Blood Queen - Chapter 41

Chapter 41: Longing

***

August 17, Saturday.

Based on the gradually obvious abnormal sensations in their bodies again, Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao learned their lesson this time and requested leave two days in advance, avoiding causing discomfort to some male colleagues in the club.

Last night’s heavy rainfall finally cooled down the high temperatures that had persisted for over two months.

The old-fashioned alleys, usually full of charm, started accumulating water last night, and different degrees of difficulty in going out appeared in front of the courtyard gates of each household.

After breakfast, Jiang Yan took advantage of the rare cool outdoor weather to tend to the flowers, plants, trees, and bonsai in the small courtyard, which hadn’t been cared for in over a month. This elderly-like lifestyle made Jiang Yao secretly criticize.

“Hey, sister, look, it’s Director Jiang, Grandma Jiang is on TV!” Jiang Yao’s excited call came from the living room inside. Jiang Yan quickly took off her soil-covered gloves and walked back to the living room.

On the TV screen, the white-haired elderly Jiang Chunhua was interacting with the host calmly, while occasionally switching to blurred images of some disabled abandoned infants.

“…For every parent forced to abandon a disabled infant, perhaps their pain and helplessness are beyond our comprehension, but for the elderly Director Jiang, these children are all angels descended to earth. They are different, but they are equally treasures of the human world.”

“…Now, for the few babies at the W District Orphanage who urgently need surgery, we welcome people from all walks of life to extend your hands and offer your love. Below, there will be specific introductions to each baby’s condition, as well as dedicated donation accounts. Finally, let us once again wish these little treasures health and happiness.”

On the TV, the beautiful female host of the special interview spoke the emotional closing words. Then, the screen froze on several lines of information, staying for nearly a minute with beautiful music.

“Sister, if Grandma Jiang had no other choice, she wouldn’t have asked the media for help. Last time she donated all of our compensation money without keeping a penny for herself… Why don’t I find Zhong Jing tomorrow and transfer some money to Grandma Jiang? I still have nearly 300,000 in my card now!”

Jiang Yan quickly took a photo of the TV screen with her phone, while Jiang Yao opened her mobile banking app, looking at a row of numbers with a smug smile.

“No, we transferred money once a few days ago. I believe Dark Arrow Unit already knows about our relationship with Grandma Jiang. They probably judged that the anonymous transfer last time was from us. Let’s not give the old lady any more trouble in the future… Or, this time, let’s spread it out. You can transfer to each of these children who need surgery separately.”

Jiang Yan thought for a moment and decided to use a more dispersed method to indirectly reduce Grandma Jiang’s burden and avoid leaving any traces that Dark Arrow Unit could catch.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you, tomorrow is the C City Comic Con. I made plans with Zhong Jing to go together. It’s perfect, I can talk to him about the transfer!”

Seeing that Jiang Yan supported her idea, Jiang Yao quickly pointed at her phone.

“Tomorrow is Sunday, didn’t we agree to volunteer at the orphanage?” Jiang Yan frowned slightly, seeing Jiang Yao making excuses to play again.

“We won’t see Grandma Jiang even if we go on Sunday, and if we go on weekdays, I’m afraid I won’t be able to hold back… give myself away…” Jiang Yao lowered her head, her tone low, “I’m not like you, who can always keep calm… Anyway, it’s enough to know that she’s still doing well…”

Xiao Yao was right, volunteering shouldn’t be forced. Her life, apart from safety, shouldn’t be interfered with too much by me… Thinking of this, Jiang Yan could only nod.

……

……

Noon, Black Armor Squad’s stationed base.

Meng Huai was still continuing to refine the details of Han Xiao’s series of whimsical plans, racing against time.

Unlike Han Xiao’s various subjective or objective reasoning, Meng Huai felt that he didn’t need any evidence, just a premonition that Xia Yan and Gu Yao were definitely in C City. The feasibility of Han Xiao’s plan was very high, after all, he was too familiar with Xia Yan’s personality traits.

Ring ring, the internal dedicated line phone on the desk rang. Meng Huai directly grabbed it with his left hand and put it to his ear, while his right hand was still writing on paper.

“Xiao Meng, it’s me, Zhen Guangquan.”

“Yes, Chief of Staff.”

Meng Huai subconsciously sat up straight, his eyes looking straight ahead, and the pen in his hand stopped.

“I got your physical examination report. You… you thought you could fool us by modifying the paper records? What exactly are you planning?”

On the phone, Zhen Guangquan’s tone was very calm, as if he had long anticipated that his junior would have such a day.

“No plans, it’s just a stage two warning.”

Meng Huai replied calmly, his eyes cold.

“I’ve looked at the comparative values, several things are almost approaching stage three, sigh… You’re not even 30 years old yet. My opinion, and that of other leaders, is the same. We’re giving you two months of leave to go to the Beijing headquarters for recuperation. All the work in your hands will be transferred to Deputy Captain Zhao. The 430 Task Force matters, with Han Xiao and Han Jieli there, won’t be delayed.”

