142 Part 2
Deng Xiao was so excited that he couldn't speak. "It's... it's..."
Cong Xia raised his head suddenly, even though he couldn't see the person clearly, he had spent so much time with Cheng Tianbi that he was intimately familiar with his figure. At least he recognized that it was Cheng Tianbi.
The expressions of Shen Ming and Al changed instantly, and they stood motionless.
"Tianbi, Tianbi!" Cong Xia's legs went weak, and he tried to stand up several times but failed. It wasn't until Cheng Tianbi emerged from the smoke that he managed to stand up, albeit unsteadily, and ran towards him.
Cheng Tianbi had probably never suffered such severe injuries before. One of his legs was reduced to bare bones, and his entire right forearm was completely blown off. His clothes were soaked with blood, and Cong Xia looked at him but didn't dare to approach, afraid that it was all a dream.
Shen Ming's voice rang out without any inflection, and even at this moment, he still appeared calm. "Where's my son?"
Cheng Tianbi tremblingly raised his other intact hand, unzipped his protective suit, and a golden baby fell to the ground. The baby's eyes were tightly closed, its wings and tail were blasted off, and large areas of scales had fallen off. The baby's body was a bloody mess, but he was still breathing.
Shen Ming knelt on the ground with a thump, burying his forehead deeply into the soil.
Cheng Tianbi closed his eyes and slumped forward.
Cong Xia rushed up and held his collapsing body, crying loudly. He was never a brave man, but after the apocalypse and countless hardships, he had never cried so freely. He thanked the heavens; as long as Cheng Tianbi was alive, he was willing to give up everything, anything!
Cheng Tianbi and Shen Changze were taken to a clean medical room, and Cong Xia continuously absorbed energy, simultaneously healing their injuries. They had lost a lot of blood and were in constant danger of losing their lives. Cong Xia couldn't afford to relax even for a moment.
As he watched Cheng Tianbi's chest rise and fall, Cong Xia was now a bit calmer. The two of them had survived against all odds; it was truly a miracle. No matter how severe the injuries were, as long as the person was still alive, he could heal them. Although he had never repaired missing limbs before, he was confident. Even if Cheng Tianbi became disabled, it didn't matter. As long as he was alive, that was enough for him.
Shen Changze's injuries healed faster than Cheng Tianbi's. First, because the dragon-blooded people possessed self-healing abilities, and second, because he had become such a small baby, the wound and damage area were smaller. It only consumed the energy from one stored energy jade talisman, and Cong Xia was able to heal Shen Changze, but he remained unconscious.
This time, Cong Xia truly believed that Shen Changze could become smaller. Hearing Cong Zhenzhong's account earlier had seemed too incredible. Clearly, the reason for Shen Changze's reduced size was related to excessive energy consumption. It appeared that before they entered Beijing, they should have encountered a powerful attack, but Shen Changze and Shen Ming had protected them.
To create a sterile environment for them, besides Cong Xia in sterile clothing, there was no one else in the medical room; everyone else was anxiously waiting outside.
Cong Xia restrained his anxious emotions, carefully absorbed energy from the Puppet Jade, created jade talismans, and then transferred a large amount of energy into Cheng Tianbi's body. He repeated this process back and forth for three hours until he completely healed both individuals. He was nearly exhausted by the end of it.
Wobbling, he stood up and opened the door. Everyone bombarded him with questions, "How are they?"
Cong Xia smiled with relief, "They're fine."
Shen Ming rushed into the medical room, looking at the sleeping baby on the hospital bed, and finally sighed in relief.
Zhuang Yao leaned against the wall, watching Cong Xia, hesitating to speak.
Cong Xia looked back at him, silent for two seconds, and said, "Zhuang Yao, I won't blame you if Tianbi is not dead, but there must not be a second time for such a thing. No matter how you plan or think in your heart, for me, the lives of Tianbi and all of you are much more important than completing the mission. I would rather abandon our achievements, I would rather give up, than see anyone sacrifice their life for this."
Zhuang Yao said, "I believe they won't die, but you obviously don't trust my judgment."
Cong Xia raised his voice, "They nearly died! Even if they might not have died, I wouldn't take such risks. I'd rather regroup and fight again."
Zhuang Yao appeared somewhat weary, "There won't be such a good opportunity again. Moreover, it's Tianbi's plan, which shows he has confidence. You are always so fearful and emotional. Can we count on you as a teammate for the long term?"
Cong Xia clenched his fists, lips trembling with anger.
