Disease rights policy

Old Master Xie's eyelids twitched, and the pity in his heart vanished in an instant. He slowly raised his right hand and made a "come in" gesture. The guards opened the cell door and rushed in. The child's cries grew louder, this time screams of terror. At the most innocent age, he died in a small, dark cell.

Crimson blood seeped out and trickled down to Xie Laoshi's feet, wetting the soles of his shoes. He took a step back, turned around, and left the cell.

Xie Laoshi reported to Chen Jiu, "Young Master, all the old people in the Qiao family have been cleared out, and no one will doubt the young lady's identity anymore."

Chen Jiu's expression remained unchanged upon hearing this. "In this way, it's good for her and good for me as well."

Having dealt with these hidden dangers, Chen Jiu felt as if a weight had been lifted from his heart. He slept soundly and had a rare, beautiful dream. In his dream, he saw Qiao Ran walking slowly through the covered walkway with noble ladies from the capital, dressed in gorgeous gowns and adorned with hairpins. Golden cups jingled among the wine glasses, and she smiled as she walked into the courtyard, outshining all the other beauties.

Someone asked, "Whose daughter is that?"

The host said, "The eldest daughter of the Qiao family."

Chen Jiu suddenly woke up, covered in sweat. He was panting heavily and couldn't fall back asleep.

The night wind blew through the windowpanes, leaving a lingering chill in the room. I wonder how cold it is in Snow City right now.

Snow City.

Qiao Ran and his companions needed to inquire about the Moon Fox Relic along the way, so they had to spend money to stay at the largest inn in Snow City—Falling Snow Manor.

The money, of course, came from Qiao Ran's pocket. Throughout the journey, Qiao Ran's pocket was never empty. No one knew exactly who she had bribed, and they felt perfectly justified in spending her money.

Everyone at Tuoyue Pavilion was dressed in black belted robes and fur cloaks. Qiao Ran rubbed her hands together in front of Luoxue Villa, looked up at the signboard covered with layers of ice crystals, and sighed, "Why does it feel colder inside the city than outside?"

"Go inside and have a few sips of hot wine, you'll warm up in no time," Cheng Kaiji said, shoving Qiao Ran from behind. "Let's go inside."

Although the wind and snow inside the city did not rage as freely as outside, it still stung like a knife when it hit people's faces. If it touched an ice crystal, it would instantly leave a bloody mark.

Therefore, every household in the city kept their doors tightly closed to prevent them from being blown open by the strong wind. Several people went up and knocked on the door, and the heavy wooden door slowly opened from the inside.

"Gentlemen, would you like to stay at our inn?"

Wu Yang nodded, and the two waiters inside opened the door together. Qiao Ran and the others saw the scene inside. The originally spacious hall was now full of people. The moment the door opened, their eyes turned to the outside, where most of the people in the martial arts world were sitting.

Qiao Ran and her group stepped inside, and the waiter followed with a smile, "Gentlemen, there's only one table left in the far right corner. Would you mind making do with that?"

"Alright, ten catties of meat and ten catties of wine, serve first." Wu Yang gestured for Qiao Ran to sit in the innermost seat. Qiao Ran took off her cloak, revealing her small and delicate face. Although she was dressed as a man, her beautiful face was still discernible from her delicate features.

Ge Qingqing was quick and efficient, pouring tea into everyone's cups. As she stood up, she quickly glanced around the hall and whispered, "Could all these people have come for the same thing?"

Qiao Ran opened her eyes slightly, not surprised at all; it was something she had expected.

Cheng Kaiji took a sip of tea, raised an eyebrow, and said, "I ran into an old acquaintance. Did everyone see him?"

Pei Chenghu withdrew his surveying gaze and said in a deep voice, "The Eagle Capture Gang."

Everyone sat together in silence for a couple of breaths.

Cheng Kaiji placed his right arm on the table and gently tapped the surface with his index finger. "Qiao Qiao from the Eagle Capture Gang probably doesn't know yet. They're a mercenary group in the underground black market of Sichuan, our mortal enemies. They actually set off before us."

