"Tiger?" Liu Hui was instantly reminded of what Old Ma Er had said last night—that someone powerful, a "Tiger," had been sent down to assist them. Could it be the person standing before him?

"You're quite something, I only spaced out for a moment, and you took advantage of it. Killed the men and destroyed the cargo," Tiger said, his gaze playful toward Liu Hui. Unaware that Liu Hui possessed a spatial storage artifact, he assumed the goods had been incinerated.

"You're not so bad yourself. I was just a little slow, and you caught up, even throwing down such a massive boulder," Liu Hui retorted.

"Sir, speaking through a mask must be rather inconvenient. Why don't I help you take it off!" Tiger advanced on Liu Hui step by step. The immense pressure stirred the surrounding air, causing Liu Hui's clothes to whip around him ceaselessly.

Liu Hui had already prepared a black hood, concealing himself completely. He wasn't confident he could keep his face entirely hidden, so he donned the mask to play the role of a masked hero.

Watching Tiger slowly approach, Liu Hui suddenly sprang up, launching a flying kick mid-air. Tiger mocked the direction of the kick, holding his hands before him, prepared to grab Liu Hui's leg. Little did he know, Liu Hui possessed astonishing flexibility; he managed to shift his movement mid-air, changing the flying kick into a backflip, rapidly putting distance between himself and Tiger.

Realizing he’d been tricked, Tiger immediately strode forward, his hands, broad as cattail fans, reaching out for Liu Hui. Liu Hui raised a hand, launching a steel ball straight for Tiger's eyes. Despite his massive build, Tiger was far from slow; spotting the steel ball aimed at his eyes, he whipped his head aside to evade it, yet his feet never paused their charge toward Liu Hui. Liu Hui continued to retreat, firing two more steel balls. Tiger accelerated further while running, easily dodging both.

Liu Hui was alarmed. He hadn't expected such speed from someone of Tiger's huge frame, and his steel balls couldn't connect. He flipped his hand, revealing three steel balls, aimed at Tiger’s head, chest, and groin, respectively. Tiger let out a cold laugh; with mere shifts in his posture, he easily bypassed all three. Tiger used this momentary dodge to lunge toward Liu Hui, failing to notice that Liu Hui had fired two more steel balls immediately after releasing the previous three. Caught off guard, one steel ball pierced his palm, sending blood splattering, while the other struck an unknown location.

Startled, Tiger darted back in an erratic pattern, swiftly retreating into the nearby woods, hiding behind a large tree to evade Liu Hui's continuing barrage of steel balls. Liu Hui fired several more, but none hit their mark. Hidden in the brush, Tiger was inwardly shaken. He had initially intended to rely on his hardened physique to absorb Liu Hui’s steel shots and close the distance to kill him. But he hadn't anticipated the power of the steel balls; they had easily pierced his hand. If one had struck his torso, it likely would have gone straight through.

Although Liu Hui practiced martial arts, he had zero experience fighting anyone. Naturally, he dared not engage Tiger in close combat now. He had to rely on his specialty, hoping to use the steel balls to kill Tiger from a distance. He simply hadn't expected Tiger, despite his size, to be so agile, making it impossible to hit him. Fortunately, Tiger's carelessness allowed him to be injured, and now he was forced into the woods. Liu Hui dared not enter the woods, and Tiger dared not return to the open platform.

Liu Hui and Tiger were locked in a stalemate on the platform. The platform was bordered by cliffs on three sides, with only one exit leading into the woods—the direction Tiger had retreated. Unless he dealt with Tiger, he couldn't leave. If he rashly entered the woods, he would certainly be no match for Tiger. While trying to formulate a plan, a massive rock suddenly plummeted toward him. Liu Hui scrambled to dodge. Following it came a barrage of smaller stones, too numerous to evade all at once. Liu Hui quickly fired steel balls to intercept the smaller rocks.

It turned out Tiger was furious after being forced into the woods by Liu Hui's steel balls. This slender, agile masked man held an absolute advantage in power. Tiger was confident that if he could just get close, one move would be enough to kill Liu Hui. His frustration stemmed from being unable to engage in close quarters. He hadn't expected Liu Hui to be a master of hidden weapons; with the prevalence of modern firearms, few practiced hidden weapons anymore, preferring firearms instead. While vexed, he suddenly spotted several rocks ahead. An idea struck him; he picked up a massive boulder and hurled it at Liu Hui. Although his own projectiles lacked accuracy, the sheer size and coverage area of the stones forced Liu Hui into a panicked defense. After tossing the large rocks, he began launching the smaller ones.

