Zhong Xingwen's old face stretched long, his eyes filled with contempt and indignation.
"This Sacred Heart Hospital is the best private clinic in the city, with exorbitant prices, catering to the powerful and influential. Do you think you're worthy of seeing a doctor here? You probably can't even afford the consultation fee."
"It's not costing you any money, so you don't need to worry about it, Uncle Zhong."
Duan Chen couldn't be bothered with the two of them and tried to walk past. To his surprise, they blocked his way.
Zhong Xingwen took a step sideways to block Duan Chen's path and angrily pointed at his nose, shouting, "Speak! Are you following us? How come I see you everywhere I go! You perverted stalker, believe it or not, I'll report you, get you expelled from the guild, and make sure you can never hold your head up again!"
"This road isn't yours, only you can walk on it?"
Duan Chen lost his temper. He had just met them by chance, why were they yelling at him without any rhyme or reason?
If a tiger doesn't show its fangs, do you think I'm a sick cat?
"Okay, my dear, don't get angry. It's not good for your health if you get upset," Li Wei gently tugged at Zhong Xingwen, coaxing him softly.
She then looked at Duan Chen with pity in her eyes.
"Duan Chen, just give up. I told you, we really have no future. Please stop following me and disturbing my life. You really are like a pervert, it makes me sick and want to throw up... I was just playing with you all those years, don't take it seriously."
Duan Chen almost burst out laughing when he heard this.
This woman actually thought he was still pining for her? They had broken up over two years ago. Where did she get her confidence? Had she found a rich patron and felt superior?
"Don't take it seriously, Li Wei. Open your mind a bit. The Earth doesn't revolve around you. The only thing that revolves around you is this dog."
Li Wei's face instantly flushed red and white.
"Damn it!" Zhong Xingwen's eyes flashed with a sinister glint, and he swung a fist towards Duan Chen.
Duan Chen easily dodged with a blank expression, grabbed his arm in return, and slammed him against the wall.
*Thud!*
Zhong Xingwen's eyes widened in pain. He tried to struggle, but found Duan Chen's grip like an iron vise, he couldn't break free at all.
"Ah~~ My dear!" Li Wei covered her mouth with both hands and exclaimed.
"Let go of me, you bastard! Bodyguards, bodyguards!!"
Zhong Xingwen roared.
Several men in black rushed forward, but were intercepted by Qin Ze and Mi Xue'er.
"Let's see who dares to go past."
The men in black snorted and were about to fight when they were surrounded by dozens of heavily armed hospital security guards.
"How dare you! How can you lay hands on Young Master Qin and Miss Zhong!"
Li Wei was stunned. She knew Mi Xue'er's identity, but she never expected the young man beside her to be the young master of the Qin family, Qin Ze!
The Qin family was a newly rising power that had recently monopolized a batch of new materials and medical equipment. Their momentum was rapidly catching up to the Zhong family, and they were a force no one dared to provoke.
And for Qin Ze and Mi Xue'er to simultaneously vouch for Duan Chen, how was this possible?!
He was just an ordinary Spirit Hunter agent, with no background, no connections, living in a 60-square-meter apartment, driving a low-end Corolla, and earning a meager salary.
Did he have another identity?
Thinking this, Li Wei suddenly felt that she didn't understand Duan Chen that well. Had she been too hasty in breaking up with him so decisively back then?
Zhong Xingwen's face was gloomy. He glared fiercely at Duan Chen, a black tree faintly appearing in his pupils. With so many people watching, he was trying his best to suppress this evil energy.
"Good boy, you dare to hit me? Believe it or not, I'll make your life worse than death. Go ahead and hit me if you dare, hit me. If you don't, I'll look down on you even more."
Duan Chen sneered, "As you wish. Actually, I usually don't deign to hit dogs, but he kept barking at me."
*Bang!*
Duan Chen punched Zhong Xingwen in the abdomen. The latter immediately broke out in a cold sweat and curled up on the ground.
Li Wei cried out and rushed to help Zhong Xingwen.
"Since you're already at the hospital, you might as well stay for a few days. I only used thirty percent of my strength, after all, I was just hitting a dog."
Duan Chen put his hands behind his back and sauntered out.
"You wait! I won't die by your name if I'm not surnamed Zhong!" Zhong Xingwen yelled, clutching his abdomen, his eyes burning with the black tree. A crowd of medical staff immediately surrounded them; they couldn't afford to offend the second in command of the Zhong family.
