Chapter 3: Su Mingwei Runs the Clinic

The red light deep within the cavern vanished instantly, and darkness swallowed everything like a spill of ink. Terrified out of her wits, Zheng Chunmei’s heart hammered against her ribs. In a frantic panic, she stumbled forward and smashed through the thin wall. A blast of freezing wind and fine snow hit her square in the face as she tumbled into a drift; icy slush seeped down her collar, the cold stinging her skin like needles. Yet, the shadows behind her seemed to be spreading. Daring not to stop, she scrambled over a ruined wall on all fours. Her foot slipped—the soft snow had masked a hidden pit—and she plummeted instantly into a concealed snow hole.

Qin Huai stood on the street corner, staring at the dust-covered plaque above the door, her eyes brimming with humiliation. The Jiang Family had applied the pressure, and her eligibility for the competition had been revoked. Once the pampered daughter of a prestigious clan, she had fallen so far that she couldn't even afford the cheapest herbs in the medical hall, surviving only on low-level items exchanged through her system. She took a deep breath and reached for the door, only to be blocked by two shrewish women.

Qin Huai’s eyes reddened, tears welling up, but she forced them back. She sidestepped the two women and pushed her way into the clinic. The interior was dim and thick with the scent of medicinal herbs mixed with the smell of old wood. Behind the counter, Su Mingwei sat at a desk, clutching a silver needle. Her gaze was as sharp as a blade as she meticulously inspected the curvature of the needle's tip.

Uncle Liu wore a faded cotton jacket with frayed cuffs, clutching a half-eaten radish that had frozen rock-hard. He looked down at the blood-stained, wretched state of Zheng Chunmei with eyes as still as dead water. There wasn't a ripple of emotion in his gaze; it was as if he weren't holding a human life in his hands, but some piece of junk for sale.

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Chen cast one last glance at Su Mingwei before turning toward his luxury car. As the door opened, he paused and looked back, holding up three fingers. "Three days. I'll give you three days to hand over the competition slot and that ancient text. Otherwise, I'll show you what 'closing shop' really means."

Uncle Liu took a loud crunch of his radish, his cheeks bulging as he mumbled, "Scavengers... they're everywhere." He tossed a handkerchief onto the ground, brushed the crumbs off his hands, and vanished into the wind and snow. His figure was quickly swallowed by the white void, as if he had never existed at all.

Before the words had even settled, several people suddenly surged from the narrow alleys on both sides—locals who had been suffocating under Jiang Chen's oppressive aura. Leading them was Auntie Wang, the neighbor who sold tofu, clutching a blood-stained gauze pad, followed by a few young doctors in white coats.

Jiang Chen sneered. He wasn't shaken by a pile of moldy papers; instead, he waved his bodyguards forward. Two men in black stepped up quickly, sealing the main entrance of the clinic with heavy iron chains. The sound of the locks snapping shut was jarringly loud in the silent night.

Jiang Chen’s expression shifted violently as he looked at the young doctor, a flash of murderous intent crossing his eyes. He had assumed he was just brushing off a few insignificant nobodies, but he hadn't expected Su Mingwei to have a backup plan—or rather, that behind her caustic tongue lay a multitude of ordinary people who silently looked after the clinic.

The young doctor stepped forward immediately, pointing at the chains in the bodyguard's hand. "Forcibly sealing a clinic and blocking access to medical care is illegal! I've recorded the whole thing on video. The moment I upload this, the Jiang Family will be trending on every social media platform tonight!"

Qin Huai quickly suppressed her presence, guiding a sliver of warmth into Su Mingwei’s body. Su Mingwei was already weak from days of exhaustion; though she felt the warmth fade, she had to admit it did ease the pain.

As he spoke, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number, his voice cold and harsh. "Run a check on that girl named Qin. I want everything on her, including this so-called 'special lineage.' I want results by tonight."

Su Mingwei looked up into Qin Huai’s eyes. Her usual biting expression softened for a fleeting second before returning to cold indifference. "You sure? The Jiang Family isn't something you can just play with. Besides, what makes you think you can beat him?"

