Chapter 99: I Am the Strongest in Jiuzhou!

At this moment, Leng Ruoshang stood motionless like a puppet, her eyes fixed unwaveringly on General Yuan Ao lying in the hospital bed.

Suddenly, her eyelashes twitched, and a gleam of light shot from her pupils.

“His hand moved! He’s really awake!” Leng Ruoshang cried out, no longer cold and indifferent, but filled with excitement and joy.

Everyone turned their gaze toward the figure in the bed.

General Yuan Ao’s eyes remained tightly shut. Yet, the heart monitor on the bedside cabinet showed rapidly changing data.

“Respiration at twenty-five, oxygen saturation has already risen to ninety percent!”

“The heart rate is climbing too—sixty-nine, within the normal range!”

“How is this possible? All the indicators have returned to normal!”

The attending physician’s eyes widened in disbelief. He reached out and took hold of General Yuan Ao’s wrist, manually checking the pulse.

“The pulse is strong and steady. It seems the treatment really worked!”

In the next moment,

those long-dormant eyes slowly opened.

“He’s awake! He’s awake! General Yuan Ao is awake!”

Leng Ruoshang could no longer contain the overwhelming joy in her heart. She broke free and rushed to the bedside.

“General, you’re finally awake!”

Yuan Ao glanced at Leng Ruoshang, then looked around at everyone present, his eyes filled with confusion.

He tried to speak, but a tube was still inserted in his throat.

The medical staff quickly sprang into action.

“Captain Lone Wolf, the general has just woken after a long slumber. His bodily functions still need to be observed. Please wait outside while we conduct a thorough examination.”

Tears welled in Leng Ruoshang’s eyes; she nodded silently, reluctant but obediently stepping out of the room.

Soon, Yuan Ao was surrounded by the medical team, various machines and instruments brought into the ward.

“This time, Xiang Nan really helped us out big time. This resurrection herb truly is a miraculous medicine!” Li Mu’s hands trembled with excitement.

Beside him, Leng Ruoshang didn’t hear a word of what he said. Her wide eyes stared blankly toward the hospital room, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. For a moment, she didn’t even know what to say to General Yuan Ao.

To enter the Longyuan Army, General Yuan Ao had been her guide, almost like a mentor.

He had stood with her to defend Jiuzhou, shedding blood and risking his life for this land.

He urged her to become strong, repeatedly telling her, “Only the strong can protect the nation!”

Whenever she felt she couldn’t endure any longer, she thought of him, of his expectations, and found endless strength.

He revered strength and admired the strong, so she forced herself to become worthy of him.

She had planned that once she became the chief commander of the capital’s defenses, she could stand proudly beside him and declare her unwavering loyalty.

But the Purple Poison Plan of Guizuka nearly cost her that chance.

Now that he had been restored, her heart surged with overwhelming emotion.

Over half an hour later, the ward door opened, and the medical staff filed out, pushing various instruments and equipment.

“How is he?” Leng Ruoshang anxiously stepped forward.

Li Mu followed closely behind, his face filled with anticipation.

“For now, all indicators have returned to normal levels. The blood test results will take longer, but judging from the general’s condition, there’s no major problem.” The doctor’s face showed barely concealed joy.

“That’s wonderful!” Leng Ruoshang sighed with relief, about to enter the room.

“However,” the doctor continued, “the general has been asleep for far too long. His bodily functions have only just reached the level of a normal person. Compared to his previous condition, he will need some time to recover fully. We hope you can offer him comfort during this period.”

“Of course,” Leng Ruoshang nodded eagerly, desperate to see Yuan Ao.

“Also…” the doctor stopped her again, forcing a smile, “Captain Lone Wolf, your resurrection herb is truly incredible. Could you spare another one? Our military hospital wants to conduct the most thorough research on it so that…”

“No more.” Leng Ruoshang replied briefly and decisively, brushing past the doctor and heading straight into the ward.

“Hey, Captain Lone Wolf, I haven’t finished—such a miraculous herb should be shared for the good of the nation. Hoarding it privately isn’t right—” The doctor called after her retreating figure.

“The hospital is a place for science, not superstition,” Li Mu said, patting the doctor on the shoulder before swiftly following Leng Ruoshang.

Inside the ward,

the nurse on duty, seeing Leng Ruoshang enter, tactfully excused herself.

Leng Ruoshang gazed quietly at Yuan Ao, then after a long pause, spoke softly, “General.”

She approached the bedside and poured a cup of water, offering it to him. “You must be thirsty. Drink some water.”

By now, Yuan Ao had been freed from the tubes and devices, and his complexion had improved considerably.

“Thank you, Xiaoshuang,” he said, taking the cup and sipping the water before looking back at her.

“I’ve heard everything—it was you who saved me. You’ve been through a lot.”

“All this is what I should have done,” Leng Ruoshang lowered her head slightly, a faint, almost imperceptible blush crossing her face.

“I’ve had enough of this sickbed. Now that I’m better, I should get up and move about.”

Saying this, Yuan Ao threw back the covers and stood up with a sudden movement.

But as soon as he stood, dizziness struck, and he staggered, nearly falling.

Leng Ruoshang hastily reached out to steady him, guiding him to sit back down on the bed.

“General, you’ve just woken. You can’t rush your recovery.”

Yet Yuan Ao’s face fell as he noticed the loose flesh around his abdomen.

“What is this?” He touched his flabby belly where his once chiseled eight-pack abs had vanished. Anxiety and agitation flared within him. “Impossible! This isn’t my body!”

“General, please calm down!” Leng Ruoshang held him firmly. “You were poisoned by the Purple Toxin and bedridden for over half a year. It’s normal for your body to have changed somewhat. Now that you’re awake, with a little time, you’ll regain your former strength.”

“Can I really recover to how I was before?” Yuan Ao asked doubtfully, looking at Leng Ruoshang.

“Trust me. You can!” She squeezed his hand tightly, hoping to instill strength.

Pain still clouded his expression. He clenched his other fist and swung it forward with sudden force.

His fist was weak and powerless; his extended hand even trembled slightly.

“No! This can’t be! This isn’t me!”

In the past, even a light swing from Yuan Ao’s fist would have unleashed a fierce burst of force, capable of toppling walls within five meters.

Now, this feeble fist could never belong to the mighty First General of the Nation.

“This is not me! Not me! I, Yuan Ao, am the strongest in Jiuzhou! The strongest—”

Yuan Ao exploded into a frenzy, standing and shouting hysterically as he smashed everything in the room to pieces.