Chapter 46: Emergency Rescue

Mouse hunched low, dagger clenched between his teeth. The instant the shadow flickered past his eyes, he sprang forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, hands snapping around his opponent’s throat.

Thud!

Both crashed to the ground at once. Mouse, smaller in stature, landed squarely on the man’s back, fingers digging mercilessly into his neck. The man struggled violently, his eyes reddening as Mouse’s grip cut off his air. The primal human urge to survive is a potent force; even under such suppression, the man managed to seize Mouse’s arm and, with a powerful swing, flung him aside.

“Die!” the man in black snarled, launching a fierce kick at Mouse.

But Mouse moved with lightning speed. Even as he toppled, he rolled deftly, springing to his feet. He gripped his military knife tightly and lunged once more. Seeing Mouse’s stubborn pursuit, the man in black decided to end it swiftly. He tossed aside the black box, drew a combat knife from his belt, and charged. Mouse’s lips curled into a cold smirk. As he closed in, he suddenly sidestepped, evading the first thrust, and in one fluid motion, his own blade slashed hard across the man’s throat.

A sickening splatter—

The carotid artery was severed; blood sprayed several meters, painting the wall. The man collapsed, eyes wide in disbelief. Mouse ripped off the man’s mask and glanced at his face—utterly unfamiliar. Just then, footsteps echoed from outside. Mouse narrowed his eyes, and with a swift movement, slipped out through another exit, leaving the rest to the police.

When Fang Qin arrived with her team, only a corpse lay on the floor.

“Dead?!” Fang Qin stared in shock, gun in hand, barking orders: “Chen Hao, take your team and search upstairs!”

“Yes!” Chen Hao replied, hurrying off with his men. The others immediately cordoned off the scene, leaving the rest for the medical examiner and forensic experts. But what puzzled Fang Qin most was—who had acted before her team arrived? The image of Ye Chen flashed in her mind. She had witnessed his skills herself, but he was already at the hospital. Who else could it be? Her mind was blank—no one fitting came to mind. Judging by the scene, the assassin had been killed with a single, fatal strike—no hesitation, no second attempt. And the victim was a formidable killer himself; just becoming one required extraordinary skill and nerve. Yet someone even more ruthless had ended him.

***

Jianghuai City Armed Police Hospital. The police car screeched into the hospital lobby, startling patients and families into a panic. Many thought robbers had burst in, but once they recognized the situation, calm soon returned.

“Hey… isn’t that Captain Zhang?”

“Yes, that’s our city’s famous police beauty!”

Everyone remembered Zhang Yantong: her striking looks, her figure, her remarkable abilities. Recently, her interview on anti-drug work had left an even deeper impression. Now, she leapt from the car, and with “Big Shrimp” helped carry Ye Chen inside.

“Doctor! Urgent case—emergency!” Zhang Yantong’s voice rang out.

People quickly understood—Captain Zhang’s team must have been injured fighting criminals. They all began shouting, “Help! Doctors, save our police officers!”

The lobby was chaos. Chief Surgeon Qian Wanke rushed out with his team. A nurse hurried over with a stretcher. Zhang Yantong, arms wrapped around Ye Chen, was stained with bright red blood. Without a word, Big Shrimp hefted Ye Chen onto the stretcher. The nurses immediately strapped on an oxygen mask and rushed him to the emergency room.

“Chief Qian, I’m Zhang Yantong. Please, you must save him!” Zhang Yantong pleaded anxiously.

“Wait—you… Yantong? Aren’t you supposed to be in the provincial capital?” Qian Wanke stared in surprise.

“Chief Qian, saving him is what matters. Please! And… if you do, I’ll be sure to mention you to my father!”

“All right!” Qian Wanke nodded, hurrying away. This time, he decided to operate himself. Was this young man truly so important? Was he an undercover officer, or something more to Yantong? Qian Wanke didn’t have time to ponder. From a quick glance, he could tell: a gunshot wound to the right chest, the bullet passing straight through. Blood still gushed from Ye Chen’s mouth—his lung was almost certainly pierced. Other internal injuries were unclear for now.

The group rushed into the emergency room, but the nurses stopped them in the corridor.

“Please wait here. Chief Qian will do everything possible for the patient,” a nurse urged.

“Thank you!” Zhang Yantong gave her a grateful look, then sat anxiously in the waiting area. With a click, the emergency room door closed and the red light above flashed on.

Big Shrimp paced nervously. This was serious. Why would the boss take a bullet for a woman he barely knew? It was reckless. This was the critical moment in the succession struggle—if the Duke learned of it, who knew how he and Mouse would be punished? Family rules were strict, and Big Shrimp’s head throbbed at the thought.

“What’s your name?” Zhang Yantong asked, glancing at him.

“Just call me Big Shrimp,” he replied, standing in the corner, quietly praying for Ye Chen.

“What’s your relationship with Ye Chen?” Zhang Yantong’s police training kicked in—her tone almost interrogative. But Big Shrimp didn’t mind. “He’s my big brother. Sworn brothers, actually.”

“Oh?” Zhang Yantong was taken aback but didn’t press. Still, one thing lingered in her mind: Ye Chen’s past. His history was a complete blank. Now, two “little brothers” had popped up, sparking her curiosity. She asked, “So… when did you meet?”

“Oh, we met back in the Golden Triangle. Got on the wrong side of someone and got kicked out,” Big Shrimp answered simply. If Mouse had been here, he’d never have let anything slip. But Big Shrimp looked at Zhang Yantong and added, “After that, the boss came back to Jianghuai City.”

“Jianghuai City? Why here?” Zhang Yantong frowned.

He grinned. “It’s his hometown! The boss is an orphan—grew up in the city orphanage. I heard he later joined the army…”

Big Shrimp suddenly realized he was getting into highly confidential territory and shut his mouth abruptly.

“And after that?” Zhang Yantong pressed, eyes wide. So Ye Chen had served in the military—that explained his skills. Her curiosity deepened: he wasn’t an illegal immigrant, but a soldier. Yet even retired soldiers have records—why was his information so highly classified?

“After that?” Big Shrimp paused, then chuckled, “After that, we met in the army. Then we got into trouble, were kicked out, and ended up in the Golden Triangle…”

“That’s enough!” Zhang Yantong shot him a look. Even a fool could tell he was making things up now. She sighed. “Forget it, I won’t ask more. I just hope he gets better soon.”

Footsteps echoed rapidly from the lobby. Li Ruo arrived with Lin Ziwen, both in disarray—Li Ruo’s chest stained with fresh blood, glaring and raw. She hurried over, anxious, Lin Ziwen jogging to keep up, while Deputy Captain Jin and a dozen bodyguards followed. Li Ruo’s safety was crucial; if anything happened now, she’d be dismissed for sure—and if Ye Chen woke to find her hurt, he’d probably use her as a punching bag.

“Captain Zhang!” Li Ruo called, her voice tense. “How’s Ye Chen?”

“He’s in surgery right now,” Zhang Yantong replied, standing up. “Don’t worry, Director Li—Chief Qian is operating personally. The chances of success are high.”

“Really?” Relief swept over Li Ruo’s worried face. Qian Wanke was famed for his surgical prowess—failures were rare, and since becoming renowned, he seldom operated himself. To have him take the case was no small feat. Li Ruo turned to Zhang Yantong, eyes shining with gratitude. “Thank you, Captain Zhang. On behalf of Tianya Group, I thank you.”

“It’s nothing,” Zhang Yantong replied, shaking her head. “Ye Chen is my friend too—it’s the least I can do.”