The First People's Hospital in North City bustled with all manner of patients entering and exiting, including healthy-looking young people.

"Make way, please."

In the hospital lobby, seven young martial artists—their fourteen eyes shining like stars—fixed hostile glares upon Solomon standing before them. Each of them possessed a powerfully built physique, their stances steady and grounded. As they walked, their arms swung with force, clad in martial arts uniforms suitable for combat, projecting an aura of intense alertness.

"Are you lot looking for Qin Fen?"

Behind Solomon, the voice of Xiao Long Wang Yang Lie chimed in. The material of the martial uniforms these men wore was clearly not cheap; one could tell their families held some sway. Their expressions were laced with provocation, certainly not befitting a routine annual physical examination.

The young martial artists exchanged quick glances. They didn't even bother to look at Xiao Long Wang Yang Lie or Solomon, electing instead to stride directly toward the elevators.

The moment they moved, the seven closed the distance to Solomon. Almost simultaneously, in the confined space, they lashed out. A technique like finger-sword flickered, blue arcs of electric light dancing from their fingertips. Another launched a swift grab at Solomon’s wrist, while a knee struck subtly but powerfully toward Solomon’s abdomen.

Though this was the first time these seven had coordinated their attacks, their movements were incredibly fluid, as if they had practiced together for years. Each fighter unleashed their specific specialization within the tight quarters.

They could see clearly that this lighter-built martial artist who had suddenly stood up to block them was clearly there to cause trouble. Therefore, the best way to draw attention away was to neutralize him first.

The young martial artists thought this was a brilliant strategy, a sneer of disdain playing on the corners of their mouths. Who would be foolish enough to step out alone to obstruct seven rising stars of the younger generation?

A few seemingly indifferent doctors nearby, witnessing the scene, immediately chose to close their eyes. Fights breaking out in this lobby were not an everyday occurrence, but today, three such altercations had already erupted within an hour. This young man with chestnut-brown, long hair, who appeared refined and gentle, struck with the ferocity of a battle god; if he didn't ensure his opponents were hospitalized for three to five months, he wouldn't stop.

The young martial artists’ sneers had not fully materialized when the arm of the man executing the Blue Lightning Finger snapped with a crisp sound. Immediately, a surging aura belonging to an Eight-Star Martial Artist violently erupted from Solomon’s body. Following this, the first man to strike flew backward, landing near where Xiao Long Wang Yang Lie stood.

"Careful not to fall."

Xiao Long Wang Yang Lie stepped forward, catching the flying martial artist with both hands. His movement resembled a good Samaritan reaching out to steady someone about to trip. However, the moment his hands made contact with the young man's back, a look of agonizing pain flashed across the pale face. In an instant, his eyes rolled back, his body convulsed violently several times as if struck by high-voltage electricity, and he promptly passed out.

Xiao Long Wang Yang Lie’s technique, the "Heaven and Earth Hidden Dragon in the Palm!" seemed almost passive in its execution; even his opponents had difficulty perceiving that he had struck. This was a palm art that Qin Fen himself had praised without reservation. Used here as a "kind" reception, the bones of the man caught were likely not entirely unbroken, and the internal injuries sustained would necessitate lying down for fifty or sixty days to truly recover from the sheer power of that single palm.

Thump-thump-thump...

Solomon’s strikes were incredibly fast. The young martial artists who had attempted flanking maneuvers and sneak attacks never anticipated that the lighter-martial artist blocking them possessed such terrifying strength. His superior speed and timely punches and kicks sent them all flying like sandbags toward Xiao Long Wang Yang Lie in the distance.

Yang Lie, true to his initial "good-natured" gesture, caught every single one of them.

"Where did you hear that Qin Fen was injured?" Yang Lie asked the two young martial artists whose willpower was strong enough to resist fainting from the pain. "With your level of skill, what right do you have to challenge Qin Fen?"

The doctors, who had been standing by as if nothing had happened, immediately wheeled several gurneys from an adjacent room and swiftly loaded the injured young fighters onto them, rushing them off to the critical care unit with practiced familiarity.

