Steel torrents pioneering a different world

Chapter 175 The Elf Army Attacks! Lei Zi Comes to the Rescue! The Wounded! (Bonus Chapter, Please Subscribe)

New Arigian City, Iron Tree Prison.

"Tick."

A drop of water seeped from the tip of the thick ironwood root, hung, trembled, and finally fell into the bowl, splashing up a barely visible ripple.

Lani watched quietly until the water in the bowl was about to overflow, then carefully scooped it up and put the cool water, which had a muddy smell, into her mouth.

I have been held here by my own people for three days.

My throat was so dry it felt like it was on fire, and my saliva could only barely moisten it.

This is their punishment; the prison is the place of atonement for the elves.

She remembered being locked up when she made mistakes as a child, but those memories were not nearly as unforgettable as they are now.

At that time, she wasn't wearing any magic-suppressing devices, so she could absorb free-floating magical elements in the air.

The images of the human camp cell from a few days ago uncontrollably flashed through her mind.

Without comparison, there is no harm.

That's not called a prison cell, that's called a solitary confinement cell.

There are hot showers, clean and soft beds, three meals a day served on time, and even a variety of fruits and vegetables.

What puzzled her most was the glowing cube "magic device" that played all sorts of strange and bizarre dynamic images.

At first, she scoffed at it, thinking it was a low-class form of entertainment.

But as you look at it, the corners of your mouth will always unconsciously turn up.

Especially those cartoons with exaggerated expressions, and those about cutting down trees and fighting, accompanied by that strange yet catchy music...

"boom."

Lani slammed the empty bowl down. The rough pottery hit the cold, damp stone floor with a dull thud, shattering her memories as well.

She didn't want to think about being in the human prison anymore.

Let's think about this place instead.

Here, darkness, dampness, and hunger are the eternal themes.

Let alone bathing, even using the toilet is a huge test of their dignity. They only get to go outside once a month, and for these naturally clean elves, every second is torture.

But it was her own choice.

I will eventually wash away this shame.

"Lani, when can we eat?"

From the darkness came Leah's voice, filled with suppressed weakness and grievance.

Lani pursed her chapped lips: "Soon, the food will be brought when we reach our limit."

"I'd rather fight humans on the front lines than stay in this godforsaken place!" The elf Kyle's voice was filled with agitation. "Being killed by their magical weapons is better than starving and rotting to death here!"

Her words were like a pebble thrown into stagnant water, and in the darkness, voices of agreement and some worried conversations arose.

"Alright." Lani's voice calmed the commotion. "The bad will always pass. We've passed the memory test, and the priests will understand that we are innocent. Three months of imprisonment will be over soon."

"Really?" a young female elf asked, her voice trembling with tears.

“Really.” Lani’s tone left no room for doubt. “Stay put and consider it a test of your will.”

The prison fell silent again, and a sense of peace seemed to emerge from the barely audible breathing.

The imprisoned elves regained their spirits slightly and began to believe that this was just a necessary ritual.

However, Lani herself was not so sure.

Memory exploration... Can the priests truly understand?

They will see everything in the human camp, see those silly animations, and hear those brainwashing songs.

Do they think that their spirits have been corrupted by humanity?
Will our forces defeat humanity?

"Who's speaking!" Kyle shouted.

“I…I didn’t mean to,” a female elf said softly, her voice trembling with tears, “I was just asking…”

"No need to ask anymore! You must have faith in the kingdom's troops!"

"I see!"

"No, you must remember this and never ask again."

"it is good!"

The entire prison fell into a deathly silence.

"Squeak-"

Just then, at the end of the prison corridor, a heavy iron door was slowly pulled open, and a figure carrying food walked towards the cell.

"Tsk tsk, three months imprisonment? Lani, you, the ranger squad leader of the Yun clan, are you really that naive about the laws of the kingdom?"

A sharp, somewhat gloating female voice, like a poisoned dagger, precisely pierced the newly formed peace in the prison.

Lani froze for a moment, then slowly raised her head.

In the darkness, a figure carrying a food basket strolled over leisurely. Her clean, fiery red leather armor reflected a faint luster in the dim light at the end of the corridor.

The newcomer stood outside the prison door, looking down at her from above.

