Chapter 29: This Man Holds a Grudge

Ying Shu, having just stepped out of the vehicle, narrowly avoided being struck by a flying rock; fortunately, her quick reflexes allowed her to tilt her head and dodge it in time.

"Did it hit you?" Feng Ye asked with concern, his expression darkening as he turned to the person approaching them. "Xu Peng, what is going on?"

Xu Peng explained hurriedly, "The Pharmaceutical Research Department urgently needed Tianxin grass, but since it wasn't mature yet, they invited an esper to accelerate its growth. They didn't expect it to fail, resulting in the total destruction of two acres of Tianxin grass. Professor Ma, who had just returned to the village after a two-day break, was furious when he heard the news, and what you see now is the result of that."

"All the Tianxin grass is gone?" Feng Ye knew the Pharmaceutical Research Department was desperate for the herb to develop restorative pills, and he was aware that because the grass was immature, they had reached out to Ying Shu for help. He hadn't expected the people at Tiancao Village to find another esper before him.

Xu Peng looked both angry and distressed. "Yes, it's all gone."

"Who was the esper they hired to accelerate the growth?"

"The plant-manipulator, Tao Zhu."

Feng Ye frowned. "How did she end up being hired?"

As the eldest daughter of the Dan Clan, Tao Zhu had always considered herself superior. Since awakening her abilities, she had become particularly insufferable and was treated like a precious gem by her clan; it was impossible that she would lower herself to help accelerate the growth of medicinal herbs. Furthermore, plant-manipulation abilities could only control the growth of flowers and trees; he had never heard of it being used to accelerate the maturity of medicinal herbs.

"It was Professor Wei who invited her. Before attempting to accelerate the growth, they had her test it on a single herb, and it did indeed help it grow rapidly."

"Where is Professor Wei?"

"He is taking a break today and is not in the village."

Feng Ye: "..."

At that moment, Tao Zhu ran over and shouted, "Director Feng, I came here out of the kindness of my heart to help you. I even told you that there was no guarantee of success, yet you insisted that I come. Now that it has failed, you are blaming me? Is this how you treat your guests?"

Feng Ye replied, "I will give you an explanation, Miss Tao."

Professor Ma rushed over, shouting, "We spent years cultivating those herbs, and now they are dead! We haven't even asked you for compensation, and yet you have the nerve to demand an explanation? Do you have no shame?"

Tao Zhu put her hands on her hips. "If you don't give me an explanation today, don't even think about buying any pills from our Tao family in the future. Hmph!"

Feng Ye and the others: "..."

Ying Shu could see that Tao Zhu was lying, but the reactions of Feng Ye and his team suggested they didn't want to offend her—especially without concrete evidence, they preferred to avoid creating enemies.

Just then, faint, weak cries for help echoed in her ears:
"I’m dying, someone save me!"
"She’s a fraud! She didn't come to accelerate the growth of the herbs; she came to drain our spiritual energy to boost her own cultivation!"
"She’s a big liar, don't let her get away with this!"
"Save me!"

Ying Shu turned to Feng Ye and said, "This Miss Tao didn't come to help. She came to drain the spiritual energy from the herbs to boost her own cultivation."

"What?" Feng Ye and the others were stunned.

Tao Zhu flew into a rage. "Who are you? How dare you slander me the moment you open your mouth? What proof do you have that I came to drain spiritual energy? Do you have any evidence? Director Feng, are you intentionally bringing people here to humiliate me? You should know very well that offending our Tao family will bring you no benefits."

Without wasting any more words, Ying Shu asked Professor Ma, "Where are the ruined herb fields?"

Professor Ma pointed ahead. "Right there. Do you want to take a look?"

"Yes."

Professor Ma led the way, with Feng Ye and Xu Peng following close behind.

"Hey! You get back here! You ruined my reputation, and you think you can just walk away? If you don't give me an explanation, I’ll tell my grandfather how you humiliated me when I get back!"

Tao Zhu stomped her feet in anger, but no one paid her any heed. She opened her car door, intending to leave and file a complaint, but fearing that Ying Shu and her group might discover something, she nervously closed the door and followed them to the ruined fields.

Feng Ye knelt to examine the withered herbs. Although he wasn't an expert in herbology, they did not look like they had simply failed to mature; rather, it appeared as if their very life force had been drained.

