Special Forces Medic

"Exchange conditions?" Although Wu Shuang thought this, she couldn't help but ask out of curiosity, meddling like a woman does. "What could you possibly have to exchange with him?"

"I want Director Lin to help me find someone. A friend of mine was deceived and spent a lot of money on a counterfeit item. There are only a few people capable of producing such counterfeits, and those I've been able to track down have already been ruled out. There's just one person whose whereabouts I can't trace, so I wanted to ask Director Lin for help."

"That should be an easy task for him."

"That's what I thought too, but I didn't expect him to hand Fatty Wang's case over to me, saying he needs to consider it." The forensic pathologist angrily slammed the car door to show his frustration. "I used to have a lot of respect for Director Lin, but I didn't expect him to..."

"Who exactly do you need that you have to go through Director Lin? Isn't there anything in the computer archives?"

"Hong Lian!"

Hearing a new name, Wu Shuang was a bit taken aback, as she had no idea this person existed. "Who is this person?"

The forensic pathologist looked at Wu Shuang as if she were a strange creature. "You don't know this person?"

"Am I supposed to know him?" The forensic pathologist got out of the car, pursing his lips. "Hey!" Wu Shuang called out to the forensic pathologist from behind. "Aren't you going to give some feedback to Director Lin?"

"He'll come to me if he thinks there's a problem."

Wu Shuang got back into the car; it was the end of her shift, and she wanted to try her luck somewhere. Just as the car drove out the gate, the forensic pathologist emerged from behind a door, adjusting the glasses on his nose and showing a strange smile at the corners of his mouth.

Wang Zhantian sat opposite Wang Zhanting, holding the report the butler had just delivered, trembling with rage.

"What does the report say?"

"See for yourself." The butler handed the report to Wang Zhanting. From Wang Zhantian's face, it was already evident what it was about. "Suicide!"

"How is that possible? I know my son best; he would never do such a thing." Wang Zhantian jumped up off the chair. "I want justice."

Wang Zhanting gave a look to the butler, who quietly exited the room, closing the door behind him and standing guard outside.

"Zhan Tian, how do you plan to get justice? Do you want to demand a retrial from the police?" Wang Zhanting asked coldly, seemingly puzzled by Wang Zhantian's inability to see the situation clearly.

"What do you mean by that?" Wang Zhantian's tone grew cold upon hearing Wang Zhanting's words. "Zhan Ting, even though my son has done many things he shouldn't have, he is still your nephew. Don't you think his unclear death deserves justice?"

"Brother, how long will you keep defending him? Do you really think my house was robbed?" Wang Zhanting propped himself up on the bed, placing a pillow where he had been jerked awake to make himself more comfortable, and looked out the window. It was a good day, close to sunset, with the sky tinged with red clouds.

"Wasn't it?" Wang Zhantian instinctively sensed that something was amiss.

"Brother, I just want to say let's stop here."

"What do you mean? Are you trying to say that the burglar was my son?" Looking at Wang Zhanting's affirmative expression, Wang Zhantian rushed up to his brother. "No, that's impossible. No matter how crazy he gets, he would never personally kill someone."

"So, you knew all along about the things he was doing behind the scenes. You were too indulgent with him." Wang Zhanting gazed helplessly at the wound on his leg from the words leaking out of Wang Zhantian's mouth. "He took the staff."

"What did he want that for?"

"In his words, someone had evidence of his crimes, and the other party wanted the staff for an exchange."

"Who are they? Where's the staff?"

"Brother, I'll handle this." Understanding the inner conflict and struggle of Wang Zhantian's heart, as a parent himself, Wang Zhanting could naturally empathize with such anxiety. But what else could be done?

"You'll handle it?" Wang Zhantian scoffed, glaring at Wang Zhanting. "Can I even trust you? When trouble struck the Wang Family, didn't you just stand by and watch?"

"Is Brother blaming me for not extending a hand to my nephew during the crisis?"

"I just think we should unite and work together during a crisis."

"This is the information Hua Muyun gave me; do you want to read it yourself?" He took an envelope that Hua Muyun had given him from his bag, which he had never opened up to now. "Brother, don't you understand? Even without that recording, your son could still be taken to court. It's not me who wants to bring down the Wang Family, do you understand?"

He pulled out a portion of the document, which was about a land dispute from years ago. He was naturally aware of this matter; seeing the detailed process recorded on the paper, his eyes widened. "The people involved are now detained by Dragon Soul. Any one of them coming forward to testify could lead to an investigation. Do you think the Wang Family can withstand such turmoil now?"

