Reborn, I Became a Male God - Chapter 16-20

The instructor’s name was Jiang Siyang, the second son of the Jiang family’s fifth eldest. Since childhood, he had been the best representative of someone universally disliked in the military compound. The number of bad things he’d done was countless—stepping on the neighbor’s cat’s tail, plucking feathers from another’s bird. As for the flowers and plants the old men planted for leisure and personal cultivation, they had fallen victim to his destruction countless times. Eventually, the moment anyone spotted his shadow, they would immediately instruct the servants to lock everything away.

 

Although, comparatively, what he did wasn’t as bad as those who started fights and sent people to the hospital, he was undeniably annoying. The old man at home and his father had tried to discipline him countless times. They firmly believed that if a child misbehaved, it was because he hadn’t been beaten enough. As a result, Jiang Siyang had been beaten frequently, but it was no use—no matter how badly he was punished, once he recovered, he’d go right back to mischief.

 

Even Jiang Sijin, the little princess held in the palms of everyone’s hands at home, wasn’t spared his dislike when she was first born.

 

“My god, why is she so ugly? Her face is all wrinkly and red, like she’s been boiled alive!” he had said after seeing his baby sister in the incubator. Unsurprisingly, he got a severe beating from the adults. For a long time after that, his impression of Jiang Sijin remained stuck on “red-skinned monkey.” 

 

It wasn’t until a few years later, when he saw a little girl in the garden wearing a princess dress with her hair in twin buns, her big black eyes sparkling, her skin so fair and delicate it looked like it would drip water, holding a bunch of flowers and tilting her head to look at him, tentatively calling out, “Gege?” 

 

The men of the Jiang family were all built like bears, and this soft, cute little sister with her sweet, soft voice was clearly a completely different species. From that moment on, he became a late-stage sister-con, following in the footsteps of the other men in the family, ruthlessly and mercilessly killing every bit of romance along Jiang Sijin’s path from kindergarten to high school.

 

Last year, after graduating from college, the old man at home decided on a whim to throw him into the military. To properly temper his arrogance, he was directly sent to the southern administrative district, far from the Jiang family’s inner circle. The military was indeed a good place for toughening up. After a year of service, while it might be a stretch to say he was completely transformed, he had at least become more restrained and not as universally annoying as he had been at home.

 

A few days ago, during a rare phone call with Jiang Sijin, he was provoked by her constant praise of some “male god,” saying how every word he said was charming, how handsome he was—Jiang Siyang nearly ran out to settle the score with someone. It was the eldest brother at home who calmed him down with a single line: “I looked into it. That kid is a freshman at Yijing University this year. Their military training just happens to be held at your unit. We’ll assign you as his instructor—then you can righteously deal with him however you want.”

 

Jiang Siyang thought that sounded reasonable, so he held back his impulse and waited for the freshmen to arrive. As planned, Jing Ling’s class ended up under his charge. Probably because he already had preconceived notions, the moment he saw that handsome and upright boy in the crowd, he instinctively thought this pretty boy couldn’t be any good—immediately imagining him sweet-talking girls while two-timing them. From the moment they lined up, he started nitpicking Jing Ling, diligently trying to find fault. But after an entire morning, he got nothing.

 

Students from regular families and schools might have excellent academic results, but would often lack in other areas. Though college military training only involved basic drills, it still required effort to meet a perfectly standard level.

 

But Jing Ling?

 

“Stand at ease! Attention!” he shouted.

 

That person in the lineup—his movements were as standard as his looks were eye-catching.

 

“Left dress! Right dress! About turn!” he shouted again.

 

That person’s movements remained just as flawless and attention-grabbing.

 

“March! Quick march!” he continued.

 

That person’s movements stayed consistent—still standard and striking.

 

Jiang Siyang was furious! Who the hell was training who here? It felt more like he was the monkey being played! If this kept up, and word got out that he couldn’t even handle a fresh high school graduate, how could he face anyone in the future?

 

That afternoon, the sun was blazing. Jiang Siyang was secretly hoping the sun would scorch hard enough—even if it couldn’t knock that little bastard out, it should at least toast him into a blackened lump! But the one he couldn’t stand remained perfectly fine, while the girl standing in front ended up with heatstroke. 

 

Watching Jing Ling catch her swiftly and smoothly scoop her up in a princess carry to a shaded area, Jiang Siyang couldn’t help recalling his sister’s phone praise about how heroic and even more handsome he looked—he was instantly fuming again. When Jing Ling returned, he couldn’t resist muttering something sarcastic and used it as ammunition.

 

Twenty laps around the 400-meter training ground made up 8 kilometers. Jiang Siyang had said they could rest once it was done, but that was just to wear down Jing Ling’s edge. Once he collapsed from exhaustion, Jiang Siyang would go over and mock him—then call it a day.

