Chapter 1592 - 290

"Buddy, are you sure you don't need to go to the hospital?"

"No need."

"If you're short on cash, I can cover it."

"No need."

"I think it's better to get checked at the hospital, you look terrifying like this."

"No need."

"Well, how do you hear me with your ears plugged?"

"No need."

"..."

Zhao Yi leaned against the passenger seat, thick cotton balls stuffed in his nose and ears, holding a white towel and occasionally wiping the blood that seeped from his eyes.

In front of him sat a large tea mug, used to catch the occasional mouthful of blood he coughed up, and now the mug was nearly full, swaying with the movement of the truck, making a sloshing sound.

This scene made Zhang Xinhai, who was driving, twitch at the corners of his mouth.

Crawling out of a tomb, Zhao Yi was in a terrible state, coincidentally running into a guy he had shared a boxed meal with at a rest stop when he first came.

The guy had come out with the factory driver to deliver springs, having finished one trip he was on his second, and seeing the familiar truck parked by the road, he had the driver stop and went looking, actually finding Zhao Yi crawling towards the truck, covered in blood.

Zhao Yi refused to be taken to the hospital but asked him to help drive the truck away since the truck belonged to Yongzi.

The guy had the driver continue delivering goods while he drove the truck with Zhao Yi in it.

"Turn into that town ahead."

"Okay, why not visit the town clinic?"

"You're really annoying."

After exiting the provincial road, Zhao Yi didn't head deep into the town but drove along a small path on the town's edge.

Seeing the makeshift tent on the slope, Zhao Yi gestured to stop, ready to get off.

"I'll help you out."

"No need, you'll have nightmares."

"Uh..."

Zhao Yi stumbled off the truck, staggered to the tent entrance.

Liang Li was preparing medicine, and upon seeing Zhao Yi, showed surprise.

"Boss~"

"Lili~"

Liang Li was at a loss after this response, despite her being the one who initiated it.

Zhao Yi bypassed her, entering the tent where Liang Yan stood beside Yin Meng and Run Sheng, lying sideways, impaled by a black wooden stick.

"The truck's outside, load them up."

Sitting in the truck's driver seat, Zhang Xinhai had just lit a cigarette, leisurely blowing smoke rings while enjoying the mountain scenery.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw two women, bodies covered in injuries, hair partly white—hard to tell if young or old—carrying a stick with a man and woman impaled on it.

The cigarette dropped from his fingers, and he swallowed the remaining puff directly back.

Back home during New Year's they'd carry pigs like this, but that was just tying it by the legs upside down, never seeing anyone impale the pig with a stick.

Liang Sisters loaded Yin Meng and Run Sheng into the truck's rear compartment; Zhao Yi climbed back into the front passenger seat.

"Let's go, to Fengdu."

"Oh, okay."

With trembling hands, Zhang Xinhai started the truck again, constantly glancing at Zhao Yi while backing up.

"Buddy, don't look at me, watch the rearview mirror."

"Oh, okay."

The truck returned to the provincial road.

Zhang Xinhai wasn't sure how he managed to drive the whole way, but he finally reached the destination.

After parking, he pulled out the keys and handed them to Zhao Yi, not rushing to get off the truck. Instead, he buried his head in the steering wheel, too scared to watch the unloading.

Zhao Yi chuckled, waited for the Liang Sisters to unload, then patted Zhang Xinhai's shoulder:

"Alright, it's over."

"What... are you doing here?"

"Because the Ghost Gate is here."

"..."

"How are you getting back?"

"Plenty of ways to get back, I'll manage!"

Zhao Yi pretended to reach for money in his empty pocket.

"No, no, don't bring that up, don't bring that up!"

With that, Zhang Xinhai got off the truck and took off without looking back.

Tan Wenbin appeared by the truck, saying, "Arrangements have been made for them."

Zhao Yi: "What about Li?"

"Brother Xiao Yuan and Ah You went to the car accident, haven't returned yet."

"Watching a car accident? Li really knows how to enjoy life."

"I'll page Brother Xiao Yuan, tell him you're back."

"No need, we're fine, don't delay Li from catching Langhua leads."

"Alright, you're the auxiliary captain, I'll follow your lead."

"Heh."

With Tan Wenbin's help, Zhao Yi got off the truck.

"I'll arrange a room for you, stay for now."

"No hassle, just stay at Li's place, wait for him."

"Okay."

Once in the room, Zhao Yi took a shower, washed off the blood and dirt, took out medicine for Tan Wenbin to apply, then leaned back in a chair, eyes half-closed.

Tan Wenbin: "I'll get you some food."

Zhao Yi: "Thanks."

Tan Wenbin left the room, and as he was heading downstairs, he passed Mr. Zhai coming down from the upper floor.

Ordinarily, Tan Wenbin's acute senses would never let such an encounter slip by, but he missed it this time.

Mr. Zhai was carrying two bags, walked to Li Zhiyuan's room doorstep, and opened the door.

Zhao Yi lounged in the chair, legs propped on the bed, humming as he dug at the clotted blood in his ears with a scoop.

Honestly, the crisp sound and sufficient hardness made it more satisfying than digging earwax.

Mr. Zhai's entrance coincided with Zhao Yi's satisfied expression.

Locking eyes, Zhao Yi felt a jolt:

"Uh-oh, washed too early!"

The marks and blood he shed fighting for the Great Emperor had just been scrubbed away by himself!