Solomon turned back to Yang Lie, nodded slightly, and returned to the seat he had occupied earlier.

Yang Lie followed suit and sat down beside him, saying, "Qin Fen is injured, and people choose this moment to challenge him. Frankly, it's not just you who's unhappy; none of us are comfortable with this."

Solomon remained silent, only nodding. Since Qin Fen heavily injured Hades, the foremost figure of the younger generation from the Golden Star faction, in a duel three days prior, his already prominent reputation had soared once more, establishing him as the undisputed top martial artist among the global youth, one of the two supreme powerhouses of the Federation’s younger cohort.

Given his near-invincible dominance, who among the younger martial artists dared to challenge Qin Fen and try to steal his woman?

Nearly everyone was waiting for the legendary Martian, Shangguan Chuanqi, who had been absent from public view for a long time, to clash with Qin Fen—hoping they would both be severely wounded, allowing others to swoop in and challenge the victor.

The young martial artists thought they would have to wait some time for this. Nobody expected to suddenly hear new information through their intelligence channels: Qin Fen had been attacked by a mysterious figure and was currently in a critical, near-death state.

Becoming the grandson-in-law of Song Wendong! What did that imply? Access to the deepest and most profound martial arts in the world! Even if one's aptitude was mediocre, future development was guaranteed to inspire intense jealousy.

This outcome was something Qin Fen and his friends hadn't anticipated, just as the challenging martial artists hadn't foreseen that Qin Fen's brotherhood would immediately step up to intercept all challengers in his absence.

To prevent Song Wendong from later claiming Qin Fen refused engagement, the group resolved not to give these challengers any opportunity to utter the word "challenge" to Qin Fen; they would simply beat them down.

"I just don't like the look of him," Solomon muttered.

Solomon and the others had already prepared the excuse of sending them to the critical care unit.

Since the New Recruit Camp concluded, Qin Fen and his comrades had been openly discussing their martial concepts, sharing everything they knew without reservation. This spirit of generosity deeply impressed the young martial artists who were usually haughty and arrogant.

No matter how society developed, the ingrained mindset of guarding one's most precious martial insights from outsiders had not fundamentally changed.

Through these exchanges with Qin Fen, not only did they gain immense insights into martial arts, but more importantly, they experienced spiritual breakthroughs. Qin Fen's magnanimity, while earning their admiration, prompted them to willingly exchange their own cherished insights. This inadvertently broke down the walls of their internal selfishness, leading their spirits to a near-sublime state. Even the power in their fists and feet became purer.

Through several such instances, Qin Fen consistently and selflessly shared his martial comprehension and training methods with the group. Caesar and the others already regarded Qin Fen as an intimate friend; calling them brothers bound by life and death was not an exaggeration.

Their brother was injured, and yet some people were trying to take advantage of this moment to claim glory? Even if Qin Fen agreed, would any of his friends agree?

Everyone had different personalities, leading to varied methods of response, but the general direction was identical: whoever came looking for a fight would be met with force! They were determined to beat down so many people that every ward in every hospital in North City would be full. Then, surely, no one would volunteer for a two-month stay in the hospital.

Every passage leading to Qin Fen's room in the hospital was guarded by figures like Caesar. Xing Wuyi sat centrally, his brow tightly furrowed, constantly dialing numbers, inquiring about matters.

This current situation was truly bizarre. Hades's injuries were publicized through the media, and then the news of Qin Fen crippling Hades was spread rapidly through their private channels, successfully deterring many overconfident challengers.

This time, however, Qin Fen's injury was kept extremely secret; besides a select few personnel, almost no one knew Qin Fen had been critically wounded.

Xing Wuyi gently rubbed his temples. Who leaked the news? What was their objective? To invite countless people to challenge Qin Fen and ruin his reputation? If that was the case, handling it was simple: just knock down every challenger. The high-star martial artists of the previous generation were confident enough to wait for Qin Fen to recover before making their move.

