Mengxi Zi asked cautiously, "Your Excellency, when do you think these end-of-days virus evil spirits will come looking for you?"
To Mengxi Zi, Cheng Xiaofan was a national treasure. If anything were to happen to him, he would truly cry himself to death. A national treasure! Without Cheng Xiaofan, this small nation could face destruction at any moment. How could Mengxi Zi not take this seriously?
Cheng Xiaofan glanced at Mengxi Zi, seeing his worried expression. He couldn't help but chuckle. "Old Meng, do you want to witness firsthand," he said, "how I deal with those two end-of-days virus evil spirits?"
Mengxi Zi nodded vigorously like a pecking chicken. "Yes, yes, Your Excellency, can you give me this opportunity?"
Cheng Xiaofan chuckled. "Of course. When night falls," he said, "bring some people to the state guesthouse! I'll be waiting for those two evil spirits in the large courtyard in front of the guesthouse."
Mengxi Zi asked, confused, "Your Excellency, why do we have to wait until midnight?"
Cheng Xiaofan smiled and replied, "From the residual energy signatures I detected on those two brothers," he explained, "I've realized that the end-of-days virus evil spirits are not suited to appear during the day. Their strongest energy can only be unleashed in the dead of night. If I'm not mistaken, they already have my information. They will definitely come for me at midnight tonight!"
...
At this very moment.
In a cave several miles from the city outskirts.
The two fierce beasts, Luoye and Huimie, were resting on the ground. They had suppressed all their auras, much like animals in hibernation.
"Huimie, I've sensed that kid," Luoye said. "He's the one who ruined our plan at the barbecue shop!"
Huimie responded, "I've sensed him too. This kid's name is Cheng Xiaofan, a divine doctor from Huaxia, revered as Your Excellency by the King of this small nation. He's staying in the presidential suite of the state guesthouse."
Luoye let out a cold laugh, grinding his teeth. "You brat," he hissed, "how dare you oppose us! You'll never see tomorrow's sun again!"
Huimie nodded. "He brought this upon himself!" he said. "Once we eliminate this kid," he continued, "we can proceed with our second plan. Then, using this small nation as the outbreak point, we'll ignite the entire world. From then on, this Earth will be ruled by us, the evil spirits!"
...
Around noon.
Cheng Xiaofan returned to the state guesthouse. He didn't find Xiang Wanli in the presidential suite. He immediately took out his phone and called her.
"Miss Xiang, where have you gone?" Cheng Xiaofan asked. "Why don't I see you?"
On the other end of the line, Xiang Wanli giggled. "Mr. Cheng," she said, "I'm at a clothing mall by the South Gate, buying some clothes to change into. I'll be back soon."
"Ah..."
"Help! Robbery..."
Hearing Xiang Wanli's final scream, Cheng Xiaofan immediately hung up. He leaped out of the sixth-floor window and landed on the ground.
Franlie, who was bringing two beautiful women to deliver lunch, screamed in shock at the sight. Their esteemed guest, jumping off the building! She rushed to the window and looked down, but a patch of green foliage blocked her view.
Franlie, terrified, quickly took out her phone and dialed Mengxi Zi. "Your Majesty, something has happened!" Franlie cried. "Your Excellency jumped off the building!" "He fell from the sixth floor!"
"What?" Mengxi Zi's voice was filled with panic. "How could Your Excellency jump off the building?" "Good heavens!" "What's going on?" "I'm coming right over!"
...
While Franlie was on the phone with Mengxi Zi, Cheng Xiaofan had already transformed into an afterimage, speeding towards the South Gate. The South Gate was over three miles from the state guesthouse. However, to Cheng Xiaofan, it was merely a few steps away. With a flick of his body, he flew like a streak of light. People on the street couldn't even see him.
In the blink of an eye, Cheng Xiaofan appeared on the street by the South Gate. There, he spotted several thugs dragging Xiang Wanli out of a clothing mall and forcing her into a car by the roadside.
"Xiang Wanli!" Cheng Xiaofan shouted and rushed forward. Xiang Wanli hadn't expected Cheng Xiaofan to appear so quickly. She cried out, "Mr. Cheng, save me quickly!"
"Don't move!" a thug pulled out a gun and pressed it against Xiang Wanli's neck. He yelled menacingly, "Kid, don't come any closer! If you take another step," he threatened, "I'll kill her!"
Seeing that Xiang Wanli was unharmed, Cheng Xiaofan breathed a sigh of relief. A smile spread across his face. "Ladies and gentlemen," he said, "release the young lady, and let's talk things through!"
One of the thugs, with a ferocious expression, snarled, "Kid, your name is Cheng Xiaofan, right? We all know you're the big shot in this small nation, even revered as Your Excellency by the King! We kidnapped this beauty, and it's all because of you."
Cheng Xiaofan nodded and smiled slightly. "I know," he said. "Your purpose in kidnapping Xiang Wanli is to get the detoxifying spirit from me." At the same time, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly. He hadn't expected so many people to be after the detoxifying spirits he had refined.
The thugs exchanged glances, surprised. "How did you know?" they asked.
Cheng Xiaofan grinned. "It's simple," he replied. "I could tell from your auras. You know you can't beat me, so you thought of threatening me by kidnapping someone close to me. However—" he chuckled, "—you're all incredibly stupid! Aren't you afraid that the King of your small nation will skin you alive, tear out your tendons, and dismember your bodies?"
Cheng Xiaofan's words made the thugs shiver. One thug, feigning bravado, said, "As soon as we get your detoxifying spirit, we'll run as far as possible. How will the King catch us? Cheng Xiaofan, stop with the empty threats. Hand over the detoxifying spirit quickly! Otherwise, we won't be polite with this beauty!" the thug brandished his gun, yelling.
Cheng Xiaofan completely disregarded their threats. He smiled and said, "Go ahead, try to shoot. Do you still have a gun in your hand?" The thug looked down. The gun in his hand had vanished at some point. The gun he was holding had turned into a stone. "Ah, where's my gun?" the thug exclaimed in shock. "My gun's gone!"
Cheng Xiaofan narrowed his eyes and smiled faintly. "Your gun is right here with me!" he said. He extended his right hand, and in his palm rested the dark handgun.