Wang Zhantian fell defeated into his chair. Was he really supposed to accept his son's suicide as a fact? He simply couldn't do it. "How do you expect me to accept it? He's my son."

Wang Zhanting sighed with a similar heartache. "Alas, it's just that he chose the wrong target, got involved with someone he shouldn't have."

"Who exactly are they?"

"The Xiao Family!"

Wang Zhantian looked up, staring at Wang Zhanting with disbelief. He never once thought Xiao Lin could be part of the Xiao Family; he never made that connection. Fatty Wang had always assumed that Xiao Lin's actions were due to losing face when a woman was taken from him, so he attacked Xiao Lin out of pride. Had he known from the start, he would never have allowed such things to happen. Sometimes, losses are blessings.

"Did you know about it earlier?"

"I only found out not long ago."

"Are we just supposed to concede?" Wang Zhantian's reluctance was evident to Wang Zhanting. "Zhan Ting, can't you use your connections in the party committee to think of something?"

"Do you think there's anyone outside who can help?" Wang Zhanting's rhetorical question left Wang Zhantian silent. "Is there really no way?"

"Swallow our pride." Wang Zhanting spat out those four words through gritted teeth, his eyes narrowed towards Wang Zhantian. "Brother, right now, we can only swallow our pride."

"What has made you so timid, Zhan Ting?" Wang Zhantian had nothing more to say about his brother's cowardice. "I understand your concern for your current position, so you opt to endure quietly. It's not your son who is dead, so of course, it doesn't weigh heavily on your heart. But to ask me to swallow my pride — I can't do it."

"Brother, what exactly do you want? Do you want the whole world to know the Wang Family's scandal before you're satisfied?"

"You're willing to endure anything for the Wang Family's face. I can't match your self-deception." Wang Zhantian calmed down, having always played the role of a good father, a supportive character alongside Fatty Wang; now, who else was there for him to support? Of course, no one. "You want the Wang Family's dignity, so be it. But let me be clear, I won't just let this pass. You'd better side with me."

"Brother, you don't mean..."

"Didn't the old man leave behind assets for use in critical times?" Wang Zhantian's tone was laced with murderous intent, determined to achieve his goals at all costs.

"You're not thinking clearly now. There's no need for us to continue this discussion. I hope you won't act on impulse and do something you'll regret." Wang Zhanting tried to dissuade his brother, who was on the brink of madness, but seeing the resolved expression on his face, he felt additional argument would be futile.

"If you're worried about your reputation, focus on your position and your candidates. Don't interfere with me, or don't blame me for being rude."

Reputation? Wang Zhanting shook his head. What reputation does the Wang Family have left? Even their inner secrets had been exposed. Merely holding up this empty shell was an achievement in itself. He no longer expected any significant progress in the future; stability was enough.

"The Staff's whereabouts are currently unknown. I must remind you of that."

"Hehehehe!" Wang Zhantian suddenly started laughing. "Zhan Ting, do you think your little tricks can fool me? The Staff's whereabouts were already unknown while the old man was alive. What you've been keeping is a fake. You can fool others, but not me."

"When did you find out?" Wang Zhanting always believed he had concealed it well, but he hadn't accounted for his brother's ability to keep such a significant secret. He seemed to have underestimated him, misled by the facade of Fatty Wang. Upon closer thought, wasn't Fatty Wang's unruly nature supported by the man in front of him all along?

"Isn't there an old saying? There are no walls in the world impervious to the wind. By a fluke, I overheard a bit of your conversation with the old man."

"Knowing it's fake, do you still want to continue?"

"Wouldn't finding the real one solve it?"

"Are you referring to Hong Lian?"

"The last people to see the Staff were the old man and Hong Lian. Now that the old man is dead, neither you nor I know where the Staff truly is, right?"

"Are you suggesting that the old man might have deceived even us?" Wang Zhanting analyzed the implication in Wang Zhantian's words. Their old man was naturally a swindler, so doing something like this was not impossible.

"Who knows? Only by finding Hong Lian can we discover the truth."

"This person has been missing for years; where would you even start looking?"

"Hehe, that's where you come in."

"Me?"

"Hong Lian disappeared during his transportation. How could someone powerless vanish under everyone's watch? Haven't you given it a serious thought?" Wang Zhantian habitually inserted a cigarette into his pipe and lit it. (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)