It's Celine, Celine of the Fire Clan.

Lani's pupils contracted sharply, then returned to calm.

She lowered her head, using the dim light and her loose hair to hide all the extraneous expressions on her face.

The two are old rivals. They have fought countless times, both in training grounds and hunting competitions.

She didn't want the other person to see her in such a disheveled state again!
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Celine put down the food, then crossed her arms and chuckled. "Defeat doesn't taste good, does it? Haha, oh dear~ I really feel sorry for those girls under your command, being fooled by you like that. You know perfectly well that being captured and imprisoned for three months is just the beginning."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the entire cell, and the elves, who had just calmed down, began to breathe heavily again.

Lani remained silent, as if she hadn't heard.

Celine's smile deepened; she loved seeing Lani's flustered yet composed demeanor.

However, just as she was about to say something even harsher, Lani suddenly spoke up.

"Have the Archon and the Priests decided to take action against humanity? Is our army about to be mobilized?"

Her voice was calm, and Celine, who was preparing to enjoy the show, froze with a smile.

"You must have bribed the guards quite a bit to come here and see me make a fool of myself, right?" Lani raised her face, a cold smile curving her lips. "What a grumpy idiot. Do you think you're about to go to war and make a name for yourself, so you come here specifically to bask in the glory of trampling on your opponent?"

"You!" Celine's face instantly darkened.

"Don't rush to deny it," Lani interrupted her, continuing slowly, "Let me guess, did you come to see me to see me weep and regret my actions? Or did you want to see me lose my composure because I'm jealous of your impending glory?"

“Cerine, your and your Fire Clan’s perverse sense of humor is as brutal as ever.”

Celine was speechless, her chest heaving.

She found that her carefully prepared sarcasm turned into a joke in just a few words from the other party.

She wanted to say something more, but Lani suddenly changed the subject.

"You...you've seen my memory magic images?"

Celine snorted coldly, forcibly regaining her composure: "I've seen it. Human weapons are indeed strange, but we've found a way to counter them."

"You found a way?" Lani repeated, leaning forward slightly, her eyes shining brightly in the darkness. "It's forbidden magic, isn't it?"

This time, she didn't use a questioning tone, but rather stated it.

Celine's breath hitched.

“It seems I was right.” Lani leaned back against the cold stone wall. “Aside from those spells that come at an ever-increasing cost, I can’t think of any other magical weapons that would give you the confidence to fight against humanity.”

“You don’t need to know!” Celine’s voice was sharp, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. “We will eventually defeat the enemy and restore peace to the borders of the Forest Kingdom!”

"Really?" Lani asked softly. "Then tell me, what's been happening in the human kingdoms to the south lately? What are those black-clad men guarding the Great Wall doing? And what are the cave-dwelling half-people to the west doing?"

“Prisoner Lani, this is none of your business! Just stay here and repent!” Celine felt completely outmatched and didn’t want to stay a second longer. “When I return in glory, I will personally tell you the results of my victory!”

She practically gritted her teeth as she finished speaking the last few words, then turned and quickly disappeared into the darkness of the corridor, her retreating figure giving off a sense of fleeing in panic.

Silence returned to the area outside the cell.

Lani sat quietly, her beautiful elven ears drooping limply.

victory?

Images of the battlefield flashed through her mind: humans clad in strange armor, wielding terrifying magical artifacts, and the scenes she had witnessed in the prison cell.

Humans are far more complex than they imagine.

Forbidden magic... it's not the key to victory, but Pandora's box.

Every time forbidden magic is used, the Forest Kingdom and the Elf Clan will pay an immeasurable price.

The governors and priests have truly gone mad.

If it fails...

She suddenly felt a bone-chilling cold, a chill that even surpassed the coldness and hunger of the dungeon.

"I hope they succeed!"

Although she desperately wanted the kingdom's forces to fail, her remaining rationality told her that only by defeating the enemy could the elven kingdom have a future.

The fate of the losers is extremely tragic.

The Elf Kingdom cannot afford to fail again!
-
Modern World, Zhu Rihe Logistics Coordination and Management Department.

Li Weiguo looked at the latest data in his hand and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Finally, we've brought back everyone who knows Warhammer!"

