Once the Hellhound One-soldier Cannon was released onto the market, the orders came nonstop. Thunder Horse Military Factory handled domestic orders with ease and even foreign customers, who had heard of the news and hurriedly flocked over to place their orders. The Hellhound Cannon hadnât had too much publicity yet or undergone a battlefield testing but it had already won instant success and had its reputation known.
This was only the beginning. After more cannon products came out in the future, Thunder Horse Military Factoryâs cannon products would undoubtedly became the highest-demanded products internationally. Of course, Thunder Horse Military Factoryâs cannons couldnât all be as stunning as the Hellhound. Later cannon products would be mostly conventional cannon products with improved performance levels. The Hellhound One-soldier Cannon was certainly one of Thunder Horse Military Factoryâs flagship products. If foreign customers wanted to buy this type of product, they had to first buy Thunder Horse Military Factoryâs conventional product.
Of course, these matters were all handled by Thunder Horse Military Factoryâs marketing team; Xia Lei didnât need to worry about these matters anymore.
On the third day of the Hellhoundâs instant success, Xia Lei suddenly received a call.
This call was very unexpected because it was from Ning Jingâs mother, Zhang Huilan.
âMr Xia, umâŠâ Over the phone, Zhang Huilanâs voice seemed a bit awkward. âI called you a bit presumptuously. I, IâŠâ
âAuntie Zhang, if anythingâs the matter, you can just say it,â said Xia Lei softly.
Even now, he didnât have any good feelings for Ning Jingâs mother, a woman who was obsessed with money and had treated her daughter like a product.
In the beginning, Zhang Huilan had despised Xia Lei in every possible way, and stubbornly matched Ning Jing and Ren Wenqiang together. At the time, Ren Wenqiang had come back to China after gaining overseas experience, with a respectable job and a pretty good income while Xia Lei was only a poor boy who had opened a small workshop by the road. But now, Xia Lei had the status of a billionaire and was hailed as the nationâs Father of Rifles. Zhang Huilan was actually so regretful she wanted to die.
Zhang Huilan was silent for a moment before saying, âItâs like this, Mr Xia. Today, I went to the hospital to see Ning Jing. She was awake for a little bit and said a few words to me.â
Xia Leiâs heart thumped. âShe woke for a little bit? What did she say?â
âShe said something about how the sky wasnât the sky and time wasnât the time⊠Oh, and something about some travellerâŠâ
âAuntie Zhang, can you please say it more clearly?â Xia Lei was very anxious.
âI canât remember it that well anymore. You should go see her and maybe sheâll tell you. The doctor said that her condition has improved and she should see people sheâs familiar with and have them chat with her. This will be good for her recovery. And especially, the person she likes⊠I know, that that girl has always liked you.â
âAll right, I will go see her immediately.â Xia Lei agreed immediately.
He wasnât anxious purely because Ning Jing was his friend but also because of something else.
Ning Jing was among the first group of people to have interacted with the ancient alloy. Of the group, some died or went mad, but she was the only person to wake up. Why was this?
After Ning Jing awoke, she said some words. Even though Zhang Huilan hadnât really said it clearly, it had stirred his sensitive senses. Sky isnât sky, time isnât time, and a traveller. Would someone who had just awoken from a mad state say these words? This was abnormal.
He had to go see Ning Jing and fully understand what had happened.
An hour later, Xia Lei drove into a guarded rehabilitation hospital. The people recuperating at this hospital werenât normal. The guards at the gate were carrying real loaded firearms and normal people couldnât even gain entry. However, he had the authority, so after he showed them the credentials that Bureau 101 had given him, he got into the rehabilitation hospital effortlessly.
A doctor named Wei Guanyi led him to a ward.
âMr Xia, Dr. Ningâs condition isnât stable yet. Do not upset her when you chat with her later. If her emotions get too stirred up, you will have to stop the conversation,â nagged Wei Guanyi.
Xia Lei nodded. âYes, I got it. Thank you, doctor. Iâll let you continue with your work.â
Wei Guanyi turned to leave but after taking a step, he turned around. âOh right, Mr Xia, I almost forgot something.â
âWhat?â
âDr. Ning drew some strange drawings this morning. You can come to my office later and Iâll give them to you,â said Wei Guanyi.
âAll right, I will go to your office later to take a look at the drawings.â Xia Lei pushed the ward door open and walked in.
The ward was very spacious, with a sofa and television and a computer that was connected to the Internet. The environment was neat and cozy.
When Xia Lei entered, Ning Jing was standing in front of the window looking at the distant sky. She was very quiet, so quiet that she seemed like a statue. The sound from Xia Lei opening the door hadnât caught her attention at all, and she didnât look back at him even when he walked over to her.
Xia Lei wanted to call her name, but when the words came to his mouth, he stopped. He couldnât bear to disturb her, even if she was only standing there blankly. In his memories, Ning Jing, was a well developed and seductive woman with an excellent figure. However, she had now become skinnier, and seeing her in this state made him sad.
The two of them stood there like that, one watching the distant sky blankly as the other quietly looked at the otherâs back, remembering the past.
Some minutes passed before Ning Jing retracted her gaze from the faraway sky. She turned and saw Xia Lei, then brushed past him without a word. Her face didnât show a surprised or excited expression, as if Xia Lei was just a flower vase or something.
Was this normal?
Ning Jing walked straight to the computer table and shook the mouse.
But Xia Lei found that the computer display screen was still pitch black, and hadnât awoken at all.
