Several people walked out along the corridor, preparing to leave the basement. As they reached the elevator lobby, they saw an elevator coming down.
"Someone's coming down, let's take the stairs," Zhang Minlan pointed to the stairs and said.
Just as they dragged the four young people into the stairwell, the elevator doors opened, and five young people carrying weapons emerged.
"Someone went down the stairs. You two chase them. We'll go get the data," the leader of the young people said, pointing towards the stairwell when he heard footsteps.
Two young men carrying submachine guns chased into the stairwell, while the remaining three ran down the corridor towards the operating room.
As Xiao Ming and the others reached the first floor, the two pursuers caught up, and two bullets whizzed past, hitting the wall.
Hiding behind a wall, Xiao Ming pulled out his Profound Iron Cleaver and said, "You guys go, I'll take care of them."
Luo Tianshui and the others dragged the four young people towards the exit of the inpatient building.
The two young men pursued them, and as soon as they showed their heads, Xiao Ming's Profound Iron Cleaver swung down.
Two submachine guns were aimed at Xiao Ming, but before they could fire, they were severed along with the arms holding them by the Profound Iron Cleaver.
Blood splattered, and severed limbs and broken guns fell to the ground. Amidst screams, Xiao Ming kicked each of them, sending them into the stairwell, where they tumbled down the stairs.
The group left the inpatient building. Night Owl led the four pale-faced young people towards the main gate, while the others circled around to the back of the inpatient building and climbed over the wall to escape the hospital.
A large number of police officers had already arrived. They were using tools to control the four corpses and had tied them up.
The police officers were all tense, as it was the first time any of them had seen corpses wandering around, and these corpses had long stab wounds in their stomachs.
Seeing five more people emerge, a group of police officers was startled and drew their weapons, pointing them at Night Owl and the others.
"What do you want?" Night Owl asked, looking at the officers in panic.
A middle-aged officer asked, "Who are you people, and where did you come from?"
Night Owl pointed to the inpatient building and said, "I came from the inpatient building. Everyone was running out earlier, and I got lost and ended up in the basement. I couldn't find the exit, so I found these four locked up in a room and brought them out."
Seeing the four people with pale faces and looks of panic, the officers relaxed their guard.
The officers took the four people to a vehicle and transferred them to other hospitals for examination. After a brief questioning, Night Owl was allowed to leave.
Long Xiao sat in his room, watching the situation at the hospital. When he saw Night Owl emerge from the hospital on an online video, he was relieved to know they were safe.
As he was engrossed in watching, the door was pushed open. The housekeeper, Zhao Lingyan, entered with a beautiful woman who was fair-skinned, attractive, and had long legs.
"Mr. Hu, this is Miss Nangong Linglong, the niece of our chairman."
Long Xiao put down his phone, looked at Nangong Linglong, and asked, "Is there something you need?"
Nangong Linglong smiled and said, "Is Brother Hu always this impolite?"
Long Xiao sneered, "You captured me and locked me up, and you expect me to be polite to you?"
Nangong Linglong sat opposite Long Xiao. Zhao Lingyan smiled at Long Xiao and withdrew from the room.
"Brother Hu, we actually didn't want to keep you locked up. Once Long Xiao arrives, we'll let you go."
Long Xiao pointed at his phone and said, "There's been chaos at the hospital. Long Xiao should have arrived by now."
"Really? You think so too?" Nangong Linglong asked with a smile.
Long Xiao nodded and said, "I don't know much about Long Xiao, but I know he's loyal. I helped him once before. He knows I've been captured, so he'll definitely come to save me."
"Why wouldn't he come here directly to save you?" Nangong Linglong asked.
"That's silly. This place is heavily guarded. How could Long Xiao risk coming here? Besides, you might not have even told Long Xiao where you're keeping me."
Nangong Linglong smiled as she looked at the handsome Long Xiao and said, "Brother Hu, I didn't realize you were not only good-looking but also very intelligent."
"Thank you for the compliment, Miss Nangong. I'm actually quite slow-witted, I just think about some things more than you do."
Nangong Linglong happily stood up and said, "Brother Hu, it's time for lunch. Let's go out to eat and chat."
Long Xiao remained seated on the sofa and said, "I was captured by Chairman Nangong. Aren't you afraid I'll run away with you?"
Nangong Linglong shook her head and said, "You won't. If you were a young master from a prominent family, I would believe you'd run. But you're a migrant worker. If you dare to run, aren't you afraid I'll go after your family?"
"I have no family, not even a relative. What am I afraid of?"
"Let's go eat. Whether you run or not doesn't matter. Anyway, Long Xiao has already arrived in Mianyin City, and my people will find him within a day."
As Nangong Linglong spoke, she reached out to pull Long Xiao's arm. Long Xiao quickly stood up and said, "No need, I can stand up myself."
Nangong Linglong took Long Xiao to the most characteristic restaurant in Mianyin City. They ordered a few specialties and a bottle of red wine.
After two glasses of wine, Nangong Linglong's cheeks turned rosy. Long Xiao, intentionally or unintentionally, started chatting with her about the Nangong family.
Nangong Linglong told Long Xiao that the Nangong family, while appearing to be just a martial arts family on the surface, was actually enormous, with branches across every continent in the world.
The Nangong family in western Sichuan was the headquarters. Every five years, the Nangong family held a grand assembly in western Sichuan, attended by representatives from their global branches to discuss the coordinated development of the Nangong family.
The more Long Xiao listened, the more shocked he became. He had initially thought the Nangong family was an ordinary martial arts family, but he never expected it to be such a behemoth.
"I didn't expect the Nangong family to be so large. Are other Chinese families similar?" Long Xiao asked.
Nangong Linglong nodded and said, "More or less. Some are several times larger than the Nangong family, while others may not be as large, but each member is an elite. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to sustain a continuously prosperous family."
Nangong Linglong told Long Xiao that what supported a family's continuous development was martial arts, financial strength, and the family's share of public power within the country.
Families with only financial resources were like water without a source, unable to last long. Those with superior martial arts also found it difficult to develop long-term. And those with only public power could only be used as pawns and could not maintain cohesion for long.
"Does the Long family also have branches worldwide like the Nangong family?"
Nangong Linglong nodded and said, "Presumably. I don't know much about the Long family, but as far as I know, they have secret branches all over the world. The Long family controls many power structures in China. In some places, it can be said that what belongs to China belongs to the Long family, and what belongs to the Long family also belongs to China."
The two of them had a very enjoyable meal. Nangong Linglong felt that Long Xiao had become much more relaxed in front of her, having let down his guard.
After the meal, Nangong Linglong said, "Hu Lei, let's go buy you some clothes. Look at what you're wearing, it's too shabby."
"Sister Linglong, I'm a prisoner of your Nangong family. Is your Nangong family always so good to your captives?"
Nangong Linglong linked her arm through Long Xiao's and said, "Let's go. Our Nangong family isn't a Buddhist temple, we're not that kind."