Liu Hui continuously shot down the stones with his steel balls, resulting in a sustained exchange. Suddenly, Liu Hui's expression changed, and his hand fumbled deep in his robes for a long time without retrieving anything. Tiger rejoiced, tossing a few more stones. Liu Hui merely jumped and dodged, ceasing his fire.

"Heh, are you out of steel balls? I never thought I'd meet such a formidable hidden weapon master these days!" Tiger slowly emerged from the woods, holding a huge stone slab in front of him as a shield.

"Don't come any closer! Be careful, or I'll shoot you with steel balls," Liu Hui shouted.

"Heh, I’m terrified. But do you still have any? Go on, shoot me. I counted—you fired over a hundred steel balls just now. That must weigh several pounds, right? I don't believe you carry that much weight on your person," Tiger chuckled, though he remained cautious, keeping the large slab raised before him.

"This... If you have the guts, put the slab down," Liu Hui retorted stubbornly.

"Heh, I’m not that foolish. Don't let my appearance fool you," Tiger teased.

Tiger walked closer, emanating a powerful aura that pressed down on Liu Hui, nearly extinguishing his will to fight, forcing him to continuously retreat.

Tiger suddenly hurled the heavy stone slab at Liu Hui, his massive frame closely following the projectile as he charged. Liu Hui’s hand moved instinctively, whipping out and firing two steel balls that struck the slab with loud pangs.

Seeing the steel balls fly, Tiger was overjoyed. I knew you had a trump card for self-preservation, and I’ve broken it! He let out a triumphant roar, smashing the stone slab to dust with a lightning-fast punch, sending powder scattering everywhere.

Liu Hui dodged frantically. With his long legs, Tiger closed the distance in a few strides. He leaped and swung a punch toward Liu Hui’s back. Just as it neared impact, Liu Hui's shoulder shifted, and he suddenly executed a side kick. This kick was sharp and full of power, striking Tiger's incoming fist exactly, throwing the larger man off balance and forcing him to stagger several steps backward.

Tiger was shocked. He hadn't anticipated Liu Hui’s strength—enough to meet his full-force strike head-on, perhaps even surpassing it. He had been too careless, knocked back by Liu Hui’s kick. He roared and swung both palms, ready to press the attack, when he suddenly saw Liu Hui’s hand move again.

"Damn it, he still has steel balls!" Tiger suddenly remembered Liu Hui was a hidden weapon master. He had only assumed the steel balls were exhausted; he didn't know if Liu Hui was truly empty-handed. In that moment of hesitation, five steel balls flew toward Tiger, covering his entire body. As Tiger prepared to dodge, he realized he had inadvertently backed up to the edge of the platform; the cliff was right behind him. This terrain severely restricted his movements, hindering his agility. Despite his best efforts to evade, he only managed to dodge four of the projectiles.

The final steel ball struck Tiger in the face, eliciting a sharp scream. Hardening his resolve, Tiger prepared to rush Liu Hui regardless of the danger, but Liu Hui had already launched another wave of steel balls. This time, Tiger couldn't dodge. The projectiles slammed into his body with sickening thuds, burrowing deep inside him.

Tiger’s body was like a perforated water sac, blood spurting out everywhere. Liu Hui showed no mercy, flicking out another steel ball. This one shot directly into Tiger's eye. Entering through the eye, the projectile exploded out the back of Tiger's skull, shattering half his head. The uncontrolled corpse tumbled backward, falling off the cliff.

Watching Tiger's body disappear over the edge, Liu Hui let out a long sigh of relief, his strength instantly draining away as he slumped onto the ground. The brief fight had been the most harrowing crisis of his life. Tiger’s formidable individual strength, coupled with his own arrogance and underestimation of Liu Hui, had given him a slim chance. If Tiger had fought steadily and cautiously, Liu Hui would likely be the one falling from the cliff.

