Corpse Recovery Diver-Chapter 738 - 132:

"Meng Meng, Ah You, you two go near the hospital now and look for Run Sheng. He should be nearby; he's likely injured and unable to move but not in life-threatening danger."

The pig's actions indicated to Li Zhiyuan that it was worried about reinforcements arriving on their side.

And the true threat to it was Run Sheng, so when the pig came here, it couldn't kill Run Sheng.

Yin Meng: "Understood."

Lin Shuyou: "Got~it!"

The two immediately left the photo studio.

"Brother Binbin, wrap up things here, ask him about the specific course of events."

Li Zhiyuan pointed at Deng Chen.

Deng Chen nodded respectfully to Li Zhiyuan, then smiled at Tan Wenbin.

"Brother Xiao Yuan..."

As Li Zhiyuan was about to leave, he was stopped and glanced back at Tan Wenbin: "Hmm?"

Tan Wenbin initially wanted to ask Brother Xiao Yuan how to handle the wrap-up, or at least get some guidance, even a keyword would do. But seeing the pale fatigue on Brother Xiao Yuan's face, he hesitated to burden him further and changed his words to:

"Brother Xiao Yuan, head west, there's a small mall there, it's a good spot to catch a cab."

"Okay."

Now it's already dark, and as the fog cleared, people on the streets are gradually returning, but traffic is still disrupted due to the chaotic state of the roads, making them impassable for cars.

Drivers stuck here without a way to turn around are swearing at road authorities, questioning why road repairs started abruptly at night.

Li Zhiyuan walked a distance west from the photo studio, bypassing the traffic jam, and caught a taxi at the mall entrance.

After giving the driver the address, Li Zhiyuan slumped into the back seat.

He was exhausted.

Not only did he have to act personally, but he was also injured, using both skill and array, leaving him completely drained.

In truth, what drained him most wasn't all of the above; it was the intense mental battle with the pig, anticipating its moves and setting traps, which was the most taxing.

Fortunately, the pig didn't let him down; it followed the smartest method he had deduced, showcasing a tacit understanding between a clever person and a clever pig.

His nose felt itchy, likely a sign of impending nosebleed. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Li Zhiyuan took some paper from his bag, tore it in half, rolled it into balls to plug his nostrils, then closed his eyes and fell asleep.

"We've reached Haihe University, is this the gate?" the driver's voice came.

Li Zhiyuan glanced at the campus gate outside the car window, nodded, and prepared to pay. But he noticed the fare on the taxi meter was nearly twice the normal amount.

Being sensitive to numbers, he didn't even have to calculate; he had taken a taxi to and from the photo studio twice from the campus gate earlier.

It was likely the driver adjusted the meter, thinking he was asleep, though he probably would have done it even if Li hadn't been asleep, seeing that he was just a kid.

Currently, though many taxi drivers are kind and honest, the industry's chaotic mix can't be denied.

"Just after finishing one ordeal, you rip me off on the fare?"

Li Zhiyuan could see black energy gathering on the driver's face.

Sleeping briefly in the car didn't refresh him; instead, it left him even more fatigued.

Li Zhiyuan didn't question, didn't inquire; with weariness, he handed money over from his bag directly to the driver.

The driver took the money.

Black energy on the driver's forehead began to faintly show streaks of blood.

And even after taking the money, the driver procrastinated without giving change.

He probably thought he encountered someone naïve; as long as the youth didn't speak up, he wouldn't offer change.

Having seen many people, he knew some wouldn't voice discomfort even if cheated by strangers.

Li Zhiyuan grabbed his bag and opened the car door.

On stepping out, Li Zhiyuan habitually said: "Thank you, driver."

The driver waved and smiled: "You're welcome."

He was pleased, he felt proud.

Li Zhiyuan saw the driver's forehead showing blood streaks.

But the youth said nothing, and carrying his bag, he walked into the campus.

As his grandmaster once said:

Everyone has their fate; some are truly pitiful, while others... utterly deserve it.

...

In the courtyard.

Aunt Liu held chopsticks and a bowl, inspecting freshly pickled vegetables.

The elderly woman preferred light meals but needed varied flavors; different small pickles were an essential supplement and decoration on their table.

Uncle Qin was tilling the ground, following the elderly woman's instruction to plant vegetables since the remaining patch of lawn wasn't needed.

With Xiao Yuan starting his journey across the rivers, the elderly woman's expectations for daily life became more grounded.

During his past journey, she didn't make such changes.

Uncle Qin assumed he was perhaps less capable than Xiao Yuan even when he had already reached adulthood during his journey.

Because he didn't want to admit another possibility, which was that the elderly woman's mindset had changed because she had aged.

In Uncle Qin's eyes, she was the master of the household, a mother, and a teacher.

Aunt Liu came over holding the bowl, offering a piece of pickled cucumber to Uncle Qin with chopsticks: "Try it."

Uncle Qin opened his mouth to take it, chewed a couple of times, and commented: "It's edible now, but feels not flavorful enough yet."