However, the apprentice's pathetic performance did not quell Ye Tiancheng's rage. Even if Fatty could survive, he would have to endure immense pain and his body would be damaged. Ye Tiancheng had to avenge his good brother, and the only way to do so was to make this detestable fellow pay with his life!
Ye Tiancheng kicked the fellow again, a direct blow to the chest that sent him rolling several more times before he stopped.
"My chest hurts so much, it feels like it's splitting open!"
The apprentice wailed helplessly. Ye Tiancheng felt it wasn't enough. Compared to the suffering Fatty was enduring, what this young apprentice was experiencing was insignificant.
Ye Tiancheng proceeded to rain blows and kicks upon the young apprentice, beating him severely. The man, writhing and begging for mercy, was filled with the terror of imminent death.
"Please, spare me! I truly know I was wrong. I will never dare to do anything out of line again. I will be obedient, always listen, and do good deeds every day to atone for my sins. I will never harbor ill intentions again. Please, spare me this once."
Seeing that he was spitting blood, the young apprentice understood the gravity of the situation. This was no longer like the minor scuffles of the past, the harmless jokes where no one truly intended to kill him. This time, it was a matter of life and death. He knelt on the ground, banging his head repeatedly, his plea filled with despair.
"I will kill you! You harmed my brother! I will make you pay with blood! I will make you suffer a painful death to atone for my brother!"
Ye Tiancheng hadn't been this agitated in a long time, not since he had become more merciful. He thought he had already embraced a compassionate outlook and entered an early retirement mode. Little did he know that his brother's plight would suddenly make him so volatile. His eyes were wide open, as if he wanted to kill someone, his irises a fiery red.
"Ye Tiancheng, calm down! We don't know Fatty's condition yet. You can't make a mistake first. If you kill someone, especially someone defenseless, you'll also be committing a sin. What will we do then?"
Hou Mingzhu tried to restrain Ye Tiancheng, but he was beyond controlling his emotions. Seeing Fatty lying there, barely alive, he felt it was impossible to find peace.
"Ye Tiancheng, wake up! Don't be controlled by others. Fatty is resilient; he'll be fine. If something happens, we can avenge him later. It's too soon now."
Finally, through Hou Mingzhu's persistent efforts, Ye Tiancheng regained some clarity. He no longer seemed possessed, with only the singular thought of avenging Fatty in his mind. He now realized that saving Fatty was the priority, and everything else could wait.
"Alright, find a way to save him. Hurry and call an ambulance. We need to get him to the hospital."
Ye Tiancheng was capable of using force to inflict harm, but he couldn't muster any true energy to save someone.
As for Fatty's injuries, while true energy could heal internal, unseen parts, medical intervention was also necessary.
Fatty had ingested poison. Methods like gastric lavage and blood transfusion could effectively reduce the toxins in his body.
"Okay, even though the hospital is a bit far, it's better than just waiting. I'll call an ambulance right away. I'm willing to make amends."
The young apprentice had long realized the seriousness of the situation. If he dared to slack off now, he would truly be courting death.
The young apprentice was very proactive and quickly called for an ambulance. However, in the meantime, Fatty woke up in pain, unable to speak, only groaning in agony.
Ye Tiancheng watched, his heart aching. Sometimes, it wasn't just love that left an indelible mark. The friendship between Ye Tiancheng and Fatty, forged through so many shared experiences, was even stronger than that of blood brothers. When his brother was in trouble, Ye Tiancheng wished he could bear all the pain himself rather than let his brother suffer any harm.
But fate was not so kind. Ye Tiancheng tried several times to gather his true energy to help Fatty, but each attempt was in vain.
Ye Tiancheng felt his limbs go numb, unable to hold on much longer. If this continued, he didn't know if Fatty could be saved, but Ye Tiancheng himself was in danger.
"Brother Ye, don't push yourself too hard. Fatty will be fine. You must stay clear-headed before you die. If you die, who will take charge of the situation? We'll all be finished."
Seeing Hou Mingzhu weeping profusely, Ye Tiancheng finally came to his senses. He realized he had been too impulsive, his mind a chaotic mess, unable to think clearly, only filled with frantic thoughts.
"Alright, let's save Fatty first. My good brother, nothing must happen to him. Even if I have to trade my life for his, I will absolutely not allow anything to happen to him."
It was heartbreaking to think that Fatty had gained nothing from following him and had nearly lost his life. Seeing Fatty's condition worsen, Ye Tiancheng didn't know what to do to save him.