Upon confirming that the power armor wreckage and backpack from the alternate world might be remnants of Space Marines from the Warhammer universe, and that the alternate world might be a cesspool, they were shocked and began taking various actions.

The most stable approach is naturally screening and investigation.

Those conceptual and rule-based things are beyond the current capabilities of humanity, but humanity needs to ensure that the clues to those things are controlled as much as possible.

Information needs to be regulated, and concepts need to be known by a minority.

Even at critical moments, people like Di Taining were willing to make sacrifices to completely erase the pioneering teams' knowledge of that information!
As for the modern world, it's simply impossible.

The Warhammer IP has been around for over half a century. From borrowing and incorporating some worldviews to becoming its own system and selling pieces like crazy, it is now known to at least a billion people worldwide.

The Western world is particularly familiar with Warhammer.

Even at the University of Tokyo, the younger generation's understanding of Warhammer is gradually increasing.

For an IP address, this is naturally excellent.

But for pioneering teams, this is unacceptable.

They lacked reliable information control tools and were unable to completely block Warhammer, so they could only watch helplessly as it all unfolded.

At most, the focus would be on thoroughly controlling and correcting those who believe in the "Four Evil Gods" to minimize their threat, while ensuring that the followers of the Four Evil Gods do not excessively interfere with the modern world.

However, these kinds of things can only be controlled temporarily.

Judging from the state of the modern world today, there are definitely a lot of potential believers in the four evil gods.

After a short rest, Li Weiguo began to look through the questions about Lin Li, his silly animation, and his studio.

"Target Number One left his room at 10:39 AM today, took the subway to the animation studio, and purchased a deluxe version of a double-egg, double-sausage egg pancake. After arriving at the office, he reviewed reports and confirmed performance... After 11:00 AM, 'Delta Force' was opened..."

"Target No. 1 approves suggestions for silly animation: No requirements, just let your imagination and creativity win, logic is not a concern."

"A inquires with Target Number One whether it is possible to join the Great Immortal, the Dao Ancestor."

"Target Number One's original words: 'Are you stupid? A story needs to be logical. This is science fiction, at most a little soft science fiction. Adding too much personal stuff will completely collapse it; we could start a new world! At most, we can add the existence of a high-dimensional observer who has undergone dimensional reduction or cosmic adjustment!'"

Based on the above speculation...

Looking at the various prompts above, Li Weiguo stuffed fresh, sweet dates into his mouth while pondering.

"At first, they said that imagination and creativity were the keys to success, and logic didn't matter. But when asked about adding a setting of supreme immortals, it was immediately rejected. At most, they said they could add a higher-dimensional setting? Does that mean that many things in other worlds still adhere to science?"

Li Weiguo spat out the date pit: "That's not right, why is he so contradictory?"

Li Weiguo rubbed his temples, then continued reading the information.

"B used XX as a pretext to question the Space Marines and the Four Evil Gods."

"Target Number One's response: It feels really cool, a wildly imaginative concept. You can let your imagination run wild and write the script."

Seeing this, Li Weiguo glanced at the scene where B was questioning people, and noticed that the other party was focused on dealing with the game target.

"Was it an unconscious answer, or a pre-planned response? Was he suggesting we shouldn't worry too much about the five evil gods? Or does he have a way to deal with those guys?"

Thinking of this, Li Weiguo frowned, pondering various clues and trying to piece them together.

Then I realized I couldn't figure it out at all!
I can't tell the difference!
"What are we even doing, jumping from one thing to another? How many secrets does this other world hold for us to uncover?"

Li Weiguo had a terrible headache. Seeing that there were no other tasks for the time being, he simply adjusted his office chair and sat there idly for 15 minutes.

Just 12 minutes in, there was a knock on the office door.

Li Weiguo didn't even lift his eyelids, but he had already started counting down in his mind. Three minutes left, even if the Heavenly King himself came, he would have to wait outside!

Wang Kaixuan, the assistant outside the door, clearly knew his boss's temperament well. After knocking twice and receiving no response, he knew that his boss was charging his phone.

But the documents in his hand were so urgent that he had no choice but to grit his teeth and tap them gently a few more times.