When Tiger hid in the woods, if he had called Old Ma Er and the others up to spray the area with gunfire, Liu Hui would have been defeated long ago. But Tiger was too reliant on his own power and had been fooled by Liu Hui's performance, believing he was in control. He had rashly charged out and was then lured to the edge of the cliff. Tiger’s strength was indeed immense—his full-force kick hadn't sent him over the edge. However, Tiger’s shock at Liu Hui's power, combined with the constrained movement at the cliff's edge, allowed Liu Hui to seize the perfect opportunity to finish him with the steel balls.

Liu Hui lay on the ground, resting for a long while until his energy slowly returned. He climbed up, pondering grimly: that encounter was far too close; he almost lost his life. If his strength couldn't improve further, he should avoid such dangerous activities. With these 200 kilograms of drugs, he should be able to sustain himself for a long time, perhaps long enough to solve the issue of the drug source entirely.

Liu Hui took a final look at the battlefield, then turned and left. Reaching the highway, he changed out of his black clothes and hood, retrieved his motorcycle, put on a helmet, and sped toward Bashan City.

Liu Hui returned to his new home near the hospital. Liang Jingyue had already left, tidying the house perfectly before going. Liu Hui felt he owed Jingyue a lot recently. He had promised to take her on a proper trip to Mingyue County because of Third Brother, but the plan had fallen through. He needed to spend quality time with her. Fortunately, the hospital’s operations were now on track, his most urgent matters resolved. He should have some easier days ahead, and then he could take her out again.

The day's events left Liu Hui utterly exhausted. He skipped even his nightly routine of searching for planar trade merchants and fell asleep shortly after getting into bed.

In a villa on the outskirts of Bashan City, Boss Liu lay comfortably on a large bed. Zhao Lian was draped over him, tenderly attending to his needs. Boss Liu occasionally let out satisfied moans. Being elderly, his stamina waned; he couldn't pin the beautiful woman beneath him like a vigorous young man, so Zhao Lian took the initiative.

Zhao Lian was a captivating beauty who pleased Boss Liu immensely. He lamented why he hadn't met such a woman when he was young and strong. Now, though willing, his body was often unable to cooperate. Thus, despite Zhao Lian's beauty, his visits weren't frequent. He only came to her place before major operations, as only this woman could ease his tension.

Suddenly, the bedside phone rang. Boss Liu waved a hand, stopping Zhao Lian’s ministrations. Zhao Lian looked up expectantly. Boss Liu raised a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture; Zhao Lian nodded quickly.

Boss Liu picked up the phone. After only a few words, his expression drastically changed, and he roared into the receiver, "Second one, what kind of job is this? Didn't you say it was foolproof? How could something like this happen? Spontaneous combustion, loss of control, and falling off a cliff—are you telling me a movie plot? And what about the 'Tiger' sent down from above? What did he say?"

"What? No contact? Immediately send some gang members to Honghuagou. Find that minivan and get someone knowledgeable to check what happened. Also, contact Tiger immediately. I suspect this isn't simple; it might be a plot against us," Boss Liu yelled into the phone in a frenzy.

"Hubby, don't be angry. Let's continue!" Zhao Lian cuddled against Boss Liu's arm, pressing her full chest against him, speaking sweetly.

"Ah Lian, I have to leave for a moment. You sleep first," Boss Liu patted Zhao Lian's cheek, dressed, and walked out.

Liu Hui was unaware of the sudden activity among Bashan City's underworld figures that night. He slept soundly until the sound of Liang Jingyue opening the door in the morning woke him.

Liu Hui rubbed his eyes and said, "Jingyue, you're here!"

Liang Jingyue playfully tapped his head and laughed, "Lazybones, get up quickly! I brought you congee from Zhengyuan Porridge Shop today."

"Jingyue, you went out so early to buy porridge?"

"Heh, you mentioned you liked it one night, so I went to buy it for you."

"Jingyue, why are you so good to me?"

"Heh, because I like you. Do I need a reason?"

Liu Hui got up and pulled Liang Jingyue into an embrace. "Jingyue, I'm sorry. I haven't spent enough time with you lately. Even the trip out of the province ended with an accident, and we didn't get to enjoy it."

