth more on a battlefield than an entire division of soldiers!
“Huo Feng!”
Lei Zhenshan shouted.
“Here!”
Huo Feng snapped to attention.
“You brat, you’re pretty good! Quietly making a fortune!”
Lei Zhenshan vigorously slapped Huo Feng on the shoulder, grinning from ear to ear.
“You’ve rendered a great service this time! I’ll personally approve the paperwork for you. I’ll specially authorize this… this…”
He looked at Su Man’s Miao attire, then at the two children.
With a grand wave of his hand, he declared:
“Special authorization for your family to accompany you! The highest level of benefits! Hey, who’s in charge of logistics? Hurry up and prepare the biggest courtyard available!”
“Make sure it’s south-facing, with a garden. It’ll be convenient for Comrade Su Man to grow medicinal herbs!”
Just moments ago, he had been shouting about driving them out.
Now they were receiving the highest level of treatment.
His ability to change his attitude was faster than turning a page.
Not far away, Jiang Yingxue had completely collapsed onto the ground.
She had never imagined that the “rival” she looked down upon would have such a terrifying background and identity.
The Ghost Physician!
That was a person even her grandfather had to treat with respect!
She wanted to run.
She wanted to crawl into a crack in the ground and disappear.
But Lei Zhenshan’s gaze had already swept over her.
The Commander Lei who had been so amiable just moments ago turned ice-cold when he faced Jiang Yingxue.
“And you, Jiang Yingxue.”
Lei Zhenshan’s voice carried an unquestionable authority.
“As a military doctor, you are narrow-minded and jealous of anyone more capable than yourself! What were you doing just now when Comrade Su Man was treating me?”
“You were accusing her of practicing feudal superstition! You’re an embarrassment to our military medical corps!”
Jiang Yingxue opened her mouth, wanting to explain, but she still couldn’t make a sound.
She could only cry helplessly.
“What are you crying for?!”
Lei Zhenshan became even more annoyed.
“Since you can’t speak, go back and reflect properly! I’ll notify Old Jiang and have him discipline his granddaughter properly.”
“You won’t be staying with the arts and cultural troupe these next few days. Get back to Beijing!”
Those words directly sentenced Jiang Yingxue to “death.”
Being sent back to Beijing in such a humiliating manner meant that her reputation in their social circle was completely ruined.
Two guards stepped forward and, regardless of whether Jiang Yingxue wanted to or not, grabbed her by the arms and dragged her toward the jeep.
Before leaving, Jiang Yingxue glared viciously at Su Man, her eyes filled with resentment and hatred.
Su Man did not even spare her a glance.
She merely lowered her head and teased Huo Xiaoman in her arms.
“Little piggy, was that auntie’s expression funny just now?”
Huo Xiaoman giggled.
“Funny! She looked like a giant toad!”
The entire courtyard erupted into laughter once again.
With Jiang Yingxue taken away, the farce finally came to an end.
Lei Zhenshan was in an excellent mood. He pulled Huo Feng and Su Man into conversation for quite some time, constantly trying to win Su Man over while probing her intentions.
He wanted to know whether she could improve the “Carefree Powder” and adapt it for physical training among the special forces.
Su Man found the idea troublesome, but for Huo Feng’s sake, she did not outright refuse. She simply said it depended on her mood.
It wasn’t until sunset that Lei Zhenshan reluctantly prepared to leave.
Just before getting into the vehicle, he suddenly stopped.
His expression became unusually solemn.
He waved away everyone around him, leaving only Huo Feng and Su Man behind.
“Comrade Su Man.”
Lei Zhenshan lowered his voice, a trace of pleading in his tone.
“Actually, besides inspecting the troops, I came here for another personal matter.”
Su Man raised an eyebrow.
“What? You want more medicine?”
“It’s not for me.”
Lei Zhenshan shook his head.
His gaze turned toward the distant north, his expression solemn.
“It’s for an important figure in Beijing. I can’t tell you his identity, but I can tell you this much.”
“He is one of the pillars of our country.”
“He’s seriously ill, and all the specialists in Beijing are helpless.”
At this point, Lei Zhenshan took a deep breath and stared intently at Su Man.
“Since you’re the Ghost Physician, you must have a way.”
“Consider this a favor owed to you by me, Lei Zhenshan. Could you… save him?”
The smile on Su Man’s face slowly faded.
Although she usually appeared carefree and irreverent, she knew where to draw the line when it came to matters of great importance.
And the words “important figure” meant enormous trouble—but they also meant enormous opportunity.
She was just about to answer when Huo Feng suddenly took her hand.
The rough warmth of his palm made Su Man’s heart skip a beat.
“Commander.”
Huo Feng looked at Lei Zhenshan, his voice calm but firm.
“Su Man just came out of the mountains, and her health hasn’t fully recovered yet. Could saving someone wait a few days?”
“And if she goes to Beijing, she’ll inevitably get caught up in certain conflicts. I don’t want her or the children taking that risk.”
Lei Zhenshan was stunned for a moment, then gave a bitter smile.
“That’s true. I was too impatient.”
“The situation with the Huo family… is indeed complicated.”
There seemed to be another meaning behind his words, but he did not elaborate.
“How about this.”
Lei Zhenshan pulled a black token with no markings from inside his clothes and handed it to Su Man.
“This is my personal token. If you run into any trouble at the border that you can’t resolve, show them this token. It will be the same as having me there in person.”
“As for Beijing… I’ll help buy you some time for now. But you need to be mentally prepared.”
“That person’s time is running out.”
Su Man accepted the token.
It was cold and heavy in her hand.
She glanced at Huo Feng beside her, then suddenly curled her lips into a playful smile.
“Sure.”
She tossed the token into the air and caught it neatly.
“Since the Commander is being so generous, I’ll reluctantly consider it.”
“But…”
Her tone suddenly changed, her eyes turning sharp.
“If anyone dares bully my man or my children, don’t blame me if I tear a hole in the heavens.”
Lei Zhenshan burst into hearty laughter.
“Don’t worry! On this territory, anyone who dares touch the Wolf Head’s people—I’ll be the first to shoot them!”
The military jeep drove away in a cloud of dust.
Only the family of four remained in the family compound.
The setting sun stretched their shadows long across the ground, intertwining them together in a strangely warm and peaceful scene.
However—
At that very moment.
Huo Xiaoxie, who had remained silent the entire time, suddenly lifted his head and looked toward the distant jungle.
The golden krait around his neck also abruptly raised the upper half of its body, hissing a warning.
“What is it?”
Huo Feng immediately sensed something unusual about his son.
Huo Xiaoxie pushed up a pair of nonexistent glasses, a solemn expression appearing on his little face that was far beyond his years.
“Someone’s there.”
He pointed toward the dense forest in the southeast.
“There is killing intent over there.”
“And… it’s aimed at Mom.”
Su Man’s eyes sharpened.
The lazy aura surrounding her vanished instantly, replaced by a dangerous presence like that of a mother leopard protecting her cubs.
“Looks like someone doesn’t want me taking the ‘dowry’ from these Ten-Thousand Mountains after all.”