“I see,” Qiao Ran pondered for a moment, then looked up and said, “In that case, the news of the Moon Fox Relic has already spread. I’m afraid everyone here is here to go to the Snow Plains, and they are all enemies.”

Wu Yang: "Let's wait and see. After we finish eating, everyone should go back and rest. Two people per room, with Qiao Qiao in the middle room. If there's any noise, just call out and we'll go in."

There are many enemies at Luoxue Manor right now, and it's not uncommon for fights, murders, and robberies to occur. With Qiao Ran in the middle, they can better protect her.

After a long journey, everyone was tired. After eating and drinking their fill, they decided to go upstairs to rest. The liquor here was noticeably stronger. Qiao Ran only took three or four sips before her face started to burn and her stomach felt hot.

As she climbed the stairs, she felt a sharp gaze fixed on the back of her head, as if it wanted to devour her. When she reached the corner of the stairs, Qiao Ran suddenly turned around and met that gaze. It was Ying Yan, the leader of the Eagle Capture Gang.

His nose was hooked, his eyes were deep-set with dark pupils, his face was long, and his lips were so thin that he looked fierce. His appearance was like that of an eagle. His gaze was still fixed on Qiao Ran with ill intent, making her extremely uncomfortable. Qiao Ran frowned slightly, turned around and continued into the corridor.

Ying Yan curled his lips into a smirk, licked his cracked lips from the icy ground, and let out a sinister laugh.

The person next to him asked with a question, "Boss, when did Tuoyue Pavilion get another person? He's all skinny and looks like a burden."

Yingyan took a big gulp of wine to suppress the raging fire in his heart and said coldly, "The little prostitute kept by Tuoyue Pavilion does have a pretty face that can seduce men."

Upon hearing this, the members of the Eagle Capture Gang immediately showed expressions of drooling. "Boss, shouldn't we bring this over so you can have a taste?"

Yingyan laughed loudly, "I can't wait to see that exquisite figure. Don't worry, after I, the gang leader, take good care of her, the brothers will naturally share in the spoils."

A group of people stared intently at the room Qiao Ran went into, their eyes gleaming.

Qiao Ran quickly washed up and lay down on the bed fully clothed. She didn't even take off her shoes; in a place like this, she had to be vigilant at all times.

Not only was she exhausted from the journey, but Wu Yang also made everyone practice her moves every day. Qiao Ran was in a hurry to deal with it and almost got hit by everyone before she learned to use the Jade Binding Technique. Now her skills are much better than before.

She closed her eyes, crossed her arms, and gradually fell asleep.

Suddenly, a cool breeze rustled past her ears, causing a few strands of hair to tickle her eyelids. Qiao Ran, still in her dream, felt a chill and instantly became conscious. She didn't open her eyes or move, but listened carefully to the sounds around her.

There's someone outside!

She opened her eyes and slowly sat up. There were vague figures moving at the door. She had locked the door from the inside after she came in, so the people outside were lingering. The only window on the side of the house facing the mountain was wide open, and the wind mixed with snow blew in, leaving ice crystals on the floor inside.

Qiao Ran's fingers instantly turned icy cold, and sweat beaded on her temples. She frantically groped around, but couldn't find any usable weapons.

The window could only be opened from the inside, and she checked after coming in to confirm that there were other people in the room.

Qiao Ran moved her lips, about to get up, when two people suddenly jumped out from behind the curtains on both sides of the room, grinning maliciously with yellow teeth, "Little lady, you're awake?"

Qiao Ran suddenly stood up, looking at them coldly, "The dogs of the Eagle Capture Gang!"

This remark offended the two men, who tightened their belts. One of them spat coldly, "You little bitch who's asking for death! It's your good fortune that our gang leader has taken a liking to you."

Another person stepped forward and said, "Take him away."

Before the four claws could reach out, Qiao Ran nimbly dodged, kicked over the table next to her, and shouted, "Commander!"