Chapter Seventy-Three: The Fine Young Men of the Nine Provinces!

“Improved weapons? How can they be improved?” Ji Kaicheng looked at Chu Xiao in surprise.

“Our current weapons are still too weak! They’re no match for the Underworld King at all! Look, when the Underworld King’s firepower intensifies, we are utterly defenseless! Do you understand?” Chu Xiao’s eyes were closed, recalling the brutality of war and the shortcomings of their weapons in his mind. “I need to find a way to enhance the lethality and deterrence of our weapons! One shell is not enough; the explosion and coverage must be increased!”

Ji Kaicheng watched everything before him, suddenly recalling when Chu Xiao went to the medical ward.

After sending Chu Xiao to the medical area, the moment they entered, cries of pain filled the air.

“Ah! It hurts so much!”

“My leg is broken! Can’t it be reattached?”

“No! Doctor, please, save him! I beg you!”

“No, I don’t want to lose my right hand! I don’t want to!”

On and on, shouts echoed without end.

Now these people were plunged into agonizing torment. They didn’t want this suffering, yet it clung to them relentlessly.

“Lieutenant General, perhaps we shouldn’t go in,” Ji Kaicheng looked at Chu Xiao, concern flickering in his eyes. Chu Xiao himself was gravely wounded; the impact might be too much for him.

“We must go in! They are the warriors of Kyushu! Their suffering is Kyushu’s suffering! As a lieutenant general of Kyushu, and the chief commander of this war, I must see this for myself!” Chu Xiao’s words rang with iron resolve.

Ji Kaicheng opened his mouth, but said nothing more. How could he not understand the pain of these soldiers? After all, they all served under his command.

Upon entering the medical ward, devastation filled the eye.

Blood was everywhere, wounded soldiers lay across the floor, those missing limbs were considered fortunate—some had their intestines slashed open, others died on the spot, failed to be saved.

Chu Xiao gazed at it all in anguish.

These were Kyushu’s brave sons, Kyushu’s finest, Kyushu’s warriors!

Now, in defense of Kyushu, they had suffered such grievous wounds.

Chu Xiao blamed himself. If only he had prepared better, perhaps things would not have turned out this way. Perhaps the casualties might have been fewer.

“I’m sorry! You are all Kyushu’s brave sons! I failed to protect you!”

“Rest well and recover! On behalf of Kyushu, I promise—we will never abandon a single one of you!”

“For those determined to be severely disabled and unable to fight, Kyushu will bestow the highest honor, and you will enjoy Kyushu’s benefits for life!”

“You are the strongest bulwark of our homeland! Without you, there is no Kyushu! All the people of Kyushu will remember you! Rest and recover, everything depends on me! On me!”

As Chu Xiao spoke, he was already sobbing uncontrollably.

War is cruel; no one escapes its touch.

The wounded soldiers, hearing Chu Xiao’s words, froze, almost forgetting their pain.

Kyushu had never abandoned them. Kyushu would always remember them.

They were Kyushu’s finest men!

“Well said! We believe in Kyushu! We believe in our homeland!”

“As soldiers of Kyushu, we will protect Kyushu to the end—we’re no cowards!”

“We don’t need others to remember us! We serve willingly!”

“Lieutenant General Chu, you go and resist the Underworld King—we’ll always support you!”

Voices rose in chorus, fervor burning in every heart.

A blazing fire swirled within them all, refusing to fade.

“Good! Good!” Chu Xiao covered his face, letting the tears flow.

Not only Chu Xiao, Ji Kaicheng, too, silently shed tears.

And not just the two of them—in such a moment, even the wounded could not help but weep.

Just then, the head nurse strode over.

“Stop crying, you big tough men! Lie down and behave yourselves!”

With her stern shout, all the soldiers obediently lay back.

Chu Xiao’s tears halted at once.

“Take me to the arsenal!” Chu Xiao decided to improve the weapons—their current firepower was far from enough.

But before he could finish, Chu Xiao lost consciousness.

Afterwards came the matter of Churchill and Odenton’s reinforcements.

Ji Kaicheng pushed Chu Xiao to the arsenal.

“We’re here! Please be careful with your health,” Ji Kaicheng said, worried.

Chu Xiao shook his head. “Don’t worry! Cough, cough!”

At that moment, Wang Lulu hurried over.

“Chu Xiao! Are you alright?” Wang Lulu looked at him anxiously. She had been treating the wounded in another medical ward, and by coincidence, had missed Chu Xiao. When she heard the news of Chu Xiao’s injury, she rushed over at once.

“Lulu! Why are you here? Where were you just now?” Chu Xiao looked at Wang Lulu in surprise.

“I’m fine! Are you hurt? Where? Is it your shoulder?” Wang Lulu began checking him over.

Accidentally pressing on his wound, Chu Xiao hissed in pain.

Wang Lulu quickly let go, “Ah! Sorry! Are you alright? It really is your shoulder!”

“I’m fine! Really!” Chu Xiao shook his head.

Ji Kaicheng, seeing this, quickly stepped aside. “Perfect timing, Miss Wang, please take care of Chu Xiao. I have other matters, so I’ll take my leave. Thank you!”

With that, Ji Kaicheng dashed away.

“Alright,” Wang Lulu replied softly.

When she looked up again, Ji Kaicheng had vanished.

“Thank you, Lulu. Push me inside,” said Chu Xiao, not wanting to waste any more time—there was so little left.

“Alright.”

It was Wang Lulu’s first visit to the arsenal. Seeing the dazzling array of weapons, her eyes sparkled.

Wang Zhi, seeing Chu Xiao arrive, hurried to greet him.

“Lieutenant General Chu, you’re here!”

“Yes. Take me to Ren Boyuan. I have urgent matters to discuss!”

“At your service!”

Ren Boyuan himself was pondering how to improve the weapons, but he had found no solution and was deeply troubled.

“Lieutenant General Chu, do you have any good suggestions?” Ren Boyuan had already noticed Chu Xiao’s arrival.

Chu Xiao nodded lightly. “Yes. The casualties this time have been tremendous, as you well know.”

“The Underworld King has focused all his firepower on Kyushu—so fierce, never seen before! Even the fortress has been breached!”

“If it happens again, Kyushu may not withstand it. We must enhance our weapons’ firepower, for now it’s still too weak!” Chu Xiao’s brow furrowed, his face severe.

“I understand your concerns! I’ve been trying to increase our weapons’ firepower and improve them. But if the firepower and explosive force are increased too much, the recoil becomes enormous! Ordinary people can’t control it! That’s the hardest problem for me to solve!”