“What nonsense are you spouting!”
Thud. Thud.
It was the sound of a walking stick rapping against the ground; like a rock, making one’s heart rate escalate and feel nervous.
“I don’t want to hear your explanation. Lu Ziyang, go back and inform that Shen fellow. I don’t care what goddamn orders his superiors gave him. During these three years, where Gu Qingjiu prepares for the international competition, I hope your department knows when to stop in certain matters!”
“… Eh, I will try my best to relay the message, Elder Gong.”
The sound of Lu Ziyang sighing came after.
When Gu Qingjiu regained consciousness, she heard their heated argument. What shocked her more was, she hadn’t expected that the first person she would see upon waking up was Elder Gong.
That blind teacher of hers was the first to receive the news?
Gu Qingjiu woke up. She then lowered her sight and recalled the events that took place earlier. She knew that she had gotten injured, but not the extent of it.
Lowering her head, she saw that there was a thick bandage wrapped around her left arm. She could feel a slightly painful sensation but didn’t see any terrifying wounds.
“Gu Qingjiu, are you awake?”
It came from somewhere near to the ward. Lu Ziyang caught sight of Gu Qingjiu’s movement from his peripheral vision. When he turned his head, he saw that Gu Qingjiu had already opened her eyes.
She twitched her lips and greeted, “Boss.”
“What Boss?”
The infuriated Elder Gong walked over with his walking stick. Although he couldn’t see, he spoke accurately in Gu Qingjiu’s direction. “You were so severely injured this time around, and we don’t even yet know if it will affect your shooting training. He had caused all of this!”
Upon hearing this, Lu Ziyang could only let out a bitter chuckle.
The part of their conversation that Gu Qingjiu overheard when she just woke up gave her sufficient understanding of what was going on.
It seemed the higher-ups ordered Lu Ziyang to test Gu Qingjiu on this mission.
But when Gu Qingjiu heard them say that her most remarkable talent wasn’t, in fact, shooting. It made her feel slightly stunned.
If not shooting, then what?
However, despite what she had heard, she could only feign ignorance.
When she saw that ashamed look in Lu Ziyang’s eyes, Gu Qingjiu revealed a faint smile. “It’s alright, so long as I’m still alive.”
She had put it so lightly. The truth is, she would feel worse off than death if she didn’t die, but everything resulted in other more severe consequences.
Because she had hurt her arms.
A shooter’s greatest fear was hurting their arms.
Indeed, Elder Gong let out a scoff. “You put it so lightly!”
But having scolded Lu Ziyang earlier, and since Gu Qingjiu was awake now, it wasn’t convenient for him to say more. Elder Gong asked, “Do you feel unwell elsewhere?”
Gu Qingjiu felt for a moment, then shook her head. “No.”
Other than a stinging pain and itchy sensation in her arms, she felt alright.
Of course, she could only confirm specific latent injuries after she resumed her training.
“Our department will bear full responsibility for this incident. Don’t worry, Qingjiu, I will make proper arrangements for you in other matters. Just focus on recuperating for now. Our nation’s specialists will tend to you. I can guarantee your hands will be fine.”
Lu Ziyang sounded very sincere as he made that promise beside Gu Qingjiu.
But still, Elder Gong rolled his eyes at him.
That is if the rolling about of his murky eyes could be considered rolling his eyes.