Chapter 54: The Willing Are Hooked
September 7th, 2 PM.
East Suburb of District X, City C, Second Branch of the Army General Hospital.
Beneath my feet lies a gently undulating small hill, surrounded by abandoned farmland that has been left to nature. At this moment, Wan Yue, dressed in jeans, stands in front of Xiao Ai, holding a high-powered telescope.
Through the lens, the nationally renowned military hospital appears as usual, with ambulances coming and going, patients strolling in the beautiful garden accompanied by their relatives, and male and female medical staff in white coats rushing between the various buildings.
However, the scenery around the two connected medical buildings seems somewhat out of place. Not only are several special police armored vehicles parked outside, but also numerous men and women in black combat gear, armed to the teeth, guarding each entrance.
Suddenly, two unusual figures appear in the view of the telescope.
A seemingly ageless man, covered in bandages and clad in a patient gown, sits in a wheelchair, being pushed by a masked young nurse. As they turn towards the courtyard corridor, the nurse casually touches her shoulder with her hand, her fingers tapping a few times.
This is the signal agreed upon by Zhao Peng and Jiang Yan with Wan Yue, indicating they have successfully learned the surgery time for the elderly Jiang Chunhua, which is set for 10 PM tonight, basically just at the end of prime time.
The reasoning is simple; for the final step of the bone marrow transplant, it is necessary to match suitable bone marrow resources in the national database, and with multiple preoperative and postoperative treatment processes, completing the surgery within 24 hours is already quite difficult.
“Wan Jie, Xiao Yan has just joined the Hyacinth gang not long ago; she doesn’t believe you, and her stubbornness is dragging Zhao Ge down with her…”
Usually calm and reserved, Xiao Ai lowers her head, looking a bit nervous, her words tinged with resentment.
“She is someone who won’t give up until she sees the Yellow River. She knows this could be a trap, but she simply can’t get over that mental hurdle… In her heart, it’s Jiang Chunhua who gave her a life, and the welfare home that gave her a family. For the value of this life and the meaning of that home, she’s willing to gamble and accept the loss; that’s her only obsession.”
Wan Yue takes out a cigarette, her expression playful and her tone relaxed: “They’ve already mixed in. If I’m not mistaken, that kind of disguise shouldn’t have much effect, and the Dark Arrow won’t allow for a fruitless return. We’ll wait to see the show tonight…”
“Wan Jie, there are so many Dark Arrow troops lurking around… Will Zhao Ge and Jiang Yan really be okay this time?”
Apart from this, Xiao Ai can find no other more appropriate words.
The former leader of the Hyacinth gang is nearly an omnipotent woman, as if there is nothing in this world that Wan Yue cannot solve.
But given the current situation, it seems unlikely that Zhao Peng and Jiang Yan can escape unscathed, which leaves Xiao Ai in great turmoil.
“Stop guessing, go back and prepare. We might need to arm ourselves to assist those two tonight. If something unexpected occurs… haha, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s us. It’s almost impossible for such a heavyweight operation not to attract some attention.”
Having said that, Wan Yue turns and walks down the small hill.
Xiao Ai remains nervously holding the telescope, still seemingly probing for Zhao Peng and Jiang Yan’s movements, as if she hasn’t fully absorbed Wan Yue’s last remark.
…
In another direction, one kilometer away from the military hospital, a tourist bus is parked by the roadside. A few enthusiastic Caucasian men and women are touring and photographing the scenery of an ecological sightseeing farm.
“Lord Elvin, according to intelligence, the timing for the Dark Arrow operation remains unchanged and is confirmed for tonight. They are tempting two members of the Dark Arrow who escaped from City D a few months ago and were subjected to blood invasion. It can be reasonably concluded that the Dark Arrow has identified those two as the targets for Grandma, the victims of the blood invasion before her breakdown.”
Emma, holding a digital camera, quietly says to a nearby Caucasian youth while showcasing the farm: “Currently, the Dark Arrow troops stationed around the hospital are roughly estimated to be no less than two operational teams, possibly more, with a task level of B.”
