Chapter 153: Setting an Ambush, Framing and Incriminating
In the dim and narrow alley, Yuan Chonghe was bent over picking up his accidentally dropped smartphone, muttering a few words of reprimand under his breath.
However, in this brief moment of distraction, the turning point of fate quietly descended.
He was calculating in his mind whether he should call the police for help, and right at the instant of this hesitation, the corner of his eye caught a heart-palpitating, chilling glint.
"Oh no!"
Yuan Chonghe's heart tightened violently, every hair on his body standing on end as if struck by an electric current.
He instinctively rolled to the side, attempting to evade the impending danger.
Yet, everything was simply too late!
Clearly, this was a meticulously planned ambush.
Yuan Chonghe's complexion turned as pale as paper in a split second, and he inwardly gasped in alarm:
"Extremely bad!"
Before his voice had even faded, a razor-sharp blade swept closely past his body,
leaving behind a shocking, bloody gash, while a pungent smell of blood filled the air.
The person who struck was none other than the petty thief who had been pursued earlier.
At this moment, he resembled an Asura returned from hell, his blade slicing through the air with a chilling, shrill whistle.
"Who on earth are you?"
Enduring the pain, Yuan Chonghe opened his eyes wide, anger and confusion intertwining in his gaze as if he wanted to see right through his opponent.
However, the adversary offered no response whatsoever, merely flashing forward
and launching another blade attack. The cold gleam revealed a dense intent to kill,
resembling the scythe of the Grim Reaper, aimed directly at Yuan Chonghe's throat.
The blade light was like a waning moon, carrying astonishing fierce winds
that carved deep grooves into the surrounding walls, as if intending to swallow the entire alley.
A chill gripped Yuan Chonghe's heart once more.
He realized that the enemy before him was by no means an ordinary person; with internal energy projecting outward, the assailant had clearly stepped into the ranks of profound-realm masters.
As for himself, he was merely at the peak of the yellow realm. With such a vast disparity in strength, a direct confrontation would be no different from throwing an egg against a rock.
Despair and reluctance intertwined in Yuan Chonghe's heart, but he did not give up resistance.
While retreating, he mobilized all his internal Qi, causing a red glow to flicker on his arms
like entwining fire serpents. That was his final hope, as well as his final struggle.
Yet, the gap in strength made all of this appear so futile.
Blood continuously splattered, and Yuan Chonghe gradually fell into desperate straits.
The ambusher pounced like a harrier hawk catching its prey, agile and swift, his sword moving in unison with his body
like a dragon emerging from the sea. Wherever the cold light reached, murderous intent filled the air, completely enveloping Yuan Chonghe.
At this moment, everything before Yuan Chonghe's eyes turned blankly white,
as if he were cast into an endless abyss of despair, with life and death hanging by a thread.
Just as Yuan Chonghe cried out the words "Cold Light Blade," he seemed to witness the termination of his own fate.
This weapon, exclusive to the Yuan Family Village, served like the scythe of death, pronouncing his doom.
He stared in incredulous disbelief, wanting to question the assailant's identity, but everything was already too late.
That chilling glint flashed like lightning, slicing through Yuan Chonghe's throat and cutting off all his vitality.
Blood gushed out like a fountain. Yuan Chonghe clutched his throat,
collapsing powerlessly onto the ground. His body twitched a few times before he completely lost motion.
His eyes remained wide open, as if recounting his lingering grievances and anger, yet he could no longer emit any sound at all.
The murderer coldly wiped the blood from the blade, removed his face mask, and revealed the true identity of Gao Lu, one of the Four Great Guardians of the Wen family.
There was not the slightest ripple on his face, as if murdering a person just now was merely a part of his routine daily work.
Gao Lu leaped upward, vaulting over the wall and leaving behind only a mask that fell upon Yuan Chonghe's corpse,
resembling a withered leaf that spoke of the fragility and impermanence of life.
Dead silence returned to the alley, leaving only Yuan Chonghe's corpse and the blood on the ground to silently recount the brutal slaughter that had just occurred.