If there were any possibility, even if Fatty wanted Ye Tiancheng's blood or flesh, Ye Tiancheng would have done it without hesitation. But now, even with all his efforts, he couldn't help Fatty. This was the most helpless he had ever felt.
While waiting for the ambulance, Ye Tiancheng grew impatient. He wanted to drive Fatty to meet the ambulance himself to save time.
However, as soon as he got into the car, he discovered the tires were completely ruined. The car, unrepaired, was undrivable. All his plans instantly turned to dust; they were unfeasible.
"What do we do?"
Ye Tiancheng became increasingly anxious but had no good solutions. He didn't know who to turn to for help. It seemed as if no one in the world could assist him.
"Brother Ye, don't worry about me. I'm too useless. I never had the qualities of a strong person. If I hadn't been so gluttonous and lacked any awareness, I wouldn't have been poisoned. Just let me go in peace. Don't trouble yourself."
Fatty had previously been hopeful, believing he would be fine even after being poisoned. However, through the series of reactions in his body, he realized the poison was not simple. Even a small dose could be fatal.
Realizing this, Fatty no longer dared to cling to false hope. Coupled with his increasing difficulty in breathing, his mindset collapsed. He felt that since he had the time to talk to Ye Tiancheng, he should take this opportunity to deliver his last words. Otherwise, he might pass away silently without leaving a single message.
"I forbid you from saying that! Stop talking and conserve your strength. The ambulance will be here soon, and you'll be saved. Hospitals are very professional. After poisoning, they can perform gastric lavage and a series of treatments. In short, nothing will happen to you. I won't allow anything to happen to you."
On this matter, Ye Tiancheng was more stubborn than ever. Giving up the life of his best friend required immense courage, something Ye Tiancheng could not muster. The thought of Fatty leaving him made it difficult for Ye Tiancheng to breathe. How could he possibly allow such a thing to happen?
"Brother Ye, listen to me. If I don't say it now, I fear I won't have another chance. It was my fortune to follow you and be your subordinate. I don't feel tragic about leaving now. We are destined people; we will meet again in other ways. Wherever I am, I will wait for you."
"No, I don't want you to leave me! Fatty, I've been in a slump for a long time. If it weren't for you constantly looking out for me, I wouldn't have made it to today. Everything I had was falling apart, but your presence kept me going. You can't abandon me alone."
Losing someone important, someone like a brother, was like having your limbs severed. The pain was indescribable. At this moment, Ye Tiancheng's heart was bleeding, and he only wanted to save Fatty's life.
"This must be fate, Brother Ye. I never believed in fate before, living my days in a haze. It was only after meeting you that I truly understood what fate's arrangements were. If you hadn't promoted me along the way, how could I have had such a brilliant life? Although I didn't live long, my life was spectacular enough. Before I met you, I was just drifting around in the labor market, working jobs for eighty yuan a day, living like a joke. I'm content with how things turned out."
Despite suffering immense pain from the poisoning and facing death, Fatty should have complained more. However, reflecting on his short yet brilliant life, he felt it was not bad. At least compared to others, having had so many fantastical experiences meant his life was not in vain.
At this moment, Ye Tiancheng was in tears. Hou Mingzhu beside him was also sobbing uncontrollably. They both realized that Fatty's poisoning was progressing rapidly. Even with Ye Tiancheng's true energy trying to control it, there was little relief. Fatty was now experiencing a final surge of vitality, a sign of his approaching end.
"Fatty, our brotherhood is deep. I don't want you to leave. Hold on! The car is coming soon; help will arrive. I am too incompetent. I can't even save the life of my most important brother. I'm simply useless!"
Seeing Ye Tiancheng blaming himself, Fatty became anxious again. He wished Ye Tiancheng was still the carefree, arrogant person he used to be, happy even if he was just farming in the fields, rather than being in this state of extreme anxiety, unable to save him and thus falling into a negative spiral.
"Brother Ye, promise me. Even after I'm gone, don't fall into despair because of my departure. I hope you live happily. Even if you don't achieve immortality, I hope your days in the mortal world are always peaceful and joyful. I don't want you to be sad anymore."
Fatty was already having difficulty breathing and would soon fall into a coma. Although he wouldn't die immediately, death was only a matter of time.
Ye Tiancheng realized this might be their last conscious conversation. He could only force back his tears and agree to Fatty's request.
"Okay, I won't cry. I'll be strong, and you be strong too."