C44 Security Bureau

Cliff chuckled, "This girl is truly a gem!"

Lafite rose to her feet and suggested, "I should take her up to bed. She must be exhausted, especially since she's not trained as a regular soldier."

Edi gave a nod, "I'll carry her up."

After Lafite opened the guest room door, she headed back downstairs.

Edi gazed at the petite figure sleeping peacefully in his arms, his eyes brimming with affection. He gently placed her on the bed, tucked her in, and kissed her forehead before he reluctantly descended the stairs.

Upon seeing Edi come down, Cliff teased with a sly grin, "You actually managed to tear yourself away? I thought you'd be too smitten to leave her side."

Edi shot him a look and replied coolly, "I'm footing the bill for the meal. It would be a waste if I didn't eat, wouldn't it?"

Cliff remarked, "Seriously though, Little Chuxia's culinary skills are amazing. You're in for a treat with her around, which is honestly quite enviable."

Edi responded, "Lafite's cooking is excellent as well!"

Cliff slung an arm around Lafite's shoulders, boasting, "Naturally. How else could she have completely captivated me?"

Lafite retorted, "I hardly have the charm to bewitch the renowned General Cliff. Chuxia, on the other hand, is the one with real talent. Look at Edi, worried she'd be scared to stay here by herself, so much so that he skipped an urgent meeting to rush over. Now, that's what I call true love!"

When Lafite mentioned "Chuxia is the one with real talent," Cliff's expression grew stern. He addressed Edi, "Tonight, Little Chuxia really showed her strength, and with many witnesses, I suspect they'll all think she's a paranormal. What's your plan for handling this?"

Sean looked uncomfortable, his gaze involuntarily shifting towards Edi.

As Edi continued to eat, he replied calmly, "She just jumped from the upstairs to escape. What's so odd about having a natural gift for high jumps?"

Yang Chuxia awoke to find herself in an unfamiliar room. Her mind was a bit foggy at first, but after a brief moment of confusion, she recalled that she was at Lafite's home.

The aftermath of the hangover was a throbbing headache. Yang Chuxia hissed in pain and pressed on her temples, noticing the silence that enveloped her surroundings. Glancing at the time, she realized it was already nine in the morning.

In a haze, Chuxia recalled that Edi and the others had returned last night, and she had apparently behaved rather inappropriately. She leaped out of bed, flung open the door, and dashed out, only to find that no one was there.

Back in her room, intending to freshen up, she noticed a note on the nightstand. It was from Edi, instructing her to wait there until they finished their business and returned. The fridge had been restocked with ingredients, and she was free to cook whatever she fancied.

It was then that Chuxia remembered her antics from the night before—clinging to Edi in front of Sean, Lafite, and Cliff, and even referring to herself as his girlfriend.

Embarrassed, Chuxia cradled her head, wishing she could crawl into a hole and disappear. After sitting on the bed with her face in her hands for a full minute, she finally made her way to the bathroom to wash up.

Once she emerged, her stomach was growling with hunger. Unsure whether Edi and the others would be eating lunch at the Main Base or returning, she hesitated before deciding to call Edi's private number.

"What's the matter?" Edi answered promptly amidst a backdrop of noise. Realizing his tone wasn't quite appropriate for a romantic conversation, he softened his voice and explained, "I'm in a meeting."

After a brief pause, Chuxia asked, "Will you be coming back for lunch? If so, I'll prepare extra food."

Edi took a quick look at the disordered conference room and whispered, "Go ahead and cook." With that, he hung up.

Chuxia stood there, dazed for a few seconds, before springing into action.

Cliff, seated next to Edi, whispered, "Little Chuxia, did he tell you to come back for lunch?"

Edi shot him a frosty look and retorted, "Major General Cliff, perhaps you should be more concerned with the aftermath of the situation."

The recent assault had left many senior leaders wounded, including Mrs. Aurelian, the Vice Base Chief of the Alliance Army, as well as Nesil Cheriman, the highest commander, and several other key figures.

Edi really didn't want to get involved in the Main Base's politics. Unfortunately, there were still matters that required the presence of the battle group commanders.

Cliff expressed his concerns, "General Nesil injured his eyes. He was in the Healing Chamber last night. When he emerged, his vision was still blurry. The situation might be worse than we realize! I heard that during command, a laser gun grazed his face, and then a heavy object fell and struck his head, knocking him out cold. If his Serjeant-at-arms hadn't reacted swiftly, we might be looking for a new superior."

Their whispers amidst the chaotic meeting soon drew attention. Nathan Carver, the deputy chief of staff at the Main Base, cleared his throat subtly.

Edi gave him a brief, indifferent look and ceased his conversation with Cliff, who gave Nathan an apologetic nod.

The meeting dragged on for a full hour before concluding. Edi, claiming he wasn't adept at handling aftermath situations and that his Flying Eagle Combat Group was only tasked with special missions, excused himself from dealing with the post-assault procedures.

As he and Cliff exited the temporary meeting hall, Deputy Chief of Staff Nathan Carver stopped Edi, speaking sternly, "Your mother was injured last night. As her son, shouldn't you visit her?"

Edi glanced at Admiral Nathan and replied nonchalantly, "With today's Healing Chamber technology, no one's at risk unless there's brain death. It was just a stray bullet to the shoulder, far luckier than General Nesil! Unless there's something else, I'm going to check on General Nesil first."

Nathan, visibly upset and turning pale, noticed the curious glances from those around them. He lowered his voice, "What's the situation with Dr. Yang Chuxia?"

Edi met his gaze coolly and responded, "No comment," before striding away.

Nathan called after him, "Edi, the Security Bureau is looking for her, you..."

But before he could finish, Edi's expression shifted, and he bolted out the door.

Nathan massaged his temples, frustrated. His son was exceptionally talented yet equally rebellious, causing him endless headaches. He wouldn't have even mentioned it if not for the Military Doctor who saved his wife. He wondered if his son's interest in her was because she was a Modified Man. After all, they owed her a debt.

Yang Chuxia was in the middle of preparing noodles for breakfast when she was interrupted by a knock at the door. Reluctantly, she stepped away from her meal and called out, "Who's there?"

A stranger's voice responded, "Excuse me, is Sergeant Yang Chuxia present?"

Assuming it was someone Edi had sent, Chuxia cracked the door open to find four tall, imposing men in suits standing outside, all appearing to be in their thirties. Puzzled, she inquired, "Who are you? Is there something you need from Dr. Yang?"