Chapter 338 – How on Earth Did He Pull That Off?

The sudden voice and overflowing oppressive aura made Xu Xiayan sharply turn her head toward a certain direction.

It led to the underground training ground.

Now, accompanied by powerful footsteps, a tall figure slowly emerged from there.

The source of the oppressive aura was that tall and heroic figure.

The newcomer was none other than Chi Qian.

“You’re Chi Qian?”

Xu Xiayan recognized Chi Qian. Staring at this legendary heroic woman, her face was filled with unprecedented astonishment.

It couldn’t be helped.

According to what she knew, Chi Qian had been disfigured, lost an arm, and was no longer the beautiful and captivating woman who once received countless admirers and popularity.

But looking at Chi Qian now—with flawless beauty, intact limbs, an elegant and graceful figure, and every movement radiating heroic spirit—where was the terrifying disfigurement and disability mentioned in the rumors?

That alone would have been one thing.

This was Tianfeng City, where methods to restore one’s appearance and severed limbs weren’t nonexistent. While Chi Qian’s full recovery was surprising, it wasn’t enough to shock Xu Xiayan this much.

The real reason for Xu Xiayan’s astonishment was the overflowing oppressive aura.

That oppressive aura actually made her, a Six-Star Hunter, feel a slight sense of threat.

What did this mean?

It meant that this once-famous legendary woman, the strong female figure admired by all women in Tianfeng City, possessed strength capable of threatening her.

Threatening her, a Six-Star Hunter hailed as the most likely candidate in Tianfeng City to advance to Seven-Star.

Xu Xiayan’s strength.

“You… broke through…?”

Xu Xiayan was stunned by this realization.

Chi Qian also approached Xu Xiayan, first nodding toward Su Ming before turning her gaze to her.

“Thanks to the Commander, I not only regained a new life and rescued my former companions, but as you can see, I finally achieved a breakthrough and stepped into a new Domain.”

Chi Qian straightforwardly explained this to Xu Xiayan, who looked at Su Ming with extreme surprise.

“Because of you?”

Xu Xiayan seemed somewhat incredulous.

“What? Is that so hard to believe?”

Su Ming couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

“Captain Xu, don’t underestimate our Commander.” Chi Qian also smiled lightly and said, “His capabilities far exceed what you imagine.”

Hearing this, Xu Xiayan gave Su Ming a meaningful glance, then looked at Chi Qian before smiling in response.

“My niece told me the same thing. Originally, I didn’t believe it, but now it seems this young man indeed has some remarkable methods I wasn’t aware of.” While smiling suggestively, Xu Xiayan said to Chi Qian, “So, Commander Chi, is it out of gratitude and wanting to repay favors that you brought your former companions to join this young man’s team, whom I brought from our hometown?”

Xu Xiayan’s words contained both probing and subtle pressure.

The probing was to ascertain Chi Qian’s motives—whether she truly chose to follow Su Ming out of gratitude and a desire to repay favors.

The pressure was also directed at Chi Qian, subtly informing her that Su Ming and Xu Xiayan were fellow townspeople, coming from the same place, and that she was watching over him—meaning he wasn’t someone to be easily bullied or exploited.

The underlying meanings in these words were naturally understood by Chi Qian.She, too, had once served as a team commander for two years, and throughout the first half of her life, she had constantly struggled under various pressures and challenges—it was impossible for her not to have experienced deceit and intrigue.

Thus, Chi Qian could see that Xu Xiayan’s remarks were all made for Su Ming’s sake.

This made Chi Qian murmur to herself inwardly.

“I never imagined that the Commander and Xu Xiayan of the Wang Family had such a deep connection.”

Thinking this, she glanced subtly at Su Ming.

Noticing her look, Su Ming gave an almost imperceptible nod, as if agreeing that she could reveal some information.

Understanding his intent, Chi Qian immediately nodded toward Xu Xiayan as well.

“The Commander has shown me the grace of rebirth,” Chi Qian stated with utmost frankness. “Captain Xu need not worry that I would ever act against him. I might as well tell you—I’ve signed a lifelong service contract with the Commander. I will serve him faithfully for the rest of my days, so you can rest assured, Captain Xu.”

Her words prompted Xu Xiayan to glance at Su Ming.

“That’s what she says, you know?”

Xu Xiayan wore a faint, teasing smile.

Su Ming immediately covered his face in exasperation.

“Who asked you to say that?”

Anyone unaware of the context might think he had leveraged a favor to pressure Chi Qian into signing what amounted to a servitude contract.

To be fair, this was a promise Chi Qian had made from the very beginning.

Though it was precisely this commitment that had motivated him to help her back then, he hadn’t demanded it.

Now, hearing it voiced aloud gave the impression he had coerced her into servitude?

How absurd.

Fortunately, Su Ming had already explained this matter to Xu Xiayan previously, so she likely wouldn’t misunderstand.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the end of it.

“It’s not just Sister Qianqian—we’ve all signed unconditional service contracts with the Commander too!”

Well, not entirely unconditional, but by now the conditions were practically fulfilled, so it made little difference.

