Chapter 116: Action

Wang Huawen is planning to escape?

This was something Lu Feng had never anticipated.

Noticing Lu Feng lost in thought, Guo Yanzhi, fearing that Lu Feng might not believe him, hurriedly spoke up. "Please, believe me. I truly want revenge. As long as you are willing to help me, I will do anything!"

Guo Yanzhi had studied psychology, so he understood exactly what Lu Feng and Xia Yubing were worried about. He immediately offered up his own vulnerabilities. Fumbling with a file folder, he spilled a stack of documents and photographs onto the table. "This is the information regarding my sister's case. She was only seventeen... And here, this is evidence that I was the one who anonymously submitted the files. If you don't trust me, you can turn this evidence over to the authorities. The Wang family would never let me go if you did that."

Lu Feng covered the documents and photos on the table with the folder. Looking at Guo Yanzhi, he said, "What exactly is your objective? Showing me these things—I can do nothing but offer sympathy. Likewise, in the matter of Wang Huawen, you cannot help me with anything."

Guo Yanzhi's hands, which had been trembling, suddenly went still. He deftly reinserted the lenses into his glasses, put them back on, and pushed them up the bridge of his nose. "I can provide you with a perfect alibi while you carry out your move. My goal is simple: I want to watch Wang Huawen die. Before he dies, I have a few questions I need to ask him."

Lu Feng gave no sign of agreement or opposition.

Xia Yubing was the first to object. "I disagree. Compared to an alibi, bringing you to watch Wang Huawen die is far more difficult, especially when you intend to ask him questions. In matters like this, even a minute of delay could lead to getting caught."

Guo Yanzhi nodded. "I understand. My value is still insufficient. What if I take responsibility for handling the hospital's surveillance system? Furthermore, I have already rented an apartment directly across from Wang Huawen's ward, which allows for twenty-four-hour monitoring."

Upon hearing this, Xia Yubing’s eyes brightened. She looked at Lu Feng and nodded.

...

The conversation concluded, and the three departed separately.

Xia Yubing was tasked with returning to investigate the murder of Guo Yanzhi's sister from ten years ago to ensure he was not lying. Lu Feng began his preparations, scheduling Elder Zhou to return to Yun'an for a follow-up appointment on Friday.

...

Once Xia Yubing confirmed that Guo Yanzhi was telling the truth, the three met again to discuss the plan of action.

Guo Yanzhi was indeed a professional. Despite his social anxiety—which usually caused his hands to shake during normal interactions—he became incredibly serious and meticulous whenever the topic turned to criminal investigation or illicit activity.

Perhaps from studying crime so extensively, he had become professional in committing it as well.

"Wang Huawen’s daily schedule is different from an office worker's. He usually goes to sleep at two or three in the morning and doesn't wake up until noon. He often tries to leave the hospital, but he is stopped by his bodyguards every time. There are four bodyguards in total, but only two are on duty at any given time, working in two twelve-hour shifts. When the doctor goes in to check on Wang Huawen and change his bandages, the two bodyguards follow him into the room. They only return to their posts at the door once the doctor leaves." Guo Yanzhi briefly summarized the intelligence he had gathered over the past few days, providing not just explanations, but also photographs and a floor plan of the hospital.

"Truly professional," Xia Yubing said with a smirk, pointing to the two bodyguards in the photos. "I have crossed paths with these two. They are very skilled; they are not much inferior to my master."

"Let's discuss the plan," Lu Feng said.

The three synchronized their plan and then went their separate ways to act.

...

At 3:30 PM on Friday, Zhou Fuqu accompanied Elder Zhou to Yun'an for his follow-up.

Usually, for follow-up appointments, Lu Feng would go to the Zhou residence. However, this time, Lu Feng insisted that Elder Zhou needed an important steaming therapy that could only be performed at the wellness center.

Thus, they had agreed on Friday at 3:30 PM, and Zhou Fuqu arrived on time to accompany the elder.

Several of Yun'an's wellness centers in the Haizhu District had been sealed off and ordered to rectify issues, while those in other districts remained open as usual, though with significantly fewer customers. The Zhou family did not fear the Wang family, so when Lu Feng invited Elder Zhou to Yun'an for the steaming therapy, the family did not object.

Although it wasn't explicitly stated, Zhou Fuqu believed that Yun'an had invited the elder over to have the Zhou family show support and bolster their reputation. It wasn't a troublesome request, so she had agreed.

Lu Feng took Elder Zhou’s pulse as usual, chatting with the old man during the process, before leading him to the room designated for herbal steaming. He sent Zhou Fuqu out and, while performing the steam treatment, administered acupuncture as well.

"Young Lu, I hear you've gotten into trouble again. If you're in a bind, just tell me. I've always liked you. As long as you speak up, I can handle it for you," Elder Zhou said with a chuckle, lying prone on the bed.

