Blazing Armor

When Ren Yi woke up again, he was already in the hospital.jyQQljnilKDITVvMoSdLrnoBoUUgRO

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Because his intracranial pressure hadn’t yet decreased, he felt groggy all over, his temples throbbed, and his head ached terribly. It took him several minutes to fully regain his senses.rZaomMysMnXRhtqJReTQyGBXIZwnLv

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He reached out to touch his neck—his skin was intact. People rescued from fires often suffer carbon monoxide poisoning. He had saved enough to know that if the symptoms were severe, the first responders might have to perform a tracheotomy on the spot. It seemed like his condition wasn’t too bad after all.PtxbRyhKhLWyHwqpxIVQgyFfyXAtnp

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But what about Gong Yingxian? How was Gong Yingxian?!WvsHiBaDyFTHEgNCuNFWSdXRnNwcmM

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He pressed the call button, and soon a nurse came in. “Captain Ren, you’re awake.”dRbtXXLnDlHXbbSvpTCgyfktRXOlOM

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“The person brought in with me, how is he?” Ren Yi asked nervously. “Is he alright?”CAAAFyjIQSUQDUWhQkoEBadWvxeOxX

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“Officer Gong? He’s not in a serious condition. He’s currently undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy. It’ll be over in a little while.”YGwuPayJisesSmrGzOlqmUJkFzaXSK

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Ren Yi breathed a sigh of relief. “How long was I out?”lNHlaDaLdnlWMBbJvOuMGlKTaBnOqV

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“About ten hours. You just got back from the hyperbaric chamber yourself,” the nurse explained. “It seems the person staying by your side just stepped out. Do you want me to call them for you?”qCkGvSpQYXvwAlioWlJQpgkbgGLErw

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“No, thank you.”CbPdhwvxZeePJlVchnLwUaQnpCuUsU

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“It should be us saying ‘thank you,'” the nurse said.tCJwlFxoxYjAzXRrpSEvyVDrjcpeIL

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Ren Yi was puzzled. “Why?”zJPCRSKagCHxvQVoIZTHFGECARRNgy

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“Whenever there’s danger, you’re always the first to rush in. So many people owe their lives to your courage,” the nurse said somewhat shyly. “You all have it really tough.”xxCSJmZSPhtqSnqmUNBUgpvhhYqcex

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Ren Yi smiled. “It’s our duty to serve the people.”vrIUFxRwQtCMhYfcMsaNKkqPUrdIDN

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“You remind me of my son,” the nurse sighed. “If my son had a job as dangerous as yours, I’d be worried sick every day. Are your parents very concerned about you?”mJxtHkmEQRnolMZOFfGGeGCHPuztEu

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“Haha, they’re okay. My dad’s a firefighter too.”tnUKKCIxeSLZaXJjAXyNzdprrKgWEw

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The nurse looked at Ren Yi with admiration. “You all work so hard.”zLJOXrrRswdFEMkXOYfREwMFgZWNwb

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Ren Yi grinned widely.UOqvPpFBVhqGPvmakFpCkoWJZBLWwE

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After the nurse left, Ren Yi’s thoughts and memories slowly came back to him. He began recalling everything that happened before he lost consciousness. The more he thought about it, the more his heart raced, his mind spun—and he even felt a bit elated.ifninjsHELxkZMduXxYddbZotTPjAy

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Had he really been so close to Gong Yingxian for so long? And they had both… gotten hard?BFYnlcCvwmdPlDUYnTFefwZBHDCJdt

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Gong Yingxian had even given him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation… had they kissed?LwBDFEeaPTJdwBkKysAVlHkIOCcbGb

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And it all started because Gong Yingxian got hurt saving him!ktcgnlQMgJvLPYjFyqVkkJlcpUePMJ

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Maybe, just maybe, he really was special to Gong Yingxian—more special than he ever imagined. Maybe Gong Yingxian had feelings for him that went beyond friendship, and neither of them had realized it.AJhcZHaIFxdLFqiHpDywhtwdcGXZhe

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No, no, this wasn’t the time to get carried away. After all, his brain still felt like mush. He was just glad he hadn’t done anything irreparable in that moment. Otherwise, how awkward would it be to survive, only to face that embarrassment?DVHKfUzJZCxbonwyALiDeBTvycJBsY

