76: Chapter 76 The King Returns! Returning to the Team to Oversee the Acceptance Battle, Hidden Clues Intertwine as He Embarks on a Perilous Journey (1)

When the vehicle arrived at the hospital, the medical staff, who had been waiting at the entrance for a long time, immediately stepped forward, pushing a stretcher to meet them quickly. Zhang Hongyuan carefully supported Mu Li, while Lin Wei assisted him on the other side, her hand gently protecting his back for fear that too much movement would pull at his wounds—thinking of the support and wiping at the detention center entrance, her concern remained intense at this moment. The medical staff skillfully transferred Mu Li to the stretcher and quickly pushed him into the emergency room. The piercing shadowless lamp instantly lit up, making the pallor on his face and the scratches on his neck appear even clearer. Inside the emergency room, the doctor immediately began an examination, removing Mu Li's prison uniform, which was covered in dust and small bloodstains. The tearing wound on his back was starkly visible, the flesh slightly turned outward, surrounded by large patches of bruising—marks left by the beatings in the detention center and the struggle with the assassins. Although the scratches on his neck were not deep, they were oozing tiny beads of blood, a shocking sight.

"The wound is severely contaminated, the tear is deep, and there are signs of minor infection. We need to debride and disinfect it first, inject the tetanus vaccine, and then perform suturing," the attending physician said in a serious tone, instructing the nurses to prepare the instruments while carefully examining the wound. "Be gentle with your movements to avoid pulling the wound. The patient also has multiple soft tissue contusions, which will require further examination." The nurse immediately responded and skillfully prepared the disinfectant, suture needles, gauze, and other instruments. First, they repeatedly rinsed the wound on Mu Li's back with saline to remove surface dust and bloodstains. The moment the disinfectant touched the wound, Mu Li's whole body trembled slightly. A piercing pain radiated from his back, and every breath felt like countless fine needles piercing him. Fine beads of cold sweat instantly broke out on his forehead. He gritted his teeth tightly, his hands clenched into fists with whitening knuckles, yet he did not make a sound. The unwavering determination remained in his eyes—just as it had been on the way to the hospital; even though the pain was unbearable, the conviction in his heart never collapsed. The trust of his teammates, the entrustment of the country, and the hope of the project always supported him.

Lin Wei waited at the door of the emergency room, her eyes red, clutching Mu Li's messy prison uniform tightly in her hands. The image of Mu Li at the detention center entrance—wounded on the neck, physically weak yet with determined eyes—and the image of him leaning against the car seat, enduring the pain while silently reciting his mission, repeatedly flashed through her mind, making her heart ache so much she almost burst into tears. Zhang Hongyuan stood beside her with a solemn expression. While keeping an eye on the activity in the emergency room, he dialed the Public Security General Administration, briefly reporting Mu Li's injuries while urging them to continue tracking the whereabouts of Hans and the blonde-haired, blue-eyed leader to strictly prevent Overseas Forces from seizing another opportunity to strike. He then contacted the project team to inform everyone that Mu Li was receiving treatment in the hospital, telling them to stay focused on the project and wait for further notice.

The treatment in the emergency room lasted for over an hour. The doctor stitched the wound on Mu Li's back with over a dozen sutures, disinfected the scratches on his neck, applied ointment, and covered them with gauze. Afterward, he was given a tetanus vaccine and an anti-inflammatory injection to alleviate his pain and infection symptoms. "The suturing went smoothly, but you must focus on resting afterward. Avoid strenuous activity and do not strain the wound on your back. Change the dressing and take anti-inflammatory medication on time. Your diet should be light; avoid spicy or irritating foods. If signs of worsening infection appear, such as redness, swelling, bleeding, or fever, return to the hospital immediately," the doctor instructed as he took off his mask. "The soft tissue contusions on his body also need time to heal. He cannot overwork himself in the short term, and he certainly cannot suffer any more external injuries." Mu Li slowly opened his eyes and nodded gently. His voice was still a bit weak, yet remained clear and powerful: "Thank you, doctor. I understand. Sorry for the trouble."

