Chapter 87: She Went to Soaring Star
The door to the operating room opened, and two doctors walked out.
Li Yuan immediately looked up, his eyes filled with anticipation.
The distant crowd, either awake or half-awake, instantly became alert, swarming around the doctors.
"Who's in charge here?" The attending physician scanned the crowd, not spotting Wan Qinghe.
Instantly, everyone turned to Li Yuan and Chen Hui. Over the long hours, Li Changzhou's friends had come to understand the whole story and knew that Li Yuan had now become an influential figure.
"Doctor, how is my uncle?" Li Yuan's voice was low.
"You must be Mr. Li Yuan." The doctor sighed lightly. "This toxin isn't a common one found on Blue Star; it's a source force toxin. Your uncle was brought in too late, and the poison has spread throughout his body. I'm sorry, we did our best."
Boom!
These words hit Li Yuan like a bolt of lightning, making his heart turn ice-cold.
Aunt Chen Hui was already sobbing uncontrollably.
Li Qianqian and Li Muhua also turned pale; they understood the situation.
"Mr. Li Yuan, we can use special medication to stabilize your uncle's condition and briefly wake him up. But it will only last for about half an hour," another doctor quickly added. "This may be the last time he regains consciousness."
"Make the most of it if there are things you need to say."
...
The next afternoon, around three o'clock.
In the advanced ward, Li Changzhou, who had undergone surgery, was slightly cleaned up, covered with a blanket, and surrounded by tubes. His face was gaunt and pale, but he was awake.
Li Yuan, Chen Hui, Li Muhua, and Li Qianqian stood around the bed in sterile gowns, holding back their tears.
"Little Hui, I'm sorry," Li Changzhou's voice was very weak. He turned his head slightly, trying hard to raise his hand to touch Chen Hui's face. "I've let you down the most in this life."
"Changzhou, don't say that." Chen Hui's eyes were red, her lips tightly pressed together to stop herself from crying. Seeing the man she loved her whole life in such a frail state was heart-wrenching.
"The money left in my account, remember to withdraw it. You know the password. After I'm gone, contact Old Wang to handle the compensation from the company..." Li Changzhou kept giving instructions.
Li Yuan stood by, turning his head to the side, unable to hold back his tears.
Li Qianqian and Li Muhua were already in tears.
"Okay, okay, I know. I will take good care of the kids," Chen Hui kept responding, holding Li Yuan's hand. "Li Yuan! Come here!!"
"Changzhou, do you know? Li Yuan has signed with Kunlun Martial Arts University. He will definitely get into Kunlun Martial Arts University."
"He also signed an A-level contract with the Starlight Martial Hall," Chen Hui held Li Changzhou's hand, constantly talking to him to reassure him.
"Really? That's great! That's great!" Li Changzhou tried to lift his head a little, looking at Li Yuan, forcing a smile. "Little Yuan, you seem to have grown taller."
"Uncle," Li Yuan's voice trembled as he squatted down, getting closer to his uncle, allowing him to touch his head.
"You've grown up, and your martial arts have succeeded. I can rest assured." Li Changzhou's voice was weak. "Your parents were much older than me. They had you late."
"Over the years, I often thought of them."
"I always remember your parents' last words to me, 'Run! Keep running! Run fast!'" Li Changzhou muttered. "It's been almost fifteen years. I've been running, always running. Sometimes I'm so tired and want to stop, to see you and your siblings, but I couldn't stop... When I see big brother and sister-in-law, I hope they won't blame me. I really tried my best."
"Uncle!!" Li Yuan couldn't hold back any longer. He wanted to stay calm, but the tears kept flowing.
He could feel his uncle's life force rapidly diminishing.
"Muhua, Qianqian." Li Changzhou's hand trembled as he raised it.
"Muhua, Qianqian, come closer," Chen Hui pulled Li Muhua to the front, letting them be closer to their father.
"You two, listen to your mother from now on," Li Changzhou struggled to lift his hand, gently touching Li Qianqian's hair. "I didn't accomplish anything big in my life, and I don't have much to leave you. After I'm gone, listen to your big brother. He will tell you what to do. Understand?"
"Got it, Dad."
"Dad," the siblings cried.
Although their age and experience made them less aware of life and death, they knew their beloved father was about to leave them.
"Uncle, I will take good care of Qianqian and Muhua." Li Yuan fought back his tears. "You can rest assured."
Time passed.
Li Changzhou began to cough, his frail body trembling.
But he still tried hard to speak to Li Yuan and Chen Hui.
His eyes were filled with deep attachment and reluctance to leave this world.
"Little Yuan."
Li Changzhou's voice grew weaker. "Remember, don't blame anyone for what happened to me."
"I can't bear to leave you."
"But I don't regret it. If given another chance, I would still charge... cough, cough!" Li Changzhou's consciousness began to blur.
Lying on the hospital bed, Li Changzhou looked at the ceiling, gradually losing the ability to hear Li Yuan and Chen Hui's calls.
In a daze, he felt like he was back in his youth, returning to a sunny afternoon.
Springtime, with a gentle breeze blowing into the room, the fan humming softly.
Outside the room, he could hear his parents cooking.
Inside the room, he lay lazily on the bed, half-awake.
His older brother, who was in middle school, sat nearby, diligently doing homework, occasionally stopping to tease him.
For decades, Li Changzhou had been running tirelessly, never able to revisit that afternoon.
...
At five o'clock in the afternoon, Li Changzhou fell into a coma again.
Two doctors came in to check on him, shook their heads, and left.
