"Why are you here?" Chen Fan questioned the masked man, eyeing him warily.
He knew the masked man's capabilities and, seeing the situation, his first thought was that the masked man intended to threaten him using his mother's predicament.
"Chen Fan, speak to my godfather respectfully. If it weren't for my godfather's help, do you think you would have been able to rescue your mother?" Song Wenting said unhappily, looking at Chen Fan.
"You helped me?" Chen Fan asked in confusion.
He then seemed to recall something: "Was it you who sent that Old Han to save me?"
The masked man remained silent, still standing by the window, calmly gazing outside.
After a long pause, the masked man looked at Song Wenting and instructed, "You can leave first."
Song Wenting nodded. After casting a glance at Chen Fan, she left the room.
Suddenly, the large room was left with only Chen Fan and two others.
The masked man slowly turned, looking at Chen Fan, who was warily observing him. A smile appeared on his wrinkled face beneath the mask.
Twenty years. The family of three was finally reunited.
However, the masked man clearly had no intention of revealing his identity. Instead, he asked, "How do you feel about your trip to the capital this time?"
Chen Fan did not answer.
But he knew very well in his heart that his trip to the capital had shown him just how insignificant he was.
Even a collateral branch of the Long family could easily end his life.
If Han Chunming hadn't appeared in time, he might have escaped, but he would have had to live in darkness forever.
Seeing the change in Chen Fan's expression, the masked man smiled calmly. "It seems your trip to the capital has been quite an experience."
"You still haven't answered my question. Han Chunming, did you have him help me?" Chen Fan asked, frowning slightly.
"Yes," the masked man did not deny it.
"Why are you helping me? Offending the Long and Huangfu families because of me is probably not a wise choice," Chen Fan asked, perplexed, voicing his doubts again.
He didn't believe he held much value in the masked man's eyes.
"Because of your mother," the masked man said calmly.
Hearing this, Chen Fan was aghast. "You know my mother? Who are you?"
Staring intently at the masked man, Chen Fan's emotions became somewhat agitated, as if a suspicion had formed in his mind.
"I am a friend of your mother's. Your mother saved my life. Helping you is considered repaying that debt."
Instantly, the excitement in Chen Fan's eyes dissipated.
He also remembered that Huangfu Qinyuan had said today that his father was dead, and that he had died at his hands.
"Chen Fan, this world is a jungle where the strong prey on the weak. Without power, without strength, you can only be slaughtered. I believe you've experienced this firsthand during your trip to the capital. Relying on your meager abilities to climb to a position that makes those people wary is impossible for you."
The masked man's words completely awakened Chen Fan.
They shattered Chen Fan's illusory dream of using his company to contend with top families.
"I want to know, if I ask you again, if you are willing to take my place, how will you answer this time?" the masked man spoke again.
Chen Fan was stunned. He looked at his mother lying on the hospital bed, hooked up to various machines, completely unconscious. He recalled how Huangfu Qinyuan had tormented his mother, and remembered Huangfu Qinyuan's words about his father dying at his hands. All the hatred made Chen Fan clench his fists.
In an instant, Chen Fan's eyes were filled with determination. He looked up directly at the masked man before him and said three words: "I am willing."
"To take my place, you will inevitably face dissatisfaction from many, and it may even bring you life-threatening danger. Are you sure you still accept?"
"I accept. No matter the danger, I accept!" Chen Fan responded decisively.
"Good, you have courage. However, before you become my successor, I will give you three trials. If you complete these three trials, you will be my true successor, and all my forces will obey you." The masked man stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at Chen Fan.
"What trials?"
"First, wake up your mother."
"You don't need to tell me that. I would do it anyway."
The masked man continued, "Second, avenge your mother."
"What about the third?" Chen Fan asked first.
"Within one year, make everyone have no objection to you taking my position."
Chen Fan nodded without hesitation. "I accept."
"Until you complete these three tasks, I will not help you again."
"Take good care of your mother."
With that, the masked man glanced at Long Zhiyun, who was lying on the bed, and then turned and left the room.
Seeing the door close again, Chen Fan slowly walked to his mother's bedside.
At this moment, Chen Fan's mind was in a turmoil. Once upon a time, he detested people and forces like the masked man the most. Yet, he never expected to embark on this path himself one day.
"Mom, I don't know if my choice is right, but I don't regret it."
"Today, I heard Huangfu Qinyuan say that my father died at his hands. If I don't avenge this, I don't think I'm worthy of being your son," Chen Fan said, holding Long Zhiyun's emaciated hand tightly, his voice filled with resolve.
After speaking, Chen Fan took a deep breath, took out a few silver needles, and began to acupuncture Long Zhiyun.
He used four types of acupuncture techniques, but even after the third technique, Long Zhiyun showed no reaction.
The machine monitoring Long Zhiyun's brainwaves remained a straight line, like a silent, vast ocean without a ripple.
The last acupuncture technique, which was Chen Fan's last hope, was applied with a slight tremor in his hand.
He didn't know how he would cure his mother if this set of techniques didn't work.
As the technique was applied, prolonged concentration caused a few drops of sweat to bead on Chen Fan's forehead.
With the final needle inserted into the Baihui acupoint, Chen Fan began to move the silver needles rhythmically.
"Beep!"
Just then, the brainwave monitoring machine suddenly showed a fluctuation.
Chen Fan's eyes lit up, and he immediately accelerated the movement of the silver needles.
"Beep!"
He was not mistaken. That slight fluctuation finally gave Chen Fan hope.
Holding his breath, Chen Fan looked at Long Zhiyun's head. Finally, a method of treatment appeared in Chen Fan's mind.
"Inject spiritual energy into the patient's consciousness, combined with the Reverse Dragon Divine Needle treatment, there is a possibility of awakening the patient," Chen Fan read out the words that appeared in his mind.
Reverse Dragon Divine Needle? What kind of technique is this?
Chen Fan's mind had no record of this acupuncture method, and he was even more confused about how to inject spiritual energy into the patient's consciousness.
The slight excitement on his face gradually disappeared.
"Can someone actually release spiritual energy?" Chen Fan frowned.
However, at that moment, a figure appeared in Chen Fan's mind, making his eyes light up.