Special Forces Medic

"I don't need to elaborate on those matters in the officialdom, right?" Zhan Tian took a puff and blew the smoke towards Zhan Ting, who frowned and waved away the drifting smoke with his hand. "Could you use your connections to find the people who handled the case back then and ask if there's any new discovery?"

Seeing no reaction from Zhan Ting, Zhan Tian walked over to the window and opened it. "Of course, if you don't want to do it, that's fine, I can find someone else. But..." He looked at Zhan Ting and sneered. "However, this would mark the end of us as brothers."

"Brother, are you forcing me?"

"Interpret it however you like. I can give you the credit and take this matter upon myself, but that doesn't mean I'll swallow my pride like you." Zhan Tian extinguished the cigarette halfway on the windowsill, the white ashes starkly contrasting against the green wall, glaring in Zhan Ting's eyes.

He wasn't sure when Zhan Tian left, but his brother's words continued to echo in his mind. Zhan Tian was determined to proceed, and naturally, he couldn't stop him. This also seemed to prove the rumors outside that Fatty Wang was eternally connected with the underworld. Yet another dilemma had emerged, it was irritating but he couldn't be careless.

He could gauge how deep Fatty Wang's connections ran, but with Zhan Tian, it was unfathomable. Zhan Tian had been slipping from his perception all along, and Zhan Ting couldn't yet figure out just how much power his brother had hidden from him. What he was sure about now was that without Fatty Wang's death, he wouldn't have realized how deeply buried his brother's talents were, nearly deceiving him. Starting today, he must watch his brother's every move closely.

Coming out of the hospital, Zhan Tian couldn't help but lean against a tree, with Housekeeper Yin standing beside him, attending to him cautiously. "Master!"

"I'm fine, Housekeeper Yin." Zhan Tian waved him off, merely wanting to find a place to breathe some air, his chest felt stifled.

"Master, the Third Master didn't mean for this to happen, I think he's in a difficult situation too." Housekeeper Yin diligently attempted to defuse the tension between the brothers, having watched both of them grow up.

"Tell the driver to find a bar, any bar." Zhan Tian didn't want to continue discussing the matter, so Housekeeper Yin naturally stopped.

"You haven't eaten yet, perhaps grab a bite before heading to a bar?"

"No need." Housekeeper Yin fetched the car, opened the door for Zhan Tian to get inside, and took the passenger seat himself.

"Find a quiet, upscale bar." The driver nodded understandingly and, after circling around the streets a few times, stopped in front of a bar that seemed a bit high-class.

"You folks can head back first." Zhan Tian got out of the car, dismissing the housekeeper to leave.

"Master, don't worry, we'll find a place nearby ourselves. If you want to return, just give us a call, we'll be waiting nearby."

The interior of the bar matched its exterior—noble and elegant, like a club. The lighting was dimmed to just the right level, allowing people to see each other's faces but without losing a sense of mystery. Zhan Tian casually found a seat; his purpose for coming was purely to drink.

Being beyond the age of reckless indulgence, the frustration in his heart had nowhere to vent, so he could only seek solace in alcohol. This is an adult's way. On a glance across the sparsely occupied tables, he noticed it wasn't fully packed at this hour.

Alcohol isn't meant for numbing but for degradation. Not sure who said this, but it did seem to apply a little at this moment.

Zhan Tian, half-closing his eyes, loosened his collar, ruffling his neatly combed hair. In the dim light, a glimpse of his youthful good looks was visible, though unfortunately his son took after his mother, inheriting none of his favorable features.

"Drinking alone?" A man sat across from him, the brim of his hat obscuring most of his face; but his firm jaw betrayed his youth.

"I don't know you."

"It's fine if you don't know me, as long as we know the same person." Zhan Tian set down his glass, aware that this stranger approaching him must have an agenda, and it's either good or bad news. "Xiao!" The man uttered just one word, confident Zhan Tian knew what he meant.

"Hmm, indeed knowing the same person." Whether it was the influence of the alcohol or otherwise, Zhan Tian suddenly didn't feel so antagonistic towards this hat-wearing stranger. "What do you want to talk about?" He gestured for the bartender to bring a glass and some ice, scooping a handful into the cup and pouring half a glass of liquor, pushing it towards the stranger.

"We share a common enemy, don't we?" The young man swirled the contents of his glass, the sound of ice clinking in the liquor echoing like a lonely tune, singular and heavy. "You've just lost a son, right?"

"Seems you know a lot about me, you must have a reason for approaching." Prepared, the young man naturally had a matching strategy. Zhan Tian, slightly intoxicated, blinked languidly and relaxed against the sofa. "You came in after me, so you must have been tailing me for quite a while. I'll give you a chance to state your purpose."

The young man showed no concern for Zhan Tian's arrogance. "There's no plan, but there's someone I'm looking for. Perhaps you could provide a lead?"

"Kid, who do you think you are?" Zhan Tian's tone elevated, feeling as if he'd been played with.

"Hong Lian."

"You're searching for him too?"

"I've mentioned we have the same enemy." The young man, satisfied with Zhan Tian's expression, raised his glass. "This is the entry condition for our cooperation. If you can find this person, your son's death wouldn't be in vain, wouldn't that be what you hope for?"

"Why should I trust you?"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk!" The young man wagged his finger at Zhan Ting, his audacity provoking a moment of anger in Zhan Tian which he managed to restrain. "You're mistaken! We don't need trust between us. Our goal is the same, which is a shared transaction. You can choose to go solo, see how far you get, or collaborate with me to see what profit might be gained."

"How do I find you?" Zhan Tian decided without hesitation.

"I'll find you."

"Hmm."

"Oh, by the way, I've already paid for this bottle of wine. Enjoy at your leisure." The young man raised his glass and exited just as abruptly as he'd arrived. Zhan Tian stared at the empty seat in a daze; had he drunk too much? Everything felt somewhat surreal. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to recommend it and vote for it on qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)