Inside the abandoned factory in the western suburbs, a dozen burly men sat together, drinking, eating meat, and making a loud uproar that echoed through the empty space. They laughed and chatted boisterously, well accustomed to handling such dirty work for the Fu Family. Between bites and sips, they bragged about their past "feats," completely devoid of any sense of wrongdoing.
Not far away in a corner, a little girl in tattered clothes sobbed in terror, her small body curled into a ball. Her face was streaked with tears as she chanted repeatedly, "Mommy, where are you? Beibei is so scared." Her voice was faint, trembling, and heavy with helplessness and fear. Her hair was messy, and her clothes were stained with dust, a pitiful sight that would break anyone's heart.
Hearing the soft sobbing, one of the burly men frowned. His face was covered in fierce scars, and his eyes glinted with malice. Already feeling irritable and fueled by alcohol, his temper flared. He stood up and strode toward Su Beibei.
Seeing the man approach, Su Beibei's terror intensified. She instinctively shrank back, trying to find a place to hide, but trapped in the corner, there was nowhere to run. Her tiny hands gripped the hem of her clothes tightly, her body shaking uncontrollably.
The man walked right up to Su Beibei and, without a word, delivered a hard slap across her face. A bright red handprint instantly bloomed on her cheek. The pain hit her immediately—excruciating for a mere six-year-old girl. She burst into tears, her cries full of grievance and agony.
Her crying only made the man more irritable. He stepped forward and kicked her a few times. Su Beibei rolled across the floor, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. Groaning in pain, she whimpered, "Mister, please don't hit Beibei. Beibei won't cry anymore, I promise..." Her voice was weak and pitiful enough to move anyone to pity.
Another man behind him hurried over and said, "Enough, don't beat her to death! Young Master Fu gave instructions—until Su Wanwan marries him, this little bastard cannot die! If you accidentally kill her and ruin Young Master Fu's plans, watch out, he really will finish you off! Just let the little bastard live two more days. Once Young Master Fu and Su Wanwan are a done deal, she won't be of any use anyway, and Young Master Fu certainly won't let her live; he'll deal with her then. What's the rush?"
The man who had struck her grunted in dissatisfaction and trudged back to the table to resume drinking. Yet his eyes remained vicious, as if any slight provocation would set him off against Su Beibei again.
By now, Su Beibei was on the verge of passing out from the pain. Lying on the floor with a hazy consciousness, she still muttered, "Beibei is not a little bastard. Beibei has a daddy. Mommy said Daddy went to a very, very far place to protect more people. Daddy is a great hero, and he will definitely come back to save Beibei. Beibei hasn't even seen Daddy yet!"
Though soft, the words reached the ears of the men. A few of them burst into mocking laughter, finding the little girl's words utterly ridiculous. They had all heard about how the eldest Miss of the Su Family had gotten pregnant out of wedlock seven years ago, and how Su Wanwan had refused to reveal who the father was from start to finish. In their eyes, Su Wanwan's mystery man was nothing more than some insignificant nobody. They laughed at Su Beibei's naivety, finding her fantasies completely unrealistic.
Yet before their laughter could fade, a deafening crash echoed from the factory gates. A military jeep smashed straight through the doors and barreled inside. The thunderous noise startled everyone in the room, and the men jumped to their feet, staring in panic at the vehicle, wondering who possessed such audacity to charge in here directly.
Qin Yuanfeng stepped out of the jeep, followed closely by Gui Yi. Qin Yuanfeng's eyes burned with fury and murderous intent, radiating an overwhelming aura. Dressed in a black trench coat, his tall, straight figure stood like an immovable mountain. His face was stern, and his gaze was sharp as a sword, making it impossible to meet his eyes. The moment he appeared, the semi-conscious little girl caught sight of him, and a faint smile touched her lips.
"Is Beibei dying?" she murmured. "I actually see Daddy. He looks just like the photo on Mommy's phone! Daddy is so handsome!" With that, she lost consciousness.