“Chief, I’m fine now, I know my own body.”

Pain appeared in Meng Huai’s eyes, as if Chief of Staff Zhen’s decision was depriving him of the power to personally arrest Xia Yan.

“Hehe, everyone says the same thing at this time. I’ve been through it, how your bodies will be at stage two, wouldn’t I know? It’s just that you haven’t truly experienced it yet!”

Hearing this, Meng Huai unconsciously lowered his wrist and looked at the phone receiver, as if looking into the eyes of the person on the phone: “Chief, after completing this operation, I’ll apply for leave.”

“You… Sigh, let me tell you another piece of bad news. Deputy Commander Han’s eldest son, Han Jiesheng, was killed in action in Pakistan yesterday. He was in the same military academy class as you, you should be familiar with him. He was the captain of the special support squad secretly dispatched to Pakistan this time…”

“In the recent period, you need to take more care of Han Xiao. She doesn’t know about this news yet. For hundreds of years in the Han family, there have been people sacrificed on the front lines against vampires in every generation. Deputy Commander Han’s two brothers were also like this, and now his only son has been sacrificed too. As your hereditary senior, I still hope you can be with Han Xiao.”

Zhen Guangquan’s voice was deep and sad.

“Chief, is this a task from the organization?”

Meng Huai was first shocked by the news of Han Jiesheng’s sacrifice, but when he heard the last half of the sentence, his mood quickly darkened.

“What kind of attitude is this! Now it’s all free love, of course I can’t force you to go get a marriage certificate. You and Han Xiao are both my students, especially you, you’re also my hereditary junior.”

“From the moment we entered the Dark Arrow Unit, we knew we could sacrifice at any time, but I don’t want to see the Han family’s lineage end, and I don’t want to see any irreversible consequences for you. At least, you both need to leave yourselves an heir… So many children more excellent than you, just gone like this without any hope…”

Perhaps talking about something heartbreaking, Zhen Guangquan choked up on the phone.

“Chief, maybe I’m not the person she likes… If something really goes wrong, given my current situation, I would sacrifice before her, which isn’t fair to her either.”

“Don’t say such unlucky things! Next operation, you’re not allowed to inject the anti-blood invasion immune drug anymore, just stay back and command!”

Zhen Guangquan’s voice gradually became stern, leaving no room for bargaining.

Meng Huai gritted his teeth, closed his eyes tightly, and after a few seconds, he hung up the phone on his own initiative.

After sitting blankly for a while, Meng Huai still picked up the phone and dialed a number. After a few more minutes, Tao Qiao’er knocked on the office door.

“Was it you who told Chief of Staff Zhen about my physical examination issue?”

Looking at the subordinate standing straight in front of him, Meng Huai’s face was expressionless.

“Captain Meng, you really should pay attention to your health.”

Tao Qiao’er bit her lip, showing a stubborn expression for the first time in front of Meng Huai: “I still want… still want you to break Chief of Staff Zhen’s tenure record.”

“This doesn’t need your concern.”

Meng Huai, with a cold face, pulled open the drawer and took out a special document, throwing it in front of Tao Qiao’er: “If I remember correctly, you should have completed 2 years of service next month.”

“Yes…”

Tao Qiao’er’s heart suddenly jumped, and for no reason, a trace of panic appeared.

“Good, then you meet the conditions.”

Meng Huai nodded, pointing at the document with his finger: “Take it and fill it out yourself, then go to Deputy Captain Zhao for filing. From now on, you will be the candidate for the next captain of the Black Armor Squad. This is the privilege of our hereditary unit, not requiring the headquarters’ 1 year training and military service limit.”

“Captain Meng… I, I can’t do it!”

Tao Qiao’er suddenly lowered her head and tears fell.

“Execute the order… You can go now.”

After saying this, Meng Huai continued to lower his head and do his own work.

At some point, when Meng Huai raised his head, there was only him left in the office.

Opening a cabinet on the side, he took out a photo. It was a group photo of all the members of the Black Armor Squad when they received the collective second-class merit commendation last year.

In the photo, standing next to Meng Huai was Xia Yan.

At that time, Xia Yan had just completed 2 years of service and was internally designated by Meng Huai in the same way as the next captain of the Black Armor Squad, and promoted to the rank of captain.

Quietly looking at each comrade in the photo, his gaze finally fell on the smiling Xia Yan, and the images of Han Xiao and her brother Han Jiesheng appeared in his mind again.

If he hadn’t been blood invaded, maybe now, I would have a little courage to withdraw from the front line, and can confidently hand over the Black Armor Squad to him… Thinking about this, Meng Huai felt his eyes getting sore.

I should go and take a look at the place where Xia Yan grew up. Perhaps soon, that place will be reduced to ashes, and Xia Yan will also reach the end of his fate…