 

Who would’ve thought Jing Ling was a total freak? Not only did he hold up fine, but he also gave him a savage verbal slap in return—face thoroughly smacked!

 

That made Jiang Siyang even angrier. During dinner, he noticed Jing Ling sitting in a corner and, not sure what he was thinking, carried his tray over. But after only a few sentences, he was once again shut down.

“Take a good look at this face—don’t you think, under normal circumstances, I’m the type others would make a move on?” Jiang Siyang never imagined he’d hear something like that. Three generations of Jiang men were practically all burly tough guys. Whether they joined the military or went into politics, they all had to go through military training. With that upbringing, Jiang Siyang naturally preferred rugged masculinity. All that stuff about warm and gentle gentlemen or pretty boys that his sister liked—he thought it was all the same: weaklings!

 

But at that moment, looking at the boy in front of him, he truly couldn’t find words to refute. As a young master of the elite Jiang family in the Western Administrative District, he’d seen countless beauties—male and female—but none could compare to the person before him. Almost perfect facial structure, exquisitely refined features, flawless skin even up close, glowing fair like light itself, completely in another league from the general public—like something crafted from a perfectly beautified world.

 

That was the truth. But if he admitted it, it would be like boosting the enemy’s morale while crushing his own. So he instinctively tried to save face. “What good is a pretty face on a grown man? You’re not some dainty woman—can’t carry, can’t lift, a few extra steps and you’re panting like a dog. Only blind little girls would fall for someone like that!”

 

But the moment the words left his mouth, he realized—this guy had just run 8 kilometers without breaking a sweat! That made him even more frustrated—he couldn’t even stomach his favorite braised beef!

 

And Jing Ling, almost as if deliberately challenging him, kept shoveling food into his mouth like a human vacuum. That mouth was like a bottomless pit, and the food disappeared at a visible speed. To make it worse, he went back for a second helping after finishing the first!

 

Jiang Siyang scowled and snapped, “You eat so much—are you a pig?!”

 

Jing Ling took a moment to glance at him amid his busy chewing. “Instructor, military training lasts a full month and this is just the first day. If you keep watching me this closely looking for trouble, it’s really not efficient. I don’t mind, but it’s your time being wasted. Still, since you’re Miss Jiang’s brother, me bullying you all the time does feel a bit wrong.”

 

“How about this—we pick a time and place, settle this privately. You win, I shut up. Everybody wins. What do you think?”

 

Jiang Siyang looked at him in disbelief. “Are you… challenging me to a duel?”

 

Chapter 17

 

Jing Ling quickly shoveled a few more mouthfuls of rice, nodding as he swallowed, “That’s right if that’s how you want to interpret it. Of course, I’m only making a suggestion, it’s up to you whether to accept it or not. If you think it’s no good and still want to keep picking on me, that’s your freedom too.”

 

Some people are just born with the talent to get under others’ skin. With just a few casually spoken words, they can make someone stomp with rage.

 

Following the fate of the spoon, the tray beside Jiang Siyan also fell victim to his fury—one corner was clearly dented.

 

He laughed out of extreme anger. “You’re the one who said it. Nine o’clock tonight, I’ll be waiting for you in the small grove on the east side of the training field.” Damn it, he hadn’t liked this brat from the very beginning. If it weren’t for concerns about the negative impact, he would’ve already beaten him up—why waste time picking faults like some nag?

 

Just wait. If he didn’t beat this little bastard until he cried for his mom and turned that pretty face into a pig’s head, he’d write his name backward!

 

Hearing that, Jing Ling pictured the map in his mind. Since the troops were stationed in the suburbs, behind them was the Changchu Ridge mountain range, which divided the Central Administrative District of the Republic from the Southern Administrative District. The entire training field was surrounded by mountains on three sides, with tall and lush trees. However, due to the terrain, the eastern side had a section that looked like it was separated off on its own—indeed resembling a small grove.

 

He thought about it for only a moment before Jiang Siyan across from him let out a disdainful snort. 

“What, chickening out?”

 

Jing Ling answered coolly, “Sure.” Then, ignoring the malicious look on Jiang Siyan’s face, he calmly focused on eating. Soon, his tray was empty. After finishing the last piece of braised beef, he cleared his dishes and stood up to leave. As he passed Jiang Siyan, he casually asked, “I wonder, when a drill instructor damages public property out of personal emotion, is compensation required?”

 

At those words, Jiang Siyan couldn’t help himself—he crushed the other corner of the tray.

