Chapter 22

Chapter 22

On the first floor of Building No. 13, in the stairwell, Xie Yunshen took off his white top—a reversible jacket. Flipping it inside out and zipping it up transformed it into a black hoodie.

Yi Wuyi also stood up from the wheelchair and removed the casts from his body.

This was a blind spot in the corridor's surveillance.

"Yang Zhongxu will definitely take that VIP elevator. With the monitoring equipment, the elevator can hold at most ten people. Excluding Shang Guanhong, Lin Jin, and a nurse, that leaves a maximum of six experts. The livestream host and reporters will take another regular elevator to the first floor."

"Inside the elevator is when Yang Zhongxu's protection is at its weakest. Other Top Star Gate members wanting to come down would have to either take the stairs or wait for the next elevator."

"I've calculated it: one elevator trip down takes 32 seconds, round trip 64 seconds. After 64 seconds, the rest of Top Star Gate will reach the first floor, so we only have about one minute."

Yi Wuyi, wearing a white shirt, leaned against the stair railing, watching the live stream on his phone. He saw comments in the live chat where some referred to Yang Zhongxu as the cutest grandpa, the people's grandpa.

"The people's grandpa?"

"If Yang Zhongxu knew, he'd be laughing his head off. The walking organ banks he uses to make money are calling him grandpa."

Xie Yunshen stood behind him, dressed entirely in black, using the gauze Yi Wuyi had removed to make some protective finger wraps for himself.

Everyone believed Yang Zhongxu was a good man, a philanthropist. They were all praying for the treatment's success, and some late-stage cancer patients were awaiting the results.

If they forcibly interrupted the treatment, it would definitely alert the authorities.

So, letting this treatment conclude perfectly would actually avoid a lot of trouble.

The treatment lasted two hours. The afternoon sun made people drowsy.

In the live stream footage, after Lin Jin treated Yang Zhongxu, an immediate check-up was conducted.

The results showed the cancer cells were under control. While not yet cured, the effect was comparable to a month of chemotherapy.

But this method had none of chemotherapy's side effects.

The live chat exploded with amazement.

Lin Jin became an instant celebrity, renowned throughout Country A as a miracle doctor.

When Yang Zhongxu saw the results, he could barely suppress the wild grin from spreading across his face and the ambition blazing in his eyes.

Acting like a dutiful son, Shang Guanhong personally helped him into a wheelchair, draped a coat over his shoulders, and wheeled him out of the treatment room.

Several grim-faced men followed behind.

In the corridor, reporters followed while interviewing: "Mr. Yang, netizens are all wishing you well and urging you to look after yourself."

"Thank you, Dr. Lin Jin. Thank you, netizens. And thank you for the greetings and concern from the Zhu, Bai, Chen, and Huang enterprises of South Province. Although I, Yang Zhongxu, am old, I am very happy that Heaven isn't ready to claim me yet."

Some in the live chat had already begun discussing why the Yan family hadn't come today.

Of the five major families in the South Province Chamber of Commerce, the other four had all arrived. Only the Yan family had sent no greetings, no acknowledgment whatsoever.

The reporter immediately followed up: "The Yan Group not sending anyone to the hospital for condolences this time—does it have to do with the position of their new chairman, Yan Shiqi? It's rumored that for the next Financial Investment Summit, the Yan Group might not be on the chamber's list?"

Yang Zhongxu smiled. "Participation in the Financial Summit is based on an enterprise's own merits and has nothing to do with external factors."

Having witnessed the scene earlier where the four major families paid their respects, Lin Jin understood perfectly the intent behind Yang Zhongxu's words.

If he hadn't first heard what Xie Yunshen had to say, he probably would have been fooled by this old man's appearance too.

Thinking this, a chill ran down his spine.

At that moment, the elevator arrived. Lin Jin followed them inside.

Several men in suits tacitly positioned themselves in front of the elevator exit.

Lin Jin frowned, glancing at Shang Guanhong beside him.

The media and reporters got on the other elevator.

The remaining subordinates had to stay at the door, waiting for the next elevator.

Lin Jin silently watched the floor numbers lighting up on the display, figuring Xie Yunshen probably didn't dare to come after all.

Xie Yunshen, you're really good at beating a retreat, huh.

The elevator stopped on the third floor.

To appear approachable, Yang Zhongxu hadn't asked the hospital to clear the floor, so it was normal for someone to press the elevator button.

At first, no one thought much of it.

The doors opened, revealing a man all in black, wearing a black mask.

One of the men spoke: "Please take the next one."

The man lowered his head and pushed him aside with one hand.

The pushed man was shoved aside as if he were made of paper.

Another man reached to grab his shoulder, but the other party countered with an extremely tricky angle, twisting his elbow. Two crisp cracking sounds followed.

One was the sound of an arm being snapped, the other a kneecap being kicked.

The man screamed in pain, falling backward, only to be caught by a pair of hands—belonging to Tibetan Mastiff.

Tibetan Mastiff's long, ape-like arms were already striking toward his throat and heart.

His speed was fast, but the other was faster. The man didn't dodge or evade; his hand rotated, his wrist snaking along the arm, instantly striking Tibetan Mastiff's shoulder.

Tibetan Mastiff saw through the move, but the opponent was too fast; his body had no time to react. This sense of pressure felt all too familiar.

Not only that, the opponent's right knee had already warded off an attack from the right, while his left elbow smashed into the jaw of the man on the left.

In just a few seconds, he had exchanged several moves with Tibetan Mastiff and taken down four other men.

Lin Jin watched with a furrowed brow. Damn, is this guy Xie Yunshen?