"Come in!"

Li Weiguo's voice carried a hint of annoyance at being interrupted from his rest.

Wang Kaixuan pushed open the door with a touch of caution. He carried a thick stack of folders, walked quickly to his desk, and sorted the files into categories.

"Mr. Li, this is the acquisition plan I just compiled for GW Workshop, with three alternative options."

"In addition, this is a compilation of information about all Warhammer IPs, mainly focusing on content creators, novelists, game streamers, and various online chat groups who make a living from this."

Li Weiguo reluctantly sat up straight, the office chair groaning under the weight. He glanced at the mountain of documents, his temples throbbing.

"Is everything sorted out?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Li." Wang Kaixuan gave a wry smile. "The amount of information is just too terrifying. Organizing Warhammer fans is more difficult than finding a needle in a haystack. This is only the first batch of highly active and influential targets. Many more are lurking underwater and cannot be counted yet."

"First, we need to find those lunatics who are mentally unstable, who actually worship evil gods like their fathers, and who want to cause trouble in reality. Don't let any of them slip through!" Li Weiguo's eyes instantly turned cold, and his previous laziness vanished.

He reached out and picked up the project proposal for GW Workshop, quickly flipping through it.

"For the acquisition of GW, let's start with passion. If that doesn't work, then throw money at it until they agree! I want controlling stake, or at least a board seat with veto power. I'll make sure the story doesn't turn out too far-fetched."

Li Weiguo tapped his fingers on the table, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Also, the report says that their internal situation is now in chaos because of some so-called 'correctness,' and good soldiers are being turned gay and turned into LBGTs?"

He scoffed.

"Let the professionals try, find a way to move their entire studio here! Give them the best treatment, the best environment, and then find a group of knowledgeable experts to clean up all that mess!"

"Why bother with all this messy stuff and so many factions when it's supposed to be a history of the rise and fall of interstellar civilizations? Wouldn't it be better if humanity were simply invincible, with the monsters and demons farming and the four peddlers—no, the five evil gods—acting as our energy batteries?"

“Okay!” Wang Kaixuan nodded emphatically and quickly wrote down the instructions.

He then pushed another document in front of Li Weiguo: "Mr. Li, this is the list of clinical trials for new drugs and technologies. You previously instructed me to review it personally."

Upon seeing the document, Li Weiguo's initial anger instantly deflated. He glanced at it briefly, confirming that no ethical or morally questionable experiments had been conducted, before wearily waving his hand.

"You're in full charge of this."

He paused, then added, "New drugs and new technologies are matters of life and death; safety is the top priority. Everything else can come second. We must ensure the health and safety of all participants. If anything goes wrong, I'll hold you accountable!"

"Understood." After Wang Kaixuan quietly left with the documents, the office returned to silence.

Li Weiguo let out a long sigh of relief, and without hesitation adjusted his office chair to its maximum angle again, slumping back into his chair.

Work is never-ending.

The plot holes of the other world and the pitfalls of the modern world keep piling up, one after another, without end.

He closed his eyes, and the jumbled clues in his mind finally cleared up a bit for the time being.

Ten minutes, then another ten minutes of slacking off.

Ten minutes later, whether the world is destroyed or an evil god descends, you must face it with high spirits.

Wang Kaixuan left the office and immediately began making arrangements.

This matter will be handled directly by several professionals who are knowledgeable about Warhammer.

after a while.

An acquisition task was assigned to the overseas mergers and acquisitions department of the glove company.

The project director in charge of this matter is named Zhao Qian, a president who was conscripted into the project.

Because he just happens to be a Warhammer fan.

However, when he looked at the instructions issued directly from the president's office on the screen, he felt completely numb.

He rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

Acquisition target: Games Workshop.

"A. Attempt to acquire full control. B. Obtain a board seat with veto power. C. Poach its core story writers and IP licensing team."

"Are you crazy?"

Zhao Qian muttered to himself. He opened the London market and saw GW's real-time stock price. The number made his eyelids twitch.

"A market capitalization of nearly five billion pounds! We only have one hundred million in our accounts. How dare they try to swallow them whole?"

He took a deep breath and dialed his superior, General Manager Liu's, number.