 

By the time dinner was over, it was already past 6:30, and there were less than two and a half hours left until the agreed-upon 9 p.m. But Jing Ling wasn’t the least bit anxious. He strolled leisurely back to the dorm, took a cold shower, and changed clothes. He threw the dirty ones into the basin, added detergent, gave them a quick scrub, rinsed them clean, and hung them out on the balcony.

 

The dorm faced the sun, and the golden glow of the sunset spread across the balcony. The air was no longer as hot as at noon, and a faint cool breeze brushed his face.

 

His roommates returned one after another, each looking as wilted as frostbitten eggplants. They groaned as they collapsed onto their beds like corpses and started chatting back and forth. The conversation soon turned to the events of the afternoon, and since Jing Ling—one of the people involved—was right there, they curiously asked him about it.

 

“Jing Ling, what did the instructor say when he called you over earlier? He looked like he was going to eat someone alive.”

 

“Did you offend him before or something? You didn’t even do anything and he made you run laps. I counted—it was a full twenty! That’s brutal! Only you could pull that off. If it were me, I’d be dead after just a tenth of that.”

 

“Hehe, I used to think someone as pale and skinny as you had to be a total bookworm. Never expected you to run 8 kilometers in one go—respect, man, no explanation needed!”

 

Jing Ling chuckled and said, “Nothing much, just a little misunderstanding.”

 

His roommates weren’t overly nosy, so after hearing that, they dropped the subject and moved on to other topics.

 

Jing Ling listened quietly on the side, occasionally chiming in with a word or two. The two hours passed quickly. During that time, the sun set, darkness blanketed the land, and the dorm lights all turned on.

 

“You guys keep chatting. I’m heading out for a bit.” Jing Ling gave a heads-up as he left. One roommate, lying on the bed near the door, reminded him, “Come back early.” He nodded and closed the door behind him.

 

There was some distance from the dorm to the training field, and he had to pass several buildings along the way. None of them were lit, casting the area into pitch darkness, like lurking beasts in the night.

 

Jing Ling walked with steady steps, making his way to the training field. He barely encountered anyone along the way. The lights near the field were on, but they only illuminated a small surrounding area. The more distant hills and trees were shrouded in darkness, shadows thick and indistinct.

 

Passing through the training ground and entering the small forest on the east side, the streetlights at the edge could still provide some illumination, but going further in, it was completely dark. However, the darkness didn’t affect his vision at all—this body had perfectly integrated the skills he had previously exchanged from the system, and night vision was one of them.

 

He accurately stepped over the tree roots exposed above ground, stepped past the thorny vines growing among the shrubs, and his feet crunched on the piled dry leaves. Even in the nighttime forest, he walked as steadily as if it were flat ground.

 

Jing Ling had walked a bit when he heard another set of footsteps approaching from deeper inside, accompanied by cursing, “That little bastard still isn’t here? Don’t tell me he stood me up?!”

 

With the voice, a beam of light appeared within his vision, breaking into scattered rays as it passed through shrubbery about as tall as a person. A tall and sturdy figure soon followed—Jiang Siyan.

 

Jing Ling stood where he was, and the flashlight swept across him. “F**k, who’s there?!” Jiang Siyan’s voice rang out, and the flashlight quickly turned back.

 

“Damn it, standing there quietly like that—trying to scare someone?!” Jiang Siyan shouted.

Jing Ling narrowed his eyes slightly. “What’s wrong, did I scare the instructor? I thought you were supposed to be brave.”

 

It was deep in the forest at night, and seeing a shadow suddenly appear by the shrubs, Jiang Siyan had genuinely been startled just now. But he’d never admit to something like that. With an unpleasant look, he snorted coldly, “What’s with all the talking? Quit dawdling like a damn turtle—move it!”

 

After saying that, Jiang Siyan turned and walked back. Jing Ling followed behind him at a calm pace, heading deeper into the woods. After a while, a clearing appeared in their view—seemed like they’d arrived at the destination.

 

“After tonight, our grudge is settled. I won’t bully you. I’ll only use my hands, not my legs. You do whatever you want—even picking up a stick from the ground as a weapon is fine.” Jiang Siyan spoke while placing the flashlight onto a nearby tree branch. The beam pierced the darkness like a sword, eventually vanishing into the dense forest. Only a sliver of residual light remained, casting a hazy glow over everything around.

 

He unbuttoned his camouflage jacket, pulled down the zipper, took it off completely, and tossed it on the ground.

 

“Kid, I’ll let you make the first move!”

 

Jing Ling also took off his camouflage jacket, but his movements were slow and composed—graceful, not at all like someone preparing for a brawl.

 

“Thank you for your courtesy, instructor. But I need to clarify something—it’s only you who has a problem with me. I simply didn’t want to waste time on such meaningless things, so I proposed this solution.”

