Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Huo Shaoheng kept glancing at Gu Nianzhi out of the corner of his eye as he drove. Seeing her biting her nails again, he reached his right hand over to pull her fingers from her mouth and chided, “Biting your nails again. Didn’t I cut them for you a few days ago?”
Gu Nianzhi smiled sheepishly before pushing his hand away and back onto the steering wheel. She cocked her head. “Drive properly, Huo Shao. It’s not easy to steer with one hand.”
“I can drive without using my hands at all.” Huo Shaoheng looked away, at the great iron gates before the hospital. He still felt restless and made sure to remind her, “We’re here. Remember to be helpful.”
Gu Nianzhi agreed, then perked up and got out of the car with Huo Shaoheng. A sentry checking for permits was standing in front of the gate, making the whole place resemble a military camp. Gu Nianzhi was secretly shocked and followed closely behind Huo Shaoheng as they made their way to the sentry. He was obviously a white mercenary. Holding an AMR in his arms and wearing Ray-Ban sunglasses, he glanced at Gu Nianzhi with a whistle and flirted.
“What a cute girl,” he said. “You wanna have a drink with me tonight?”
Huo Shaoheng calmly walked up to shield Gu Nianzhi while taking out the special permit. He said in a heavy African-American accent, “We’d like to visit Mr. Ku. Here is our authorized pass.”
The white sentry held Huo Shaoheng in a different regard as soon as he spoke in an African-American accent. He quickly accepted the special permit to validate its authenticity and came out with a much friendlier smile. “Thank you, sir. Madam. You may enter now.” He pressed the button to open the great iron gates, and they squeaked loudly before opening automatically.
Huo Shaoheng and Gu Nianzhi returned to their open-top Jeep and started driving inside. Huo Shaoheng drove on the hospital’s small path according to the address provided by Gu Yanran. They could see several groups of patients in hospital gowns taking walks, as well as black nurses in pure white uniforms pushing wheelchairs to allow disabled patients to enjoy the fresh air.
Gu Nianzhi suddenly grew nervous and began to smooth her hair. She took out a small mirror to check her makeup, then fiddled with her modified hunting outfit. She finally took out some lipstick to reapply.
Huo Shaoheng couldn’t stand it anymore and reached out to take away her makeup mirror. “Don’t get nervous. It’s your father. What are you nervous about?”
“I don’t know. I’m just nervous…” Gu Nianzhi couldn’t help playing coy. “And I really don’t remember them at all…”
“It doesn’t matter that you forgot as long as your identity is legally recognized.” Huo Shaoheng smoothed her hair. “Do you still remember what you have to do?”
“Yeah, I remember all of it.” Gu Nianzhi nodded and recited the entire protocol to him.
Huo Shaoheng listened. This child was really nervous. Huo Shaoheng didn’t say anything more and continued to drive in silence. He took her to the building that housed Gu Xiangwen’s ward. This was a small building in the innermost part of the hospital, and the outer walls were dark aquamarine-colored glass to camouflage them well amongst the thick foliage.
Gu Nianzhi walked nervously toward Huo Shaoheng once she got off the Jeep. Earlier, she had said she was nervous, but she hadn’t revealed all the reasons. On the one hand, she was truly anxious about the imminent meeting with her father, and on the other hand, it was because she was officially participating with Huo Shaoheng and his team’s operation. She was extremely worried that she would give them trouble…
Huo Shaoheng strode calmly and leisurely to the entrance of the building to register. He displayed the special permit to the staff, who verified its validity and replied with a smile, “Sir, this way, please.”
Huo Shaoheng raised his brow and turned around to escort Gu Nianzhi. They followed him inside the building. After passing through a long hallway, they arrived at the elevators, and he turned around to say, “Mr. Gu’s ward is accessible by a special elevator, so the other elevators cannot go there. Here, come with me.”
He took them to a small room beside the elevator and opened the door. There was actually another elevator entrance inside!