If... Xing Wuyi looked up at the slightly gloomy sky outside. If this situation wasn't about challengers, what else could it be? Qin Fen had mentioned being targeted by a sniper during his concert, and the identity had been confirmed: the Blood Rank Eighth—the top sniper in the entire Federation, capable of ranking easily within the top fifty!

Cao Rong was dead. Why would someone hire an assassin to kill Qin Fen? Xing Wuyi looked down at his phone, anxiety mounting. Why was there no news yet? Even inaccurate information would allow for some analysis.

"No!" Xing Wuyi suddenly stood up and strode into the treatment room. He looked earnestly at the several expert physicians. "I need you to tell me the truth: do you have any way to treat Qin Fen's injuries?"

The experts froze, forcing awkward, bitter smiles. They slowly shook their heads and sighed. At this point, their silence conveyed everything.

Xing Wuyi let out a long sigh. "Very well, thank you. Oh, and please, I ask you all to stay here for a little longer. I'm counting on you."

The experts shrugged indifferently. They were quite aware of Xing Wuyi’s standing now; this promising young man was backed by a massive military family. Obliging him was no issue.

"One more thing," Xing Wuyi said before exiting the room, turning back to the experts. "If Qin Fen is moved now, will his injuries worsen?"

The experts managed strained, wry smiles. "That won't happen. His body is extremely robust; even severe jolts won't aggravate the condition. It's the healing that's the problem..."

"Thank you. I understand." Xing Wuyi backed out of the room and closed the door, looking at Xue Tian, who stood nearby holding his iaijutsu sword. "I don't know why, but I have a very bad feeling about this. Things might not be this simple."

"A bad feeling?" Xue Tian opened his closed eyes. "You mean, besides challenges, there might be other possibilities?" Xing Wuyi nodded. "Qin Fen injured quite a few people in Shengjing in one go. Who knows how their families feel. The sniper attack during the concert by the Blood Rank Eighth—it wasn't just for kicks, you know."

Xue Tian agreed with a low sound. Xing Wuyi’s brow remained tightly furrowed. "When Old Qin is healthy, he doesn't fear a sniper. In his current state, if he senses an attack, can he dodge instantly? What if the sniper isn't just one person? What if someone uses an anti-vehicle rocket launcher? Someone willing to pay top dollar to hire the Blood Rank Eighth to kill Qin Fen would surely stop at nothing."

Xue Tian pushed himself off the wall, his gaze locked on Xing Wuyi. "What are you implying?"

"I'm implying..." Xing Wuyi’s tone was chillingly cold. "That it's not safe for Old Qin to be here. The target is too obvious if someone truly intends to kill him."

Xue Tian glanced at Lin Feng, the police officer from the Special Security Detachment standing nearby, and whispered to Xing Wuyi, "You want to mobilize the Armed Police through them?"

"Armed Police?" Xing Wuyi’s expression showed distress. "Their capabilities are decent; enough for general incidents. But if we're dealing with someone like the Blood Rank Eighth, do you think they’d be effective? Even if we heavily guard this place, what if a specialized assault team is dispatched?"

An assault team? Xue Tian admired Xing Wuyi’s foresight but couldn't refute the point. For an excellent commander, besides tactical direction and judgment, intuition—something elusive yet undeniably real—was also vital.

"Exactly!" Xing Wuyi clenched his fists tightly, his face grim as he hissed, "I am increasingly certain someone is coming to kill Qin Fen! Don't ask me why I feel this way. If you insist on an answer, it's instinct! Before Du Shao died, I had the same restless feeling. And then..."

Xing Wuyi recalled Du Zhanpeng, slamming his fist against the nearby wall. "During my last mission, I had the same sensation, and a cheerful comrade died in an anti-terrorism operation..."

A phone ringing interrupted Xing Wuyi. He gave Xue Tian an apologetic look, gesturing for him to wait, and answered the call, his expression growing more severe.

"What? The last large transfer to the Blood Rank Eighth’s bank account, traced through multiple layers of routing, finally located the source? Hanzhou? And you can’t trace the identity of the individual?"