"Mr. Liu, regarding the GW case, I think..."

"Zhao Qian, your task is to execute, not to 'think'." The voice on the other end of the phone was emotionless, like a block of ice. "What's the problem?"

“This is a huge problem!” Zhao Qian said with a bitter face, speaking rapidly. “GW is not an ordinary company; its market value is just a number. It has Wall Street giants like BlackRock and Vanguard as shareholders, and its shareholder structure is extremely complex.”

"By the way, most importantly, GW is a cultural symbol in the UK. If we forcibly acquire it, we will face huge resistance, which is never a problem that money can solve."

"First of all, you need to know one thing: BlackRock and Vanguard are only involved in holding shares and have only gained some say in the matter. They do not have complete control over GW."

"Also, if money can't solve the problem, then use more money." General Manager Liu's tone remained calm. "The higher-ups can block their domestic game distribution channels, cutting off their biggest growth point. The higher-ups should see initial results within a month."

“A month?!” Zhao Qian’s voice changed. “President Liu, that’s unrealistic! The overseas Hammers are very rich, and their fan base is incredibly powerful. If we do this, we’ll stir up a hornet’s nest.”

"We've stirred up a hornet's nest." Mr. Liu finally showed a hint of emotion. "They have fans, and we have fans too!"

"Uh, this? Could you tell me more about it?"

"We also have a lot of important fans who can no longer tolerate the mountain of shit stories in Warhammer."

Zhao Qian was stunned, his mind racing.

What kind of fan base could inspire such a massive reaction from CEO Li, even to the point of launching a transnational business war? Just how powerful must this fan group be?

"Um... Mr. Liu, could you tell us who it is? Perhaps we can find a breakthrough through this fan."

There was silence on the other end of the phone for a moment.

"GW's fans have a lot of influence; I can only tell you this much."

"A person who started out making antivirus software, then had too much money to spend, so he went into making mobile phones, and now he's making cars."

Zhao Qian's mouth slowly opened wide as an incredibly clear image appeared in his mind.

That man who wields immense influence on the Chinese internet, has mastered the fan economy, and constantly spouts phrases like "touching hearts, reasonable prices, and making friends."

After all that, it turns out they were allies!

No, they're super partners!
"He...he's also a fan of Warhammer?" Zhao Qian's voice had a touch of fantasy.

"What do you think?" Mr. Liu's voice carried a hint of urging. "Speed ​​up the process; the higher-ups want to see the story changes as soon as possible."

"Great!" Zhao Qian's mind immediately clicked. He lowered his voice, a hint of excitement in his voice, "President Liu, I have a preliminary idea! A brute force attack is not as effective as a strategic one. Perhaps we could ask this expert to come out of retirement and get him involved. This would be a game-changer for the negotiations... no, for the public opinion surrounding the entire acquisition!"

"tell me the story."

"Um, we can do it like this... like this... and then like this..."

……

A few hours later...

The top influencer in the mobile phone marketing circle, known as "Boss Lei," is looking at the cooperation proposal in front of him with a strange expression.

He originally thought that the other party had come to him to resolve the issue of superfood distribution for his company's employees, since this was the only thing he had asked the other party for help with recently.

As a result, the other party not only gave him more food portions, but also mysteriously handed him a proposal on "cooperating in the acquisition of GW".

"No, you guys..." Boss Lei scratched his head, laughing and crying at the same time, "I just wanted to let more people in the company eat some good food and see if I could get a discount for the cooperation, how did it turn into such a big fuss?"

The person who came to make the contact smiled slightly, his attitude respectful but not one to be refused.

"Mr. Lei, our boss said that we can send those nice things freely. But our boss just wants to ask you, as a loyal fan, to do him a favor."

"Or rather, to embark on an expedition for the right to define culture."

Lei frowned as he looked at the words "public opinion campaign," "uniting fans," and "declaring war on the corrupt old value world" on the plan.

He had seen plenty of business intrigue, but this was the first time he had ever seen a tactic where real money was poured in just to rewrite the course of a fictional story.

This is even more interesting than his old scarcity marketing tactics.

"Interesting, so interesting!"

"Mr. Lei?"

"Hey... I'll help! I, Lao Lei, am definitely going to help out at this place!"