This once-glorious powerhouse had fallen silently just like that, becoming a sacrificial pawn in someone else's conspiracy.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Li Chao was driving toward the Huaxi City Central Hospital.
His heart was filled with anxiety and worry because he knew that his good friend Duan Tian was struggling on the line between life and death.
When he hurried into the hospital room and saw Duan Tian's abdomen covered with a blood-stained white cloth, his heart felt as though it were being cut by a knife.
Upon seeing Li Chao, a trace of excitement and hope flashed in Duan Tian's eyes.
He struggled to speak, but the movement pulled at his wound, causing him to gasp in sharp pain.
The medical staff in the room also looked toward Li Chao, and one of the attending physicians asked with a tone of suspicion and disdain:
"Are you the miraculous doctor the patient spoke of?"
Li Chao smiled indifferently, shook his head, and said:
"I wouldn't call myself a miracle worker; I'm just an ordinary little village doctor."
His tone was calm and composed, as if he did not care in the least about the doubts and contempt of others.
However, this composure of his provoked anger and dissatisfaction from the attending physician.
"What nonsense are you pulling? Do you have any idea how severe his injuries are? And you actually found a village doctor to treat him?"
The attending physician's face flushed red, and his emotions were extremely agitated.
The other medical staff also shook their heads to express disapproval and worry.
From their perspective, how could a village doctor possibly have the ability to treat a patient with such severe injuries?
Originally, they had assumed the patient knew some legendary master of traditional medicine or a specialist from the provincial capital, but they never expected the person brought in to be a mere village doctor.
Wasn't this just playing games?
The medical staff looked at one another, their faces filled with disbelief and dissatisfaction.
Duan Tian shook his head and said:
"Don't be fooled by his title as a village doctor!"
"This guy is a classic example of playing the pig to eat the tiger!"
"This little injury of mine can be cured by him with a casual wave of his hand!"
Duan Tian's tone was firm, full of confidence in Li Chao.
With that, he looked at Li Chao and said:
"Brother, stop standing there. Treating this illness is urgent!"
Duan Tian's gaze was eager, looking at Li Chao with high expectations.
Li Chao smiled and walked toward Duan Tian.
Seeing that he genuinely intended to treat the patient, the attending physician stamped his feet in anger:
"You'd better think this through. If you let someone mess around and problems arise, our hospital takes zero responsibility!"
The attending physician's face turned livid, and his voice rose a notch.
Duan Tian waved his hand:
"Understood!"
"Rest assured! If anything goes wrong, put it on me!"
Duan Tian's attitude was resolute, and he chose to trust Li Chao without the slightest hesitation.
He had absolute trust in Li Chao's medical skills.
"You..."
The attending physician gritted his teeth, but ultimately did not leave.
He was afraid the patient might genuinely suffer an accident.
Staying right here might allow them a chance to remedy the situation.
Of course, there was also a slight desire to see precisely how Li Chao intended to treat him.
The attending physician furrowed his brows, staring anxiously at every single move Li Chao made.
He watched as Li Chao arrived right beside Duan Tian,
and gently lifted the white cloth covering his abdomen.
It was revealed that a sharp steel fragment was embedded in the upper part of the abdomen, having pierced quite deeply.
Judging by its shape, it resembled a form of hidden projectile.
The flesh and blood around the metal fragment were mangled into a bloody mess, making one's hair stand on end.
Li Chao gently placed his hand near the area,
instantly gaining a clear understanding of the injury.
No wonder the medical staff did not dare to handle the wound casually.
After a moment of thought, Li Chao retrieved a cloth pouch from his pocket.
Opening it, he revealed a row of silver needles.
"Hey, what are you planning to do?"
Seeing Li Chao's action, the attending physician asked,
his voice filled with tension and alertness.
Without even raising his head, Li Chao replied:
"Pulling out the foreign object and stopping the bleeding for treatment!"
Li Chao's tone was calm and confident.
The attending physician anxiously shouted:
"You haven't even looked at the lab results or the medical diagnosis, and yet you dare to make a move? Do you want to get him killed?"
The attending physician's voice was close to a roar, the veins on his forehead bulging.
Li Chao smiled:
"Isn't it just that the sharp object is close to the liver and difficult to extract?"
