"Su Dao!" Big trouble. The bad news is that our medicine is going to be taken by a powerful shark, causing a lot of trouble. Su's father has already called his daughter about this. Su Su has discussed it with Liu Wei, saying they'd help find someone to mediate, but they can't find any friends who can talk to Gan Beiwei right now.
Su Su said, "If things really don't work out with the pharmacy, we can just change the address. I'll have Liu Wei find someone to handle the paperwork with the drug administration. We can just give them some more gifts. Besides, Dad has a doctor's license, so it'll be easier for them to get approved."
Since that's the case, Su Su wasn't too worried. She changed the subject and asked, "Sister, do you have a classmate named Zhao Qiang?"
Su Su nodded: "Yes, I just saw him yesterday. What's wrong? Why are you asking?"
Su Su pointed to a packet of medicine in the corner and said, "He came to our store to buy medicine today, but he didn't take it with him when he left. By the way, sister, let me ask you, what's this Zhao Qiang like? Does he have any violent tendencies?"
Su Su was taken aback for a moment: "Why are you asking about him? Don't tell me you've fallen for him. He's a penniless guy, and besides, he's not your age. Just focus on your high school studies and stop thinking about such nonsense."
Su Su's face flushed red: "Sis, what are you saying? I'm just curious about him, I've never said I like him. You're really talking nonsense. But I noticed he didn't hesitate to spend money when buying medicine, he doesn't seem like a poor person."
Su Su said somewhat irritably, "What do you know? Don't let him fool you. I'm not in the mood to talk to you about this. This Zhao Qiang is a repressed pervert. He secretly liked me in high school but didn't dare to confess. Besides, his family is poor. To be honest, I have absolutely no interest in him. Being with him would only make me look superior, I don't think there's any other point."
Su Su made a vomiting gesture: "Sister, you have too much of an ego."
"Thump!" Su Su threw a watch from her bag onto the table. "I'm not feeling well right now. Why am I so unlucky? I just wanted to borrow it for Liu Wei to wear for a couple of days to show off, but who knew this damn watch was so fragile? It broke after just a light drop. It's made of dough! And this Rolex that they supposedly had someone bring it back from Hong Kong? I think it's just a money pit. If it can't be repaired, am I supposed to spend tens of thousands of dollars to buy him a new one?"
Su Su asked, "What exactly happened?"
Su Su said, “Our director’s nephew brought him a famous watch when he came back from Hong Kong. It’s a piece of junk. I thought he looked really stylish wearing it, so I borrowed it to let your brother-in-law wear for a couple of days. Who knew that he would drop it as soon as he got it in the afternoon, and as a result, the watch stopped working. I spent the whole afternoon in the city looking for more than a dozen watch repairmen, but they all said they dared not take it apart, and even if they did, they couldn’t guarantee that they could fix it.”
Su Pa Su complained, "Sis, you should change your temper. You always want to show off to others. Is it really necessary? Let's be honest and straightforward. Now you've suffered the consequences."
Su Su stood up and said, "No, I need to go talk to Liu Wei. Leave the watch here for now. You don't have class tomorrow, right? Go downstairs and find someone to repair the watch for me. I have to go to work tomorrow. Once it's fixed, I'll take you to a fancy restaurant!"
Su Su's face lit up with joy: "Really? Leave it here and let me try. Don't blame me if I can't fix it."
Su Su's phone rang before she could even move, so she had to answer it while walking out of the pharmacy. "Liu Wei, what's up? I was just about to come find you."
"Su Su, come here right now. The matter of falsely reporting approved funds last time has been discovered. I think we're in big trouble. Come and help me think of a solution," Liu Wei said, his voice trembling with tears.
Su Su's voice was filled with panic: "How could it be found out? You said it would be fine, I'm coming right away."
Su Su closed the shop door again. She was helpless with her sister. Her brother-in-law was in trouble, so Su Su could neither help him nor come over to criticize her sister. Instead, she was constantly being lectured by her sister. So Su Su decided to avoid seeing her and getting annoyed.
Knock, knock, knock. Su Su hadn't even gotten into bed yet when someone knocked on the door again. She thought it was her sister returning, so she said, "Sister, can you please stop bothering me? I need to rest."
