At the base of the Underworld Palace.
Ye Qiu slowly opened his eyes and saw an elderly yet dignified man sitting beside him. Although this was the first time he had met the man in person, Ye Qiu immediately recognized him.
The supreme commander of the Underworld Palace, the God of War!
Ye Qiu was startled and quickly sat up.
Only then did he realize he was in an unfamiliar room. Besides the God of War, Tang Fei and Long Ye were also present.
“Ye Qiu, you’re finally awake. I was so worried,” Long Ye said.
“Ye Qiu, how are you feeling now?” Tang Fei asked.
“I’m fine,” Ye Qiu replied. “Where is this?”
“This is my room,” the God of War said with a gentle smile on his aged face.
Ye Qiu quickly glanced around. The God of War was wearing a military coat, sitting in a wheelchair with a blanket covering his legs.
Ye Qiu immediately got out of bed and saluted the God of War, saying loudly, “Hello, sir!”
“No need for formalities,” the God of War said. “How’s your body feeling?”
“Much better,” Ye Qiu replied with a smile.
At this moment, he felt as though his body was filled with boundless energy, as if he could never tire. He knew this was likely due to the effects of the Blood Bodhi.
“Tang Fei told me you took down Cao Tianding. Well done,” the God of War said, not hiding his admiration for Ye Qiu.
“Sir, you flatter me. It was just luck,” Ye Qiu said, still feeling a lingering fear as he recalled the battle.
Cao Tianding had been incredibly strong, so strong that Ye Qiu had felt despair. That was why Ye Qiu had used his trump card without hesitation, catching Cao Tianding off guard.
Additionally, Elder Longbrow’s use of the Five Thunders True Method had severely injured Cao Tianding, giving Ye Qiu the opportunity to deliver the fatal blow.
Cao Tianding had been taken down before he could fully unleash his power, dying in a rather humiliating manner.
Ye Qiu couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief. Thankfully, his strategy had been correct, and Elder Longbrow had successfully mastered the Five Thunders True Method. Otherwise, it might have been Ye Qiu who ended up dead, and he would never have seen Bai Bing again.
Thinking of Bai Bing, Ye Qiu grew anxious and quickly asked, “Tang Fei, how long was I unconscious? What time is it now?”
Tang Fei smiled and said, “Don’t worry, you won’t miss your chance to fight for Bai Bing. It’s currently 1 a.m.”
Ye Qiu breathed a sigh of relief.
The God of War said, “Ye Qiu, Tang Fei has already reported the situation in the northwest to me. You played a crucial role in resolving the issue of the living dead and dismantling the super soldier research base.”
“Especially inside the base, you displayed remarkable bravery. Not only did you eliminate the super soldiers, but you also repeatedly saved your comrades, disregarding your own safety and showing no fear of death. You fully demonstrated the courage and responsibility expected of a soldier.”
“At the Underworld Palace, we always reward merit and punish mistakes. Therefore, you deserve to be rewarded.”
“Ye Qiu, what do you want?” the God of War asked.
Without hesitation, Ye Qiu replied, “Sir, I am a soldier. What I did was my duty. I don’t need any reward.”
The God of War was slightly surprised. “You don’t want a reward?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
Ye Qiu nodded. “I’m sure.”
“Your certainty doesn’t matter. I said you will be rewarded, and that’s final,” the God of War said, then turned to Tang Fei. “Announce it.”
“Yes!”
Tang Fei said, “Ye Qiu, in recognition of your heroic actions in the northwest, the Underworld Palace has decided to award you the Individual First-Class Merit Honor and promote you to the rank of Senior Colonel.”
Ye Qiu was utterly shocked.
In peacetime, it was extremely difficult for a soldier to receive the Individual First-Class Merit Honor. In fact, many soldiers were only posthumously awarded this honor.
Moreover, at just over twenty years old, he had been promoted to Senior Colonel, only one step away from becoming a general. In the military, this was an exceptionally rare achievement.
“Sir, isn’t this reward a bit too much? I feel like what I did doesn’t warrant such an honor,” Ye Qiu said, feeling uneasy.
The God of War smiled. “Ye Qiu, you don’t need to feel burdened. This honor was earned through your life-risking efforts. You deserve it.”
“Normally, we would hold a promotion ceremony and an award ceremony, but since you have other matters to attend to, I’ve taken the liberty of canceling these ceremonies.”
“Later, I’ll have Tang Fei give you the First-Class Merit Medal. As for the honorary plaque, I’ll keep it for you for now.”
The God of War spoke earnestly, “Ye Qiu, a tree that stands out in the forest will be blown down by the wind. You’re still young. You must remain humble and continue to strive for excellence, understood?”
“Thank you for the reminder, sir. I will keep it in mind,” Ye Qiu said modestly.
Long Ye chimed in, “Ye Qiu, you’re already a Senior Colonel at such a young age. If I were as outstanding as you, my grandfather would be overjoyed.”
Tang Fei added, “When I was your age, I was only a Major. Comparing myself to you is just depressing.”
“Maybe I’m just luckier than you,” Ye Qiu said with a smile. “As the ancients said, ‘Good looks bring good luck!'”
“Ugh!”
Tang Fei and Long Ye glared at Ye Qiu, almost wanting to punch him. Compliment him a little, and he starts showing off. Disgusting.
Then, Ye Qiu’s gaze fell on the God of War’s legs. “Sir, your legs…”
“They were injured by bullets on the battlefield when I was young. Both legs were crippled, and later it developed into ALS,” the God of War said with a calm smile, as if discussing something trivial.
Ye Qiu said, “Sir, I’m a doctor. Would you like me to take a look?”
“No need. I’ve consulted many famous doctors in the past, and none could help. Besides, it’s been decades, and I’m used to the wheelchair. There’s no need to trouble yourself,” the God of War declined.
Tang Fei urged, “Sir, Ye Qiu’s medical skills are exceptional. Let him take a look. Maybe he can cure you.”
“Those doctors couldn’t help you because they were incompetent. I’ve seen Ye Qiu’s skills firsthand, and they’re incredible. Sir, please let him examine you,” Long Ye also pleaded.
The God of War glanced at the two of them, then smiled and said, “Alright, let Ye Qiu take a look.”
Tang Fei removed the blanket covering the God of War’s legs and rolled up his pant legs.
Instantly, Ye Qiu gasped.
The God of War’s legs were emaciated, with密密麻麻 (dense) scars from the knees to the ankles, evidence of numerous bullet wounds. There were at least dozens of them.
It was hard to imagine how the God of War had endured such injuries.
In that moment, Ye Qiu felt a deep sense of respect and admiration for the God of War.
Ye Qiu then knelt down and carefully examined the God of War’s legs.
After a few minutes, the God of War asked, “Well? Can it be treated?”
To be honest, the God of War held no hope. After all, the leg injuries were decades old, and ALS was a complex and incurable disease. If it could be treated, he wouldn’t have been confined to a wheelchair for so long.
However, Ye Qiu looked up at the God of War and said with absolute certainty:
“Yes, it can!”