“However, the internal space of the hospital building is limited, and no matter how many soldiers the Dark Arrow deploys, they cannot operate fully inside; most can only perform blocking tasks outside. So in reality, only a shock troop-sized unit will be able to enter. Based on Mr. Luca’s arrangement, it shouldn’t be too difficult to cope.”
After speaking, Emma signals Luca from a distance as if preparing to take a picture.
“Very well, then it will be hard work for the two of you to go in and check. If those two little mice really fall for it, just bring them out. Many truths still need to be unearthed from them.”
Elvin brushes his pretty blonde hair back, turns to embrace Emma’s waist, and gestures towards Luca from a distance, who then presses the camera’s shutter.
Time freezes: the beautiful ecological farm, the cold yet gorgeous female secretary, and the tall young man with a carefree demeanor form a pleasant picture.
……
……
Pushing Zhao Peng, who is disguised as a patient, Jiang Yan carefully surveys the surroundings, her lips slightly biting her teeth beneath the mask.
Biting down slightly. Whether on the surface or in secret, the two connected medical buildings have already been sealed off by the Dark Arrow troops; all medical staff and patients are unable to leave.
The reason is that the military hospital is currently undergoing an area control to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
This reason is quite flimsy, but for a military hospital, it seems that any unreasonable measures can be forcibly accepted. After all, a secret operation for a dangerous blood invader is about to take place here; if anything goes wrong, it must be contained within the medical building.
So theoretically, before nightfall, Jiang Yan and Zhao Peng can no longer escape.
Jiang Yan has seen many familiar faces along the way; they are all women from the Xuanjia Brigade’s support team or intelligence team, almost without exception disguised as doctors or nurses, frequently appearing on various floors of the two connected medical buildings.
A small cart marked with blood bank symbols rushes by, escorted by two nurses into a special surgery elevator, indicating that a large-scale surgery requiring a significant amount of blood is being urgently prepared.
It’s a trap, a daylight conspiracy; Wan Jie was right… Perhaps even Grandma Jiang may not have been blood-invaded as she has seen; it’s just that the entire process has been arranged too realistically.
What has happened to me? Clearly, Xia Yan is already dead; he has left Director Jiang’s world and has obtained a world mark that most people can’t get. What else does he want…?
Jiang Yan’s expression grows increasingly bleak. She feels as if a monster named Xia Yan has emerged within her, roaring, crying, cursing, and hysterically driving her to resolve the final obsession in her heart.
After several minutes of winding through twists and turns, they arrive at a certain floor in the mid-section of Building B. At Zhao Peng’s signal, Jiang Yan pushes the wheelchair, passing through an empty waiting hall and a hallway, arriving at a secluded elevator room.
In front of them stands a staff elevator surrounded by yellow warning signs, indicating that it is currently out of service for maintenance.
This information was acquired by Wan Yue from somewhere; at this moment, the elevator shaft is empty, which will become the only escape route for Zhao Peng and herself in the deep of night.
They return to the waiting hall and turn a corner into a hallway leading to the treatment preparation room, quietly sneaking into an empty treatment preparation room at the end.
Closing the door, Zhao Peng leaps up, quickly removing all the bandages from his body and retrieving a prepared cloth bag from a hidden space beneath the wheelchair, pulling out a white coat to put on.
A few minutes later, a male doctor exits the vacant treatment room, followed by a nurse with her head bowed in submission.
The two wear masks, their expressions natural, and without paying attention to anyone, they head straight up the stairs to a higher floor, preparing to conceal themselves for the remaining time, awaiting the final moment of action.
……
……
Night has fallen, and at a high-end villa community in District Q, a special post-dinner leisure activity is taking place.
Today is Saturday, and Akami Haruna, studying at the City C University of Science and Technology, has once again visited the Zhong family and even accepted the invitation to stay over from the elder members of the Zhong family.
Dressed in a European-style party dress, Akami Haruna, accompanied by Zhong Jing, is touring an exaggeratedly large study.
