Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

There was a long corridor outside the treatment room. It looked empty except for the presence of Huo Shaoheng and Chen Lie.

“Mr. Huo, do you want Little Ze to wake up and return to normal sooner?” Chen Lie asked softly. He looked serious.

Huo Shaoheng was taken aback. “What’s wrong? Is Little Ze’s condition critical? I thought you said that he was fine.”

“He is fine. However, seeing that he still hasn’t woken up, I’m worried that it might be the early signs of him becoming a vegetable.” Chen Lie pushed the round spectacles up the bridge of his nose. “Losing consciousness due to a lack of oxygen is a natural defense mechanism. However, we have not managed to understand the full capacity of the human brain. Therefore, we can’t predict what might happen. He might wake up anytime soon, or he might never wake up at all…”

Huo Shaoheng stood silently in front of the window with his arms folded. He looked at the tropical night of Barbados and thought about it for a while before turning to Chen Lie. “Shoot.”

“Erm… I’m just… Erm…” Chen Lie began perspiring under Huo Shaoheng’s sharp stare. Taking out his handkerchief, he wiped his oily forehead and finally stammered, “Since Nianzhi is here as well, why don’t we—?”

“Shut the f*ck up!” Huo Shaoheng snapped, cutting off the rest of Chen Lie’s sentence. “How many times have I told you? Nianzhi is a human! A living human! She’s not a moving experiment! I’m very disappointed in you, Chen Lie! Do you see Nianzhi as one of those lab mice you have for experiments?!”

Huo Shaoheng had never been so stern with Chen Lie before. His face turned red instantly. Chen Lie knew that he should not have raised this suggestion, and he doted over Nianzhi as well. He had never viewed her as a walking experiment. But things were just like that. Most people would want a shortcut when they were met with difficulty.

Whoever chose not to take a shortcut when there was one was an idiot. Chen Lie was no exception. Under such an extreme situation, he would want to take a “shortcut” again.

“I’ve never seen Nianzhi as my lab mouse before, Mr. Huo. I was just telling you about an option. With this option, Little Ze could recover almost immediately!” Chen Lie explained himself clearly to Huo Shaoheng. “Moreover, don’t forget the reason why the army put her in your care. Don’t forget about the nation’s benefits just because you’ve fallen for her!”

“Chen Lie, Nianzhi and the nation’s benefits don’t clash,” Huo Shaoheng said firmly. “She’s one of the people I want to protect, and the nation’s benefits would be something we all need to work together to achieve as her citizens. If there’s a benefit that we can achieve by sacrificing one of our citizens, I think we’d rather forgo it.” He said this with such backbone that it seemed like he would be the one to face all calamities should anything befall the Hua Xia Empire…

Chen Lie looked at Huo Shaoheng blankly and only whispered after a good while, “…Then, if something really were to happen to Little Ze, what would you intend to do? Nianzhi already seemed to feel very guilty just now…”

“She was feeling guilty?” Huo Shaoheng was slightly taken aback. “Why?”

“It was obvious… You guys were here because of her father. It’d be odd if she didn’t feel guilty.” Chen Lie shook his head. “Forget it. I’ve said what I could. I won’t tell Nianzhi what I told you. I just wanted to discuss an option with you. Since you don’t wish for Nianzhi to help, let’s leave it to fate. Pray hard—maybe Little Ze will wake up soon.”

Huo Shaoheng remained silent and stood in front of the window along the corridor, alone. He opened the window and felt the humid night air of Barbados. Taking out a cigarette, he lit it up and inhaled deeply before blowing a long puff of smoke.

Chen Lie returned to Zhao Liangze’s ward and saw Gu Nianzhi talking to Yin Shixiong. Walking directly to Zhao Liangze’s bedside, he checked the various equipment and noted that everything looked normal. The only thing he didn’t know was when Zhao Liangze would regain consciousness.

Seeing Chen Lie’s arrival, Gu Nianzhi saw that there were three to four people in the ward. Turning to Yin Shixiong, she said, “Brother Xiong, I’ll go back first. Please let me know the moment brother Ze wakes up.”

“Sure. Who knows? Maybe he’ll be awake tomorrow. Go and have a good night’s sleep.” Yin Shixiong waved at her. “We have to go out the day after tomorrow. You should begin packing.”

Gu Nianzhi nodded understandably, greeted Chen Lie, and left the ward.

Chen Lie glanced at her and stopped himself from saying what he initially wanted to say. Eventually, he only said, “Go back and have a good rest, Nianzhi. Let me know if you’re feeling out of sorts.”

Gu Nianzhi acknowledged Chen Lie’s words and closed the door behind her. The next thing she saw was Huo Shaoheng’s masculine back along the corridor. It gave her an immense sense of security. Gu Nianzhi walked over. She couldn’t help herself.