Xing Wuyi hung up, his fingers unconsciously tapping the wall. "If they disappear without a trace upon entering Hanzhou, it means the remitter has significant power there. Hiring an assassin to kill Qin Fen is certainly safest if done by oneself. So, who is it? Hanzhou? It's just across the strait from North City..."

A wave of icy dread shot up Xing Wuyi’s spine. He quickly dialed another number. "Hello, General Zhao? He's not there? Could you please check for me which person in Hanzhou has a grudge against Qin Fen? Thank you."

"Xue Tian, Qin Fen is leaving," Xing Wuyi said, striding toward Qin Fen's ward. "Immediately! I don't know who in Hanzhou wants Qin Fen dead, but their influence must be considerable. I'll still mobilize the Armed Police—at least for show. But keeping Qin Fen out in the open is absolutely foolish."

Xue Tian followed him into the room and looked at Qin Fen, who appeared to be sleeping. "Your intention is for me to take him away?"

"Yes!" Xing Wuyi dragged over an expensive magnetic levitation gurney. "Among us, you possess the strongest martial power, and the strongest overall capability. Old Qin said he can treat himself, so we must trust him and give him a truly secure environment." Wuyi was fast; in moments, Qin Fen was settled onto the magnetic levitation bed, the original mattress having been fitted with a similar disguise. He continued, "You, along with Chen Feiyu and Du Peng, will take Old Qin. Too many people will easily draw unwanted attention."

Clang...

Qin Fen felt an unusual, deep tremor within his body, as if something deep in his bone marrow was being shaken.

This is it? A surge of joy flooded Qin Fen. Enduring the agonizing pain that made him want to end his own life, he had been immersed in self-observation for a long period, yet persistently unable to locate the presence of that marrow. This sudden shaking was pure luck.

When cultivating qi, one must avoid having their body violently jostled. Qin Fen’s meridians were severely damaged, making it impossible to circulate qi; his entire focus was on entering a meditative state to find the bone marrow. Xing Wuyi and Xue Tian’s forceful movement unintentionally caused a slight oscillation in his body, creating a subtle tremor in the marrow.

Though the amplitude of the marrow's vibration was minuscule, for Qin Fen, who was fully immersed, it was immensely helpful!

The bone marrow has been located! A genuine, happy smile involuntarily curled the corner of Qin Fen's lips. Unlike blood replacement, the hardest part of marrow replacement isn't the manipulation or refinement, but the initial discovery. Once found, everything becomes vastly simpler.

Xing Wuyi saw the smile and shook his head. Everyone else was stressed to the breaking point, yet he could still smile.

Xue Tian didn't know why Xing Wuyi was so certain an attack was imminent, but he immediately trusted his judgment. The future commander's arrangements for the concert had been quite successful. Even though the enemy turned out to be unexpected twins, the plan hadn't failed, demonstrating his excellent predictive ability.

"Du Peng!"

Xing Wuyi stopped Du Peng, who was following behind Xue Tian, and after a slight pause, said, "Be careful, both you and Qin Fen."

Du Peng remained silent, his eyes filled with complex emotion as he looked at Xing Wuyi—the man who had constantly suppressed him, who rarely offered him a kind word even after Du Zhanpeng's death, yet who had consistently shown him care.

"Mm," Du Peng nodded gently, sighing inwardly. To this day, he was still benefiting from the vast fortune his older brother left behind. If his brother saw how unmotivated he had become, would he call him trash again?

The magnetic levitation gurney was slightly disguised externally. The group pushed Qin Fen into the changing room.

Not long after, a sanitation worker in coveralls and a mask pushed a large garbage cart out of the hospital.

Not far from this sanitation worker, two other young men were visible.

Xing Wuyi quickly approached Lin Feng. "Doesn't one of your men have strong ties with the Armed Police? Mobilize a company—fully armed! Remember, keep it discreet; have them arrive covertly. I trust they can handle it?"

With everything arranged, Xing Wuyi sighed and looked out the window. "It's a shame Lin Ling isn't here. If she hadn't left, we wouldn't need to fear a sniper attack."

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