73: Investigate me? Your people are going to die in three seconds.

Sunlight streamed through the blinds, casting dappled shadows on the white bedsheet.

The smell of disinfectant, mixed with the scent of osmanthus drifting in from outside the window, created a unique tranquility that belonged only to the hospital.

Chen Mo closed his eyes.

The entire world had changed its appearance within his perception.

It was no longer sound, nor was it images.

It was heartbeats.

Endless, dense heartbeats, like a summer downpour, surged into his mind from all directions.

The entire city of Jiangcheng.

It seemed to have transformed into a sleeping behemoth composed of billions of heartbeats.

A nurse pushing a treatment cart walked down the hospital corridor; her heartbeat was steady and brisk, 78 beats per minute.

In the garden downstairs.

A young couple held their newborn baby; their heartbeats intertwined, forming a joyful, 90-beat-per-minute duet.

Further away, on the elevated bridge, a driver was anxiously honking his horn because of traffic.

His heartbeat was chaotic and angry, soaring to 110 beats.

This was the "Net of Sin."

An invisible net covering the entire city.

It was too vast.

So immense that it was like a tumultuous ocean, threatening to swallow his consciousness whole.

"Chen Mo, have some porridge."

Su Qingxue's voice was like a clear spring, pulling him out of that ocean of heartbeats.

He opened his eyes, his dark pupils carrying a hint of exhaustion, as if they had just endured a long journey.

He had to learn how to filter.

To pick out the noise—those heartbeats filled with malice, murder, and greed—from the billions of others.

"Thank you."

He took the bowl of porridge; the temperature was just right.

Zhao Dahai was sitting on the sofa, clumsily peeling an apple with a fruit knife while muttering curses under his breath.

"Damn it, those bastards just can't stand to see us succeed! What do they mean 'procedural violation'? What do they mean 'severe negative impact'? I think they're just jealous!"

"Director Zhou has done his best to mediate."

Su Qingxue's tone was worried, "But the scale of this operation was too big. It wasn't just the deployment of 'Tianhe,' but also... those other things. The higher-ups need an explanation."

Chen Mo took a sip of porridge and remained silent.

He knew that what was coming would eventually arrive.

Just then.

"Knock, knock, knock."

The hospital room door was tapped three times, neither too lightly nor too heavily.

Without waiting for a response from inside, the door was pushed open from the outside.

A chill, sharp and characteristic of the bureaucratic system, instantly flooded in.

A middle-aged man wearing a dark Zhongshan suit, his hair meticulously combed and his expression severe, walked in.

His gaze, precise and cold like a ruler, swept over every person in the room.

Finally, it settled on Chen Mo.

Trailing behind him were two burly men in black suits, communication earpieces in their ears, their waists conspicuously bulky.

The moment they entered, they positioned themselves on the left and right, like two silent iron towers.

"Are you Chen Mo?"

The middle-aged man's voice, like the man himself, lacked any warmth.

He pulled a badge from his pocket and flashed it casually.

"National Security Committee, Fang Zheng. I have been instructed to come and understand some circumstances from you."

Zhao Dahai shot up, the apple and knife in his hand clattering to the floor.

"Understand circumstances? Is this how you 'understand circumstances'? Bringing two door gods to stand guard?"

Fang Zheng didn't even glance at him.

His gaze remained locked on Chen Mo.

"Unauthorized use of national strategic supercomputing resources, forging supreme authorization, mobilizing external military forces, and carrying out destructive strikes on a region of unclear sovereignty."

With every charge he listed, the temperature in the hospital room seemed to drop a degree.

"Chen Mo, any single one of these charges is sufficient for 'treason.' Do you have anything to explain?"

"Explain?"

Zhao Dahai was shaking with fury, pointing at Fang Zheng's nose, ready to curse.

"I'll f**king..."

"Old Zhao."

Chen Mo spoke.

His voice was soft, yet it instantly silenced the enraged Zhao Dahai.

Chen Mo set down the porridge bowl and wiped his mouth with a napkin.

