socalfunplaces Chapter 170 A Thunderclap in the Stethoscope
Chapter 170 A Thunderclap in the Stethoscope
The air in the emergency room lobby seemed to freeze instantly, as if it had been frozen by liquid nitrogen.
Hundreds of eyes were fixed on the blood-soaked man on the stretcher.
Qi Tongwei did not move.
He just sat there, not even holding a gun, but the murderous aura he exuded from the mountain of corpses and sea of blood forced Liu Wei to take a half step back.
Liu Wei adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, concealing the panic in his eyes.
As the deputy director of the provincial health department and the deputy director of the provincial hospital, he was a very influential figure in the medical community of Handong.
Normally, even the mayor would treat him with great respect.
But today, he met the eyes of a wolf.
"Director Qi, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want."
Liu Weiqiang straightened his posture, raised his hand to straighten the collar of his white coat, and tried to regain some confidence with this professional gesture.
"Secretary Zhao suffered a sudden heart attack and is currently being treated in the intensive care unit on the eighth floor. This is a political task directly assigned by the Provincial Party Committee Office. What, Director Qi, do you think catching a few criminals is more important than Secretary Zhao's life?"
He moved out of the mountain that had been pressing down on Handong for twenty years.
This trick has always worked in the past.
Whenever the "Zhao family" is mentioned, no one in the officialdom of Handong dares to disrespect them.
Unfortunately, he didn't turn the calendar right today.
Today is the anniversary of the Zhao family's death.
Qi Tongwei ignored his words and focused his gaze on the top of his head.
The red text on the system interface was still glaringly obvious.
[Liu Wei: Currently executing delaying orders. The intention is to create medical congestion, causing the children victimized at Luzhou Port to die from excessive blood loss, and to destroy living evidence.]
What a compassionate doctor!
What a lackey of the Zhao family!
"A political mission?"
Qi Tongwei braced himself on the edge of the stretcher, his feet landing on the ground.
The movement aggravated the penetrating wound in his arm, and blood dripped from his fingertips onto the polished marble floor with a soft "plop" sound.
"That was before."
Qi Tongwei took a step.
"Now, I am the biggest political figure in Handong."
That statement is incredibly arrogant.
But among the hundreds of people present, not one thought he was joking.
Liu Wei's expression changed drastically.
Before he could even speak, a hand suddenly reached out from the side and grabbed his tie.
It is Ye Cunxin.
This young lady from the capital had long since reached her limit.
Her men's shirt, which had been soaked in seawater and then dried, clung to her body in a wrinkled state, the collar open, with a few grains of undried sand still clinging to her collarbone.
Because of the large movement, the hem of the shirt was suddenly pulled upwards.
In that instant, two long, straight legs were completely exposed to the air.
Her skin was almost translucent white, with several shocking bruises and abrasions, but this did not detract from her wild beauty; instead, it added an extreme allure of battle-worn skin.
She stood barefoot on the floor, her toes gripping the ground tightly, her calf muscles taut and full of explosive power.
"You talk too much nonsense."
Ye Cunxin exerted her strength suddenly, pulling Liu Wei so hard that he stumbled and almost knelt on the ground.
"Just get out of here, don't give me all these excuses!"
Her other hand rested on the holster at her waist. Although the gun had been handed over to the SWAT team, the gesture was still very intimidating.
Those peach blossom eyes were full of ferocity, like a mother leopard guarding her food.
"Security! Security!"
Liu Wei's voice trembled with fear as he struggled desperately, shouting, "Someone's causing trouble at the hospital! Get them out!"
Seven or eight uniformed hospital security guards rushed over, carrying rubber batons.
But before they could get close, they were driven back by a row of dark gun barrels.
Zhao Donglai led the special police team into the scene.
"Who dares to move!"
Zhao Donglai roared, his voice booming like a bell.
This "fierce Zhang Fei" from the Jingzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau was also full of murderous aura at this moment, and he immediately disengaged the safety of his Type 92 pistol.
The security guards were so frightened that their legs went weak, and they dropped their rubber batons on the ground.
Qi Tongwei walked up to Liu Wei.
He was half a head taller than Liu Wei, and this imposing height made Liu Wei feel almost suffocated.
"Vice President Liu, you just said Zhao Lichun is being resuscitated?"
Qi Tongwei's voice was very soft, but it pierced Liu Wei's ears like an ice pick.
"It's...it's a heart attack..." Liu Wei stammered, cold sweat soaking his glasses.
"Myocardial infarction?"
Qi Tongwei sneered.
[Medical Insight Technique] is activated again.
Through the floor plan, his gaze seemed to penetrate the wall of that luxurious ward on the eighth floor.
The old man is currently lying in bed receiving oxygen, with a heart rate of 75 and blood pressure of 120/80, healthier than a twenty-year-old.
The so-called "rescue" was nothing more than a few nurses peeling apples on the side.
"Since it's a heart attack, it needs to be treated properly."
