Chapter 775 - 668: Guardian_2

Chapter 775: Chapter 668: Guardian_2

Through that half-intact screen, a face came into Hou Wendong’s sight, clear and menacing.

It was a smooth, pale bone mask without any human features.

"[Mask]!"

Hou Wendong frowned deeply, almost blurting out the name.

Thanks to the recent Martial Arts Tournament, or rather the advanced reporters from Light Prism TV Station, [Mask] is now a household name in Zone 9.

If the bone mask can be meticulously replicated, then the inhuman eyes beneath it, almost oozing coldness and malice even through a screen, could never be faked.

Moreover, Hou Wendong never considered the video to be fake.

He trusted Li Shang relatively well. Besides, he couldn’t think of any reason for Li Shang to fabricate such a video.

Indeed, Li Shang hadn’t faked the video; everything Hou Wendong saw was real.

And Hou Wendong didn’t disappoint. After handling a few cases, he felt he had honed some deductive skills.

Combining the video evidence with the constable’s earlier narration, Hou Wendong quickly completed the puzzle in his mind and arrived at a logical truth:

"So, it seems that the appearance of Li Shang’s car at Jade Garden can basically be explained—it’s highly likely the car was driven there by [Mask], who then attacked the commissioner’s villa?!"

As the truth emerged in Hou Wendong’s mind, his face suddenly changed, leading to a more severe conclusion:

"Then, the fact that the commissioner’s body couldn’t be found at the scene, does it mean... he was actually abducted by [Mask]?

Why exactly did [Mask] go out of his way to kidnap the commissioner? With such a special identity, does [Mask] want something from the commissioner?

Or, does [Mask] plan to do something with the commissioner?"

Admittedly, although there were slight inaccuracies in Hou Wendong’s deduction process, the conclusion he finally drew was indeed approaching the terrifying truth.

From a certain perspective, the commissioner was indeed now in...[Mask]’s hands.

Of course, so far, all of this was still Hou Wendong’s subjective inference, still lacking the most crucial witness testimony.

He glanced at the still comatose Li Shang, and without much hesitation, got up and walked to the door of the ward, whispering a few words to the old constable outside.

The old constable’s expression turned solemn, and he nodded immediately, turned around, and jogged away.

Soon, a supervising doctor quickly came in.

Before the doctor could speak, Hou Wendong spoke first:

"I basically understand his situation. I only need to know one thing: how soon can he wake up?"

The supervising doctor thought for a moment and gave a conservative estimate:

"The patient’s vital signs have stabilized, and his physical functions are recovering.

The main issue is the mental depletion, as if he has experienced great fright or ordeal, and his brain has activated a self-protection mechanism.

It would take about 8 to 12 more hours of quiet sleep before he can wake up on his own..."

Hou Wendong waved his hand to interrupt and said:

"That’s too long! I can’t wait that long. I need him to wake up immediately. Can that be done?"

The supervising doctor paused, showing little expression, but spoke more cautiously:

"Theoretically... it’s possible, we have powerful stimulants and neural activation drugs that can forcibly interrupt deep sleep.

However, Secretary Hou, I must remind you that doing so will cause considerable harm to the patient’s already exhausted psyche, possibly even leaving long-term..."

"Since it can be done, let’s do it."

Hou Wendong had no interest in listening to the consequences, his tone was firm, leaving no room for negotiation, adding:

"Captain Li Shang is an elite of the Patrol Office, a loyal guardian of Zone 9. I believe that for the safety of Zone 9, he himself would absolutely be willing to make this small sacrifice."

What could the supervising doctor say to that?

The ethic of medicine is big, but not bigger than the hat of Zone 9.

So the supervising doctor didn’t say more, as Hou Wendong’s words were enough for him.

As a professional doctor at the Fourth Hospital, as long as he’s not held responsible, it makes little difference whether the patient lives a few years more or less after discharge.

"I understand."

The supervising doctor nodded, his face full of professional calm,

"Please wait, I’ll get the drugs."

He turned and left, soon returning with a small tray holding a syringe filled with a transparent liquid, the needle long and glistening coldly.

Along with the syringe, he brought a densely printed "Forced Awakening Instructions and Risk Disclosure Form," which he silently handed to Hou Wendong along with a pen.

Hou Wendong frowned but deftly took the pen and signed his name.

The supervising doctor took back the signed disclosure form, glanced carefully at the signature, then walked to the bedside, skillfully unhooked Li Shang’s clothing to expose his chest, and swabbed with an alcohol pad.

Then, aiming at the heart, he injected precisely and forcefully.

Thumb pushed the plunger, injection complete, needle withdrawn.

Five seconds later.

Li Shang’s body suddenly jerked violently, as if struck by a high-voltage current, convulsing intensely.

Next, a deeply painful rasp came from his throat—"Hah!!"

In the next second, his tightly closed eyes snapped open suddenly.

The pupils were completely unfocused in that initial moment, filled with uncontrollable terror and physiological discomfort, staring straight at the ceiling.

Fine cold sweat instantly beaded on his forehead, his chest began to heave uncontrollably, taking deep, ragged breaths mixed with painful dry coughs.

The forced startup was successful, but clearly, this process was far from pleasant.

The supervising doctor checked the monitor, where the heart rate had spiked then gradually decreased, then calmly said to Hou Wendong:

"He’s awake, some acute pain and palpitations are normal reactions."

With that, he left the room with the empty syringe and disclosure form, and the other constables exchanged glances then silently followed, gently closing the door, leaving the space for the two inside.

Li Shang’s head throbbed painfully, his pale face flushed with unnatural redness due to extreme pain.

He struggled to move his eyes, taking great effort to finally focus and see Hou Wendong standing beside the bed, forcing a smile on his face.

Hou Wendong’s face quickly took on a mix of concern, seriousness, and urgency, his tone deep and compelling:

"Captain Li, you’ve finally woken up, how do you feel?

Logically, I should let you recuperate in the hospital for a few days to regain your strength.

But there’s been an incident at Jade Garden, the commissioner’s life is unknown, and your car was found at the entrance of Jade Garden. Do you understand the severity of the situation?"

Li Shang heavily nodded and said:

"Before I passed out, I heard a bit. Secretary Hou, I understand you woke me for my own good, to clear my name."

Hou Wendong was quite pleased with Li Shang’s perceptive response, nodding, he continued to speak seriously:

"It’s not just about clearing your name, Captain Li.

A great storm is coming, with the commissioner having an incident on Zone 9’s territory, countless people may get swept in and crushed.

The position of the Member of Parliament guarantees that someone will seize this opportunity to make a fuss, targeting the MP with full force, and you..."

Hou Wendong’s sharp gaze locked onto Li Shang:

"You are the captain of the Patrol Office, recognized as a Detective, and the preferred candidate for the next Chief of Patrol favored by the MP.

These labels on you cannot be removed, so not only do you need to clear your own suspicions but also get ahead of everyone else to find out the truth..."

Hou Wendong paused, speaking meaningfully:

"A ’truth’ that can provide a satisfactory explanation for yourself, the MP, all of Zone 9, and even Upper City!"

The words Hou Wendong threw out, each heavier and more startling than the last, made Li Shang’s pupils continually contract.

The good news is, the commissioner’s life is truly unknown, meaning he still has hope to remain as the captain and even become the chief;

The bad news is, a storm is approaching, and his current situation represents another form of danger.

Li Shang, suppressing the throbbing pain in his temples, supported himself by the bed’s edge, swaying as he rose from the bed, speaking hoarsely to Hou Wendong:

"Secretary Hou, just tell me, what kind of ’truth’ do you need me, Li Shang, to ultimately uncover?"