Ning Jing sat in the computer chair, and her hands flew over the keyboard.
Xia Lei couldnât keep it in anymore. He walked over and probingly asked, âNing Jing, do you still remember me?â
Ning Jing looked up and glanced at Xia Lei. âI remember.â
Xia Lei let out a small sigh. âThen do you still rememberâŠâ
âTake your pants off and get on the bed.â Ning Jing interrupted him.
âAh?â Xia Lei stared blankly.
âLast time, I examined your uterus and the fetusâs situation had improved. This time, why donât I take another look? The babyâs health is the most important thing. Listen to me, take off your pants and get on the bed. Iâll examine you.â Ning Jing walked up to Xia Lei, her expression as serious as an old doctor.
Xia Lei stood there unmoving. He had just breathed a small sigh of relief but now he felt as if he had been severely overinflated from the air of a front loaderâs tire.
âListen, take off your bottom, and get examined,â urged Ning Jing.
Xia Lei grasped her hand. âNing Jing, itâs me. Iâm Xia Lei. Do you still remember me? Iâve come to see you.â
Ning Jing suddenly paused, her expression lifeless.
It seemed to have helped. Xia Lei followed with, âTry to remember. Iâm Xia Lei. Xia Lei. We met at Haizhu and you helped me make my first paycheck. We even went to Afghanistan to the White Hun tribe. Do you still remember the baby-faced tribal chief, Szlamy?â
Ning Jing took her hand out of Xia Leiâs hands and then cupped Xia Leiâs face, saying earnestly, âDonât get emotional. Youâre just having prenatal anxiety. You must calm down and remember to eat.â
Xia Lei was speechless.
âListen to me, and take off your trousers.â Ning Jing simply extended her hands to remove Xia Leiâs belt.
Xia Lei grabbed her hand again. He suddenly thought of something and said, âThe sky isnât the sky, time isnât time, traveller.â
Ning Jing stared dumbly and then shook her head hard.
It was effective? Xia Leiâs heart thumped and he repeated, âThe sky isnât the sky, time isnât time, traveller.â
Ning Jing slowly lifted her head and looked at Xia Lei.
The moment he saw her expression, Xia Lei was entirely dumbfounded. Her expression seemed like the deep night sky which one couldnât see into the depths of, or a black hole that could swallow oneâs soul!
And right then, Ning Jing replied in a strange accent, âThe sky isnât the sky, with no distance. Time isnât time, a thousand years flashing by. The traveller comes from a faraway time and place. The sky isnât a barrier to him, and time cannot erase his body. He looks for the starting point but is lost in a dark world. He is about to forget himself, the only thing that canâŠâ
Ning Jingâs mouth closed when she got to that point.
âThe only thing that can what?â Xia Lei was quite anxious.
âThe only thing that canâŠâ It was still the same words, and they seemed like a concluding remark.
âHurry up and tell me. The only thing that can what?â Xia Lei became more anxious. He had a feeling that what Ning Jing was about to say had to do with the mysterious ancient alloy and the secret of AE!
âThe only thing that canâŠâ Ning Jing still didnât finish.
Xia Leiâs emotions were a little out of control. He grabbed Ning Jingâs shoulders and shook her two times. âSay it, say it. Tell me! The only thing that can what?â
Ning Jing suddenly closed her eyes and fell limply into Xia Leiâs embrace.
âNing Jing? Ning Jing? Hello? Whatâs wrong?â Xia Lei panicked. He hugged Ning Jing and called her name but Ning Jing didnât have any reaction.
Her condition right now couldnât even be considered an improvement, but going from an insane state to another state without rhyme or reason. Xia Lei didnât believe in unscientific theories like ghost possession but Ning Jingâs behavior a moment ago really seemed like she had been possessed!
Before waiting for Ning Jingâs main doctor, Wei Guanyi to rush in, Xia Lei gave Ning Jing a check up himself. He quickly came to the conclusion that Ning Jing had only fainted and it wasnât anything serious. He then breathed a sigh of relief.
After a few minutes, Xia Lei left the ward and went to Wei Guanyiâs office. Wei Guanyi gave him the few drawings that Ning Jing drew. When he saw these drawings, Xia Lei blanked yet again. The first drawing was the compass from the Ming dynasty. The second was of the bronze treasured book. The third was of the ancient alloy box that was missing a corner. The fourth was the complete ancient alloy box. The last... The last was of a naked man but strangely, he was faceless.
But the weirdest thing was on the last picture in the right hand bottom corner, Ning Jing had written a name â Xia Lei.
âI saw your name and I thought she wanted to give you this drawing. Mr Xia, you can take these drawings,â said Wei Guanyi.
Xia Lei snapped back to his senses. He nodded, almost subconsciously.
âMr Xia, based on Dr. Ningâs condition, she clearly cannot take visitations any more. You can go home. Leave me your phone number. When her condition gets better, I will call you,â said Wei Guanyi.
Xia Lei thought for a moment and said, âDr. Wei, what about this? Iâll leave my phone number with you and you will record whatever she says or does. At given times, call me or make it into a file and send it to my email.â
Wei Guanyi didnât agree and even frowned.
âOf course, I wouldnât let you do all that for nothing. Iâll hire you as Ning Jingâs personal doctor with a monthly income of 20,000. What do you think of that?â said Xia Lei.
âMr Xia, heheâŠâ Wei Guanyi smiled. âDeal.â
Xia Leiâs gaze fell on the last drawing with his name on it. There wasnât a face, but judging from the body build, it wasnât even him.
Just what was going on?
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