Chapter 46: I Am Your Long-Lost Grandson

The sky was gradually darkening. Chen Meng sat in the taxi, his hand probing the spot where he had been shot.
It hurt badly, and seemed swollen.
Battle suits were hardly invincible, and he had expected as much.
He took out Jiang Lan’s pistol and examined it; only four bullets remained.
The driver sensed something but pretended not to notice, and the car sped out of Jiangzhou City.
The driver glanced at the navigation map. “You’re heading to Hongjia Village, right at the foot of Daqingshan outside Jiangzhou. The last kilometer is a country lane, suitable for a little e-bike; my regular car won’t make it, unless it could fly. I’ll drop you at the road’s entrance, and you’ll have to walk the final stretch.”
Chen Meng said nothing, but checked the map himself—it was exactly as the driver described.
“That’s fine,” Chen Meng replied, and took the opportunity to check Mouse Beibei’s injury.
Mouse Beibei had evolved into a divine entity, his recovery far surpassing Chen Meng’s. The wound on his leg was already scabbed over.
“There’s a car behind us,”
The driver, watching the rearview mirror, said gravely, “It seems to have followed us from Jiangzhou, probably tailing you.”
Chen Meng immediately looked back—he saw the car was less than a hundred meters behind.
“It must be that woman. She’s caught up; I knew she wouldn’t just flee.”
Chen Meng gritted his teeth, glanced at the map—ten kilometers remained to Hongjia Village.
Squeak, squeak!
Mouse Beibei popped out of the backpack, barking at the car behind, his fur bristling in alarm—he sensed danger.
“Can you shake her off?”
Chen Meng asked quietly, then reassured the driver, “The person in that car is a cultist. She wants to kill me, and Mouse Beibei. Mouse Beibei is the only awakened rodent beast on Earth—his fate could determine humanity’s standing in the primordial world. His life is more important than yours or mine.”
“A mouse? Awakened?” The driver seemed to understand, his voice angry, “Those cultists are traitors to humanity. I failed my college entrance exams; otherwise, I’d have wiped them out myself. Your best bet is to contact the Law Enforcement Bureau. The director, Wu Tengkong, is a fifth-stage divine entity; he can protect you.”
“I don’t trust the Bureau just yet. The one behind us is actually from the Bureau. I need to find my master—he can save us,” Chen Meng replied slowly.
“All right, I’ll do my best to shake off that car.” The driver thought for a moment, then floored the accelerator. The speed surged past one hundred twenty miles per hour.
Chen Meng sighed—the driver had a true sense of justice.
But as the taxi sped up, Jiang Lan’s car also accelerated. Chen Meng knew this wouldn’t work.
He pondered, rolled down the window, leaned out, and fired a shot at Jiang Lan’s car.
Bang!
He hit the tire, but the bullet didn’t puncture it.
Modern cars were etched with runes; their defense was greatly enhanced. Ordinary pistol rounds could barely scratch them.
Still, the shot caused Jiang Lan’s car to swerve and slam against the guardrail, sparks flying in the night.
“Beautiful!”
The driver, watching the rearview mirror, saw the car crash into the guardrail and slow down, instantly putting five hundred meters between them.

