Chapter 338: The One Person I Truly Want to Protect
“Where is he? Is he at the treatment center? Dr. Zhong will arrive shortly.”
Cen Tianjiao tried to stay calm, but his words were complete nonsense:
“Boss Su, our leader is currently under special care. Until he recovers, no visits are allowed. I was only notified today. If you don’t believe me, you can ask the old commander.”
Su Tao looked at him suspiciously. “Didn’t you say he was fine? Why can’t I visit him? Has his condition worsened? If so, I must bring Dr. Zhong over.”
Cen Tianjiao half-truthfully explained:
“It’s not about his injuries. We’ve received intelligence that someone plans to take advantage of his condition to eliminate him and weaken the Dongyang Pioneer Army. You know how important Commander Shi is to us. To eliminate any potential risks, no one is allowed to visit him except the old commander and medical staff.”
This explanation convinced Su Tao about eighty percent.
She couldn’t barge in out of personal desire, so she nodded reluctantly and asked, “If I can’t go in, can you at least send me a video or a photo of him?”
Cen Tianjiao felt a chill down his spine but quickly came up with a solution:
“Of course, I’ll speak to the medical staff about it.”
When the time comes, he’ll only film the good side of Shi Zijin’s body!
“By the way, how long will this lockdown last?”
Cen Tianjiao had no idea when their leader’s body would fully heal, so he passed the buck:
“That depends on the old commander. We don’t have the authority to decide.”
Su Tao nodded but still felt something was off. She immediately went to find Pei Dong.
For nearly a month, the zombies seemed to realize that Dongyang had become too tough a bone to chew. It had been almost a month since their last attack.
As a result, the city-wide lockdown eased slightly, and the city defense army had less work to do. With adequate rest, Pei Dong looked noticeably more refreshed.
Two days ago, Cen Tianjiao had already approached Pei Dong, asking her to conceal the truth about Shi Zijin’s death.
Pei Dong, known for her integrity, remained silent for a long time when she saw the trust in Su Tao’s eyes. Finally, she said:
“He will be fine. I promise you. You might not trust Cen Tianjiao, but you can trust me. However, the Major General needs time.”
Su Tao couldn’t understand. “If he’s fine, why won’t you let me see him? Cen Tianjiao’s explanation seemed flawless, but my gut tells me something is wrong. I don’t like being kept in the dark under the pretense of ‘not wanting me to worry.’”
She grabbed Pei Dong’s hand. “Sister Pei, there’s nothing I can’t handle. It’s the uncertainty that makes me the most anxious.”
Pei Dong rubbed her forehead. “You’re too sharp.”
She had already told Cen Tianjiao that they couldn’t hide the truth for long, but he didn’t believe her. They had underestimated Su Tao’s “intuition.” Her mental abilities gave her an acute sense of abnormal situations.
“Tao, he’s really fine. It’s just that he… died—”
Before she could finish, Su Tao’s face turned deathly pale in an instant, terrifying Pei Dong.
“Tao! Let me finish!”
“Go on…”
“During a mission to capture a crawler, he inherited a special ability called ‘Immortal Body.’ As the name suggests, no matter how severe or irreversible his injuries, he cannot truly die.”
“Right now, his body is in a repair phase. Once he crosses this stage, he will definitely wake up.”
Su Tao finally caught her breath. “…Really?”
Pei Dong nodded firmly. “Trust me.”
Under Pei Dong’s unwavering gaze, Su Tao gradually calmed down. “So, the reason I can’t see him is that he doesn’t want me to see how bad he looks?”
Pei Dong nodded. “That’s what Major General Shi instructed. He thinks he looks too awful right now. He wants you to remember him as strong and full of life—not broken and fragile.”
It was only through this experience that Pei Dong realized—loving someone deeply means being fundamentally humble. No matter how powerful and resolute a person appears on the outside, love makes them want to show only their best side.
He wanted Su Tao to see him in his prime, fearing that even the slightest flaw might stain her image of him.
A warmth surged to Su Tao’s eyes. After a long pause, she said softly, “I understand. I won’t visit him for now.”
Pei Dong pulled her into a comforting hug and patted her gently. “He’ll be fine. But you should prepare yourself—he might remain asleep for a long time. At least a year.”
Su Tao froze. “A year?”
“Yes. And to be honest, his brain suffered severe damage. We can’t be sure if he’ll recognize people or if he’ll have cognitive impairments when he wakes up.”
Would he lose his memory—or even lose his mind?
Su Tao stood there, stunned.
“Tao, try to stay positive. At least he’s still alive, right? Coming back from the dead always comes at a cost.”
Overwhelmed, Su Tao struggled to process everything. When the old commander summoned her, she even walked to the wrong office. It wasn’t until her assistant reminded her that she finally corrected herself.
The old commander looked exhausted as well.
When he saw Su Tao’s pale, lost expression, he knew she had learned the truth about Shi Zijin.
He sighed and gestured for her to sit. “Sit down, child.”
Su Tao rubbed her face and tried to clear her mind.
Sister Pei had said there was only a possibility of lasting damage—not a certainty.
She hadn’t seen any “foreseen” disasters, so nothing bad would happen.
The old commander pulled a file from the bookshelf behind him and handed it to Su Tao.
“Child, I know this is a lot to ask, but I hope you can wait for Zijin. No matter what happens when he wakes up, please be patient with him.”
“This is the transfer request he submitted recently. He wanted to step down from the front lines. The decision must have been agonizing for him—he signed it four months ago but only gave it to me a week ago. He couldn’t let go of his responsibilities, or of you. But in the end, he chose to move toward you.”
With stiff fingers, Su Tao took the letter. Each word was filled with remorse toward Dongyang, his father, and the people who depended on him. The pressure was so intense that the paper bore deep marks where his pen had pressed down.
The final line read: “There are so many people I want to protect. After thirty years of blood and tears, I finally realize—the one person I truly want to protect is just her.”
Su Tao flipped the letter face down on the desk, covering it with her hand. Tears seeped through her fingers.
The battle with Bone Wing was his final gift to Dongyang.
He had done everything to honor his duty—to Dongyang’s training, his father’s trust, and the people’s expectations.
The old commander waited until she regained her composure before speaking again.
“Child, Zijin needs you. And Dongyang needs you too.”
Trembling, Su Tao took a deep breath and spoke resolutely.
“Tomorrow morning, Taoyang will arrange for Bone Wing’s detainment. You can count on me.”
For Shi Zijin, she would never let Bone Wing escape.
She would ensure it rotted in a dark laboratory—never to be free again.