"Su Su? It's Zhao Qiang. Could you please close the door?" A male voice came from outside. Hearing the name "Zhao Qiang," Su Su shuddered. She pulled the blanket over her head, the bloodshed at the Royal Billiards Hall flashing through her mind. "What...what are you doing here so late?"
"Su Su, open the door! I don't mean anything by it, can you make me a packet of instant noodles? I'm starving." The man outside seemed quite down on his luck. Su Su's compassion overflowed. She thought that Zhao Qiang was helping her retrieve the stolen medicine and computer. After all, the bloodshed at the Royal Billiards Hall was related to her family. Now that he was in trouble, how could she just stand by and watch him die?
Zhao Qiang was finally let in. Although the heating in the business hall was off, it was still much milder than the outside temperature. Zhao Qiang stamped the snowflakes off his feet and followed Su Su into the bedroom.
Su Su said irritably, "The plastic bag in the corner contains the medicine you bought. Take it with you later."
"
Zhao Qiang said, "I won't take the medicine for now. Can I exchange it for your instant noodles and sausages?" Zhao Qiang pointed to two boxes under the table. One box contained Jinmailang's scallion pork rib noodles, and the other box contained Jinluo sausages. Zhao Qiang came specifically for these; he was so hungry he was about to faint.
Su Su was skeptical: "Are you really hungry?"
Zhao Qiang nodded, clutching his stomach, and said, "If I don't eat soon, I might starve to death. Those medicines are worth at least the price of these instant noodles and sausages, right?"
Seeing that Zhao Qiang didn't seem to be lying, Su Su wasn't so worried anymore. "For the sake of my sister Jia, just remember to order instant noodles and sausages. There's hot water in the thermos, make them yourself."
Upon hearing Su Su's agreement, Zhao Qiang, forgetting all about the instant noodles, grabbed a few sausages, tore open the packaging, and wolfed them down. Seeing Zhao Qiang's disheveled state, Su Su couldn't bear it and made him instant noodles, carefully breaking a few sausages into pieces and adding them in. Zhao Qiang was deeply moved by her thoughtfulness.
Zhao Qiang ate more than a dozen sausages in one go. By then, the instant noodles were about 70% cooked. Without waiting for them to cook any longer, Zhao Qiang picked them up and gulped them down, soup and all. With this little bit of food in his stomach, he finally felt a bit more comfortable. The energy levels in his brain also started to rise. His digestion and absorption were really fast.
"You haven't eaten all day?" Su Su asked Zhao Qiang cautiously, feeling a pang of sadness seeing him devour his noodles.
Zhao Qiang nodded; the cornbread he ate that night couldn't really be considered a meal.
Su Su then asked, "Has the case at the Royal Billiards Hall been uncovered?"
Zhao Qiang was taken aback: "You were following me?"
Su Su blushed. "I was just curious, but you're so cruel. You beat them up like that."
Zhao Qiang said, "So you want me to be the one beaten up like that?"
Su Su said, "Of course I don't want to, but when I saw their heads were all broken, I was scared."
Zhao Qiang stopped chewing and said, seemingly out of the blue, "This world is inherently a dog-eat-dog world, and social injustice has made it impossible for us to survive any longer."
When Su Su thought about how her pharmacy was being forced to relocate, she realized that was exactly what was going on. For a moment, she stopped blaming Zhao Qiang. Besides, Zhao Qiang had fought with the Four Tigers of Hedian because of her family's affairs. He hadn't eaten all day, so he might have been chased by the Four Tigers' men.
Feeling guilty, Su Su silently made Zhao Qiang a second bowl of instant noodles. Seeing that there wasn't much hot water left in the thermos, she plugged in the electric kettle to boil water for Zhao Qiang. The two of them didn't speak; one just ate silently, while the other watched.
"Your boyfriend's watch?" Zhao Qiang pointed to the men's Rolex on the table, which was clearly not the one Su's father wore.
Su Su blushed: "I don't have a boyfriend. He's borrowed from my sister. She's so unlucky. She broke it and asked me to find someone to fix it tomorrow. But she's been looking all afternoon and hasn't found anyone who can fix it. She might have to pay tens of thousands of yuan out of her own pocket to compensate her supervisor. Sigh." "My sister is such a person." "Let's not talk about her."