Seeing the unconscious little girl in the corner, Qin Yuanfeng flew into a rage. The aura around him exploded, releasing a terrifying wave of power. His fists clenched so tightly they seemed capable of shattering anything. With a single punch, before the dozen Fu Family thugs could even react, they were blasted into fine mists of blood.
Qin Yuanfeng walked slowly toward the unconscious child and scooped her tightly into his arms. Looking at the blood at the corner of her mouth and the swelling on her face, his heart felt as though it were being carved by knives. His eyes brimmed with guilt and rage; he cursed himself for not finding his daughter sooner and letting her suffer so much hardship. The next moment, a mouthful of black blood violently erupted from his lips as his old wounds flared up again.
Suppressing his physical agony, Qin Yuanfeng commanded coldly, "Take my daughter to the nearest hospital immediately. Order the Asura Temple: fifty Ghost Guards are to rush to Nanjiang City within seven days. Tomorrow, accompany me to the Grand Pavilion Hotel to bring back my wife. Seven days from now, I will wash the Fu Family, the top prestigious family in Nanjiang City, in blood. The five Asura Kings are to put aside their current matters and await orders. If the Great Xia Military Department dares to block us, wipe out every single one of Great Xia's outposts on the Outer Realm Battlefield."
Seeing Qin Yuanfeng spit blood, Gui Yi burned with fury. He quickly pulled out his phone, dialed the Asura Temple's dedicated secret communication line, and swiftly transmitted Qin Yuanfeng's orders. Then, he gunned the engine, and Qin Yuanfeng, holding the unconscious Beibei, climbed into the car without delay.
The car sped down the highway. Qin Yuanfeng held Su Beibei tightly, his heart heavy with worry and guilt. Gazing at his daughter's pale little face, he swore a silent oath: seven days from now would mark the annihilation of the Fu Family. He recalled his days on the Outer Realm Battlefield—none of those life-or-death trials had ever made him feel this tense and terrified. But now, for his daughter, he was willing to sacrifice everything.
They arrived at the nearest hospital in no time. Doctors and nurses swarmed forward, wheeling Su Beibei straight into the emergency room. Qin Yuanfeng waited anxiously outside, his mood plummeting. He paced back and forth down the hallway, every step heavy with worry and unease.
Seconds ticked by as Qin Yuanfeng paced. The harrowing image of injured Su Beibei replayed endlessly in his mind, fueling an ever-growing rage. He hated the cruelty of the Fu Family, the ruthlessness of the Su Family, and most of all, himself for failing to protect his daughter and Su Wanwan sooner.
"Who is the child's family member? The child suffered internal bleeding, but after resuscitation, she is now out of danger. Hurry up and go handle her hospital admission formalities!" a nurse called out as she stepped out of the operating room.
Qin Yuanfeng let out a long breath, a massive boulder finally lifting from his heart. He instructed Gui Yi to rush and take care of the admission procedures and payment. To ensure Beibei could rest in peace, Gui Yi specifically arranged the finest private room in the hospital. Though his old internal injuries flared up, Qin Yuanfeng refused to leave his daughter's side, sitting silently by the hospital bed to stand guard.
Early the next morning, Beibei slowly opened her eyes. Looking at the man sitting beside her bed, she asked timidly, "Are you my daddy?"
Hearing his daughter's voice warmed Qin Yuanfeng's heart. Gazing into her innocent eyes, he was overwhelmed with guilt. He gently grasped her tiny hand and said, "Beibei, I am your daddy. Daddy is back, and I will never let you and Mommy suffer again."
Su Beibei stared at Qin Yuanfeng in disbelief. She had seen the sudden appearance of this man countless times on her mother's phone, and she was certain he was the daddy she had yearned for so long. Yet she dared not believe it, fearing it might only be a dream, and that once she woke up, daddy would leave her behind.
"Am I dreaming?" she murmured. "This dream is so wonderful! Beibei doesn't want to wake up at all!"