Bai Yan opened the document bag, reached in, and felt an icy touch, which stirred something inside him.
Bai Yan pulled the object out—it was a silver-white handgun!
There was also a gun permit inside the document bag.
Gun Permit Holder: Bai Yan.
Firearm Description: P229 model 9mm caliber handgun.
Bai Yan was somewhat stunned. An Yan had actually given him a handgun, complete with a matching gun permit!
Bai Yan fished further into the document bag and pulled out six magazines, each fully loaded.
His eyes brightened at the sight of the weapon, exuding a cold metallic feel; which man wouldn’t ?
An Yan’s eyes curved into crescents, and she asked with a smile.
Since hearing from Chen Jing tonight about Bai Yan valiantly wielding a machete alone to save An Xiaowan, An Yan had decisively arranged for the gun permit to be processed overnight.
Before his amnesia, Bai Yan was adept at using firearms, and An Yan had every reason to believe that with a gun, An Xiaowan’s safety would greatly increase.
After all, An Yan knew this man very well. She was aware of his potential and strength, which was markedly better than an ordinary bodyguard’s, even with his memory lost!
"Thank you, President An."
Bai Yan said sincerely. His current strength wasn’t particularly strong, so a firearm was a good weapon for self-defense.
"You flatter me; haven’t you been calling me An Yan?"
An Yan laughed happily, content that he liked the gift.
"Sure, An Yan... then I will take my leave."
Bai Yan nodded with a smile, pocketed the handgun and the gun permit, and turned to leave.
Suddenly, An Yan called out, "And... drive safely on the road!"
President An’s pretty face blushed, radiantly beautiful.
Neither An Yan nor Bai Yan realized that her words of caution sounded like those of a worried wife to a husband going on a long journey, natural in tone and full of concern.
Bai Yan waved lazily.
The Maybach drove all the way to the Royal Mo City Hospital.
At the hospital’s inquiry desk on the first floor,
"Nurse, could you please tell me where the patients brought in tonight are? One of them is named Fu Chao."
The nurse looked up, searched for the information of Fu Chao and others, then smiled, "You are Mr. Bai, right? Miss An has instructed us that if you come, you can go directly to the VIP room at the very end of the sixth floor; your friends are arranged there."
Bai Yan nodded, turned the corner, and entered the elevator.
On the sixth floor in the VIP ward, a Caucasian doctor just came out, and Bai Yan approached him, "Doctor, I am a friend of the patient inside; how are they doing?"
The doctor looked up at Bai Yan, then sighed, "Buddy, I pray God blesses you; the news is not optimistic... The condition of your friends is terrible, it’s almost certain they will be disabled for life. Their amputations are clean though, saving the need for amputation surgery."
Bai Yan was speechless; what does ’saving the need for amputation surgery’ mean? Does it imply that Fu Chao and the others are beyond salvation?
Bai Yan, not wanting to waste words with the Caucasian doctor, went straight through the door.
Fu Chao and the rest had already woken up. Each lay dejected in their hospital beds; their amputated limbs had been disposed of as medical waste by the hospital.
Fu Chao raised his head, and with a forced smile said, "Brother Yan, you’re here."
The others also greeted him, but their expressions were too dispirited to mention.
Healthy young men had suddenly become disabled overnight; anyone would go mad if this fell upon them.
It was solely due to Fu Chao and the others’ strong will that they could temporarily hold back their sorrow and despair.
"Have you told your families about this?"
Bai Yan pulled up a stool and sat beside Fu Chao.
Fu Chao shook his head: "Not yet, we’ve asked President An to keep it under wraps for now; we don’t dare tell our families about this matter yet."
Fu Chao sighed. They were all only children from wealthy and powerful families; if the news got out, even An Yan’s solid background might be affected.
Fu Chao had a deeper concern; after all, they became disabled while protecting An Xiaowan and also under Bai Yan’s command.
If the news of their disability reached their families, and they pressured An Yan together, it would be difficult for her to protect Bai Yan.
The interconnectedness of business families is often complex, and even though An Yan had a strong and mysterious background, it would be difficult for a young woman like her to withstand the pressure from several powerful families.
"Mm-hmm, it’s alright, everything will pass."
Bai Yan offered casual comfort to Fu Chao and the others.
Fu Chao forced a smile but remained silent.
Fu Chao didn’t blame Bai Yan, but being handicapped was a devastating blow indeed.
Suddenly, Li Xu, lying in the adjacent hospital bed, roared out.