The medical staff pushed Mu Li into the ward. Lin Wei and Zhang Hongyuan immediately stepped forward, carefully helping him adjust his position to avoid the wound on his back and covering him with a blanket. Lin Wei brought warm water and gently helped Mu Li up, placing a pillow behind him so he could lean against the headboard. She then carefully wiped the cold sweat from his face, her tone soft yet full of concern, just as she had cared for Mu Li in the car: "Engineer Mu, take it slow. Don't pull at your wound. Have some water to moisten your throat first. The doctor said you need to rest well and not be in a hurry." Mu Li took the cup, took a few small sips, and looked at Lin Wei and Zhang Hongyuan, his eyes filled with gratitude: "You've worked hard during this time. Everyone in the team has worked hard. While I was imprisoned, you protected the project and even captured the mole, Li Jianjun."

Zhang Hongyuan waved his hand and said sincerely, "Engineer Mu, this is what we should do. Protecting the project and protecting you was always our responsibility. Moreover, this is the conviction you have always held; we could not let you down, and even more so, we could not fail the country's trust. I've already contacted the Public Security General Administration. They will increase their tracking efforts and will surely catch Hans and that blonde leader to prevent them from causing more damage. You just focus on recovering; we have the project covered, and nothing will go wrong." "That's right, Engineer Mu," Lin Wei added. "I've already organized the project materials. Once you're feeling a bit better, I'll report to you slowly. I'm also following up on the Acceptance Expert Group, so you don't need to worry. Recovering well is the most important thing."

Mu Li shook his head, his gaze gradually becoming determined. The wound on his back throbbed with pain, but it didn't shake his resolve at all, just as he had made up his mind in the car; he would never give Overseas Forces another opportunity: "No, the time for the production acceptance is too tight. We can't afford to delay, and I can't stay resting forever. Hans and that blonde-haired, blue-eyed leader are still at large. They won't give up just because Li Jianjun was caught, and they certainly won't give up their greed for the project's core technology. With the acceptance imminent, this is the most critical moment and the time when mistakes are most likely to happen. I must return to the project site as soon as possible to lead the follow-up work, investigate all hidden dangers, and ensure the acceptance process passes smoothly to protect our hard work and the country's hope."

Seeing Mu Li's resolute attitude and the unquestionable determination in his eyes, Zhang Hongyuan and Lin Wei knew they couldn't persuade him otherwise—they knew Mu Li's character too well. Once he made up his mind, he would never change it easily. Moreover, after enduring the hardships of the detention center, the responsibility and conviction in his heart were stronger than ever; the interests of the project and the country always came first for him. Zhang Hongyuan sighed helplessly and nodded: "Engineer Mu, we know you care about the project and understand your concerns, but your current condition is really not suitable for immediate work. How about this: we'll stay at the hospital for another two hours. Once you've recovered a bit and your spirits are better, we'll head to the project site. I'll drive as slowly as possible on the way to avoid bumps that might pull at your wound. Once we arrive, you can just get a brief overview of the situation. We'll handle the specific investigation work, and you'll just be in charge of leading the decisions. We definitely won't let you overwork yourself."

Lin Wei also quickly agreed: "Yes, Engineer Mu, Manager Zhang is right. Just listen to us this once and rest a bit before leaving. Otherwise, if the wound worsens, it will only waste more time, which would be counterproductive. We'll stay by your side; we can handle anything that comes up for you, and we definitely won't let you carry the burden alone." Mu Li looked at the concern and persistence in their eyes and thought about how the two of them had cared for him all the way in the car, never leaving his side. His heart warmed, and he finally nodded: "Alright, I'll listen to you. But we can't delay for too long. After a brief rest, we'll head to the project site immediately. The acceptance is urgent, and we must also prepare in advance for the schemes of Overseas Forces."

Two hours later, Mu Li's spirits had improved somewhat, and his pain had been alleviated to some extent. With the support of Lin Wei and Zhang Hongyuan, he slowly stood up and put on clean clothes—which Zhang Hongyuan had someone bring from the project's temporary dormitory. The two of them carefully supported him, avoiding the wound on his back, as they walked slowly toward the parking lot and got into the vehicle heading for the nuclear fusion power station project site. The car started slowly and drove toward the site. The scenery outside the window kept receding, and sunlight poured through the window onto Mu Li's face, making the determination in his eyes even more dazzling. Just like in the previous chapter, even though he was still physically weak and the pain was still clear, his heart was filled with certainty and a sense of responsibility, without the slightest fatigue or retreat.

