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The military stronghold of Xuan State was now quiet, as the competition had ended and all the contestants had returned.

But most of them did not fare well.

For example, the team from Southern State Country was slow in action, busy forming alliances along the way.

By the time they had formed an alliance, Gu Xiaoxi had already led her team to the front, seizing the emblem.

In the end, they gained nothing.

From the beginning of the competition, there were some who wasted too much time searching for military dogs and gathering teammates, which made it hard for them to catch up to Gu Xiaoxi and others.

Compared to those who lacked strategy, the captain of Xiongli Country, Mo Mo, led his four team members to a Silver Badge and three Bronze Medals.

D State was also lucky to get a Silver Badge and two Bronze Medals.

The remaining medals were taken by Dong State and other countries, each with either a silver or a bronze.

In the last task of delivering intelligence, teams from D State and West Zhou were supporting the front lines, which delayed the crucial task of delivering the intelligence, resulting in Gu Xiaoxi being the first to do so, leaving them extremely dissatisfied.

But in the end, facts are undeniable—Gu Xiaoxi had delivered the intelligence, while they were still on their way!

In the face of war, intelligence is of utmost importance. However significant the battle, delaying intelligence can cost countless lives.

When the intelligence is in hand, perhaps the war would be over.

This was a test of everyone’s ability to follow orders.

Below the flag of peace, the national flags of Liuli Country and Xuan State rose side by side in first place.

Quan Shaoqing stood with Gu Xiaoxi and others under the national flag, saluting and playing the national anthem.

In front of Liuli Country’s television sets, countless viewers looked up at this scene, their blood boiling with excitement.

Finally, they had won first place. It was the first time in three years that their national flag was hoisted to the top position beside Xuan State under the flag of peace.

Jing Mingcheng was indescribably moved by this scene.

This moment was not only their glory but also the glory of all citizens of Liuli Country.

Gu Xiaoxi gazed at the fluttering national flag, her eyes solemn. At this moment, they had triumphed, brought this honor to their country and their people.

They were very proud!

Yun Xiao saluted the national flag with a solemn expression. She had never dared to dream that she would stand in such a spotlight.

She had always thought of herself as an unrecognized monster, an oddity unable to exist in society. It wasn’t until she stood here did she realize how much she had changed in just a few months.

Confidence shone brightly within her, and she had a deeper understanding and confidence about the future.

She believed that as long as she worked hard, nothing was impossible.

Jing Haoran felt nothing but joy, believing that this was what he should contribute, considering his esteemed status as the Young Master Di.

Ji Xinyu, although not satisfied that Gu Xiaoxi always seemed to lead everyone in bullying him, had to admit that without her, they might not have won the competition.

Whether it was assembling the team or distributing tasks, to the final sacrifices, every decision was crucial. Since they had won first place, he wouldn’t hold a grudge against Gu Xiaoxi.

Lying in the hospital, Long Yi and others were also incredibly excited; even though they could only share this important moment from their sickbeds, a win was a win. Victory belonged to everyone, and at that moment, even getting an injection didn’t seem painful.

After receiving the trophy, the competition came to an end. The applause and cheers of thousands engraved their names in the memory of their compatriots.

D State achieved third place.

Unquestionably, Xiongli Country was the second place, with most other countries missing out on the ranking. Of course, if Western State Country had not attempted to snatch their emblem, they wouldn’t have had to exit the competition halfway, ending up with nothing.

It was easy to imagine how unsettled they felt about withdrawing. In the end, they blamed everything on Gu Xiaoxi.

But would Gu Xiaoxi ever be afraid of them?

Quan Shaoqing took Gu Xiaoxi and the others to the closing ceremony banquet.

This banquet was much more grand than the opening banquet.

Gu Xiaoxi also met many prominent figures, such as the chief of Xuan State, the supreme commander, and core ministers from some countries.