He knew there was some truth in Zhuang Yao's words, but he still couldn't agree with such a risky approach. In the end, Zhuang Yao prioritized the mission, willing to use any available resources to achieve it, even if it meant taking dangerous risks. On the other hand, Cong Xia prioritized the safety of the team, believing that as long as the people were safe, the mission would follow. Zhuang Yao was right in saying he was easily swayed by emotions, but he would probably never accept Zhuang Yao's style of action.
Liu Fengyu patted his shoulder and said, "Xiao Xia, that's just how Zhuang Yao is. You know that. As long as they are safe, isn't it a great outcome that we completed the mission without casualties?"
Cong Xia didn't expect Liu Fengyu to speak up for Zhuang Yao. It was unprecedented. He lowered his head and pondered for a while. Perhaps he was still too emotional and not calm enough. After such a grueling day, he was physically and mentally exhausted. He needed some rest and time to think more clearly.
Zhuang Yao said, "Cong Xia, in this battle, you should have realized your role in the team. Without you, this mission wouldn't have been possible, and it wouldn't have been completed without casualties. When you become a core force within a team, you need to make decisive judgments. The more critical the situation, the less you can be dominated by weakness and fear or swayed by personal emotions. Otherwise, you may undo all the efforts of everyone and cause harm to many people. I know you care about Tianbi's life, and I do too, but remember that everything we do has meaning. All the sacrifices today are to avoid a self-destructive outcome for each of us. Since Tianbi dared to gamble with his life, how can you hold him back at a critical moment?"
"I hold him back?" Cong Xia had always feared holding others back, so he was sensitive to this term. He said somewhat agitatedly, "I was afraid he would get blown up..."
"Is he dead?" Zhuang Yao retorted sharply, "Since he gave such an order, it proves he's confident about surviving. If it were you commanding the battle, you would have undoubtedly delayed the explosion, rendering the efforts of Tianbi and Shen Changze useless. Would Tianbi agree with you sacrificing everyone's efforts just to protect him? Would he approve if they eventually let the monster escape or get defeated, causing all our efforts to go to waste? Would you take responsibility for such consequences?"
Cong Xia opened his mouth, his chest heaving, but he couldn't find the words to respond to Zhuang Yao's argument.
Zhuang Yao stared at him intently. "Cong Xia, everyone grows in battles, and your growth is the most evident in my eyes. But it's still not enough. As the core force, your growth is still insufficient. You must become even stronger, both physically and mentally. You must become strong enough for Tianbi to have confidence in you, to believe that you can make the most advantageous judgments at any time. When that time comes, Tianbi won't instruct me to detonate the explosives. Instead, he will entrust his life and the team's hard-fought achievements to you. Because you're too weak, he has always placed you in a position that needs protection, rather than someone he can rely on. He doesn't trust you enough to expose his back to you, his comrade!"
Liu Fengyu angrily interjected, "Zhuang Yao, that's enough!"
Cong Xia's heart trembled. All eyes were on him, and those gazes felt like needles pricking his back.
Is that how Tianbi sees him? Weak, indecisive, and emotionally driven during crucial moments? He carefully recalled, and indeed, Tianbi had never entrusted him with important tasks, always protecting him, and never expected him to take on crucial roles in battles. Zhuang Yao was right; Tianbi had always kept him in a position that needed protection, not treating him as an equal comrade. As a result, Tianbi had to divide his attention to look after him during battles. Cong Xia had thought he had unique abilities and was no longer a burden, but he was still far from being a competent comrade!
Cong Xia lowered his head, clenching his fists.
Zhuang Yao continued, "Cong Xia, we will face more formidable enemies in the future. You need to grow quickly. The more powerful you become, the heavier the responsibilities you'll shoulder. You can't afford to drop the ball at critical moments."
Cong Xia wiped his face, "Let me think it through... Let me think it through carefully."
Liu Fengyu hugged his shoulder, "Alright, you're tired. Big Brother Liu will let you rest properly."
Cong Xia looked up, "What about the insects? What happened to the insects?"
"Most of them were killed in the explosion. Commander Wan is currently leading his troops and the entire city's people to hunt down any remaining insects. They might organize a cleanup operation at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda tomorrow."
Cong Xia nodded wearily, "Then I'll go... and take a rest."
"Come on, come on."
Liu Fengyu pushed him into a room on the other side of the corridor, "Commander Wan prepared this for us. You can rest here. You must be exhausted."