Bai Yan was taken aback, looking over just in time to see Li Xu with tears streaming down his face. The traces of tears were all over the young man’s face as he howled at Bai Yan, "Brother Yan, I can’t accept this! I’m the only son of my parents, and now I’m useless, I really can’t accept this!"
Li Xu wept softly, his voice like that of a wounded lone wolf, full of despair and sadness.
They were originally the carefree sons of wealthy families, but after getting to know Bai Yan, they followed him out of admiration for his strength. They never anticipated ending up handicapped.
They didn’t blame Bai Yan, but they truly couldn’t reconcile with it!
Who would be willing to be disabled so young?
To only be able to live as a cripple for the rest of their lives!
Fu Chao angrily scolded, "How can you talk to Brother Yan like that! Is it Brother Yan’s fault? We’re simply not as skilled and got our limbs chopped off by others. We deserve it!"
"Nobody forced us to protect Goddess An. It was our own willful decision, she’s Sister-in-law Yan! What are you not satisfied about? You’re just missing an arm and a leg, I lost three limbs!!"
Fu Chao’s voice was deep, and Li Xu simply wept silently, the intact left hand clutching at the bedsheet desperately.
"A grown man like you, what’s there to cry about! Chen Fei and Zhang Kailei both lost four limbs and became like sticks, yet they haven’t shed a tear! What the hell are you crying for!"
Fu Chao’s voice trembled, feeling a deep guilt within him, feeling he let his brothers down.
"Young Master Fu, Brother Yan... I really can’t accept it!"
Li Xu cried out in agony, his voice piercing and desperate.
Suddenly lifting his head, Li Xu pleaded with Bai Yan, "Brother Yan!"
"Brother Yan, my Brother Yan, I know you have a way! You’re so strong, so incredible! You must have a way to cure us, right?"
"Please, I beg you! Brother Yan, I’m my parents’ only son, I can’t remain disabled!"
Li Xu was like someone grasping at the last straw, struggling to get out of bed, wanting to kneel and beg Bai Yan. He couldn’t think of any other solution.
The Royal Mo City Hospital is the best hospital in Mo City, yet here the surgeons have already given them a death sentence. Unless they get custom-made metal limbs, they can only lie in bed for the rest of their lives.
After all, they are just a group of nineteen-year-olds! Just a group of young men who had just grown up!
Li Xu struggled too fiercely, rolling off the bed, crying while crawling towards Bai Yan.
He knew, pleading with Bai Yan couldn’t change the fact that he and the others were handicapped, but he had no other choice! He begged Bai Yan, needing someone to give him psychological support, needing someone to tell him: Don’t be afraid, you will get better!
Li Xu clutched at the smooth floor with his intact left hand, trying to crawl over. A movement that used to be easy had become extremely difficult because of his missing limbs.
Burying his head between his arms, Li Xu was out of options.
"Dad... Mom... Your son is sorry!"
Fu Chao’s eyes reddened, and he closed them in pain; he didn’t know how to scold Li Xu anymore. His brother’s tone of despair had infected him.
Inside the hospital room, Fu Chao, Chen Fei, and Zhang Kailei all hung their heads, a sense of desperation enveloping them.
Bai Yan’s face remained calm as he stood up from the stool and took large strides over to kneel in front of Li Xu.
Upon hearing the movement, Li Xu lifted his tear-stained, bewildered face: "Brother Yan... I really can’t accept being useless for the rest of my life! Please help me, will you?"
Li Xu’s voice was imploring, his spirit on the verge of collapse.
Bai Yan smiled and reached out to stroke Li Xu’s hair: "You won’t be useless, I’m here."
Confidence laced Bai Yan’s words, leaving Fu Chao, Li Xu, and the others staring at him in a daze.
Brother Yan, is there really a way?
Bai Yan helped Li Xu up, supporting him back to the bed.
Everyone’s gaze was locked onto Bai Yan. His words gave them a glimmer of hope.
Even if it was a faint, seemingly absurd hope.
Bai Yan stood tall, glancing over Fu Chao and the others.
"I’m very sorry about what happened tonight,"
Bai Yan spoke indifferently: "The order to protect Xiao Wan came from me, and your being handicapped is a consequence of my actions."
"Both publicly and privately, I cannot abandon you."
"But Brother Yan, we’re already in this state... do you really have a way?"
Fu Chao asked hesitantly, his eyes holding a sliver of hope.
"When have I ever lied to you?"
Bai Yan laughed, his laughter bright and sunny.
"You call me Brother Yan, was it for nothing? I, Bai Yan, will not let down my brothers!"