167: Chapter 167 Someone dared to lay a hand on Lin Yue! Who gave them the audacity!

"Little sister!"

Lin Fan shoved the documents and the chip directly into his trench coat pocket.

"Follow me."

He was already rushing inside without waiting for Li Youwei to respond.

Li Youwei paused for a moment, then followed.

She moved quickly, without wasting words, following Lin Fan through the crowd toward the elevators.

Her gaze swept across the hospital lobby, her expression composed.

He couldn't wait for the elevator, so Lin Fan pushed open the door to the stairwell.

He bounded up the stairs, two or three steps at a time; the five-story climb didn't even count as a warm-up for him.

The corridor door was pushed open, and he saw it at a glance.

At the entrance of Room 17, two people in white coats were coming out.

A nurse was pushing a crash cart, and Head Nurse Qin Ya stood at the door, blocking the way, her expression tense.

Xia Wanqiu was inside, her palms glowing with a faint green light as she continuously channeled healing energy into Lin Yue.

Murong Yan was at the door, her back straight, her hands hanging loosely, but her posture was that of someone ready for battle.

"What happened?" Lin Fan entered the room in three strides.

Xia Wanqiu didn't even look up. "Attending Physician Zhou Zheng."

"What did he do?"

"Twenty minutes ago, he brought an intern in, saying they needed to draw blood from Lin Yue for a follow-up check,"

Xia Wanqiu's voice was very low, her eyes fixed on Lin Yue. "Halfway through, Lin Yue said her chest felt tight, so I immediately kicked them out, but Lin Yue's heartbeat was already fluctuating."

"What was injected?"

"I got the syringe, it's here," Murong Yan said, thrusting a syringe into Lin Fan's hand. "But I don't know what the ingredients are. You take a look."

Lin Fan took it.

There was a tiny amount of transparent liquid left in the syringe; nothing could be determined from looking at it.

He took a photo and sent it directly to Luo Sha with a single message: "Help me check this. Urgent."

Luo Sha replied instantly: "I'm very busy right now."

"Is there anyone busier than my little sister's life?"

There was silence for five seconds on the other end. "I'll forward it to the lab. Results in two hours."

"Thanks."

Lin Yue's face was pale, but it was different from last night. This time it was a sudden pallor, not the kind caused by a slow decline.

Her eyes were open but unfocused, and her breathing had become shallow.

Xia Wanqiu's healing light kept pouring in; she was biting her lower lip, her expression deeply focused.

"She's stabilized for now. I used my talent to suppress her abnormal heartbeat, but if what Attending Physician Zhou Zheng injected has a lasting effect, I can't keep this up forever."

"I know," Lin Fan said, sitting by the bed and gently patting the back of Lin Yue's hand. "Lin Yue, can you hear me?"

Lin Yue lifted her eyelids. "Big brother."

"Hmm."

"Am I... not doing so well?"

"That doctor injected you with something just now, and I'm checking what it is," Lin Fan said, covering her hand with his. "Xia Wanqiu is treating you. Just hold on, don't be afraid."

Lin Yue nodded and closed her eyes. Lin Fan stood up and walked out of the ward.

Murong Yan followed him out. Li Youwei was standing on the other side of the corridor, leaning against the wall. She watched them, her expression calm, showing no intention of coming over, but it was clear she was waiting to see how the situation developed.

"Where is Attending Physician Zhou Zheng now?" Murong Yan asked.

"He ran away," Head Nurse Qin Ya said, walking over quickly from the other end of the corridor and lowering her voice. "He left as soon as he was done. The card swipe records show he has already left the building."

Lin Fan asked, "Under what pretext did he enter?"

"He said it was a routine blood follow-up. I thought you had approved it," Head Nurse Qin Ya said, her expression grim. "I didn't guard the door well. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Lin Fan said, taking out his phone to send a message to Instructor Lei Zhan.

"Attending Physician Zhou Zheng must be found before noon today, no matter what connections you have to use."

Instructor Lei Zhan replied quickly: "You want me to find a regular doctor?" "Can you find him?" "Don't talk nonsense. I used to be a frontline intelligence officer."

"Fine. Check his transaction records with Tianlong Pharmaceutical and give them to me as well."