Chen Hui held onto Li Changzhou's hand, wanting to speak but unable to, her tears just kept flowing.
Li Yuan stood silently by his aunt's side.
They knew that Li Changzhou's life was now in its final countdown.
Hours, maybe half a day, and the flame of life would be extinguished.
Ten minutes later.
Suddenly.
Bang! The door to the room burst open, and a doctor rushed in urgently, saying, "Mr. Li Yuan, someone is here to see you. They say they have a way to save your uncle."
Whoosh!
Li Yuan immediately stood up, a glimmer of hope igniting in his heart. "Who is it?"
"What?" Chen Hui heard this too and quickly got up to look at the doctor.
"The person said they're a friend of Miss Lin," the doctor replied. "They didn't specify who, but one of them claimed to be Lu Huai, saying you know him."
Those words flashed like lightning through Li Yuan's mind.
Miss Lin? Lu Huai?
"Take me there immediately." Li Yuan suppressed his excitement. "Aunt, come with me."
"Okay." Chen Hui quickly wiped her tears.
From Li Yuan's demeanor, she sensed that there might be hope for saving her husband.
Li Yuan and his aunt hurried to a small conference room in the hallway, already crowded with over ten people.
Not only were the doctors there, but Xu Bo was also present.
But most notably, standing in the center was a man in a black robe, tall and about thirty years old, with piercing eyes.
His face felt familiar to Li Yuan.
Most importantly, Starlight Martial Hall's Guanshan Branch Master Lu Huai, usually imposing, stood like a subordinate beside the black-robed man.
Everyone turned to Li Yuan.
"Branch Master Lu, teacher," Li Yuan greeted them respectfully and focused on the black-robed man. "May I ask who you are, sir?"
Lu Huai was about to introduce him.
The black-robed man raised his hand to stop him, smiling slightly. "No need to call me sir, I'm not much older than you. Just call me Brother Lin."
"Brother Lin?" Li Yuan was surprised, already guessing, and respectfully said, "Brother Lin, do you have a way to save my uncle?"
Li Yuan didn't ask why; that wasn't important right now.
"Yes!"
The black-robed man nodded. "I brought a special treasure called 'Flame Tulip Nectar,' which has an eighty percent chance of saving your uncle and stopping the poison from acting up."
"But I heard from the doctors that the Flame Corrosion Bone poison has spread throughout your uncle's body, even affecting his nerves. Even if he survives, he may not wake up." The black-robed man said, "You must be prepared."
"Also."
"There's a twenty percent chance the Flame Tulip Nectar won't work, as the poison has been in his body for too long. There's no absolute guarantee."
"Do you want to proceed? The decision is yours." The black-robed man looked at Li Yuan.
"Yes." Li Yuan said firmly.
"Yes," Chen Hui echoed. It was better to try than to do nothing and face certain death.
"Alright."
"Sign the papers, and my team will start the detoxification surgery." The black-robed man nodded.
Someone immediately handed over a contract.
Li Yuan glanced at it—just a liability waiver—signed without hesitation. Chen Hui followed suit.
"Let's begin."
The black-robed man waved his hand, and seven or eight people carrying cases rushed into the room.
...
Four hours later, outside the ICU.
Li Yuan, Aunt Chen Hui, Li Qianqian, and Li Muhua stood by the window.
Looking at Li Changzhou, whose life signs were stabilizing, they felt a surge of joy and relief.
"Thank you, Brother Lin!" Li Yuan sincerely thanked the black-robed man.
"No need to thank me."
"I'm just fulfilling a request." The black-robed man smiled. "The detoxification was successful, but whether your uncle will wake up... that I can't guarantee."
"The rest is up to you."
"I'm leaving now." The black-robed man smiled and left quickly with his team of more than ten people.
Leaving behind Li Yuan and his family.
"Little Yuan, who is this Brother Lin?" Chen Hui couldn't help but ask.
"Who is he?" Li Yuan already had an answer in his heart and smiled. "He's the one who saved Uncle."
...
A day, two days.
Li Changzhou remained unconscious, but his life signs were steadily improving, gradually recovering.
Chen Hui temporarily took leave from work.
She also urged Li Yuan to return to school. "If your uncle doesn't wake up, will you just stay here forever? I'll be here, and you need to prepare for the college entrance exams seriously."
"When your uncle wakes up and sees you getting into Kunlun Martial Arts University, he'll be very happy."
"Okay, Aunt! I will definitely get into Kunlun Martial Arts University." Li Yuan promised.
...
Four days later.
Back at school, the first thing Li Yuan did was find Gu Qianghan.
"You're looking for my sister?"
"The day before yesterday, she left with her brother." Gu Qianghan looked at Li Yuan, puzzled. "You didn't know? She didn't tell you?"
Gu Qianghan apparently didn't know what had happened to Li Yuan's family.
"She left with her brother?" Li Yuan was momentarily stunned.
"Where did she go? When will she be back?" Li Yuan asked.
"She went to Soaring Star. According to her, it was for some special training." Gu Qianghan said. "She'll probably be back before the college entrance exams."
"Soaring Star?" Li Yuan's pupils shrank.
Among the Seven Star Alliance's planets, Soaring Star was the most powerful.
The headquarters of the three major martial halls were on Soaring Star.
The Seven Star Alliance headquarters was on Soaring Star.
Humanity's strongest fighters, Dongfang Ji and Lante, were both on Soaring Star.
Soaring Star had no nations, completely governed by the three major martial halls.
"Back before the college entrance exams?" Li Yuan muttered to himself.