"You guys find it difficult, but to me, it's a piece of cake!"
A trace of poise and calmness lingered in Li Chao's smile.
What?
As soon as these words left his mouth, every single medical professional in the room was dumbfounded!
They widened their eyes, as if unable to believe their own ears.
What Li Chao said was indeed without the slightest falsehood.
If it were merely an ordinary object, aided by modern instruments, extracting it would be an effortless task.
However, the circumstances this time were no trivial matter; the point where the foreign object had pierced
was extremely delicate, and the slightest misstep
could provoke the silent guardian within the body—the liver—leading to catastrophic consequences.
Even if everything went smoothly and the foreign object was successfully detached, the trauma inflicted would not heal within a short period,
requiring at least one or two months of careful recuperation to return to normal.
This was precisely the reason why Duan Tian had earnestly invited Li Chao to administer treatment.
Never had they expected this young medical practitioner to bypass any complex examinations and grasp the entire situation simply through a fingertip touch.
Such a scene left everyone present gaping in astonishment, their hearts overflowing with wonder and admiration, akin to witnessing the arrival of a miracle.
A moment later, a nurse's voice sounded as soft as a mosquito's hum, yet it carried a measure of doubt and speculation:
"Perhaps the patient already disclosed the detailed situation to him beforehand?"
As soon as these words were spoken, they were like a gentle breeze brushing across a calm lake, stirring ripples of skepticism.
As if he hadn't heard a thing, Li Chao remained utterly single-minded. With a light flick of his fingers, a silver needle was in his hand,
shining brightly like the brightest star in the night sky, and he steadily drove it one inch above the wound.
Following that came the second needle, the third needle... each needle struck like lightning.
In the blink of an eye, five needles stood firmly planted upon the skin.
Li Chao's movements were fluid and precise, his gaze focused and profound, as if he were conducting a silent ritual.
Inside the room, the medical staff murmured in low voices, confusion and incomprehension intertwining:
"What on earth is he attempting to do?"
"How can acupuncture possibly treat this kind of external trauma?"
"Simply unimaginable!"
Their exchanges were laden with puzzlement and curiosity.
Just as everyone was whispering among themselves, an exclamation broke the tranquility:
"Look quickly, the silver needles are glowing!"
Following the sound, everyone looked over and saw faint lights blooming at the tails of the five silver needles,
connecting with one another to form a pentagram pattern that tightly wrapped around the wound.
This sight was nothing short of miraculous. Even the attending physician who had initially harbored doubts about Li Chao
was deeply captivated at this moment, his gaze flickering with unprecedented shock.
That radiance was both gentle and mystical, seeming to touch the softest parts of one's heart and compelling everyone to exclaim in involuntary wonder.
Just as the pentagram pattern formed, Li Chao struck once more. A silver needle shot forth like an arrow leaving a bowstring, pointing straight at the center of Duan Tian's glabella (between the eyebrows).
The instant the silver needle entered his body, Duan Tian's torso stiffened abruptly, and the monitoring equipment emitted a piercing, urgent alarm sound as the heartbeat monitor flattened into a straight line.
The shadow of death instantly enshrouded the hearts of everyone present.
Could it be that the flame of life had thus been extinguished?
Every medical professional simultaneously entertained this dark thought.
However, before anyone could recover from the shock, Li Chao moved with lightning speed, grabbing the portion of the foreign object protruding from the body.
At this very moment, everyone's heart seemed to be tightly clutched by an invisible hand, tension and anticipation intertwining as
their gazes locked firmly onto Li Chao's every minute movement, awaiting the miraculous recurrence.
Li Chao vibrated his arm, channeling strength into his fingertips, and gave a fierce, powerful yank!
With a squelch,
the foreign object was abruptly pulled out as if by an invisible hand, carrying an irresistible force
that broke free from Duan Tian's body, tracing a heart-stopping arc
before finally crashing heavily onto the ground with a muffled, spine-chilling thud, making it seem as though even the air trembled.
This spectacle left everyone present struck dumb with amazement.
