Chapter 240: Eat Your Fill Before Departure

"Bullshit!" Lei Biao bellowed, cutting him off in a fury. "There's no such thing! I, Lei Biao, am taking you as my brother, starting today!

I must have been blind before. From now on, if anyone in the Axe Gang dares to doubt you, I'll be the first to chop him down!"

Feeling the sincerity in Lei Biao's words and the rough, unyielding loyalty of a man of the martial world,

Cheng Ge, on his back, managed a pale, satisfied smile and, in a barely audible voice, continued to press his advantage.

"R-really? Chief... with your words... I... I can die in peace..."

He coughed heavily, as if his life was fast slipping away.

"I had thought... as distance tests a horse's strength, so time reveals a person's true heart...

When the day comes that you truly accept me... I... I could snag the position of Fourth Chief... to bring honor to my ancestors...

Now it seems... I... I don't have that kind of luck..."

These final words perfectly captured the regret of a small man yearning for recognition and advancement,

They shattered the last of Lei Biao's mental defenses.

"Stop talking! Once your injuries heal, I'll personally hold a ceremony and promote you to Fourth Chief!"

Lei Biao roared out the promise, feeling Cheng Ge's body growing limper and his breath fainter on his back.

His heart was both panicked and pained, so he could only speed up his steps, racing desperately toward the stronghold.

In his heart at that moment, Cheng Ge was no longer that suspicious pretty boy,

but his sworn brother, someone he could trust with his life.

Lei Biao, carrying Cheng Ge like a wounded tiger gone berserk, charged through the stronghold's gates, instantly causing an uproar.

The remaining brothers, seeing their chief covered in blood with tattered clothes,

and Cheng Ge, whose life hung in the balance, equally disheveled, hanging on his back, all gathered around, clamoring:

"Chief! What happened to you?"

"How did you get so badly hurt?"

"Did you run into a tough nut?"

Lei Biao was burning with anxiety and was in no mood to explain. His eyes bloodshot, he roared at the crowd.

"Get the hell out of my way! Go drag that doctor over here! Now!"

His roar was like thunder, making their ears buzz, and immediately a few underlings scrambled frantically to fetch the doctor.

Without pausing, Lei Biao carried Cheng Ge straight to his own quarters, carefully laying him flat on the bed.

Cheng Ge seemed weakened further by the jostling, his eyes half-open and hazy, shivering slightly as he whispered, "Cold... so cold..."

Lei Biao's heart tightened at hearing this. He quickly grabbed the tiger-skin blanket nearby and wrapped Cheng Ge tightly, only to find Cheng Ge's body ice-cold to the touch.

He turned his head and roared again through the door, "Charcoal braziers! Bring more charcoal braziers in! Build up the fire!"

Soon, two more blazing charcoal braziers were added to the room, but Lei Biao still found Cheng Ge's face deathly pale.

The doctor, carrying his medicine chest, ran in out of breath. Before he could catch his breath, Lei Biao dragged him to the bed. "Quick! Check on my brother!"

The doctor dared not delay. He sat down and placed three fingers on Cheng Ge's wrist.

Cheng Ge weakly opened his eyes and met the doctor's gaze for a moment.

The doctor's eyes flickered slightly, then quickly lowered his gaze, focusing on the pulse.

After a while, the doctor slowly rose, lifted a corner of the tiger-skin blanket,

and skillfully pressed on Cheng Ge's injured leg. Cheng Ge let out a suppressed groan of pain on cue.

Lei Biao, on tenterhooks, leaned in nervously and asked, "How is it? What's wrong with my brother?"

The doctor gently tucked Cheng Ge's foot back under the blanket, then turned to face Lei Biao, letting out a heavy sigh.

Seeing that expression, Lei Biao's heart sank, and a foreboding feeling enveloped him.

Suppressing his panic, he growled, "Don't beat around the bush! Just say it! What's wrong with my brother?!"

The doctor sighed again before speaking, his tone somber: "Chief... it's not good...