Duan Chen didn't even turn his head, giving him a universal gesture of greeting.
"I'll be waiting."
Qin Ze and Mi Xue'er followed him, and the three of them left the scene together.
This punch confirmed one thing for Duan Chen—
The malevolent aura on Zhong Xingwen carried the same scent as Ye Yan, an apostle of the Evil God.
He was one of the Evil God's people.
No.
Whether he was a "person" remained to be verified.
...
When Qin Ze returned home, Qin Yuanlong was already waiting for him in his study.
Seeing his son humming a cheerful tune, Qin Yuanlong knew his son had succeeded.
"Did that great master you mentioned agree to take you as a disciple?"
Qin Ze nodded. "But the 100,000 yuan you asked me to give him, he didn't accept."
Qin Yuanlong's brow furrowed slightly.
"What? Dad, you think it's not good that he's incorruptible and upright?"
Qin Yuanlong shook his head. "Silly boy, you have no relation to him. If you don't have some worldly connection, how can you foster a closer relationship? Even if he agreed to your request verbally today, he might not show his true skills. He might teach you some superficial tricks, and you'll improve, but if you want to get into the Spirit Hunter Guild and become a senior agent, that's far from enough."
After his father's words, Qin Ze was no longer so optimistic.
"Dad, what should I do then?"
Qin Yuanlong was silent for a long time.
"Son, let me ask you, have you truly decided to walk this path? I've been in business for decades, and I have a stable foundation to give you. After you graduate, you can take over my business, and you'll have a carefree life."
Qin Ze said firmly, "I've decided. If Big Brother Duan Chen hadn't been there that day, hundreds of classmates... no, perhaps all the students in the school would have been killed by the monsters. And I, who am an Awakened, could do nothing. That feeling was terrible."
"I want to be like Big Brother Duan Chen, slay demons and monsters, and save people from dire straits."
Qin Yuanlong looked at his son intently. He had never seen this boy so serious before.
"Being a hero is indeed admirable. When I was young, I also had dreams of being a hero. But heroes don't fill your stomach. What will you live on in the future?"
Qin Ze pondered for a moment and replied seriously, "I heard that secret realms contain countless natural treasures, any of which is priceless. And the access and information to enter these secret realms are unique to Spirit Hunters. Ordinary people who enter would die.
Dad, since the spiritual energy resurgence, the economic field has surely been affected. In the coming turbulent times, traditional business models may not be enough to face future challenges. If our Qin family wants to achieve greater development in this chaotic world, I believe our own strength is essential...
As your son, I want to forge ahead."
Qin Yuanlong clasped his hands and rested them on his nose, a sign of deep thought. He had to admit that, as an old fox in business, he was almost convinced by his son.
Looking at his son's eyes, he was so much like himself when he told his father that he wanted to go into business.
If it hadn't been for Old Master Qin's full support back then, he wouldn't be where he was today.
"Alright, since this is something you've decided on, Dad will definitely support you with all his might. But I don't want to see you give up halfway. If you do it, do it to the best of your ability."
"That's for sure!" Qin Ze's eyes lit up. Honestly, he hadn't expected to get his father's support.
"Dad, do you really believe in me? Aren't you afraid the Qin family's assets will be ruined by me?"
Qin Yuanlong smiled slightly. Once he made a decision, he never regretted it. This was also a necessary psychological quality for him to become a business tycoon.
"A man remains a boy until death. Son, I want to bet on your future."
Saying this, Qin Yuanlong dialed Zhong Yu's number.
"Sister Yu, I need to ask you about someone."
"Yes, it's about Duan Chen. Such a big incident occurred at Xiaozhe and Xue'er's school, and we're grateful to that young brother. Could you conveniently tell me how much you all paid him?"
"...What? Six million?!"
"..."
Even Qin Yuanlong, who was rich and powerful, looked displeased.
When Qin Ze heard the figure, he was simply stunned. Six million yuan was an astronomical sum for a high school student like him.
Qin Yuanlong hung up the phone, looked at his son meaningfully, and then took out a card from a cabinet.
"Hehehe, the teacher you've taken a liking to is indeed not cheap."
"Now you understand why he didn't accept your 100,000 yuan."
Qin Ze gritted his teeth, his face looking grim.
He had originally thought he had given enough, but now it seemed he was completely mistaken.
Duan Chen refused because he thought the amount was too little!