"We can't go to the base," Su Wan said suddenly.
A Mo's voice was hoarse with anxiety: "Why? Captain Lu Shiyan is in this state; he must receive professional treatment immediately!"
Xiao Han gasped, hissing, pressing down on his profusely bleeding arm, every word squeezed out from between his teeth: "We're all injured! As soon as we go back, those bastards at the base will definitely treat us like monsters and throw us into isolation!"
He panted, his eyes red: "Ten days to half a month of observation would be light! He... he can't afford to wait!"
"Find a place nearby to temporarily settle down. I have enough medicine and supplies in my space to stabilize his condition first."
A Mo turned the car, leaving the main road to the base and turning onto a secluded country lane.
The off-road vehicle bounced along the muddy dirt road, passing over several long-abandoned farmlands, finally stopping at the edge of a nearly forgotten small village.
"It should be safe here," A Mo said, getting out and vigilantly surveying the surroundings.
They chose a two-story brick and stone house at the edge of the village.
The first floor seemed to have been converted into a storage room, with rusty farm tools and various sundries scattered all over, covered in thick dust that crunched underfoot; the second floor had two bedrooms, which, though long-covered in dust, were structurally intact, and the doors and windows were still there.
Su Wan and A Mo worked together to lift Lu Shiyan to the second floor, settling him on the large bed in one of the bedrooms. He was heavy, and every movement was exceptionally difficult.
The injury on his chest was visibly improving, but his high fever persisted, and his lips were cracked and peeling.
Su Wan took out a clean towel from her space, wet it with cold water, and placed it on his scorching forehead.
This day and night were an extreme torment for everyone.
Xiao Han and A Mo took turns on watch, one tending to his own wounds, occasionally letting out suppressed gasps, the other vigilantly monitoring outside movements; any rustle of leaves or blade of grass made their nerves taut. Meanwhile, Su Wan stayed almost glued to Lu Shiyan's bedside.
As dawn broke, a new day began in suppression.
Su Wan had barely slept all night, her eyes bloodshot. She constantly monitored Lu Shiyan's temperature and breathing, every rise and fall tugging at her heart.
Her fingertips lightly touched his forehead again. It seemed... the temperature had dropped a little?
Her extremely taut nerves finally relaxed imperceptibly.
"Mm..."
Lu Shiyan's eyelashes trembled, and a muffled groan escaped his throat as he slowly opened his eyes.
Those eyes, usually deep and sharp, were still somewhat hazy but at least showed a hint of clarity.
"Water... water..." His voice was extremely hoarse, every word indistinct.
Su Wan quickly took out clean water and a cup from her space, carefully helped him sit up a little, and fed him spoonful by spoonful.
The cool liquid moisturized his cracked and peeling lips.
"How do you feel?"
Lu Shiyan leaned against the headboard, his gaze slowly sweeping across the unfamiliar room, finally resting on Su Wan's small face, which bore heavy signs of fatigue.
"I'm not dying," he tugged at the corners of his lips, trying to show a comforting smile, but he lacked the strength, making it look more like a bitter smile.
Su Wan quickly took out the previously prepared white porridge from her space. "Drink some porridge to replenish your strength."
Lu Shiyan looked at her, his expression complex, and did not move.
"Open your mouth."
He silently opened his mouth and swallowed the warm mouthful of porridge.
Su Wan fed him spoon by spoon, her movements gentle yet efficient.
Lu Shiyan ate a little less than half a bowl, then gently shook his head.
"That's enough."
Lu Shiyan's face suddenly flushed abnormally.
His breathing abruptly quickened, and cold sweat beaded on his temples.
"Dizzy..." he uttered with difficulty.
She touched his forehead again; it was terrifyingly hot!
The fever had returned! And it was worse than before!
Lu Shiyan groaned, his body starting to tremble uncontrollably, and he quickly fell into a coma again.
When Lu Shiyan opened his eyes again, the window showed an inky blue, with a few sparse stars dotting the night sky.
The high fever had broken.
Though his body was still weak and powerless, his mind was much clearer.
The moment he stirred, Su Wan, who was guarding his bedside, almost immediately sensed his movement, quickly leaned over, and placed her cool fingertips on his forehead.
"The fever's gone."
Su Wan fumbled to turn on a dim emergency light on the bedside table.
"Let's change the dressing on your wound."
As she spoke, her fingertips carefully peeled back the gauze wrapped around his chest.
Her movements were much more practiced than before, but still gentle, as if she was afraid of hurting him.
Even so, the slight friction of the gauze against the new flesh still stimulated Lu Shiyan's nerves; he let out an almost inaudible groan, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his temples.
When the gauze was fully removed, Su Wan gasped.
In just one day and night, the edges of the originally hideous and terrifying corrosive wound had begun to noticeably shrink, and one could even see new, tender pink flesh, exuding an eerie vitality.
This healing speed was simply astonishing!
"It's recovering very quickly."
Su Wan said softly, her voice carrying a complex emotion she herself didn't notice.
Lu Shiyan's gaze also fell on his chest, showing no discernible emotion.
Su Wan silently re-applied the medicine, put on clean gauze, and carefully bandaged it.
Her fingers were somewhat cold, occasionally touching his skin, causing a subtle shiver to run through him.
"Lu Shiyan."
After the bandaging was complete, Su Wan suddenly spoke, her voice unnervingly calm.
"I want to learn how to shoot, how to fight."
She raised her eyes, her almond-shaped eyes looking directly at him. Her beautiful face, in the dim light, appeared exceptionally resolute, even with a hint of cold mockery. "I don't want to be a useless person anymore, watching you all fall while I can only stand by like an idiot, helpless."
"A woman who hasn't even touched a gun, do you think force can solve everything? Do you think you still have a chance to become that kind of person?" His gaze shifted downwards, landing on her slightly bulging abdomen, his tone carrying a hint of disdain: "Don't you know your current situation? You still want to learn these things? Don't exhaust yourself to death and drag others down."
Su Wan's lips curved into a cold arc, a highly aggressive sneer, "I'm pregnant, I need to survive, I need to protect him!" She pointed to her abdomen, "I don't want to entrust my life, my child's life, to anyone! You are strong, but look at you now, you could fall at any moment! I will not let my survival, my future, depend on anyone's fragility again!"
She took a step forward, closing in on Lu Shiyan's bedside, her eyes like ice-tempered blades: "If you think I'm a burden, then I can take the child and leave to find my father."
"He can give me and my child the best protection!" She deliberately mentioned Su father.
Lu Shiyan's face turned ashen. He clenched his fists, his knuckles white from the effort. This woman... she actually dared to be so presumptuous! Dared to insult him like this! But her words were like sharp thorns, piercing his deepest pride and worry.
Her gaze was so firm, so resolute, without the slightest hint of jest.
His Adam's apple unconsciously bobbed slightly. What was he thinking back then... only he himself knew best...
He took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in his heart, and finally, with a hint of reluctance, annoyance, and helpless compromise, he said, "Okay."
His gaze unconsciously fell on the ugly corrosive mark on the back of her hand, which had not yet completely faded. But now, the situation was different.
This woman was even bolder and harder to tame than he had imagined. He didn't really want her to die.
He wanted both of them to live well...
Just then, the door was suddenly pushed open.
Xiao Han and A Mo rushed in, their expressions grave.