Chapter 55: A Series of Twists and Turns

Li Peng took quick strides and rushed forward.

At the moment he appeared, a door next to the operating room opened, and Wang Defa, Wang Yue, and Li Manjiang, who had been waiting for some time, stepped out.

Wang Defa signaled the guards to let Li Peng in.

Li Peng charged straight toward the operating room.

“I want to see my brother. Step aside. He hasn’t even told me the password to his bankbook. He can’t die.”

Wang Yue and Tian Miao, who was hiding nearby, both sighed simultaneously.

Hearing his first words, one might have thought he cared deeply about Li Qi.

But in the end, it was all about money.

Wang Yue slapped Li Peng across the face.

“What are you yelling about? This is a hospital! People inside are undergoing surgery. Why are you making such a racket? If you delay the operation, I’ll sit on you and crush you.”

Li Peng was stunned by the slap.

“Auntie, I-I just... I’m worried about Li Qi…”

Wang Yue didn’t want to waste words and glanced back at Wang Defa.

Wang Defa hurriedly pulled out two documents.

“Your brother Li Qi was in a severe car accident. When he was brought to the hospital, he was already beyond help. Although our best doctors tried their utmost, they could not save his life. It has now been confirmed that he is brain-dead.”

“Dead?” Li Peng was dumbfounded.

“Before he died, didn’t you ask him for the bankbook password? What am I supposed to do now? All the family’s money is with him. How can he just die like this? If he dies, what will I do? I still have to go south for training, and my brother-in-law is waiting on that money for bail. Can’t you find another way? Even if it’s just one last word from him.”

Wang Defa was a bit bewildered by Li Peng’s rapid-fire, soul-searching questions.

In all his years of medical practice, he had seen medical disputes, people grieving silently, and those who gave up treatment due to lack of money.

But it was the first time he encountered someone who, upon hearing that their own brother had died, only cared about the bankbook password.

He had to admit Wang Yue had a keen eye. With a character like this, there was no doubt—knowing Li Qi’s kidney could fetch twenty thousand yuan, he would be quick to sign.

To avoid complications, Wang Defa spoke quickly.

“Your brother is beyond saving. Please accept his fate. Now, your brother’s kidney can save another person. The other party’s family is willing to offer twenty thousand yuan as compensation. As long as you sign, your brother will become a hero and save another life.”

Li Peng suddenly looked up, glancing at Wang Yue and Li Manjiang.

Doubt flickered in his eyes.

What a coincidence.

But he quickly lowered his head.

Twenty thousand yuan!

Unexpectedly, after all the twists and turns, the twenty thousand yuan had come back, and it belonged to him.

Li Qi’s death was a blessing!

That scoundrel had repeatedly gone against him and his wife.

He deserved to die!

It would have been better if he had agreed to donate his kidney earlier; he could have gotten a job in the mine.

Now, he was hit by a car and couldn’t even keep his kidney.

People’s fate is truly unpredictable.

Seeing Li Peng bow his head, Wang Yue, fearing he might have other thoughts, spoke harshly.

“Li Peng, what are you drooping your head for? Hurry up and sign. This twenty thousand yuan is my reward to you. Ask around in Taihe City, ask around in Manning Province—whose kidney sells for such a high price? What more do you want? Are all you Lis so greedy?”

Wang Defa subtly blocked Wang Yue; this was completely against protocol.

Normally, the hospital should handle everything, and Wang Yue and Li Peng shouldn’t even meet.

But now, Wang Yue was extremely agitated, and Wang Defa didn’t want trouble, so he silently signaled for her to calm down.

Hearing this, Li Peng immediately nodded, blaming himself for hesitating.

Now that he had twenty thousand yuan, plus the more than ten thousand in Li Qi’s bankbook, once the hospital issued the death certificate, he could still withdraw that.

That meant he had instantly made over thirty thousand yuan!

What a fortune—his wife’s sable fur coat, his diploma, his brother-in-law’s bail—all solved.

He could even take Du Li on a trip to the south.

All of this was what he deserved!