He's smart. His superiors have already made things so clear. If he doesn't help, would he be a fool?

His third brother's side has been exploiting them to the bone all day long. If this place gets messed up too, his dreams will be completely shattered.

With the final step in the acquisition of GW finalized, a business transaction that baffled outsiders began...

……

At the same time, Deng Dakang received an email from Wang Kaixuan.

Because of the previous discovery of Warhammer and Space Marines, he and many other highly inspired individuals paused their return to the alternate world to undergo a rather tedious and detailed questionnaire.

Although some highly spiritual individuals have already obtained the necessary permits to return to the other world, they have begun to continue contributing to the pioneering team.

However, a small number of people, including Deng Dakang, received more vacation time.

Some of them were simply inspired, while others had their answers to questions that triggered sensitive topics.

Deng Dakang was a model of high inspiration without major mistakes, and because of this, he was quickly granted the right to move freely.

That day, he saw the document sent by Wang Kaixuan and a smile appeared on his face.

He took out the application form he had prepared beforehand and signed several names.

He then went to the communications department to fill out a call application form and dialed a phone number that he had been keeping in mind.

……

A small town in central Henan.

Behind them were plots of farmland, and along the roadside were rows of storefronts. Inside a standard two-story building in a suburban area, the atmosphere was somewhat somber.

The thin Zhou Yi lay on a specially made mobile chair, his face pale and his eyes vacant as he stared out the window.

The television was broadcasting the news, with the anchor clearly and articulately reporting on the excellent situation both domestically and internationally.

But none of this concerns him.

His world now consists only of this building, this bed, and the fields outside the window that he sees every day but has grown tired of.

Zhou Yi is 35 years old this year and was once the "other people's child" that everyone in the surrounding area envied.

His report cards from childhood to adulthood were a nightmare for all the children in the community to compare their grades with.

He was the top scorer in the college entrance examination, attended a prestigious university, and went directly into the military after graduation, becoming an outstanding military doctor.

His resume is so impressive it's like it's been gilded!

A few years ago, a sudden car accident dragged him from the heights of success to the depths of despair.

He is paralyzed from the waist down, and has completely lost sensation below the waist. His right hand, which was once capable of performing the most delicate surgeries, is now partially disabled, leaving only his left hand with limited mobility.

Taking care of oneself has become a luxury.

If it weren't for the work-related injury, I would have received a considerable disability allowance each month to support my two children.

If he hadn't witnessed the rapid advancements in medicine over the years and harbored a sliver of hope that a medical miracle might happen to him, he might have chosen the most decisive way to end his life long ago.

Years of paralysis have worn away the edges of this once-proud young man, leaving him only numbness and despair.

Every time I open my eyes, I am simply waiting for death.

These days are harder to endure than death.

"The news says there's been another breakthrough in brain-computer interface technology..."

Zhou Yi muttered to himself, then forced a smile that looked more like a grimace.

As a doctor, he knew better than anyone that there was an insurmountable gap between breakthroughs in the laboratory and their clinical application to patients like him with spinal nerve injuries.

Hope is truly the most torturous thing in the world.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from downstairs.

Zhou Yi was very familiar with the sounds of every item being moved in the shop downstairs, and even more familiar with the sounds of his wife stepping on the stairs.

However, the hurried footsteps were heavy, chaotic, and carried a sense of panic, completely unlike the light and agile rhythm his wife usually used when going upstairs.

"Old Zhou!"

The door was suddenly pushed open, and his wife, Qianqian, rushed in, clutching a cell phone tightly in her hand. Her face was covered in tears and sweat, and her lips were trembling.

Zhou Yi's first reaction was that something had happened at home.

The child got into a fight at school.

Or is the convenience store downstairs in trouble?

"Who's in trouble?" His voice was a little hoarse from not speaking for a long time.

"No! It's not bad news!" Qianqian gasped for breath, holding her phone up to him as if it were a precious treasure. "It was Professor Deng who called you! He told me he has some incredibly good news!"

Professor Deng?
A stone seemed to have been thrown into Zhou Yi's lifeless eyes.

This name, like a memory from a past life, pulled him sharply out of the quagmire of numbness.