There was no immediate reply. After a few seconds, Instructor Lei Zhan sent a message: "What happened to your little sister?"

This was the first time since they had been speaking that he had voluntarily asked about something unrelated to the mission.

Lin Fan paused. "Someone made a move. I'm handling it." "Understood. Give me an hour."

Lin Fan put away his phone and turned to look at Li Youwei.

Li Youwei walked over from the wall, skipping any empty words of comfort and speaking directly.

"I've investigated Attending Physician Zhou Zheng. He has had a cooperative relationship with Tianlong Pharmaceutical for three years. He specializes in assisting them with data collection within the hospital," she said, "The substance he injected today is most likely a serum used to accelerate vein blockage. The goal is to make Lin Yue's condition suddenly deteriorate, forcing you to go to Tianlong Pharmaceutical for the second course of treatment."

Lin Fan asked, "You investigated Attending Physician Zhou Zheng?"

"I've investigated everyone connected to Tianlong Pharmaceutical," she said. "My informants in Jiangcheng noticed you had arrived at the hospital and told me that Attending Physician Zhou Zheng's communication frequency with Tianlong Pharmaceutical had increased recently. That is why I contacted you in advance today."

Lin Fan studied her for a second. "You have informants in Jiangcheng?"

"Six," Li Youwei said. "Two in the medical system, one in the Martial Arts Association, and the remaining three are independent information brokers." She paused slightly. "I can't take on Tianlong Pharmaceutical by myself, but my intelligence network can provide support."

Murong Yan was nearby, scanning Li Youwei up and down twice. She then leaned over to Lin Fan and whispered, "Is she being real, or is she acting?"

"It should be real," Lin Fan said, also lowering his voice. "Information tracking talent, doing this for two years—usually, information from people like this is quite accurate."

"But her goal is to get you to help her deal with Tianlong Pharmaceutical."

"I was already planning to deal with Tianlong Pharmaceutical."

Murong Yan said, "...Fine, you're the boss."

Lin Fan turned back and looked at Li Youwei. "You mentioned the Star Association," he asked directly. "How much have you found out?"

"Thirty years ago, with the goal of 'developing human Awakened potential,' they secretly conducted human experiments in the Northwest Forbidden Zone. The subjects were recruited Awakened," Li Youwei's voice was steady. "As for what happened in the Forbidden Zone later, the official story claims it was casualties from battle, but I have only uncovered a part of the actual truth."

"Tianlong Pharmaceutical is just one visible thread of theirs that has survived thirty years later," she said, looking at Lin Fan. "There are still people behind it, a larger structure that is still operating."

"And for those children of the missing Awakened," she said, "the vein blockage might be a sequela left behind by their experiments back then."

In the ward, Lin Yue's heart monitor emitted a soft sound. Xia Wanqiu's voice came from inside, very low and steady.

"Lin Fan, Lin Yue's condition has stabilized, but my talent energy is almost exhausted. When will you know the ingredients of that injection?"

Lin Fan said, "Within two hours." "Okay."

The corridor was quiet for a few seconds. Li Youwei glanced in the direction of the ward and pulled the collar of her trench coat up.

"Your brother's name," Lin Fan began. "You said his name is Li Mingkun?" "Yes." "Where is he now?"

"In the capital, at a designated treatment center arranged for them by Tianlong Pharmaceutical," she said. "He has no way to leave. Once the treatment course stops, his condition will immediately collapse. He can't get out."

Lin Fan nodded. He took the document out of his pocket and flipped to the list page.

"On this list, number forty-seven and number forty-eight," he looked up. "Do you know where they are now?"

Li Youwei stared at those two names and paused. "I don't know. These are archives from thirty years ago; I haven't found any follow-up information," she said in a low voice. "Do you know them?"

"My parents," Lin Fan said, folding the document and putting it back in. "Thirty years ago, my parents were on this list."

Li Youwei was silent for three seconds. "Then you are involved in this matter not just for your little sister." "Correct."

"Then let's discuss a partnership," she said, taking a card holder from her bag and handing it to Lin Fan. "My contact information and my temporary address in Jiangcheng. You can contact me at any time."

