The captain from the Northeast SF was the first to stand and suggest, "Why don''t we unite, gather everyone, and charge in together?"


    Liu Junyi shook her head. "That won''t work. We analyzed the situation yesterday. The enemy likely outnumbers us and seems to know our movements well. If we rush in without a n, we could be surrounded again."


    "Let them try! We''ll fight them head-on. We''re elite special forces—why should we fear them?" The captain''s temper red. The previous day''s failed operation and the ambush that imed two teams had left him frustrated and angry.


    Liu Junyi frowned, her voice stern. "It''s easy to talk, but if we get caught in another ambush, we could lose nearly a thousand of our best people. Do you want to bury all these elite soldiers here?"


    The captain lowered his head, silenced by her rebuke. Still, he cast a quick nce at Ye Fei, who sat beside Liu Junyi, and muttered, "That might not be the case." His words were quiet, but in the stillness of the room, everyone heard them.


    By now, the others understood what the captain from the Northeast was implying, and their gazes shifted to Ye Fei, admiration evident in their eyes. The two groups he had rescued the previous day looked at him with even more respect, having witnessed his abilities firsthand.


    Ye Fei inwardly sighed. He had clearly impressed them too much. These elite soldiers were now looking to him for answers. The truth was, Ye Fei was confident that if he acted alone, he could locate the enemy base within three days and wipe them out. With his enhanced speed and body protection techniques, no one could harm him unless they deployed heavy weapons like explosives.


    Even then, with his reflexes, they wouldn''t have much of a chance.


    However, he didn''t want to act alone. Although eliminating the enemy would benefit the special forces, it would hurt their morale if they became dependent on him. These soldiers, whom Ye Fei hoped to work with in the future, needed to maintain their fighting spirit. Additionally, he had just solidified his rtionship with Liu Junyi the night before.


    He wanted to spend more time with her, ensuring her feelings for him were strong before leaving. Otherwise, back in Wanghai, she might waver once she saw Yu Wuxia again.


    Noticing the growing dependence in the room, Liu Junyi gave Ye Fei a subtle look, signaling for him to say something. Ye Fei nodded slightly, stood up, and addressed the group. "Captains, let me say this inly: if we are surrounded, there''s a good chance none of us will make it out alive."


    "Even you?" The captain from the Northeast, ever blunt, voiced what everyone was thinking.


    Ye Fei smiled wryly. "I might have some skills, but we''re most likely facing thousands of enemies. I can''t take them all on by myself. Honestly, yesterday''s fight took a lot out of me. I may have looked fine, but I was seriously injured. If it weren''t for my aunt''s carest night, I probably wouldn''t even be standing here today.


    The truth is, the battle hurt my foundation. I can''t even summon my internal energy right now."


    The officers, many of whom were seasoned veterans, would never have expected Ye Fei to downy his abilities. His words, however, rang true, and they believed him. The admiration they had for him turned into concern, and the members of the two teams he saved looked at him with disappointment, realizing he couldn''t carry their hopes alone.


    Liu Junyi gave Ye Fei a look of approval. She understood that he was deliberately downying his abilities for the greater good. Her heart softened, and her eyes filled with tenderness as she gazed at him. Ye Fei couldn''t help but feel touched, returning her look with an affectionate smile.


    "Does anyone else have a better n?" Liu Junyi quickly shifted the topic to avoid drawing more attention to their silent exchange of affection. Fortunately, her focus on the situation prevented others from noticing their intimate nces.


    The officers, who had note up with any other ns, had been relying on Ye Fei''s strength. Now that they knew he was injured, they were at a loss. When Liu Junyi asked if anyone had other ideas, they looked at each other in confusion.


    Realizing their reliance on Ye Fei, Liu Junyi decided not to push them further. "Let''s adjourn the meeting for now. Notify your teams that today will be a day of rest. We''ll resume once we''vee up with a solid n."


    As the officers filed out, Ye Fei remained seated next to Liu Junyi, a smile ying on his lips. Liu Junyi noticed his gaze and, feeling slightly flustered, yfully pinched his waist. "You seemed so confident earlier. Have youe up with a n?"


    "As expected of my smart aunt," Ye Fei teased. "Yes, I have an idea, but I''m not ready to share it just yet."


    Liu Junyi''s curiosity piqued. "Why not? If you have a n, we should act on it right away."


    Ye Fei shook his head. "If I tell you now, you''ll want to set out immediately, but I don''t want to leave today."


    "Why not?" Liu Junyi was confused. "Shouldn''t we eliminate the enemy as soon as possible?"


    "It''s because of you," Ye Fei replied, his tone soft. "I noticed your posture was a bit off when you were walking earlier. You must still be feeling sore. If we set out now, it''ll only make things worse. I want you to rest for a couple more days."


    Liu Junyi''s face flushed with embarrassment, but her heart warmed. Ye Fei had withheld his n out of concern for her well-being. However, seeing the mischievous glint in his eyes, she yfully swatted at him. "You little rascal! This is all your fault!"


    "That''s not fair," Ye Fei said innocently. "You were the one who asked for it four times in a rowst night."


    "Stop saying that!" Liu Junyi blushed even more, embarrassed by the memory of her eagerness. She pinched his arm again, but this time with less force. "It''s still your fault!"