 

By this point, it was basically a direct statement: “You’re the one who picked a fight with me.” However, Jiang Siyan didn’t feel the slightest bit that he was in the wrong. Annoyed by how slowly Jing Ling was moving, he urged impatiently, “Stop babbling and get on with it!”

 

“Then I’ll be in your care,” Jing Ling replied. As he spoke, there were still several meters between them, but the moment his words fell, he was already right in front of Jiang Siyan, dropping low with a sweeping kick aimed at the other’s calf.

 

Jing Ling’s speed was astonishing—less than two seconds in total. If it were daytime with full visibility, Jiang Siyan might barely have been able to see the move. But now it was night, in a forest so dense not even moonlight could filter through. All he heard was the crunch of dry leaves underfoot and caught a glimpse of a shadow flashing by. Then, a huge force struck his calf, throwing his lower body off balance and sending him falling backward.

 

The moment his body hit the ground, Jiang Siyan knew he’d underestimated his opponent. He’d assumed the kid was just a freshman in college and would be easy to deal with. He hadn’t expected him to be so deeply hidden—a single move and he was already at a disadvantage. Propping himself up on his elbow, he tried to flip over and get up, but just as he did, a force pressed down on his shoulder, forcing him flat on the ground again.

 

“You lost.” The boy’s usually nonchalant voice now sounded cold.

 

The match ended so quickly that Jiang Siyan couldn’t even react. The only thought in his head was: it was just one move—I didn’t even get a chance to fight back, couldn’t even see clearly what he did—and I’ve already lost?

 

“Instructor, don’t forget what you just said. After we walk out of here tonight, don’t cause me any more trouble. Has anyone ever told you before that picking fights for no reason is really annoying? If not…”

 

The boy’s words were cut off halfway, and the pressure on his shoulder suddenly lifted. Several seconds passed before Jiang Siyan realized no one was there anymore. He could only tell someone had gone ahead from the still-quivering branches up front.

 

“You little bastard! I only let you get the drop on me because I wasn’t paying attention—if you’ve got guts, don’t you dare…” He stopped mid-sentence, because Jing Ling wasn’t heading back to the base—he was going deeper into the mountains.

 

The Changchu Ridge mountain range, which marked the boundary between the two administrative regions, stretched over 2,000 kilometers east to west and spanned 200–300 kilometers north to south. The range was divided into three main sections, with the terrain gradually lowering from west to east. The average elevation of these continuous peaks was over 1,000 meters.

 

Though the army was stationed there, they had only cleared out a limited area. Beyond that lay the true wilderness—untamed forests where wild beasts like wolves and tigers roamed.

 

“That little bastard, what the hell’s he doing running into the mountains in the middle of the night?!” Jiang Siyan couldn’t worry about anything else anymore. He flipped up from the ground, hastily threw on his jacket, grabbed the flashlight from the tree, and chased after Jing Ling in the direction he’d left.

 

Chapter 18

 

“Shouldn’t we contact the hospital?” Jiang Siyang looked at Jing Ling with an expression that seemed to say, “Are you out of your mind?”

 

“Of course, we need to contact the hospital. Let’s keep it alive for now. Whether it survives depends on that Bai fellow.” As Jing Ling spoke, he took a mobile phone out of his clothes pocket and handed it to Jiang Siyang. “Make the call.”

 

Jiang Siyang looked at the black-and-white screen, button-operated elderly phone, remained silent for a while before reaching out to take it, and couldn’t help but complain, “You actually use this thing?”

 

“No choice, my family is poor,” Jing Ling said nonchalantly. “Stop nagging and make the call quickly. If we delay any longer, all that will be left is a dead South China tiger to shock the nation!”

 

That was the plain truth. Although Jiang Siyang still had many questions, he temporarily held them back, picked up the phone, dialed the special number for the unit, and after exchanging the code, briefly described the situation on their end.

 

The young man on the other end of the line thought he had misheard, “Are you sure it’s a wild South China tiger?”

 

“I’m very sure, but its condition is terrible. Please contact the relevant medical personnel as soon as possible!”

 

The message was passed up through the ranks, but almost every level questioned it similarly. This was not only because wild South China tigers had been declared extinct, but also due to an incident a few years ago. Also in the Changchu Ridge Mountains, someone claimed to have seen a wild South China tiger and took photos, causing a huge stir and even attracting attention from many foreign media. 

However, it was eventually proven to be a hoax. A few years later, few people mentioned that incident, but if similar news emerged again, especially in the Changchu Ridge Mountains, it would undoubtedly remind people of that event immediately. If the same mistake were made again, it wouldn’t be easy to explain.