The attending physician, in particular, was struck as if by lightning, anger and astonishment colliding until he almost lost his sanity:
"The person is already dead, what use is there in pulling this thing out?! You are committing murder! This is a crime!"
His face turned flushed red with rage, the veins on his forehead bulging as if he wanted to pour out his full reservoir of fury.
Yet, Li Chao merely offered a gentle smile, a smile containing boundless composure and confidence, as if everything remained firmly under his control.
He slowly withdrew the silver needle planted between Duan Tian's eyebrows. As the needle left,
the alarm sounds of the surrounding instruments ceased abruptly, and the curve on the heartbeat monitor resumed its normal rhythm.
Li Chao turned to look at the panic-stricken attending physician, a faint smile hooking the corners of his lips:
"Who said he was dead?"
This question served like a blunt blow to the head, leaving the attending physician frozen in place for a long while, unable to utter a single word.
The other medical staff were also seemingly struck by a binding spell,
widening their eyes and gaping mouths.
The entire room fell into a brief silence, broken only by the faint, rhythmic sounds emitted by the medical equipment.
"You... what are you..."
The attending physician finally recovered his voice,
yet his words came out in fragments, his lips trembling
while his gaze was filled with disbelief and profound bewilderment.
Li Chao chuckled softly and explained:
"Weren't you hesitant to make a move precisely because you worried that any minute movement by the patient during the procedure would affect the surgical success rate?"
His smile exuded an indescribable confidence and poise, as if he had perceived everything long ago.
The attending physician nodded upon hearing this, secretly admiring Li Chao's keen insight in his heart.
Indeed, the difficulty of such a surgery was immense; the slightest misstep could lead to absolute destruction.
The patient's heartbeat, respiration, and blood circulation—
every single detail was vitally important, and the slightest negligence could waste all previous efforts.
Suddenly seeming to recall something,
a flash of curiosity and inquiry crossed the attending physician's eyes:
"So, you figured out a way to make him temporarily appear as though he were dead, right?"
His tone carried a trace of eagerness, as if he were anxious to obtain the answer.
Li Chao smiled and nodded, continuing:
"Now that the foreign object has been extracted, there are no major concerns for the moment. However, do not touch those five silver needles yet; wait until the wound is sutured before removing them."
His tone was relaxed and resolute, as though everything was well in hand.
Looking at Li Chao, the attending physician's eyes were filled with deep respect and admiration.
Such a method was simply incredible!
He had never witnessed such supreme medical skill and daring courage.
Yet, whether it was truly a success still required further confirmation.
Daring not to waste a single moment, the attending physician quickly contacted the relevant hospital departments and wheeled Duan Tian's hospital bed straight toward the operating theater.
Inside the operating theater, the lights blazed brightly, and the medical staff busied themselves with tense efficiency.
When they saw that Duan Tian's liver was completely intact and even the nearby blood vessels were free of major damage,
every single person's eyes were filled with shock and incredulity.
This was nothing short of a medical miracle!
They felt as though they had witnessed an impossible task executed to absolute perfection.
The attending physician's figure appeared somewhat heavy as he sat on a chair, his gaze filled with awe toward traditional Dragon Country medicine alongside a sense of self-reflection.
He spoke slowly, his voice carrying a trace of emotional realization:
"We indeed studied for a long time, performing all kinds of analyses, yet facing that kind of wound, even with the most advanced medical equipment, we did not have absolute certainty of success. However, that young man resolved a problem that had left us helpless, relying on just a few silver needles and a pair of skillful hands. This forces me to re-examine the profound breadth and depth of Dragon Country medicine."
His words conveyed deep admiration and shame,
as if at this very moment, doubt was cast upon his past perceptions,
and an overwhelming sense of reverence for traditional medicine surged within him.
He shook his head and sighed repeatedly, seemingly ashamed of his own superficiality and ignorance.
Meanwhile, back in the hospital room, Li Chao sat playing with the wiped-clean hidden weapon in his hand.
The weapon possessed a unique design, closely resembling a small fish, with intricate, complex patterns engraved upon its surface
that seemed to harbor some mysterious power.
Li Chao scrutinized it closely, secretly pondering its origins and purpose.