Huo Shaoheng heard footsteps moving toward him and turned around. Realizing that it was Gu Nianzhi, he put out the cigarette and threw the butt into a bin nearby. “It’s late,” he said. “Go back and rest.”

“Huo Shao, is something bothering you?” Gu Nianzhi sensed that Huo Shaoheng was feeling off.

“No, I’m thinking about the mission the day after tomorrow,” Huo Shaoheng denied flatly. “We’ll need to get a replacement if little Ze is still unwell by then.”

Gu Nianzhi wanted to volunteer, initially, but she had to go to the hospital with Huo Shaoheng, so she couldn’t mediate there. Thus, she remained quiet and only said, “Then I’m going back to sleep. Please rest early as well, Huo Shao.”

Huo Shaoheng nodded and watched her leave.

He only returned to Zhao Liangze’s ward after Gu Nianzhi was out of sight. However, just when he entered Zhao Liangze’s ward, Gu Nianzhi tried to peek at him from around the corner. She saw him disappearing into Zhao Liangze’s ward.

Huo Shao was going back to Zhao Liangze’s ward. Did brother Ze’s injuries have any complications?

Gu Nianzhi returned to her room feeling worried. Turning her laptop on, she looked through the program she’d designed for the mission. She felt that there was still something missing, but she couldn’t pinpoint what the issue was.

Since she couldn’t sleep either, she took her laptop and returned to Zhao Liangze’s ward.

Yin Shixiong had already left. Only Huo Shaoheng and Chen Lie were at Zhao Liangze’s bedside. One of them was doing some work on his laptop while the other was looking at the data from all the medical equipment.

Gu Nianzhi pushed the door open and entered. She asked softly, “Huo Shao, Brother Chen, are you guys hungry? Does anyone want supper?”

When Huo Shaoheng turned around and saw Gu Nianzhi, he rubbed his temples. “Why are you still awake?”

“I’m worried about brother Ze; can’t sleep,” Gu Nianzhi said honestly and sat down opposite Huo Shaoheng with her laptop. “I wish to help with taking care of him here.”

“How can you take care of him? You’re not a professional nurse, nor a doctor.” Huo Shaoheng frowned. Standing up, he said, “Let’s go. I’ll send you back to bed.”

Staying up late isn’t a good habit to begin with.

Chen Lie glanced at Huo Shaoheng and quipped, “Go back to bed, Nianzhi. Even Big Xiong went back. Moreover, you don’t feel safe with me here?”

Gu Nianzhi shook her head. “I hope to see brother Ze regain consciousness sooner.”

Huo Shaoheng’s brow furrowed. Raising his voice, he warned, “Nianzhi, I said, go back to bed.”

Nianzhi raised her voice as well. “No. I want to wait here for brother Ze to wake up.” Hugging her laptop, even though she was still slightly afraid, she didn’t show signs of backing off.

“I repeat. Go back.” The pitch of Huo Shaoheng’s tone was getting higher, but the speed of his words remained slow and firm.

“I’m not going back. I want to wait here for brother Ze to wake up.” Gu Nianzhi was increasing the pitch of her tone as well. She hugged her laptop to her chest, seemingly using it as a shield to protect herself from Huo Shaoheng’s anger.

Chen Lie watched the argument between them, agape.

However, what was more surprising was that their argument seemed to jolt the unconscious Zhao Liangze awake as well. He moaned, “…Noisy…”

Chen Lie reacted immediately. He rushed over in surprise. “Little Ze is awake?! Are you awake?!” He was worried that it might be a nervous reflex like the other time.

Zhao Liangze made some noise in his throat. Then he opened his eyes slowly, and the first thing he saw was Chen Lie’s round glasses and round face.

He closed his eyes exasperatedly and grumbled, “Doctor Chen, can you not get so close? It’s scary…”

Chen Lie laughed happily. “Hahaha! He’s really awake! That’s great! Thank God for His blessings! Little Ze is really awake!”

Gu Nianzhi and Huo Shaoheng, who were in the midst of arguing, turned around upon hearing that.

Chen Lie turned to them and shouted, “Nianzhi! Mr. Huo! Come over quick! Little Ze is really awake!”

Gu Nianzhi was the first to run over. She ran to Zhao Liangze’s bedside and asked worriedly, “Brother Ze? Are you really awake?”

Zhao Liangze’s mouth twitched. He opened his eyes wearily again and said hoarsely, “No, I’m not. I’m just talking in my dream. Happy?”

He must have really recovered if he could even joke around.

Huo Shaoheng walked behind Gu Nianzhi and said, “It’s good that you’re finally awake. Are you hungry? I’ll get the kitchen to make you some supper.”

“Everyone’s hungry and needs supper.” Chen Lie smiled and winked at Gu Nianzhi. “I want some wantons. What would you like?”