 

After the call, all that was left was to wait. Jiang Siyang turned to look at Jing Ling and found that he had somehow moved to the edge of the creek, only about a meter away from the giant python, making Jiang Siyang break out in a cold sweat for him. However, the person in question was not nervous at all and even started talking to the giant python, “Someone will be here soon. You should leave. You should know that you’re different from the tiger. It’s severely injured and endangered, posing no threat to humans, but you do.”

 

“I promise to do my best to find someone to save it. Even if it can’t be saved, I’ll return its body to you. Is that acceptable?”

 

Jiang Siyang thought there must be something wrong with his eyes; otherwise, how could he see reluctance on a giant python’s face? He saw the giant python lower its head, hiss, and gently touch the tiger’s head. The tiger responded with a low growl, but it was so weak that the sound was barely louder than a kitten’s meow.

 

The giant python crossed the creek and disappeared into the jungle.

 

Less than five minutes later, the sound of a helicopter’s rotors grew louder, and a strong light shone down from above, illuminating the area by the creek clearly. Guided by the helicopter, the troops quickly arrived.

 

Although they had known the target of this emergency mission from the beginning, everyone was still shocked when they saw the tiger lying by the creek. Medical personnel brought the necessary tools to provide emergency treatment to the tiger to ensure it could hold on until professional staff arrived. Another team spread out to investigate the surrounding area.

 

“Who discovered it?” asked a man in military uniform, with two bars and two stars on his shoulder insignia, indicating his rank as a lieutenant colonel in the army.

 

Jiang Siyang originally wanted to take responsibility first. This wasn’t about claiming credit but rather covering up. Neither he nor Jing Ling had any reason to leave the dormitory late at night and run into the woods, ending up far beyond the safety zone cleared by the troops. However, he was from the Jiang family, while Jing Ling was an ordinary civilian with no background.

 

Unexpectedly, before he could speak, Jing Ling directly admitted, “Reporting to the lieutenant colonel, it was me, Jing Ling, a freshman from Yizhou University of Transportation, class of 2012.”

 

Under the strong light, the boy’s skin was so pale it seemed to glow. Except for his slightly messy hair, he looked neat and tidy, showing no signs of distress. In contrast, Jiang Siyang, standing not far from him, was the exact opposite. After traversing the jungle, his jacket and pants had various tears, and his exposed face and hands had visible wounds.

 

In such a situation, anyone with a functioning brain could see that something was amiss.

 

Jing Ling was taken aside for questioning. Of course, Jiang Siyang wasn’t left out either.

 

Throughout the entire interrogation, Jing Ling’s tone remained calm. Even when saying things that sounded unbelievable to others, and facing their skeptical gazes, his facial expression never changed.

But even so, the other party still didn’t believe him. “You’ve got guts, kid, lying to my face without batting an eye!”

 

This voice sounded cold, clearly angry.

 

Actually, Jiang Siyang didn’t believe it either. However, as someone who had witnessed most of the process, he felt it necessary to testify on behalf of Jing Ling. 

 

With a calm demeanor he stated, “Colonel, just because you are unaware of certain matters does not imply they do not exist. Perhaps you should inquire further up the chain.” It was certain that those above were already aware of similar issues, though they merely refrained from making them public.

 

At this moment, the reconnaissance team returned. “Reporting, Lieutenant Colonel, we discovered traces of activity from a large creature in the surrounding area. Preliminary assessment indicates it was a type of python, at least over ten meters in length and around 80 centimeters in width!”

 

Upon hearing this, the lieutenant colonel sharply turned his gaze to Jiang Siyang.

 

“Sorry, I forgot to mention earlier—when we found the tiger, there was a giant python nearby. But it left before you all arrived.” He replied with a perfectly serious expression, but it made everyone listening grit their teeth in frustration.  

 

‘Damn, what do you mean you ‘forgot’? That’s a giant python over ten meters long, not some tiny snake as thick as a finger. You said you forgot? Why don’t you go fly to the moon while you’re at it!’

 

Not long after, someone from the medical team came over and explained the tiger’s condition. Due to the severity of its injuries and having missed the optimal treatment window, even professional personnel wouldn’t be able to save it.

 

After the person finished speaking, Jing Ling directly said, “If someone from the Bai family can be found, there might still be hope. If the lieutenant colonel is willing, you could try asking further up the chain. Someone is bound to know.”

 

The lieutenant colonel did not agree, but he didn’t refuse either—it was unclear if he was considering it.  

Jiang Siyang, on the other hand, directly took out the mobile phone Jing Ling had given him earlier and dialed his old man at home. After two beeps, the call connected, and a deep, powerful male voice came through the receiver: “Hello.”

