Counterfeit Hero

Chapter 1611: Chapter 67: Collaboration

In the silent hospital corridor, the cries of anguish, like those of a wounded beast, echoed continuously.

They struck people’s hearts, blow after blow.

Standing nearby, Ann Lei had long since become a weeping figure, and even the accompanying officer and bandit soldiers clenched their teeth, their eyes red and brimming with tears. Even the doctors and nurses, who were accustomed to life and death, wiped away the tears that streamed from their eyes.

In the eyes of all women, men are naturally like mountains.

They are substantial, strong, tolerant, possess supreme willpower, and are accustomed to burying all pain in their hearts, used to getting back up silently from where they fell, continuing forward.

Those who endlessly complain over minor setbacks, and sit down despondent over trivial matters, can only be called boys. Only when they learn to grit their teeth, hold their heads high, shoulder responsibility, and remain silent in their suffering, do they become truly grown men.

Men, do not cry!

Yet at this moment, the surrounding crowd quietly watched a fat man sobbing, and not a single person found it laughable.

They wished to go up and offer comfort. Yet, how could they bear to break the gaze between the patient inside and the fat man? How could they bear to end the tears and smiles of two father-like men?

That smile is the most precious emotion of humankind. Those tears are the entirety of the suffering endured by the nation of the Leray Federation—they are anger, they are sorrow, they are heartbreak. They are also resilience, determination, and perseverance.

While crying, the fat man smiled at Bernadotte.

His smile was ugly, unbearably so. Yet, until Bernadotte fell into a deep sleep, he maintained his smile.

He needed this smile to make the person inside feel comfort and joy.

Dusk soon fell. The fat man stood silently at the window of the ward, gazing at the sleeping Bernadotte.

For four whole hours, he didn’t move at all.

At the other end of the corridor, Ann Lei nodded in thanks to several doctors, then walked to the fat man’s side and softly said: ”The doctors say that if the Admiral makes it through tonight, he’ll be out of danger. Barring any unforeseen events, he can be moved to a tissue regeneration chamber in a month.”

”He’s in a lot of pain,” the fat man said gently.

Ann Lei felt a piercing pain in her heart, and her eyes instantly reddened as she choked out, ”Yes, they say that with injuries like these, it’s a miracle he’s alive. Right now, they don’t dare to use painkillers. He has to rely on himself.”

”I can’t take his place,” the fat man’s lips trembled. ”I can only stand here and watch.”

”Little Jian...” Ann Lei said, gripping the fat man’s hand in pain.

”Stay with me until morning,” the fat man gritted his teeth and slowly said, ”Let’s leave when he’s okay.”

Time passed by, minute by minute.

The night, cool as water, gradually enveloped everything. In the silent corridors of the hospital, only twenty bandit army mecha soldiers with expressions as stern as iron and two figures standing by the hospital bed could be seen.

In this small building, specially prepared for senior officials, there were very few patients. The entire building was secluded in the backyard of the hospital, with a sentinel company responsible for its defense.

Yet on this night, with one call from Margaret, an entire battalion of Double-headed Eagle Armored Forces stormed into the hospital, taking over all the security duties.

Within just two hours, a perimeter of hundreds of meters around the small building was heavily fortified.

Deployed heavy mechas stood like fortresses of firepower. Energy shields on bases installed along the hospital walls enveloped the entire hospital.

Outside the main gate, a combination of bulletproof walls formed a barrier, mounting machine guns. Thousands of Eleventh Generation Long Blade Mechas, a sight rare even for military personnel, sealed off the entire hospital.

When daylight broke, the fat man who learned Bernadotte had successfully passed the critical phase walked out of the small building.

He quietly stood at the doorstep, finished a cigarette, stared into the distance for a moment, then briskly stepped onto a mecha, leading twenty Rampages away.

The doctors and nurses looked at each other as they watched the bandit army mecha whisk out of the hospital gate like the wind and the Double-headed Eagle Armored Group occupying the hospital overnight.

At the Army First Hospital, many dignitaries were treated daily. Even the President had a dedicated ward in this hospital.

Yet never had anyone seen such a large-scale security measure.

Having an entire Double-headed Eagle Armored Group responsible for security was simply astounding. Even if an armored division were to attack, it might not even see the hospital before being blasted to bits!

”Wow!” Some young, na?ve female doctors and nurses exclaimed in amazement, exceedingly excited.

Those stern-faced Double-headed Eagle Knights, meticulously chosen from the millions of Feiyang soldiers, were idols in the hearts of these young people. Usually, these elites had no intersection with their lives, but now, being so close was like a dream come true.

If one of them could be charmed into a relationship, it would make even the most die-hard friends enviously jealous to the extent of wishing to kill themselves.

In stark contrast to the youths’ excitement was the concern of the hospital director, department heads, and several mature and prudent medical professors. They expressed undisguised worry over the deployment of the Double-headed Eagle Unit into the hospital.