"Ah Hui, it’s okay. As long as I’m with you, everywhere feels like a trip! Besides, you’ve been so busy. Once you wrap things up, we can go out together again," Liang Jingyue comforted him.

"Mhm. I need to go back to my hometown in a while. I’ll take you to see the scenery there and meet my parents then."

"Ah Hui, will your parents be difficult to get along with? I’m a little scared!" Liang Jingyue said worriedly.

"Don't worry. My parents are just like yours—kind and interesting. They will definitely like you. You'll see when you go!" Liu Hui assured her.

After breakfast, Liu Hui went to the hospital with Liang Jingyue. As soon as they entered the office, Wu Yuanjia pushed the door open.

"Boss, I have something to report."

"Captain Wu, sit down and talk," Liu Hui gestured for Wu Yuanjia to take a seat opposite him.

"Boss, since last night, some unidentified individuals have appeared around our hospital. They appear to be surveilling us," Wu Yuanjia reported.

"Oh, unidentified people? With your experience, can you tell who they are?" Liu Hui asked.

"Their movements are very professional, bearing the hallmarks of the Chinese military. I suspect they are government personnel," Wu Yuanjia said slowly.

Liu Hui paused, then immediately asked, "Government people? Have they made any moves?"

Wu Yuanjia thought for a moment. "No, not exactly. They are just monitoring the hospital, and their actions are quite casual, showing no vigilance against us discovering them, as if they don't mind being seen."

Liu Hui considered this and said, "Captain Wu, you can go down for now. Maintain the usual security arrangements for the hospital. I will inquire about the group outside."

After Wu Yuanjia left, Liu Hui immediately dialed Secretary Wei of the Municipal Party Committee. When the call connected, a voice answered: "This is the Bashan Municipal Party Committee. May I ask who is calling?"

Liu Hui instantly recognized Secretary Wei's secretary, Xiao Qin. He smiled, "It's Secretary Qin. I am Liu Hui from Hantang Hospital. I need a word with Secretary Wei."

"Ah, Boss Liu. You need Secretary Wei? Please wait a moment; I'll connect you right away!" Secretary Qin was aware of the agreement between Hantang Hospital and the Municipal Committee, so Liu Hui could contact Secretary Wei directly. He immediately transferred Liu Hui’s call to the Secretary’s office and informed Secretary Wei that Liu Hui was calling.

"Xiao Liu, what brings you to call me today?" Secretary Wei said warmly.

"Secretary Wei, the hospital has been very busy lately; I haven't had time to report on my work," Liu Hui said cautiously.

"Xiao Liu, we aren't strangers. Just say what you need," Secretary Wei, an old hand at politics, knew Liu Hui had a specific purpose.

"Secretary Wei, it’s like this: since last night, a group of people has appeared around our hospital, seemingly monitoring us. Are you aware of where this group might be from?"

"Xiao Liu, I was just about to call you about that. Here's the situation: five patients were discharged from your hospital yesterday, confirming your hospital's treatment standards. To protect your research secrets, the state has dispatched a specialized unit to safeguard your hospital," Secretary Wei explained.

"Is that so? Then why haven't they contacted us?" Liu Hui asked, puzzled.

"The head of this unit just contacted the Bashan Municipal National Security Bureau and has registered with my office. They should be en route to your hospital now!"

"Secretary Wei, will this affect the normal operation of our hospital?" Liu Hui was a little concerned; having extra eyes around the hospital would also complicate his private affairs.

"Don't worry about that. They are only providing security near the hospital; they won't be inside," Secretary Wei assured him.

"That puts my mind at ease."

Liu Hui hung up, musing internally that his current strength was still weak. Having these people guarding the exterior might help fend off some of the threats directed at the hospital. For now, it seemed to be to his advantage.

As Liu Hui was thinking, Wu Yuanjia entered. "Boss, a comrade from the Municipal National Security Bureau is here to see you."

Liu Hui hadn't expected them to arrive so quickly. He told Wu Yuanjia, "Understood. Let’s go down together!"

In the hospital reception hall, two guests were seated inside. Liu Hui walked in, and a refined young man wearing glasses stood up to introduce himself: "Boss Liu, I am Duan Xinyue from the Bashan National Security Bureau. Here is my identification."

