Chapter Forty-Eight: Three Little White Mice

A group of security guards charged over aggressively, surrounding Yang Meng and Long Teng. Some of them were already preparing to restrain the two by force.

Seeing this, Long Teng stepped forward and shoved aside the security guard who tried to approach. His physical strength was top-notch—if not for encountering a monster like Yang Meng, he would be considered first-rate. The security guard stumbled from the push.

The other guards, who hadn’t yet stepped in, grew angry at the sight. They cracked their knuckles, clearly ready to take action.

Yang Meng looked helplessly at these guards—this was armed to the teeth! Helmets, riot shields, cut-resistant gloves, long and short batons—each one was fully equipped.

Security guards used to lack all this gear, but as medical disturbances became more frequent, hospitals began arming their security for self-defense.

Some people saw a hospital visit as no different from dining in a restaurant—a form of consumption: spending money to receive treatment, just as one would spend money on a meal.

But a hospital is not omnipotent; not every illness can be cured. When patients spend money but don’t achieve the results they desire, losing both life and wealth, resentment naturally follows. So what then? Cause a scene!

The purpose was simple—if the person is gone, at least the money shouldn’t be.

There was a time when these troublemakers ran rampant, hitting doctors and nurses, making chaos in hospitals. In traditional culture, death is a major matter, and without relevant laws, the police found such situations hard to handle. This led to a surge in medical disturbances, and even the appearance of “professional troublemakers” who would stir up incidents for pay. The medical profession became a high-risk occupation!

Fortunately, the government responded in time, equipping hospital security and enacting new laws, which curbed the arrogance of these instigators and made such disturbances rare. But the security gear remained as a legacy.

Originally, with fewer troublemakers, it seemed these defenses would become obsolete—who would have thought they’d now be used on him?

Just look at those batons—some even have forks at the end. Are they hunting wild boar?

Long Teng snorted coldly at the scene, “I am Long Teng of the Long Group. Where is your Director Pan Anguo? I’d like to ask him: does our group donate so much money to this hospital every year just for you to treat people this way? If that’s the case, we might as well stop donating!”

At these words, the guards stopped in their tracks. Even if they didn’t know the Long Group, they knew their director’s name. Hearing Long Teng address the director directly, they decided to wait and see.

Besides, the security guards all knew that the hospital’s top floor had recently been reserved by the Long Group. Could an ordinary person pull that off?

They dared not provoke someone like this.

Yang Meng chuckled and said to Long Teng, “Hey, didn’t you say you rely on yourself, not your family? Why are you using the Long Group’s name now? Why not your fitness club? Isn’t this waving the flag and using the tiger’s skin to scare people?”

Long Teng curled his lip. “There’s no other way—these days, that’s how things get done. Otherwise, you can’t keep people in line. Besides, my temper’s better now. In the past, I’d have just started swinging!”

Yang Meng gave him a mocking smile, “The Young Master of the Long family sure talks big. Should I applaud you? You’re so skilled at bullying people.”

And he actually started clapping.

Long Teng looked embarrassed, “Brother Yang, I’m standing up for you here…”

Yang Meng looked at him in disgust, “You think you can fight better than me? If solving things with fists worked, would I need you? Every grievance has a source. Do you understand the difficulties of working people? These guards are paid by the hospital and have to obey orders. Beating them up doesn’t prove your strength. Stay away from me. I feel embarrassed just standing next to you!”

Long Teng was left awkward and abashed, not knowing whether to stay or go.

Rescue came in the form of Di Shouye, who hurried out as the elevator doors opened, wearing his white coat. He rushed over and grabbed Yang Meng’s hand, “Mr. Yang, I finally found you!”

Yang Meng gave a wry smile, “Director Di, did you make such a big scene just to look for me? What’s going on?”

Di Shouye pulled Yang Meng along, “Mr. Yang, please come with me! All of you, disperse, disperse!” With that, he dragged Yang Meng away.

Just then, the little nurse who’d first grabbed Yang Meng called out, “Director Di, now that we’ve found this gentleman, does that mean you’ll keep your promise and double the department’s bonus this month?”

“No problem!” Di Shouye’s mood was clearly excellent.

Only then did Yang Meng realize why the nurse had clung to him—it was all for the bonus!

But he was even more confused—what was Di Shouye up to?

