Liu Zhenhu was dead!
The news caused a huge stir on Guancheng Road.
The Henan Gang was a major organization—its leader taken out in broad daylight? And not just him—over ten lieutenants were killed. Only a fat guy who fed the dogs survived. The Henan Gang had been decimated.
Firefighters were the first to arrive, followed by the Henan Gang's head, A-Fa, and his men.
Finally, the police arrived; even the bureau chief reportedly came in person.
The case was extreme—ten lives lost, firearms involved, and arson.
The chief issued strict orders: find the culprit at all costs. At the same time, all news was to be censored; nothing should appear on television to prevent public panic.
Police across the city were mobilized, going all out to capture the suspect.
…
The taxi driver was terrified. Following Cao Yang's instructions, he drove out to the suburbs.
He thought Cao Yang wanted money or the car. Instead, Cao Yang took neither. He changed into the driver's clothes to avoid attention—bloodstained, ill-fitting but inconspicuous. He even gave the driver some money.
After the driver left, Cao Yang immediately hailed another taxi.
The driver asked where to go.
"Anywhere," Cao Yang said.
He didn't know either. His wounds were still bleeding, though the dark clothing of the driver hid the blood.
He needed medical treatment—or he'd die—but dared not go to a hospital.
He gazed out the window, considering finding the Lei siblings. In this city, the only people he trusted to help him were them—especially Lei Yu, who seemed even more reliable than Lei Dian.
But precisely because of that trust, he didn't want to involve them. If they were discovered, the consequences would be catastrophic.
"Stop here." Cao Yang paid the fare and got out.
He saw a small clinic just opening. Inside, there was a young nurse and a middle-aged doctor.
"Hello, here to buy medicine or see the doctor?" the nurse asked, noticing his pale face.
Cao Yang didn't respond, walking straight into a room to check for anyone else.
The nurse and doctor watched him in confusion.
"I'm here for treatment," he said, slamming the rolling door shut.
"What are you doing? You don't need to close the door to see a doctor!"
Cao Yang drew his gun, pointing it at the nurse and doctor.
"Treat me, now!" His face was pale, his tone cold with a hint of impatience.
The nurse froze. The doctor adjusted his glasses and stood.
"Son, don't act impulsively. Tell me what's wrong."
Cao Yang stripped off his clothes down to his underwear, exposing the bullet wounds in his abdomen and legs, and two additional wounds on his arm that looked like dog bites.
"Gunshot?!" They stared in shock.
"Son, this is just a small clinic. We can't treat gunshot wounds—you should go to a major hospital."
"Now! Immediately! Stop the bleeding and remove the bullets. One more word of delay, and you'll feel what a gunshot is like!"
The doctor reluctantly nodded, preparing tweezers and medicine.
Cao Yang tensed as the tweezers probed his flesh, clenching his teeth but staying silent.
The nurse glanced up curiously—then froze when she saw the gun pointed at her, quickly returning her focus to the treatment.
An hour later, all bullets were removed, and the wounds stitched.
"Your leg wound didn't hit bone, so that's okay. But the abdominal bullet hit your large intestine—I've only stopped the bleeding and stitched it. You should still go to a major hospital later to prevent complications."
Cao Yang nodded.
The doctor looked at his arm next. "Dog bites. You'll need a rabies vaccine. Otherwise, you risk infection."
"I'll get it at the hospital."
The doctor began to change clothes to leave.
Before he could, he noticed the gun trained on him.
"Son, I'm just trying to help," the doctor said.
"Thanks. Just stay put," Cao Yang replied.
The doctor and nurse sat, three silent figures in the small clinic.
"Anything to eat?" Cao Yang asked, hungry.
The nurse handed him two buns. He devoured them.
"Slow down, there's more," she offered water kindly.
They stayed in the clinic until nightfall.
Several phone calls came in for the nurse and doctor—they didn't dare answer. Cao Yang knew if they left, someone would come looking, risking exposure.
Now that he had regained some strength, he dressed. The two watched nervously, fearing he'd turn on them.
They needn't worry. Cao Yang was no indiscriminate killer.
"Thank you. How much?"
"I… don't have much," the nurse said, offering 200 yuan.
"I mean medical fees?"
"Oh… no need."
They waved off any payment. The nurse had misheard earlier and thought he was asking about money to steal.
Cao Yang pulled out over 2,000 yuan, counted 2,000, and left it on the bed, then exited alone, rolling up the gate behind him.
His own funds were in Li Yan's account, totaling 200–300 thousand. Money was no issue.
Walking the dark streets, police sirens suddenly sounded. Cao Yang's muscles tensed instantly, entering combat mode.
The police simply drove past—no coincidence, just chance.
Cao Yang kept walking, aimless, unsure of where to go. His future boiled down to two options:
Be caught, face trial, and likely die from a bullet.
Hide for a few days, wait for the citywide manhunt to ease, then leave the city.
Leaving the city might free him from Henan and Hunan gangs' pursuit, but he'd be on a nationwide wanted list, his face on every poster.
The only way to avoid capture: flee abroad, living a life on the run, never returning, never seeing his mother's grave.
Neither path was what Cao Yang wanted.
Unconsciously, he looked up and saw a brightly lit building ahead. Without realizing it, he had arrived at the Lushan International Water Club.