C30 The Savage Assistant

Secretary Ma led Ethan into his office, and all uninitiated officials left. Only a few insiders remained, pretending to ask about his well-being. Ethan found their fake concern disgusting. They all wanted to know how he’d escaped the psychiatric hospital and whether he was still insane, but they beat around the bush.

Ethan considered pretending to go crazy to scare them, but he felt too bored. This time, he’d come back to face everything head-on—rats, cats, snakes, clans, killers, all of it.

What he really wanted was to ask about Dana. But he was also terrified to see her.

After enduring their hollow courtesies, Ethan left directly. He took Secretary Ma’s car, enjoying the awkward look on Ma’s face—too embarrassed to refuse. Ethan laughed inwardly. Being thick-skinned really did bring benefits.

He parked the car downstairs and hummed an off-key tune as he walked to his luxury villa. The moment he pushed the door open, a sharp sense of danger exploded in his chest.

Ethan spun and punched hard. His fist hit something soft and bouncy, and he was violently thrown backward. He’d been halfway inside—now he flew all the way back to the car door.

He charged again. Before he even crossed the threshold, an invisible force slammed him again. He tumbled to the ground.

Ethan felt both fear and rage. Never had he been defeated without even seeing his enemy. Never had he been locked out of his own home.

He roared and threw himself at the door like a rocket. If he was going to die, he’d die inside his own house.

The door shattered.

Ethan’s full power burst out—but there was nothing to hit. He stumbled and crashed painfully to the floor.

Laughter echoed through the villa.

A terrifying power surged inside Ethan, hot enough to melt him. He leaped up, screaming, and unleashed a storm of energy. The air trembled. Four powerful waves of force merged with his own.

A deafening explosion shook the building. Ethan was thrown out again.

He staggered back inside. This time, he could see clearly.

The first floor was nearly destroyed. Every piece of furniture had been reduced to powder. In the center stood four people, their clothes torn, faces blackened by the blast.

One was round like a ball. Another was stick‑thin, eyes sharp as torches. The other two… Ethan blinked. They looked weirdly familiar.

“Ethan! Your power has grown wildly! You nearly killed this old man! Where did you get these strange skills? That was Tiger Dance, Tiger Soul Qi… and Dragon Clan power I don’t even recognize!” the round old man shouted.

Ethan’s blood boiled. These intruders had wrecked his villa, then dared to question him. He was the mayor, a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, a famous entrepreneur, and even a Party member (though he’d never paid dues). He couldn’t back down.

“Old ghosts! Breaking into private property and attacking a government official! Apologize now, or I’ll beat all four of you!”

The thin old man chuckled. “You’re arrogant. We think you should apologize to us.”

The two silent young men stared at Ethan as if begging him to stop.

Ethan didn’t care. He screamed and charged again.

The four figures darted upstairs.

In that instant, Ethan recognized them.

He skidded to a halt. “Master! Guys! Why did you run upstairs? I was just going to hug you!”

It was Dragon One, Dragon Five, Howard, and Han Tao.

Ethan bowed deeply. He dared not offend Dragon One—noble, mysterious, and dangerous. Offending him meant offending the entire Dragon Clan.

The four came down. Ethan tried not to laugh at Dragon One’s waddling, ball‑like shape. He glared at Howard and Han Tao—they’d hidden from him and let him wreck his own home. His expensive renovation was gone.

They sat amid the ruins.

Dragon Five cut to the point. “Are you fully recovered from the madness?”

“Nope! Not even a little! If I were sane, I’d have killed you all for wrecking my house!” Ethan joked.

Everyone laughed.

Dragon One’s expression turned grave. “We need the truth. How did you escape the hospital? Why were two unregistered patients in your cell? And why is the Tiger Taoist dead?”

Ethan’s heart sank. They knew everything already.

“I don’t know all the details! There was an old Taoist. Then two black‑suited men broke in. They fought. I ran away!” Ethan lied. He dared not reveal the Dragon Pearl inside him—they might cut him open to get it.

Dragon One frowned. “Snake Princes. Twin masters of the Snake Clan, over a hundred years old. They look identical. So they fought the Tiger Taoist… but where is the Dragon Pearl?”

Ethan froze. Snake Clan?

Before he could react, Dragon Five continued. “A Japanese delegation arrives tomorrow. We suspect the Dog Clan has infiltrated them. Their target was the Tiger Taoist. Now he’s dead… you’re next.”

Ethan groaned. Tiger Clan, Snake Clan, Dog Clan, Mouse Society—he couldn’t catch a break.

“Wait! I’m not going alone! I’ll die!”

Dragon Five smiled. “Howard and Han Tao will be your assistants. And we’ll assign you a female secretary. Her skill is above all of yours. But be warned—she has a terrible temper.”

“A female secretary? 24‑hour protection?” Ethan’s eyes lit up.

“Don’t get excited,” Howard muttered. “She’s beautiful… but she’s over 200 years old.”

Ethan choked.

Dragon One and Dragon Five smiled and drifted out the window like ghosts.

The next day, Ethan returned to work as mayor. He sat at his desk, pretending to work while secretly playing computer games.

The door burst open.

Ethan didn’t look up. “Knock and come in properly!”

A soft, sweet voice answered. “Mayor Ethan, I’m your new assistant, Zhao Fan. I’ll be working in this office with you from now on.”

Ethan looked up—and stared.