Cong Xia sat on the bed, silent for a moment, "Big Brother Liu, do you think what Zhuang Yao said is right?"
Liu Fengyu blinked but didn't say anything.
Cong Xia looked up at him.
Liu Fengyu pinched his cheeks gently. "Sleep first, and when you wake up, you'll figure it out on your own."
Cong Xia nodded, turned over, and closed his eyes. He was truly exhausted. He couldn't even count how many jade talismans he had used or how much energy he had infused into others. It was a miracle that he could hold on until now with his stamina.
As soon as he closed his eyes, he fell into a deep slumber.
He slept soundly for what felt like an eternity. When he woke up, he felt a splitting headache and weakness in his limbs. He had never experienced such fatigue; it seemed to engulf his entire body, making him feel completely depleted.
"Awake?"
A familiar voice sounded next to his ear, so gentle and soothing.
Cong Xia abruptly opened his eyes, and Tianbi's face appeared before him.
"Tianbi!" Cong Xia hugged him tightly and asked in a trembling voice, "Are you... are you okay?"
Tianbi embraced him and gently caressed his back. "I'm fine."
Cong Xia's eyes welled up, and he was on the verge of crying in excitement. He tightly held Tianbi's broad back and his thick hair, feeling grateful. As long as this man was alive, he felt an unlimited sense of strength.
Tianbi said, "You played the most significant role in completing this mission, so you don't have to care too much about what Zhuang Yao said. You did great."
Cong Xia forced a bitter smile, "Tianbi, you might think I did well because you've known me the longest and witnessed how useless and cowardly I was at the beginning. Compared to then, I might have improved. But Zhuang Yao has a point; I'm still not strong enough. If it weren't for him, this mission might have failed."
Tianbi gently patted his head and said calmly, "Even if you knew nothing, as long as you're Cong Xia, that's enough. You are braver than they think, even braver than you think."
Cong Xia's heart trembled, and he held Tianbi even tighter, choking out, "Thank you, thank you."
Tianbi rested his chin on Cong Xia's shoulder, closed his eyes, and hugged him tightly in return.
*****
Translator's note: In the coming three days, I might not be able to update according to my regular schedule because I'm swamped with work since it's the end of the month but, rest assured, I'll update the bonus chapters. Thanks, Crazy mama!
142 Part 2
Deng Xiao was so excited that he couldn't speak. "It's... it's..."
Cong Xia raised his head suddenly, even though he couldn't see the person clearly, he had spent so much time with Cheng Tianbi that he was intimately familiar with his figure. At least he recognized that it was Cheng Tianbi.
The expressions of Shen Ming and Al changed instantly, and they stood motionless.
"Tianbi, Tianbi!" Cong Xia's legs went weak, and he tried to stand up several times but failed. It wasn't until Cheng Tianbi emerged from the smoke that he managed to stand up, albeit unsteadily, and ran towards him.
Cheng Tianbi had probably never suffered such severe injuries before. One of his legs was reduced to bare bones, and his entire right forearm was completely blown off. His clothes were soaked with blood, and Cong Xia looked at him but didn't dare to approach, afraid that it was all a dream.
Shen Ming's voice rang out without any inflection, and even at this moment, he still appeared calm. "Where's my son?"
Cheng Tianbi tremblingly raised his other intact hand, unzipped his protective suit, and a golden baby fell to the ground. The baby's eyes were tightly closed, its wings and tail were blasted off, and large areas of scales had fallen off. The baby's body was a bloody mess, but he was still breathing.
Shen Ming knelt on the ground with a thump, burying his forehead deeply into the soil.
Cheng Tianbi closed his eyes and slumped forward.
Cong Xia rushed up and held his collapsing body, crying loudly. He was never a brave man, but after the apocalypse and countless hardships, he had never cried so freely. He thanked the heavens; as long as Cheng Tianbi was alive, he was willing to give up everything, anything!
Cheng Tianbi and Shen Changze were taken to a clean medical room, and Cong Xia continuously absorbed energy, simultaneously healing their injuries. They had lost a lot of blood and were in constant danger of losing their lives. Cong Xia couldn't afford to relax even for a moment.
As he watched Cheng Tianbi's chest rise and fall, Cong Xia was now a bit calmer. The two of them had survived against all odds; it was truly a miracle. No matter how severe the injuries were, as long as the person was still alive, he could heal them. Although he had never repaired missing limbs before, he was confident. Even if Cheng Tianbi became disabled, it didn't matter. As long as he was alive, that was enough for him.
