Chapter 132: Chu Xiao Discharged!

After changing his dressings at the nursing station, Chu Xiao, accompanied by Wang Lulu, drove to Yanjing. Upon arriving, his first stop was the office of the Number One Leader.

Seeing that Chu Xiao was recovering well, the Leader, who had originally planned to visit him in Jiuzhou City once his workload eased, expressed his relief.

"Leader, thanks to the timely arrival of reinforcements, we narrowly prevented Mingzhu City from falling into the hands of the Underworld King," Chu Xiao reported. "None of us expected the Underworld King to commit his entire force to the assault."

The Leader had initially believed the enemy's incursion into Mingzhu City was merely a provocative skirmish, not a full-scale invasion. Chu Xiao was equally surprised to learn that the other three nations had sent aid, something even the Leader had not anticipated. Given the existing tensions and the rivalry between the United States and Jiuzhou, their involvement was particularly unexpected.

Just as they were discussing these developments, a call came through from Muskes in the United States. As the Leader listened, his expression darkened. Chu Xiao could hear that Muskes was demanding a "service fee" for their assistance. The Leader was incensed; to demand payment for minimal effort—when they had hardly contributed—was nothing short of banditry.

"Our people suffered heavy casualties saving yours, and Chu Xiao himself was severely wounded," the Leader retorted. "How do you account for those costs?"

Upon hearing this, Muskes went silent, then performed a complete reversal. "My friend, how could you think that of me? I was merely joking. We are allies who should support one another—why are you getting so worked up?"

Muskes was no gentleman; sensing the Leader’s anger and wary of Jiuzhou’s power, he immediately changed his tune.

With nothing left to discuss, Chu Xiao and Wang Lulu headed to Ren Boyuan’s research institute. They found Ren deeply engrossed in the production of "Solar Power." Unaware of their arrival, Ren was startled when Chu Xiao tapped his shoulder. Seeing it was Chu Xiao, his initial annoyance vanished.

"Lieutenant General Chu, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in the hospital?"

"I'm mostly healed, and I couldn't rest without checking on our progress," Chu Xiao replied. Both Ren and the rest of the staff were visibly delighted to see him back on his feet.

"Dr. Ren, how is the development of the new weapons coming along? Is there any way to speed it up?" Chu Xiao asked urgently, as these were the primary weapons needed to counter the Underworld King’s hummingbird drones.

"To be honest, Lieutenant General, we are at maximum capacity. The bottleneck isn't the production, but the extraction of the meteorite material."

Despite a mountain of meteorites, twenty-four-hour extraction efforts yielded only a few kilograms of magnesium, a vital component of Solar Power. Chu Xiao found this deeply frustrating, but seeing no immediate solution, he decided to visit the factory himself.

"Brother Xiao, you need to take your medicine before you keep working," Wang Lulu reminded him. After a quick meal at the institute’s canteen, they headed to the factory.

Zhou Tong, the manager, explained that the factory was running in three shifts around the clock, producing about five kilograms of magnesium per day. When Chu Xiao asked if they could accelerate the process, Zhou shook his head. "No, sir. Any faster would compromise the quality."

Chu Xiao nodded. He could not risk the lives of his soldiers with faulty equipment. After inspecting the complex, meticulous processes and learning that only a tenth of the meteorite supply had been consumed, he prepared to leave.

As they were departing, Wang Yan appeared, having heard that Chu Xiao was in Yanjing. Wang Lulu felt a pang of jealousy but tried to hide it. Chu Xiao, however, noticed her expression.

"Not today, Yan," Chu Xiao said gently. "We have things to attend to, but let's have a meal together next time."

Wang Lulu breathed a sigh of relief. As they walked away, she asked, "Brother Xiao, why did you turn her down? It’s not like you."

"I was afraid someone might get jealous, and I wouldn't hear the end of it," Chu Xiao teased.

Wang Lulu rolled her eyes, pretending to be indifferent, but inside, she was glowing. She hadn't realized how much he cared about her feelings.

Back at the hospital, Wang Lulu helped Chu Xiao with his medication and prepared a meal. Other soldiers, eager to hear his stories from the front lines, gathered around. Chu Xiao enjoyed the camaraderie, and the time passed quickly. Over the next week, as the soldiers recovered, they often joined him for walks.

Finally, the day came for Chu Xiao’s discharge. "Brothers, every banquet must end," Chu Xiao told the soldiers. "Perhaps we shall fight side by side again soon."

He wanted to stop by the institute once more, but Wang Lulu insisted they go straight home. He found her unusual persistence puzzling, but seeing her resolve, he followed her lead, returning home as requested.