Fiona Tang noticed Shawn Young's movements and quickly asked, "Shawn, where are we going now?"
"Fiona, I've found a way. I'm taking you for treatment right now—" Shawn Young replied.
"Ah! Really? You mean—my, my condition can be treated?!" Fiona Tang asked, her voice a mix of surprise and delight.
"Mm-hmm, absolutely! You're my girl, Fiona, so of course I won't just leave you hanging!" Shawn Young said, planting a kiss on her soft, pretty cheek.
"Ugh, you big rascal! You never miss a chance to take advantage of me, do you?" Fiona Tang pouted and playfully punched Shawn Young's chest, her heart secretly filled with sweetness.
"Hehe, that's because my Fiona is just too gorgeous—I can't help myself!" Shawn Young shamelessly grinned, carrying Fiona Tang all the way outside the front door.
As soon as they stepped outside, they saw hundreds of people crowding the road in front of the main gate. It was already late at night, the moon bright and stars sparse, but the area was lit up brilliantly. Max and several other mercenaries stood obediently with the armed men of Raveneye Mountain, empty-handed, outside the gate. On the tall watchtowers nearby, several blinding military searchlights were focused on them.
Vincent Xiao and Colonel Hank Han had already regrouped. Ten Dragonsquad Special Operations Team members and three Dragonblade Unit operatives, all armed, took up positions outside the gate, keeping watch over the disarmed Raveneye Mountain fighters. Colonel Hank and Vincent Xiao stood together, and at their feet lay a stretcher with the corpse of a man in tattered camouflage. Vincent Xiao stood beside it, eyes red, his face full of sorrow.
Shawn Young hurried over, glanced at the charred corpse, and asked, "Deputy Squad Leader Xiao, what's wrong?"
Vincent Xiao said sadly, "Sigh—this fallen brother was Morgan Mo, one of the elite warriors of the Dragonblade Unit! I never thought he'd die at Gerhard's hands!"
"Uh—Little Mo, he... he was trying to cover for me—that's why Gerhard's darkforce hit him—if he hadn't shielded me, I... I probably would've died too!" Fiona Tang, in Shawn Young's arms, was overcome with sorrow and tears welled up in her eyes. The rush of emotion triggered another fit of coughing.
"Hey, Fiona, don't get too worked up. That darkforce can spread, and that's really bad for your condition. I bet our fallen brother wouldn't want you like this. Once I heal you, we'll give him a proper farewell!" Shawn Young quickly patted Fiona Tang's back, trying to comfort her.
Hearing Shawn Young's words, Fiona Tang nodded, fighting back her sadness as she snuggled into his arms. Shawn turned to Vincent Xiao and said, "My condolences, Deputy Squad Leader Xiao. Gerhard's body is yours to handle! I need to focus on treating Fiona first!"
"Mm-hmm—thanks, brother!" Vincent Xiao knew Shawn Young was letting the Dragonblade Unit take credit for the victory, so they could report Gerhard's body to their superiors and uphold the unit's reputation.
"By the way, Colonel Hank, where's Jade Swann?" Shawn Young didn't see Jade Swann and quickly asked Colonel Hank Han.
"Oh, Max said the road up the mountain is covered with landmines, so for safety, she's gone down to meet your people! Haha—bro, you're really something! You've got your whole crew together. You could practically be the king of this place, living wild and free! Way cooler than us!" Colonel Hank Han raised his eyebrows and gave Shawn Young a thumbs-up.
"Uh—Colonel Hank, you're too kind! Even I didn't expect things to turn out like this—" Shawn Young replied quickly.
"Haha—this is great! When I retire, I'll come join you and help you rule the place!" Colonel Hank Han said excitedly.
Just then, Max spotted Shawn Young and shouted, "Boss, we've gathered everyone and are waiting for your next orders!"
Shawn Young paused, then quickly carried Fiona Tang over and said to Max, "Okay, once my people get up the mountain, they'll take over and organize things. Right now, I need to find some herbs to treat my woman. Do you know where I can get Vine Dragon Gall and mugwort around here? Also, is there a geothermal hot spring nearby?"
Max was taken aback, thought for a moment, and replied, "Uh—there's a really nice natural geothermal hot spring on the back mountain next to Nick's Palace on Raveneye Mountain. That place is off-limits because it's Nick's favorite spot for bathing. But I have no idea what those herbs—Vine Dragon Gall and mugwort—are!"
"Uh—" Shawn Young realized Max was Italian and couldn't be expected to recognize Chinese medicinal herbs. Just as he was fretting, a surrendered fighter nearby suddenly chimed in, "Boss, there's lots of Vine Dragon Gall and mugwort on the back mountain of Raveneye Mountain. We even use the hot water there to bathe!"
"Oh!? Great, go fetch some for me right now—there's a big reward in it for you!" Shawn Young's eyes lit up.
"Sure! I'll go right away—" The surrendered fighter dashed off toward the camp's rear. A few minutes later, he returned with bunches of herbs, their fragrance unmistakable. They were the subtropical Vine Dragon Gall and the so-called 'Ultimate Yang Grass' mugwort!
"Excellent! Once the team regroups, you'll be promoted to squad leader!" Shawn Young said happily as he took the big bundle of herbs.
"Thank you, thank you, boss! I'll do my best!" The guy was ecstatic, while the others looked at him with envy—they never expected a bunch of common herbs could land him such a cushy job with Shawn Young.
This chapter isn't over yet ^.^, please click next page to continue reading!
Shawn Young ignored all that. His top priority now was treating Fiona Tang's darkforce. With everything ready, he was set to get started. He turned to Max and said, "Alright, I'm off to work. When my people arrive, just hand things over to them! By the way, how do I get to the geothermal hot spring?"
"Got it, boss! Just follow that little path over there—it leads straight to the geothermal hot spring!" Max replied, pointing as Shawn Young looked over and saw a stone-paved trail winding off behind the palace.
With Fiona Tang in his arms, Shawn Young headed down the stone path. The trail wasn't dark at all—both sides were lined with vintage, brightly glowing orange lamps. After a long walk, he reached a winding corridor surrounded by gleaming mountain walls. Warning signs in Chinese, Burmese, and English read 'No Entry Without Permission.' At the end of the corridor, there was a round stone gate, ringed by jagged rocks. Behind those rocks came the sound of bubbling water and clouds of warm mist, the air thick with steamy vapor. Under the orange lights, everything was shrouded in a dreamy haze, making the scene all the more mysterious and beautiful.
"Wow—Nick really knows how to live!" Shawn Young couldn't help but praise as he stepped through the stone gate. Inside, a small stone bridge crossed a landscape of fake mountains and giant rocks, and a wave of hot, humid air hit him. Beyond the bridge lay a natural geothermal hot spring, its water clear and steaming. The rising mist caressed his face, leaving him feeling wonderfully comfortable.
"Whoa—what a hot spring in the mountains! This is a fantastic spot!" Shawn Young couldn't help but marvel again. He realized Raveneye Mountain was a true feng shui treasure, with such an amazing geothermal hot spring—it was practically a resort.