Chapter Seventy-Three: The Sniper Appears Once More...

Chapter 90: The Sniper Returns...

"Zhuo Nan..." At that moment, everyone in the room turned their gaze toward Zhuo Nan.

His body hit the floor, and with a swift motion, Zhuo Nan snatched up his gun with his left hand and spun around, firing two shots in quick succession toward the rooftop on the left side outside the window. The sniper’s exact location had been calculated by his mind; whether the shots were accurate, his brain could no longer assist. Zhuo Nan’s intention in firing was to suppress the enemy’s fire, giving his group a chance to rush out of the hospital ward.

"Sister, get everyone out quickly..."

"You go, leave this to me. Sister Li Ru, take Zhuo Nan and leave..." Lan Qian refused to heed Zhuo Nan’s words; in such a perilous moment, she would not abandon him.

"Do you even know where they are? Go, Shi Yang—if she won’t leave, you take everyone out, hurry up!" Zhuo Nan fired two more shots as he spoke. The previous calculation had determined that the sniper was ninety-seven meters away. The effective range of his handgun was just enough—any further and accuracy would plummet. At this distance, with his brain’s guidance, although it was impossible to eliminate the sniper, they could certainly buy precious time.

Lan Qian was determined to stay with Zhuo Nan—even in death, she would die by his side. Fu Xinxin, whose senses had returned the moment Zhuo Nan’s blood sword flared, saw the blood streaming from his right arm and was overwhelmed with self-loathing. Why was she so useless, causing Zhuo Nan to be wounded? "Zhuo Nan, I’m not leaving either—even if I die, I’ll die with you."

"Shi Yang, take Lan Lan out. I want to stay here with Nan Nan..." At that moment, Wang Li Ru’s maternal love was reserved for Zhuo Nan alone.

"Mom..." Tears welled in Zhuo Nan’s eyes, moved once again from the depths of his heart.

"Mom, I won’t go either..." Zhuo Lan Lan stubbornly broke free from Shi Yang’s grasp, trying to rush to Zhuo Nan’s side.

Shi Yang, without hesitation, tackled her to the ground. "Brother Yang, let go of me, I want to go to my brother..."

"Lan Lan, listen, go with Shi Yang," Wang Li Ru ordered, but her daughter refused to leave. The family would die together, if need be.

Dongfang Zhiyi was deeply shaken by the scene. She was an orphan; only her grandfather and her nanny had ever truly cared for her. Aside from them, her uncle and aunt always kept their distance—family gatherings were mere formalities, everyone outwardly united but inwardly estranged. If her grandfather were gone, would this family still be a family?

She wasn’t naive; she knew her current peril likely stemmed from someone in the family. Yet her grandfather had forbidden the National Security Bureau from investigating, all for the sake of preserving someone’s face. But why did that person want her dead? Was it really just for a share of the family fortune?

Dongfang Zhiyi couldn’t accept it. Suddenly, a thought burst into her mind: if I renounce my inheritance, will it all end?

"Miss, hurry!" Dongfang Yuyan grabbed her hand, trying to drag her away.

Gunfire at the door grew closer, more frantic. Doctors, nurses, and patients hid inside their rooms, terrified to show their faces. Bullets struck walls and floor, sending dust flying. Dongfang Zhiyi had only three bodyguards left, and they were clearly outmatched. "Miss, go out the back door—we’ll cover you!"

"Miss Dongfang, I beg you, please take my mother and the others out..." Zhuo Nan’s words drew everyone’s attention.

Wang Li Ru, voice trembling with tears: "Nan Nan..."

"Mom, please listen. You raised me this far—I can never repay you. Today, I can’t let you die with me. If I survive, I will honor you, Mom. Dongfang, take them out..." The simple word "Dongfang" stunned Dongfang Zhiyi. All her life, people had called her Zhiyi, Miss, or Miss Dongfang—never simply "Dongfang." In that instant, she found herself liking the sound. When Zhuo Nan called her Dongfang, it felt intimate.

"Nanny, take Auntie and let’s go..." Dongfang Zhiyi’s demeanor changed drastically. In this crisis, she displayed the composure and calm befitting the heir of the Dongfang family.

"Yes, Miss." Dongfang Yuyan sensed the shift in her mistress, delighted—this was how the Dongfang heir should act.

"Madam Wang, come with me at once. With Zhuo Nan’s skills, if you all leave, he might have a chance to break out. If you stay, you’ll only drag him down. Hurry!" Dongfang Yuyan pulled Wang Li Ru’s hand with all her strength.

"Mom, hurry! She’s right—trust your son, I can do this. I’ll get out, I promise. Use the back door. Shi Yang, take Xinxin and Lan Lan away... quickly!" Zhuo Nan pressed them urgently.

