"Don't lie to me, Cousin. Look at me... if you lie to me, I won't live," she said, her voice trembling as she started to cry again.
Seeing Gao Run's wretched state, Zheng Fei felt a pang of sympathy.
He let out a sinister chuckle. "Don't worry, I'm confident I can make sure Song Qiao fails this assessment by the Security Department. Once that happens, death will be his only welcome."
"You saw it today yourself. Su Fan, one of the examiners, is a master. The most formidable I've ever encountered. And the other three examiners – Xie Zhong, Xue Zhifeng, and Jiang Wei – are all experts. With them overseeing the process, what can't be handled?"
"Really?" Gao Run was still hesitant, the psychological scar Song Qiao had inflicted on her too deep.
"Of course, it's true. Since the Guo family has arranged these three top experts, they intend to sabotage Song Qiao's assessment and kick him out of the Security Department."
Gao Zhonghai, standing nearby, was surprised. "What? They even sent Xie Zhong?"
His astonishment was understandable.
Xie Zhong was no ordinary man; he was a renowned sword master, hailed as the Sword God of the Yi Xing Jian!
"Heh, indeed, it's him. As for Xue Zhifeng and Jiang Wei, while their names might not be as widely known, their skills are by no means inferior."
"I refuse to believe that with these three great masters, plus Su Fan, any force can stand against them!"
Hearing Zheng Fei's words, Gao Zhonghai also became excited. "That's wonderful! The examiners are on our side, and they're all top experts. They'll surely be able to get rid of Song Qiao!"
"The net is cast, and the trap is set. I don't believe this Song Qiao has three heads and six arms to escape. Even if the King of Heaven himself came, he wouldn't be able to pass this assessment!"
At this, Gao Run also grew animated. "That's perfect! It should be like this!"
As she spoke, her teeth clenched, and a fierce hatred flashed across her face.
However, this expression quickly contorted into one of extreme pain, her body convulsing and trembling uncontrollably.
The pain surged, more intense than before.
It made her vision blur, her entire body feeling as if it were burning, or as if countless needles were piercing her from within. It was truly agonizing.
Anyone experienced would know that injuries tend to worsen at night.
Gao Run was now enduring precisely this torment.
To this day, her numerous injuries had not received proper treatment, only superficial bandaging by a doctor.
And her wounds were no minor matter.
Gao Meng had used considerable force, breaking her limbs and bones.
Yet, this woman was no less formidable. To extract concrete information from Zheng Fei and seek revenge against Gao Meng, she was willing to endure such immense pain.
This demonstrated the depth of her hatred for Gao Meng.
Now, having received Zheng Fei's assurance and his confident promise to deal with Song Qiao and kill Gao Meng, her mind finally relaxed.
Consequently, all the pain rushed back, making her life unbearable, a torment of pleasure and agony.
Especially after prolonged suffering, her pain receptors had become somewhat numb.
Coupled with her mind being occupied by other matters, she had managed to suppress the agony.
But now, the intense pain returned, making it even more unbearable.
"Ahhh, help! Kill me!" Gao Run screamed in agony.
"Doctor! Doctor! Where are you all? Hurry and save her!" Gao Zhonghai shouted.
His outburst drew the attention of doctors, nurses, and patients alike.
"What are you shouting about? Don't disturb others!" someone chided.
"Hurry up and do the surgery! What are you waiting for? Quickly!" Gao Zhonghai, the spoiled son of wealth, lost his temper and began yelling at the doctor and nurse who had spoken.
Someone was about to retort, but a doctor recognized Gao Zhonghai and Zheng Fei and immediately said, "Alright, we'll start the surgery right away!"
The doctors were in a difficult position. They had urged surgery earlier, but these people had been reluctant and delayed, only to become so urgent now.
But there was no choice; these were wealthy individuals from prominent families in Shanghai.
Aware of the background of Gao Zhonghai and Gao Run, the doctors and nurses dared not say more and rushed to perform the surgery, with the most skilled specialists leading the procedure.
More chaos ensued!
Upon examining Gao Run's injuries, the specialists sighed. "Why weren't you more urgent? With such severe injuries, the longer the delay, the greater the post-operative complications."
Gao Zhonghai also felt regret, but there was nothing he could do. Gao Run had been so difficult, on the verge of unconsciousness, yet she continued to fuss, refusing immediate surgery and demanding a guarantee from Zheng Fei.
...
A training hall spanning over a thousand square meters.
Its design was rough and unrefined, reminiscent of an ancient coliseum.
It housed a variety of modern equipment alongside traditional training tools like wooden dummies, stone locks, and plum blossom piles.
However, the hall was currently deserted.
In a corner of the training hall, an elegant tea room, also serving as a reception area, was set up.
A middle-aged man with a stern expression sat in the tea room, calmly sipping tea. His demeanor was composed and indifferent, as if nothing could disturb him.
Beside him lay a sword, the Yi Xing Jian.
This man was none other than Xie Zhong.
He gracefully picked up a teapot, poured tea into a small cup before him, and then gently lifted the cup.
Bringing the cup to his nose, he inhaled the fragrant aroma of the tea. He then closed his eyes, savored it for a moment, and finally drank the tea in several sips.
Before him, Su Fan stood quietly, gazing at a painting on the wall titled "Zhong Kui Marrying His Sister."
In his opinion, Xie Zhong was quite fond of putting on airs.
Of course, it was Xie Zhong's prerogative, and Su Fan wouldn't interfere.
Setting down the teacup, Xie Zhong finally spoke in a flat tone. "You saw Song Qiao today?"
Su Fan let out a soft hum and nodded. "Indeed. Today, Song Qiao defeated Cui Feng, and he did it with ease."
Xie Zhong remained impassive.
He had heard of Cui Feng before; he was known to be quite strong.
He hadn't expected him to be so easily defeated by Song Qiao.
"A worthy opponent!"
His expression returning to calm, Xie Zhong continued to pour and drink tea.
After a considerable pause, he spoke again, his tone even. "Such a remarkable opponent! This assessment has piqued my interest even further. When the time comes, I will ensure Song Qiao's demise is as excruciating as possible!"
With that, Xie Zhong's gaze drifted into the distance, towards a far corner.
As if a beautiful woman or a vibrant mountain flower was there, captivating his attention.
Su Fan was unbothered by this. Xie Zhong had done this countless times before, and no one knew what he was looking at or thinking about.
However, his purpose in informing Xie Zhong about Song Qiao was to enlist the help of the three of them to take down Song Qiao, remove him from the Security Department, and thus end his assessment journey.
That was enough.
Su Fan, of course, did not lack confidence when facing Song Qiao.
But if he could cause some trouble for his opponent and add a few layers of insurance to his plan, he wouldn't mind losing some face; in fact, he welcomed it.