Speaking of Su Su, Zhao Qiang couldn't help but glance at her a few more times. At this moment, Su Su had already disappeared from the depths of his memory, leaving only the impression of her. If he didn't have more important things to do, Zhao Qiang really wanted to stay here for a few more days. Even just looking at Su Su would warm his heart. This was probably the beauty of first love.
Before they knew it, it was already 1 a.m. During this time, Zhao Qiang had finished off a whole box of instant noodles and a box of sausages, which almost made Su Su's jaw drop. She boiled seven thermos flasks of water to satisfy her needs. If she hadn't seen with her own eyes that Zhao Qiang's stomach hadn't burst, she wouldn't have believed that anyone could eat a whole box of instant noodles!
One was eating noodles, the other was eating instant noodles. They would occasionally glance at each other, creating an atmosphere that was both warm and strange.
After the meal, Zhao Qiang had a sudden thought. He decided to treat the meal as compensation. He picked up the Rolex on the table, held it in his palm for a while, and then pretended to be reluctant to put it down. He said, "It's a nice thing, but unfortunately I can't afford it. Su Su, thank you for the instant noodles and sausages. I think I should go now. If I stay any longer, it will affect your rest."
Su Su was indeed sleepy, but she forced herself to stay awake and asked, "Where are you going? Are Gan Beiwei's men looking for you?"
Zhao Qiang shook his head: "I think everything will be fine soon. Close the door and get some rest; it's late."
The pharmacy's security door closed, and Zhao Qiang plunged into the vast snowy night. Then, the security door was opened a crack, and Su Su's eyes peeked out. Watching Zhao Qiang disappear alone around the street corner, she felt a strange sadness. Her sister's classmate was so strange.
It wasn't that Su Su didn't want Zhao Qiang to stay overnight, but she was still wary of him. She wasn't afraid that he would assault her, but seeing Zhao Qiang reminded her of the bloodshed at the Royal Billiards Hall. So she could only let Zhao Qiang leave in the middle of the snowy night.
Back in her bedroom, Su Su couldn't fall asleep. Her Rolex watch sat in the center of the table. She glanced at it casually, then her gaze froze—the Rolex hands were moving! It had been broken before! What was going on? Zhao Qiang tightened his collar. He didn't know where Song Shiguo lived, but he knew the injured people from earlier that day would be in the hospital. He needed to go to the Hedian District Central Hospital; perhaps his father and grandfather would be there too. This escape from the detention center had blown up quite a bit; he wanted to see his family one last time before fleeing.
Before leaving, Zhao Qiang used his energy to repair Su Su's broken Rolex watch. He found the relevant design blueprints in the biochip database and, with the help of X-ray glasses, could easily locate the broken parts. Then, he released energy from his palm to control the raw material molecules of the parts to re-fuse. In just a few seconds, the valuable Rolex was brought back to life. This was the first step in the repair path that Wei designed for Zhao Qiang, and now Zhao Qiang had succeeded.
Repairing the Rolex watch was partly Zhao Qiang's attempt to test his energy repair skills for the first time, but also stemmed from a deeper, unspoken thought. He needed to maintain the compassion and love expected of a human being, not just be a humanoid vessel for the super-biological core "Chuan." Zhao Qiang was a human, not a cold machine! Therefore, he showed no mercy to the tigers trained by Chuanxun, because they were simply not worthy of Zhao Qiang's mercy!
Finding no weapon on his person, Zhao Qiang casually dismantled a dilapidated lightbox by the roadside. In the dead of night, with no passersby around, Zhao Qiang openly released an energy ball, rearranging the metal sheets he had taken from the lightbox into dozens of finger-sized metal pieces in his hand. The rust had automatically dissipated, and the metal pieces gleamed coldly.
Zhao Qiang tried using an energy ball to envelop a metal sheet and launch it outwards. Thanks to the precise control of the biochip, the metal sheet pierced through a willow tree as thick as a girl's waist with a whooshing sound. Zhao Qiang nodded in satisfaction. Having an energy ball was great, but it also consumed a lot of energy. He estimated he would have to replenish his food supply before dawn. Heh, if Wei knew he was using maintenance energy to kill someone, he wondered what she would think.