Lu Feng did not doubt the old man’s word, but he did not want to owe that favor.

"Old sir, please rest for a while. This treatment session will take about half an hour. When you wake up, you will feel much more refreshed."

Although Lu Feng intended to use Elder Zhou as a time witness, the steaming and acupuncture treatment was performed in earnest. The herbal formula for the steam was specially prepared and was highly beneficial to the elder's health.

"Heh... I would like to sleep, but as I get older, my sleep grows thinner. Taking too many sleeping pills is no good... I can't sleep at night, let alone during the day..." The old man sighed, and as he spoke, he gradually drifted off.

After Lu Feng used acupuncture to ensure Elder Zhou remained asleep, he slipped out the back door, took the stairs down, changed his clothes in the stairwell, put on a baseball cap, and walked out of Yun'an, climbing into a waiting car.

The car was a rental, driven by Xia Yubing.

"Are the things ready?"

"They are all in the bag."

Speeding down Jingya Road, Xia Yubing glanced at the speedometer, skillfully keeping the speed at the highest legal limit for the city. This ensured that the road cameras would not record a violation, yet to any bystander, the speed looked astonishingly fast.

While driving, Xia Yubing opened the travel bag in the passenger seat and pulled out a white lab coat, handing it to Lu Feng in the back.

Lu Feng donned the coat and checked the logo; it belonged to the private hospital.

Stopping at the parking lot nearest to the private hospital, Xia Yubing hopped out and walked to the iron gate of the internal access passage. She crouched down, removed a thin hairpin from her hair, and poked it into the keyhole a few times before popping the gate open.

"Use the internal route," Xia Yubing signaled, leading the way inside.

Lu Feng followed immediately, closing the iron gate behind him. They navigated the winding corridors until they reached the back door of the private hospital.

Xia Yubing knocked on the back door—one long, two short—and the door opened from the inside.

Guo Yanzhi, dressed as a doctor, poked his head out. "There are three minutes left. The attending physician will take a nurse to change Wang Huawen's bandages. The surveillance system has been hacked; we can walk onto the third floor in plain sight."

...

The three reached the third floor. Guo Yanzhi knocked on the attending physician's office door and said, "Dr. Li, it is time to change the bandages in 307."

"Yes, coming right away. Go prepare the supplies."

...

A nurse pushed a cart with a tray from the elevator. As soon as the doors opened, Xia Yubing lunged forward, covered the nurse's mouth, knocked her unconscious, and dragged her into an empty patient room nearby.

Lu Feng caught the tray steadily; not a single medicine bottle had tipped over.

Xia Yubing put on a surgical mask, pinned the nurse's name tag to her own collar, used an eyebrow pencil to make a few quick adjustments to her appearance, took the tray from Lu Feng, and waited at the entrance of Dr. Li's office.

Once Dr. Li emerged, the three followed him toward 307.

...

Dr. Li pushed the door open and walked in; Xia Yubing followed with the tray.

When it was Lu Feng's turn, the two bodyguards suddenly reached out to block his path. "Why are there so many people today?"

These two bodyguards were in their late thirties, with sharp, angular features and piercing gazes.

Lu Feng waited until Dr. Li had entered the room before taking out his acupuncture kit. "I am a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine. The patient in 307 mentioned arm pain, and Dr. Li suggested acupuncture to alleviate the pain and accelerate bone healing."

"And him?" The bodyguard looked at Guo Yanzhi, who was behind Lu Feng.

"He is my assistant. We will need moxibustion later, and he is here to help me light the moxa sticks," Lu Feng explained.

The two bodyguards exchanged a glance, pushed the door open, and followed them into the room, one to the left and one to the right.

Inside the room, the two bodyguards remained vigilant, keeping their eyes on Lu Feng and Guo Yanzhi.

Lu Feng cast a glance at Guo Yanzhi. Guo Yanzhi stepped forward, pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, and suddenly covered Dr. Li’s mouth and nose from behind.

Lu Feng and Xia Yubing acted simultaneously, each taking on one of the bodyguards.

Xia Yubing considered herself no weaker than any of the bodyguards, but this operation required more than just winning; they had to subdue these two without alerting the other two bodyguards resting in the next room.

When the bodyguards realized something was wrong, one lunged toward Wang Huawen, while the other pushed toward the door, grabbing for his walkie-talkie to call for backup.

Lu Feng was quick-witted and agile. With a sudden dash, he swiped the walkie-talkie away, grabbed the bodyguard's incoming fist, pressed a finger into the man's shoulder, hooked his leg behind the man's knee, and used both hands to seize his arm, throwing him violently to the floor. Following up immediately, he pressed a finger into the Fengchi point, knocking the man unconscious.