Qi Tongwei patted Liu Wei's cheek, not hard, but extremely insulting.
"Take your stethoscope and come up with me. If you can't cure it, you don't need to come down."
Liu Wei tried to resist, but Ye Cunxin kicked him in the back of the knee.
"Click."
That kick was fast, accurate, and ruthless.
Liu Wei screamed and knelt down in front of Qi Tongwei.
"Ah—my leg!"
"Shut up."
Ye Cunxin shook her hair, her wet long hair brushing against her cheeks.
She looked down at Liu Wei, a cruel smile curving her lips.
The shirt tightened again because of her movements, and the curves of her chest rose and fell with her rapid breathing, perfectly blending the unique feminine softness and violence.
"Say it again, and I'll cut your tongue out and give it to Zhao Lichun as a snack with his drinks."
Liu Wei covered his mouth tightly, staring in horror at the crazy woman.
He could tell she was serious.
"Take him with you."
Qi Tongwei turned and walked towards the elevator. "Donglai, seal off the emergency building. No one except the medical team is allowed in or out. Especially those children, if even a single hair is missing, I'll hold you responsible."
"Yes!" Zhao Donglai stood at attention and saluted.
The elevator doors slowly opened.
Qi Tongwei went inside, and Ye Cunxin, like a female prison guard escorting a prisoner, grabbed Liu Wei by the collar and dragged him into the elevator.
Two SWAT officers followed closely behind.
The elevator doors closed, shutting out the noise in the lobby.
The atmosphere in the cramped space was oppressive and suffocating.
Only Liu Wei's heavy breathing and Ye Cunxin's unique scent, a mixture of sea breeze, gunpowder smoke, and expensive perfume, could be heard.
Qi Tongwei leaned against the wall of the elevator car, closing his eyes to rest.
The aura of the "absolute will to power" is quietly taking shape.
The air pressure inside the elevator was decreasing.
Liu Wei knelt in the corner, his body trembling uncontrollably.
He felt as if he were facing not a person, but a primordial beast that was dozing off, ready to open its blood-red maw and swallow him whole at any moment.
Ye Cunxin stood beside Qi Tongwei.
She looked at Qi Tongwei's pale face, a hint of heartache flashing in her eyes.
She quietly reached out and grasped Qi Tongwei's uninjured hand.
Her hands were hot, and her palms were still sweaty from what she had just done.
Qi Tongwei opened his eyes and glanced at her.
Ye Cunxin didn't dodge; instead, she took advantage of the situation and moved even closer to him.
The long, scarred leg pressed against Qi Tongwei's police trousers, the warm touch seeping through the fabric.
"Are you tired?" she asked in a voice only the two of them could hear.
Her tone was unusually gentle, like that of a young wife.
"The real show has only just begun."
Qi Tongwei pinched her fingertips with his other hand. "When you see that old man later, don't be impulsive. I want him to see his own dynasty collapse before his very eyes."
"I'll listen to you."
Ye Cunxin nodded obediently and leaned her body against his shoulder.
In that instant, she sheathed all her fangs, leaving only a woman's absolute attachment to a man.
Watching this scene from the corner, Liu Wei felt even more desperate.
This man and woman are simply two lunatics.
"bite."
The elevator arrived at the eighth floor.
The moment the door opened, a strong fragrance of lilies wafted out.
This floor was eerily quiet, and the carpet was so thick it could cover your ankles.
At the end of the corridor, four bodyguards in black suits were guarding the door of ward 808.
Upon seeing the person emerge from the elevator, the bodyguards paused for a moment, then reached into their pockets.
"Don't move."
Qi Tongwei stepped out of the elevator, his voice not loud, but carrying an unquestionable tone of command.
The four bodyguards' hands froze in mid-air.
They were Zhao's loyal followers, people who had seen blood and killed people.
But at this moment, being stared at by Qi Tongwei's eyes, which showed no emotion whatsoever, they felt as if the blood in their bodies was flowing backward.
The fear that came from the depths of their souls made them instinctively stop moving.
This is the crushing power of the absolute will to power.
In the presence of those in real power, these lackeys don't even have the courage to draw their guns.
"roll."
Qi Tongwei only said one word.
The four bodyguards looked at each other, and finally, as if they had received a pardon, they lowered their heads and stepped aside to make way.
Liu Wei was utterly desperate.
Even the Zhao family's last line of defense was so easily breached.
Qi Tongwei walked to the heavy mahogany door.
The door wasn't closed properly; there was a crack.
The sound of a television playing inside could be heard, showing the Peking Opera "Borrowing the East Wind".
"...Looking north across the river, flames soared into the sky..."
Zhao Lichun certainly has refined tastes.
Qi Tongwei lifted his foot.
"Bang!"
There was no polite knocking.
The valuable mahogany door was kicked open and slammed heavily against the wall with a loud bang.
In the room, the nurse who was peeling an apple screamed in fright, dropping the fruit knife from her hand.
