"Do you want to see Howard?" Mingzhao repeated.

Gong Zhu nodded and sighed.

"I initially thought Mingzhao was still a child and couldn't handle too many things. But it seems there are some things you need to know."

Mingzhao nodded, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Since Gong Zhu said that, it means one thing: Howard probably needs her right now.

But it's not clear what she needs to do.

——

The corridors of the military and armed police hospital were filled with the strong smell of disinfectant and medicine.

The cold floor tiles reflected the pale light, making even footsteps sound particularly hollow and heavy.

Gong Zhu led Ming Zhao through a series of heavily guarded checkpoints, finally stopping outside a private hospital room. Two heavily armed and solemn-looking guards stood at the door, silently stepping aside after Gong Zhu presented her identification.

Gong Zhu took a deep breath and gently pushed open the ward door.

A stronger medicinal smell mixed with the stench of Dandan's blood wafted over.

Mingzhao stood behind Gongzhu and looked inside.

The hospital room was dimly lit, with heavy curtains drawn. A bulge was faintly visible on the bed, indicating that someone was lying there.

Howard lay there, his face as pale as paper. His right shoulder and left leg were wrapped in thick bandages, and his chest rose and fell slightly; he was fast asleep.

However, his brows remained unconsciously furrowed, as if he were encountering something very difficult in his dream.

Gongzhu gently touched Mingzhao's arm, gesturing for her to go inside, while she remained at the door.

Mingzhao's footsteps were very light, almost silent.

She walked to the bedside and quietly looked at Howard. In the few days since she last saw him, he seemed to have lost even more weight, his jawline was more defined, and his cheeks were sunken.

Those shoulders, which always seemed as steady as a mountain and capable of bearing everything, appeared so fragile at this moment.

His gaze fell on Lozo's right shoulder and left leg, which were tightly wrapped in bandages. The dark red blood seeping through felt like needles piercing her eyes.

Seemingly sensing the gaze of the newcomer, Howard's eyelashes fluttered a few times, and he slowly opened his eyes.

At first, his gaze was somewhat unfocused and confused, but after his eyes adjusted to the light, they finally focused on the figure beside the bed.

When he saw that it was Mingzhao, Howard's pupils contracted sharply! He subconsciously turned east, but this aggravated his wound, causing him to gasp in pain and his forehead to instantly bead with cold sweat.

"Don't move." Gong Zhu hurriedly stopped Huo Hua's movements at the door and quickly walked in to hold him down.

Howard froze the moment Gong Zhu spoke. His training taught him not to disobey the doctor when injured.

Howard was panting, his gaze fixed on Mingzhao, still carrying the lingering resentment and a hint of barely perceptible panic.

He struggled to turn his eyes to look at Gong Zhu, his eyes filled with silent reproach and question: Why did you bring her here?

Gong Zhu understood his gaze and said in a low voice, "You've been unconscious for several days, and Ming Zhao wanted to see you. So I brought her here."

I want to see you...

Howard's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.

He looked at Mingzhao again. Those clear eyes were staring at him intently, without fear of the wound or tears. There was only a deep, unfathomable focus within them.

What is she thinking about?

Ever since learning about Mingzhao's talent, Howard has always been curious about Mingzhao's thoughts.

Whenever he saw Mingzhao draw a new blueprint or think about something intently for a long time, he would ask her what she was thinking about when she came back to her senses.

Of course, Howard would never know that his curiosity was interpreted by Mingzhao as a form of surveillance.

This made Mingzhao feel like she was being constantly monitored and that someone was trying to understand her thoughts.

"...I'm fine." Howard's voice was hoarse and dry, almost incoherent. He tried to force a reassuring smile, but the effort twisted and contorted in pain as he pulled at his wound.

Mingzhao didn't speak. She simply picked up a cotton swab and a water glass from the bedside table, moistened a red cotton swab with water, and carefully, even clumsily, gently wiped his chapped lips.

The cool touch and the moisturizing water eased Howard's tense nerves slightly. He looked at Mingzhao's profile, so close to his eyes, her long eyelashes drooping, as if she were intently conducting a very important experiment.

That focused expression strangely soothed the embarrassment in his heart that she had seen him in his disheveled and seriously injured state.

"I got that blueprint back." Howard uttered a few words with difficulty, looking at Mingzhao with a heavy gaze that Mingzhao could not understand.

Mingzhao paused for a moment while wiping.

"What blueprints?"

Howard's Adam's apple bobbed. "The drawings you made at Professor Liu's place back then were blown away by the wind. That person took a picture with a miniature camera."

The worker I saw back then was a spy. I never imagined they would almost take away Mingzhao's hard work.

Mingzhao raised her head, her clear gaze meeting Howard's eyes. After a long while, she nodded, indicating that she understood.

That blueprint? It's just a blueprint. Based on Mingzhao's understanding of the technology, this world cannot build it. The blueprint looks like a fighter jet design, but in reality, its size, proportions, rigidity, and resistance to atmospheric pressure are all problems that current technology can't solve.

It's just that Mingzhao's formula calculation makes it look perfect.

The formulas of the Interstellar Alliance are crystal clear, allowing for the most accurate calculations with the simplest derivations. However, all of this depends on the advanced technological level of interstellar space.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!