Before long, Duan Tian, having completed his suturing surgery, was wheeled back into the ward.
Wearing a smug expression, he joked with the medical staff, as if flaunting his own foresight.
The medical staff also looked at him with admiring gazes, their eyes brimming with praise for Li Chao's medical skill and respect for Duan Tian.
Once the medical staff departed, only Li Chao and Duan Tian remained in the room.
The atmosphere instantly grew quiet, with only the sound of their breathing clearly audible.
Li Chao retrieved several packets of prepared herbal medicine from the side and placed them on the table,
telling Duan Tian calmly and gently about the times and frequency for brewing the medicine daily, along with how the herbs would benefit wound recovery.
Duan Tian looked at Li Chao with a grateful expression, smiling as he expressed his thanks.
However, when Li Chao mentioned the cost of the medicine, Duan Tian guiltily waved his hand in denial, wearing a flustered expression and darting his eyes away.
Watching Duan Tian put on this act, Li Chao couldn't help but find it amusing inwardly, though he didn't truly mind.
He shook his head helplessly, thinking to himself:
"This guy always acts like this. Still, since everyone's here, there's no need to fuss over such trivial matters."
Thus, with a smile, he patted Duan Tian on the shoulder and said:
"Alright, stop putting on an act. You and I are brothers, so let's skip mentioning such minor things."
Pausing briefly, Li Chao asked:
"Given that your cultivation is quite decent, how on earth did you manage to get yourself hurt this badly?"
One had to know that Duan Tian possessed the strength of the profound realm, making him a master even within the hidden sects.
Li Chao's face was full of puzzlement, his gaze fixed intently on Duan Tian.
Hearing this, Duan Tian let out a sigh:
"I happened to run into a mischievous cultivator!"
"I originally thought it would be easy to handle, but who would have thought that guy knew mechanism puppetry? I dropped my guard for a moment and fell right into his trap!"
A trace of helplessness and vexation crossed Duan Tian's face.
Oh?
"Puppetry? What kind of witchcraft is that?"
At this point, curiosity flickered within Li Chao as well.
It sounded rather mysterious!
An intense desire to learn more filled Li Chao's gaze.
Duan Tian explained:
"It's a heterodox path, though it can also be considered a branch of hidden-sect cultivation."
"It is rumored to originate from the master craftsman Lu Ban!"
"To put it plainly, it uses special methods to control objects so they move like puppets. However, the difficulty of cultivation is immense, and most of the cultivation techniques have been lost, which is why mechanism puppetry is practically extinct in the hidden sects."
Duan Tian's tone carried both understanding and a sense of lament for this specific art.
Ah!
Li Chao nodded, then followed up by asking:
"So what kind of unforgivable crime did he commit with his mechanism puppetry?"
The expression on Li Chao's face grew even more curious, eager to obtain the answer without delay.
This... Duan Tian's expression turned somewhat strange as the corners of his mouth twitched, and he said:
"You might not believe it when I tell you!"
"The offense he committed was... soliciting a prostitute in the red-light district."
Duan Tian's expression appeared somewhat awkward, leaving him torn between laughter and tears.
What?
Li Chao blinked, feeling rather dazed.
Although Duan Tian phrased it euphemistically, the implication was that the fellow who knew puppetry had gone to visit sex workers.
The crucial point was: being a cultivator and someone of standing, how could he degenerate to such a level?
Furthermore, had the members of the Dragon Team grown so idle lately?
They actually managed petty matters like this?
Li Chao's heart was filled with incomprehension and doubt, and the expression on his face became exceptionally vivid.
Perhaps reading something in Li Chao's expression, Duan Tian offered a somewhat depressed explanation:
"This whole thing was just a coincidence!"
"I was walking through Huaxi City these past couple of days when I happened to see the law enforcement team cracking down on prostitution, and they got into a scuffle with that guy!"
"Because the other party was a cultivator and I happened to run into it, I stepped in!"
"I thought it would be an easy fix, but I didn't expect that fellow to conceal a puppet along his escape route and give me a sudden blow out of nowhere."
Duan Tian shrugged helplessly, wearing the expression of someone who had suffered utter misfortune.