“I… I also signed a contract pledging half my life in service, sob…”

Following these voices, the other young women in the villa made their elegant entrance one after another.

Mu Yan, Feng Qing’er, and Tong Xinyao emerged from the direction of the underground training ground—each striking in her own way: one coldly beautiful, another youthful and lively, the last innocent and adorable. Xu Xiayan, taken aback, felt almost dazzled by the sight.

It wasn’t that Summer Chasing Smoke lacked attractive and captivating female Professionals, but few could match the distinct personalities and striking presence of women like Chi Qian, Mu Yan, Feng Qing’er, and Tong Xinyao—each remarkable in her own right.

Shifting her gaze to these young women, Xu Xiayan couldn’t help but marvel inwardly.

She had, after all, gathered intelligence on these female Professionals of Crimson.

Yet precisely because she had, seeing them in person now left her astonished.

Not only were these girls each lovely and charming with exceptional temperaments, but their innate talent and strength alone were enough to capture Xu Xiayan’s attention.

Mu Yan, formerly an Upper-Rank Professional of Crimson, Chi Qian’s right-hand woman in the past, had vanished a year ago without further news. The last intelligence before her disappearance indicated she was a Four-Star Peak Hunter—once the second most powerful expert in Crimson, right after Chi Qian.Feng Qing’er, a former Upper-Rank Professional of “Crimson,” possessed slightly inferior strength compared to Mu Yan but still held mid-Four-Star tier power. Being several years younger than Mu Yan, her potential alone surpassed Mu Yan’s, and her status within the original “Crimson” was no less than Mu Yan’s.

As for Tong Xinyao, she was a renowned Genius across all of Tianfeng City—a rare Spirit Bearer in the world. At just thirteen years old a year ago, she already possessed Three-Star Professional strength. In terms of potential, she far surpassed even Xu Xiayan herself, receiving high regard from the Sorcerer Guild and being hailed by the industry as a future supernova—a gifted girl with the potential to surpass history and become the youngest Upper-Rank Professional in recorded history.

Within the former “Crimson,” the most famous was undoubtedly Chi Qian, acclaimed as the female legend, followed closely by the unparalleled Genius Tong Xinyao. Some even called her a child prodigy, causing quite a stir in Tianfeng City at one point.

In the past, Xu Xiayan had extended an olive branch to Tong Xinyao, intending to recruit her into her own team and offering numerous promises and benefits.

Unfortunately, Tong Xinyao ultimately chose Chi Qian and the emerging team “Crimson,” leaving Xu Xiayan regretful and sorrowful for a long time.

Yet now, this very prodigy she had coveted had joined the team of the junior she brought along, and appeared to have significantly improved in strength.

With a slight sensing, Xu Xiayan was astonished—these girls’ strengths had all deviated from the last recorded information from a year ago.

Mu Yan, who should have been at the Four-Star Peak, was now a Five-Star Hunter.

Feng Qing’er, who should have been at mid-Four-Star tier, had reached Four-Star Peak.

Even Tong Xinyao had successfully touched the limit of lower-rank Professionals, stepping into the Three-Star Peak level. One more step would bring her into the Domain of Upper-Rank Professionals—the superhuman Realm.

“You’ve been leaving false information at the Professional Center,” Xu Xiayan didn’t know what expression to make anymore.

According to the team information “Azure Mercury” left at the Professional Center, the strength Realms these girls registered just a few days ago were not what they displayed now.

In response, Feng Qing’er blinked and said rather mischievously, “We didn’t intentionally leave false information—we just made progress recently!”

This was the truth.

But whether Xu Xiayan believed it was another matter entirely.

They registered their information just a few days ago, and now, after merely a few days, two had achieved Breakthroughs and advanced, while two others touched their Peaks, just one step away from Breakthroughs?

Who were they trying to fool?

Assuming Feng Qing’er was being deliberately playful, Xu Xiayan smiled radiantly at everyone.

“I’ve long heard of your renowned names, but as the saying goes, seeing is believing. Meeting you all in person like this, I understand that rumors are ultimately just rumors—you’re all far more outstanding and beautiful than what the rumors suggested.”

As she spoke, Xu Xiayan glanced at Su Ming beside her, her eyes sparkling with unusual brilliance.

“I was originally worried about whether you could manage your team properly or if there were hidden reasons for forming this team. But now it seems I was unnecessarily anxious.”

After seeing Chi Qian and the others with her own eyes like this, Xu Xiayan immediately understood—these exceptional women genuinely respected Su Ming from the bottom of their hearts and were wholeheartedly serving under him.The contract they had signed with Su Ming appeared to be of the highest binding type, seemingly pledging unconditional loyalty from the start, leaving no worry about maintaining control.

Xu Xiayan could even discern that the younger ones, Feng Qing’er and Tong Xinyao, already looked at Su Ming with admiration and longing in their eyes.

Even Chi Qian and Mu Yan regarded him with complete trust and respect, far from the dire situation she had imagined.

This filled Xu Xiayan with both envy and bewilderment.

“How on earth did he manage it?”

Staring fixedly at Su Ming, Xu Xiayan gradually drifted into a daze.

(End of Chapter)