Chapter 57: It's time to establish a "defense alliance"

Gu Baobao ate a little and was full. Watching the two men eat so heartily, she felt a great sense of accomplishment.

After they had almost finished eating, she put down her chopsticks, looked at Gu Dongguo, and hesitated to speak.

Gu Dongguo was picking up the last shrimp when he saw his sister's expression, and his heart skipped a beat.

Suddenly, the shrimp in my mouth didn't taste good anymore, and I felt like I really wasn't going to digest my dinner.

He put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and tried to make his voice sound relaxed:

"Baby, what's wrong? Just say what's on your mind! Why are you beating around the bush with me?"

Lu Zhanming also stopped what he was doing and looked calmly at Gu Baobao.

He sensed keenly that the little girl seemed to have something important to say.

Gu Baobao took a deep breath and decided to get straight to the point:

"Brother, why don't you go to the bathroom and take a bath? I've prepared some bathwater for you."

After you're done soaking... we'll talk properly then. You might feel a little uncomfortable in the middle, so please bear with it, and whatever you do, don't come out or scream.

Gu Dongguo and Lu Zhanming were both taken aback.

Taking a bath?

Did they even prepare water?

Will I feel uncomfortable halfway through?

Countless thoughts raced through Gu Dongguo's mind. Did his sister want to use her medical skills to give him a medicinal bath?

Is that discomfort just the medication taking effect?

He looked at his leg, which was still dangling, then at his sister's serious little face, and nodded:

"Okay. I'll listen to you, bro."

Although Lu Zhanming didn't know the specifics, he instinctively felt that it might be related to Gu Baobao's dilemma that afternoon, or to her secret.

He immediately stood up and said in a deep voice:

"I'll stand guard outside the washroom. Dong-guk, call me if you need any help."

His eyes clearly indicated:

I will protect this place and prevent anyone from disturbing it.

Gu Baobao glanced at Lu Zhanming but did not object. She pushed Gu Dongguo's wheelchair to the washroom.

Inside, a brand-new wooden bucket, almost half a person's height, had already been placed, clearly prepared in advance by Zhang Xiaobing. The bucket was filled with water at a suitable temperature, with a few unknown dried herb leaves floating on the surface.

There were also two buckets of clean water next to it, for rinsing.

Gu Baobao helped Gu Dongguo sit down in the wooden tub.

The water temperature is just right, it's very comfortable.

Gu Dongguo was just about to breathe a sigh of relief and praise his sister for being so thoughtful,

Sudden!

An indescribable stinging and tingling sensation, emanating from the very bones and deep within the meridians, swept through my entire body like a tidal wave!

The feeling was like countless tiny ants gnawing at his bones and muscles, or like countless fine needles pricking his acupoints!

The pain wasn't sharp, but it was persistent and omnipresent, causing him to groan instantly, veins bulging on his forehead, and cold sweat pouring down his face.

"Dongguo? How is it? Should I come in?"

Hearing the commotion outside the door, Lu Zhanming immediately asked in a deep voice, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible tension.

"No...it's nothing!"

Gu Dongguo gritted his teeth and squeezed out a few words.

"You wait outside! Don't come in!"

He believed his sister wouldn't harm him; this pain... was probably part of the treatment!

He had to hold back!

Time passed second by second.

The excruciating pain lasted for about ten minutes, and just when Gu Dongguo felt he was about to give up, the pain receded quickly like a tide.

Instead, there is an indescribable feeling of comfort and ease!

The heavy shackles that had weighed on me for years were suddenly removed!

To his surprise, he found that the area of ​​his injured leg that had been aching was now only slightly numb and itchy, a sensation of the wound healing rapidly!

What shocked him even more was that the color of the old scars, large and small, that were hideous and terrifying on his body, was fading at a speed visible to the naked eye!

It gradually changed from dark brown and dark red to a light pink!

His entire body of skin, covered in a layer of dirt, was thoroughly washed clean, and his pores were breathing freely!

He looked down at the water in the wooden bucket; the once clear water was now murky and had a grayish-black tinge.

It also emitted an indescribable stench, a mixture of fishy and filthy smells.

This...this is what came out of his body?

Gu Dongguo was deeply shocked.

He immediately realized that the bathwater his sister had prepared for him was definitely not ordinary bath water!

The effect is simply unbelievable!

Is it the effects of those few herb leaves?

impossible!

