"Father? Is something the matter?"
Gu Qingli asked in surprise.
"My dear Li, it's like this—do you remember how you rescued me from the Demon Domain Forest last time? The commander and vice commander of the Snow Tiger Mercenary Corps are extremely grateful and insisted I bring you by so they could thank you personally."
A smile flickered across Gu Zhan's handsome features.
These past few days, everyone in the corps had nothing but praise for his daughter, and the pride swelling in his heart was beyond measure.
Though his daughter now surpassed him in strength, as a father, he felt only boundless pride.
"Oh, that's all? Certainly, let's go, Father."
A gleam flickered in Gu Qingli's eyes—she too wished to visit the Snow Tiger Corps, primarily to speak with the commander about ensuring her father no longer took on such perilous missions.
The memory of that harrowing day still made her heart race.
She followed her father into the mercenary camp. A brigade of rough, burly men all turned to stare at the delicate yet formidable young girl who walked among them—each gaze filled with warmth and curiosity.
For the first time, Gu Qingli found herself at the center of such enthusiastic hospitality.
"We owe you a great debt, Qingli. Had it not been for your help, our Snow Tiger Corps would've suffered grave losses,"
Sun Jie said with a hearty laugh. Despite his rugged appearance, the iron-blooded warrior now looked kindly and approachable.
"It was nothing, truly. But I do hope you won't assign such dangerous missions to my father again—I worry about him far too much."
Out of respect for her father, she spoke those words in private.
Sun Jie readily agreed, finally putting Gu Qingli's heart at ease.
That mission, in fact, had earned the Snow Tiger Corps a handsome reward—fifteen thousand gold coins.
The bounty propelled the corps' development to new heights and stirred envy among rival mercenary groups.
By the time the sun had risen past noon, Gu Qingli and her father finally departed the Snow Tiger camp together.
"They were so welcoming!"
Gu Qingli remarked with a bright laugh.
"Not used to it, are you? They're all men of steel and straight hearts—simple and sincere."
Gu Zhan smiled faintly. In truth, he preferred these forthright warriors far more than the scheming nobles within the clan.
"Well, if it isn't Young Master Gu the Fourth!"
A mocking voice interrupted their pleasant conversation.
Gu Qingli and Gu Zhan lifted their heads.
A towering man stood before them, muscles bulging beneath a rough tunic. His face was buried in a bramble of beard, from which glinted a pair of small, vicious eyes—clearly a dangerous sort.
Two others in identical garb flanked him, indicating they belonged to the same mercenary corps.
Gu Qingli immediately noticed the insignia on their uniforms—indeed, they were comrades.
The moment Gu Zhan saw the man, his expression darkened. Stepping forward, he shielded his daughter and gave a curt bow.
"Vice Commander Qi."
"So this is your daughter, eh? Such a tender little thing, and yet they say she performed some grand feat on a Snow Tiger mission? Must be a joke, right? What could a little girl possibly do?"
Vice Commander Qi cast Gu Qingli a scornful glance, his tone laced with contempt and challenge.
Gu Zhan's face grew strained.
"You jest, Vice Commander. She's just a child, happened to be in the right place at the right time. We're actually in a hurry to get home."
He reached for Gu Qingli's arm, attempting to guide her away—only to be blocked by Qi's two subordinates.
"What's wrong? Afraid we'll eat your precious daughter?"
Vice Commander Qi sneered, his face twisted in a mocking grin.
"You misunderstand, Vice Commander. We simply need to return home urgently."
By now, Gu Qingli had seen enough to understand—this wasn't a coincidence. They were here to provoke trouble. Her expression darkened instantly.