He raised his head and looked calmly at Fang Zheng.

"Director Fang, is that right?"

"I have nothing to explain."

"I only know that if I hadn't done this, one hundred and twenty-three passengers on the jingji express line would have died."

"The city of Beijing would have descended into unprecedented panic."

"And all you people would have been able to do is write a mournful report afterward."

A muscle twitched at the corner of Fang Zheng's eye.

"Procedural justice is the cornerstone of maintaining the operation of the state apparatus. The outcome cannot be your justification for trampling the rules."

"You need to come with us now."

His tone was flat, yet it was an undeniable command.

The two burly men behind him instinctively stepped half a pace forward.

The air in the hospital room instantly solidified.

Su Qingxue stepped in front of Chen Mo, her voice icy cold.

"He is still a patient."

"We will guarantee his medical care," Fang Zheng said, his face completely impassive.

"Even so, you have to wait until we complete the discharge procedures!"

Zhao Dahai's eyes were red, like a bull protecting its calf.

Fang Zheng looked at the people stubbornly resisting him, a nearly imperceptible, cold sneer curling his lips.

"Obstructing official duty is an aggravated offense. Think carefully."

He lifted his chin, and the two burly men prepared to advance.

At that very moment.

Chen Mo's consciousness sank back into the ocean of heartbeats.

He "heard" Fang Zheng's heartbeat.

Steady and strong, 82 beats per minute.

Like a precise instrument.

But beneath that steadiness, a hint of urgency and a trace of... ambition were hidden.

He "heard" the heartbeats of the two burly men.

Nervous and vigilant, 95 beats per minute.

Faithfully executing orders.

And then.

He heard a... different sound.

Right here on this corridor.

A faint heartbeat, yet one filled with violence and murderous intent.

It was moving.

Very fast.

Like a venomous snake lurking in the water weeds, silently pouncing on its prey.

Chen Mo's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Wait."

He spoke.

Everyone's movements ceased.

Fang Zheng looked at him with a hint of condescending scrutiny.

"Have you thought it through?"

Chen Mo did not answer him.

He just looked at Fang Zheng, his eyes terrifyingly calm.

"Director Fang, your investigation can wait."

"Because your man is about to die."

What?

For the first time, Fang Zheng's brow furrowed tightly.

He thought Chen Mo was talking nonsense, trying to stall for time in this ridiculous manner.

"Playing tricks," he snorted coldly.

Chen Mo ignored his mockery.

His gaze seemed to pierce the wall, seeing the scene on the corridor.

"At the end of the corridor, the third room on the left, Room 307."

"The resident is Deputy Director Wang of Cardiac Surgery; he just finished a 12-hour surgery and is resting."

"A man disguised as a cleaner has just reached his door."

"Hidden in his cleaning cart is a ceramic dagger."

"His current heartbeat is 135 beats, filled with murderous intent."

Chen Mo's voice was not loud, but it struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer!

Fang Zheng's expression instantly changed!

Deputy Director Wang!

He was one of the key witnesses they were tasked with protecting during this operation!

How could he know?!

Chen Mo looked at him and slowly raised three fingers.

"He's about to push the door open."

"You have three seconds to decide whether to waste time with me here or go save your man."

"Three."

His voice was like the countdown of the God of Death.

A thin layer of cold sweat seeped onto Fang Zheng's forehead.

"Two."

Reason told him this was absurd!

But Chen Mo's all-knowing gaze sent a bone-chilling coldness through him!

"One."

"Go!"

Fang Zheng finally cracked!

He let out a suppressed roar of fury and violently waved his hand at the two burly men behind him!

"Hurry to 307!"

The two burly men didn't hesitate for a moment, spinning around and rushing out of the room like two cannonballs fired from a barrel!

The sound of heavy footsteps rapidly faded down the corridor.

The entire hospital room fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone held their breath.

A few seconds later.

A faint shout was heard from the end of the corridor.

This was immediately followed by the muffled thud of a heavy object falling and a sharp clang of metal!