Chapter 126: Return to Pearl City!

"Especially the laser guns and electromagnetic cannons; their power has doubled, making them comparable to heavy artillery. When Hades comes to harass us again, we can put them to the test!"

Hades was already prepared. All his robots had been successfully developed, and he was currently organizing a massive army to attack the Nine Provinces.

Chu Xiao returned to the hospital and had Wang Lulu handle his discharge procedures. He could no longer sit still; there were too many things waiting for him to do, and he could not remain in the hospital any longer.

Just then, Chu Renfang and Qin Lihua arrived. They had not seen Chu Xiao for a long time and, having cleared most of their work, had taken the time to come and visit him.

"Dad, Mom, why are you here?"

Chu Xiao was very surprised to see Chu Renfang and Qin Lihua. They were supposed to be in Xishan Province—how did they end up in Yanjing without a word?

"We haven't seen you for so long and we missed you, so we came to visit. We heard you were in the hospital, so we came straight here."

Qin Lihua had been very worried upon hearing that Chu Xiao had been injured after returning from space, which was why she and Chu Renfang had decided to check on him.

"Hello, Uncle and Auntie. I am Wang Lulu, I am... I am a friend of Chu Xiao's!"

Seeing Chu Xiao's parents, Wang Lulu offered a simple introduction, though she paused when describing her relationship with him.

"Hello, hello. Our Chu Xiao is a bit careless; I hope you'll take good care of him in the future!"

Qin Lihua was no fool; she saw through their relationship at a glance and was quite satisfied with Wang Lulu, who seemed reliable and was quite pleasant to look at.

"Uncle, Auntie, please don't worry. It's actually Chu Xiao who takes care of me!"

Wang Lulu noticed that Qin Lihua seemed to like her. Since this was her first time meeting his parents, she was a bit nervous and didn't quite know what to say.

"When are you two heading back? I'm planning to return to Mingzhu City."

"We are also planning to return to Mingzhu City. We've been away from home for a long time and have things to attend to."

Chu Xiao was worried that Hades might launch an attack on Mingzhu City and that Wang Tao would not be able to handle it alone, so he needed to return immediately to see how things were.

"Uncle, Auntie, let's have a meal together before we head back!"

Seeing that it was lunchtime, Wang Lulu wanted to invite Chu Renfang and Qin Lihua to eat before they left. She also wanted to go to Mingzhu City with them, as she did not want to be too far from Chu Xiao.

"Alright, then we shall have a meal here before we leave."

Wang Lulu was inviting the couple for the first time; no matter how urgent their plans were, they could not deny her this courtesy. Afterwards, she took them to her residence, invited them to sit, and busied herself in the kitchen.

"Son, your girlfriend is quite wonderful!"

Chu Xiao gave an embarrassed, shy smile, then went into the kitchen to help Wang Lulu. Before long, he brought the food out to the table.

Wang Lulu invited Chu Renfang and Qin Lihua to take their seats, while Chu Xiao fetched the bowls and chopsticks. During the meal, Wang Lulu would occasionally place food into their bowls.

Chu Xiao looked on with envy. Noticing this, Wang Lulu chuckled and placed some food into his bowl as well.

After the meal, they drove toward Mingzhu City. Wang Lulu had packed her things to join them. Upon arrival, Chu Xiao dropped his parents off at home and did not linger, driving straight to find Wang Tao.

"Chu Xiao, you're back! I heard you had a brush with death in space and it scared the life out of me. Why aren't you staying in Yanjing? What are you doing here?"

Wang Tao was truly surprised to see him. The word he had received was that Chu Xiao was still under observation in the hospital; he never expected him to return so soon.

"How is the situation here? Have the defensive fortifications been completed? I fear Hades will make a move soon."

"Everything is nearly finished. We're just waiting for Hades."

Chu Xiao’s heart finally settled. A batch of the newly developed "Solar Power" had been transported from Yanjing, and the upgraded weapons were now in place.

Afterward, Chu Xiao decided to check on Zhang Hua. Ever since Hades had attacked the firewall, Chu Xiao had wanted to visit but had not found the time. Pushing open the door to the lab, he saw the team sitting before their monitors, deep in research. Seeing Chu Xiao enter, Zhang Hua set aside his work and walked over.

"What are you all working on?"

"Ever since Hades infiltrated the firewall, even though it was only for a split second, it proved that our system has flaws. We are working to patch them."

Chu Xiao had been worried about this, but it seemed his concerns were unnecessary; with Zhang Hua here, he didn't need to worry too much.

"Good. How are the results? Work is important, but make sure to get some rest."

"Progress is fast. We've already developed a prototype and should be finished soon."

Chu Xiao nodded, feeling very satisfied. He had been terrified that, as before, Hades might breach the firewall easily—even a momentary breach was dangerous.

Seeing that the sky was growing dark, Chu Xiao drove home, still concerned about whether Wang Lulu would get along with his parents. Upon returning, he found Wang Lulu and Qin Lihua sitting on the sofa, laughing and chatting about his childhood. It seemed his concerns were entirely unnecessary.

"Son, you're back! Dinner is ready and we were just waiting for you."

Qin Lihua stood up to head to the kitchen, but Wang Lulu gently pushed her back down, insisting on going herself. As Wang Lulu walked away, Qin Lihua pulled Chu Xiao aside and whispered, "Son, you have a great eye. I really like this girl. Treat her well and don't you dare bully her!"

Chu Xiao was stunned. He thought to himself, *It's only been an afternoon, how are they already this close? If anything, she's the one who bullies me!*

"Did you hear me? I'm talking to you!"

"I heard, I heard!"

Seeing Qin Lihua growing impatient, Chu Xiao quickly obliged. At that moment, Wang Lulu had finished setting the table and called them over to eat.

Qin Lihua and Chu Renfang planned to return to Xishan Province the next day; they couldn't stay away from their work for too long, and they had only come to check on Chu Xiao out of concern.

After dinner, just as Chu Xiao was preparing to rest, his phone rang. It was Number One. As soon as he answered, he could tell from the tone of the voice that the matter was grave.

"The meteorite from the space capsule has been located, but only a portion of it. The rest fell outside the Nine Provinces, in Hades's territory."

"I understand. I will take men to retrieve the meteorite immediately!"

Knowing the purpose of the call, Chu Xiao put on his clothes and gathered his weapons, preparing to head out.

"It's so late, where are you going?"

Seeing Chu Xiao in such a rush, Wang Lulu felt a pang of worry. Chu Xiao didn't have time to explain in detail; he only asked her to wait for his return before rushing out the door.