Old Li should have five more years to live.
Xu Zhengyang breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that he was still alive! If he had died now, things would have been in big trouble.
Xu Zhengyang was relying on him, on this powerful figure who had temporarily reached a tacit understanding with him and maintained a balance, so that he could travel the world as a deity with equanimity. Otherwise, the old man's death would inevitably raise suspicions about Xu Zhengyang, who had just met with him.
Good heavens, Xu Zhengyang can't afford to mess with Old Li's formidable sons and grandsons!
However, just as Xu Zhengyang caught his breath and was about to leave the underworld and return to the human world, the Book of Life and Death suddenly flashed with black light and then displayed: Li Haidong has repeatedly pondered the divine heart, blasphemed the divine power, and been arrogant and unruly, thus losing five years of his lifespan; however, in his life, he was of a firm and unyielding character and was very popular with the people, so he can be exempted from punishment after death and reincarnated as a person of great virtue, or the King of Hell may decide whether to appoint him to a divine position in the underworld.
Xu Zhengyang was stunned. This artifact is truly amazing! How did it know about things in the mortal world in such a short time?
Without time to think about these things, Xu Zhengyang quickly asked, "Could you extend his lifespan?"
The Book of Life and Death replied: "A written order from Yama, the King of Hell, is required."
Xu Zhengyang cursed: Go to hell!
Immediately, his consciousness stirred, and he returned to the mortal world in an instant. Xu Zhengyang sat up, panting, and muttered to himself, "Grandpa, do you think it was worth it? Why did you have to make things difficult for me..."
But since the Book of Life and Death has lost its divine power and spirituality, what controls a person's lifespan? How could it be so precise that the old man is about to die at this moment?
Xu Zhengyang couldn't help but summon the city scroll, staring blankly at it: "Is it you, you son of a bitch?"
Volume 4, City God Chapter 208: What is there to fear?
On the tenth day of the first lunar month, a heavy snow fell.
The streets, trees, and houses in the village were covered with a thick layer of snow, white and glistening, like piles of cotton bales.
In the evening, Xu Zhengyang sat on the sofa in the outer room of the west bedroom, calmly holding a cup of hot tea and sipping it gently, showing no sign of anything unusual.
The construction team started work on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, and Xu Neng took his men to the provincial capital. Jinghui Logistics Company officially opened for business on the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, so Chen Chaojiang went to Beijing at Xu Zhengyang's urging. Chen Chaojiang is now in charge of some of the work there because the company is expanding its network of operating outlets this year, and Wu Juan will have even more to do. As for her younger sister Xu Rouyue, she enrolled in a tutoring class and will start school today, so she went to Beijing with Chen Chaojiang on the eighth day of the Lunar New Year.
Everyone is very busy...
Yuan Suqin had intended to go over and chat with her son to cheer him up, but seeing him sitting quietly on the sofa, lost in thought, she suddenly felt a pang of loneliness and sadness in him. However, considering his current success and the many things he must be thinking about and worrying about, she hesitated. Instead of disturbing him, Yuan Suqin turned and went back to the main room to do the housework and prepare dinner.
No one knew that during these few days of the first month of the lunar calendar, several ghost messengers were scattered at various intersections, centered around Shuanghe Village, acting cautiously; and no one knew that at night, countless ghosts would gather in Shuanghe Village, guarding Xu Zhengyang's house.
In just a few days, Xu Zhengyang has been promoted to the rank of Ghost Messenger, and the quota for Ghost Messenger in the Fuhe City God's Palace is now full, with thirty positions available.
For no other reason than to prevent problems before they arise.
There was still no news from Li Bingjie, but Xu Zhengyang knew that the old man didn't have many days left to live...
Strictly speaking, unless a large army is pressing in and attacks Xu Zhengyang's home with overwhelming force, or unless he is attacked from afar with artillery shells, Xu Zhengyang is truly fearless within the territory of Fuhe City.
The ten soldiers in a unit, with their iron-blooded aura, can naturally prevent ghost messengers from possessing and stealing souls. However, this is only because the ghost messengers do not have the City God's warrant. If the ghost messengers have the City God's warrant and are empowered by the City God's unparalleled divine power, then possessing and stealing souls is no problem.