Lin Fan took it, glanced at it, and pocketed it. At that moment, his phone vibrated. It wasn't Luo Sha; it was Instructor Lei Zhan.

"Attending Physician Zhou Zheng has been found, in a homestay in the western suburbs of Jiangcheng. He has already gone on the run; he has packed his luggage." "Do you want me to apprehend him directly?"

Lin Fan replied with two words. "Wait for me."

He put his phone away and patted Murong Yan on the shoulder. "I have some business. You guard the ward; if there are any abnormalities, contact me directly."

Murong Yan asked, "Where are you going again?" "To catch someone."

Murong Yan immediately rolled up her sleeves. "I'm going too—" "You stay and guard. There must be someone by Lin Yue's side," Lin Fan was already walking toward the elevator. He turned his head. "Li Youwei, are you coming or not?"

Li Youwei was stunned for a moment. "I'm coming."

The two of them entered the elevator. Murong Yan stood in the corridor, watching the elevator doors close, then slowly rolled her sleeves back down.

She then turned around, walked back to the ward, and sat down next to Xia Wanqiu. "He took another woman with him again."

Xia Wanqiu didn't look up, continuing to maintain the output of her healing talent, her voice extremely calm. "I don't care."

"I don't care either." The ward was silent for three seconds. Both of them spoke at the same time. "Is she pretty?" "..." "You go first." "You go first."

Lin Yue lay on the bed, opened her eyes, looked to the left, and then looked to the right. She quietly fished some dried roasted sweet potato from under her pillow, broke off a piece, and popped it into her mouth. She sensibly didn't make a sound.

In the elevator, Lin Fan sent Attending Physician Zhou Zheng's location to Instructor Lei Zhan, telling him to keep watch and not alert the enemy.

Li Youwei stood to the side, glanced at Lin Fan, and spoke. "Are you going to capture Attending Physician Zhou Zheng to interrogate him?"

"And to level up while I'm at it," Lin Fan said, looking down at his phone. "Can your information tracking talent extract memories?"

"No, it can only track the flow of information," she paused. "But I brought a mental scanner, which can be used in conjunction."

Lin Fan looked up at her. "You brought a mental scanner with you?"

"I bring it on every mission," Li Youwei said, her tone extremely calm. "I've been doing this for two years; I'm used to it."

The elevator doors opened. Lin Fan walked out and answered a call from Luo Sha.

Luo Sha's voice came through the receiver, without any nonsense, speaking directly. "Brat, we've analyzed what Attending Physician Zhou Zheng injected."

"What is it?"

"It's called 'vein-locking serum'," Luo Sha's voice was flat, but there was something in that calmness. "This substance appeared in a top-secret file from thirty years ago."

"What is it related to?"

"It's related to the missing Awakened in the Northwest Forbidden Zone," Luo Sha paused. "Lin Fan, this substance wasn't developed by Tianlong Pharmaceutical itself; it comes from an earlier project."

Lin Fan didn't stop, walking toward the hospital entrance. "Star Association," he said. "Do you know this name?"

There was silence for four seconds on the other end of the line. Then Luo Sha's voice came back, a pitch lower than before. "Where did you hear that name from?"

"Someone told me," Lin Fan pushed open the hospital doors; the sunlight outside stung his eyes, but he didn't blink. "Luo Sha, have you investigated this organization?"

On the other end of the line, there was no answer for a long time. Finally, Luo Sha only said one sentence. "Lin Fan, what you've found so far is already dangerous enough."

"If you want to keep investigating, you have to be prepared—not the kind of preparation for fighting a few bodyguards from Tianlong Pharmaceutical."

"What kind of preparation?"

"The preparation for facing experts above Level 8 Martial Emperor."

Lin Fan paused for a step, clutching his phone, running that sentence through his mind. Above Level 8. The Martial Emperor realm.

He was currently at Level 43 Defense, and facing Vice Principal Yan Zhen, that Level 7 Martial Emperor, was basically no pressure. Level 8 Martial Emperor. That was a different dimension entirely.

He looked up at the sky, then looked at the phone in his hand. Then, he curled the corner of his mouth. "Then I'd better hurry up and level up."