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But was it really just wishful thinking on his part? What if…ShDzJHUiCCmtVtYPTPbRuTwlSMvHmx

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Just as he was caught in his thoughts, the door to the hospital room opened, and Qu Yangbo came in carrying a thermos.dYjMilzBTwiKsglrEjwtJbLaFSmGQW

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“Oh, you’re awake.” Qu Yangbo walked over. “How are you feeling?”ZtfQZnCLDDnzqZXEfAgmcIwxUuEUct

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“My head hurts, but everything else is alright.”byJGkECEYyZuTXIzknnZDHmKnLaMRD

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“A headache is normal; after all, your brain got waterlogged.”EaUOIohwRKjHnXvmXQQIDNXEqORrLP

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Ren Yi glared at him, too tired to argue.nrDxhpcDhRVsRCHbXjJvjmofgaJRpA

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Qu Yangbo grinned. “The scientific term is cerebral edema, a typical symptom of carbon monoxide poisoning.”imgEpBEMJvoSqWUCTnHiSYHpLkSTZi

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“No one else got hurt, right? What’s going on at the scene now?” Ren Yi vaguely heard what sounded like construction work coming from outside the window.zetvyLVzXryaWyNiLTRKJTrafvBAbx

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“They’re still digging. It’ll take a while to clear everything up. There might still be survivors,” Qu Yangbo replied. “The doctors and nurses have had it rough too. They haven’t rested since yesterday, handling the hospital patients and treating the injured.”JLOvNsPJhrhgwZMtyVxjLFVfdzuZRX

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Ren Yi sighed. “Hospitals… they’re always filled with so much sadness.”gMLFvjvojRNmRbSpMnfStyCLmRHEQP

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“Luckily, your injuries aren’t severe. You really scared us yesterday,” Qu Yangbo admitted, still shaken by the memory.QjmYULOrmfAwNpnnzbRbXmZHsFnwJH

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“I’m tough as nails,” Ren Yi said with a breezy smile, trying to comfort him.NTGJpdEXogSlEjiQZgLRLYBRyjgaxC

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“Both of you are pretty tough.” Qu Yangbo poured Ren Yi a glass of water, then, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, asked, “Do you remember what happened before you passed out?”lzaFPklouZYPWLtJEDnLlWmDkFjNrQ

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Ren Yi played dumb. “I was about to die, what could I remember?” His heart skipped a beat. Did they know something?AHzkaKTPLPKbiWuljRWlIoZZzrPTOf

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“You really don’t remember?” Qu Yangbo pushed up his glasses with a wicked grin. “Want me to help you review?”erTJUoMnvOfeMvtGBpvMFOGBrFnZcp

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Ren Yi swallowed nervously.sAGWSGZoEEkfcANjcypWHVWXQgrjto

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“You don’t remember Dr. Gong giving you mouth-to-mouth?”LGvzLgzsfJWMxHXYjtmOZWySUpgMqB

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“What the hell? How do you know about that?” Ren Yi racked his brain, and… yeah, maybe they had just cut through the wall at that point?ITNwzDKvYBkqrkLghnTDhNRmISoYsr

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“Starting to remember now?”cIIejoPSBnldLojAcVbPqlDcgWJRrc

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Ren Yi pursed his lips and quickly retorted, “So what? He was saving me. I’ve given people mouth-to-mouth before. You’ve done it too during training. Who hasn’t done it?”eSPMiaxovGvtERIkPfwQjjCaArVtst

JvdHLqZBUXUqFkZ

Qu Yangbo’s face was filled with a teasing grin. “Yeah, everyone’s done it. Why are you so nervous?”aMltrfsXMeDiTkNHiYJzffqmuknzrw

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“Who the hell is nervous?” Ren Yi snapped, both embarrassed and annoyed. “Who else knows about this?”ruOWScftHlBhOZFcKtzcMHQEUJNIcp

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Qu Yangbo began counting on his fingers, pretending to think hard. “Let me see… One, two, three… maybe… a hundred or so people?”tFDOCbdlJnkdkClRdfmADeshpXUHiX

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“Shit!” Ren Yi cursed.XIzWFXoiCCZFfCxkwKlSYCtMuNIMKG

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“Hard to say now. With the internet being what it is and everyone having smartphones, it’s likely the whole Hongwu District’s fire and police departments will know about it soon.”eKmADZYZrZdbLZgKdIswAsSiKrYPkw