Of course, this only applies to the area under the jurisdiction of the Fu River.
Moreover, there are too few ghost messengers.
Enough said. A company of soldiers couldn't really do anything to Xu Zhengyang, because before they even got close, Xu Zhengyang could make them kill each other. Once this terrifying scene appeared, it would be more shocking than any other method. But what if there were more?
Hmm, I'm worrying unnecessarily.
Xu Zhengyang believed that the old man was also worried about what he was worried about. He dared not provoke a god, a god whose power and authority were unknown.
Just then, the phone rang.
Xu Zhengyang quickly picked up his phone from the coffee table, and without even glancing at the caller ID, pressed the answer button and held it to his ear:
"Hello, this is Xu Zhengyang!"
There was a slight pause on the other end, clearly not expecting Xu Zhengyang to answer so quickly, before he said, "Zhengyang, come to Beijing. Grandpa wants to see you."
It is Li Chengzhong.
Without the slightest hesitation, Xu Zhengyang replied, "Okay, tell me the address."
Li Chengzong recounted the address.
"How has Bingjie been these past few days?" Xu Zhengyang asked.
"Um."
"I'll go right away."
"good."
He hung up. Xu Zhengyang took a deep breath, got up and walked outside. At the same time, he mentally commanded the ghost messengers Su Peng and Wang Yonggan to follow him closely.
Beijing!
That's not Fuhe City, not Xu Zhengyang's territory!
Once outside Fuhe City, Xu Zhengyang's supernatural abilities will be greatly diminished. Although he can sense other people's thoughts and communicate with them through thought, he cannot control other people's minds, command more ghosts, or have thirty ghost messengers at his beck and call; he will only have two ghost messengers by his side.
If any unexpected situation occurs, Xu Zhengyang will be in extreme danger.
But Xu Zhengyang had to go, he had no choice but to go!
He needed to go out of courtesy, and from another perspective, he had to go!
If he didn't go, he would be showing weakness! Only by going could he truly intimidate the old man and display unparalleled confidence, making the old man even more fearful of just how powerful Xu Zhengyang really was.
Is this a high-stakes gamble?
Yes and no!
Imagine Xu Zhengyang's departure is just like when he confidently and fearlessly stepped into that courtyard alone, engaging in a confrontational conversation with the old man, even with a hint of threat. From the old man's perspective, who was already fearful, seeing Xu Zhengyang rushing to the capital without any worries or concerns, the old man would probably feel more apprehensive than comforted, thinking that Xu Zhengyang was indeed a loyal and righteous young man.
The old man should know. Xu Zhengyang isn't a fool; how could he not have imagined how dangerous this trip to the capital would be?
But he still went, and went without hesitation!
So what would the old man think? A person who has no fear of the capital region, a god, how powerful is he? To say he is reckless and impulsive? Xu Zhengyang has never shown any recklessness. On the contrary, he is more often calm, confident, and unhurried. To say he is stupid? That would be a joke. At such a young age, he is intelligent and wise, often acting and speaking as if he knows people's hearts.
If his abilities have become so great that he can act with impunity in the capital...
This is absolutely terrifying!
What kind of people lived in the capital?
Who dares to gamble with the gods?
This time, Xu Zhengyang had no chance to investigate the old man's thoughts and intentions, relying entirely on his unparalleled confidence!
Why should a god, the only god in the world, be afraid to do anything?
joke!
...
Xu Zhengyang skipped dinner, told his mother he was going to Beijing because there was an urgent matter at the branch office that required his attention, and then, amidst his mother's slightly worried and concerned words, drove out of the house, crunching through the thick snow, slowly heading out of the village.
This is a very frustrating weather condition.
Heavy snow fell in all three cities in southern Hedong Province, closing the Jingming Expressway. Fuhe City, located at the border of Hedong and Shannan Provinces, saw most vehicles congested on the national highway below. Combined with the poor road conditions after the snowfall, traffic was extremely inconvenient. Fortunately, Xu Zhengyang was familiar with all the roads and terrain within Fuhe City, so he drove around on back roads, county highways, and rural paths, finally escaping the most congested section of road within Fuhe City.
Even so, by the time Xu Zhengyang had driven through two cities and finally onto the highway, it was already 9:30 p.m.