Full figure, smooth shoulders, tempting lips, delicate nose, big watery eyes. Silky waterfall hair. She looked no older than twenty‑five.

“Mayor? Mayor!”

Ethan jolted awake. He’d nearly drooled. This couldn’t be the 200‑year‑old monster. Howard and Han Tao must have lied.

He straightened, trying to act authoritative. “Next time, knock first. Rules are rules.”

Zhao Fan’s smile turned cold. “Don’t play the official with me. You know who sent me. Apologize now.”

“How dare you! I’m the mayor!” Ethan shouted.

Before he could blink, two sharp slaps landed across his face.

“You hit me? Hit me again!” Ethan roared in disbelief.

Slap. Slap.

Zhao Fan hit him twice more, fast as lightning.

Her voice turned gentle again. “Understand how we’ll get along now, Mr. Mayor?”

Ethan’s pride shattered. “Y-yes…”

This was no assistant. This was a warden. A queen. A 200‑year‑old goddess of war.

“Good. Play your games. I’ll arrange everything. You will take me everywhere. In public, I’ll respect you. In private… behave yourself. I’m old and I’m impatient.”

The Japanese delegation arrived at the airport.

Ethan hated the ceremony. Why roll out the red carpet for Japan? They’d never returned the favor. He blamed China for giving up war reparations—now they were disrespected.

Students lined up with flowers. Ethan signaled the propaganda chief to hand them to him. The official thought Ethan was being overly courteous—and secretly judged him.

The plane landed.

The Japanese group was loud, arrogant, obvious.

The leader stepped forward. Short, stubby, small eyes, big nose—classic Dog Clan features.

“Mr. Miyamoto?” Ethan’s translator began.

“I speak Chinese,” Miyamoto said smoothly. He reached for the flowers.

Ethan flinched. Miyamoto grabbed empty air.

Ethan tossed the flowers aside and hugged him. As they embraced, Ethan channeled a jolt of electric energy into Miyamoto’s body.

Miyamoto trembled violently, unable to speak.

“Mr. Miyamoto is overcome with excitement!” Ethan announced loudly. “Take him to the hotel immediately!”

He ordered the hotel to charge them in U.S. dollars—at 20% over the regular price.

Power really was convenient.

That night, Ethan’s body suddenly burned and froze at the same time.

The Dragon Pearl was flaring.

He rushed home, locked Howard and Han Tao out, and collapsed in agony.

When he opened his eyes, Zhao Fan was standing beside his bed.

He didn’t know how she’d gotten in. She appeared and vanished like a ghost. He had no privacy, no escape.

The pain intensified. Hot and cold tore him apart.

Zhao Fan grabbed him.

Ethan panicked. Had she discovered the Dragon Pearl?

He struggled weakly—but his body was spent. Zhao Fan knocked him unconscious with a light tap.

In his haze, he felt two powerful energies—one hot, one cold—enter his body. They spun like a vortex, calming the raging storm inside him.

It felt like floating on water. Like being held by a lover.

For the first time in months, he was completely free of pain.

When Ethan woke, he was lying in Zhao Fan’s arms.

She was asleep, exhausted, tiny pearls of sweat on her forehead. In that moment, she looked pure, holy, like a goddess.

Ethan’s heart raced. He felt inexplicably connected to her. He gently lifted her and laid her on the bed.

Zhao Fan opened her eyes and smiled.

Ethan panicked and turned to run.

He slammed headfirst into the doorframe.

The world spun. He collapsed.

Zhao Fan’s laughter rang like silver bells.

Howard and Han Tao rushed in and stared, stunned, at Ethan lying on the floor and Zhao Fan sitting calmly on the bed.

Ethan struggled up.

Zhao Fan’s smile faded. “Howard. Han Tao. Leave.”

A single roar.

The two men were sent flying downstairs.

Ethan laughed. Finally, someone else was getting bullied too.

“Stop laughing. Close the door. We need to talk,” Zhao Fan said. Her voice was ice.

Ethan obeyed instantly.

“You know the Ascending Dragon Art. Who taught you?”

“Dragon Five!”

“Liar. No one alive knows it but me.”

Slap.

Ethan held his face. “Okay! Okay! A crazy old Taoist! He’s dead! I swear!”

Zhao Fan’s eyes softened. “Dark eyebrows, leopard eyes, long beard?”

“Yes! You knew him?”

“More than you know.” She fell silent, sad.

Then she snapped back. “Now tell me about the Tiger Soul Qi… and the Dragon Pearl inside you.”

Ethan’s blood turned cold.

She knew everything.

“I… I… it’s a long story—”

“Talk. Or I’ll hurt you.”

Ethan spilled everything: the psychiatric hospital, the Tiger Taoist, the pearl being forced into his body, the daily agony of fire and ice.

He felt relieved to finally tell the truth.

Zhao Fan listened quietly.

“Your condition is critical,” she said finally. “The Dragon Pearl and Tiger Soul Qi are tearing you apart. I can only stabilize you. I can’t cure you.”

Ethan’s throat tightened. “You… you did this to save me?”

“Don’t be conceited. I was thinking about myself. We have a history. And I won’t report the Dragon Pearl… for now. But you’d better behave.”

She kicked him playfully.

Ethan ran out, laughing.

He was terrified of falling for his 200‑year‑old assistant.

But for the first time since he’d returned to this world…

He didn’t feel alone anymore.