Chapter 111: Chu Xiao Injured

“It’s the Dark King, it’s the Dark King’s voice—he’s not dead!”

Chu Xiao’s face was filled with astonishment. Originally too weak to even move, he somehow found the strength to stand up as soon as he heard the Dark King’s voice.

“Dark King, stop hiding—come out!”

Chu Xiao’s voice was hoarse. The crowd, initially jubilant, could no longer celebrate upon hearing this news.

Soon, Wang Lulu helped Chu Xiao back to Jiuzhou and relayed the news to Commander One. Chu Xiao fainted from excessive blood loss shortly afterward.

“Quick, take him to the hospital and let him rest properly!”

Seeing Chu Xiao’s frailty, Commander One immediately arranged for him to be hospitalized. Chu Xiao’s safety was absolutely paramount.

Chu Xiao remained unconscious for three days in the hospital. During this time, Wang Lulu scarcely closed her eyes, consumed by worry for his wellbeing. But her body was utterly exhausted, barely able to hold on.

She struggled to keep her eyes open, but the weight on her eyelids felt like a thousand pounds, and she finally succumbed to sleep beside Chu Xiao’s bed.

Not long after, Chu Xiao stirred from his unconsciousness and slowly sat up. Seeing Wang Lulu asleep beside him, he chose not to wake her but instead rose to fetch a piece of clothing to cover her.

“General Chu, why are you up? Lie down now—you need rest. Don’t move around or your wounds might reopen and get infected!”

A nurse entered and rushed over to help him back to bed as soon as she saw him trying to stand.

“Brother Xiao, you’re finally awake! You scared me to death—I thought you…”

Wang Lulu’s voice trailed off; her eyes were red and swollen, a clear sign of sleepless nights.

Seeing her like this, Chu Xiao felt a pang in his heart. He gently wiped away her tears and said, “Look, I’m here and well. Don’t worry.”

“Why were you so foolish? Why did you take that bullet for me?”

Tears streamed down Wang Lulu’s face uncontrollably. She was overwhelmed with regret for having trusted the Dark King’s message so easily—if only she hadn’t, Chu Xiao wouldn’t have been hurt.

“You fool. If I can’t even protect you, how could I protect anyone else?”

Chu Xiao embraced Wang Lulu tenderly, wiping her tears as she curled up in his arms like a child who had made a mistake.

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“Enough, you two lovebirds can be lovey-dovey later. Right now, the patient needs rest!”

The nurse’s voice broke the tender moment. Wang Lulu pushed Chu Xiao away, cheeks flushing crimson. Chu Xiao felt a bit embarrassed as well.

“What do you want to eat? I’ll make it for you right away!”

“Anything you make, I’ll love it!”

Hearing this, Wang Lulu smiled shyly and helped Chu Xiao lie back down. She then turned to pour him a glass of water before going to prepare food. Chu Xiao lay in bed, contemplating how to deal with the Dark King.

“Chu Xiao, you’re awake! We were all sweating bullets for you!”

Commander One came to visit. He had been checking on Chu Xiao every day during his unconsciousness, accompanied by a dozen or so people who had come to pay their respects.

“Any news from the Dark King’s side these past few days?”

Chu Xiao anxiously inquired, worried the Dark King might try to cause trouble while he was recuperating.

“No developments yet. Although we didn’t eliminate the Dark King this time, he’s severely weakened. We should be able to take a breather in the coming days.”

Though Commander One spoke lightly, Chu Xiao knew this was the calm before the storm. The Dark King’s silence surely meant he was plotting.

“Commander One, any issues with our weapons development?”

“No problems. The weapons have been produced and are now being upgraded—not only increasing range but also enhancing damage.”

Commander One briefed Chu Xiao on recent events. Thanks to the recent upgrades, Jiuzhou’s combat capabilities had significantly improved, enabling them to stand against the Dark King.

He assured Chu Xiao to rest well and not worry, even if the Dark King launched an attack now.

Just then, Wang Lulu entered with a steaming bowl of noodles. She greeted Commander One before approaching Chu Xiao.

Commander One, seeing her, prepared to leave but encouraged Chu Xiao to rest assured. Wang Lulu helped Chu Xiao sit up and fed him spoonful by spoonful.

At that moment, Chu Xiao felt incredibly fortunate. Aside from his mother, no one had ever cared for him so devotedly. He wished time could freeze on this moment forever.

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“Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my face?”

Wang Lulu blushed, embarrassed, thinking she had something on her face.

“No, I just wish we could always be like this.”

“Well, then I’ll make you meals every day. Just hope you don’t get tired of them!”

Wang Lulu lowered her head, pouted adorably, and looked pitiful. Chu Xiao lifted her chin gently and kissed her lips.

“I love your cooking the most. But you need to rest now—go back and sleep.”

Seeing the dark circles under Wang Lulu’s eyes, she looked like a little panda—cute yet heart-wrenching.

After finishing the noodles, Chu Xiao watched as Wang Lulu prepared to leave. Though reluctant to go, she was far too exhausted to stay.

Once she left, Chu Xiao slowly got out of bed and paced the room, pondering his next move. He couldn’t just stay by the bedside—he needed to turn defense into offense.

But the Dark King was too powerful, and his machine production was too rapid—they couldn’t keep up. Current weapons only allowed them to hold ground temporarily; they needed to develop more powerful arms.

Chu Xiao decided to visit the weapons experts to assess the upgraded weapons’ effectiveness and discuss ideas for new developments.

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“General Chu, why are you out of bed again? You need to rest and stay down!”

A nurse on duty spotted him at the door and tried to help him back, but Chu Xiao was determined to check on Jiuzhou’s situation.

Seeing she couldn’t persuade him otherwise, the nurse proposed he could go out only if accompanied by a nurse, to provide immediate care if needed.

Chu Xiao agreed, and with the nurse’s company, he headed to the research lab. There, some were debating new weapon designs, while others focused on maximizing the range and power of existing arms.