The ward management at the Hedian District Central Hospital was not strict. Zhao Qiang pulled the hood of his winter coat over his head and calmly passed through the surveillance cameras in the lobby, searching room by room in the orthopedic ward. Fortunately, he found his father and grandfather in the fifth room. The two were already asleep, while his mother was resting by the bedside. Zhao Qiang stood at the door for a minute before hurriedly leaving. At this moment, his status was different, and he dared not linger.
After searching through the orthopedics department, Zhao Qiang went to the neurology department and then circled the surgical ward. He actually found Wang Zhijiang's ward, which was full of people, but they weren't lying down. They were all standing or sitting and talking. He didn't know when they had arrived, but they seemed to be discussing something. Seeing that there was no one walking in the ward corridor, Zhao Qiang felt safe and pressed his ear to the door to eavesdrop.
"Big brother, the eldest brother is dead, the second brother is seriously injured, and the fourth brother's neck has been broken. This matter cannot be left like this!" The one who spoke was Zhu Zhaowei, the third of the Four Tigers of Hedian. It is said that his leg skills are first-class, and he kicks people as smoothly as flowing water. Even a man of iron cannot withstand his kick.
The eldest of the Four Tigers of Hedian was Scarface. He was severely injured by Zhao Qiang and later shot twice by Wu Chi, so his death was to be expected. The second was Gan Beiwei, whose limbs were crippled by Zhao Qiang at the Royal Billiards Hall, and he was also in this hospital room at the moment. The fourth was Wang Zhijiang, whose neck was broken by Zhao Qiang. He was now practically a cripple.
A middle-aged man sitting in front of Wang Zhijiang's hospital bed sighed, "How have I always told you that you can't be too greedy! But you just wouldn't listen, always thinking that no one in Hedian District dared to mess with you. Now you've suffered a great loss. The dead can't be brought back to life. Give Scarface a proper burial. As for the second and fourth sons, take good care of your injuries. They'll recover someday."
Zhun Zhaowei said angrily, "Brother, aren't you going to avenge that grudge?"
The middle-aged man was none other than Song Shiguo, the most powerful figure in Hedian District. He narrowed his eyes and said, "Who said we wouldn't report it? But now the Municipal Public Security Bureau has sent people to monitor us. Do you dare to make a move?" In fact, Song Shiguo was not telling the truth. He was angrier than anyone else. He had even sent people to wait at the detention center early on. He had called earlier to say that things had gone well, but Song Shiguo would not talk about this in front of so many of his brothers. Some things are best kept secret forever.
Yu Zhaowei sneered: "Big Brother, as far as I know, that kid's parents are also at the Central Hospital. Since he's so ruthless, don't blame us for being impolite. Let's kill his parents and avenge half of the boss's revenge! When it comes to ruthlessness, we're even more ruthless!"
Song Shiguo remained silent; this was the art of dealing with people. If anything happened in the future, it wouldn't be his problem. Zhu Zhaowei, of course, pretended that his elder brother had tacitly agreed. He called to the brothers around him, "Come on, let's go downstairs to handle this. First, take two sacks and use them to get the person out and deal with it. The hospital is a peaceful place."
The ward door creaked open before anyone could turn around. Because it was late at night and these people were used to their arrogance, no one had been assigned to guard the corridor. The sound of the door opening made everyone assume it was the night doctor making rounds, but the man's attire clearly indicated he wasn't a doctor. When he removed his hood, it was clear he was a doctor by day. The younger brother, who recognized him, exclaimed in horror, "It's...it's him!"
A cold glint flashed in Song Shiguo's eyes. He couldn't believe his eyes and ears. The phone call earlier that night had clearly stated that the boy had been hit and rendered an idiot, and that even if he didn't die, he would never regain his senses. But why was he here now? And he didn't look like an idiot at all!