 

“Dad, it’s me, Siyang. Don’t start yelling at me just yet—I have something to ask you. You can scold me after I’m done.”

 

“If you’ve got something to fart, just let it out!”

 

“Dad, do you know the Bai family?” Perhaps fearing that the question sounded too vague, he added, “The Bai family that can treat wild animals—do you know them?”

 

There was a suspicious silence on the other end for a few seconds.  

 

“…Where did you hear about the Bai family?”

 

Jiang Siyang wasn’t dumb. As soon as he heard that, he knew there was a chance. “Don’t worry about where I heard it. We found a wild South China tiger in the Changchu Ridge Mountains near the army base. It’s badly injured, and only the Bai family can save it now! Since you know them, can you get in touch with someone from the Bai family?”

 

“I understand. I won’t ask anything tonight, but tomorrow you’d better get your ass back to Lanzhou and explain everything to me!”  

 

With that, the call was abruptly cut off.

 

Jiang Siyang listened to the busy tone for a moment, then put away the phone and leaned close to Jing Ling to quietly ask, “Who exactly are you?”

 

Not far away, the lieutenant colonel watched the two of them expressionlessly.

 

A few minutes later, the faint sound of vibration rang out. The lieutenant colonel took out his phone and answered the call. The distance wasn’t too far, and Jing Ling focused his attention and heard a bold, powerful voice coming through the receiver:  

“Someone from the Bai family will be arriving shortly. Jiangang, I expect an explanation from you about what happened today.”

 

—

 

Military dormitory area.

 

Room 605 in Building No. 3. Several new students were playing cards out of boredom. One of them lost, picked up a large bowl of water by his side, and was just about to drink it when the phone suddenly rang.

 

“I’ll take this call first,” he said, putting the water down, getting up, and walking to the bedside to pick up the phone. When he saw who was calling, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes, but he quickly returned to normal. He took the phone and stepped out onto the balcony, closing the door behind him before answering. “Hello, Uncle Chen!”

 

“Ningxi, you’ve got everything with you, right?” the man on the other end asked.

 

“Grandfather told me I must carry it with me at all times,” Bai Ningxi replied.

 

“That’s good. Keep everything with you. Someone will come pick you up soon—go with them.”

 

“Okay. Anything else, Uncle Chen? If not, I’ll go pack now.”

 

After Bai Ningxi hung up the phone and returned to the dorm room, his roommates started teasing him.

“Hey, who was that call from, Xiaobai? So mysterious!”

 

“Who else could it be? Must be his girlfriend!”

 

“Xiaobai, you’re not being honest. During our truth-or-dare game at lunch, you said you didn’t have a girlfriend!”

 

“Exactly! Don’t tell me you got a girlfriend this afternoon and pulled off a speedrun romance!”

 

Bai Ningxi chuckled. “It wasn’t a girlfriend—it was an elder in my family. I need to head out for a bit, so you guys keep playing.”  

 

After saying that, he started packing his things.

 

Seeing that he didn’t look like he was joking, the roommates didn’t push further but did remind him, “Be sure to come back early, or if the drill instructor catches you, you might end up like that kid this afternoon—punished to run twenty laps around the training field!”

 

He quickly finished packing, changed his clothes, said goodbye to his roommates, and left the room. Just as he closed the door behind him, two soldiers approached him. One of them asked, “Are you Bai Ningxi?”

 

He nodded.

 

“Headquarters already contacted you, right? Please come with us.”

 

The three of them left the dormitory building. They exited the dorm area, passed a few more buildings, and arrived at the training field. Bai Ningxi followed silently, but he was puzzled inside. He was willing to go because of Uncle Chen’s call to help someone, but this direction didn’t seem right—what was going on?

 

They crossed the training field and entered the forest. The deeper they went, the denser the vegetation became. Even with someone clearing the way ahead, Bai Ningxi still found it difficult to walk. He didn’t know how long they walked, but eventually they arrived at a wire fence wall. One section had been cut open, with two soldiers standing guard beside it.

 

They passed through the wire fence and walked a bit farther, arriving at a small stream. Following the current upstream, they continued on. Light gradually appeared ahead, along with voices. After pushing through a thicket of shrubs, the view suddenly opened up. He saw a group of people gathered by the stream—it looked like medical personnel.

 

Just as Bai Ningxi was feeling puzzled, the soldier in front suddenly stopped, stood at attention, and saluted. “Reporting, Lieutenant Colonel, the person has been brought!”

 

Then, a tall young man walked out from the opposite side. After sizing him up for a few seconds, he said, “You’re that veterinarian from the Bai family? Why are you so young? Doesn’t seem reliable at all!”