Shen Changze's injuries healed faster than Cheng Tianbi's. First, because the dragon-blooded people possessed self-healing abilities, and second, because he had become such a small baby, the wound and damage area were smaller. It only consumed the energy from one stored energy jade talisman, and Cong Xia was able to heal Shen Changze, but he remained unconscious.
This time, Cong Xia truly believed that Shen Changze could become smaller. Hearing Cong Zhenzhong's account earlier had seemed too incredible. Clearly, the reason for Shen Changze's reduced size was related to excessive energy consumption. It appeared that before they entered Beijing, they should have encountered a powerful attack, but Shen Changze and Shen Ming had protected them.
To create a sterile environment for them, besides Cong Xia in sterile clothing, there was no one else in the medical room; everyone else was anxiously waiting outside.
Cong Xia restrained his anxious emotions, carefully absorbed energy from the Puppet Jade, created jade talismans, and then transferred a large amount of energy into Cheng Tianbi's body. He repeated this process back and forth for three hours until he completely healed both individuals. He was nearly exhausted by the end of it.
Wobbling, he stood up and opened the door. Everyone bombarded him with questions, "How are they?"
Cong Xia smiled with relief, "They're fine."
Shen Ming rushed into the medical room, looking at the sleeping baby on the hospital bed, and finally sighed in relief.
Zhuang Yao leaned against the wall, watching Cong Xia, hesitating to speak.
Cong Xia looked back at him, silent for two seconds, and said, "Zhuang Yao, I won't blame you if Tianbi is not dead, but there must not be a second time for such a thing. No matter how you plan or think in your heart, for me, the lives of Tianbi and all of you are much more important than completing the mission. I would rather abandon our achievements, I would rather give up, than see anyone sacrifice their life for this."
Zhuang Yao said, "I believe they won't die, but you obviously don't trust my judgment."
Cong Xia raised his voice, "They nearly died! Even if they might not have died, I wouldn't take such risks. I'd rather regroup and fight again."
Zhuang Yao appeared somewhat weary, "There won't be such a good opportunity again. Moreover, it's Tianbi's plan, which shows he has confidence. You are always so fearful and emotional. Can we count on you as a teammate for the long term?"
Cong Xia clenched his fists, lips trembling with anger.
He knew there was some truth in Zhuang Yao's words, but he still couldn't agree with such a risky approach. In the end, Zhuang Yao prioritized the mission, willing to use any available resources to achieve it, even if it meant taking dangerous risks. On the other hand, Cong Xia prioritized the safety of the team, believing that as long as the people were safe, the mission would follow. Zhuang Yao was right in saying he was easily swayed by emotions, but he would probably never accept Zhuang Yao's style of action.
Liu Fengyu patted his shoulder and said, "Xiao Xia, that's just how Zhuang Yao is. You know that. As long as they are safe, isn't it a great outcome that we completed the mission without casualties?"
Cong Xia didn't expect Liu Fengyu to speak up for Zhuang Yao. It was unprecedented. He lowered his head and pondered for a while. Perhaps he was still too emotional and not calm enough. After such a grueling day, he was physically and mentally exhausted. He needed some rest and time to think more clearly.
Zhuang Yao said, "Cong Xia, in this battle, you should have realized your role in the team. Without you, this mission wouldn't have been possible, and it wouldn't have been completed without casualties. When you become a core force within a team, you need to make decisive judgments. The more critical the situation, the less you can be dominated by weakness and fear or swayed by personal emotions. Otherwise, you may undo all the efforts of everyone and cause harm to many people. I know you care about Tianbi's life, and I do too, but remember that everything we do has meaning. All the sacrifices today are to avoid a self-destructive outcome for each of us. Since Tianbi dared to gamble with his life, how can you hold him back at a critical moment?"
"I hold him back?" Cong Xia had always feared holding others back, so he was sensitive to this term. He said somewhat agitatedly, "I was afraid he would get blown up..."
"Is he dead?" Zhuang Yao retorted sharply, "Since he gave such an order, it proves he's confident about surviving. If it were you commanding the battle, you would have undoubtedly delayed the explosion, rendering the efforts of Tianbi and Shen Changze useless. Would Tianbi agree with you sacrificing everyone's efforts just to protect him? Would he approve if they eventually let the monster escape or get defeated, causing all our efforts to go to waste? Would you take responsibility for such consequences?"
Cong Xia opened his mouth, his chest heaving, but he couldn't find the words to respond to Zhuang Yao's argument.