Liu Hui took a small blue booklet stamped with the seal of the China National Security Bureau. Flipping it open, the content was simple: just the name and title beneath the photo. This Duan Xinyue’s title was Section Chief of the Security Section of the Bashan Municipal National Security Bureau.

Liu Hui returned the identification to Duan Xinyue and warmly shook his hand, saying, "Welcome Section Chief Duan to guide our hospital's work."

Duan Xinyue shook Liu Hui’s hand and then introduced the middle-aged man beside him. "Boss Liu, allow me to introduce Captain Jiang Nan Yi from the National Special Operations Group."

"A pleasure!" Liu Hui quickly shook Jiang Nan Yi’s hand.

"Boss Liu is too kind. Here is my identification," Jiang Nan Yi handed over his credentials.

Liu Hui took the ID and saw it was different from Duan Xinyue's—it was red and stamped with the seal of the State Council Special Operations Office. The content was also very brief, lacking a photo, simply bearing Jiang Nan Yi's name and title: Team Leader of Special Operations Group Nine.

Jiang Nan Yi looked at Liu Hui seriously and stated, "Boss Liu, I am the Team Leader of Group Nine of the National Special Operations Group. Hantang Hospital has made significant contributions to China internationally, and the State Council leadership is deeply concerned about your safety. Our mission here is to protect the security of Hantang Hospital and prevent the leak of commercial secrets. Our actions have the full support of the Bashan National Security Bureau and the Bashan Municipal Party Committee and Government. I am here to discuss the relevant matters with you."

Liu Hui smiled, "Director Jiang, thank you for the nation's concern for our Han Tang Hospital, and even more so for Director Jiang's support of our work."

"Mr. Liu, there's no need for formalities. We are merely following orders."

"How will you be conducting the security detail?"

"According to the agreement reached between Han Tang Hospital and the state, we will not enter the hospital grounds. We will set up surveillance on the perimeter to ensure your safety. Concurrently, we will require support from your hospital's security team."

"That is no problem at all. The gentleman next to me is Wu Yuanjia, the captain of our Han Tang Hospital security detail. I believe you two should connect." Liu Hui introduced Wu Yuanjia to Jiang Nanyi.

"It's an honor, Director Jiang. I am Wu Yuanjia." Wu Yuanjia shook Jiang Nanyi's hand.

"Very well then, you two keep in close contact. My assignment is complete, so I will take my leave now." Duan Xinyue saw Jiang Nanyi and Wu Yuanjia begin their discussion and stood up to depart.

Liu Hui quickly escorted Duan Xinyue out. Duan Xinyue handed Liu Hui a business card, smiling, "Boss Liu is clearly a man of considerable influence; there shouldn't be many things you can't handle. However, sometimes in society, one runs into matters that are difficult to manage—do remember to contact me then."

Liu Hui took the card and chuckled, "Thank you for your kindness, Section Chief Duan. I will certainly keep that in mind."

Jiang Nanyi and Wu Yuanjia were deeply engaged in discussing security protocols. These matters were highly technical, and Liu Hui didn't grasp the intricacies. He left them to coordinate closely and returned to his office.

Mei Peng had arrived at Liu Hui's office at some unknown time. Seeing him return, Mei Peng wore a look of knowing amusement.

"What brings you to my office, young man? Why the look like you've just swallowed the canary?" Liu Hui chided jokingly.

"Boss, you truly don't know? We have an incredibly unexpected patient visiting our hospital today!" Mei Peng said, his face split in a grin.

Author's Note: Over the last day or two, many readers have offered the author, Qian Yu, tremendous support. Member clicks, saves, and recommendation votes have all improved significantly compared to previous days. I hope those who are able will continue to save and recommend; Qian Yu will strive to write a work that satisfies everyone.

Additionally, a special thank you to the reader 'Yue Ya Kai Xin Guo' (Crescent Happy Nut), who gave me my very first monetary tip, and who also cast 12,000 words worth of 'Urgent Chapter' votes for me. To earn those five urgent votes, Qian Yu is determined to push forward. For now, I will release this one chapter; if all goes well, another will follow between seven and eight this evening.

The editor at Qidian has notified me that this book is now eligible for 'A-signing,' so dear readers, please feel secure in saving it—the book is about to enter a major phase of development.