 

Due to his family background, Bai Ningxi had excellent self-discipline since childhood. The phrase “a gentleman as gentle as jade” suited him perfectly. However, at this moment, hearing that, he couldn’t help the twitch at his forehead—he nearly lost control and cursed.

 

You’re the veterinarian! Your whole family are veterinarians!

 

Chapter 20

 

The Bai family had practiced medicine for generations—not Western medicine, but traditional Chinese medicine—passed down since the late Ming Dynasty to the present day. On the surface, the Bai family appeared to be just another ordinary TCM household in the Southern Administrative District, yet they resided in Cuiming Mountain, a place crowded with the powerful and influential, living right next to the District Chief’s family. Even among the residents of Cuiming Mountain, most only knew the Bai family as life-saving physicians, unaware that they were skilled not only in treating people, but also other living beings. During the most chaotic period before the founding of the nation, the Bai family once relocated deep into the Changchu Ridge Mountains to live in seclusion among the mountain’s creatures.

 

And now he was being called a veterinarian. How could Bai Ningxi not be angry? Even the most refined gentleman, at his young and spirited age, couldn’t hold back. If it hadn’t been for Uncle Chen instructing him to go along, he would have turned around and left then and there.

 

At that moment, another person walked over, reaching out a fair, slender hand to him. “Sorry, he didn’t know the situation and misspoke. Please don’t take offense. Hello, I’m Jing Ling.”

 

Bai Ningxi looked at him for a moment before extending his hand in return. “I know who you are.” Just one glance and he had recognized Jing Ling. After all, someone with such striking looks was too rare—once seen, impossible to forget.

 

“Hello, Bai Ningxi.”

 

“Apologies for disturbing you so late and making you come all this way,” Jing Ling released his hand and looked toward the stream. “I don’t know if anyone explained the situation to you beforehand. We discovered a wild South China tiger here. It’s severely injured. Professionals have already examined it and said there’s nothing they can do. Now, all hope rests on you.”

 

Bai Ningxi was slightly surprised upon hearing that. “Didn’t wild South China tigers go extinct a long time ago? And how could it appear in the outer areas of a forest like this?”

 

“We’ll talk about that later. The situation is urgent—please help take a look first,” Jing Ling said, turning to walk toward the stream.

 

Bai Ningxi followed behind him.

 

The area by the stream was crowded with people. Besides the medical personnel from the military, there were also authoritative figures in wildlife medical rescue from Qin City. They could only watch helplessly as the tiger’s life slipped away, brows furrowed with worry.

 

“Excuse us, please make way. Thank you.” Jing Ling walked ahead, speaking as he reached out to part the crowd. It seemed effortless as a path immediately opened. Bai Ningxi, walking behind him, squinted slightly. The path looked easily made, and people appeared to move aside voluntarily at the touch of Jing Ling’s hands. But in fact, that wasn’t the case—those being moved were grumbling as they stepped back, clearly reluctant. In other words, they were being forced to move. The young man’s gestures looked light and casual, but were in truth full of hidden strength, easily pushing aside full-grown adults.

 

He appeared slender and pale, yet clearly was far from ordinary. And he even knew about the Bai family. This person must have an unusual background, though Bai Ningxi couldn’t figure it out for now. There was no prestigious family with the surname Jing, and the children of the other families wouldn’t bear that name either. Could he be a favored illegitimate son?

 

But the short path was soon behind them. As the innermost layer of people stepped aside, the tiger lying on the stone slab came into view. Its breathing was so weak that, without careful observation, you could barely detect the rise and fall of its body. The situation was truly dire.

 

Bai Ningxi set aside his thoughts for now, walked up to the tiger and crouched down, reaching out to check its condition. He sighed, “Wounds of this severity are usually fatal. If it had been sent for treatment right after the injury, there might’ve been hope. But after such a long delay, saving it now is extremely difficult.”

 

Then the young man’s voice rang out behind him. “Then treat it. Whatever you need, just say so.”

 

Bai Ningxi was a little surprised upon hearing that. He stood up and looked back at Jing Ling. “How do you know I can treat it?”

 

Jing Ling smiled. “Because you said it’s difficult, not impossible.”

 

Bai Ningxi smiled in return.

 

Two boys of similar age—one with features so exquisite they were nearly flawless, the other with a gentle, ethereal demeanor—stood together, undoubtedly a very pleasing sight to the eye. But the people around them had no mood to appreciate it.

 

“Did I hear that right? You said you can save it? Do you even know what the situation is right now?”

 

“Where did this brat come from, bossing people around here—have you even graduated? Got your practitioner’s license yet?”

 

“What’s with young people these days? All of them with lofty ambitions but lacking ability, dreaming of soaring to the top in one leap! Really think they’re some kind of prodigy!”

