"Alright, come with us. We'll help you get a new ID card."

"First, I'd like to make a phone call."

"You're not trying to skip out on the bill, are you?" Liu Kai's expression changed abruptly, and he tightly gripped Shao Qi's throat, threatening fiercely, "No one dares to cross me, Liu Kai, in the Wei River Base!"

"Rest assured, I just want to assure my family that I'm safe. You've helped me; I won't betray your kindness," Shao Qi replied calmly.

Liu Kai promptly purchased a satellite phone. It's become more available these days, not as scarce as before.

Shao Qi dialed a number he knew by heart, but the line was dead on the other end – no response.

He tried his home's landline, but again, no answer.

As he considered calling the military base, Liu Kai snatched the phone away, saying, "Enough! If you can't reach them, settle our debt first. Then you can call whomever you wish!"

As Shao Qi headed to the registration office, he was in two minds. If he reissued his ID with his real identity, the news would instantly reach Dawn City.

It wasn’t just about revealing his identity, but that he lacked the means to protect himself right now. With countless wanting him dead, he dared not expose himself before meeting Zhou You.

Thus, standing in the office lobby, he reported a different identity. The ID number and name matched, but the facial features, marred by burns, couldn't be verified against the database.

His face bore burn marks covering half of it, so different from his original appearance in the system, and not a single finger was intact for fingerprinting.

The staff was in a quandary. His circumstances were pitiable, but they couldn't break protocol.

Shao Qi wasn't surprised. "I recall you can verify by password when reissuing an ID. Try that," he suggested.

The staff member was taken aback; password verification was usually reserved for high-tier cards. They hadn’t expected this ragged man before them to be of such stature.

The password worked, and Shao Qi received his new ID swiftly. He checked the balance—a substantial sum he'd saved years ago, enough to last a lifetime.

He transferred two thousand points to Liu Kai, who now regarded him with newfound respect, probably surprised by Shao Qi's real wealth.

"Here's my card. If you ever need assistance, feel free to contact me. But remember, it comes with a price," Liu Kai remarked, leaving with slight regret. Had he known Shao Qi’s worth, he might have treated him better during their journey.

Shao Qi bought a satellite phone from the mall, then leisurely registered at the hospital.

Current medical advancements could address his facial scars and external injuries, but his internal injuries were untreatable.

Settling in his hospital room, Shao Qi tried calling Zhou You again, but each attempt met with a disconnected line. He figured Zhou You would have searched for him. After days without news, Shao Qi could only imagine Zhou You's thoughts.

People believing him dead was one thing, but he couldn't let Zhou You grieve.

He set up a new email account, sending messages to several addresses before starting to browse the news.

The headlines were saturated with news of his "death". Many even highlighted his achievements and challenges, painting them in a positive light. It seemed his detractors were silent in death.

Alive, he faced both praise and criticism. In death, the world only remembered the good. He wondered how history would remember him in centuries to come.

He caught a glimpse of Zhou You in the news, escorted from the airport by the Flame Troop. Zhou You ignored the barrage of reporters, swiftly getting into a car. Though Zhou You's face was downcast, Shao Qi could tell he'd lost weight and looked wearied.

Shao Qi's heart ached. He also realized he had missed Zhou You. Would things be different if he had stayed at Life Base?

"With such severe injuries, don't you have any family to accompany you?" asked the nurse, pushing a cart with medication. She wondered if he needed to hire a caretaker.

Shao Qi shook his head. "I can manage," he said. Considering he still had all his limbs, he was fortunate enough.

As for his face, it was admittedly unsightly before the cosmetic surgery. Even he would get startled upon looking in the mirror.

After administering medication, the nurse said sympathetically, "Don't be too disheartened. At least you're alive. Our Marshal Shao didn't even have that luxury. It's truly a national tragedy."

Lost for words, Shao Qi stared at the enlarged photo on his phone. Instinctively, he reached into his pocket, but found nothing. He used to carry his wedding photo with him.

After five days in the hospital, Shao Qi's external injuries had nearly healed. With a face mask, the scars weren’t so obvious anymore. He checked out of the hospital.

Standing on the streets of Wei River City, he felt lost for a moment before setting a short-term goal.

Chapter 227: I Believe in Him

That day, Shao Qi bought a second-hand house with a yard in the outskirts of Wei River City. He ordered a batch of supplies online and then crafted a fake resume that was convincingly real.

The next day, he began working as a junior designer in a sword-making workshop.

Nowadays, more and more people use swords as weapons. There are plenty of such small workshops around, producing flamboyantly designed but not necessarily practical swords.

During his interview, Shao Qi was asked to provide two design sketches and was given three days to prepare. However, he swiftly sketched a knife and a sword on the spot, impressing the owner, who hired him immediately with a monthly salary of two hundred credits.

Shao Qi's monthly workload was just to produce a few usable blueprints. He spent most of his time observing the workers by the furnace.

Even though it was a small sword-making workshop, they used fully mechanized equipment. The materials would be melted, poured into molds, and mechanically refined. After taking shape, artisans would add finishing touches, creating beautifully crafted and expensive swords.