Chapter Eighty-Six: A Pleasant Collaboration

However, Qin Sheng didn’t linger to speak much with Shen Shi; after asking for directions, she hurried toward the hospital. Although the hospital in the safety zone was not as clean or spacious as before the apocalypse, it was still one of the larger, more open buildings around. And with plenty of medical supplies stockpiled in advance, it counted as a fairly decent hospital under the circumstances.

Once she’d learned from which room Shen Mei was being treated, Qin Sheng quickened her pace. She couldn’t understand why people were saying Shen Mei had competed while ill today.

Room 2306.

Qin Sheng confirmed the room number, took a deep breath, and knocked politely.

“Come in,” a voice answered from inside—not Shen Mei’s, which made Qin Sheng’s worry deepen.

She opened the door quietly, her gaze landing instantly on the bed where Shen Mei lay, lips still pale and unconscious. Standing beside her in a white coat was a young man—most likely her attending physician.

“Hello, I’m Shen Mei’s friend. How is she now?” Qin Sheng introduced herself immediately, and the doctor’s suspicions eased.

He looked helplessly at the battered girl on the bed, then turned to explain, “She’s out of danger for now—just overexerted herself, which is why she hasn’t woken up yet. As for the bruises and wounds on her body, they’ve already been treated.”

“Bruises and wounds?” Qin Sheng could hardly believe it. She glanced at Shen Mei’s hand lying atop the blanket—covered in vivid purple bruises, a horrifying sight.

How could this be?

Qin Sheng’s brow furrowed even tighter. Even if not all the competitors in this match were trained fighters, there was no way Shen Mei should be so gravely injured. Their skills were about equal; even against someone like Li Chengbin, Shen Mei could hold her own.

So why was she hurt like this now?

“You’ll need to pay extra attention to her wounds—make sure to apply the medicine every day. Also, she was already unwell. Why let her enter the ring?” The doctor clearly couldn’t comprehend it. Shen Mei had obvious symptoms of menstrual pain when she was brought in, so why hadn’t her friends stopped her from participating in a combat contest?

To end up like this—such a pity, and so frustrating.

Qin Sheng’s frown didn’t ease. If she remembered correctly, Shen Mei’s period had ended last week—she’d even given Shen Mei the sanitary pads herself. A week had already passed; there should be no issue with menstrual pain.

“Doctor, her period ended a week ago. I think she needs a thorough check-up,” Qin Sheng stated directly.

The doctor was visibly surprised and asked again, “You’re sure her period has passed?”

Qin Sheng nodded. “And it’s not likely something she ate—our meals are the same every day. If it were food poisoning, I would have had the same symptoms.”

The doctor hadn’t expected things to be so complicated. It seemed this girl had offended someone, and someone had set her up to get her so badly hurt.

“I’ll run some more tests on her, then—” The doctor hadn’t finished when a weak voice came from the bed.

“Qin Sheng…”

Shen Mei’s eyes landed first on Qin Sheng, her emotions hard to describe. Just yesterday, she’d faced Qin Sheng in a match; now, after being framed, it was Qin Sheng who worried about her.

“You’re awake? Shen Mei, how are you feeling?” Qin Sheng hurried to pour her a glass of water and handed it over.

After two sips, Shen Mei’s throat felt less raw.

“Doctor, I think it’s just something I ate. No need for further tests—thank you.” Shen Mei leaned weakly against the bed, speaking to the doctor.

She’d heard every word exchanged between Qin Sheng and the doctor just now. There was no need for tests—the medicine that caused diarrhea wasn’t harmful, and after this long, nothing would show up anyway.

Qin Sheng didn’t object. Shen Mei must have her reasons.

“If that’s the case, do be careful with your diet in the future. But important check-ups shouldn’t be neglected.” The doctor nodded, looking at Shen Mei.

Some color was returning to Shen Mei’s pale lips; it seemed there was no serious danger.

“I have other matters to attend to. Please remember to apply her medicine,” the doctor reminded Qin Sheng.

Qin Sheng nodded. “Thank you. I’ll take good care of her.”

“Good.”

After seeing the doctor out, Qin Sheng returned to sit by Shen Mei’s bedside.

“The water has cooled a bit. Drink the rest,” she said, handing over the cup.

Shen Mei accepted it with a smile, then asked curiously, “Aren’t you curious how I got hurt?”

Qin Sheng’s expression didn’t change. “First, I trust you’ll tell me yourself. Second, I suspect you were framed.”

At that, Shen Mei’s eyes turned icy, anger and hatred barely concealed within.