    "Okay, okay. It''s all my fault," Ye Fei surrendered with a smile, secretly pleased. Her yful behavior showed that her heart was close to being fully his. He grinned and said, "If I''m to me, I''ll make it up to you by helping you rest." With that, he stood and wrapped his arms around her waist, ready to help her up.


    Liu Junyi panicked. "What if someone sees us? Let go!" she protested, though not too forcefully.


    Ye Fei tightened his hold slightly. "Who cares? I''m just supporting my aunt. What could be more natural?"


    "You still remember I''m your aunt?" she huffed, rolling her eyes at him. Though she didn''t resist further, she wondered if Ye Fei had done this kind of thing before. He seemed far toofortable. She made a mental note to ask himter.


    Once they were standing, Liu Junyi wrapped an arm around Ye Fei''s waist. Together, they walked out of the room, side by side. Anyone watching would assume that Ye Fei, still recovering from his "injuries," was being supported by Liu Junyi. In reality, Ye Fei, strong as ever, carried most of her weight, his arm around her waist keeping her almost airborne.


    As they walked, Liu Junyi felt at peace in Ye Fei''s embrace. She had never experienced such tender care before, and for a moment, she allowed herself to savor the happiness she felt.


    They soon returned to Liu Junyi''s room. Ye Fei helped her take off her shoes and socks, gentlyying her down on the bed. He sat beside her, holding her hand, and said softly, "You didn''t sleep muchst night. Rest now."


    Liu Junyi nodded obediently. Despite being the one who "worked harder"st night, she still worried about him. "You should go back and rest too. I''ll be fine."


    Ye Fei didn''t move. "I don''t need to rest. I''ll stay here with you."


    Seeing the love in his eyes, Liu Junyi felt her heart skip a beat. She quickly said, "I really can''t... I''m still sore. Can''t you rest for a bit?"


    Ye Feiughed, realizing what she meant. "Don''t worry. I won''t try anything until you''ve recovered. I love you for who you are, not just your body."


    Liu Junyi blushed but smiled at his words. "You should go back. You''re practically a hero in the special forces now. If people hear you''re injured, they''lle to check on you. It would be awkward if they found us like this."


    As if on cue, someone knocked on the door. "Report!" called a voice from outside. It was Zhang Qiang.


    Liu Junyi gave Ye Fei a knowing look. "See what I mean?"


    Ye Fei muttered under his breath, "Being a hero is more trouble than it''s worth." Then, he called out, "Uncle Zhang, I''m fine. I''ll be right out."


    Before leaving, Ye Fei leaned down and nted a quick kiss on Liu Junyi''s lips. Then he strode out the door.


    Watching him leave, Liu Junyi smiled, feeling a sense of admiration and affection for the man who was once her little nephew but had now matured into someone she deeply cared for. Shey back, her body finally rxing into the bed as a wave of exhaustion washed over her.


    Soon, she drifted off into a peaceful sleep, her mind at ease,forted by the thought that Ye Fei would always be there for her.


    Outside, Ye Fei found Zhang Qiang waiting, along with several other soldiers who hade to check on him. Seeing so many of them gathered made Ye Fei smile. "I''m really fine, you guys," he said, waving away their concerns. "I appreciate the thought, but I wasn''t hurt that badly."


    Zhang Qiang crossed his arms, giving him a look of disbelief. "That''s not what I heard," he said, his voice heavy with concern. "After everything you did for us yesterday, the least we can do is make sure you''re okay."


    Ye Fei shook his head, trying to brush off the praise. "We''re allrades. I''d do the same for any of you. Let''s just focus on recovering and figuring out our next move."


    Zhang Qiang''s face softened, his expression grateful. "You saved a lot of lives, Xiaoman. We won''t forget that."


    Ye Fei nodded, feeling a mixture of pride and difort at the attention. "If I had been faster, maybe Uncle Li wouldn''t have been hurt," he said quietly, his expression darkening as he thought of Li Yun''s injury.


    Zhang Qiang''s mood dimmed as well. "Li Yun… He''s always been one of the best. If he could have chosen anyone to save, he would have wanted it to be you. Don''t carry that guilt, Xiaoman. He made his choice."


    Ye Fei nodded slowly, his resolve hardening. "I''ll make sure he gets the best treatment when we return to Wanghai. I won''t let him suffer for my sake."


    Zhang Qiang ced a hand on Ye Fei''s shoulder, offering a silent but firm gesture of support. "We all believe in you," he said, before turning the conversation lighter. "Now, some of the brothers here have been talking about how strong you are, and we''ve got to admit, they''re impressed. They want to invite you out for a drink to show their appreciation. Are you up for it?"


    Ye Feiughed. "A drink? You know, I''m not supposed to drink. Aunt Junyi would kill me if she found out."


    The men chuckled, nodding in understanding. "We''ll keep it low-key," one of them said with a grin. "She won''t hear a thing about it. Let''s just rx and celebrate getting through yesterday alive."


    With that, Ye Fei relented, letting the men lead him away for a night of camaraderie and shared stories. He knew it would be a good way to bond further with the soldiers, to reinforce their trust and loyalty to each other in the days ahead.


    ---


    Later that evening, after they''d left the base, they made their way to a nearby town, finding a small restaurant where they could sit, eat, and drink. The ce was modest, with simple wooden tables and chairs, but it was warm and inviting, filled with the smell of home-cooked food.


    The owner, seeing the soldiers, weed them in enthusiastically, arranging for extra tables and chairs to amodate therge group.