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“Goddammit, I’m still your captain! Can’t you all give me a little face?” Ren Yi felt his scalp tingle—there’s no way he wouldn’t get teased about this every single day from now on.ATYypDLYfFSWyYXDLyAGYWoBQcMEoU

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“There’s nothing we can do about it. So many people saw it happen, even the other squads.” Qu Yangbo gave him a mischievous wink. “But deep down, aren’t you actually happy? Even if it was just mouth-to-mouth, it’s still technically a kiss, right?”LnaSRrouRFcPBFXPBAojyyJVcfBVVN

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Ren Yi shot him a glare. “What nonsense are you spouting? At that point, we were about to die. Who would care about something like that?”hllreDHrNHrBddWyqCDVRwfSWtJvxa

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“Really? You don’t care? Well, even if you don’t, I wonder if Dr. Gong does.”UtZmIpJSLLAMifPpmgWPgyQlNVhpML

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That line hit Ren Yi right in the gut. His mind started racing, and his irritation only grew.LMQmtRjgwSFTvZGTioMfWWRnkFefar

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Seeing Ren Yi’s reaction, Qu Yangbo chuckled. “Bro, I don’t really understand your… feelings, since Gong Yingxian isn’t a woman. So I won’t give you advice. But I’ll say this—if you like someone, don’t chicken out, alright?”PaazdntldoZJQqyzKIkdYhVHjMBJzo

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Ren Yi sighed. “I’m not chickening out, you just don’t get it.” There was no point hiding it from Qu Yangbo, a top-tier law school graduate with exceptional emotional intelligence, so Ren Yi admitted it.HsxssisQgfovUowSgEjqgWMLFUygix

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Qu Yangbo shrugged. “You’re right, I don’t get it. But I can tell you’re anxious.”mGXtjmxUqHNTHFVSJBwpMzPEvlIXYD

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“Ugh, just leave it. I’m stressed out enough as it is.” Ren Yi slumped, feeling dejected. “This is going to be so awkward.”tucfPDufFXvQMTOBMDaqBDNEjeFCBw

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“It’s just mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. It’s only awkward if you make it awkward.”IFzHWCiiUPjPtyszQeaRqwoCIcXTIx

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Ren Yi dared not mention that they’d had another… “hard-to-hard” experience before that. Instead, he asked, “Which room is Gong Yingxian in? Is he back? I want to check on him.”KBXsiYIDNgHrCKoUDajEqCuOmlLKCZ

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Qu Yangbo pointed to the bed next to Ren Yi’s. “There, he’s right next to you.”JYKpXQfNRbNyyjTphCyrVpoQdSMNjR

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“What?” Ren Yi was startled.nmjMLQhbLYGUUgCpDePPYMjwCpbonZ

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Qu Yangbo raised his eyebrows with a proud grin. “I arranged it for you. Aren’t I a good bro?”YqfkcoeXowlQcmjSwpwSivTcTHmmtV

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Ren Yi’s feelings were all over the place, and his expression was equally conflicted. On one hand, he was excited about the prospect of spending several days sharing a room with Gong Yingxian. On the other hand, he was nervous as hell.iyyPtxtVuBtfvWpDZgiLhfYzUDsZNm

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Just then, the door opened again, and Gong Yingxian was wheeled in, seated in a wheelchair.iQZhKTCCvdRaDNROqGZmvhPpuhXqXm

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Ren Yi’s head throbbed with pain, and his palms began to sweat from anxiety.cxKpZooaxGYlOgXrrtxWzLQufnyEOi

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Gong Yingxian’s expression changed the moment he saw Ren Yi, becoming awkward. He cleared his throat. “When did you wake up?”OwVqBuxMFPSQhHyTGMmsiUWfsHTUwn

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“Just now,” Ren Yi replied instinctively, also avoiding eye contact with Gong Yingxian. “How are you feeling?”kQFsbjEuirqexzFIdeDthsXZokilSP

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Qu Yangbo chimed in with a grin, “Dr. Gong, how are you feeling after the treatment?”LssbfweUPoVgddoVPPrmvXfUZKxcMm

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“I’m alright,” Gong Yingxian replied, frowning slightly. “The doctor said we need to stay in the hospital for at least a week, with an hour of hyperbaric oxygen therapy each day.”AOehebYwGxuXWPCzsWsbHowzrQQgbe