The walls are adorned with posters of beautiful anime girls, densely packed with anime figurines and models filling two entire walls of glass cabinets.
“I’m really shocked, Jing-kun. I never expected you to be so passionate about Japanese anime culture! Can I touch that?”
The elegant and serene Japanese girl repeatedly praises the objects before her, extending her hand to touch a massive anime figure after receiving permission.
“Anime culture is not unique to Japan; at least that’s how people in this circle perceive it, and I like beautiful things.”
Zhong Jing smiles as he opens the glass cabinet and takes out an Asuna figure, cheerfully handing it to Akami Haruna: “For example, I have a particular fondness for blonde anime characters.”
“Are real people not as good as these virtual characters?”
Akami Haruna turns around and walks toward another poster, the beautiful hem of her dress creating an exquisite arc beneath her, while the flower bow at the back sways along, looking youthful and vibrant.
“I’m quite curious, Miss Haruna, how could a born-and-bred Japanese person be so unfamiliar with her own country’s two-dimensional culture?”
Zhong Jing follows her with a smile, glancing involuntarily towards the door of the study: “In reality, there is another wonderful creature in the real world that can resonate with two-dimensional characters, and that is pet cats.”
There, a very cute kitten sits crouched, a Ragdoll breed. Gentle and graceful, with blue eyes and a fluffy tail, the cat’s distinctive fur pattern on its face is extraordinarily balanced and exquisite, clearly one of the finest types.
“Hmm, I love raising cats. But I was afraid it would cause Uncle and Aunt to be allergic when I came for the first visit, so I didn’t dare to bring Yuxian along. However, I later saw many cats and dogs in your back yard, so today I took the liberty of bringing Yuxian to play!”
Akami Haruna gestures towards the door, the Ragdoll named Yuxian yawning gracefully, then walking elegantly to the girl’s side, where she is cradled in her arms.
Up close, this Ragdoll is even more beautiful, with an impeccable personality; however, at the moment it yawns, Zhong Jing catches sight of its sharp teeth glinting with a faint hint of blood, causing a chill to run down his back.
When this Ragdoll first stepped through the door of the Zhong family villa, all the cats and dogs in the house hid as if they had seen a ghost, making Zhong Jing feel something was off.
“Jing-kun, do you like her?”
Akami Haruna lifts the Ragdoll to the side of her face, affectionately nuzzling it, and her beautiful eyes crinkle with smiles.
“Mm, my mom also loves raising cats. As long as they don’t scratch my things here, I can appreciate them quite a bit.”
As he speaks, Zhong Jing pretends to check his watch.
“Oh, it seems quite late, then I shall go rest. Thank you, Jing-kun, for sharing your study with me!”
Akami Haruna is perceptive and quickly understands Zhong Jing’s meaning. With a slight bow, she cradles the Ragdoll and gracefully leaves.
At the door of the study, the short young man beside Akami Haruna also shows himself, bending slightly to bow to the girl while secretly sizing up Zhong Jing.
Returning to the luxurious bedroom transformed from a side chamber of the Zhong family, Akami Haruna sits on the edge of the bed, brushing her skirt and looking around, feeling quite satisfied.
The Ragdoll behaves well, not jumping on the bed, but hopping onto the side dressing table, stretching its paws and arching its back, displaying poses that are enticingly elegant.
“Miss, the Engel family is on the move today; they should have grasped the intelligence on Dark Arrow’s operations.”
The short young man kneels on one knee before Akami Haruna, his demeanor rigid.
“Hmm, I’ve heard that they seem to have lost quite a bit… and it’s already been targeted by the Wang family and Dark Arrow. It won’t be so easy for the Engel family to retrieve what they’ve lost. The urgent news has been sent to the main family; let’s just observe for now and not get involved.”
“Bai Yu-kun, from today on, I want to monitor Zhong Jing’s every move. He’s not like his father; this man is very important to me.”
“Hi!” The short young man nods vigorously before exiting the room.
