Chapter 1014: Harboring a Heart to Save the World

Chapter 1014: Chapter 979: Harboring a Heart to Save the World

After the carotid artery is cut, because the pressure is relatively high, it usually leads to spurting bleeding in a short time, and the injured person will quickly develop cerebral hypoxia or myocardial ischemia, and may even go into shock or die.

Qiao Rulong, after all, was not a professional doctor. Faced with such a bloody scene, he panicked as well. He tried to press down on Pan Weidong’s wound with his hand, but no matter how hard he pressed he still couldn’t stop it, the blood kept spraying out. Qiao Rulong completely lost his composure and roared, “Somebody help!”

The people who had just been crowding around to watch the commotion, seeing such a bloody scene, were all so frightened that they backed away, afraid the trouble would reach them.

Just then, an elderly man with graying hair strode over as if flying, came to the injured man’s side, and shouted, “Make way!”

This elderly man was none other than Xu Changshan. He and Lin Sijin had been about to leave when they heard a commotion from the market and realized someone inside had had their throat slit.

Elder Xu, with a heart set on saving lives, might be retired, but he could not stand by and watch someone die.

The standard management for a lacerated carotid artery is to immediately apply pressure to the bleeding site to stop the hemorrhage and prevent the patient’s life from being threatened.

Although Qiao Rulong was also helping press on Pan Weidong’s neck, his technique was not accurate enough. Even when he pressed down, the bleeding would not stop, and fresh blood kept spraying out.

Xu Changshan used his thumb to press on the carotid artery on both sides of the damaged area. Under his strong pressure, the wound finally stopped spurting blood. This technique also prevents air from entering the heart chamber.

Lin Sijin also hurried over. She first stopped several people who were taking photos, then glanced at the pale-faced Qiao Rulong and said, “Call the hospital to come over for emergency rescue.”

Only then did Qiao Rulong seem to wake from a dream and call Zhao Feiyang. This was the fastest way to request help: Changxing Hospital was right next door, and calling Zhao Feiyang would be much faster than dialing 120.

Lin Sijin also knew some medical basics. Under Xu Changshan’s guidance, she used gauze borrowed on the spot from a nearby pharmacy to bandage the wound, using a rolled bandage to compress the site, and then fixed it by pressing from the victim’s opposite upper arm tightly against the ear to maintain pressure.

After finishing all this, Xu Changshan had Qiao Rulong help place Pan Weidong’s body in a supine position, slightly elevating his lower limbs, and shoved a Huichun Hall secret Rejuvenation Pill into his mouth.

At this moment, medical staff from Changxing Hospital also arrived carrying a stretcher, personally led by Director Zhao Feiyang.

This attempted murder in the East Ming Street Market shocked all of Dongzhou. The criminals were unbelievably brazen, daring to launch an attack in broad daylight.

It was also Pan Weidong’s good fortune that Xu Changshan happened to be nearby. If Xu hadn’t rushed over at the first moment to help stop the bleeding, it would have been too late by the time the Changxing Hospital medical staff arrived.

After surgery, Pan Weidong was sent to the ICU for observation. Qiao Rulong was very familiar with this place; he had once been rescued here himself.

Zhao Feiyang saw that there were still quite a few bloodstains on Qiao Rulong’s clothes and asked with concern, “It’s all right now. Chairman Pan is out of danger. You should go back and rest first, and you ought to change your clothes.”

Qiao Rulong raised his wrist to check the time, then sat down wearily on the row of connected seats.

Zhao Feiyang sat down next to him, patted his shoulder, and said, “Don’t worry, I’ve arranged everything. Chairman Pan will receive the best treatment and care here.”

Qiao Rulong said, “Someone wants him dead.”

Zhao Feiyang said, “We’ve already called the police. The efficiency of our Dongzhou police is still very high…”

As he spoke, two police officers walked toward them. Zhao Feiyang recognized one of them as Lu Qi and was somewhat surprised. He and Lu Qi were fairly familiar; he knew Lu Qi had gone to support Xinjiang, but he didn’t know when he had come back.

Lu Qi came up to Qiao Rulong. “Mr. Qiao Rulong?”

Qiao Rulong raised his head and looked at Lu Qi. “That’s me.”

Lu Qi said, “I have a few questions I’d like to ask you. Is now a convenient time?”

Qiao Rulong nodded.

Lu Qi sat down beside Qiao Rulong and gave Zhao Feiyang a brief smile. Zhao Feiyang understood what he meant—he was being asked to step aside.

Zhao Feiyang stood up and said, “You two talk, I’ll go take care of some things.”

After Zhao Feiyang left, Lu Qi said, “Mr. Qiao, our conversation will be recorded in full. You don’t mind, do you?”

Qiao Rulong said calmly, “Just ask.”

Lu Qi said, “According to our understanding, when the victim, Pan Weidong, was attacked, you were with him?”

Qiao Rulong shook his head. “Not exactly. We did indeed go to the East Ming Street Market together, but when Chairman Pan was attacked, I wasn’t with him. I only realized something had happened when I heard people shouting.”

“So that means you didn’t see the assailant’s face clearly?”

“No.”

Lu Qi said, “What is your relationship with the victim?”

Qiao Rulong said, “Friends. I’ve known him for a long time.”

Lu Qi said, “Do you have any business dealings together?”

“No!” Qiao Rulong lifted his wrist somewhat impatiently. At this moment, He Dong’s boss, Pan Tianhua, arrived. His face was pale and he looked travel-worn; after learning that his son had been attacked in Dongzhou, he had rushed over as fast as he could.

