Chapter 8: The Kidney Thieves' Lair

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Shen Ye drove a new Ford. Lü Yi followed behind in an Audi A4. Both wore earpieces, allowing them to communicate with each other. This was a simple piece of equipment, commonly used by special operations teams during missions. They connected through a fixed channel to converse.

“I find it strange,” Shen Ye said as he drove. “Who is the leader of the kidney-harvesting gang, and where is their base? We all know why no team members have gone to eliminate them.”

“The reason is simple,” Lü Yi replied. “The gang leader, Left-Handed Swordsman Zuo Leng, is no ordinary man—he’s at the three-bag-strong level. Even among official team members, few surpass that level. There aren’t many who can reliably defeat Zuo Leng.”

“Even if someone can definitely beat Zuo Leng, why risk taking him out? Everyone’s schedule is tight—either training or resting.”

“Few are willing to do something with no benefit.”

“So, Mr. Shen, it’s better to have Captain Shen bring in some experts to take down Zuo Leng together. That would be safer,” Lü Yi said, still doubting Shen Ye’s abilities.

Shen Ye responded coldly, “I already know the location. You don’t have to come.”

Lü Yi lamented inwardly. As Shen Ye’s deputy, how could he not move forward? Refusing would mean immediate dismissal and removal from the special operations team, returning to his original post where the salary was meager. His wife was frequently ill, requiring continuous medication, and they had two children—money was tight.

In the end, he sighed silently. If Shen Ye couldn’t defeat the opponent, he would invoke Captain Shen’s name. No matter how foolish Zuo Leng was, he would have to show respect to Captain Shen, and wouldn’t kill Shen Ye and Lü Yi.

Really, dealing with a greenhorn boss was a headache.

Shen Ye gripped the steering wheel, his eyes sharp and resolute. Deep down, he knew he was fundamentally different from other team members. He possessed his own code of chivalry.

He could not remain indifferent to such matters. No matter when or where, he would uphold his sense of justice.

After driving for over two hours, they finally arrived in Zeng City’s Sanjiang Town, in front of an underground hospital called Huaniu Hospital.

This time, Shen Ye acted as an official member of the special operations team. There was no need for a mask or gloves.

He carried a knife issued by the team—more precisely, a special gift from Old Master Shen himself.

The knife was named Tiger Zen.

These two characters were engraved on the guard. The blade was made of a black alloy that did not reflect light. The curve of the blade was modest, giving the entire weapon a sharp, formidable aura.

Holding the Tiger Zen’s hilt, Shen Ye stepped out of the car and looked toward Huaniu Hospital not far away. A deadly intent stirred within him.

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Huaniu Hospital was modest—a simple civilian building. Here, only one type of surgery was performed: kidney transplants.

The hospital never advertised; its reputation circulated quietly in the black market.

There were only two doctors and about eight nurses.

Patients had to make appointments in advance to receive surgery.

At that moment, on the rooftop terrace of the hospital’s fifth floor sat a middle-aged man whose left hand was noticeably larger and stronger than his right. He was bare-chested and wore track pants, unbothered by the winter chill. Beside him lay a long, slightly curved knife about 1.3 meters in length.

To his right was a pot of wine.

Wine was a fine thing, but it was detrimental to martial progress, as it numbed the nerves. Whether training or fighting, one could not afford to dull their senses.

Young martial artists usually abstained from alcohol, but middle-aged and older practitioners, whose progress had slowed, were less concerned about drinking.

This man was Left-Handed Swordsman Zuo Leng, a well-known figure in the Jianghu of the Liang and Guangdong regions.

Of course, he was far below the ruthless Du Sha, who disregarded kinship ties.

Still, Zuo Leng was a formidable expert—stronger than a street beggar like Lu—but not among the very top echelon, except for rare individuals like Shen Ye, who upgraded through a system.

All other martial artists required money.

Nowadays, a single wild ginseng root with decent medicinal value, capable of boosting power, could sell for millions. Without wealth, one could not survive.

For example, Thunderbolt Sorcerer Yang Feikuang served as Qin Zhengtian’s retainer, earning one million yuan per month, with extra fees for missions.

The Kunlun Twin Swords, Yang Long and Yang Feng, even risked their lives for 30 million yuan to fight Shen Ye.

Du Sha, who disowned his kin, became a hitman for money.

Zuo Leng had no desire to become anyone’s retainer. Wealthy people rarely hired others to risk their lives.

So, he maintained his own enterprise—the kidney harvesting business.

Doctors received a larger share of the profits; nurses got very little.

Patients paid tens of thousands each.

The kidney sources came from snatching people in dark alleys, essentially at zero cost.

Each operation brought in tens of thousands.

Two such operations per month were sufficient.

Zuo Leng leisurely sipped his wine.

Meanwhile, on the fourth floor of Huaniu Hospital, in one room, a young man in his twenties, about 1.75 meters tall, was tightly bound hand and foot with hemp rope. He struggled desperately, trying to call out, but his mouth was gagged with a foul cloth, allowing only muffled sounds.

He was stripped naked, not even wearing underwear.

This man was Yang Feng.

Nearby were two doctors, both wearing face masks.

One was a genuine physician, surnamed Gao, well-known among medical circles and not usually involved in such dirty work. But his daughter was gravely ill, and medical expenses exceeded hundreds of thousands annually—he had no choice but to take this job.

The other was an anesthetist, surnamed Ma, a pure profiteer willing to accept any illicit payment.

Kidney removal and transplantation were complex procedures requiring anesthesia before the incision.

There were also several nurses present.

“The kidney match is good this time,” Dr. Gao said, reviewing a series of documents. He had captured Yang Feng before, but back then, he was immediately anesthetized and unaware, thinking he had simply blacked out. That time, they completed a kidney match.

Kidney harvesting wasn’t random; it required prior matching.

“Has the prep been done?” Dr. Shang asked.

“Already completed,” a nurse replied.

Before most surgeries, bowel cleansing was performed to prevent loss of control during anesthesia and to keep the operating table clean.

Dr. Gao glanced at his watch. “Alright, push him to the operating room. Prepare to start.”

Yang Feng heard this and, despite having fasted over ten hours since last night, with multiple enemas leaving him weak, suddenly tried to struggle fiercely. But his bindings were too tight; he couldn’t break free. He could imagine his fate.

Anesthetist Ma chuckled coldly, “Still struggling hard now? Don’t worry. Once I inject the anesthesia, you won’t feel a thing.”

Moments later, they pushed Yang Feng into the operating room.

Inside was a large, wealthy local man suffering from kidney failure and uremia, here for a transplant.

Dr. Gao took out a scalpel and traced the incision site on Yang Feng’s bare body.

To him, Yang Feng was not a person.

He was just a pile of money.

Yang Feng felt the scalpel’s motion on his skin and sank into despair.

The knife was about to cut.

Bang!

Suddenly, a loud noise erupted below.

Dr. Gao frowned. “What was that noise?”

He hated disturbances during surgery, and such a sudden loud noise was never a good sign.

(Note: In 1984, the U.S. Senate passed the National Organ Transplant Act, declaring the purchase of kidneys illegal. In 1991, the World Health Organization issued the Guiding Principles on Human Organ Transplantation, which is internationally recognized. Principle Five states: “Human bodies and their parts shall not be the subject of commercial transactions; payment or other forms of compensation or reward for donated organs shall be prohibited.” China similarly bans organ trafficking by law, but the practice persists.)

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