"Good timing!" Relying on his martial arts background and superior skills, Zhu Zhaowei ignored why Zhao Qiang was there and kicked him in the face. Zhao Qiang didn't back down; he simply grabbed Zhu Zhaowei's kick with both hands in front of his chest, then flipped him upwards. Although Zhu Zhaowei was skilled, he couldn't perform a backflip like in martial arts novels and land safely. Instead, he was thrown like a dead dog onto the hospital bed behind him, landing squarely on Wang Zhijiang, whose neck was in a thick cast. Wang Zhijiang screamed like a pig being slaughtered when the weight was applied.
"Get your guns!" someone shouted. Song Shiguo reached for his waist. As a successful boss, he always carried a gun with him. With so many people he had offended, who could guarantee when something might happen?
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! A flash of light appeared before everyone's eyes, followed by a sharp pain in their foreheads, and then they lost consciousness. More than a dozen brothers collapsed to the ground like harvested wheat. Song Shiguo's hand remained frozen at his waist, too afraid to move. Zhu Zhaowei stood up from Wang Zhijiang's body and was horrified to see the dead bodies scattered all over the ground! Each brother had a hole in his forehead oozing blood!
Volume 2 [147] Let's have a meeting
"Killing one person is the same as killing a hundred. These guys attacked my father and grandfather's breathing joints, do you think I'd let them go? Besides, they're outnumbered and outmatched. In this situation, not striking first would be suicide!"
The energy cluster enveloped the metal sheet and surged forth with lightning speed. A human skull couldn't withstand it, and coupled with the precise calculations of the super-biological core, every wound was a vital point. These dozen or so brothers died almost simultaneously, with absolutely no chance of survival!
Zhao Qiang bent down and picked up a machete from the ground. Song Shiguo didn't dare to move. He noticed the metal piece Zhao Qiang was holding in his other hand. Although it was small, Zhao Qiang had just demonstrated its power with it, killing at least fourteen of his men! Its speed was far beyond what Song Shiguo could achieve by drawing his gun and shooting! Weighing the pros and cons, Song Shiguo held back.
"Are you Song Shiguo?" Zhao Qiang asked coldly. He was no longer the Zhao Qiang who was eating noodles in Su Su's bedroom. Now he looked cold and gloomy, devoid of any human vitality or expression.
Song Shiguo calmly withdrew his hand from his waist. Since there was no chance of winning, there was no need to provoke the other party further. Song Shiguo took out a cigarette, lit it, took a puff, and said, "I am Zhao Qiang."
Zhao Qiang nodded, but Tan Zhaowei, lacking Song Shiguo's deep cunning and impatience, roared and lunged again, kicking Zhao Qiang in the temple! Zhao Qiang swung his cleaver, and snap, Tan Zhaowei's leg was severed at the ankle, blood splattering all over Zhao Qiang! Ignoring the pain, Zhao Qiang pressed forward and stabbed Tan Zhaowei in the abdomen. Tan Zhaowei, his face filled with terror, gripped the hilt of the cleaver in his abdomen. He glanced resentfully at Song Shiguo before collapsing into a pool of blood. The blade, poised to strike upwards, had pierced Tan Zhaowei's heart; he was finished.
Song Shiguo's hand, holding the cigarette, trembled. He had never seen anyone strike so quickly and ruthlessly; they were practically a killing machine that killed without blinking an eye! Song Shiguo had every reason to believe that Zhao Qiang would take his life with the next stab!
"What...what do you want?" Song Shiguo relented. There were hardly any living people left here; he wasn't afraid of being laughed at.
Zhao Qiang pulled the cleaver from Zhun Zhaowei's abdomen and then, without warning, plunged it into Gan Beiwei's chest on the hospital bed. Gan Beiwei's eyes bulged out like fish bubbles. He didn't know why Zhao Qiang was going to attack him again. He had clearly let him go during the day, but now he didn't want him to live. Wasn't this just making him suffer for nothing?
In fact, Zhao Qiang didn't want to leave himself any way out. These people showed no mercy when they took revenge on others. If he didn't kill them, it would put his family in danger. He pulled the machete from Gan Beiwei's chest and walked towards Wang Zhijiang. Wang Zhijiang was so scared that he wet himself. He tried to get up from the hospital bed with all his might, "No, don't kill me, boss, save me, save me!"
