Chapter 3: The Breakthrough

At ten in the evening, a young man with blond hair among the gang members discovered Liu the steward deeply asleep and unresponsive to any calls. Terrified, he ran breathlessly to the Wild Wolf Gang leader’s hall atop Celestial Wolf Peak.

“Leader… leader, something’s wrong!” the blond youth gasped as he burst into the grand hall.

“What’s wrong? I’m perfectly fine. Dare you curse me? I’ll chop you to pieces and feed you to the dogs!” the Wild Wolf Gang leader bellowed angrily from the head seat.

“Le-leader, I didn’t mean that!” the youth stammered, trembling with fear.

“Then what do you mean?” the leader glared coldly.

“R-reporting to the leader, just now I saw Liu the steward collapsed on the roadside, unconscious, looking as if he might not make it! That’s why I came to inform you,” the youth hurriedly recounted everything he had witnessed.

“I thought it was something serious. It’s just fainting? Third brother, take some men and bring Liu here!” the leader commanded, then turned to his second-in-command, “Second brother, go fetch Doctor Jiang.”

“Yes, sir!”

Obediently, they all set off immediately.

Not long after, Liu the steward was carried into the hall, and Doctor Jiang arrived as well.

“Leader, Liu the steward shows no signs of illness; there’s nothing seriously wrong. If anything, it’s just extreme fatigue. A good rest will fix him,” Doctor Jiang said, stroking his white beard.

“Extreme fatigue? What was he doing to be so exhausted that even cold water couldn’t wake him?” The leader suspected something more complex and asked, “Doctor Jiang, are you sure he’s really fine?”

“I have practiced medicine for fifty years and treated countless patients in all of Peaceful Town. It’s impossible for me to be mistaken. Why he’s so worn out, though, I cannot say,” Doctor Jiang replied with confidence.

Seeing his certainty, the leader didn’t press further. “In that case, Doctor Jiang, please prepare some tonic medicine to help him recover.”

“Of course, of course! Since it’s nothing serious, I’ll leave for now and send the medicine shortly,” Doctor Jiang said as he started to leave.

“No need to send it here. Just have it delivered directly to Liu’s residence,” the leader instructed. “You three, carry Liu back. From now on, this blond kid will take care of him while he’s unconscious.”

The group lifted Liu and departed.

Though reluctant, the blond youth dared not argue and trailed behind dejectedly.

***

By ten in the evening, the blond youth was still begrudgingly brewing the tonic for Liu.

“If I’d known I’d have to take care of him, I wouldn’t have reported to the leader…” he grumbled inwardly, but still poured a large bowl of the tonic to feed Liu.

Liu didn’t awaken immediately after drinking it. It wasn’t until early the next morning that he finally stirred and slowly regained consciousness.

“What the hell! How did I get home? And how long have I been asleep? Why am I still so tired?” Liu awoke dazed, his face etched with exhaustion.

The blond youth hurried over to explain everything. Upon hearing the full story, Liu frowned.

“Damn it, I must have run into some evil force! No good, I need to find the ‘Immortal Xu’ forI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.