Although Southern State Country and Western State Country couldn’t attend the banquet and hated Gu Xiaoxi to the bone, they could only curse her venomously from a distance, powerless to do anything else.

At the banquet, Gu Xiaoxi was toasted so much that she ended up drinking a bit too much.

Before the banquet was over, Quan Shaoqing took her away.

Danny Jay originally wanted to celebrate with Gu Xiaoxi but before he had a chance to invite her, she had already been whisked away by Quan Shaoqing.

He was so frustrated that he swore to never have anything more to do with Quan Shaoqing.

As Gu Xiaoxi’s great and loyal husband, Quan Shaoqing had long awaited this moment.

When she woke up, the sun shone brilliantly outside, a gentle breeze wafted through the sheer curtains, softly lifting her soft strands of hair.

An unfamiliar room, the furnishings were exquisite and luxurious, everywhere displaying the master’s wealth and prestige.

If not for the familiar scent of Quan Shaoqing on the quilt and pillow, she would have thought she entered the wrong room by mistake.

Gu Xiaoxi got up to wash, not remembering anything about the previous night.

Gu Xiaoxi saw that the closet was prepared with many clothes for her to wear, which were more formal and sophisticated than those prepared by her mother-in-law, highlighting one’s temperament.

Gu Xiaoxi chose a shirt and black trousers, paired casually; her height of one meter seventy-three made her look exceptionally tall and elegant, her legs straight and the lines beautiful, her movements exuding a dashing and enticing charm.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she rubbed her still-damp short hair with satisfaction and strode out of the room.

Downstairs, the kitchen wafted with the tempting aroma of food, she followed the scent to the kitchen door and saw Quan Shaoqing busily cooking with a spatula in hand.

He was dressed simply in a white shirt and light gray casual pants, standing in a high-end kitchen without any sense of incongruity. His tall figure, his majestic posture, constantly exuded a man’s gentry, even with sleeves rolled up and an apron on, he still looked handsomely captivating.

He cooked with seriousness, as if engrossed in important work, meticulous, even carefully controlling the heat to make the dishes in the pot even more fragrant.

Gu Xiaoxi always knew he could cook and make great dishes.

But only today did she realize that he looked so handsome while cooking. Standing there, he still had a cool, iron-blooded air, and even the dishes on the plate felt somewhat heroic yet tender.

He was so absorbed that he didn’t even notice her appearance by his side.

"Sweet and sour fish! I love it," Gu Xiaoxi squinted with a light smile, her arms crossed over her chest, her chin lifted high, leaning lazily against the kitchen doorway, evaluating like a queen, "But who would have thought you’d cook yourself? Are you that bored?"

Quan Shaoqing started with her sudden appearance; he didn’t expect her to wake up so soon, especially after last night’s activities. Seeing her stand fresh and alert behind him, he turned around, his eyes overflowing with boundless tenderness as they fell on her.

He immediately set down the spatula, walked over to the doorway, and bent down to sweetly kiss Gu Xiaoxi’s rosy lips before saying with a smile, "Wait, we’ll eat in a moment."

It took her a moment to react, then she exclaimed angrily, "Scoundrel!"

"Good girl! I’m only a scoundrel for you!" Quan Shaoqing turned off the stove, placing the final dish into a bowl.

Gu Xiaoxi was speechless, what more could she say, "No principles, no limits, can’t you be a little more proper?"

Quan Shaoqing turned his head, revealing that enchanting face that could bewitch everyone, looking at Gu Xiaoxi seriously, "Wife, this is how a man loves a woman. You need to get used to it!"

Gu Xiaoxi flushed with anger, unable to argue with him, turned to leave, but at that moment Quan Shaoqing called her back, even instructing her, "Take the fish out, it’s time for lunch."

Gu Xiaoxi felt she always caught unintentional glimpses of the upward curve of his lips, so joyful, so pleased, as sweet as if he had stolen a taste of honey.

But that smile, it was too purposefully malicious! It gave her goosebumps all over.