Chapter 3: Waking Up from a Dream

The meal ended in a lively and cheerful manner.

There was sadness at parting, but there was still time to spend together, and even more joy at being able to return home with honor.

So that evening, as a large group of people leisurely strolled back to Dongying, clutching their bellies, Zhuang Xiao started singing off-key:

"The sun sets in the west, its glow a rosy hue; the soldiers return to camp after target practice, return to camp~"

The group started singing noisily, and the singing became more and more synchronized, filled with countless emotions and passionate feelings!

Qi An watched them walk away and couldn't help but smile. He slept quite well that night.

The next morning, she got up early, planning to go for a run and then help Teacher Tang treat the wounded.

Let's skip the training room for now; everyone's task is to get some rest.

But as she took a step out of the building, feeling the fresh, moist, and invigorating morning air, she heard a voice beside her:

"Does Dr. Qi get up so early?"

Qi An was startled and turned around to see Chen Yuezhou standing against the wall with his arms crossed.

"No, what are you doing here?!" Her eyes widened.

Chen Yuezhou, with his hands in his pockets, casually said, "Waiting for you."

"Then how did you know where I live?"

"Zhuang Xiao said it, but he only mentioned the neighborhood, not the floor or apartment number," Chen Yuezhou admitted frankly.

Zhuang Xiao's big mouth!

Qi An was furious! But considering that Zhuang Xiao hadn't mentioned her floor and room number, and that it would be easy for Chen Yuezhou to find out her floor and room number, he didn't go upstairs.

The man's shoulders appeared to be damp with dew, and his short hair was also a bit wet, indicating that he had been waiting outside for a long time.

Qi An's anger subsided slightly, but he still said coldly, "What business does the Commander have that requires him to come to my house so early in the morning?"

Upon hearing this question, Chen Yuezhou's expression calmed down amidst the morning dew and cool breeze.

He took a few steps into the quieter, more secluded bushes and flowerbeds, and only after Qi An hesitated and followed did he whisper:

"I would like to ask Dr. Qi for a favor."

Qi An asked in confusion, "What kind of help?"

"Can you prepare a top-of-the-line operating room in this base, where we won't be disturbed?" Chen Yuezhou asked.

Qi An was even more puzzled: "What do you need the operating room for?"

This person looked healthy and strong, and Xu Le had also recovered very well. There was no news of any other members of the Martial God Team suddenly getting sick in their hands.

Chen Yuezhou said calmly, "I have a miniature bomb in my head, and I'm going to remove it."

Qi An didn't react for a long time!

"You...what?" she repeated involuntarily, but many questions and sudden realizations had already flooded her mind.

Chen Yuezhou has significantly lower mental resistance compared to Chen Xi.

Chen Yuezhou spoke with Qin Tianshuo alone yesterday.

Chen Yuezhou definitely has a problematic memory!

Chen Yuezhou repeated his words about his brain being like a bomb, his tone still calm, and asked again:

"Could you help me with this, Dr. Qi?"

Qi An forced down his chaotic thoughts and asked, "When? How long will it take? Do you have a doctor?"

"The doctor is on his way," Chen Yuezhou said.

"If Dr. Xiao Qi can help me prepare the operating room, the doctor should be able to arrive in about 3 days. If not, I will inform the doctor to go to other alternative sites."

He was going to have surgery at an external base, not a newborn base.

Qi An's thoughts suddenly drifted, and he asked, "Lin Ran, do you have a bomb in your head too?"

"Yes, she's dead," Chen Yuezhou said calmly.

"Because...she wants to harm the clones?"

"right."

If it weren't for Lin Ran, Chen Yuezhou would never have discovered the "Starry Sky" laboratory, nor would he have discovered what was inside his own mind.

The past two decades of growing up with the base, the emotions poured in, the respect and longing for the caregivers, and the bright future have all turned out to be nothing but a dream.

He and Lin Ran were living in a foolish dream.

Chen Yuezhou's indifferent yet somewhat self-deprecating expression made Qi An feel as if a heavy weight had been placed on his heart, and he couldn't help but ask, "The success rate of the surgery..."

Although she didn't know the exact location or size of the high-tech bomb buried in Chen Yuezhou's brain, common sense told her that removing a miniature bomb from a fragile brain in a polluted environment would be incredibly difficult...

Qi An's voice was hoarse.

This obvious concern made Chen Yuezhou smile.

He brushed aside the soft willow leaves that had been blown into his eyes by the morning breeze, his voice gentle and steady:

"There are indeed risks, but all surgeries have risks, just like all missions have risks."

My doctor and I are both prepared.

This was a lie, because his doctor was the medic in his unit when he was just a squad leader.

Now, this military doctor has returned to the hospital and is pursuing advanced studies in neurosurgery. He has become highly skilled and has gained some fame.

But she is still young, only 29 years old, and has stated frankly that she is not very confident about the surgery.

The morning breeze still carried a chill, and Chen Yuezhou still appeared as the calm and composed commander he always was, as if this matter was merely a somewhat challenging combat mission for him.

But when the man lowered his eyes, the deep shadows in them could not be completely concealed.

Qi An then recalled the words "going home" that Gu Liansheng and many members of the Martial God team had happily mentioned during the banquet last night.

Chen Yuezhou probably won't be coming home again.

......

Qi An didn't run; he simply took a leisurely stroll around his usual running route.

I waited until 7 a.m., after the sun had completely dug the base out of bed, before I went to find Teacher Tang.

Qi An didn't hide anything and told Teacher Tang the whole story of Chen Yuezhou's matter clearly.

Tang Xinying was even more shocked than Qi An! Living long enough means you'll encounter all sorts of outrageous things!

Qi An looked at her nervously and asked, "Can you get an operating room at the People's Hospital that will be undisturbed 24/7 in 3 or 4 days?"

"Is it possible... to avoid the doctors here?"

If Chen Yuezhou's intention to remove the bomb from his brain is discovered by the mastermind behind the new student base, the bomb will be detonated remotely.

If the doctors here discover a foreign object in his brain through a CT scan—something suspected to be an artificial object that is emitting electromagnetic waves—they will definitely report it.

The military's high command would suspect that this involved some kind of secret infighting at the new base and would not easily perform the surgery on him.

If the higher-ups contact the new recruit base—and they definitely will, because no one can afford the cost of antagonizing the new recruit base—Chen Yuezhou will be finished immediately.

"There's no way to avoid it," Tang Xinying said directly.

Such a complex surgery requires a lot of preparation before and after, including necessary examinations, medications, and equipment. It's impossible to completely hide this from the doctors here.

Qi An lowered his eyes and began to consider the second option in his mind.

Set up your own temporary operating room, or find a private clinic or even an unlicensed clinic.

Those places have poor conditions, but they are safer.

Chen Yuezhou must have had such alternative plans. He also had alternative bases, and he could even return to the newborn base or go to a remote satellite base where he had connections to complete the surgery.

However, the risks are all very high.

“There’s no need to completely avoid it. The head of surgery at the People’s Hospital is a friend of mine. I can ask her to at least turn a blind eye to this matter.” Tang Xinying suddenly changed the subject.

Qi An looked up in surprise, which made Tang Xinying realize how much she cared.

Tang Xinying glanced at Qi An with a probing look in her beautiful eyes and smiled slightly, "Didn't I tell you that I know a lot of doctors?"

I also have a classmate from when I was studying at the North Base 1.

He is now one of the most outstanding and authoritative figures in the field of neurosurgery.