Chapter 596: Trap

Chapter 596: A Trap

*Bang!*

The blows from others' clubs struck his arm, swelling it quickly, yet Li Huowang seemed unaffected.

With his hands cuffed behind him and pressed together, he exerted all his strength to strike the orderly in the chest, sending the man reeling with white eyes, nearly collapsing from the impact.

At that moment, another orderly rushed forward from behind, wrapping his arms around Li Huowang's waist. But Li Huowang seized his ring finger and twisted it sharply—bending it into an L-shape. "Aaaah!!"

Though bound by handcuffs, Li Huowang held his own against six men without falling behind.

Taking advantage of the brief gap in their encirclement, Li Huowang yanked the handcuffs from his wrists and wrapped them tightly around one orderly’s neck.

In the man's screams of agony, Li Huowang tore away a strip of skin from his neck with his teeth, exposing the thick vein beneath.

His face twisted in fury, blood churning in his mouth, he glared at everyone inside the room with eyes like those of a beast.

This scene froze the other orderlies in place. How could a mentally ill patient, restrained by shackles, be this formidable?

No one dared move. After all, they were just low-paid employees; risking their lives wasn’t worth it.

"Send Wu Cheng here to see me! Otherwise, don’t blame me for killing this guy!" Li Huowang pressed his teeth against the pulsing artery.

"You... you don't need to get excited! I’ll go find Dr. Wu right now, don’t panic!" One orderly hurriedly soothed before rushing out to fetch help.

He hadn’t wanted to reach this point, but these people had forced him into it.

If they refused to reason, then he would have no choice but to resort to force.

Li Huowang observed everything before him, calculating what to do next.

He knew this would bring endless trouble, but he had no choice. If he didn’t act while still free, and if they caught him, there’d be nothing left to do.

Soon, the sound of heels echoed. Wu Cheng, his face grave, entered the room with a group of orderlies and doctors.

Seeing Li Huowang’s terrifying appearance, Wu Cheng whispered to his colleague: “I was right. The condition of Bed 16 has only been temporarily suppressed—it hasn’t truly healed. Any stimulus will trigger a relapse.”

Li Huowang understood that even if he claimed Wu Cheng meant to harm him, no one would believe him. They'd think he was having a breakdown instead. He needed someone to prove his innocence.

"Wu Cheng! Give me your phone! I want to call Yi Dong!" Li Huowang shouted loudly.

"Okay, I’ll give you my phone. Don’t get agitated," Wu Cheng said, pulling out his phone and sliding open the screen as he approached.

Li Huowang watched carefully, wary of any sudden move.

It seemed Wu Cheng couldn’t really do anything under the circumstances. Yet he calmly handed the phone over, then slowly stepped back.

Li Huowang exhaled slightly, quickly opened his contacts, and found the number labeled “Senior Brother Yi.”

Just as his thumb touched the name, the screen suddenly went dark. A powerful jolt surged through the metal casing of the phone, shocking both Li Huowang and the orderly he held hostage.

It was a trap! Wu Cheng never intended for him to use Yi Dong to clear his name.

Shaking violently, Li Huowang tried to let go of the electrified phone, but it clung to his hand like glue—he couldn’t shake it off.

Next, the orderlies behind Wu Cheng lunged forward with nets, spears, tranquilizers, and everything else they could grab.

Three syringes filled with pale yellow liquid were pushed in. As Li Huowang struggled to stop trembling, his senses faded, his expression growing blank.

His last sight was Wu Cheng approaching, smiling faintly.

---------

*Clap-clap-clap—clap—lift—Little Dong returns home, words must be wrong—unless not, why do mother and son quarrel? Only then did Third Lady weep and sit alone in the room...*

Lü ZHUANGYUAN sat on a chair dressed in silk, eyes half-closed, head nodding along with the opera singer's tune.

He looked utterly content, though his face showed no joy.

Suddenly, he sat up and pointed at the stage, shouting, "Wrong! Wrong! That note went too high! What? Was that how it used to be sung? Don’t care about past ways—now sing it like this! You're the boss, I'm the boss!"

The opera performer had sung for two hours straight, and Lü had criticized him for one hour.

Fortunately, the troupe breathed easier—the old man was finally leaving. It was noontime, time for him to go home for lunch.

Lü picked up his grandson and strolled out of the theater.

No longer sneaking along the streets like a rat, he walked proudly down the main road, holding his grandson close. He was no longer a lowly opera singer.

"Ohh, this is like living like a god. Mei, you died too early. If you lived two more years, you could’ve enjoyed such a life."

At the entrance of a large courtyard with three gates, Lü stepped in and saw his daughter-in-law Luo Juanhua sitting there, surrounded by neatly arranged pastries and fruits. Two young girls knelt beside her—one massaging her legs, the other giving her a back rub.

Lü’s face darkened instantly, and he exploded, “Who told you to hire servants? Do you know how much that costs?! Dinner’s almost ready—why pile up so many sweets? Can you eat them all? You’re a wasteful woman—spend money recklessly!”

"Dad, money’s made to be spent, isn’t it? Since marrying into the Lü family, we’ve traveled from show to show, eating outdoors and sleeping rough. I’ve never had a day of comfort. Now that we’re rich, can’t I enjoy myself? Make up for all those years?"

Since having a son, Luo Juanhua had gained some backbone toward Lü ZHUANGYUAN.

"Enjoyment? This is not enjoyment—it’s waste! Get rid of these two girls immediately!"

As they argued, Lü JUEREN emerged from inside. “Father, Juan, stop fighting. Let’s eat first.”

But once seated, Lü ZHUANGYUAN continued complaining—either the dishes were too much or the oil was too heavy.

After Lü ZHUANGYUAN left, Luo Juanhua frowned at her husband. “What’s gotten into father? Does he not want to live anymore? So annoying!”

Lü JUEREN took a few bites, glanced at Lü ZHUANGYUAN’s retreating figure. “Father worked hard all his life. Suddenly having nothing to do, just enjoying himself—it’s making him uncomfortable.”

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Next chapter update at 11:31 PM

(End of Chapter)