Father and Son Meet

At Yuezhou Third Hospital, the Second Inpatient Building stood completely empty. All the patients had been transferred to other buildings, leaving only He Jiaqing and Xiao Zhenggong in the entire facility. Not even a single member of the medical staff remained—if something truly went wrong with He Jiaqing, there would be no one around to attempt resuscitation. Xiao Zhenggong stood before He Jiaqing's bed, frowning in silence. He was no longer certain whether the person lying there was He Jiaqing or Zhou Changhong. *If it really were Zhou Changhong, he should have woken up the moment he heard me arrive.* *Is this really He Jiaqing?* *If He Jiaqing returned, why didn't Zhou Changhong send word to me? Does he have a death wish?* *He Haiqin is arriving soon. If this turns out to be an impostor, things are going to get very lively.* *Let it be lively, then. In any case, I'm just here to watch the show.* He Haiqin was arriving in Yuezhou today. Xiao Zhenggong was tasked with watching He Jiaqing at the hospital, while Chen Changrui was responsible for meeting He Haiqin at the station. As Xiao Zhenggong was observing He Jiaqing, a sudden wave of oppressive pressure bore down on him. Xiao Zhenggong looked toward the door of the ward. He Haiqin walked into the room accompanied by He Haisheng and eight guards, eyeing Xiao Zhenggong up and down. He had seen Xiao Zhenggong before, but could not recall him; to He Haiqin, the Jiangxiang Gang was nothing more than a bunch of trash. He greeted Xiao Zhenggong with a single word: "Get out!" Xiao Zhenggong frowned, rage flaring up inside him. He Haisheng intervened, "Eldest Brother, he's the vice-captain of the Dark Star Bureau." "I told you to get lost!" He Haiqin barked at Xiao Zhenggong once more, completely ignoring He Haisheng's advice. Xiao Zhenggong gritted his teeth and walked out of the room. He Haisheng said, "Eldest Brother, we're in the Outer States now. We shouldn't offend people from the Dark Star Bureau." "Bullshit!" He Haiqin snorted coldly. "Aren't they just fucking constables? Me even speaking a word to him is giving him face!" He Haisheng sighed. "Eldest Brother, didn't we agree before we left? The Outer States have their own rules." "I can't be bothered to remember so many damned rules!" "Fine," He Haisheng said, knowing better than to press further. "Let's check on Jiaqing first." He Haiqin stared at He Jiaqing on the bed for a good ten minutes. He Haisheng felt intensely tense. He could not spot any difference between He Jiaqing now and before, but whether he was real or fake ultimately depended on He Haiqin's judgment. In another inpatient building, Wan Jinxian—who had checked in just yesterday—was even more nervous than He Haisheng. As a Disease Cultivator, making himself sick was easy, and no one would ever see through it. However, He Jiaqing had only just returned from Puluo Province, and his left hand had only newly regrown. If He Haiqin noticed anything amiss, Wan Jinxian wouldn't be able to help him; He Jiaqing would have to deal with it on his own. "What happened here?" He Haiqin muttered to himself. He Haisheng's heart leaped into his throat. He Jiaqing's heart suspended as well. "How did he end up like this?" He Haiqin's voice trembled slightly. "How did my son end up like this?!" He knew his own flesh and blood. There was no mistaking it—the person lying on the bed was indeed his son. He Haisheng let out a long breath. "Brother, didn't I tell you about Jiaqing's condition before?" "Is this anything like what you fucking described? He doesn't even look human anymore!" Tears welled up in He Haiqin's eyes and began to fall. He had known of He Jiaqing's condition; when He Jiaqing was first hospitalized, He Haisheng had explained it to him and even had photographs taken and delivered to him. Yet seeing him in the flesh tore He Haiqin's heart out. "Hasn't he been receiving treatment for an entire year? Fuck these Outer State bastards! Are they slacking on his treatment just because we aren't from around here? I'll fuck their—" He Haiqin flew into a violent rage, his roars causing the entire inpatient building to shudder constantly. Standing downstairs, trembling with terror, the hospital director called Chen Changrui. "Captain Chen, you have to step in! You can't let these people run wild here!" Chen Changrui tried to placate him. "Don't panic