Chapter 26: A Crazy Decision

Amidst Apollo’s hesitation, Yang Qing had completely broken free from her constraints. She stood up once more, her aura growing imperceptibly more formidable. The high ponytail she had worn was now undone, her hair cascading down.

Yang Qing curled her lips toward the terrified red-haired woman and mouthed silently: "I won."

She then gritted her teeth and let out another sharp, piercing cry. In an instant, blood spilled from her nose and mouth, a ghastly sight. Yet, at the same time, her mental shield erupted with a blinding brilliance. Then, with a crack, it shattered into countless fragments, stabbing into the red-haired woman like a barrage of flying blades.

"Urgh!"

The woman only had time to let out a muffled groan before she was showered in blood, sent flying several meters away, and fell lifeless.

Yang Qing barely managed to remain standing, though her body teetered on the brink of collapse. "We... won." She wiped the blood from her face indiscriminately and forced herself to walk toward Dawn. Seeing this, Song Yuanqing moved to assist her, but Yang Qing stopped him. "I’m fine. Let me do it."

Having just rendered such a significant service, Song Yuanqing had no choice but to respect her wishes. Staggering, Yang Qing reached Apollo. Apollo looked down at her with a furrowed brow, saying nothing. The forces on both sides immediately grew tense again. After all, breaking a contract was a simple enough matter.

"You wouldn't want to... go back on your word, would you, Mr. Apollo?"

Yang Qing had spent enough time under Ouyang Lin to have access to high-level intelligence. She recognized Apollo as a renowned expert.

Apollo shook his head. "You earned this with your life; I respect your merit." He waved his hand, signaling for his men to release the captive. His subordinates let go of the pharmacist and told him to get lost.

The pharmacist scrambled forward, his pants wet with fear. He had intended to run all the way to Ouyang Lin’s side, but when he saw the array of weapons pointed in that direction, his legs gave out. Hesitating, he stopped beside Yang Qing, who, in her current state, seemed the least threatening person present.

"The man can be returned to them, but... would you like to join us? If I personally recruit you, your path to advancement will exceed your wildest imagination."

After a moment's pause, Apollo extended an olive branch. Fearing a rejection, he added, "You could work directly under me, I could mentor you personally. Interested?"

Ouyang Lin’s face turned pale at these words. It was not just the shamelessness of poaching a subordinate that bothered her, but the fact that the offer was incredibly tempting.

"Apologies, I am not someone who enjoys new environments. If there is nothing else, I will be taking him back."

Yang Qing’s reply allowed Ouyang Lin to finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"Won't you reconsider? In your current position, even with this credit, it may not be enough to guarantee your safety. You should think carefully." Apollo frowned, offering a final, unwilling reminder.

Yang Qing shook her head again. "Once a decision is made, one must take responsibility for it. I have always lived by that conviction."

With that, she grabbed the pharmacist’s arm and turned to walk back. Apollo sighed, wearing a rare expression of helplessness. "Withdraw."

At his command, the men of Dawn quickly boarded their helicopter and departed. He climbed into his own Maybach, soon vanishing into the night.

The disturbance subsided. The military personnel let out long sighs of relief. The pressure exerted by an expert like Apollo had been overwhelming. Even after the rest of his team had left, the tension remained. It was only when he finally departed that everyone felt safe again.

"You did well, Yang Qing. I will report your achievements faithfully," Ouyang Lin said with a smile, calling out to the two figures slowly approaching from the distance.

Across from them, the pharmacist asked nervously, "Why did you capture me? Can you tell me now? I really didn't steal any state secrets!"

Yang Qing ignored him, instead trembling as she pulled her phone from her pocket. After dialing a number, she handed the phone to the pharmacist as soon as the call connected. "Tell him the formula for the Dazzle Beta-type serum."

The pharmacist paused, asking instinctively, "This serum... what... what happened? Did someone... die? That really isn't my fault, is it? It must be that person's constitution was just..."

"Cut the... crap. Tell him, and it will be over. I will... let you go immediately." Yang Qing felt her consciousness growing dim; her vision was beginning to blacken, and she was only holding on by sheer willpower.

A look of pleasant surprise appeared on the pharmacist's face. Though suspicious, he figured the formula he had concocted haphazardly had no real value anyway, so he recited it into the phone. Once finished, he returned the phone to Yang Qing.

"...Did you memorize it?" Yang Qing asked, gritting her teeth.

"Yes, it's complex, but I've memorized it. How are you doing? You don't look well. Should I..." Shen Xing’s concerned voice came through the receiver.

Before he could finish, Yang Qing cut him off. "Sorry, listen to me first. Memorize the formula. It is your life, and it is mine. You must never let a second person know, not even me, never, ever."

"Yang Qing, you..." Shen Xing sensed something, but the call was abruptly cut off.

In the next moment, Shen Xing saw a spray of blood bloom in the distance, followed by... a severed head tossed into the air. The pharmacist's face still bore an ingratiating expression, which, combined with the terror of his final moment, looked deeply grotesque. Fortunately, no one else saw it. The head soon hit the ground, rolling until it was covered in dust.

"NO!!!"

"Stop!"

The angry shouts of Ouyang Lin and Song Yuanqing erupted. Yang Qing smiled at them faintly, her vision went black, and she collapsed limply to the ground.

*Sorry, you were innocent. If you feel resentful after death... come and find me.*

As she lost consciousness, a flicker of guilt for the pharmacist crossed Yang Qing's mind. Footsteps drew nearer. Before long, Ouyang Lin and the others reached her. She immediately knelt to check Yang Qing’s wounds, breathing a sigh of relief when she discovered they were not fatal. But looking at the expression of satisfaction and relief on Yang Qing’s face, Ouyang Lin couldn't help but want to strangle her. She had given Yang Qing such immense trust, only for her to do something like this!

Even now, Ouyang Lin felt a strong sense of unreality. She couldn't fathom why Yang Qing had done it. After risking her life, why, having finally won the man back, would she destroy him with her own hands?

Song Yuanqing, standing nearby, remained relatively calm. "Theoretically, she wouldn't do something so foolish. I suspect she might have obtained the formula from him before..."

Ouyang Lin paused, thinking it over. "Now that you mention it, that is very likely! If he were still alive, two people would know the formula. But by killing him, only Yang Qing knows. In doing so, she has essentially given herself an invincible talisman!"

Song Yuanqing nodded, pondering, "But... I saw her make a phone call. Who was it to? Quickly, find her phone, check the number, and find out the contents of the call!"

The two immediately began searching Yang Qing.

"No need, she just called me," a calm voice came from nearby. It was Shen Xing.