The security at the First Hospital was already very tight, with many troops stationed around it.

If anything were to happen to the hospital, National Security Forces, the local garrison, and special police units would arrive in ten minutes.

Yet, under these circumstances, the decision to mobilize an entire Double-headed Eagle Armored Group to protect the Leray Admiral’s security undoubtedly signaled that Feiyang was about to enter a period of turmoil!

This question already had an answer.

Anyone who saw the fat man last night probably wouldn’t doubt this.

Standing in front of the hospital window was not a pale and noisy Fatty shedding tears in weakness due to his family’s suffering. It was a beast roaring in pain and anger. From his voice, from the way he stood motionless by the window all night, you could clearly feel a chill to the bone.

This was a reckless killing intent brought down from the battlefield! Fierce and oppressive!

The doctors could fully imagine the pain worse than death that the mastermind behind the 52 District incident would suffer once caught by him.

Hastings returned, the Fatty came, and the sky over Feiyang was already covered with dark clouds.

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”A whole Double-headed Eagle Armored Group?” Barbara exclaimed, putting down her teacup and turning to look at Hecker who had walked up to her with Friedrich.

The morning sunlight softly spread over the lawn of Beverly Castle’s backyard. Dozens of automatic sprinkler heads rapidly spun, spraying spiral water curtains. Down the slope, dense primordial woods looked still and hazy in the lingering morning mist.

The white castle stood tall on the mountain peak like a giant.

This castle, built on Beverly Mountain in southeast Feiyang, was Barbara’s property. She acquired it eight years ago and further refurbished it to become an important stronghold. Compared to her other residences, this place was safer, with more hidden secrets.

Two white sparrows chirped noisily, flying past the edge of the terrace. A gust of wind stirred the hem of Barbara’s light sleep gown, revealing her long, smooth legs and perfect jade feet. The aroma of red tea spread in the morning breeze, yet Barbara felt no comfort.

Besides Hecker, Lang Luo, Suozzi, Pires, and Jensen were also present before her. These military figures from the Leefer Group came together early in the morning, likely aware of the implications and vigilant about Margaret’s order to deploy a Double-headed Eagle Armored Group to guard Leray Admiral Bernadotte.

”Do they really think we’re interested in targeting a trivial Leray Admiral?”

The speaker was the gloomy brown-haired young man who executed Hute. He leaned against the railing, playing with a shiny little knife in his hands. The knife whirled quickly between his fingers like magic.

”Flaischer,” Friedrich said calmly, ”shut up.”

The brown-haired youth Flaischer closed his mouth, sneered, and turned through the terrace corridor, entering the room.

”He’s just a child,” Barbara stood up, apologetically smiling at the generals, ”It’s a bit cold outside, I need to change clothes. I suppose the generals would enjoy a cup of tea together?”

”As you command.” Suozzi, the highest-ranking, slightly bowed.

Barbara nodded in greeting and gracefully walked towards the living room on the terrace side. As she turned her face, her expression changed several times.

Although she had only briefly clashed with him in Hanjing, Barbara understood the Fatty’s destructive power better than anyone.

She didn’t care about Margaret and had limited fear of Hastings.

In her view, Margaret was at most a little girl raised in a greenhouse. Though she had a smart mind after twenty years of Hastings’ training, she was still too immature in some aspects.

In political life-or-death struggles, mere intelligence is not enough for victory. It requires scheming, experience, and at times learning to compromise or decisively kill!

Until she gained enough tempering, Margaret posed no threat.

Internally, she wasn’t her match, externally she didn’t have the prestige of Leefer. Even if Hastings forcefully pushed her into position, she was just a pitiful puppet.

And Hastings... Barbara directly walked through the hall, heading upstairs. She admitted that if this elder, whose picture Leefer hung on the wall and who frequently pondered his thoughts, were ten years younger, she might not stand a chance.

But now, he was a dying candle in the wind. The natural process of survival of the fittest had determined he would be replaced.

He was no longer the mighty lion that made the whole world tremble; a new lion had gradually grown, now capable of challenging him. Facing this weary lion, she hardly needed to do anything, as long as she avoided his grasp, simply time would defeat him.

But everything changed because of the Fatty’s existence.

He and his bandit army were like a seed rooted in Hastings’ soil, growing wildly with Margaret’s help.

If not strangled early, he might become an even more terrifying enemy than Bisobor in the future!

”Sir.” Barbara suddenly paused on the stairs, calling out thoughtfully.

Friedrich calmly approached the foot of the stairs, slightly bowing, waiting for her command.

”Go meet with Admiral Tian Xingjian.” Barbara inhaled deeply, spoke clearly and slowly, ”If he’s willing to cooperate, whatever he wants, I’ll give it to him!”

Under Suozzi and Pires’s surprised eyes, Friedrich said flatly, ”His appetite will be very large.”

Barbara raised her chin and walked upstairs.

”I’m just afraid his appetite is too small!”

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