At thirty, I started my comeback from the intelligence system.

Standing at the hospital entrance, a wave of sweltering heat hits you.

Zhang Jiaxiao is still not fully conscious and needs to remain in the hospital for observation.

Chen Geng glanced at his mobile banking balance—493261 yuan.

With less than five hours left before the close of the daytime futures trading session, he needed to open an account, deposit funds, and start trading as soon as possible.

He first called HR to ask for sick leave, and then called a ride-hailing service.

While waiting for the car, Chen Geng suddenly recalled the intelligence report:

[Intelligence 1: Lai Yongkang, dissatisfied with his post-operative recovery, disregarded medical advice and protocols, and took his anger out on medical staff. He first verbally abused and physically shoved the nurse in charge, Lin Xiaoxiao, then stormed into the doctor's office demanding an explanation. After being escorted away by hospital security, he returned with a knife.]

Lin Xiaoxiao...

The nurse with clear eyes reminded him to take care of his health.

Chen Geng's expression froze.

The intelligence system says it's "100% true," which means that the person named Lai Yongkang will really come, and Lin Xiaoxiao will really be in danger.

"Driver, please wait two minutes." Chen Geng said to the driver, closed the car door, and turned to walk quickly towards the hospital building.

He walked along, thinking quickly. A direct warning? If a drunkard, just discharged from the hospital, ran back and said, "A patient is going to stab you with a knife," would the other person believe him? Most likely, he'd be seen as mentally unstable, or... as having ulterior motives.

But what if I don't go?

The intelligence report described "returning with a knife," which could have serious consequences. Chen Geng didn't consider himself a saint, but knowing that danger was about to occur, he turned away because he was afraid of trouble... He couldn't get over that mental hurdle.

"Consider it repaying her for her concern earlier." Chen Geng found a reason for himself and quickened his pace.

In the corridor of the urology ward, Lin Xiaoxiao had just finished changing the dressing for an elderly man and was carrying the treatment tray out of the ward when she saw Chen Geng, who had returned, standing in front of the nurses' station looking around.

"Why are you back again? Did you leave something behind?" Lin Xiaoxiao approached, her tone indifferent.

She had seen many patients or family members who came back under various pretexts to strike up a conversation.

"Nurse Lin," Chen Geng said, gathering his thoughts and lowering his voice, trying to keep his expression serious, "I'll get to the point. You need to be especially careful today with a patient named Lai Yongkang. He might come looking for trouble with you and could become very agitated. You'd better stay with your colleagues and avoid going out alone, especially at night."

Lin Xiaoxiao was taken aback for a moment, then her delicate brows furrowed, her eyes revealing obvious displeasure and scrutiny: "Do you know Lai Yongkang? Or did you hear something from someone?"

"I don't know him, but I just know him." Chen Geng couldn't explain the source of the information, so he could only emphasize, "Trust me, be careful today, and it's best to report to your superiors and increase security."

Lin Xiaoxiao looked Chen Geng up and down. He was wearing an ordinary T-shirt and jeans, his face was pale from the hangover and falling into the water, and his hair was slightly disheveled. This appearance, coupled with his cryptic, almost prophetic warning…

"Heh," Lin Xiaoxiao suddenly chuckled, her laughter carrying obvious sarcasm and aloofness. "Sir, I appreciate your 'concern.' However, we medical staff will handle our own work and safety, so please don't worry about it. If there's nothing else, please leave the ward area and don't disturb the patients' rest."

She mistook Chen Geng for the kind of person who would try to get her attention with lame excuses or even play the "hero saves the damsel in distress" card.

This kind of tactic is rampant on short video platforms like Douyin, and encountering it in real life only feels awkward and ridiculous.

Chen Geng was taken aback by her reaction, and a surge of anger welled up inside him.

I risked exposing my abnormality by coming back to warn you out of kindness, and this is your attitude?

"Fine, I'll take it as me being nosy." Chen Geng's face also turned cold, and he turned and left after saying that.

This is truly a case of biting the hand that feeds you! He has important business to attend to, making big money, and he doesn't have time to fawn over this indifference. The system only said "return with a knife," it didn't say anything bad would definitely happen. Maybe the security guard stopped him in time? Maybe that guy was just bluffing?

He stormed toward the elevator and pressed the button.

The elevator slowly ascended from the first floor.

Chen Geng stared at the fluctuating numbers, but the image of Lin Xiaoxiao wearing a mask, revealing only her clear eyes, involuntarily surfaced in his mind, along with the tone of her soft voice when she asked, "Are you feeling unwell?"

The feeling of irritability intensified.

"Damn it!" he cursed under his breath, then abruptly turned around just as the elevator doors were about to open and strode quickly toward the nurses' station.

He's not a saint, but he can't just walk away knowing a tragedy might happen.

At the very least, he needs to confirm whether "Lai Yongkang" has arrived. If he hasn't, or if something seems amiss, then it's not too late for him to leave.

If they come... we'll have to play it by ear.

He avoided the front of the nurses' station and slipped into the door of the adjacent fire escape, peering through the crack in the door at the entrance to the urology department and the direction of the nurses' station.

Time passed second by second.

About twenty minutes later, a middle-aged man in a hospital gown, thin and with a gloomy face, walked briskly from the direction of the elevator with his head down, heading straight for the nurses' station. His hands were in the pockets of his hospital gown, and in the right pocket, there was a clearly visible outline of a long, hard object.

Chen Geng's heart tightened—they're here!

The man walked to the nurses' station, where Lin Xiaoxiao and another young nurse were on duty.

"Is Nurse Lin here?" The man's voice was hoarse, carrying suppressed anger.

Lin Xiaoxiao looked up and saw the person who had arrived. Her brow above her mask furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Mr. Lai, what brings you here again? Your attending physician, Dr. Wang, has an outpatient clinic this afternoon and won't be in the ward. Please wait until Dr. Wang returns with any questions..."

"I'm not looking for him! I'm looking for you!" Lai Yongkang abruptly interrupted her, pulling his right hand out of his pocket—and sure enough, he was holding a fruit knife hastily wrapped in newspaper! The tip of the newspaper had been torn open by the blade, revealing a cold, gleaming edge!

"Ah!" The young nurse next to her screamed in fright and fell into the chair.

Lin Xiaoxiao's face turned deathly pale instantly. She subconsciously took a step back, leaning against the medicine cabinet, with nowhere left to retreat. She never expected that what the "drunkard" had said was actually true! A chill ran from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.

"It's all your fault! And all you doctors and nurses! A bunch of quacks! Money-grubbing swindlers!"

Lai Yongkang's eyes were bloodshot, and he pointed the knife at Lin Xiaoxiao with great emotion.

"I spent so much money and suffered so much, and what was the result? Huh? It's like I didn't get anything done! If you don't give me an explanation and compensate me, nobody's going to get away with this!"

He roared and brandished his knife as he approached Lin Xiaoxiao.

Patients and their families in the surrounding wards peeked out, but upon seeing the knife, they recoiled in terror. Some frantically searched for their phones to call the police or security.

Lin Xiaoxiao's body stiffened, her mind went blank, and she couldn't recall any of the emergency plans she had practiced. All that remained was instinctive fear.

She tried to call for help, but her throat felt blocked.