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Qu Yangbo nodded. “It’s carbon monoxide poisoning, after all. You need to correct the oxygen deficiency in your blood. Follow the treatment, and you’ll recover faster.”NuyvQXOGqDDkFvvSocQHTeIAgAAdOL

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A nurse reached out to help Gong Yingxian into bed, but he quickly moved away. “I can do it myself,” he said, standing up and lying down on the bed.tIcLylPQxLKSDiJXFROWGETijjQTUc

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The young nurse looked a bit embarrassed.rRbIFFouqShnfPwzZoqDtHMFPoyLND

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Ren Yi hurriedly explained, “He’s a germaphobe, it’s not about you.”CsBUrqzlogUBPiQBcWhOKupdOYqeJg

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The nurse blushed, smiled, and nodded before leaving the room.kPvwPaifLxRfFRADHWhBTdhFKEdpZj

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Qu Yangbo clicked his tongue, teasing, “Ren Si Huo, stop trying to flirt with the young lady.”YdOFaEEtyzGIjScoWpPFSDEXRqmmTY

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“Bullshit, I wasn’t.” Ren Yi stole a quick glance at Gong Yingxian. “It’s not my fault for being handsome.”fBKfCSciaGWkPFcPcrktPmlArqwidu

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Gong Yingxian pulled the blanket over himself, staring silently ahead.pWQJrEVaunfDSWKjOAyrbUCDwJxkyM

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Qu Yangbo exchanged a glance with Ren Yi.EaROLjGCNULaNPSwjSjSPnWJjvFwPr

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The two had known each other for over a decade and worked together for six years, so they could read each other’s thoughts with just a look. Qu Yangbo was asking if he should leave.zCmcAOrEiZCZuFEcQLnWOTxhXtxZPv

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Ren Yi gave a subtle shake of his head—he really wasn’t ready to be alone with Gong Yingxian. He could tell that Gong’s mood wasn’t great.qxtINjxykPHrfwTYLDdYEPPsGvlmeN

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Qu Yangbo broke the silence. “Hey, the surgery for that pregnant woman you rescued went well. Not only did they save her leg, but the baby’s fine too.”pjTYTHIqiZRSrRTIvHmGGnCBRVVXoR

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“That’s great,” Ren Yi said with relief.DOcPYYvNXKCfbvqwhRqiNuLEQkGiCL

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Gong Yingxian lifted his head as well.pSUUVXQbciZRrtOzTKcGfuSdcKuGwJ

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“That mother is incredible. She refused general anesthesia to avoid harming the baby, even though it caused her a lot of pain.”NNftInjMZBaipOcdJxodXxOxKHXvHZ

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Ren Yi sighed, “Even men might not be able to endure that kind of pain.”vvMiLbIQFTjHCQkbqNQAPmeKavuYcG

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Gong Yingxian thought of his own mother, and his heart tightened. “A mother’s strength is unparalleled,” he murmured.PTKKhYAxAIQMabMiaYHVZXjJeFGvzQ

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“Dr. Gong, the evidence you risked your life to retrieve was taken back to the station by Captain Qiu last night. They haven’t slept and have been searching the city for the suspect. I heard there’s been progress—you can ask about it later.”xiJknBIiybxkwamgybEQVbSBbNUqWI

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“Okay.”BtdJcgEcueLkrHcSASnfecqLbLjXJW

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“They’re still digging at the site, hoping to find more survivors or additional evidence.”ZrPJNPatOWdhsSFoIILKipVPvOGpnl

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Just then, there was a knock on the door.AmcDWkUjesmGyQQGnXjchYOPXxPccW

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“Come in,” Ren Yi called.CxibKsdmjJAOETHrMPHlHYymwDtdZe

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The door swung open with a bang, and a whirlwind of blue stormed into the room, moving so fast it made their heads spin.nMgVZtUWqXOAGNRhkhjixVyHCFBIxo

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It was Gong Feilan, with Steward Sheng following behind.OsNPThNhckxzOcUgviSizEXriEeyEs

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“Ge, are you alright? I heard you gave Captain Ren mouth-to-mouth!” Gong Feilan exclaimed loudly.QDTsNHadxOeUGthpZOrJkKHaeWvSNE

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