As the system notification sounded, Fang Ming felt a vast and profound wave of acupuncture knowledge surge into the depths of his memory like a tide.
It wasn't just knowledge of acupoints, but the ultimate profound mysteries of the human body's meridians and the balance of Yin and Yang.
Fang Ming closed his eyes, and nine illusory golden needles appeared in his mind, each shimmering with a dark gold light.
The Nine Yang Divine Needles were a supreme acupuncture technique in Lin Chen's hands, capable of snatching a life back from the King of Hell.
Unfortunately, for this miraculous needle technique, the first three needles could still be performed through extreme strength and skill, achieving miraculous effects in promoting blood circulation, removing stasis, and clearing the meridians.
However, starting from the fourth needle, a massive amount of True Qi was required for guidance; otherwise, inserting the silver needle into an acupoint would be no different from a sharp blade severing a vein.
"The lack of True Qi is indeed a fatal flaw. It seems I'll have to find a way to fleece some Internal Cultivation Methods from Lin Chen later."
Fang Ming muttered to himself, his consciousness returning to reality.
In the room, the ambiguous atmosphere had not yet dissipated. The scent of top-tier fragrance mixed with sweat felt particularly thick under the cool breeze of the air conditioner.
The silk sheets were crumpled into a heap, and the few spots of red plum blossoms blooming proudly upon them were a startlingly vibrant red under the light.
The floor was an even bigger mess. The dark green cheongsam had been torn into several pieces, draped haphazardly over the back of a chair and the carpet, with a few broken frog buttons silently recounting the previous intensity and madness.
Shen Wanyin was sleeping deeply now, her long eyelashes fluttering occasionally as if the storm in her dreams had not yet subsided.
Fang Ming supported his waist as he got out of bed, picked up his own clothes from the floor, and put them on piece by piece while simultaneously opening the conscious link to the Chat Group... [Myriad Heavens Mutual Aid Group].
The group was eerily quiet at the moment, as if everyone was waiting for a result.
[Nameless Guide]: "It's done."
[Marvelous Doctor of Chinese Medicine]: "Brother Ming, you... you're finally out. My aunt, is she... okay?"
Lin Chen replied almost instantly.
At these words, Fang Ming's face flushed slightly with embarrassment.
[Nameless Guide]: "Cough, her physical indicators are all normal, her breathing is steady, and her pulse is strong. It's just... her clothes are ruined. We need to find a way to get her a set of clothes before dawn tomorrow."
[Marvelous Doctor of Chinese Medicine]: "Phew, that's good then, that's good."
Lin Chen breathed a sigh of relief, also feeling a bit awkward, seemingly unsure of how he should interact with Fang Ming from now on.
Fang Ming timely changed the subject.
[Nameless Guide]: "@Soldier King Lone Wolf, send me some rope for tying people up and a few pairs of smelly socks."
[Soldier King Lone Wolf]: "??? Smelly socks? What do you want those for? Although this is a border battlefield and the socks are indeed pretty stinky, your tastes are a bit too extreme, aren't they?"
[Nameless Guide]: "This guy surnamed Zhou has a big mouth. If I don't plug it with something, what if he starts shouting abuse when he wakes up later?"
[Soldier King Lone Wolf]: "Got it. I'll send them over right away. I guarantee one whiff will make him question his life choices."
[Ding! You have received an exclusive red envelope from 'Soldier King Lone Wolf'.]
Fang Ming opened the red envelope, and several coils of high-strength nylon rope and a plastic ziplock bag suddenly appeared in his hands.
Even before opening the ziplock bag, he could vaguely sense a pungent odor strong enough to pierce the soul—the 'manly scent' from the front lines of the battlefield, mixed with jungle soil and the sweat of calloused skin.
Fang Ming closed the Chat Group and walked toward the bathroom.
In the bathroom, Zhou Zihao and the two bodyguards were still lying on the floor. The effects of the Calming Powder and the anesthetic hadn't worn off yet, and they looked like three piles of unwanted trash.
Fang Ming didn't hold back either; he stripped them of their clothes, leaving only their underwear, and took dozens of photos of the three from various angles and in different poses.
Then, like tying up pigs, he skillfully used the nylon rope to bind their hands and feet tightly behind their backs.
That kind of binding was called the 'Pig's Trotter Knot'; the more one struggled, the tighter it became.