Qin Sheng understood immediately. She leaned back in her chair and said lightly, “If I’m not mistaken, the person must be someone you know well.”

Shen Mei kept silent, but her expression confirmed Qin Sheng’s guess.

“Yang Yao,” Qin Sheng said with certainty.

Shen Mei turned to look at her, the silence confirming that Yang Yao was indeed the one who’d set her up.

Qin Sheng snorted, almost mockingly. “Using something as crude as diarrhea medicine—how clumsy.”

Shen Mei hadn’t expected Qin Sheng to guess so precisely. She glanced at her own battered body with a wry smile. “So, if it were you, what would you do?”

Qin Sheng could see that Shen Mei had already thought things through. Now that her life was no longer in danger, she was even in the mood to chat.

“If it were me, I’d make sure she never suspected it was my doing. I’d make her doubt herself, break her spirit bit by bit.”

Shen Mei chuckled. “I never thought you had such thoughts.”

Qin Sheng shrugged, laughing softly. “That’s not all I’m capable of. Perhaps someday, I’ll really do it.”

Shen Mei didn’t know how to respond to that.

After all, she was just a college student unused to the world. After today’s events, regret was the deepest she could feel.

But Qin Sheng was different.

The pain of losing family and nearly losing her life was beyond most people’s comprehension.

She could have just killed Qin Mengchun, but that alone wouldn’t have satisfied her need for vengeance.

It wasn’t a question of whether she might do it one day—she was certain she would.

For a moment, Shen Mei was at a loss for words. She felt a sense of unfamiliarity with Qin Sheng, as if she were seeing a side of her she’d never known.

But then, she’d never truly known Qin Sheng at all. Why should this surprise her?

Her thoughts grew complicated, but faced with Qin Sheng’s calm demeanor, she began to see things more clearly.

After a long pause, Shen Mei finally spoke again. “Today, I saw Qin Mengchun and Yang Yao together. I think they’ve formed a little alliance.”

“The leader is Guo Ting,” Qin Sheng added, as if she’d known all along.

Shen Mei had always sensed Qin Sheng’s attitude toward her stepsister was less than friendly. Now she understood—it wasn’t just a matter of attitude. There was a gulf between them that no one else could cross.

“Guo Ting? The girl Ah Zhi beat yesterday?” Shen Mei asked. She didn’t know Guo Ting well—just remembered that the clownish girl who’d faced Ah Zhi was called that.

Qin Sheng nodded, her expression unchanged. “Guo Ting’s uncle is the captain of the first squad of the security team. Ah Zhi’s win yesterday was probably just a fluke.”

The captain of the first squad?

Shen Mei was shocked. If Qin Sheng and Guo Ting were mortal enemies, wouldn’t that make her an enemy of the whole first squad as well?

She hadn’t realized things were so complicated. What she thought was just typical rivalry between girls was, in fact, far more dangerous.

“So, if I join the security team, I’ll be a thorn in their side,” Qin Sheng said, guessing Shen Mei’s thoughts.

“Then why do you still want to join?” Shen Mei pressed. She knew the road ahead would only be more difficult and perilous.

Qin Sheng seemed unconcerned, which only made Shen Mei worry more. A team of experienced adults versus a young college student—Qin Sheng’s burden was not as light as she made it seem.

“Why?” Qin Sheng smiled, ambition shining in her eyes. “Only by becoming strong can I defeat everything I wish to defeat.”

Even Qin Sheng herself didn’t know when Song Qing’an’s words had become her own guiding principle.

Shen Mei was clearly shaken, speechless for a long time.

“So, will you join us?” Qin Sheng’s smile was bright and confident, brimming with ambition.

She’d already considered recruiting Shen Mei—someone with her potential was better as a friend than anything else.

Shen Mei stared into Qin Sheng’s eyes. After a long pause, she nodded. “Alright.”

Qin Sheng smiled in satisfaction, stood, and extended her hand in friendship. “In that case, I look forward to working together.”

Shen Mei smiled as well and bumped fists with Qin Sheng. “Likewise.”

Suddenly, Qin Sheng remembered something. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a red porcelain bottle.

“This is medicine my grandfather made himself. If you trust me, use it—the effects are immediate.”

Shen Mei accepted the bottle, examining it carefully but unable to tell how it was made.

“May I ask your grandfather’s name?” she ventured.

“Qin Zongming.”

Shen Mei’s eyes widened in astonishment—the bottle suddenly felt hot in her hand. “Qin Zongming? The famous patriarch of the medical family?”