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Chapter 949: A Strange Stubbornness

Though he said so, everyone present knew that Yang Haoran's decisions were the true decisions. It was simply that he didn't act so high-profile in front of them, nor did he make rash choices.

Of course, what Yang Haoran said to Zhu Rong at this moment was not false. Their suggestions were indeed just suggestions, and the ultimate decision rested with Zhu Rong. He wasn't deceiving her on this point. However, there was one thing he hadn't added: exceptions for special circumstances.

Aside from discussing the potential attack on Ancheng, Yang Haoran also arranged several other matters. Among them, two stood out: one was rather important, the other quite special.

The first matter: to ensure Zhu Rong's safety, Yang Haoran decided to have Bai Xue temporarily put aside her demon-seeking duties and provide round-the-clock protection to Zhu Rong.

Qin Yefeng's incident was a clear example. If Qin Yefeng had been protected by an expert, how could he have been so easily knocked unconscious by Han Fushi, ultimately dying without even knowing how?

As Lecheng's Administrative Chief, Zhu Rong undoubtedly had many who wished her dead. Without constant expert protection, her situation was indeed very dangerous.

Yang Haoran did not want Qin Yefeng's tragedy to befall Zhu Rong, which was why he made this decision—to protect Zhu Rong's safety to the best of his ability.

Excluding Tang Shi and the ghostly entities in the Ghost Cave, his two strongest subordinates currently were Bai Xue and Ye Zhiqiu. Ye Zhiqiu, in particular, having broken through to a Three-Star Demon Hunter, was significantly more powerful than Bai Xue.

Yang Haoran had initially thought of having Ye Zhiqiu and Bai Xue take turns protecting Zhu Rong, but he ultimately abandoned that idea. This was because he occasionally went out, and the duration of his outings was usually unfixed. Therefore, he needed an expert to guard the home, preventing anyone from taking advantage of a weakness.

His home was not only his base of operations, but more importantly, Feng Xiao was also there. Feng Xiao was too vital to him; there could be no room for error. He had to keep his strongest combat force at home, protecting the base while also providing Feng Xiao with the best possible security.

Moreover, Ye Zhiqiu's current identity was somewhat sensitive. He had once been a Demon Hunter from the Demon Hunter Association, but he had now been delisted because the Demon Hunter Association unilaterally believed he had died. Under these circumstances, if Ye Zhiqiu were to reappear, it would certainly draw the attention of the Demon Hunter Association. It wasn't because of his high status within the association, but rather because he was a Lecheng Demon Hunter. The Demon Hunter Association had lost two waves of Demon Hunters who had all gone to Lecheng before their disappearance, including two Three-Star Demon Hunters. If Ye Zhiqiu showed himself, the Demon Hunter Association would definitely seek him out for questioning, perhaps even resorting to extreme measures.

So, considering these factors, Yang Haoran finally decided against sending Ye Zhiqiu to protect Zhu Rong. He would simply remain at home, guarding the base, and occasionally assist in refining Skins and Smiling Face Masks.

The second matter: Yang Haoran instructed Old Master Wu to inform Wu Senior that he could now participate in their important internal meetings.

If one were to call this a minor matter, it truly was minor—just one more person attending a meeting was no big deal, especially since no earth-shattering events were planned.

However, it could also be considered a major matter, because it signified that Yang Haoran had truly accepted Wu Senior into his heart, viewing him as an important member of his team.

Aside from these two matters, Yang Haoran also arranged a few other things. After ensuring there were no omissions, he adjourned the meeting.

After everyone secretly departed, Xiujuan informed Yang Haoran that Guan Hai and Xia Mo had woken up. Upon hearing this, Yang Haoran immediately hurried to the temporary resting room where Guan Hai and Xia Mo were.

In the room, Yang Haoran found the couple, both looking worried and even a little pale.

They had no injuries, and the woman from the Administrative Courtyard had not left any malicious spells in their bodies. Yang Haoran had already confirmed this when they were at Guan Hai's home.

Seeing their somewhat unwell complexions, Yang Haoran knew it wasn't a physical issue. Perhaps they were still shaken from their previous fright, and the lingering fear upon waking was causing their unusual pallor.

Yang Haoran's appearance caught their attention. Seeing that it was Yang Haoran, both their slightly pale faces broke into smiles, and they greeted him.

Yang Haoran smiled in response, then inquired about their physical condition, asking if they felt any discomfort.

Although Yang Haoran knew they were physically fine, he still questioned them carefully out of concern.

After confirming, the two indeed had no issues; they were simply still recovering from the fright and hadn't quite caught their breath, which aligned with Yang Haoran's earlier guess.

After exchanging pleasantries, Yang Haoran got straight to the point. He hoped Guan Hai and Xia Mo could stay. In such chaotic times, living with him would be relatively safer; at least, his place wasn't somewhere just anyone could cause trouble.

Yang Haoran had expected Guan Hai not to refuse. After all, this incident had given the couple quite a scare, and they surely had lingering trauma.

Under such circumstances, the couple shouldn't refuse his kind offer, he thought. But to his surprise, Guan Hai actually refused him, insisting on returning to his and Xia Mo's cozy little home.

Xia Mo did want to stay, as she had indeed been badly frightened, suffering considerable negative psychological impact. However, Guan Hai was adamant about returning, and she ultimately chose to go with him. Even though she had a lingering shadow in her heart, she still supported Guan Hai's decision with her actions.

Yang Haoran was naturally uneasy about them returning, so he tried to persuade them. But his persuasion did not make Guan Hai change his mind.

Finding his persuasion fruitless, Yang Haoran didn't give up. He suggested that Guan Hai and Xia Mo stay for a few days, giving them time to think it over before making a final decision. This would also give him an opportunity to subtly instill some ideas in Guan Hai, paving the way for his final persuasion.

Guan Hai did not refuse Yang Haoran's invitation to stay for a few days. During those days, Yang Haoran tried various ways to persuade Guan Hai, but none achieved the desired outcome. No matter how he spoke, raining flowers from the sky, Guan Hai consistently refused to change his decision.

He didn't know when Guan Hai had become so utterly impervious to reason, which left him speechless yet helpless. In the end, he could only once again respect Guan Hai's decision and allow the couple to return to their warm little home.

Before they left, Yang Haoran gave them new Death God Pendants. To make the protective barrier released by the Death God Pendant even sturdier, he enhanced the power blessing on their pendants this time, ensuring the shield would be even more robust than before.

In addition, he gave the couple some talismans. Some of these were offensive, but most were for defense and self-preservation. He even gave Guan Hai the precious Gold Talisman he had obtained from the Gold Talisman Master.

Even so, Yang Haoran was still somewhat uneasy. After Guan Hai and Xia Mo left, he asked Old Master Wu to assign a Night Watcher of decent strength to him, as he intended to have this person secretly protect the couple. If they encountered trouble they couldn't handle, they were to report it to him immediately, and he would personally deal with it.

Old Master Wu quickly assigned a Night Watcher as instructed. Yang Haoran remembered this person well; her name was Liao Xiaoyu. Not only he, but Xiujuan and Xiao Kang also had a very strong impression of her.

Compared to before, Liao Xiaoyu had matured quite a bit, but her personality remained as lively as ever. As for her strength, it had improved by a world of difference, becoming much more powerful.

Yang Haoran was very satisfied with Liao Xiaoyu, so he didn't ask Old Master Wu to find someone else. He directly entrusted her with the task of secretly protecting Guan Hai and Xia Mo, specifically instructing her to notify him immediately if she encountered any unmanageable trouble, and he would rush to their aid.