Chen Meng said nothing—such marksmanship was nothing remarkable to him.
The taxi continued, Jiang Lan trailing behind, careful not to get close—she maintained a distance of five hundred meters.
At that range, the pistol posed no threat.
“This road is straight as an arrow, not a single bend. Shaking her off is almost impossible. If this were Akina Mountain, she wouldn’t even see my taillights,” the driver muttered, glancing at the map. “Three kilometers to the junction. I’ll drop you there; after that, run.”
“Alright. Once we’re off, you’d better leave, too,” Chen Meng said.
The driver chuckled, “If she kills me, I’ll draw her away for you.”
Chen Meng fell silent, moved by the driver’s righteousness. This era was never short of just men.
At that moment, Chen Meng’s phone rang—it was Han Hao.
“Chen Meng, the Bureau is held up by cultists,” Han Hao’s voice was urgent. “What’s your situation?”
“That woman is still following us,” Chen Meng answered grimly, “but I’ll soon reach Hongjia Village. Do you know it? My master, Hong Qi, lives there; his son, Hong Qing, is the major general of our country.”
“Hong Qing!” Han Hao shuddered at the name.
Chen Meng was surprised—Han Hao clearly knew nothing of Hong Qi, but he knew Hong Qing.
Just hearing the name left Han Hao shaken.
It seemed Hong Qing’s reputation was even greater than Chen Meng imagined.
After all, to openly kill Qian Yanjiao, deputy dean of Jiangzhou University’s pharmacology department—Hong Qing was no ordinary man.
“Chen Meng, protect that mouse,” Han Hao said after a pause. “Tonight will be sleepless. Jiangzhou is in chaos; cultists are committing crimes everywhere to distract us.”
“Those cultists are vile,” Chen Meng cursed, guessing at their tactics.
“We’re almost at the Hongjia Village junction,” the driver announced, and Chen Meng checked the map—it was true.
“Alright.” Chen Meng hung up, picked up Mouse Beibei, and said, “Beibei, the cultists will catch up. We must rely on the old man. If he’s just an ordinary person, and a divine cultist comes, we’ll be in real danger. If it comes to that, don’t worry about me. You’re small; you can dig. Just burrow into the mountain. Unless they flatten it, you’ll survive.”
“Squeak, squeak!” Mouse Beibei protested, unwilling to escape alone.
“If I die, so be it—I never belonged here anyway,” Chen Meng said, thinking of another Earth. “Maybe death will send me home—wouldn’t that be nice.”
Then, fiercely, “Remember what I said. If danger comes, escape alone.”
Mouse Beibei squeaked again, but Chen Meng would say no more; he’d said all he needed.
“We’re here!”
The driver slammed the brakes, glanced at the car behind—five or six hundred meters away.
“Go!”
Chen Meng grabbed Mouse Beibei and dashed onto the country lane.
The driver didn’t linger, stomping the accelerator and vanishing into the night—he saw the money Chen Meng had left on the back seat, and slapped the steering wheel hard.
If he were a divine entity, he’d block the woman for Chen Meng, buy him time—but he was not.

Chen Meng jumped out, gun in hand, and set Mouse Beibei down. “You’re fast. Go ahead into the village.”

Mouse Beibei nodded, full of intelligence.
He knew that once inside, he could call for help and deal with the woman behind.
Chen Meng had barely run two hundred meters when Jiang Lan’s car arrived. Without slowing, she rammed onto the country lane and leapt from the vehicle.
“This woman really has guts,” Chen Meng shook his head, and when Jiang Lan vaulted from the car, he fired a shot at her.
Bang!
The bullet aimed straight for her brow. Jiang Lan jumped in fright—Chen Meng’s marksmanship terrified her.
A casual shot, always aimed at the vital spot.
She flailed, twisting midair, but Chen Meng’s second shot followed, intercepting her descent.
Again, aimed at her brow.
Jiang Lan was scared out of her wits, her head contorting at an odd angle to dodge.
Still, the bullet grazed her face, tearing off a chunk of flesh.
Shocked and afraid of further shots, she rolled into the grass to hide.
Chen Meng saw, and kept running—he was nearly at the first house in Hongjia Village.
Just five hundred meters to go.
“Someone! Help!”
Chen Meng shouted desperately, heedless of anything else. “Old man! Master! Uncle Seven! Where are you? Save me!”
Dogs in the village barked, lights flickered on in several homes.
Mouse Beibei, the fastest, reached the village entrance, pounding on doors indiscriminately for help.
Soon, dozens of households had their lights on.
Jiang Lan was about to pursue, but suddenly her skin prickled with terror—as if something brushed her soul—and she dared not advance another step.
“Huh?”
Chen Meng saw Jiang Lan stop and was overjoyed. If she didn’t follow, so much the better.
He sped up, reaching the village entrance. He felt lucky—if Jiang Lan had a second gun, he’d have been done for.
At the entrance, the old man rode up slowly on a little e-bike. Seeing Chen Meng, he grumbled, “What are you doing here, brat?”
“Master, save me!” Chen Meng rushed over and hugged the old man’s leg. “Master, stop pretending—I know you’re a hidden powerhouse. The cultists are after me; only you can save me.”
“Powerhouse? I’m just an old fart. We’re not even related—why should I save you? Don’t drag me down; I want to live a few more years,” the old man said, feet on the ground astride his e-bike.
“Not related?” Chen Meng panicked. The old man was ruthless—so he shamelessly declared, “Old man, I must confess—I’m your long-lost grandson!”
“Pfft!”
A villager nearby burst out laughing.