The white Audi A4 accelerated to over 150 km/h, like a white brocade fish swimming freely in a great river.
Xu Zhengyang dared not drive any faster; no matter how urgent the matter was, nothing was more important than his life.
Racing is not his forte.
Upon arriving in Beijing, Xu Zhengyang was unfamiliar with the roads, so he quickly got out of the car, found a taxi, told the driver where he wanted to go, and the driver took him to the General Hospital of the Army.
After finally arriving at the hospital, Xu Zhengyang checked the time; it was already past 1:30 a.m.
Outside the hospital gate, Li Chengzong stood tall and straight like a pine tree in the biting cold wind, quietly waiting for Xu Zhengyang's arrival.
The two didn't say much upon meeting; Xu Zhengyang simply explained that he was a little late due to road conditions.
Driving into the hospital, Xu Zhengyang and Li Chengzong walked into the cardiology building together.
There wasn't the tense situation I'd imagined, with guards every three or five steps. There were just a few bodyguards in black suits standing guard in the fourth-floor intensive care unit area, strictly monitoring that section of the corridor to ensure no outsiders approached the wards. As Xu Zhengyang walked past them with Li Chengzong, the men only glanced at him briefly. They all lived in the courtyard house in Fuhe City and naturally recognized Xu Zhengyang.
The hallway was very quiet, so quiet that it seemed everyone's heartbeats had stopped.
Just as he reached the ward door, it opened silently, and the tall Li Ruiyu walked out with a stern expression. Upon seeing Xu Zhengyang, a cold glint flashed in Li Ruiyu's usually composed eyes. Xu Zhengyang calmly greeted him, "Uncle."
Li Ruiyu looked at Xu Zhengyang for a while, then ignored him and said to Li Chengzong, "You go in with him."
"Yes," Li Chengzong replied softly.
Li Chengzhong stepped into the room opposite.
Inside the ward, there was a small outer room that didn't feel like a hospital; it was more like a small home. Li Bingjie sat quietly on the sofa in the corner. Her eyes were red and swollen, and her beautiful face looked haggard, which was heartbreaking.
Hearing voices, Li Bingjie looked up. When she saw Xu Zhengyang, she was slightly dazed, but then hope shone in her star-like eyes. She got up and walked over. Xu Zhengyang had already followed Li Chengzong into the house. He reached out and grasped Li Bingjie's outstretched hands, and whispered, "Bingjie."
"Zhengyang..."
Xu Zhengyang didn't let Li Bingjie continue, but patted her small hand and said gently, "Don't worry."
Li Bingjie pursed her lips and nodded, two clear tears welling up in her eyes again.
Xu Zhengyang knew that Li Bingjie definitely hoped he could use his great supernatural powers to cure the old man's illness. However… the old man's lifespan had ended, and even if Xu Zhengyang had the will and the ability, he couldn't extend the old man's lifespan. Firstly, as a judge of the underworld, he couldn't arbitrarily tamper with the Book of Life and Death; secondly, as the City God of the human world, he could defy the laws of heaven and extend the lifespan of others into the old man's body, but that would bring almost irresistible divine retribution, and besides, that would be unjust!
A nurse came out of the inner room, whispered something to Li Chengzhong, and then left.
An old man's calm voice came from inside: "Zhengyang, come in."
"Yes," Xu Zhengyang replied softly, then stepped inside.
Li Chengzhong followed closely behind.
Li Bingjie stood still, her eyes filled with expectation and worry.
Soon, Li Chengzong came out, and unbeknownst to others, Su Peng and Wang Yonggan also came out. The old man's voice rang out: "Bingjie, you can go out first."
Li Bingjie wiped away her tears, lowered her head, and slowly walked out.
Despite the presence of various electronic medical devices, the ward still appeared clean, tidy, and neat.
The old man's health did not appear to be as bad as one might imagine on his deathbed, and there were no tubes inserted into him. He seemed to be in good spirits, lying on the hospital bed with a kind expression on his face.
Xu Zhengyang stood by the bed, his expression calm.
Earlier, when Xu Zhengyang stood next to the old man, he first greeted him politely, and then said softly, "Bingjie, you know."
Li Chengzhong, who was following behind, naturally did not understand what those words meant.
But the old man knew.