He Yuzhu returns in Siheyuan

Chapter 886 Only Sending Out Sentinels

Like a kite with a broken string, Zhang Lei was sent flying backward at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, crashing into the rock wall behind him with a deafening roar, sending stone chips raining down. As he slid to the ground, blood gushed from the corner of his mouth, staining his chest, and the muffled sound of bones shattering was clearly audible.

He never imagined that this third dragon would be so powerful. The intelligence clearly stated that the dragon race was severely weakened, with two adult dragons seriously injured. Where did this unfathomable and ruthless character come from? His internal organs ached as if they were being crushed, and every breath he took tasted of rust.

Wang Ran saw everything clearly from outside the camp. When he saw someone being knocked out, his heart sank, and he rushed over. When he saw the face of the person on the ground, his pupils suddenly contracted—it was Zhang Lei, his most capable subordinate!

"What happened?" Wang Ran crouched down, his voice filled with barely suppressed panic. "Weren't they seriously injured? How could they be so strong? How accurate was the information you gathered?"

Zhang Lei lay on the ground, his chest heaving violently, each breath excruciatingly painful. He could only manage to lift his head with all his might, blood and froth trickling down his chin: "My lord... we've been tricked... there weren't... there weren't just two dragons inside... there were three... the strength of the third one..."

He wanted to say "unfathomable," and "far beyond our imagination," but something seemed to be blocking his throat, and everything went black before he could finish speaking. He passed out straight, with only the faint rise and fall of his chest proving that he was still clinging to life.

"Zhang Lei! Zhang Lei!" Wang Ran patted him twice, but when he didn't react, his face turned deathly pale. He turned sharply and roared behind him, "Doctor! Call a doctor quickly!"

Wearing white gloves, the doctor bent down to examine Zhang Lei on the stretcher in detail. His fingertips pressed against Zhang Lei's multiple fractures and deformities; with each touch, Zhang Lei's body convulsed uncontrollably, and soft groans escaped his throat. He then shone a flashlight into Zhang Lei's bloodshot and swollen eyes, which had long lost their luster, leaving only cloudy blood vessels. Finally, the doctor straightened up, removed his blood-stained gloves, and looked at Wang Ran with a grave expression: "Sir, after our examination, this gentleman's spinal nerves are severely damaged, as if they had been crushed by a tremendous force; multiple comminuted fractures in his limbs, with bone fragments piercing through the flesh; internal organs are also ruptured, and his abdominal cavity is full of blood… He's practically crippled now. Even if we do everything we can to save his life, he'll be bedridden for the rest of his life, unable to even lift his arm or turn over in bed."

After saying that, the doctor stepped aside and stood with his hands at his sides—whether to treat or not ultimately depended on the family's wishes; he had only done his duty to inform them of the condition, and there was no point in saying more.

A complex emotion flickered across Wang Ran's face, his brows furrowing slightly. He knew that Zhang Lei's condition, even if cured, would only be a burden, but there were more important matters at hand; he couldn't let him die like this. He clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white, his tone resolute and unwavering: "Treat him! Use the best imported medicine, and get the most renowned surgeon in the city! He's my best brother, we've been through thick and thin together, even if he's on his last breath, we have to keep him alive!"

Zhang Lei was still somewhat dazed, his cloudy eyes shifting slightly. Hearing Wang Ran's resounding words, a weak sob escaped his throat, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't utter a sound. Two tears slowly slid down his cheeks, mingling with the blood on his face, leaving two shallow marks on his cheekbones—he had always thought of himself as just an insignificant underling under Wang Ran, his daily duties of charging into battle and taking the hits were simply his job. He never imagined that the other man held such importance in his heart. This sudden "high regard" warmed his heart, instantly making him forget the excruciating pain of his broken bones.

But Wang Ran had a different plan in mind: First, Zhang Lei was the only survivor to escape from that misty forest, so he must know the truth about it. He needed to get the dragons' weaknesses and the forest's layout out of him; only by keeping him alive could he possibly uncover the inside story. Second, he still had many subordinates standing around. Showing loyalty and righteousness now would win them over, making them feel that following him was a good thing, and that they would be willing to risk their lives in a critical moment. As for whether Zhang Lei would survive or even stand up again, that was not even on his mind.

He knew in his heart that the third team he had sent had been completely wiped out, and not a single one had sent back a message. With manpower already stretched thin, it was absolutely impossible to send another team in to die; that would be no different from cutting off one's own arm.

As he was pondering, the elderly man with white hair and beard slowly walked over. He was wearing a dark Tang suit and leaning on a jade cane. His gaze swept over Zhang Lei, who was barely alive on the stretcher, and his brows furrowed slightly: "What exactly happened? Was the person who was just carried in one of your men?"

Wang Ran hurriedly stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and said, "My lord, he is my man. He was knocked unconscious and carried out shortly after rushing into the forest. When he finally regained consciousness, he only vaguely said one sentence—'There are three dragons inside,' and warned us never to go in again, saying that going in would mean certain death."

Upon hearing this, the old man's cloudy eyes suddenly lit up, like two oil lamps that had been suddenly lit, and his face revealed undisguised excitement: "Three dragons? This is an unexpected surprise! What, are you backing down already? Send a few more people in to investigate. No matter what, we can't let any of these dragons escape. We must get our hands on that dragon pearl! Only with the dragon pearl can our plan succeed!"

Wang Ran knew exactly what the old man was thinking. He wanted to use them to probe the way, wait for them and the dragons to weaken each other, and then reap the benefits. His calculations were more shrewd than anyone else's. He deliberately feigned a troubled expression, shook his head, and said with a hint of helplessness, "My lord, it's not that I'm unwilling, but there's really no other way. The dragons inside are too powerful. Our men saw it with their own eyes. Their scales are harder than refined iron; swords and blades can't even leave a mark on them. Their breath can burn mountains and split rocks. The third team was burned to ashes by those flames... Our men are no match for them. Going in again would just be suicide."

The old man's face darkened, and he slammed his jade cane on the ground with a dull thud: "So we're just going to wait outside like idiots? Wait for them to leave on their own and miss this golden opportunity? Do you know how rare this opportunity is?"

Wang Ran hesitated for a moment, as if he had made a great decision, and tentatively asked, "How about... we use those people? Those superhumans we've locked up in the underground dungeon might be able to fight the Dragon Clan."

The old man immediately shook his head, his tone resolute: "No! Those people cannot be touched! If we let them get involved, given their temperament, let alone the Dragon Balls, it's hard to say whether we can even escape unscathed. That would be like releasing a tiger back into the mountains!"

Wang Ran nodded in agreement, then turned to his subordinates and ordered, "Go, set up three layers of hidden sentries around the perimeter of the forest, keep watch day and night, record every bird that flies out, and report any movement immediately!"

Seeing this, the old man didn't say anything more and left with a flick of his sleeve—he was feeling frustrated. He thought two dragons were the limit, but unexpectedly three appeared, and their strength was even more unfathomable. Now it would be even more difficult to get the Dragon Balls. How could he not be depressed?