Finally, enduring the nausea, he pulled three blackened socks out of the ziplock bag.
He stuffed them into the mouths of Zhou Zihao and the other two, then wrapped tape around them three times.
"Now I don't have to worry about them waking up."
Fang Ming clapped his hands and turned to look at the room. As his gaze swept over the counter in the foyer, he noticed over a dozen sensor room cards neatly stacked there.
To prepare for tonight, Zhou Zihao had booked all the rooms on this floor. Were all the room cards in this room?
"I can't give Shen Wanyin a chance to blow up at me, but I must also ensure her safety..."
Fang Ming rubbed his chin as an idea formed. He found a room card for the room next door, and seeing the hallway was empty, he quickly opened the door.
Then he returned to the guest room, walked to the bedside, and carefully picked up Shen Wanyin, blanket and all, in a horizontal carry.
This woman was indeed well-endowed; she felt heavy in his arms, and her faint, elegant fragrance kept drifting into his nostrils.
Fang Ming placed Shen Wanyin on the clean, flat bed in the next room and brought over her undergarments, the shredded cheongsam, her handbag, and other items.
Next, he swapped the pillows and duvet covers between the two rooms.
After finishing all this, Fang Ming didn't leave immediately. Instead, he went out to buy some things and sent a message in the group along the way.
[Nameless Guide]: "@Peking University, is your sister home?"
[Peking University]: "She is. What's up, Brother Ming?"
[Nameless Guide]: "The clothing stores are all closed now. Your sister is about the same height as Lin Chen's aunt. Could you ask her if I can borrow a set of clothes?"
[Peking University]: "Okay, wait a moment."
...In an old rental house in the old city district of Jiangnan.
Gu Qinghe was organizing documents on her desk. Since she had successfully signed the contract with Zhu Dahai from Rong City, her treatment at the company had visibly improved.
Not only had her original commission increased from thirty thousand to forty thousand, but the company boss also greeted her with smiles and promoted her directly to team leader.
She knew this wasn't because her own abilities were strong enough, but because Zhu Dahai had put in a word with the boss.
The reason Zhu Dahai had spoken to the boss was entirely because of that man—Fang Ming.
She wasn't an inexperienced girl who didn't understand the ways of the world. She had thought about treating Fang Ming to a meal before returning to formally express her gratitude, but because time was too tight, her preparations were insufficient, and her brother said Fang Ming didn't like being disturbed, she gave up on the idea after some careful consideration.
"Sis, let me borrow a set of your clothes for a bit," Gu Bai's voice suddenly rang out from the doorway.
Gu Qinghe didn't quite react: "Borrow my clothes? For what??"
"Well..."
Gu Bai had come in a hurry and actually forgot to think of an excuse. Luckily, he was quick-witted: "I have a female classmate who fell into the water while out late at night. She's fine, but her clothes are soaked, so she asked me to bring her some clothes."
"A female classmate?" Gu Qinghe raised an eyebrow, giving Gu Bai a meaningful look.
Although it was a bit strange, she still stood up: "Fine, I'll get them for you."
Gu Qinghe went to her wardrobe and took out a white short-sleeved T-shirt and a pair of denim shorts, then seemed to think of something.
"Does she need underwear?"
"No need for that," Gu Bai said awkwardly, quickly patching his excuse. "The weather is so hot; as long as she has dry clothes to cover up so she can get home safely, it's fine."
Gu Qinghe looked suspicious but put the clothes in a bag and handed it to Gu Bai.
Gu Bai didn't have time to think much more; he took the bag and left.
However, to maintain his lie, he didn't dare send the items to Fang Ming directly from the house. He had to take the clothes outside, and after sending them, he wandered around for half an hour before returning.
On the other side, after receiving the clothes from Gu Bai, Fang Ming returned to Shen Wanyin's room. After handling some trivial matters, he checked into the guest room directly opposite Zhou Zihao's room.
He didn't continue to interrogate Zhou Zihao about how he knew Lin Chen, because interrogating him would increase his own risk of being caught, and even if he knew the reason, it wouldn't have much impact on him.
As for why he stayed in this room? On one hand, it was because the darkest place is under the lamp, making it harder to be discovered. On the other hand, it was to monitor Zhou Zihao's movements and ensure Shen Wanyin could leave safely in the morning.