Chapter 45
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Chapter 45: The Probability of Being Semi-Literate
Zhuang Mian felt that her car’s handling was off.
Even though she was alone in the vehicle, she often sensed something strange when taking turns.
She could even hear faint groans when driving over bumpy areas.
Zhuang Mian recalled those vivid urban legends and suspected that there might be one or more soul rings in the car, waiting to seize control of the steering wheel.
“The public vehicle from the security bureau can’t be an accident car, right…”
Zhuang Mian muttered to herself as the vehicle passed over a noticeable dip in the road.
“Bang!”
The car’s chassis scraped against the concrete, producing a sharp crashing sound.
Then, another impact occurred on the trunk lid, followed by a clear “hiss” of pain.
Zhuang Mian turned on the hazard lights and pulled over, then calmly walked to the back of the car.
With one hand, she opened the trunk, and with the other, she held her gun aimed inside.
When the trunk lid opened, illuminated by the dim glow of the inner city streetlights, Zhuang Mian saw a gray-haired boy curled up inside, holding his head.
“Ah?”
—
“You’re so young, yet doing such dangerous things, your…”
After the false alarm, Zhuang Mian began to lecture the boy in a grown-up tone.
However, just as she was about to say “parents,” she remembered Lin Qingliu’s earlier words and swallowed them back.
“Does Dr. Lin know about this?”
Zhuang Mian didn’t know why she had asked, but she figured that perhaps only that priest disguised as a psychologist and the boy in front of her had some connection.
El nodded seriously and said,
“He knows.”
“He actually agreed?”
“He said it’s part of psychological treatment.”
As El spoke half-truths, he shifted the blame onto Lin Qingliu, who was still in the outer city. Then, before Zhuang Mian could question him, he asked,
“Are you investigating organ trafficking?”
“You know about that?”
Zhuang Mian’s eyes widened, feeling as if the outer city security bureau had turned into a sieve.
“Dr. Lin told me.”
El passed the blame onto Lin Qingliu again,
“My father’s death is related to this matter, so I’ve been investigating it.
“Dr. Lin said that only by completely resolving this issue can my psychological illness be cured.”
“……”
Zhuang Mian suddenly found herself at a loss for words.
Reason whispered to her that the boy before her had already lost everything due to those events. Did she have the right to strip him of his final thoughts of revenge?
Yet another part of her, the ambitious and calculating side, urged her:
This boy could be useful. Like the "Heart Snatcher," who had secretly allied with her, having him as a pawn or a subordinate was far better than being alone.
After a moment of contemplation, Zhuang Mian looked at the boy and asked earnestly,
“You might die. Are you still willing to go?”
El nodded without hesitation,
“I’ll go.”
At three in the morning, Zhuang Mian parked the car in a residential area near the Red Maple Grove Sanitarium.
To avoid raising any alarms, they would have to cover the remaining two kilometers on foot.
Zhuang Mian kept her gun in hand and handed a standard-issue dagger to El.
If their mission succeeded, a shocking case might soon unfold before the eyes of Hope City’s residents.
Of course, the price for this might be nothing more than their two lives.
—
In the operating room of the Red Maple Grove Sanitarium, a syringe was injected into the old man’s vein. The effects of the anesthetic dissipated as quickly as a receding tide.
Regaining control of his body, the old man sat up on the operating table. Feeling the vigor coursing through him, he yanked out the lingering painkiller from his body.
After stretching and moving like a young man, the old man glanced at the unconscious Wang Xiao and remarked casually,
“The surgery was a success. Destroy everything here and transfer the target to Laboratory No. 3. The second operation will take place this afternoon.”
“Understood.”
Amid the respectful nods of two doctors and several nurses, Zhao Kai, the chief executive of the Department of Life Technology at the research institutes, left the Red Maple Grove Sanitarium with a spring in his step, reminiscent of his youthful tap-dancing days.
The success of the operation solidified Zhao Kai’s resolve to shut down this secret laboratory. Caution was paramount, especially since his distant relative Zhao Qi had yet to respond, leaving Zhao Kai increasingly on edge.
Fortunately, he had divulged no critical information over the phone, ensuring his plans remained hidden.
Five minutes later, brimming with energy, Zhao Kai revved the engine and sped away from the sanitarium into the silent night.
Ten minutes later, a black van carried the unconscious Wang Xiao, who required constant anesthetic to remain subdued, toward another laboratory.
Fifteen minutes later, Zhuang Mian and El emerged from the dense forest and approached the sanitarium. Through the glass reflections, they could faintly see flames flickering deep within the building.
“This is bad!”
Zhuang Mian was the first to grasp the situation. Having served as a public security captain in the inner city for years, she knew all too well that those inside were likely burning crucial documents.
Without hesitation, Zhuang Mian quickly assessed their surroundings and then led the way with stealthy precision.
El followed behind her, walking calmly and seemingly unperturbed.
This was hardly surprising; statistically, the odds of encountering an assassin at night were slim, and the chance of running into two was practically nonexistent.
Based on this logic, El believed Zhuang Mian was perfectly safe at that moment.
The two moved through the corridor connecting the front and rear buildings of the sanitarium and finally spotted the flames at the base of the stairwell.
Two men in sweatshirts were pouring something onto the floor, while flames crept outward from deeper within the building.
Given that Hope City lacked fossil fuel supplies, Zhuang Mian deduced they were likely using alcohol.
As the flames began to lick the ceiling, Zhuang Mian abandoned any hope of salvaging the documents. Her focus shifted to capturing as many live targets as possible to extract the information they needed.
“Bang!”
A gunshot rang out, and Zhuang Mian felt a sudden shove.
A bullet whizzed through the space she had just occupied, embedding itself in the white wall behind her.
Zhuang Mian turned her head and saw two gunmen at the far end of the corridor, trapping her and El in the stairwell between the first floor and the basement.
Gunfire echoed through the building as more guards began to converge on their position.
Zhuang Mian had no time to thank the boy behind her for rescuing her. She grabbed her companion, and they both crouched low, using the staircase as cover from the relentless gunfire.
Meanwhile, in the basement, the two guards who had been setting fire to the documents were startled by the gunshots. They dropped their alcohol cans and drew their weapons.
However, the guards hesitated to fire; their hands were still slick with unevaporated alcohol, and a stray spark could turn them into human torches.
Realizing they were caught in a crossfire, Zhuang Mian decided to deal with the two hesitant fools below first.