Jiang Chen took a deep breath, suppressing the rage in his heart. He turned his gaze toward Qin Huai and said sinisterly, "Little girl, you'd better pray that Grandpa Jiang can forgive today's offense. Otherwise, don't blame me for being heartless."

At that moment, Uncle Liu strolled through the door. He coughed twice, his voice aged but clear as he interjected, "You two... the Jiang ancestors were salt traders. Where in their bloodline is there any medical knowledge? Even if they cheat on the homework, they can't fake the fundamentals."

Su Mingwei arched an eyebrow, picked up a seal to examine it, and then whipped a stack of moldy herbal evidence right into Jiang Chen's face. The papers flew everywhere, landing on Jiang Chen's expensive coat and bringing with them a pungent smell of mildew.

Qin Huai stepped toward Su Mingwei to support her, but Su Mingwei dodged her. Leaning against the wall, Su Mingwei slowly slid down to the floor. The mockery in her eyes faded, leaving only a profound exhaustion and a trace of imperceptible despair.

The street outside returned to a fragile peace, but the air remained heavy. Auntie Wang and the doctors looked at each other, not daring to linger, and hurried away, leaving Su Mingwei standing alone beside the shattered porcelain shards.

Just then, a commotion erupted outside. Three men in black burst in. The leader, his face etched with brutality, carried an iron pipe which he slammed heavily onto the floor, creating a dull, echoing thud.

Su Mingwei stared at the slip of paper, her pupils contracting. She suddenly realized that this seemingly fragile girl hid secrets far deeper than she had imagined—and far more lethal than anything Jiang Chen possessed.

Standing in the shadows, Qin Huai lightly tapped the system interface. A new mission quietly appeared: [Break the Deadlock: Destroy Jiang Chen's surveillance network and obtain key intelligence. Time Limit: 24 Hours.]

She clenched her fist, feeling the Regret Value she had just acquired converting into a faint surge of power. She knew that Jiang Chen showing the seal was only the beginning; the real storm was coming.

The edges of the handkerchief were a yellowish-gray and smelled faintly of mold. Zheng Chunmei took it with trembling hands, her fingers stiff from cold and fear. She asked in terror, "Y-you... why are you here?"

Su Mingwei sneered, sliding the silver needle back into its vial with a crisp click. "Evidence? Hah. You can't even explain basic pharmacology, so what evidence could you possibly have? You're just a useless crybaby."

Su Mingwei blurred—moving so fast she was nothing but an afterimage. *Ding!* The silver needle pierced the wooden pillar, less than half an inch from the second thug's throat. The tail of the needle vibrated, emitting a faint hum.

The night wind swept into the room, scattering the moldy papers on the floor. In the distance, the faint sound of sirens drifted in. It was unclear if this was a smoke screen arranged by the Jiang Family or the omen of the actual storm.

Su Mingwei stopped what she was doing and glanced at her, a mocking smile curling her lips—a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Looking for Jiang Chen? With a body that's practically falling apart?"

Uncle Liu, unhurried, pulled a tattered booklet from his coat. "Just a side note—that competition formula was clearly plagiarized from Volume 3 of the Compendium of Materia Medica. He even got the punctuation wrong."

Another man spat, the spray landing on Qin Huai’s expensive custom coat. "Stop acting so high and mighty. Young Master Jiang said this clinic is coming down. You'd best be sensible."

"Auntie Su," Qin Huai spoke softly, her gaze steady. "Tomorrow morning, I'm going to see Jiang Chen. Not to run away, but to make him regret this to his very marrow."

Outside, a luxury car screeched to a halt. Jiang Chen stepped out, holding a seal engraved with the Jiang Family crest. His face was grim, his eyes scanning the interior like a viper.

Qin Huai felt a chill. The system interface jumped again, popping up a new warning: [High-spec surveillance lock detected. Source: Jiang Group Core Database.]