just yet. We'll handle this." "Handle it?" Xiao Zhenggong scoffed from nearby. "Do you even have the guts?" Chen Changrui looked at Xiao Zhenggong with calm equanimity. "Vice-Captain Xiao, you understand the customs from their side. Go inside and persuade He Haiqin." Xiao Zhenggong sneered. "Why should I go? What does this have to do with me?" "How can you say it has nothing to do with you? This is the mission the bureau assigned to us." "What kind of mission did the bureau assign? Am I supposed to arrest him or kill him?" "The bureau told us to keep the bigger picture in mind. Our mission is to maintain—" Xiao Zhenggong interrupted Chen Changrui. "What's the point of spouting that nonsense? When it comes down to it, aren't they just telling us to stand by and watch?" ... He Haiqin gradually calmed down and said to He Haisheng, "Old Third, have our men get things ready. We're bringing Jiaqing home. He can't stay here suffering like this." "Eldest Brother, the doctors said Jiaqing cannot be moved. If he leaves the hospital, his life will be in danger." "Which doctor said that? What do these Western hospitals know about curing people? These Western doctors just waste time and botch things up! "By the way, where did that damned foreign devil go—Tre-something-ik, wasn't it? He cured my illness, so he can definitely cure Jiaqing!" "Eldest Brother, yours was an illness, but Jiaqing has physical injuries. They're two completely different things." "What do you mean, two different things? Do you understand medicine?..." After much persuasion and pleading, He Haisheng finally managed to talk He Haiqin down. He Haiqin sat beside the bed, clasping He Jiaqing's left hand and sighing repeatedly. "You foolish brat... you just had to run off to the Outer States to study! Weren't there enough disciplines and knowledge for you to learn back home? "Fine, you wanted to study, but if you arrived in one piece, you ought to return in one piece too! Why did you insist on bringing me back some precious treasure? Now look at you—you didn't bring anything back, and you ended up like this." He Haisheng looked toward the hallway, where the Dark Star Bureau personnel were still waiting outside. "Eldest Brother, as long as Jiaqing is all right, that's what matters. I'll stay here. You should head back. The Outer States are very wary of us." "What's there to be afraid of? Let's see if any of them dare lay a finger on me!" "Eldest Brother, this isn't our home turf. Besides, things aren't peaceful back home either—the Lu family is stirring up trouble every single day!" "Those motherfucking Lus! My son is lying in a hospital bed, and they dare spread rumors? That old bastard Lu Maoxian must be sick of living! When I get back, I'm putting him straight into the ground!" The inpatient building was still shaking intermittently. Chen Changrui and Xiao Zhenggong looked unperturbed; several veteran agents pretended to be calm; but the newcomers couldn't even maintain a facade. Mingxing was terrified to the point of needing to pee, yet didn't dare go to the restroom; Lightbulb was covered in oil, ready to flee at a moment's notice. The newcomer Qin Minghui wore an exceptionally grim expression. He was scared too, but felt even more shame. The scene before his eyes clearly ran counter to his original reasons for joining the Dark Star Bureau. Qin Minghui looked at Chen Changrui. "Captain, this is a hospital. We shouldn't let them run amok like this." Chen Changrui said nothing, while Xiao Zhenggong chuckled from the side. "Sure, go ahead and stop him then." Qin Minghui actually started walking toward the ward. Big Head grabbed him firmly. "No acting without orders." Xiao Zhenggong looked at Qin Minghui and asked, "Who are you? You've got quite the nerve!" Qin Minghui replied, "I'm new here, Captain Xiao. You've met me before. My code name is Chuuni." "Chuuni..." Xiao Zhenggong couldn't recall such a person. He scrutinized Qin Minghui. "Well, that code name certainly fits you. I'll remember you this time." ... News of He Haiqin's departure for Yuezhou soon traveled back to Puluo Province. The Ling family was the first to publish a report: *Father and Son Meet; Young Master He Remains Unconscious; Rumors Collapse on Their Own.* Not to be outdone, the Lu family swiftly published their own news: *Bonds of Flesh and Blood: Reunited After a Year Apart; Why Do Father and Son Harbor Mutual Suspicion and Doubt?