Veins bulged on Song Shiguo's forehead. He had weathered countless storms in his life, but never before had he felt so powerless. The man before him was clearly just a young man in his early twenties, yet his strength was terrifying. His throwing knife technique was virtually invincible, and his attacks were ruthless and vicious. If Song Shiguo were to act rashly, he would surely die!
Song Shiguo watched helplessly as Zhao Qiang stabbed Wang Zhijiang in the chest. Wang Zhijiang kicked his legs a few times in despair before falling silent. Human life is so fragile. In fact, whether it was Chun Zhaowei or Wang Zhijiang, these people had several lives on their hands, but they never thought that one day they would be killed so easily. If they had known this would be the outcome, why would they have helped Zhang Guidong for a little bit of profit?
Song Shiguo calmed himself down, but his voice still trembled as he said, "You've killed them all. What else are you dissatisfied with?"
Zhao Qiang pointed at Song Shiguo and said, "You're not dead yet." Song Shiguo's hand quickly reached for his waist. He had no choice but to try his best, but he was no longer young. Even if he was in his prime, he might not be as fast as Zhao Qiang. So before Song Shiguo could even touch the pistol, Zhao Qiang had already taken it first. It was Zhao Qiang's first time handling a pistol, but the maintenance manual had detailed instructions. So Zhao Qiang easily loaded the bullet and pointed the muzzle at Song Shiguo's head!
The cold gun barrel turned Song Shiguo's face ashen. This young man was even more formidable than special forces. Getting involved with him was the biggest mistake he had ever made in his life! Damn Zhang Guidong, he had risked everything to help him. If he survived, he would make sure that bastard got what he deserved! Song Shiguo cursed fiercely.
Zhao Qiang suddenly smiled and put his pistol away. He said, "Sorry, you can't die now."
Song Shiguo let out a breath; his crotch was wet. Even a ruthless warlord like him was afraid of death. "Whatever you want, I'll give you everything." Seeing a glimmer of hope, Song Shiguo immediately seized the opportunity.
Zhao Qiang said, "Come with me to a safe place. I need you to do a few things for me."
Song Shiguo replied without hesitation, "Yes."
With one hand gripping Song Shiguo's arm and the other holding a machete hidden in his winter coat, Zhao Qiang and Song Shiguo walked out of the ward side by side. The screams had already alerted the other wards, but knowing that these people were thugs, even the doctors didn't dare to come and check on them, so Zhao Qiang and Song Shiguo left calmly.
Song Shiguo drove his Mercedes, while Zhao Qiang sat in the passenger seat smoking. In his other hand, he held the gun he had confiscated from Song Shiguo. It was a really good thing; with it, there was no need to waste energy. The only pity was that it was a bit loud.
Song Shiguo took Zhao Qiang to one of his villas, where his mistress, who seemed to be a high school student, usually lived. She ran out when she heard the door open, but was scared back down by Song Shiguo's glare, thus saving Zhao Qiang from further trouble.
"Call the detention center and tell them you need everything I left there. Have them send it over, nothing is missing." Zhao Qiang gave Song Shiguo his first order, the best way for him to safely retrieve Wei, the perverted screwdriver, and the watch.
Song Shiguo began to calm down. As long as Zhao Qiang had a request, that was fine. He was afraid that Zhao Qiang would only care about killing people. If that happened, his death would be too unjust and terrible. His family's reputation would be ruined, and Song Shiguo would die with his eyes open in disgrace.
“Okay, I’ll call the warden of the detention center right away. He’s my buddy.” Song Shiguo deftly pulled out his phone. Zhao Qiang was sitting across from him, playing with his pistol. Song Shiguo knew the consequences of any tricks he might try. Zhao Qiang had already killed more than a dozen people, and he knew Zhao Qiang wouldn’t care about killing one more of him, so he dared not play any tricks on the phone.
The detention center director, roused from his reverie, was furious, but upon recognizing Song Shiguo's voice, his attitude immediately changed. "You want the things Zhao Qiang left in the detention center? Fine, I'll have someone send them to you right away. Old Song, you should stop this now. The higher-ups are starting to pay attention, and if you make a scene in the detention center, I won't be able to explain myself later."
Song Shiguo sneered inwardly, thinking to himself that the detention center was already empty, and he was still trying to give me this nonsense!