Recalling their fight at the Yan residence last time, he could still trade blows with Xie Yunshen back and forth.

Now, Xie Yunshen was taking on multiple opponents, even single-handedly overpowering Tibetan Mastiff. It defied all reason.

Of course, the cramped elevator space limiting Yang Zhongxu's men's movements played a part too.

Shang Guanhong was also acutely aware that the only way to turn the tide was to escape the confines of the elevator.

His expression grave, he shouted, "Force him out of the elevator!"

But the weird part was, their men were pushed out of the elevator one after another by the opponent using skillful moves.

The black-clad man stood at the elevator entrance, his footing rock-solid. The elevator doors opened and closed repeatedly, but just wouldn't shut.

The subordinates who were pushed out had vanished without a trace—there were enemies outside the elevator!

Catching on, Shangguan Hong tried to pull out his phone but was hit by a flying subordinate, causing the phone to drop to the ground.

In the end, only Qing Ao was left fighting alone on their side.

Even so, he lasted just ten seconds before being struck in the chest, grabbed by the scalp, and brutally flung out of the elevator.

Yang Zhongxu sat in his wheelchair, his eyes sinister and his face grim.

As Qing Ao was thrown out, he tried to turn back, only to find the elevator doors had already closed.

Qing Ao was in disbelief: "Mr. Shangguan!"

Both Shangguan Hong and Yang Zhongxu had been snatched by the mysterious man!

Who the hell was this guy?!

His earpiece crackled with a call from his companions: "Qing Ao! What’s going on?"

Just as Qing Ao was about to speak, he was knocked out cold from behind.

Outside the elevator, several men were already lying unconscious on the ground.

Five seconds earlier, the reporters in the elevator had already gotten off. They exited, intending to wait for Yang Zhongxu and the others at the VIP elevator, but they saw the elevator stop on the third floor for a while before heading back up to the top floor.

"What's happening?"

"Has Mr. Yang come down?"

"No. We’ve been waiting here the whole time."

Just as everyone was puzzled, a blaring alarm sounded.

It was the smoke alarm. Patients and staff from Building 13 poured into the stairwells to escape.

Large crowds streamed down like a flowing river.

At that moment, Top Star Gate members tried to climb up but were totally stuck on the stairs by the crowd.

By the time they reached the top floor, the others were long gone, leaving only Lin Jin and the shaken-up nurse.

Both Shangguan Hong and Yang Zhongxu were gone.

Qing Ao closed his eyes, feeling like it was the end of the world.

"Inform the young lord."

Meanwhile, at the hospital entrance, patients and families scattered from the stairs into the lobby.

Two men pushed a patient in a wheelchair to the underground garage and loaded him into a car.

Then, in the chaotic traffic, they drove out of the garage.

Yang Zhongxu sat in the back seat, his face a mask of humiliation, glaring darkly at the two men in front: "Who are you?"

Yang Zhongxu prided himself on navigating both the legitimate and underworld realms his entire life, even beating illness, but he never expected to be brought down today.

Moreover, there were only two opponents, and from their builds, they were both young men.

They didn’t cover their eyes, which was an ominous sign.

When the enemy no longer needs to hide their route from you, it means in their eyes, you are a dead man.

"A billion, is that enough?" Seeing the two remain silent, Yang Zhongxu spoke again.

Only a disdainful scoff was heard.

"Or do you have any demands?"

Still, no one answered him.

Yang Zhongxu smiled. "Boys, I can offer you the highest levels of riches and luxury. With your abilities, if you’re only doing things like this, isn’t it a waste?"

Again, there was no response.

A murderous glint flashed in Yang Zhongxu’s aged eyes.

The car splashed through a puddle. This was the suburban border, pretty much out of Top Star Gate’s surveillance range.

Along the way, Yi Wuyi even changed cars twice. Clearly, they had rehearsed everything on this route.

Finally, the car stopped in front of an old house in the suburbs.

"This is the place."

"What do you plan to do?" Yi Wuyi asked.

"Live stream. After the stream, I hope the police can convict him."

"Stream what?"

"A confession."

Yi Wuyi: "That's so badass?"

"?" Lao Wu was mixing up words again.

"Most people are still deceived by Yang Zhongxu. If we don’t do this, no one will believe us." Xie Yunshen’s footsteps sounded exceptionally clear in the night wind.

Xie Yunshen took out the filming equipment he had prepared—a phone he had asked Yi Wuyi to get in advance. Although the base station could be traced, pinpointing the exact location would take some time.

"We need to be quick. Top Star Gate will trace this place soon."

Meanwhile, Top Star Gate members were still patrolling outside, searching for clues.

Motorcycles were everywhere, densely packed—these were the veins of Top Star Gate spread throughout the city.

A man wearing a hoodie, with a lean and athletic build, walked up to a car window.

The man in the car immediately lowered the window respectfully.

"Still no clues?" the man asked.

"When you find him, don’t harm his bones or tendons. I want to deal with him personally."

"Yes." The man paused, taken aback; it seemed the young master was truly enraged.

Indeed, over all these years, who had ever dared to provoke Top Star Sect like this?

Yang Zhongxu was a Top Star Group elder. If that fact had remained unknown, it might not have been an issue.

But for years, Top Star Sect had also excelled at disguise, gaining economic control over many cities in the southern province through legitimate financial investments. Shangguan Hong could even be considered at the general manager level of Top Star Group. Going after Shangguan Hong meant going after Top Star Sect itself.

At that moment, another man in the car suddenly cried out, "Wait, look! The mysterious person has started a live stream!"

Author's Note:

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