* This news thoroughly muddied the waters. He Jiaqing had been lying in bed for a year before He Haiqin went to see him—could there be something fishy about that? Furthermore, He Haiqin's true purpose in visiting He Jiaqing was to verify whether he was real or fake, which proved that He Haiqin never trusted He Jiaqing in the first place. Following the report was a special editorial: *Rumor or Truth: It All Traces Back to the Source.* This was an even harsher strike. Where was the source? Right with Lu Maoxian. Monkey Qiu and the two young masters of the Lu family simply watched the spectacle unfold. Whether rumor or truth, it had nothing to do with them. Lu Maoxian, however, was thrust right into the eye of the storm. Deeply anxious, Lu Maoxian went alone to the Peak of the Sages, arriving at the Sage's residence. Beneath the winding corridors, Lu Maoxian waited for more than two hours until the panting and shouting inside the room gradually subsided. The Sage spoke: "What is it?" Lu Maoxian knelt respectfully on the ground. "Master, your disciple is in a perilous position. He Haiqin, the head of the He family, may be planning to move against me." The Sage remained silent for a moment before speaking. "You rendered a service this time. You are rewarded three Golden Origin Pills." A white-robed youth brought out three Golden Origin Pills and handed them to Lu Maoxian. These three pills were treasures beyond price, but they could not alter Lu Maoxian's predicament. The Sage continued, "As for He Haiqin, I have my own ways of dealing with him. But as long as He Jiaqing is not eliminated, you must remain on high alert. "That man is a grave thorn in my side; you must not take him lightly under any circumstances. The moment He Jiaqing sets foot in Puluo Province, you must inform me immediately." Lu Maoxian felt somewhat reassured and nodded repeatedly. "Your disciple shall devote heart and soul to the task." The Sage added, "There is one more matter. I hear that motion pictures have become wildly popular in Puluo Province lately, and that certain pictures contain grossly treasonous acts. Such perverse and depraved trends must be strictly suppressed. I leave this matter to you to handle. Make no mistake!" Lu Maoxian accepted the command and crawled backward on his knees the entire way out of the Sage's residence. On the way down the mountain, Lu Maoxian contemplated the Sage's decree. *Motion pictures containing grossly treasonous acts.* Without a second thought, this had to refer to *Blood Gun Detective*, produced by Ma the Fifth. The films he made trampled public morals and decency underfoot, grinding them into utter pieces. But how was he to suppress it? He had received word that Ma the Fifth's film productions were backed by Lu Yuanshan and Lu Yuanhai. The two brothers had never mentioned the movies in public, which meant they surely feared sullying the Lu family's reputation. As long as they cared about their reputation, things would be easy to handle. He would strike first at Heishipo. That was Lu Maoxian's territory, so delivering a harsh beating to Ma the Fifth would be no trouble at all. If the Lu brothers dared step out and cause trouble, he could use the opportunity to expose the matter to the public and let everyone in the family see what kind of scoundrels the two brothers truly were. Once the two brothers were reined in and Ma the Fifth was stripped of his backing, dealing with him would be as easy as flipping a hand. Lu Maoxian looked down at the three Golden Origin Pills in his hand. Their quality was superior, with pill poison well within tolerable limits; they would yield nearly a full year's worth of cultivation. Once he dealt with Ma the Fifth, he could reap another reward, and his cultivation would surely reach the eighth tier. He was getting on in years, already in his eighties. Some things could not afford delay. Lu Maoxian walked faster and faster down the mountain road. ... He Haiqin left. He Jiaqing lay on the hospital bed, with He Haisheng seated beside him. He Haisheng was not the only one keeping watch over him—there were many others. Returning to Puluo Province again would not be so easy. *How did things end up like this...* Taking advantage of a moment when He Haisheng wasn't paying attention, He Jiaqing raised his eyebrows, a bitter smile showing on his face.