Ying Shu told Feng Ye, "You all should step aside."

Feng Ye asked anxiously, "Is there still hope?"

"I don't know. I can only try."

Professor Ma said excitedly, "Young lady, if you can bring this field back to life, you will be our savior."

Tao Zhu sneered, "The herbs are dead. How could they possibly come back to life? I think she's just bragging."

Xu Peng cleared the planters who were huddled in the field. Ying Shu placed her hand on the Tianxin grass and closed her eyes, releasing her ability. Whether she could save them depended on whether her level-five ability would be effective.

Professor Ma and the others waited in tense silence. After half a minute, seeing no sign of the herbs turning green, they began to feel disappointed. Suddenly, someone shouted happily, "Everyone, look! They're alive! They're coming back!"

Professor Ma asked eagerly, "Where?"

The planter pointed at the leaves of the Tianxin grass. "Professor, look, the leaves are turning green!"

Professor Ma and Feng Ye looked closely, and indeed, one of the leaves was turning green. Although the process was slow, it was having an effect. After about two more minutes, the lower parts of the fallen Tianxin grass had all turned green and were slowly standing upright.

The recovery accelerated. Within a few breaths, not only had the entire plant regained its vitality, but the surrounding Tianxin grass also began to revive, the effect spreading outward until both fields were once again lush and green. Furthermore, the herbs began to grow wildly, doubling in size from 15 centimeters to 30 centimeters. What would have taken five more years of cultivation to achieve had been accomplished in just a few minutes.

Everyone was ecstatic, save for Tao Zhu, whose face had turned dark and ugly. She stared at Ying Shu with a mix of jealousy and rage, wishing she could pierce her with her gaze.

"Hmph, so what? You just revived some herbs. It's nothing special." Tao Zhu turned and left while no one was paying attention.

"A miracle! This is truly a miracle!" Professor Ma asked Feng Ye excitedly, "Director Feng, where did you hire such a talented person?"

Feng Ye, still stunned, replied, "I only asked her to try. I never expected her to be this powerful."

"Sign her immediately! We want her!"

Feng Ye gave a bitter smile. "I’d love to sign her, but she isn't interested."

"Not interested?" Professor Ma snorted. "It must be that you didn't offer her enough, that's why she doesn't want to join us."

Feng Ye: "..."

Was that it? But what kind of offer could possibly move someone like Ying Shu?

Ying Shu opened her eyes and looked at the field of herbs, feeling a sense of surprise herself.
"I'm alive again, tee-hee!"
"I feel like I've grown up!"
"Thank you, little beauty!"
"Waaah, I don't want to grow up! If I grow up, I'll be pulled out and eaten by humans. I'd rather have stayed dead!"

Ying Shu felt embarrassed.

Professor Ma and Feng Ye approached. "Xiao Shu, thank you."

Ying Shu smiled. "You've helped me so much, I should be the one thanking you."

Professor Ma patted Ying Shu on the shoulder. "Xiao Shu, let me treat you to dinner in the village."

Ying Shu nodded, then looked around. "Where is Tao Zhu?"

Professor Ma snorted coldly. "She ran off, of course. She had no face left to stay here."

Feng Ye said calmly, "That woman is vindictive; she certainly won't let this go."

Professor Ma paused. "Buying pills from the Tao family in the future might be difficult; they'll likely give us trouble."

Feng Ye scoffed. "If they dare to make things difficult for us, we can make things difficult for them the next time they need our help."

Professor Ma laughed heartily. "Exactly! We'll see who suffers more."

Ying Shu added, "The Tao family won't trouble a state agency; they will only target me. After all, I was the one who pointed out that she was draining the spirit-herb's energy."

Professor Ma replied, "Don't worry. If anything happens, go to Feng Ye. If Feng Ye can't solve it, go to Boss Bei. But once Boss Bei gets involved, life for the Tao family won't be very pleasant."

Ying Shu asked curiously, "Who is Boss Bei?"

Feng Ye explained, "He is a senior veteran in our bureau."

After eating lunch in the village, Ying Shu wandered around for two hours before taking a car home. When she arrived, it was already six o'clock.

After dinner, Ying Li said, "Today is the fourteenth of the seventh month. Don't go out at night for the next two days."

[Ding—]
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Ying Shu: "..."