The predawn sky was murky and dim, the long street desolate and empty after the rain.
Under the flamboyant crabapple tree, Bao Gucheng paused, gazing intensely at the woman with closed eyes yet slightly parted lips, urging him to "continue"!
Suddenly, he leaned down, his kiss deepening like a violent storm ravaging the delicate blossom petals!
The scene was as poetic and picturesque as a painting.
At this moment, it seemed the world was reduced to just the two of them.
There was an extraordinary feeling of time passing, everything fleeting by, as if in a blink of an eye.
No one knew how much time had passed.
Zuzi murmured, sighing softly, "Xiao Chenger, I think I finally understand the meaning of those two lines of poetry."
Bao Gucheng had moved from her lips to her swan-like neck, unknowingly biting open the ties of her pure white robe.
The dazzling whiteness came into view, making the man’s heart race.
His voice was hoarse, "No, you still don’t understand."
Silly girl, you don’t understand enough.
Just as he leaned down to continue.
The grating sound of tires skidding abruptly arose.
Wei Yang drove swiftly over, skimming past them, then screeched to a stop, rolling down the window with a hint of tears in his voice, "Mr. Bo, we don’t have time!"
Bao Gucheng’s thoughts hadn’t completely returned.
But Zuzi, hearing this, stretched a small hand out from under the man, curiously waving it, "Hmm... what’s running out of time?"
With her soft inquiry, in the distance, grand fireworks boomed successively.
Precisely six in the morning.
On the city’s main thoroughfares, all commercial buildings, hotels, and parks activated their giant LCD billboards simultaneously, broadcasting the live feed of the national ceremony from the capital.
The fireworks, the hundred-gun salute, and the military band’s performances burst from the screens, overwhelming and majestic.
A ten-thousand-man guard of honor paraded across the screens, as the President Residence’s inspection vehicle reached the forefront of the formation.
In the front row, nearly a hundred soldiers clad in military attire awaited their moment of glory — the award ceremony!
At the scene of the Empire’s national ceremony.
Chen Long, leading a unit of troops, fixed his gaze on the President Residence’s inspection vehicle.
The seat reserved for Bao Gucheng had been occupied by another cabinet elder at this moment.
The Empire’s highest-ranking dignitaries stepped down from the inspection vehicle.
They approached the hundred-man formation.
The solemn and majestic Empire’s national anthem played.
Vice President Feng Shiren awarded the medals, symbolizing the Empire’s honor, to the distinguished soldiers one by one.
As the medals were bestowed upon most of the formation, leaving only a few in the last row.
A secretary from the President Residence suddenly jogged over to Chen Long and his group, "Vice Officer Chen, sorry, this time the medals cannot be presented to the group representing Si Snake and others."
Sure enough, they wanted to cause trouble!
Chen Long pressed his hand against his waist, ready to strike, "What do you mean?"
Secretary: "Commander Bao is still nowhere to be seen..."
Chen Long: "Mr. Bo instructed me to stand in for him to collect the medals for the brothers."
Secretary: "Sorry, you’re not qualified enough."
Chen Long suppressed his anger: "Indeed, I may not be qualified, but I’m entrusted by Mr. Bo himself to represent him!"
Secretary: "This, you truly cannot represent him. The Vice President instructed that unless Mr. Bo comes in person, no unrelated individuals will be allowed, as it is a necessary measure to ensure the safety of the award ceremony site."
The men behind Chen Long couldn’t contain themselves any longer, instantly pulling out their weapons, "What do you mean, are Mr. Bo’s orders a joke to you? Are we all just dead men to you?"
The secretary’s knees trembled, yet he steeled himself, "You... you are rebelling! If you dare to act, you’ll be rebelling on behalf of Bao Gucheng!"