Master Cheng's injuries... in my opinion, not only are the external wounds severe, but his lungs and other vital organs have been damaged!

Coupled with the leg injury—damaged tendons and bones, excessive blood loss—this... this is truly grim, I'm afraid... sigh..."

"Lung damage?!" Lei Biao felt as if a sledgehammer had hit his brain, leaving it blank in an instant.

No wonder... no wonder Cheng Ge coughed up blood, and that leg—crushed by an iron ruler while saving him.

An overwhelming flood of guilt and regret engulfed him.

If he hadn't been careless and fallen into an ambush, if Cheng Ge hadn't risked his life to save him...

In his extreme emotional turmoil, Lei Biao suddenly grabbed the doctor by the front of his robe, lifting the thin man so his toes left the ground.

His face twisted, eyes bloodshot, he gritted his teeth and growled.

"I don't care! You must cure him! Use the best medicine! If he doesn't recover, I'll chop you up and feed you to the wild dogs in the hills!"

Just then, Cheng Ge on the bed burst into a violent coughing fit,

curling up as if trying to cough out his internal organs, with a fresh trickle of blood oozing from the corner of his mouth.

Seeing this, Lei Biao's face turned even darker, his heart twisted with agony.

When the coughing subsided, Cheng Ge spoke weakly, his voice intermittent, yet carrying a heartbreaking calmness and resignation.

"Ch-chief... don't... don't trouble the doctor...

This is... all down to time and fate... I, Cheng Ge, was destined for this...

Just... that from now on... I can no longer serve at your side... to... to share your burdens... Ge... dies with regret..."

These words, paired with his pitiful state, were like pouring hot oil on the fire of Lei Biao's guilt.

He released the doctor and staggered back a step, looking at his brother lying on the bed, barely breathing, and a glimmer of tears welled up in his fierce eyes.

"Don't talk nonsense!" Lei Biao interrupted gruffly, his brows furrowed.

But seeing Cheng Ge's appearance—barely breathing—his heart softened, and his tone unconsciously lowered a bit.

"No matter what, I'm your big brother, I'm here, and I will find a way to save your life!"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Ge, as if grasping a lifeline, suddenly tightened his cold fingers around Lei Biao's thick wrist.

He opened his eyes with difficulty, his eyes shimmering with tears mixed with an indescribable complex emotion.

His lips trembling, he called out in a hoarse voice: "Big... Brother..."

This cry of "Big Brother" struck Lei Biao's heart, and tears suddenly welled up in his eyes.

In his life of living on the edge of a knife, he had heard countless cries of "Boss", but never had one carried such complete trust, striking him deep in the heart like this.

He grasped Cheng Ge's cold hand in return, his throat felt like it had a lump, and could only grunt a heavy "Hmm."

Cheng Ge took a few shallow breaths, as if gathering his last bit of strength, his voice so low it was almost inaudible.

"Big Brother... I... I'm hungry... Want... to eat my fill... before... before I go..."

Lei Biao was choked speechless by Cheng Ge's phrase "eat my fill before going." The turn was so sudden that his mind couldn't quite keep up.

But seeing Cheng Ge look so feeble and stare at him eagerly.

That moment of speechlessness in his heart was instantly overwhelmed by pity and the impulse to do his best to fulfill his brother's last wish.

He replied gruffly: "Stop talking nonsense! What 'go'? That's nonsense!

You just live, damn it! Wanting to eat is a good thing, it shows you have spirit. I'll have someone make you something right away!"

He turned around, about to order his men to make some plain rice porridge, when Cheng Ge's hand gripping his wrist suddenly tightened, his fingertips turning white with the effort.

Then came another bout of heart-wrenching coughs. After coughing, he finally caught his breath.

"Big... Brother... Porridge... watery porridge has no flavor... Me, your brother... I'm afraid I won't make it through tonight...

Before I die... I just... I just want to eat something solid...

Like... like pork knuckle... scallion oil chicken... and braised tendon..."

Lei Biao: "..."