Qiao Rulong said to Lu Qi, “Sorry, I’ve said everything I needed to. I’ll have to excuse myself.”

Qiao Rulong walked toward Pan Tianhua. Pan Tianhua grabbed his arm. “President Qiao, Weidong, he…”

“Don’t worry. The surgery was very successful, and he’s already past the critical stage.”

Pan Tianhua nodded. Seeing the two officers nearby, he kept himself very restrained.

Lu Qi didn’t stay to continue questioning. He shot his partner Li Zhong a look, and the two of them left the inpatient building.

Back in the patrol car, Li Zhong sighed. “One wave hasn’t settled and another’s already rising. What the hell, an assault in broad daylight on the street. We haven’t had a vicious case like this in Dongzhou for a long time.”

Lu Qi said, “The victim isn’t from Dongzhou, and the assailant may not be from Dongzhou either.”

Li Zhong said, “So by your logic, they’re just using our turf to commit a crime and dumping the trouble on us.”

Lu Qi said, “Did you notice that old man just now?”

Li Zhong said, “The victim’s family member, right?”

Lu Qi said, “Pan Tianhua, boss of He Dong Group, entertainment tycoon. That Spring Thunder Operation before was aimed at them.”

Li Zhong said, “Pan Weidong is no saint. The father and son aren’t doing anything legit. You think this might be someone settling a score?”

Lu Qi said, “Who’d go after him with a knife if there wasn’t a grudge?”

Li Zhong let out a breath and said, “Fuck, society these days is really beyond me. Scumbags making dirty money and somehow getting themselves all gussied up like they’re high society.”

Lu Qi said, “We’re going to be busy. Even though no one died in this case, the impact is really nasty. Do they think the police are just for show?”

Li Zhong said, “We’ve already asked for the surveillance footage. I’m sure we’ll have something soon.”

Lu Qi said, “Cameras aren’t omnipotent. The perp dared to strike in broad daylight, and in a vegetable market with huge foot traffic. He definitely planned it carefully. You saw the scene too—the spot where it happened is a blind zone, and everyone there is transient. Not that easy to track down.”

“So there aren’t any other witnesses at all?”

Lu Qi said, “There are. We’ll split up. You go question these few, I’ll make a trip to the Xu Family.”

Li Zhong said, “To see Elder Xu?”

Lu Qi nodded and said, “May as well take a swing, see if we hit anything.”

Xu Changshan got back home, his clothes covered in fresh blood, which gave Ye Qingya a real scare. Lin Sijin explained what had happened.

Mother and daughter discussed it briefly, then hurried to call Xu Chunliang. Once he heard, he rushed home right away. Fortunately no one had been traumatized.

By the time Lu Qi went to the Xu Family, Xu Chunliang had already headed back to the construction site.

Xu Changshan had just phoned Gao Xinhua to ask about the victim’s condition. When he heard the surgery was a success, the old man finally relaxed. As a doctor, of course he didn’t want a patient he’d just fought to save to die.

Lu Qi went to visit the Xu Family in plain clothes and even bought some pastries for Elder Xu.

Xu Changshan could tell at a glance that Lu Qi was here on official business. He invited him to sit and said with a smile, “Lu Qi, you don’t need to bring anything. Just ask whatever you need to ask.”

Lu Qi briefly explained why he’d come.

Xu Changshan hadn’t clearly seen what was happening at the time. He’d only heard someone needed medical help, so he rushed to the scene to provide first aid. All his attention then was on saving the man; he had no bandwidth to notice whether there was anyone suspicious around.

Lu Qi didn’t get any useful leads, and was just about to leave when Xu Chunliang came back.

Xu Chunliang called him out into the yard and couldn’t help complaining. “Lu Qi, that’s not very cool of you—waiting till I’m not home to bother my grandpa.”

Lu Qi said apologetically, “It’s not like I wanted to. But Elder Xu happened to be there when the case went down, and the bureau assigned it to me. I have to at least go through the motions, don’t you think?”

Xu Chunliang said, “Is your bureau out of people or what? How come every case gets dumped on you?”

Lu Qi said awkwardly, “I volunteered to take it.”

Xu Chunliang teased, “In such a rush to show off—you angling for a promotion?”

Lu Qi said, “Cut the crap. I’m just holding a grudge here. As long as it involves Changxing Hospital, I want to dig into it.”

Xu Chunliang nodded. He knew Lu Qi had taken a fall on the Yang Mufeng case back then, so now he had this mindset of getting back up where he’d gone down.

Lu Qi said, “You should know this Pan Weidong pretty well, right?”

Xu Chunliang nodded and said, “I know a bit. The guy’s no good, same as his old man. Go dig into how the Pan Family’s He Dong Group got its start and you’ll see.”

Lu Qi said, “A guy like that must have plenty of enemies.”

Xu Chunliang said, “No shit.”

Lu Qi said, “You think this could be one of his enemies? Like a business rival or something?”

Xu Chunliang instantly tensed up. He Dong Group’s business rival—that would be Blue Star. Could someone be trying to divert suspicion, push this onto Hua Zhuyue?

Xu Chunliang said, “Business competition shouldn’t be that ruthless, right? Besides, the one running He Dong Group is Pan Tianhua. If someone wanted to go after He Dong Group, why wouldn’t they pick Pan Tianhua as the target instead of Pan Weidong?”