“I’ll just have some fruit.” Gu Nianzhi had eaten a heavy dinner, so she wasn’t hungry at all.

Huo Shaoheng turned on his Bluetooth earpiece and called Yin Shixiong over. Yin Shixiong ran all the way to the ward in excitement upon hearing that Zhao Liangze had come round.

…

“You brat! Everyone was worried about you!” Yin Shixiong was so happy that he swung a punch against Zhao Liangze’s bed. The strength was so great that the mattress moved.

Zhao Liangze rolled his eyes. “Another punch from you, and I’ll lose consciousness again.”

“I wouldn’t dare!” Yin Shixiong bowed jokingly in front of Zhao Liangze before rushing to prepare supper for everyone. All of a sudden, the atmosphere in the ward became cozy.

Nodding toward Gu Nianzhi, Chen Lie said, “Go back to bed. Little Ze is awake; he still has to bathe before doing a full-body checkup again. It’d be inconvenient if you are here.”

Upon hearing that, Gu Nianzhi left obediently. Looking at Gu Nianzhi’s back, Huo Shaoheng’s brow continued to furrow, but he remained silent, staying back to do his work.

With Zhao Liangze regaining consciousness, their progression would be able to soar.

The next day, Zhao Liangze was already able to get out of bed. However, he did not get off the bed. He remained in bed and looked at the program designed by Gu Nianzhi from Huo Shaoheng’s laptop. He was full of praises for Gu Nianzhi.

“Nianzhi is such a genius,” he said. “I need to have her as my disciple! It’d be enough to have her alone as my disciple!”

He was, after all, a computer genius, and was slightly more talented than Gu Nianzhi—someone who studied computer programming occasionally. However, all he needed to do was alter some parts of her program before it was able to calculate many more things.

“If we were to prepare along this line, the percentage of success would increase tremendously,” Zhao Liangze said, explaining his edit to Gu Nianzhi.

Gu Nianzhi nodded excitedly. “No wonder I felt that something was off. So that was it. Brother Ze, thank you so much!”

Zhao Liangze smiled. “This program is rather well done! Can we keep it as the company’s asset?”

“Brother Ze is so kind. This program was designed for you guys. I feel honored that you have taken a liking to it!” Gu Nianzhi agreed immediately.

She spent the entire day in Zhao Liangze’s ward and discussed the program with him, as well as how she could better take over his role during the mission.

Zhao Liangze would remain here to mediate. Huo Shaoheng and Yin Shixiong had been out the entire day conducting preparations outside and had tasked Zhao Liangze to give Gu Nianzhi a crash course on the Special Forces’ rules and regulations during a mission.

“We all have our own protocol during a mission. Your memory is great, so you’ll have to memorize these in half a day. Can you do it?”

Zhao Liangze had basically condensed the contents of two weeks’ worth of Special Forces training and demanded that Gu Nianzhi memorize them in half a day.

Even though Gu Nianzhi’s memory and brain were exceptional, an entire day of training drained her completely. At about 9:00 p.m., after Zhao Liangze finished wrapping up the crash course with Gu Nianzhi, she was already so tired out that she found it a challenge to keep her eyes open. She passed out the moment she reached her bedroom. She had no more energy to think about other relationship issues.

After bustling around the entire day, Huo Shaoheng had finally completed all the necessary preparations for the mission. Hearing that Gu Nianzhi had already fallen asleep upon returning, he smiled. However, he was still worried about her. After ensuring that she was fine by going to her bedroom to check on her around midnight, he left with peace of mind.

…

It was the day of the mission. Gu Nianzhi woke up extra early. She had gotten a good night’s sleep the previous night and felt sufficiently recharged.

After going through her protocol in bed, she got up and washed up. By 7:00 a.m. sharp, she was already in a modified hunting suit with a wide belt in the middle that hid a shotgun in case of an emergency. She wore a pair of tall boots, and in her fashionable Hermes bag was a bulletproof vest and other equipment for the mission.

She completed her look with a huge pair of Prada shades, which covered about half her face. It made her look fashionable but not attention-seeking. That was because many wealthy people in Barbados were dressed this way as well. It’d be attention-seeking if she did not dress the way she did.

The hospital that Gu Xiangwen was in was located in one of the wealthy estates in Barbados. The surroundings there were serene. The location faced both the mountains and the sea, and there was only one way up. It was quiet and safe.

It would be extremely tough to bring a person—especially a vegetable—out from the hospital without anyone knowing. Therefore, they had decided to bring Gu Xiangwen out officially, using the legal method.

Gu Nianzhi sat in the Jeep that Huo Shaoheng was driving, feeling nervous about meeting her long-lost father. She was biting her nails as they neared the metal gates of the hospital.