C17 Trembling along the Way

As Lin Hao finished speaking, a streak of golden light flashed across the monitor, implanting a series of strange movements into his mind. These movements felt instinctive to him, and within moments, he sensed a transformation within himself. With a steely gaze, he lunged at the assassin.

Caught off guard, the assassin, still clutching his gun, watched in bewilderment as Lin Hao charged at him like a man possessed. A brief lapse in concentration led him to squeeze the trigger.

But Lin Hao was too quick. The first shot missed, and as the assassin attempted a second, he found his gun jammed. Lin Hao had materialized before him, pressing down on the gun's slide and rendering it incapable of firing.

"Not bad, kid. You're quick!" the assassin remarked, his face hardening as he unleashed a swift kick.

The assassin's hand-to-hand combat skills were formidable. His kick, swift as a leopard's tail, hurtled toward Lin Hao with brutal force.

Trapped at close quarters, Lin Hao had no choice but to reach out with his left hand, fingers splayed, in an attempt to intercept the vicious kick. Regrettably, while his instincts guided him, his strength was insufficient.

He managed to catch the kick, but the force was overwhelming, sending a jolt of pain through his hand and driving him back several steps.

"Come on, let's see who's tougher!" Lin Hao gritted his teeth and unleashed a ferocious kick of his own.

It was like kicking into a wall of cotton—his strength dissipated, leaving an opening for the assassin.

"You're too weak, kid!" the assassin taunted, seizing Lin Hao's leg and slamming him against the nearby wall with a thud.

The impact left Lin Hao gasping in pain, a mouthful of blood spattering the ground.

Lin Hao realized that without sufficient strength to back up his techniques, he was doomed to a grisly end.

"Playtime's over. Time to hit the road!" the assassin sneered, drawing a combat knife from his thigh, poised to plunge it into Lin Hao's skull.

In a desperate sidestep, Lin Hao avoided the strike and delivered a punishing kick. The assassin, caught off guard, winced in agony. He collapsed to the ground, curling up like a shrimp that had been boiled.

Lin Hao hadn't anticipated such a turn of events. He figured his adversary had underestimated him, which led to their downfall. Seizing the moment, Lin Hao, despite the intense pain, scrambled to his feet and dashed deeper into the alley.

In no time, Lin Hao burst out of the alley and hopped into a taxi.

"Quick, to the hospital! Take me to Linhai Hospital!" he panted.

The driver, noticing the blood streaming from Lin Hao's shoulder, became visibly flustered. Running several red lights, he finally screeched to a halt in front of the hospital.

"Kid, you... give me your number. I ran those red lights for you!" the driver called out to Lin Hao.

It seemed the driver thought he'd played the hero, and the excitement was palpable.

Lin Hao rattled off a phone number and made a beeline for the admissions department.

His shoulder wound, though bleeding profusely, was merely superficial, and not his immediate concern. His priority was to locate Lee Guangrui and disclose the whole truth.

To distance himself from danger, he needed to expose the coveted items to the world. That way, the enemy might not back off completely but would likely bide their time rather than press him relentlessly.

The hospital was quiet at night. As Lin Hao navigated the halls, the elevator doors slid open, and suddenly, several strong hands yanked him inside.

"What the hell? Back off! What do you want?" Lin Hao demanded, snapping to alertness as he sized up the group before him.

Their attire alone was a dead giveaway of their intentions; they looked every bit the part of thugs, with malice etched across their faces.

"Damn, you actually showed up?"

"Listen up," one of them growled, "keep your mouth shut about things that don't concern you. If you blab and screw up our boss's plans, we won't be so forgiving!" A dagger danced menacingly in his hand, coming to rest against Lin Hao's throat.

Faced with another dilemma, Lin Hao exhaled a resigned sigh. "What's it to you?"

"Have you forgotten what's at stake? Cameras are everywhere here. Make a wrong move, and even if you rise through the ranks, you're as good as dead!"

Lin Hao's words struck a chord with the group. They were just young guns, eager to make a name for themselves in Boss Bao's ranks. Pulling off this job could have meant a fast track to becoming a leader.

But Lin Hao's reality check left them rattled.

This was a hospital, after all. Causing a scene here would be reprehensible. If the staff called the cops, they might dodge the bullet today, but they'd be fugitives tomorrow.

"Thought it all through?" Lin Hao taunted with a cold laugh. "Boss Bao didn't show up himself, did he? Sent you lot instead—to take the fall for him!"

"Are you really that naive? Can't see the writing on the wall?"

"You—shut it!" the ringleader spat back, defiance laced with desperation. "I'm warning you, if you even think about calling the cops, I... I'll make sure you regret it, wanted criminal or not!"

"Oh, trying to intimidate me?" Lin Hao's sneer deepened. "Go ahead, try something. Kill me, and I won't be able to call the police, will I?"

"Here's the deal: take a hike or keep blocking me. I've got all the time in the world. Once you're gone, I'll just make a call. With the elevator's cameras as my witness, they'll have you for attempted murder."

"Don't believe me? Want to test your luck?"

Lin Hao's words sent them into disarray.

It was clear: youth and impulse often went hand in hand. Now that they were coming to their senses, panic was inevitable.

"Don't just stand there dumbfounded. If you can't make heads or tails of it, stay and ponder. I've got things to do!" Lin Hao stepped forward and hit the elevator's open button.

The doors slid apart, and he shot a final look at the young toughs before stepping out.

They were probably too terrified to move, not daring to make a peep. Lin Hao exited the elevator, and only when the doors shut behind him did he finally exhale in relief.

"Damn, that was close. Thank goodness for the instructions on the monitor, or I'd have been in deep trouble!" Lin Hao grumbled to himself.

He had no choice but to follow the script on the screen. Without it, he'd have been lost, unable to maintain his composure in the face of these thugs.

He continued on until he spotted Lee Guangrui's name on the doorframe; that's when he halted in his tracks.

But as soon as he swung the door open, the sight that greeted him caused his brow to furrow once more.

"Why are you here?" Lin Hao asked, his frown deepening as he fixed his gaze on Zhou Ya, who stood at the threshold.

With a sly grin, Zhou Ya turned her back to Lee Guangrui, who was reclining on the hospital bed. She fluttered her eyelashes seductively and chuckled with a hint of mischief. "What's the matter? I'm family. Is it so odd for me to be here?"