That was his teacher, the guide who led him into the halls of medicine.

"Give me the phone!"

Qianqian then realized what was happening and quickly put the phone to his ear and turned on speakerphone.

“Teacher Deng!” Zhou Yi’s voice trembled slightly as he spoke.

A steady, familiar voice came from the other end of the phone, tinged with amusement: "Zhou Yi, I've been so busy lately that I haven't had a chance to contact you. How have you been lately?"

"Okay, I'm fine! Qianqian is taking good care of me, and the two children are well-behaved." Zhou Yi almost instinctively reported good news and kept the bad news to himself.

He has said these words countless times. When his relatives come, he says that he has long since put on a mask.

In reality, men who are paralyzed from the waist down have no life.

My wife has reached the age where she's most sexually frustrated...

Hey!
"Haha, that's good."

After Deng Dakang smiled, he changed the subject and got straight to the point of the call.

"Zhou Yi, I have good news for you. The research institute has developed a new medical technology for spinal nerve injuries, which may... cure your high-level paralysis."

boom!
Zhou Yi's mind went completely blank for a moment.

Can paralysis be cured?
He was a doctor, and he knew better than anyone how absurd those words together were.

In recent years, he has reviewed the world's most cutting-edge medical papers, and no technology dares to claim that it can cure his condition.

This is a medical death sentence with a two-year reprieve.

But Deng Dakang is different!

Although he mainly works in the field of viruses and microorganisms, everyone knows that Deng Dakang is an all-rounder in the medical field.

His throat felt like it was blocked with sand, dry and painful. After several seconds, he managed to squeeze out a few words: "Teacher... is... is this real?"

"Haha, I knew you wouldn't believe me!" Deng Dakang laughed heartily on the other end of the phone. "Why would I lie to you? Why would I want your few pounds of rice? I've already arranged for someone to send you a confidentiality agreement by express mail. You just need to put your fingerprint on it, and soon a special medical team will come to pick you up for treatment."

Deng Dakang paused for a moment, then added, "I'm busy here, I'll send you the details via WeChat."

"By the way, there's been a surge in telecom fraud lately! Don't be silly, kid. Don't trust internet calls or get the wrong people."

"They will come directly to you, remember, directly to your door!"

Zhou Yi wanted to ask about his teacher's recent situation and what kind of technology it was, but the other end had already hurriedly said "That's all for now, I'm busy" and hung up the phone.

The call ended with a notification sound, and the room fell into a deathly silence.

"Old Zhou?" Qianqian looked at her husband nervously. She had just been next to Zhou Yi and was afraid that everything she had just heard was just an illusion.

Zhou Yi did not answer immediately.

He closed his eyes, feeling his heart, which had been numb for years, beating again and again in his chest.

He gradually felt his heart pounding louder and louder, like a drumbeat.

hope.

This thing that he had long abandoned, even despised, was now turning into a torrent of molten lava, washing over his frozen limbs and bones.

He opened his eyes, and two flames ignited in those empty pupils.

“Qianqian,” his voice was no longer dejected, but filled with a long-lost, undeniable fervor, “go pack your things, get both of us cleaned. Professor Deng said my injury can be healed! The hard times are about to end!”

"Good! Good! Good!"

Qianqian's tears instantly burst forth, but this time, they were tears of joy. She wiped her face haphazardly and was about to run to her room, but after taking only two steps, she suddenly stopped, turned back to look at Zhou Yi, and her face showed a hint of difficulty and worry.

"Old Zhou... how much money will that cost? We don't have much money left in our account. If it's really not enough, I... I'll go back to my parents' house and borrow some more from my younger brother."

Zhou Yi, whose eyes had been shining, paused for a moment, then his face gradually turned serious.

"Call the teacher first."

Qianqian nodded, then called back.

A few dozen seconds later, she hung up the phone: "I can't get through."

How much savings do we have left?

“My mother-in-law is in poor health and we can’t touch our savings. We’ve spent a lot on the child’s tutoring recently… We still have 22 yuan in savings.”

“I’m going to borrow some money from my younger brother. He’s saved up a lot of money recently and wants to buy a car, so I’ll postpone it for two years.”

(End of this chapter)