Chapter 100: The Murder Livestream

Xiaocheng, possessing a photographic memory, had memorized Zhang Peiyue's phone number after catching a brief glimpse of it in the class directory.

"Zhang Peiyue, it's Wen Xiaocheng. Lu Qi was just stabbed. He's at the county hospital right now, and we urgently need twenty thousand yuan for his surgery. You're the only one who can help!"

The call had clearly connected, but there was only silence on the other end.

"Speak, you bastard!"

"Why should I believe you?"

"You can come see for yourself!" Xiaocheng wanted to hand the phone to Ding Sina, thinking her voice might convince him, but on second thought, he decided against it. If Zhang Peiyue had no intention of helping, wasting breath on him was pointless.

"I have a way to prove it. If it's true, will you help? Now, immediately! Bring twenty thousand yuan to the county hospital! This is to save a life!"

Proving it would be easy. He and Ding Sina were still covered in blood; a quick photo sent over would prove he wasn't lying.

"Lu Qi was really stabbed? Did you do it?"

"Go to hell!" Xiaocheng slammed the phone down in fury. The guy was utterly useless!

The wall clock ticked away the seconds. Every tick of the second hand felt like a heavy blow to Xiaocheng's heart. He had exhausted every effort, racing against time to get the wounded boy here, only to watch helplessly as time slipped away. Gritting his teeth, Xiaocheng slowly closed his eyes.

In the virtual world of his mind, Wen Xiaodao stood before him.

"I want to go crazy one more time!"

This time, Wen Xiaodao did not try to dissuade him, nor did he offer any sarcastic remarks. Instead, he encouraged, "Do what you must. Fortunately, you're not even sixteen yet. Hurry up—if you don't go wild now, you'll be old before you know it!"

When Xiaocheng opened his eyes again, his anxiety had vanished, replaced by an unwavering resolve. Even Professor Dai and Ding Sina sensed the shift in the atmosphere; it seemed Xiaocheng already had a plan.

"Don't say a word, both of you. No matter what happens, keep quiet and follow my lead." Xiaocheng turned back to wink at them, then rang the operating room buzzer.

The door opened, and the middle-aged doctor from earlier stepped out. Seeing Xiaocheng, he asked, "Did you pay the deposit? Give me the receipt. It's understandable for family members to worry, but you see, there was plenty of time..."

Before the doctor could finish, Xiaocheng interrupted, "Doctor, the family is on their way. They'll be here in less than five minutes. I'll give you the receipt in a moment..."

"The surgery starts only when the deposit is paid! I can wait five minutes! Don't beg me—this is hospital policy!"

Xiaocheng shook his head. "It's not about that. The police were just here asking us some questions. Have you extracted the triangular blade? The officers said it's the weapon used in the crime and they need it."

The doctor peered down the hallway. Seeing no police officers, a look of doubt crossed his face.

"Those two officers are downstairs questioning people. The tall one told me to fetch the weapon for him. Just give it to me. Oh, and they said not to smudge the fingerprints on the blade."

Xiaocheng spoke with such calm conviction that the doctor, seeing he was just a junior high school student, didn't suspect a thing. He stepped back into the operating room and returned carrying the triangular blade on a tray. "Hold it by the tray, don't touch it with your hands..."

Before he could finish, Xiaocheng snatched the bloody triangular blade and pressed its tip directly against the doctor's neck!

"Hey! What are you doing?"

The sudden turn of events startled the doctor. But having seen plenty of blood in his career, he quickly regained his composure after the initial panic. "Young man, let's talk this out. I understand you're anxious, but the patient's condition isn't as dire as you think. Don't do anything rash. This is no joking matter—put the knife down immediately!"

Ignoring the doctor entirely, Xiaocheng slipped behind him, holding the blade steady against his neck. He called out to the stunned Ding Sina and Professor Dai, "Professor Dai, come here and record this! Start a live stream and post it on Weibo!"

People were constantly passing through the hospital. Although the area outside the operating room was relatively quiet, it wasn't completely deserted. Drawn by the commotion, a crowd began to gather. Seeing a junior high school-aged boy covered in blood, holding a bloody blade to a doctor's neck, onlookers reacted with a mix of curiosity and fear. Some rushed over to watch the drama unfold, while others fled to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. The scene quickly devolved into chaos.

Not knowing what Xiaocheng was up to, Professor Dai stepped forward to persuade him. "Xiaocheng, don't be rash. It's only twenty thousand yuan. I can take a taxi and get it in no time. Please..."

Xiaocheng cut him off, winking to signal that he knew exactly what he was doing. "Record it. Stream it live!"

Naturally, many in the crowd had already raised their phones. Spectators always loved a spectacle, and hospital disputes almost always made the headlines. A minor holding a doctor hostage was bound to be a massive sensation.

Professor Dai knew firsthand how exceptionally intelligent Xiaocheng was. A boy so sharp and quick-witted wouldn't do something truly foolish. Moreover, the warning he had given them before making his move suggested he had a deliberate plan. Even the lie he had spun to trick the doctor was perfectly crafted—he was not acting out of blind rage. Whatever the case, things had already gone this far. There was no point in arguing; he had to play along.

Holding up the phone, the professor started recording and gave Xiaocheng a nod. Even while holding a hostage, Xiaocheng had an innate sense of showmanship. Peeking half his face out from behind the doctor, he addressed the camera: "I am currently standing outside the operating room of the Hongxing County People's Hospital in Xiangyang City. Right here, a heinous act of intentional homicide is taking place!"

Those words made the doctor shudder violently. Was this kid planning to broadcast a murder like a terrorist? *Young man, we don't have that much of a grudge! Don't throw your life away just for some online followers!*

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. More phones were raised, though a few squeamish onlookers quickly walked away. Most remained at a distance, shouting warnings: "Don't do anything rash, kid!..."

"Shut up, all of you!" Xiaocheng roared, instantly silencing the crowd.

"Half an hour ago, a teenager stabbed with a triangular blade was rushed into this operating room. He has lost a massive amount of blood and is on the verge of death! Yet, this doctor standing before me refuses to treat him, citing an unpaid surgery deposit. He is completely disregarding human life! Even as I begged him on my knees, he remained completely indifferent!"

The doctor trembled even harder. *Is he reading out my crimes before executing me?*

"The deposit is only twenty thousand yuan! I have the money, and so does the victim's family. But right now, we are racing against death! The attack happened so suddenly that we couldn't contact his family in time, and going back to fetch the money would take too long. Even when we swore on our lives that we wouldn't default on the medical bills, the hospital still refused to operate! They claim it's hospital policy!"

"On one hand, you have a human life; on the other, you have hospital policy! Which one is more important?!" Xiaocheng screamed at the top of his lungs.

The hallway fell dead silent.

"On that operating table, a vibrant young life is slipping away! He is only sixteen years old! His father is waiting for him to bring honor to the family, and his mother is waiting anxiously at home! His parents have prepared dinner, waiting for their son to return from school! And yet, because of a rigid rule at this third-rate excuse for a hospital, we are forced to stand by and watch him die!"

"To hell with your policy! This is murder! You are murderers!"

***

Actually, there is not much else to say. Doctors have a duty to save the injured. Therefore, to watch someone die without helping is murder. Debate me if you disagree.