Time returned to half a day earlier.
Qi Suibai and Gu Jiangyan collided at the airport in City L, Country M.
In their search for Jian Sheng, both of them put aside their previous animosities and revealed their plans.
Gu Jiangyan contacted the bounty hunter guild in Country M and posted a high reward.
Knowing that Lou Jusheng possessed supernatural abilities and had an extraordinary perception of being watched, he specifically requested in the mission parameters that multiple individuals be involved in tracking Jian Sheng.
This way, even if one party encountered problems, others could continue the surveillance.
However, this also caused the required bounty amount to skyrocket.
But in the face of Jian Sheng's safety, these amounts were merely numbers.
Compared to Gu Jiangyan's direct use of money, Qi Suibai utilized his connections and influence in Country M to analyze surveillance footage along Jian Sheng's route and build data models.
Where surveillance was missing, bounty hunters who accepted the job filled in the gaps.
It could be said that from the moment Lou Jusheng and Jian Sheng landed in Country M, their every move was under the observation of the two.
Until Lou Jusheng and Cheng Zhixian, with their keen senses, discovered the Golden Lion's prying eyes.
Things had already spiraled beyond their control.
When Gu Jiangyan learned from White Wolf that Lou Jusheng was driving towards the Golden Lion's hotel, he knew trouble was brewing.
All the manpower they could muster was mobilized, quickly heading to the hotel for support.
When Jian Sheng broke through the window and entered the hotel, Qi Suibai and Gu Jiangyan's deployed personnel had already arrived in time.
Through descriptions from passersby, they learned what had happened.
Gu Jiangyan's feelings were complicated, and he even doubted if this was truly his daughter.
What had happened in the years he was absent?
After Jian Sheng dealt with Cheng Zhixian and healed the Golden Lion, Gu Jiangyan and Qi Suibai had already pacified their subordinates.
Through threats, inducements, and a massive financial offensive, they had everyone present sign non-disclosure agreements.
As for what had already been leaked online and was circulating, they would delete what they could. For what couldn't be erased, no one would truly believe it.
Hearing the long-lost little child's voice from the phone, Gu Jiangyan's face broke into a smile.
"Sheng Sheng, are you in Golden Lion's room now? Dad is downstairs in the hotel, I'll come up to find you."
Jian Sheng held back tears and let out a soft "Mhm."
Then, she found a clean spot on the carpet and sat down obediently to wait.
Golden Lion scratched his golden hair, which was wet with blood and had congealed into clumps, and cautiously leaned closer.
"Are, are you really human?"
He now suspected that the young girl in front of him was a monster wearing human skin, and even her employer who had given him the mission was!
Otherwise, how could a human issue such a heinous mission?!
Jian Sheng tilted her head, revealing a set of crisp, white teeth.
"I am not~"
She was merely an immortal race with extreme similarities to humans, fundamentally different from humans.
Even their forms of existence were vastly different from any creature humans could imagine.
Otherwise, back in the cultivation world, those cultivators wouldn't have studied her for so long without any results.
Although she currently existed in human form, there were still differences from true humans.
What she said was not wrong.
Golden Lion's eyebrows twitched, and his voice trembled.
"Are, are you serious?"
Jian Sheng's small face was serious: "Why would I lie to you?"
Her demeanor did not seem like she was joking at all, and Golden Lion's immediate reaction upon confirmation was:
It's over, it's over! Will I be silenced after they learn the truth?!
Golden Lion's eyes rolled back. The man who hadn't fainted even under Cheng Zhixian's various tortures nearly passed out from fright.
It seemed Gu Jiangyan arrived just in time, rescuing Golden Lion from his predicament.
However, for Golden Lion, who had already deemed Gu Jiangyan's entire family as monsters, he didn't feel any relief.
Gu Jiangyan hurried over and was startled by the dark red bloodstains on the carpet.
Seeing Jian Sheng sitting unharmed in a corner of the carpet, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Jian Sheng, with her back to the door, rested her chin on her hand and stared at the shattered window glass, lost in thought.
Hearing the faint but messy footsteps behind her, she turned around, tilting her head.
Her big, innocent eyes blinked twice, almost mechanically.
She hadn't quite recovered her senses yet.
Gu Jiangyan saw the girl's somewhat blank and vacant eyes, a surge of murderous intent churning beneath the surface, but he concealed it perfectly.
In the end, only profound heartache remained in his eyes.
He cautiously walked over and gently embraced the young girl.
"Sheng Sheng, don't be afraid, Daddy's here."
His strong, broad chest seemed to possess a magical quality, causing Jian Sheng's nerves to completely relax.
Before long, faint snores could be heard from Gu Jiangyan's embrace.
Gu Jiangyan gently picked up the sleeping girl, afraid to disturb her in the slightest.
Golden Lion covered his mouth tightly, trembling, not daring to make a sound.
He was afraid of waking the little monster in the big monster's arms.
However, in the next second, Gu Jiangyan handed the sleeping girl to Qin Wen, who had followed him.
Then he beckoned to Golden Lion.
Golden Lion's face contorted in misery, knowing what his employer wanted to ask.
Could he say that he knew nothing?
He didn't know how the little monster got in, nor how she made the old monster disappear.
Fortunately, the big monster didn't seem to care about his incoherent explanation and only asked him about his experience.
This further solidified Golden Lion's belief in the big monster's identity. Otherwise, how could he explain the big monster's lack of surprise at the little monster's abilities?
However, speaking of which, the employer was truly generous.
Just for asking for information, he had added an additional fifty percent to the original commission.
Golden Lion happily looked at the received balance notification and, in the name of the guild, guaranteed that he would never speak of anything that happened today.
After waving Golden Lion away and ordering all the accompanying personnel to remain on standby, Gu Jiangyan's eyes held a chilling glint.
"Since all our personnel are gathered, how about we go deal with those two culprits from the Xu family first?"
Qi Suibai said nothing, but his cold eyes and the commands being issued already spoke volumes.
Just as they were issuing combat orders to their subordinates.
On the same floor of the hotel.
A young man with silver hair and gray eyes suddenly sniffed the air and looked in Jian Sheng's direction.
The noble-looking man with brown hair and blue eyes sitting opposite him simultaneously raised his head.
The silver-haired man's gray eyes gradually turned ruby-red, filled with a bloodthirsty, excited glow.
"What a delicious scent of blood."
"Do you leave voluntarily, or do we fight first to decide ownership?"
A hint of fear flashed in the brown-haired man's eyes, and he willingly backed down.
"The prey you desire naturally belongs to you."