Villain Boss Chapter 221
Translated by Digitalian (ko-fi)
Chapter 221: We Met Again
The guy’s voice wasn't loud, but the loud woman suddenly froze and turned around in a panic to look at the person who had spoken.
Apart from Jiang Ran and her group, everyone present bowed in unison and greeted, "Marshal Huo."
Under the dim light, Jiang Ran scrutinized the person who had silently appeared in the shadows of the gate.
He seemed to be in poor health. He was thin and sat in a wheelchair with a black coat draped over his shoulders. When the night wind blew, he would cover his mouth with one hand and cough softly.
Perhaps it was the sickly aura surrounding him that made him appear non-threatening. His pale skin was like fine glass, so delicate that it would shatter at the slightest touch.
Contrary to his sickly appearance, his eyes were bright, as if moonlight had been sprinkled in his dark pupils, and they rippled with gentle tenderness when he looked over.
A modest gentleman who had refined manners.
This was Jiang Ran's first impression of him.
However...
"Marshal Huo." Before the man could speak again, the woman who had just made things difficult for them pointed at Jiang Ran and said, "She refused to be inspected and even threatened me, saying that if I didn't let them in, she’d force her way in!"
Jiang Ran rolled her eyes at the woman's despicable act of playing the victim, expressing her disdain.
Upon hearing his subordinate's complaint, the man wasn't angry. He simply looked at Jiang Ran with a gentle gaze, seemingly puzzle. "Why did you refuse to be inspected?"
Jiang Ran didn’t refute the woman's words, but looked at Si Xu as if seeking confirmation.
Si Xu nodded, confirming the man's identity.
Huo Sichan.
The current head of the Huo family and the person in charge of the Beichen base.
Knowing the man's identity and considering the discussions she had overheard, Jiang Ran made up her mind.
She took two steps forward, ignoring the wary postures of those around her, and looked directly at the head of the Huo family, raising her voice. "We didn’t refuse to be inspected. You can find out the truth by checking the surveillance footage. However, we have a purpose in coming here."
She girl bowed slightly as a greeting. "My name is Jiang Ran. I came to Beichen base for a visit and inspection at the behest of Marshal Shen, the person in charge of Xiling base."
"Xiling...cough, cough." The man looked at the thin girl in front of him with surprise, but his words were interrupted by coughing as he was choked by the night wind.
"You were sent here by Xiling base for an inspection? What evidence do you have to prove your identity?" Upon hearing this, the female superhuman who was making things difficult for them had a bad feeling. It was okay to make things difficult for ordinary people, but if this ordinary person also had the identity of an inspector from Xiling base, then things would be a bit troublesome.
"Evidence?" Jiang Ran looked at Si Xu without thinking. "Professor Si, they want evidence."
Si Xu sighed. "There’s no evidence, but... it’s possible to prove it now."
What did he mean by no evidence but he could prove it now"? Were they making fools of them?! Believing the two were lying, the woman prepared a whole host of words to expose them.
However, before she could speak, her body was uncontrollably pulled off the ground.
"Huh?!"
Finding herself unable to move her limbs, she looked around in a panic and saw that everyone else present, except for the young man in the wheelchair, was just like her, fixed in mid-air by an invisible force.
"Cough, cough!" Huo Sichan coughed, finally catching his breath. "Space-type abilities?" A look of comprehension dawned on him, and he said politely, "You must be Professor Si Xu."
He glanced at his subordinates who were being controlled, then pulled his coat tighter around himself as if he were feeling cold. His tone became even more polite. "My subordinates are ignorant and have been disrespectful to our guests. Please don't take offense at them, Professor Si."
Upon hearing this, Si Xu didn't press the matter further, and released those people after dispelling his superpowers.
Jiang Ran said with a smile, "To be honest, we originally came back with Huo Lingyin's team, but in order not to cause trouble for Captain Huo, we separated from them for the time being. If I’d known that we’d encounter this kind of thing at the gate, I should have listened to Captain Huo's advice and gone in with her."
