C22 Ferocious Woman

Lin Hao instinctively seized Qin Sisi's arm and yanked her aside just in time.

Suddenly, Zhou Ya brandished a dagger that seemed to materialize out of nowhere. The blade sliced through the air, aiming for the spot where Qin Sisi had just been standing.

Had Lin Hao not pulled her away, the dagger would have surely found its mark in Qin Sisi's chest.

"You're ruthless!" Lin Hao spat out, seething with anger.

Qin Sisi, standing next to him, was taken aback by the sudden aggression. She stared at the gleaming dagger, feeling a cold shiver despite the warm June weather.

"Sister Ya, you..."

"Enough," Lin Hao cut in with a cold laugh. "You see her as a best friend, but she never saw you that way. Now you see her true face. Some people don't deserve your heart; to them, you're just an obstacle or a rung on their ladder to climb!"

"Shut up!"

Zhou Ya's glare intensified as she pointed the dagger at Lin Hao. "If it weren't for you, none of this would've happened!"

"Why did you have to interfere?" she accused.

With that, Zhou Ya lunged at him once more.

They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and Zhou Ya, with her elegant appearance, was the epitome of that saying—behind her grace lay a heart capable of fierce cruelty.

"Ha, you've only got yourself to blame. This has nothing to do with me," Lin Hao said with a cold chuckle.

He tried to sidestep her attack, but Zhou Ya was relentless, throwing herself at Lin Hao with no regard for her own safety, knife poised to strike.

Lin Hao continued to evade her, and after a moment, he noticed blood dripping onto the ground.

The sight of the blood on the ground left Lin Hao momentarily stunned, prompting him to put some distance between himself and the woman.

Then he saw it—the dagger that had been clutched in her hand was now buried in her own abdomen.

Blood seeped through her fingers, steadily staining the ground.

"I told you, you brought this on yourself," Lin Hao said with a sigh, reflecting that perhaps this was the inevitable conclusion. She had made the wrong choices from the start, leading to this tragic end.

"Sister Ya, you..."

"Hold on, I'm going to get a doctor right now," Qin Sisi said, her voice filled with urgency.

Qin Sisi was truly unique. Even as Zhou Ya sought to harm her, she was still concerned for her well-being.

Lin Hao watched the unfolding scene with a sense of pity, yet he found himself at a loss for words.

"Get out of my way!" Qin Sisi shouted furiously. "I don't need your pity. I despise you both. Even in death, I won't forgive either of you!"

"You're in this state, and she's offering you a lifeline. Why resist?" Lin Hao questioned.

"Don't stand there feigning sympathy. If you truly cared, you'd stay out of my business with Lee Guangrui!"

"Otherwise... even if you kill me, I'll never let you off the hook!"

Turning to Qin Sisi, Lin Hao spoke with a hint of resignation, "Hey, why are you just standing there? Let's go inside."

"She doesn't deserve your pity."

Reluctantly, Qin Sisi allowed Lin Hao to pull her into the ward. Although she had been concerned about Zhou Ya outside, her anxiety eased when she saw Lee Guangrui, surrounded by medical equipment.

"See? Didn't you say he once cherished you? Now look at him. Do you still feel you were wrong?" Lin Hao inquired.

Qin Sisi gave Lin Hao a sidelong glance and approached Lee Guangrui's bedside.

He fixated on the faint vital signs and turned back to Lin Hao, "What's happened to him?"

"A slow-acting poison has infiltrated his system. Not even a deity could save him now," Lin Hao replied with a wry smile.

"No, it can't be!" Qin Sisi clutched Lin Hao's arm, demanding, "If you can diagnose his condition, you must have a cure!"

"Lin Hao, please, I'm begging you to save him..."

Overcome with emotion, Qin Sisi's tears flowed as she clung to Lin Hao's clothes, sobbing uncontrollably like a child.

Lin Hao's heart softened with compassion. He sighed and admitted, "I'm powerless to help. At least... not right now."

"What do you mean?" Qin Sisi asked, her eyes wide with confusion.

"Do you need rare medicinal ingredients? How much money? Just tell me, I'll pay whatever it takes!"

Lin Hao simply shook his head.

He had recognized Lee Guangrui's ailment from the start, the same condition that afflicted Pei Xiu, as indicated by the monitor's readings.

In other words, Lin Hao needed to enhance the system capabilities of the monitor as quickly as possible to save them both. Yet, with Lee Guangrui incapacitated on a critical care bed, unable to craft the unique root sculpture needed, Lin Hao felt overwhelmed and powerless.

"Speak up, will you?" Qin Sisi cried out in desperation.

Lin Hao firmly grasped her shoulders, "Keep it down. Is this really the place to make a scene?"

After a brief pause, he continued with a sense of defeat, "I want to save him too, but I'm just not capable enough right now."

"I can't fully explain the issue to you, but rest assured, if I find a way to save him, I won't turn a blind eye."

"The immediate concern is that you need to get your grandfather to arrange for someone to look after him. We need to be vigilant against Zhou Ya, who might show up unexpectedly to cause trouble or worse."

"You're not deceiving me?" Qin Sisi asked anxiously. "Please, if there is truly a way, you must save him!"

"Ah, I've been completely honest with you. If you don't trust me, then... what can I do to prove it to you?" Lin Hao sighed, feeling at a loss for words. The complexities of the situation were too much, and he doubted that even the truth would convince her.

"Do as I've told you, and don't waste a second," he urged. "For all we know, Zhou Ya could already be calling in reinforcements."

Upon hearing this, Qin Sisi's anxiety peaked, aware that some matters simply couldn't wait.

After much persuasion, she managed to convince Elder Qin over the phone.

He agreed to send protection for Lee Guangrui at once, allowing Qin Sisi to breathe easier.

With a look of inner turmoil, she turned to Lin Hao and asked hesitantly, "So, what's our next move?"

Lin Hao gave a wry smile and replied, "Once your grandfather's people get here, it's time to tackle some serious business."

"Serious business? What exactly?" Qin Sisi's confusion was evident. She seemed clueless about what lay ahead, leaving Lin Hao at a loss for words, his face betraying a helpless smile.