Chapter 134 - 113: I Will Keep Your Secret [Two in One]

Chapter 134: Chapter 113: I Will Keep Your Secret [Two in One]

But the good news was that he tumbled right over the edge of the tub and landed onto the flatbed cart next to it.

"..."

After a moment, Huai Yu walked over, silently lifted his leg, and adjusted his position fully onto the cart. She then instructed, "Hold on tight... never mind. Your hands are injured, so it’ll be hard to hold on. I’d better tie you down."

She pulled up the restraint straps on both sides and fastened them securely over Zhou Qian’s body before finally pushing the cart forward. "Let’s go."

Meanwhile, waiting silently outside the absolute limit of the Rose Corridor, the two Defense Army soldiers were growing increasingly uncertain. They were currently holding the personal effects and points meant for the handover, which had its own strict set of procedures. But for some reason, the items in their hands felt heavier and heavier, and their inner apprehension only continued to grow.

Amidst this agonizing wait where every second felt like a year, Huai Yu finally appeared from the cabin, stumbling as she lifted and dragged something along! But even more horrifyingly, she was pulling a flatbed cart behind her. Lying vaguely upon it was a terribly mutilated, one-legged man!

They wondered why he hadn’t been buried. Oh, right, she had just said he wasn’t dead... but how was he not dead? Wait, no, what they meant was: if he wasn’t dead, why did he look so terrifying, as if he had suffered some inhuman torture?!

The two instantly stood up straight, instinctively stepping forward. But looking at the scratch mark that indicated the safety limit, they felt both anxious and frustrated. They could only crane their necks to look, their hearts burning with worry.

As the flatbed cart was wheeled out into the open, the restraint straps rubbed against the wounds on Zhou Qian’s bare upper body, forcing him to endure yet another wave of agonizing pain. Yet, as he looked up at the azure sky, he forgot about his wretched state for a moment and stared blankly.

When the banyan tree’s aerial roots had violently bound him, hoisted him into the air, and forcefully snapped his leg bone, he had seen this exact same brilliant sky through the gaps in the forest canopy. He had thought he would never see it again in his lifetime, but now... 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

He took a deep breath and exclaimed from the bottom of his heart, "It’s so good to be alive!"

RUMBLE, RUMBLE. The flatbed cart rolled over the grass, gravel, and broken bricks, making its way steadily toward the Defense Army soldiers.

The soldiers’ bodies grew increasingly tense as the distance closed. The moment Huai Yu finally crossed the boundary line, they practically threw themselves at the cart! One of them frantically placed the items in his hands back into their vehicle, then couldn’t help but look at Huai Yu. "What’s going on? Captain Zhou’s injuries..."

What could Huai Yu say?

"I don’t know."

She spoke with a wretched, haggard little face, looking as bewildered and innocent as a newborn fawn.

Lying silently on the cart and watching this play out, Zhou Qian finally understood why he had initially thought she was genuinely fragile—and why he still felt that way even now. Her appearance was simply too deceptive. Regardless, the fact that he was alive was undoubtedly incredibly good news.

The two Defense Army soldiers’ eyes were a little red. Unable to contain themselves, they looked down at him. "Captain Zhou, Captain Zhou... are you awake?"

"Mhm." Zhou Qian slowly opened his eyes to look at them, then said with difficulty, "The situation here is a bit complicated, and Huai Yu won’t be able to explain it properly. Take me back to the camp, and I’ll clarify everything."

How could they possibly go to the camp?

The two Defense Army soldiers grew anxious. "We’ll take you to Flower City Hospital immediately. It won’t be too late for us to make our report after we get you to the hospital. Right now, you look really—"

He wanted to say that he looked truly awful, as if he had just been rescued from a prison after enduring brutal torture, barely clinging to his last breath.

Zhou Qian paused, then gave a weak nod. "That works too."

The two hastily pushed him toward their vehicle, only to freeze when they reached it—the flatbed cart wouldn’t fit into the cabin. Fortunately, the car seats were removable. The two frantically got to work, hurriedly dismantling all the seats before finally managing to load the flatbed cart inside.

Huai Yu quietly checked the time. It was already nearly noon.

As they closed the car door, one of the soldiers turned to Huai Yu, who was watching silently from the side, and sincerely thanked her. "Regardless, thank you so much. But about the agreed handover of personal effects..."

Huai Yu nodded, looking toward the vehicle. "I’m just thanking my lucky stars that he survived. Nothing else matters. But if there are any updates regarding his condition, could you please let me know? I’m really worried about Brother Zhou Qian."

Lying inside the vehicle, Zhou Qian heard her words and couldn’t help but crack a stiff, difficult smile.

"HISS..."

He didn’t have a mirror around to check, but just how many times had his face been slashed?!