On the hospital bed, an elderly man with a full head of white hair suddenly sat up.
It was Zhao Lichun.
He was wearing a blue and white striped hospital gown, and his face was rosy; he didn't look like he had a heart attack at all.
When Zhao Lichun saw that it was Qi Tongwei who barged in, his eye twitched slightly, but he quickly regained his dignified demeanor.
After all, he was once a provincial party secretary, so he still has the composure to remain calm even when faced with a major crisis.
"Tongwei."
Zhao Lichun put down the remote control in his hand, his tone indifferent, as if he were meeting with a subordinate in his office.
"Such a temper? You didn't even knock before coming in. Looks like you've been out having fun lately and have forgotten all the rules."
He even picked up the teacup next to him and gently blew away the foam.
"Where's Vice President Liu? Why hasn't he arranged any tests for me yet? My chest still feels tight."
Zhao Lichun is still acting.
He bet that Qi Tongwei wouldn't dare to lay a hand on him here.
He gambled that his connections in Beijing could still protect him as a last resort.
As long as he doesn't admit it, as long as he stays in his hospital bed, even Sha Ruijin wouldn't dare to forcibly take him away.
This is the last shield for the privileged class.
Qi Tongwei smiled.
He didn't answer Zhao Lichun's question, but turned around and took Liu Wei, who looked like a dead dog, from Ye Cunxin's hands, and casually threw him in front of Zhao Lichun's bed.
"Vice President Liu, Secretary Zhao is asking you a question."
Qi Tongwei pulled up a chair and sat down at the foot of the bed with an air of authority.
"He has chest tightness, you should treat him."
Liu Wei lay on the ground, trembling all over, not daring to say a word.
Zhao Lichun frowned as he looked at Liu Wei on the ground.
"Qi Tongwei, what do you mean by this? Leading people to storm the ward of a provincial party committee leader—do you have any respect for organizational discipline?"
"Organization? Discipline?"
Qi Tongwei leaned forward, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Zhao Lichun.
"Zhao Lichun, stop pretending."
"Your heart rate is 75, your blood pressure is normal, and your pupils are reacting well. If this were a heart attack, all the doctors in the world could be out of a job."
Qi Tongwei pointed to his eyes.
"I'm sick, I have an eye condition, but I can see ghosts."
"And you are the greatest evil spirit."
Zhao Lichun's hand trembled slightly, and a few drops of water spilled from the teacup.
He finally realized that Qi Tongwei was different today.
He is not just a policeman, but also a judge.
"What do you want?" Zhao Lichun put down his teacup, his voice turning cold. "Let me tell you, even if I'm guilty, it's not your place to interrogate me. I'm a centrally-managed cadre, only..."
"Only the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection can touch you, right?"
Qi Tongwei interrupted him.
He pulled a black voice recorder out of his pocket; it was the one Tian Guofu had given him in the car earlier.
"Listen to this."
Press the play button.
From inside came Zhao Ruilong's desperate cries in the cabin, and the sound of the final shot.
Zhao Lichun's face turned deathly pale instantly.
That was his son's voice.
"Ruilong..." The old man's hands began to tremble violently, and this time it wasn't an act.
"He's not dead, but he's close to it."
Qi Tongwei turned off the recorder and fiddled with it in his hand.
"Zhao Lichun, the two things you care about most in this life are power and bloodline."
"Power was blown up by me last night."
"As for bloodlines..."
Qi Tongwei stood up and approached the hospital bed step by step.
Behind her, Ye Cunxin silently pulled out a pair of surgical scissors from her waist, which she had casually picked up downstairs earlier.
She twirled the scissors in her hand, the silver blade gleaming coldly under the light.
She walked to the bedside, picked up the apple that wasn't fully peeled, and snipped off a piece of the flesh with a snap.
Then he pointed the scissors at Zhao Lichun's hand, which was receiving an IV drip.
"Secretary Zhao, I've heard there's a disease called 'pseudo-myocardial infarction,' which requires bloodletting treatment."
Ye Cunxin's smile was sweet, yet it sent chills down one's spine.
"I'm a veterinary student, so I'll give you this injection."
As Zhao Lichun looked at the approaching scissors and Qi Tongwei's cold face, her mental defenses finally began to crumble.
"What...what are you doing! This is murder! Where is Sha Ruijin? I need to see Sha Ruijin!"
"Secretary Sha is busy writing the verdict for your son."
Qi Tongwei stopped Zhao Lichun from pressing the call button.
That large hand was like an iron clamp, squeezing Zhao Lichun's bones until they ached.
"Now, this ward is under my jurisdiction."
Qi Tongwei leaned close to Zhao Lichun's ear, his voice low and menacing, like a devil's whisper.
"Zhao Lichun, let's play a game."
"I ask, you answer."
"If you answer one word wrong, I'll let you experience what it's like to be one of those children your son keeps locked in a cage."
"The first question."
"Who else knows the password to the 12 billion yuan beneath Crescent Lake besides you?"