Unable to resist Zhuo Nan’s insistence, the group followed Dongfang Zhiyi to evacuate. Her bodyguards quickly formed a defensive line, blocking the enemy’s advance. The number of attackers was uncertain, but from the gunfire, at least four, with heavy firepower.

After Wang Li Ru and the others left, Zhuo Nan turned to Lan Qian. "Sister, if you insist on staying, I won’t stop you—but don’t hold me back!"

Even in such danger, Zhuo Nan managed to joke.

Lan Qian glared at him. "Stop underestimating me." Her eyes drifted to the blood flowing from Zhuo Nan’s right arm, and she asked, worried, "Zhuo Nan, does it hurt?"

Zhuo Nan gritted his teeth. "It’s fine. Hand me those bandages." Lan Qian passed him the gauze, and Zhuo Nan quickly wrapped his right arm.

Then he said, "Sister, we can’t take out the sniper. I’ll keep him suppressed—you flip the bed to block the bullets."

Lan Qian nodded. "One, two, three—go." Bang bang bang! Zhuo Nan fired three shots in quick succession, and Lan Qian seized the moment to flip the bed, barricading the window.

They exchanged a glance. "Go!"

Dongfang Zhiyi and the others were already retreating toward the emergency exit. Two bodyguards led the way, one covered the rear, firing as they went. Dongfang Yuyan’s phone still wouldn’t connect. Damn this simulated signal—it was truly awful.

"Miss, what do we do if the call doesn’t go through?" Dongfang Yuyan was drenched in sweat.

Dongfang Zhiyi, on the contrary, was remarkably calm. "If it won’t connect, it won’t connect. With all this commotion, someone must have called the police. Let’s just get out." She turned to the rear guard. "Go help Zhuo Nan."

The bodyguard nodded, returning by the same route. Meanwhile, in the corridor, Lan Qian and Zhuo Nan were locked in a firefight. The assassins wielded submachine guns, far superior to the "Type 54" pistols Lan Qian and Zhuo Nan held. Pressed against the wall, Zhuo Nan endured the pain in his right arm, cursing, "Damn it, what the hell is this—they’ve brought submachine guns. Next they’ll toss a grenade!"

And, as if jinxed, a melon-shaped grenade clattered to Zhuo Nan’s feet. Lan Qian, sweating, glanced at him; Nan-ge’s innocent expression met hers, he grinned, and kicked the grenade back. "Get down!" Zhuo Nan threw himself over Lan Qian as an explosion rocked the hospital ward, shattering the glass in the door.

"Are you alright?" Lan Qian asked, concerned.

Zhuo Nan shook his head. Gunfire erupted again behind them; bullets struck the wall beside Zhuo Nan, sending up clouds of dust. "Damn... still not dead. Sister, move!" He stood, grabbed Lan Qian’s hand, and rushed toward the emergency exit.

Just then, the bodyguard sent by Dongfang Zhiyi arrived. "Miss instructs you to evacuate first."

Zhuo Nan nodded. "Sister, let’s go." Nan-ge would never foolishly pat the bodyguard on the shoulder and say, "Brother, you stay, I’ll handle this." That would be idiotic—these bodyguards were seasoned veterans, hired by the Dongfang family at great expense; in danger, it was their job to fight. Why should Nan-ge take their place?

He had it all figured out—except, in the blink of an eye, something sticky splattered over him. He turned to see the brave man, a look of regret for leaving this world, collapsing in death. "Run!" At such moments, words were useless; Zhuo Nan grabbed Lan Qian and sprinted for the emergency exit.

Firing blindly as they retreated, the Type 54’s magazine held only eight rounds. Zhuo Nan was already out of bullets. In the chaos, he hadn’t had time to grab an extra magazine from the bodyguard. No time now. Mimicking Stephen Chow, he tossed the empty pistol aside.

"Brother, this way!" Lan Qian called from the emergency exit.

"Coming!" Without hesitation, Zhuo Nan dragged Lan Qian down the stairs, bullets raining behind them. Lan Qian was exhilarated by the thrill; bullets fell like raindrops, but none struck home. Suddenly, she wished she could die here with Zhuo Nan—it might be the perfect ending.

After descending several floors, Zhuo Nan realized the gunfire had stopped, and no one was pursuing them. Something felt off; if the enemy truly intended to kill, their group would never have escaped the ward.

Zhuo Nan stopped, pulling Lan Qian to a halt.

Lan Qian asked, curious, "What’s wrong?"

Zhuo Nan shook his head. "Something’s not right..." He spoke silently to his mind, "It’s your turn now."