The gathered crowd began to murmur, and the thugs' momentum wavered. Qin Huai had a thought; remembering the system prompt, she quietly approached the first thug and touched his wrist.

Amidst the cold struggle, she felt her collar gripped by a massive force, and then an irresistible power yanked her into the air.

The first thug's eyes bulged with rage as he swung his pipe toward the counter. Su Mingwei dodged to the side, grabbed the land deed from the desk, and slammed it down hard, the pages rattling.

Su Mingwei stood up and picked up a rag to wipe her hands, sounding nonchalant. "Victims should be on their knees begging, not standing in my clinic getting in the way."

Qin Huai clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. The pain kept her sharp. She sneered, "I'm just passing through. Who said I was making a scene?"

Qin Huai didn't answer. Instead, she pulled a yellowed slip of paper from her coat—a "Fragment of Old World Karma" automatically generated by the system.

Qin Huai trembled with rage, yet she couldn't find a rebuttal. She stared at Su Mingwei, her gaze burning. "I'm not useless. I'm the victim."

The first thug caught sight of the deed and paused, but still snarled, "A piece of scrap paper! This is Young Master Jiang's order—you dare disobey?"

"He's investigating you..." Su Mingwei whispered, her voice weak. "Is Jiang Chen investigating your lineage, or is he investigating your life?"

She heard the deep-seated fear and regret within the thug's heart: *If something goes wrong, Young Master Jiang definitely won't save us. We're finished.*

"People of the Jiang Family! You just kicked my leg!" Auntie Wang shouted, her voice trembling but powerful.

Su Mingwei gave a contemptuous smile, her finger pointing toward the man's pressure points. "Whether you listen or not depends on if your meridians can still flow."

Jiang Chen's face was livid as he forcibly sealed the doors. Qin Huai gripped the system interface, her eyes cold, preparing for the counterattack.

The first thug roared, "Boss Su, Young Master Jiang told us to take over this place. If you're smart, open the door!"

Su Mingwei didn't retreat. Instead, she walked slowly to the counter, a silver needle flicking out of her hand, flashing with a cold light.

The second thug scoffed, waving his iron pipe. "Who are you trying to scare? You think a grown man is afraid of one little needle?"

Qin Huai straightened her back, her voice cool. "Jiang Chen stole my slot. I'm going to settle this with him."

Su Mingwei huffed, but she took a sip of the herbal tonic. Her expression softened slightly, and her tense shoulders relaxed.

One of the men shrieked, "Miss Qin Huai, this is no place for you to come and throw a tantrum."

Su Mingwei snapped, "This clinic is my family's ancestral property. The deed is right here. Who dares touch it?"

Su Mingwei mocked, "Smuggling inferior medicine and poisoning the people... this evidence is enough to put you in prison."

Without looking up, Su Mingwei moved the silver needle in a light arc through the air. "You're in the way. Move."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, suppressing all her anxiety and fear deep in her heart.

Su Mingwei's tone was ice. "Afraid? I'm afraid you won't even know how you died."

In an instant, the system prompt rang in Qin Huai's mind: [初级 Emotional Resonance activated.]

Su Mingwei frowned and glared at Qin Huai. "Touching people in the middle of the night? Are you sick?"

Uncle Liu handed over an old handkerchief. "Wipe yourself. Don't get blood on my pants."

Qin Huai gritted her teeth. "He plagiarized my formula. The evidence is with him."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, in front of the Ji Shi Medical Hall.

Qin Huai whispered, "I brewed some tonic for you. It's over there."

Jiang Chen threw down the seal. "Hand over the formula, or the clinic closes."

The first thug flew into a rage. "Old man, you want to stick your nose in this?"

The system interface popped up: [Regret Value +10.]

Su Mingwei said flatly, "Move, or I break your hand."

The luxury car's engine roared, disappearing into the night.

"Until I've seen him ruined."

Tomorrow, beneath the clinic's sign, there would be a baptism of blood and fire.