 

Bai Ningxi had heard this kind of questioning too many times. At first, he used to get indignant, but over time, he got used to it—so much so that he didn’t even bother to argue anymore. But then, the next moment, he heard Jing Ling say, “Do we need to clear the area?”

 

Bai Ningxi smiled and nodded. “Thank you.”

 

“You’re welcome. It’s the right thing to do.” Jing Ling finished speaking, then turned and called outward, “Jiang Siyang, give us a hand and move these people aside.”

 

Jiang Siyang, standing outside the crowd, immediately darkened his expression. He thought to himself, This little brat is getting bolder and bolder—doesn’t even call me ‘Instructor’ anymore! But grumbling was one thing—he still called over some people to help, and together they cleared away the group of professionals who had been stubbornly standing there, criticizing the two boys without stopping.

 

Bai Ningxi had arrived at the scene around eleven at night, with a bright moon hanging high in the clear sky. The troops had brought generators, stringing wires along both sides of the river. Every so often, a 100-watt light bulb lit up, illuminating the riverbank area as bright as day.

 

By the time he had treated the tiger’s wounds and pulled it back from the brink of death, it was already around five or six in the morning. An entire night spent in intense concentration, plus the physical labor of personally treating the wounds—it was utterly exhausting. After stitching the final suture, Bai Ningxi finally let out a sigh of relief, raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and stood up straight to the side.

 

Suddenly, darkness clouded his vision without warning, and his head felt dizzy. The spot where he was standing was uneven—his footing slipped, and his whole body began to fall backward.

 

Jing Ling had also stayed up all night, waiting nearby so he could be easily called on if anything was needed. Seeing what happened, he quickly stepped forward and caught Bai Ningxi. Although it was clear that the collapse was most likely due to exhaustion, he still called over the medical staff to check on him.

The tiger’s life had been saved, and that matter came to a temporary close. The professionals who had earlier mocked and ridiculed Bai Ningxi were thoroughly slapped in the face after just one night and now sat quietly like chickens. It wasn’t until the matter of what to do with the tiger came up that another argument broke out.

 

Everyone agreed the tiger should be sent to an animal rehabilitation center. But as for which center, there was no consensus. One was closer, another had a better environment, and yet another had greater authority—each had their supporters, and the argument got so heated they were nearly tearing each other apart.

 

In the end, it was Jing Ling who clapped his hands and made the final decision: “It’s not going anywhere. We’ll fence off an area here in the Changchu Ridge Mountain, and leave a few people to watch over it. Don’t tell me it’s injured and has to go to a rehab center. The king of beasts, raised in the wild, isn’t so fragile. Once it recovers enough, we’ll release it back into the forest.”

 

Besides the reasons he stated aloud, there was another motive behind this decision: the snake. With society as it is today, it was impossible for a tiger to be living in the outer areas of the forest. This tiger must have originally lived deep within the Changchu Ridge Mountains. After it got injured, a snake had brought it out of the forest. Who knew how these two species had developed such a relationship? But the fact was, the snake had risked entering human territory for the tiger. Though Jing Ling had persuaded it to leave, he could still sense that it lingered nearby. If the tiger were taken away, the snake would definitely follow, even if it meant crawling thousands of miles. And if that massive thing showed up in front of people, someone with a weak heart might die from fright.

 

So for the good of everyone, the tiger had to stay.

 

Of course, the professionals didn’t agree with this at all. They fired a barrage of objections at Jing Ling. But it was no use—Jiang Siyang sided with him, Bai Ningxi sided with him, and most importantly, the lieutenant colonel who had stayed silent all night also sided with him. This was military ground, after all. Even if you wanted to take a blade of grass, you needed the military’s approval.

 

No matter how unwilling the professionals were, they had to accept reality.

 

Very quickly, the news of a wild South China tiger being found in the Changchu Ridge Mountain spread nationwide. Due to an incident that had happened a few years ago, the public was immediately suspicious upon seeing the news—wondering if it was fake again. But this time was different. It wasn’t just photos—there was video evidence too. In an instant, the stationed troops in Qin City became the center of attention, and the students from Yizhou University undergoing military training there also became highly sought after. They had half an hour each day outside of training to go see the tiger, though it had to be done in shifts.

 

Since reporters weren’t allowed into the base, they could only use the photos and videos posted by the students to fill their news articles.

 

The one-month military training soon came to an end. Compared to when they had just arrived, almost everyone had been tanned into charcoal. Many even had peeling skin. But there were exceptions—like Jing Ling, who looked exactly the same before and after the training.

 

On the last day of military training, Jing Ling borrowed a roommate’s phone, took a selfie, and posted it on Weibo with three words: Naturally Born Beautiful.