“Chang Geng… Chang Geng… Wake up! You’ve been unconscious for two days! Stop sleeping already!”
Li Xuan’s eyelids felt as if they had been glued shut with ten-thousand-year-old adhesive. After exerting every ounce of strength, he barely managed to pry open a sliver of vision.
The first thing he saw was A’Man and Yan Chiyu’s faces, both filled with the kind of relief that screamed, “Finally, we don’t have to keep vigil over your corpse anymore.”
Meanwhile, beside them, Shen Qingci looked like the award-winning tragic male lead of the year—
His eyes were swollen red like walnuts, tears brimming as he collapsed onto Li Xuan’s chest, crying so miserably it looked as if the heavens had abandoned him.
He looked exactly like someone who had just been forced to shoulder a debt of five thousand taels.
“That’s great! You’re finally awake! If you hadn’t woken up soon, I would’ve been doomed!”
Shen Qingci’s tearful voice was packed with a desperate instinct for survival.
The moment he remembered his master’s death stare—“If you let anything happen to Li Xuan, I’ll toss you into the moat to feed the crocodiles”—every hair on his back stood on end, while his mind spammed the same thought over and over:
“Ancestor above! You finally came back to life! If you stayed asleep any longer, Master would’ve fed me to the fish!”
He suddenly raised his head and waved his hand with a look of “genius at work.”
“A’Man, Yan Chiyu! Hurry and notify the instructors that Li Xuan’s awake! If we’re late, Elder Su will start nagging again!”
He looked exactly like a theater director deliberately shooing away the audience.
“Hey, hey! I haven’t even gotten to talk to Brother Chang Geng yet…” Yan Chiyu’s complaint was still floating in the air—
When A’Man had already frantically nodded and dragged him out by the arm, running so fast it looked like wild dogs were chasing them.
“Uh… where’s Old Zhan? What happened afterward?”
Li Xuan’s voice was hoarse as if sandpaper had scraped across his throat. His mouth was so dry it felt like smoke might come out of it. He tried to prop himself up for water, but his body was limp as overcooked noodles.
Seeing this, Shen Qingci instantly switched into “personal nurse” mode, carefully helping him sit up.
He even stuffed a soft pillow behind him, moving with the ease of someone who had practiced this eight hundred times.
“Afterward, Commander Zhao and I followed the scented oil trail you sprinkled along the way and traced it straight to the battlefield!
Luckily Commander Zhao arrived in time, so Old Zhan didn’t die from that demon woman’s poison. But in the end, she still managed to escape—
She ran faster than a rabbit with its tail on fire!”
Shen Qingci gestured vividly, looking like he had personally witnessed a legendary martial arts chase scene.
“Is Old Zhan alright? Back then… he saved me.”
Li Xuan frowned, still wearing an expression of “Was I dreaming?”
“Haha! You weren’t dreaming!” Shen Qingci slapped his thigh and grinned brightly.
“When I got there, I found out we’d all been fooled by Uncle Old Zhan! He’s not some overbearing gang leader at all—
He’s actually Commander Zhao’s top undercover operative planted in the camp! A master-level shadow guard! Hidden so deeply it was terrifying!”
He leaned in closer, lowering his voice, though his excitement couldn’t be hidden.
“Commander Zhao already suspected spies had infiltrated the camp, so he stationed Old Zhan among the newcomers long-term. He intentionally stirred conflict and acted like an arrogant tyrant, forming factions to attract anyone with crooked hearts or bought loyalties. Then he secretly monitored everything they did!”
“This move—throwing a brick to attract jade and luring snakes out of their holes—was insanely brilliant!”
Shen Qingci clapped in admiration, words circling around awkwardly.
“Commander Zhao really is a scheming old fox—fox—fo…”
“Who’s scheming?”
A low voice suddenly came from the doorway, cutting him off.
Dressed in dark battle robes, Zhao Chengyuan strode over the threshold with long, effortless steps. Dew still clung faintly to his robes, black hair swaying gently with his movement.
His gaze remained as deep as an endless abyss, though when it landed on Li Xuan, there was a subtle trace of relief hidden within.
Shen Qingci instantly snapped silent, spine straighter than a spear.
His face stretched into the most obedient smile imaginable, like a kid caught sneaking candy in class.
“C-Commander Zhao! I was praising your unmatched intelligence!”
Li Xuan nearly laughed, but the movement tugged painfully at his throat, forcing out a cough.
Zhao Chengyuan walked to the bedside and handed him warm tea.
“Drink first and soothe your throat. Elder Su has already treated your wounds, but your internal energy is unstable. You need quiet recovery.”
Li Xuan took the tea and sipped twice. His dry throat finally eased a little.
Looking up at Zhao Chengyuan, he frowned in dissatisfaction.
“But Old Zhan was seriously injured too! He even stepped in to save me… and you still sentenced him to two hundred lashes? That’s way too harsh!”
Zhao Chengyuan shot him a sidelong glance that practically said, “Are you stupid?”
“You still have the energy to worry about others? He’s sturdier than you think—I never punished him. That military sentence was fake. It was staged for the mastermind watching behind the scenes.”
“Whoa! Amazing!”
Li Xuan and Shen Qingci spoke in perfect sync.
Inwardly, Li Xuan awarded Old Zhan the title of Best Actor of the Year.
This acting skill… if he didn’t join theater, it’d be a complete waste! Today’s MVP unquestionably goes to him!
…
[Shen Qingci’s Top-Secret Urgent Report]
Master! Your subordinate deserves death! Li Xuan suffered a grave ambush and nearly lost his life! Upon hearing the news, Commander Zhao became frantic with worry—he actually threw me over his shoulder and rushed wildly to the rescue, charging forward at full speed. His protective instincts were overwhelmingly obvious, and the ambiguous atmosphere between him and Li Xuan was absolutely off the charts, beyond words! Fortunately, the rescue arrived in time, and after two days, Brother Xuan is now out of danger. Master need not worry.
The opportunity must not be missed!
Please make an appearance as soon as possible to show concern and comfort him. Do not let others steal a march on you and ruin this perfect chance!
Also, Chang Geng has one tiny wish today:
He is desperately craving hot pot. If possible, please kindly arrange some to satisfy his suffering taste buds!