She was implying something. Huo Sichan glanced at the woman who had turned pale with fright and said helplessly, "They’ve been ignorant. I’ll discipline them properly."
He bowed slightly to Jiang Ran, saying, "I seek your forgiveness, Miss Jiang."
His every move was gentle and refined, completely out of place in this dark world.
Jiang Ran pursed her lips, took a small step back, and stood next to Si Xu.
This person was the head of Beichen base, the head of the Huo family, and now, he was very likely a friend of Xie Chengzhi and Luo Rui...
As she was thinking, someone came out of the city gate, stopped behind Huo Sichan, and asked in a low voice, "What happened?"
That sound...
Jiang Ran smiled, a slight curve to her lips.
Oh, old friend, we met again.
"We have a few friends here... there's been a little misunderstanding." Huo Sichan coughed, covering his mouth, and said gently, "It's late, Professor Si, Miss Jiang. Why don't we go into the city first? I'll arrange for someone to handle things here."
Professor Si? Miss Jiang?
Xie Chengzhi stiffened and looked ahead at the city gate.
Under the bright moonlight, two familiar figures stood side by side. The young man and beautiful woman were a perfect match.
Jiang Ran was also looking in his direction. Their eyes met, and the smile in her eyes deepened.
Not noticing Xie Chengzhi's helplessness, Huo Sichan said, "Chengzhi, you and Miss Luo are also from Xiling base. I wonder if you’re familiar with Professor Si?"
Xie Chengzhi's lips moved, unsure how to answer the question.
Si Xu's voice was cold and indifferent. "We’re not familiar."
He took Jiang Ran a couple of steps forward and nodded to Huo Sichan. "As Marshal Huo said, it's getting late. I need to make arrangements for these friends first. I’ll definitely pay you a visit in person tomorrow."
"These friends?" Looking at the group of elderly, weak, sick and disabled people not far away, Huo Sichan asked Xie Chengzhi, "Chengzhi, Professor Si is a guest. Could you please help settle his friends who came with him?"
Xie Chengzhi was just about to find an excuse to leave when he heard this. He nodded and said, "Sure."
"No need," Jiang Ran politely declined. "I can take care of them myself, so there's no need to trouble Marshal Huo."
She paused, then looked at the female superhuman from before and smiled. "May I know if we still need to be inspected again?"
The superhuman shook her head vigorously. "No, no need."
Jiang Ran turned to look at Luo Yuting. "Get in the vehicle. Let's go into the city."
She paused, hesitated, and asked Huo Sichan, "Would you like a ride?"
Her tone was serious, so it wasn’t a joke. Huo Sichan chuckled. "No need, thank you for your concern, Miss Jiang."
Si Xu glanced at Huo Sichan’s legs, which were covered by a blanket, then led Jiang Ran into the vehicle to enter the city.
As the vehicle passed through the city gate and passed by Huo Sichan, Jiang Ran waved to him from the window as a farewell.
He nodded with a smile, then coughed softly.
Hearing the coughs carried on the wind, Si Xu glanced out the window. "Huo Sichan... is a formidable character not to be underestimated."
Si Xu's impression of Huo Sichan was based on the Huo family's upheaval at the beginning of the apocalypse—because of Huo Zhisang, he paid more attention to the Huo family.
"At that time, Senior Marshal Huo was assassinated, and Huo Sichan was sickly. Various forces at Beichen base were eyeing the position of head of the base covetously. Unexpectedly, this sickly head of the Huo family managed to arrange all kinds of work at Beichen base in an orderly manner despite his illness."
Among a pack of wolves and tigers, one could imagine the hardships he endured.
It was rare to hear Si Xu praise someone, although it didn't really sound like a praise.
Jiang Ran smiled, her eyes crinkling, utterly fearless. "Well, we'll find out tomorrow whether he’s an ally or enemy."