The moment the car drove into the project site, Mu Li's eyes couldn't help but well up. The wound on his back was pulled by the car's jolts, sending a sharp throb of pain through him. This was the first time since being framed, successfully rescued, and receiving treatment that he had set foot again on this land that carried the country's energy hopes and his lifelong pursuit. The familiar Main Control Building, the towering reactor tower, the engineering vehicles moving back and forth, and the national flag fluttering in the distance—every part of it filled him with emotion. He had only been away for a few dozen days, yet it felt like a century. The pain of being framed, beaten, and almost assassinated, as well as the pain of treatment, all transformed into a determined fighting spirit to return to the battlefield upon seeing this land that his companions had fought to protect. The light in his eyes grew sharper, and his conviction to protect the project, punish the villains, and guard against the remnants of Overseas Forces was stronger than ever—just as he had silently vowed on the way to the hospital in the previous chapter; he would give his all and not fail his mission.

As soon as the car came to a steady stop, the members of the project team swarmed around, their thunderous applause echoing through the site. Everyone had excited smiles on their faces, their eyes full of admiration and expectation, as well as hard-to-conceal heartache—they all knew how much Mu Li had suffered in the detention center and had heard about his treatment in the hospital. Seeing the bandages on his neck and his still-pale face, their concern deepened. Mu Li pushed open the car door and, supported by Lin Wei and Zhang Hongyuan, slowly stepped down. His feet stumbled slightly as the wound on his back throbbed again. He endured the discomfort and steadied himself, only to be surrounded by the crowd. The repeated calls of "Engineer Mu" were so warm that his nose tingled, and they further strengthened his conviction: fortunately, he hadn't given up, and fortunately, he hadn't failed everyone's trust. From now on, he would fight side-by-side with them to protect this hard-won achievement.

"Engineer Mu, welcome back! We knew you would return safely!"

"With you here, we feel at ease! During this time without you leading us, we felt like we were missing our backbone!"

Mu Li nodded vigorously and shook everyone's hands one by one. The scars on his fingertips had not yet fully healed, and they felt a bit rough—marks left by the beatings and the struggle with the assassins in the detention center. Every handshake conveyed mutual trust and determination: "I've made everyone worry. I'm back. Thanks to the intervention of the Public Security General Administration, I was able to clear my name and be rescued safely. And thanks to all of you, while I was imprisoned and unable to lead the work, you protected the project, protected our hard work, and successfully captured the mole, Li Jianjun. Next, we will fight side-by-side to bring the project to a successful conclusion, living up to the country's trust, our own efforts, and those who silently contributed to protecting the project. We must not let the schemes of Overseas Forces succeed!"

"Yes!" everyone responded in unison, their voices loud and echoing through the sky. The oppression and anxiety of the past few days, along with the worry and concern for Mu Li, completely vanished the moment Mu Li returned. In their place was a surge of fighting spirit and confidence—that Engineer Mu, who had endured hardships yet remained determined and fearless, was back; the backbone who could lead them to break through all obstacles and move toward success was back.

Zhang Hongyuan gently patted Mu Li's shoulder, carefully avoiding the wound on his back, his tone full of heartache and concern: "Engineer Mu, the doctor instructed you to rest. The wound on your back hasn't healed yet. How about going to the temporary dormitory to rest for half a day and recover properly? We'll organize the latest project status and all the details of the investigation and rectification, then report to you one by one."

"No need." Mu Li waved his hand and looked toward the Main Control Building with a determined gaze, showing no sign of slackening. "The time for production acceptance is tight; we can't afford to waste a single second. We can't delay. On the way to the hospital, I made up my mind that I would never give Overseas Forces another opportunity. They won't give up just because Li Jianjun was caught. Any slight oversight could cause all our efforts to go to waste. Let's go to the Main Control Room now; we'll have a meeting immediately to sort out the follow-up work arrangements, investigate all possible hidden dangers, and strictly prevent the remnants of Overseas Forces from causing damage."

Seeing Mu Li's resolute attitude and the unquestionable determination in his eyes, Zhang Hongyuan stopped trying to persuade him. He knew Mu Li's character too well—once he made up his mind, he wouldn't change it easily. Moreover, after the ordeal in the detention center and carrying such a heavy responsibility, Mu Li cared more than anyone about the project's safety and wanted to push it toward production as soon as possible, as well as protect this hard-won stability. Zhang Hongyuan nodded: "Alright, I've already had Zhao Kai organize all the project investigation and rectification materials, the recovery status of the data stolen by Li Jianjun, and the details of the system upgrade. Lin Wei has also coordinated with the regulatory departments and the Public Security General Administration. The Acceptance Expert Group is expected to arrive on-site in three days. All the preliminary preparation work is moving forward in an orderly fashion; we've just been waiting for you to lead and make the final decisions."