He had tried traditional Chinese medicine baths, but none of them had such an immediate and transformative effect!

He suppressed the turmoil in his heart, braced himself against the edge of the bucket, and tried to stand up.

To his surprise, his injured left leg was able to bear weight!

Although he can't walk like a normal person yet, he can already stand up and move slowly without any problem!

He quickly used the clean water that was prepared nearby to wash himself thoroughly, and only then did the stench dissipate.

After rinsing off, he looked at his refreshed self in the mirror. His skin was much smoother, his scars had faded, he was full of energy, and his eyes were brighter and more alert than before!

This change is huge!

Going out would definitely arouse suspicion!

He thought for a moment, then sat back in his wheelchair and pushed it out of the washroom.

His sister told him to finish his bath first, and that he needed to hear her explanation first.

Lu Zhanming had been guarding the door, and when he saw Gu Dongguo come out, his eyes narrowed slightly.

Although Gu Dongguo was still in a wheelchair, his complexion and mental state had clearly improved by more than one level!

My skin seems... cleaner and brighter?

And there's that subtle, refreshing, and pleasant scent...

Gu Dongguo met Lu Zhanming's probing gaze, his expression complex and difficult to describe.

He looked at his sister sitting on the sofa in the living room.

Gu Baobao looked at him, her eyes clear and questioning.

Lu Zhanming sensed a peculiar atmosphere between the brother and sister.

A strong feeling of not wanting to be excluded suddenly welled up in his heart.

The thought that Bao Bao and Gu Dongguo shared a potentially important secret...

He felt like an outsider, kept in the dark, and possibly even being guarded against. He felt as if something was gnawing at his heart.

It was a bittersweet feeling, along with a sense of irritability and even a subtle urge to get to the bottom of things and get involved.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the unfamiliar emotions surging within him, and looked at Gu Baobao, his voice low yet exceptionally clear and firm:

"Baby. Your brother and I have a bond that transcends life and death; we are comrades who can entrust our backs to each other completely."

I know that everyone has their own secrets, and some secrets need to be protected very carefully.

He paused, his gaze fixed intently on Gu Baobao, as if trying to see into the depths of her heart:

“I, Lu Zhanming, swear by the honor of a soldier and the spirit of the Party that I will protect your secret with my life, no matter what it is.”

His words were resounding, carrying an unquestionable solemnity and commitment.

Gu Baobao looked at the sincerity and determination in his deep eyes, and then looked at her brother.

Gu Dongguo nodded slightly, his eyes conveying his meaning:

This guy may have ill intentions towards you, but his character and his words are absolutely reliable.

Gu Baobao's last bit of hesitation disappeared.

She was already considering whether to bring Lu Zhanming into the "alliance" as well.

Now it seems he delivered himself to us, and with such a sincere and resolute attitude.

Good! We have another powerful ally and cover!

After all, Commander Lu has a higher status and his words carry more weight!

She stood up and said to Lu Zhanming:

"Lu Tuan, go to your own bathroom first. I've also prepared bath water for you; the method and precautions are the same as my brother's."

Go wash up first, then come find us. We'll...wait for you.

Lu Zhanming was startled.

Does this mean the baby is... willing to share that secret with him?

A surge of immense joy and a warm feeling of acceptance instantly washed over him. He nodded emphatically:

"good!"

Without hesitation, he turned around and quickly returned to his own yard.

Gu Baobao followed him over and saw that his washroom in the courtyard was also equipped with a wooden bucket and clean water. She had secretly used her spatial ability to transfer the spiritual spring water under the pretext of checking the situation on both sides.

After giving her a few instructions, she returned to Gu Dong's country.

Gu Dongguo had already pushed his wheelchair into the living room. The two were silent, but they understood each other through their eyes.

About half an hour later, Lu Zhanming also arrived.

He had changed into a clean military green uniform; his arm was no longer in a sling, his hair was still slightly damp, but he looked refreshed, with sharp, bright eyes.

The perennial chill seemed to have faded somewhat, replaced by a restrained and refined strength.

The scars on his body had clearly undergone the same changes.

He looked at Gu Baobao and Gu Dongguo with a complex expression, a mixture of shock and doubt, but mostly a firm resolve.

Gu Baobao knew that the time for a showdown had come.

She cleared her throat and, under the watchful eyes of the two "wounded" men, began to weave her half-true, half-false "secret"...

The effects of the spiritual spring are self-evident.

Now is the time to form a "defense alliance".