Chapter 16: The Silent Wager and a Deadly Visit

Lin Qing closed his eyes, clearly enjoying the moment.

A faint smile played on his lips, betraying his excellent mood.

In stark contrast, Su Yao lay in a state of utter frustration.

Su Yao was stretched out on the adjacent bed, which had just been fitted with fresh linens. Though a strong urge to speak to Lin Qing welled within her, the memory of their wager forced her to bite back her words.

If she emerged victorious, Lin Qing would be bound to grant her a single wish.

Anything at all. Even if it meant his death.

Conversely, if Su Yao lost, she would owe him nothing.

Initially, she had no desire to partake in such a trivial bet. However, the earnest expression on Lin Qing’s face had swayed Su Yao’s resolve.

Despite their brief acquaintance, Su Yao knew Lin Qing was not one to make empty boasts.

On the contrary, he possessed a genuine sincerity. Especially when he had pushed her away; that action had been entirely heartfelt.

Thus, a wager involving one’s life felt truly extraordinary.

Su Yao understood the true reason behind the bet’s inception: Lin Qing simply wished to keep her at a distance.

He sought to avoid her persistent entanglement.

Yet, why refuse such a thrilling game?

But then…

After agreeing to the high-stakes gamble, she never anticipated it would turn into a game of ‘Red Light, Green Light’!

The first to speak or move would forfeit the bet.

Blinking or opening one’s eyes did not count.

The wager would last until midnight. Once twelve o’clock struck, the agreement would become null and void.

These simple rules perfectly aligned with Lin Qing’s intentions, effectively compelling Su Yao into silence.

While it meant lying motionless in bed, for Lin Qing, who was accustomed to time standing still, this posed no restriction whatsoever.

During his past days confined within an iron cage, he had similarly curled into a ball in a corner.

He had silently watched countless people appear and vanish, witnessed the Black-Masked Man’s machete rise and fall, leaving behind a room drenched in blood. Ultimately, he was the sole survivor.

More precisely, he had been the only one alive from beginning to end.

It was deeply unsettling.

Yet, Lin Qing harbored no desire to delve deeper, nor could he.

After he escaped the underground prison, passersby spotted his emaciated form collapsed in the grass and immediately called the police.

This sparked a chain of events. By the time the police arrived at the basement, the black-masked murderer who had imprisoned Lin Qing had already committed suicide.

Blood had pooled on the floor, painting a gruesome scene.

Upon hearing this news from the police, Lin Qing had shown no reaction, his eyes still open and vacant as he observed everything, lacking any sense of returning to normal society.

Moreover, the Black-Masked Man’s death struck him as utterly ridiculous.

At least, after that incident, Lin Qing did not believe the Black-Masked Man would have chosen suicide.

“Wait, who are you?”

Just as Lin Qing was lost in the labyrinth of his past memories, a sudden voice from outside the ward door abruptly yanked his thoughts back to reality.

At this hour, there could be no one else arriving besides Li Mei.

Su Yao’s prediction had proven accurate.

Li Mei had not given up.

Lin Qing calmly glanced at the clock on the opposite wall, which read 23:50. Was she already prepared to act, even before midnight?

It was somewhat unexpected, but it made no difference.

With only ten minutes remaining, his wager with Su Yao would soon become void.

Yet, having secured a prolonged period of quiet, his objective was already met. Although Lin Qing disliked quiet, he understood that quietude came in many forms.

Rather than constantly being entangled with the dangerous individual that was Su Yao, he much preferred to remain still and silent on the hospital bed.

“I’m a nurse from the hospital. Patient Wu Gang requires another injection.”

“Wu Gang?”

“He’s also in this ward. May I enter now?”

“Alright.”

The bodyguard outside had long received Su Yao’s orders: if Li Mei appeared, no elaborate actions were needed; a simple check would suffice before allowing her entry.

No unnecessary fuss.

Naturally, the paid bodyguard dared not voice any objections, obediently letting Li Mei inside.

Lin Qing cast a final glance at the time; only five minutes remained until midnight.

Then, he closed his eyes, feigning sleep.

Based on the recent conversation, upon entering the ward, Li Mei’s first inquiry was for Wu Gang.

Consequently, Su Yao, lying on the adjacent bed, faced an increased risk of exposure.

However, none of this concerned Lin Qing.

In fact, he secretly hoped Su Yao would be exposed, as it would compel her to act.

Should Su Yao make a move, the outcome of their bet would be decided.

A victorious Su Yao, having won the wager, posed a far greater danger than being murdered by Li Mei.

As the small cart laden with medication rolled into the ward, its four wheels echoed loudly in the silent room, slowly approaching Lin Qing’s bed before coming to a direct halt.

The curtain separating Lin Qing’s bed from the adjacent one remained drawn.

Li Mei showed no intention of pulling it open.

Her objective, it seemed, was clear, and she had no desire to waste time.

Barely a minute had passed since Lin Qing closed his eyes, leaving him with just four minutes. He could not make any move that would lose him the bet.

Nor, of course, could he allow Li Mei to kill him.

Yet, even as Lin Qing considered this, Li Mei set down the small cart and swiftly advanced toward his bed.

Standing by the bedside, Li Mei gazed down at the still-eyed Lin Qing, then her eyes drifted to the numerous expensive tonics adorning the nightstand, among them bird’s nest and shark fin.

Upon seeing these items, Li Mei’s eyes turned glacial.

The white cloth in her hand was immediately pressed over Lin Qing’s nose.

The moment a pungent odor assaulted him, Lin Qing’s eyes snapped open to find Li Mei standing impassively beside him, three black skulls roaring with laughter above her head.

The red within their eye sockets seemed on the verge of spilling forth like blood, creating an eerie and terrifying sight against their mirth.

It was an anesthetic…

“So, you weren’t asleep after all?”

Li Mei watched Lin Qing’s eyes slowly close, muttering a soft, emotionless remark.

Regardless, it would not impact her plan.

Lin Qing would not open his eyes again; he was on his way to meet the King of Hell.

If blame was to be assigned, then let it be for finding a wealthy girlfriend and coincidentally encountering her!

The memory of the affectionate scene she had witnessed in the cafeteria twisted Li Mei’s features.

Without further delay, she produced a syringe.

To ensure Lin Qing’s swift demise, she had deliberately increased the dosage. Once the liquid from the syringe was injected into his body, Lin Qing would perish from rapid organ failure.

Not even a divine being could save him then.

The hospital would not perform an autopsy, thus the exact cause of death would remain unknown. Furthermore, due to the timing of his death, suspicion would never fall on her.

It was a perfectly executed crime, one she had carried out several times before.

To date, no flaws had been exposed.

However…

Recalling how the elderly patient in the same ward had narrowly escaped, Li Mei’s fingers tightened involuntarily around the syringe. She knew that this time, she absolutely could not allow her target to escape.

Lin Qing had to die here!

As these thoughts coursed through her, Li Mei’s lips curved into an involuntary upward smirk as she gazed at the unconscious Lin Qing. She immediately raised her hand and plunged the needle into his arm.