“Hey, Director Di, tell me straight—where are my friends? Are they alright?” Yang Meng tried to shake off Di Shouye’s hand, but the latter gripped him tightly and refused to let go. Judging by his posture, the only way to free himself might be to throw Di over his shoulder.

Di Shouye beamed, “Mr. Yang, your friends are all awake and perfectly fine. Come, I’ll take you to see them now!”

“Fine, then let go. I’ll go with you. Two grown men tugging at each other is ridiculous!” Yang Meng said in exasperation.

Di Shouye realized it was inappropriate and released his hand, though his tone was still uncertain, “You’re sure you won’t run off, right?”

“Run off for what?” Yang Meng couldn’t help but curse inwardly. With so many people watching, even if I were gay, I wouldn’t choose an old guy like you!

Yang Meng and Long Teng followed Di Shouye. To their surprise, he led them to the hospital’s research building. What were they doing here?

When Yang Meng saw Hu Erleng and the others, he was utterly stunned.

They were in a special ward, completely sealed off with glass. To enter, one had to pass through a closed corridor, and all the medical staff inside wore hazmat suits, busy with their tasks. Wasn’t this like the sterile isolation wards from biohazard movies? Medical equipment was piled up everywhere. Hu Erleng and the others were awake and chatting, but they were hooked up to all sorts of wires and machines, making movement difficult.

What was going on? This was too science fiction!

“Director Di, is this your idea of my friends being perfectly fine?” Yang Meng glared at Di Shouye in anger.

Di Shouye hurried to explain, “Mr. Yang, don’t be anxious. Let me explain.”

At that moment, a person in a hazmat suit emerged from the ward. “Let me explain to Mr. Yang myself.”

Yang Meng eyed the newcomer impatiently, “And who are you?”

When the man removed his mask, Long Teng recognized him, “Director Pan, what is going on here? Can you explain?”

The man was none other than Pan Anguo, the hospital director.

Pan Anguo recognized Long Teng as well. “Oh? Long Teng? What are you doing here? Is your sister alright now? I’ve been busy these past days and haven’t visited your father. My apologies.”

It was through Pan Anguo’s connections that the Long family had reserved the hospital’s top floor, and he and Long Mingyang were on good terms. He was among the few who knew the Long family’s true situation.

Long Teng nodded, “My sister is fine now, but what happened to my friends?”

“They’re your friends too?” Pan Anguo was surprised, then smiled, “Don’t worry, don’t worry. They’re in excellent health. In fact, I’d say there are few people on this earth healthier than they are right now.”

“What do you mean?” Long Teng asked, confused.

Pan Anguo explained, “Usually, our organs are constantly detoxifying, but no matter how effective, toxins inevitably build up over time. Yet these gentlemen have no such toxins. All their organs are in optimal condition! Given their health, I’d conservatively estimate their lifespans have been extended by thirty years! We’ve established a dedicated research group to study this phenomenon. If we can truly understand it, I daresay all human diseases could be conquered!”

He spoke with great excitement, but Yang Meng felt as if he’d been struck by a hammer. Damn! Could this all be because of Yi Di’s wine?

He’d doubted the wine’s ability to cure all ills, but now he had to believe it. He had misunderstood the wine gourd from the start!

He’d thought it unreliable because it couldn’t prescribe for each disease, but now he realized it didn’t need to. Its power was to “repair,” restoring organs directly to their original state.

How formidable!

But if people learned he possessed such a treasure, his life would never be peaceful.

The only consolation was that the wine gourd needed magic to replenish the immortal wine. In ordinary hands, it was just an ordinary gourd.

Had Di Shouye and the others already guessed the secret of the immortal wine?

He must keep this a secret!

Sure enough, Pan Anguo looked at Yang Meng with burning eyes, “Mr. Yang, Mr. Hu and the others slept for three days and nights before waking. When they woke, I asked, and they all said they’d drunk your fine wine and then remembered nothing else. Mr. Yang, can you tell us what wine you gave them? Is there any left? If possible, could we examine you?”

Yang Meng didn’t even hesitate, “No, that’s not possible! You’re detaining my friends here just for this? Director Pan, what you’re doing is illegal, you know?”

Pan Anguo replied, “Mr. Yang, you don’t understand the significance of this discovery! If we can truly unravel it, all humanity could be freed from disease! Even immortality might be possible!”

Yang Meng retorted coldly, “Free from disease? Come on, don’t daydream. Only the living, no one dies? Can the earth hold so many people? Let my friends out, or I’ll tear your hospital apart!”