Thank heaven for this blessing!

With that thought, he no longer hesitated and quickly took the two documents from Wang Defa, signing his name.

The camera flash flashed.

Tian Miao captured the moment Li Peng signed.

Wang Defa was the first to react.

“Who are you? What are you doing? No photography allowed! Guards, seize her camera!”

Two guards moved swiftly, but then the fire escape door slammed open. Zhou Guodong led a dozen police officers rushing in.

“No one move!”

The righteous police shielded Tian Miao. Zhou Guodong strode to Wang Defa and said sternly,

“I now suspect you of murder, illegally harvesting kidneys for transplantation. You all are coming with me to the station for investigation.”

Li Manjiang’s head buzzed.

The city bureau’s political commissar himself was involved—what was going on?

Last time, when he saw Zhou Guodong and Aunt Qiu at Li Qi’s home, he sensed something was amiss.

He cast a resentful glance at Wang Yue—this woman insisted on stirring up trouble, and now it had escalated.

Like a mouse serving a cat, playing with one’s life recklessly.

Did she really think she could rule Taihe City alone? Stirring up a leader of Zhou Guodong’s rank, what were they?

Moreover, he had another secret that must never be exposed.

This time, he was truly doomed.

Wang Yue’s eyes blazed with fury as she fixed a deadly gaze on Zhou Guodong.

If looks could kill, Zhou Guodong would have died a thousand times over.

Her face twisted, and she spat out through clenched teeth,

“Political Commissar Zhou, what do you mean? We were just performing a normal surgery, with family consent. What right do you have to interfere?”

Wang Defa was also startled to see Zhou Guodong but quickly composed himself.

Now, the arrow was on the string; he had to shoot.

If he stopped now, things would become inexplicable.

As long as he could stall for time until Liu Xianming finished removing the kidney and then kill Li Qi, there would be no witnesses left!

Realizing this, a cold smile curled his lips.

“Political Commissar Zhou, don’t slander me with baseless accusations. Murder? Illegal kidney harvesting? This is the hospital, the 203rd Hospital. What do you know? By rank, I outrank you by half a level! What right do you have to cause trouble here?”

Wang Defa lifted his white coat, revealing the uniform underneath. Although it was an honorary rank, it was still a rank!

“I hereby declare that an important operation is underway in Operating Room Three. This area is now under special control; no unauthorized personnel may enter. Guards!”

“Present!”

“Armed guard! If anyone forcibly breaks in, you are authorized to shoot!”

“Yes, sir!”

After issuing the orders, Wang Defa gave Zhou Guodong a meaningful glance, a sneer playing at his lips.

“Political Commissar Zhou, local matters are local matters, and this is this. You’re overstepping your bounds.”

Zhou Guodong’s face darkened like iron.

“Wang Defa, you are treating human life like grass. Have you considered the consequences?”

“What consequences? The patient was hit by a car and died. I am using his kidney to save a young life. This is my merit, my duty as a people's doctor, a white-clad angel. The family received satisfactory compensation; their loved one did not die in vain. The saved patient and their family will be grateful and send me banners of thanks. How does such a win-win situation become ‘treating human life like grass’ in your mouth? Truly, a filthy heart sees filth everywhere.”

Wang Defa fully relaxed, smugly shifting into mockery mode.

Tian Miao stared fixedly at this monster.

How could he have the audacity to say such shameless words?

Clearly, it was they who killed a young, healthy life for money.

Removing the kidney to extend the life of the powerful.

How could he speak of such acts so lightly, as if they were healing and saving lives?

She looked desperately at the armed guards. If she charged now, they would shoot for real.

This place was different from an ordinary hospital.

Was there truly no one who could intervene?

The operating room had fallen silent—what was Li Qi’s condition now?

If the surgery had already begun, what meaning did everything else have?

Just as Tian Miao was about to lose control, a voice suddenly rang out.

“Rank, is it? I believe no one here outranks me.”

Tian Miao turned her head, staring at the person ascending the stairs, disbelief etched across her face!