Zhuang Yao stared at him intently. "Cong Xia, everyone grows in battles, and your growth is the most evident in my eyes. But it's still not enough. As the core force, your growth is still insufficient. You must become even stronger, both physically and mentally. You must become strong enough for Tianbi to have confidence in you, to believe that you can make the most advantageous judgments at any time. When that time comes, Tianbi won't instruct me to detonate the explosives. Instead, he will entrust his life and the team's hard-fought achievements to you. Because you're too weak, he has always placed you in a position that needs protection, rather than someone he can rely on. He doesn't trust you enough to expose his back to you, his comrade!"
Liu Fengyu angrily interjected, "Zhuang Yao, that's enough!"
Cong Xia's heart trembled. All eyes were on him, and those gazes felt like needles pricking his back.
Is that how Tianbi sees him? Weak, indecisive, and emotionally driven during crucial moments? He carefully recalled, and indeed, Tianbi had never entrusted him with important tasks, always protecting him, and never expected him to take on crucial roles in battles. Zhuang Yao was right; Tianbi had always kept him in a position that needed protection, not treating him as an equal comrade. As a result, Tianbi had to divide his attention to look after him during battles. Cong Xia had thought he had unique abilities and was no longer a burden, but he was still far from being a competent comrade!
Cong Xia lowered his head, clenching his fists.
Zhuang Yao continued, "Cong Xia, we will face more formidable enemies in the future. You need to grow quickly. The more powerful you become, the heavier the responsibilities you'll shoulder. You can't afford to drop the ball at critical moments."
Cong Xia wiped his face, "Let me think it through... Let me think it through carefully."
Liu Fengyu hugged his shoulder, "Alright, you're tired. Big Brother Liu will let you rest properly."
Cong Xia looked up, "What about the insects? What happened to the insects?"
"Most of them were killed in the explosion. Commander Wan is currently leading his troops and the entire city's people to hunt down any remaining insects. They might organize a cleanup operation at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda tomorrow."
Cong Xia nodded wearily, "Then I'll go... and take a rest."
"Come on, come on."
Liu Fengyu pushed him into a room on the other side of the corridor, "Commander Wan prepared this for us. You can rest here. You must be exhausted."
Cong Xia sat on the bed, silent for a moment, "Big Brother Liu, do you think what Zhuang Yao said is right?"
Liu Fengyu blinked but didn't say anything.
Cong Xia looked up at him.
Liu Fengyu pinched his cheeks gently. "Sleep first, and when you wake up, you'll figure it out on your own."
Cong Xia nodded, turned over, and closed his eyes. He was truly exhausted. He couldn't even count how many jade talismans he had used or how much energy he had infused into others. It was a miracle that he could hold on until now with his stamina.
As soon as he closed his eyes, he fell into a deep slumber.
He slept soundly for what felt like an eternity. When he woke up, he felt a splitting headache and weakness in his limbs. He had never experienced such fatigue; it seemed to engulf his entire body, making him feel completely depleted.
"Awake?"
A familiar voice sounded next to his ear, so gentle and soothing.
Cong Xia abruptly opened his eyes, and Tianbi's face appeared before him.
"Tianbi!" Cong Xia hugged him tightly and asked in a trembling voice, "Are you... are you okay?"
Tianbi embraced him and gently caressed his back. "I'm fine."
Cong Xia's eyes welled up, and he was on the verge of crying in excitement. He tightly held Tianbi's broad back and his thick hair, feeling grateful. As long as this man was alive, he felt an unlimited sense of strength.
Tianbi said, "You played the most significant role in completing this mission, so you don't have to care too much about what Zhuang Yao said. You did great."
Cong Xia forced a bitter smile, "Tianbi, you might think I did well because you've known me the longest and witnessed how useless and cowardly I was at the beginning. Compared to then, I might have improved. But Zhuang Yao has a point; I'm still not strong enough. If it weren't for him, this mission might have failed."
Tianbi gently patted his head and said calmly, "Even if you knew nothing, as long as you're Cong Xia, that's enough. You are braver than they think, even braver than you think."
Cong Xia's heart trembled, and he held Tianbi even tighter, choking out, "Thank you, thank you."
Tianbi rested his chin on Cong Xia's shoulder, closed his eyes, and hugged him tightly in return.
*****
Translator's note: In the coming three days, I might not be able to update according to my regular schedule because I'm swamped with work since it's the end of the month but, rest assured, I'll update the bonus chapters. Thanks, Crazy mama!
