54: Chapter 54 What time is it now, and you're still thinking about that bucket of blood?

The head of the Heavenly Snake Clan leader flew high into the air, the fear in its eyes frozen forever.

Lin Fan skillfully caught the corpse and channeled the scalding essence blood into a bucket.

"Done. Wrapping up."

Lin Fan closed the lid with satisfaction and stuffed the large bucket—containing dozens of catties of snake blood—into his backpack. He then clapped his hands and turned to look at the already petrified members of the Asura Squad.

In the mountain hollow, it was so quiet that only the sound of the wind could be heard.

The four members of the Asura Squad, along with Little Lingling, all stared blankly at Lin Fan as if they were looking at a deity.

"That was... a late-stage Marrow Cleansing Realm leader..."

Chu Jiangping muttered to himself, "Just like that... insta-killed?"

Lin Fan walked up to the group, glanced at their injuries, and frowned slightly.

"Your injuries are quite serious."

He casually pulled a few bottles of military healing spray from his backpack and threw them over. "Stop the bleeding first."

Ma Chao scrambled to catch the medicine, finally snapping out of it. Ignoring the sharp pain in his leg, he struggled to salute.

"Th-thank you, young hero, for saving our lives!"

Ma Chao's face flushed with excitement. "If you hadn't arrived in time, we would have all been finished here today!"

"It was nothing."

Lin Fan waved his hand. "By the way, that guy just now didn't answer me. Which way to Chiyan Village?"

"It's just over this mountain, about five kilometers away."

Ma Chao quickly pointed the way, then seemed to remember something and couldn't help but complain, "Sigh, if only our new captain had half your skill, young hero."

Lin Fan was taken aback. "New captain?"

"Yeah!"

Ma Chao said indignantly, "The higher-ups assigned us a new captain, supposedly a Major named Lin Fan. Isn't that ridiculous? A green student who's never been on a battlefield, directly given the rank of Major! Isn't that just gambling with our lives?"

"If you ask me, that kid must be some trust-fund baby who used the back door to come here and pad his resume."

Zhu Daqiang chimed in from the side, "If we really go onto the battlefield, we'll probably have to waste our focus protecting him. Not like you, young hero—with your strength and decisiveness, you're a real man!"

Listening to their complaints, the expression on Lin Fan's face became quite interesting.

He looked at Ma Chao with a half-smile. "Brother, how can you be so sure the new captain is a pushover?"

"Does that even need asking?"

Ma Chao acted like a seasoned veteran. "Military rules: a Major corresponds to the Origin Sect Realm. That kid is only a freshman; at most, he's in the Marrow Cleansing Realm. Giving him a Major's rank is a classic case of the title not matching the merit."

"I see."

Lin Fan nodded, then pulled a black ID from his pocket and twirled it between his fingers.

"Well... let's get reacquainted."

Lin Fan grinned at the dumbfounded group. "I'm that 'back-door-using,' 'resume-padding,' 'unmerited' rookie captain, Lin Fan."

"..."

The air froze once again.

Ma Chao's mouth hung open wide enough to fit a duck egg. His expression shifted from gratitude to terror, finally turning the color of pig liver.

"C-C-Captain?!"

Ma Chao stammered, wishing he could find a hole to crawl into. "I... just now... that..."

"Forget it. No harm done if you didn't know."

Lin Fan put away his ID, not dwelling on the issue. He looked at the little girl in Zhuang Ziwei's arms. "Who is this child? A survivor from Chiyan Village?"

At the mention of the child, everyone's expressions darkened instantly.

"Yes."

Zhuang Ziwei wiped the blood from her face, her voice choking up. "She's the only survivor of Chiyan Village, Little Lingling. To protect her, Captain Liu Cheng..."

At this point, Zhuang Ziwei's eyes reddened, and she couldn't go on.

Lin Fan fell silent.

He looked at the little girl huddled in Zhuang Ziwei's arms. Little Lingling was also looking at him with wide eyes; the fear from before was gone, replaced by a hint of admiration.

Suddenly, Little Lingling broke free from Zhuang Ziwei's embrace, ran to Lin Fan on her short legs, and hugged his thigh.

"Big brother..."

Little Lingling looked up, her voice soft and sweet but tinged with a sob. "You look like my older brother... he was also eaten by the big snakes... Can you be my big brother?"

Lin Fan's heart was deeply touched.

The youth who didn't blink while killing on the battlefield now had a gentle look in his eyes.

He crouched down, gently wiped the tear stains from Little Lingling's face, and rubbed her head.

"Okay."

Lin Fan said softly, "From now on, I'm your real brother. If anyone dares to bully you, I'll twist their head off and kick it like a ball."

Hearing this, Little Lingling finally couldn't hold it back anymore. She burst into tears with a "waa" and threw herself into Lin Fan's arms, crying loudly.

Lin Fan awkwardly patted her back, but his gaze went past the group toward the distant mountains.

There, a terrifying aura was rapidly approaching.

"Captain!"

Chu Jiangping's expression suddenly changed, and he said urgently, "The leader just now shouted 'Long Ze' before he died! That's a Yuan Zong Realm expert of the Heavenly Snake Clan! It must be nearby; we have to evacuate immediately!"

"Yes, Captain!"

Ma Chao ignored his embarrassment and said anxiously, "Long Ze is an established Yuan Zong Realm expert with terrifying strength. In our current state, we're no match for him. You take Lingling and leave first, we'll..."

"Leave?"

Lin Fan stood up and handed Little Lingling back to Zhuang Ziwei.

He looked up at the violent figure in the distance kicking up clouds of dust, a cold smirk on his lips.

"It's too late."

Lin Fan said calmly, "Besides, I don't plan on leaving."

"Rumble!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a terrifying pressure descended heavily.

Wild winds howled, sending sand and stones flying.

A massive figure, a full three meters tall, crashed down in front of them, smashing a deep pit into the ground.

The dust settled, revealing the newcomer's true form.

It was a snake-man covered in dark gold scales. It had no legs; its lower body was a thick snake tail, while its upper body was rippling with muscle. It held a heavy black halberd in its hand.

From its vertical pupils emanated a suffocating Yuan Zong-level pressure.

Heavenly Snake Clan Yuan Zong Realm expert, Long Ze!

"Who is it?!"

Looking at the corpses of its clansmen scattered across the ground, Long Ze let out an earth-shaking roar. "Who killed my subordinates?!"

The terrifying sound waves made the blood and qi of Ma Chao and the others churn, making them nearly unable to stand.

"It's over... it's Long Ze himself..."

Zhu Daqiang's face was ashen, and his hand holding the war blade was trembling. It was the suppression of life levels; he couldn't even muster the thought of resisting.

"Captain! Take Lingling and run!!"

Zhuang Ziwei screamed, wanting to rush forward and fight to the death.

However, a hand pressed down on her shoulder.

"Relax."

Lin Fan took off his backpack and casually tossed it to Ma Chao nearby.

"Old Ma, keep an eye on my bag."

Lin Fan cracked his neck, making a series of pops, and warned him seriously, "Especially that bucket inside. Don't let a single drop spill; that's my lifeblood."

Ma Chao held the backpack, completely stunned.

"C-Captain, at a time like this, you're still worried about that bucket of blood?!"

That's a Yuan Zong Realm expert!

A cold-blooded Yuan Zong Realm expert!