The staff member stood just below the elevator door and looked up at a camera above it with a smile. The camera flashed blue, and a shutter sounded before the elevator opened. The staff took Huo Shaoheng and Gu Nianzhi inside. So the elevator had retinal scanning capabilities…
Gu Nianzhi couldn’t help grumbling to herself—with such stringent security measures, did these people really not know who “Mr. Gu” was?
The elevator quickly took them to the door to Gu Xiangwen’s ward. The staff knocked on the door and spoke to the video camera outside. “Someone is here to see Mr. Gu. They have a special permit signed by Miss Gu.”
The people inside checked Huo Shaoheng’s special permit once again before opening the ward’s door to let Huo Shaoheng and Gu Nianzhi in. Huo Shaoheng walked in front, his towering body completely blocking the tall and slender Gu Nianzhi behind him. She nervously stared at Huo Shaoheng’s back, her violently hammering heart finally calming down.
“Mr. Gu is here. Are you here to see him?” Gu Xiangwen’s nurse was a heavy middle-aged black woman. Her smile was gentle and kind.
Instantly taking a liking to her, Gu Nianzhi felt emboldened enough to quickly walk forward and around Huo Shaoheng. She was the first to arrive in front of Gu Xiangwen’s bed.
Before her eyes was a specially made bed covered with medical devices. And in the middle of instruments of various sizes was a skeletal man. Gu Nianzhi had never seen Gu Xiangwen’s photo, but she instinctively knew that he ought to somewhat resemble her. However, she didn’t think that seven years in a vegetative state would have been enough to completely alter Gu Xiangwen’s appearance. All that was left were his bones.
This is my father?
Gu Nianzhi’s eyes widened at the man lying on the bed, incredible shock in her heart… So, the Gus hadn’t looked for Gu Nianzhi for seven years because Gu Xiangwen had become a vegetable? Gu Nianzhi stared blankly at him. Her nose started to sniffle, but she didn’t want to cry. She turned around to Huo Shaoheng and gave him an inquisitive look, unsure of how to proceed.
Huo Shaoheng came over and thoughtfully studied this man in a vegetative state before asking the nurse some questions.
“When did Mr. Gu come to your hospital? Have you always been in charge of him? How is his health? Have there been changes in the seven years?”
These were all questions focusing on patients in a vegetative state, which Chen Lie had specially prepared for Huo Shaoheng to ask.
The nurse smiled respectfully. “He’s been at your hospital for over three years now. I heard that he used to be under the care of a private nurse at home but was transferred to the hospital after his condition deteriorated. Yes, I’ve always cared for him, for as long as since he’s been here. As for his health, you’d have to ask the doctor. I’m just a nurse.”
Huo Shaoheng nodded. The nurse’s answers were about the same as the information he’d gotten from Gu Yanran, so it must have been true. Huo Shaoheng then asked for some details regarding Gu Xiangwen’s treatment, then finally pointed to Gu Nianzhi and spoke to the nurse and guard.
“Thank you for your efforts,” he said. “I have a proof of identity, signed by the Barbados government, to prove that she is Gu Xiangwen’s youngest daughter, Gu Nianzhi. According to your hospital’s regulations, only immediate relatives can discharge Mr. Gu.”
The last word Huo Shaoheng spoke was like a signal for Zhao Liangze all the way at the consulate in the Bridgetown city district. He immediately cut off all external communication for the hospital—from landlines to mobile data, the signal collapsed due to sudden data congestion. Because the Special Operations Forces had their own dedicated satellite communication system, jamming the hospital’s communication systems didn’t affect them. They were still able to use their Bluetooth headsets to receive all messages. At the same time, all the elite members of the Special Ops in South America mobilized and gained control over external traffic to the hospital.
Gu Yanran, who was keeping in touch with the hospital and awaiting news from Huo Shaoheng, suddenly found the connection to the hospital interrupted.
