The reason Xiahou Huaiyu was so afraid of the old lady also had its basis.

When she was young and naive, she defied her parents’ objections and insisted on marrying a greedy and deceitful man. As a result, not only was she swindled of money and body, but also suffered long-term domestic violence.

Later, when Xiahou Huaiyu could no longer bear it, she seized the opportunity to run back to the Xiahou Family with her daughter secretly.

However, back then, to marry that scoundrel, she did many foolish things that brought shame to the Xiahou Family, completely breaking the hearts of the elderly couple.

Therefore, upon learning that their daughter, covered in wounds, returned with their granddaughter, Xiahou Xiong and Luo Xiangyue were unwilling to see her.

To obtain her parents’ forgiveness, Xiahou Huaiyu knelt at the gate for two days and nights.

On the second night, a torrential rain fell. Xiahou Ruming got sick from the rain and developed a high fever, causing Luo Xiangyue to soften her heart and allow the mother and daughter to step into the Xiahou Family’s home.

As the granddaughter, Xiahou Ruming was innocent, and Luo Xiangyue and Xiahou Xiong were quite doting to her. But this affection was far less deep than their love for their younger son.

On this crucial moment today, Luo Xiangyue’s heart was entirely focused on Xiahou Huai Gui, and Xiahou Ruming weeping at this time was naturally irksome to them.

After Xiahou Ruming was driven away, the observation room returned to quiet. Although the timid clan members were scared stiff by Xiahou Huai Gui’s sickly appearance, they bit their lips tightly and did not dare make a sound.

"Ah!"

In the operating room, Xiahou Huai Gui suddenly tilted his neck upward, let out a miserable scream, and then lay motionless on the bed like a corpse.

Seeing this, Xiahou Xiong uncontrollably stood up, tearfully shouting towards the operating room, "Huai Gui!"

Luo Xiangyue was also frightened, clutching the wheelchair’s armrest tightly.

But she quickly noticed Xiahou Huai Gui’s fingers curling, and after pulling her husband’s hand, Luo Xiangyue choked up, "He’s still alive, Da Xiong, calm down, don’t disturb Miss Xing from running the surgery."

After learning Xiahou Huai Gui was still alive, Xiahou Xiong, full of lingering fears, sat down.

In the surgery room, Xu Xingguang picked up an excessively thin and sharp knife. Steadily holding the knife with her right hand, she placed it against Xiahou Huai Gui’s back skin.

Knowing Xiahou Huai Gui’s consciousness was clear, she told him, "I will start the surgery now, young master, hold on, and you will still be able to see the stars over Tibet."

"If you cannot hold on, I’ll also ask your parents to bury you beneath the stars in Tibet, fulfilling your regret."

Xiahou Huai Gui: "..."

He gently moved his fingers, signaling Xu Xingguang to proceed directly.

Xu Xingguang held down the middle spine of Xiahou Huai Gui’s back with her left hand, slightly tilted her right arm, the knife tip downward, easily cutting open the skin.

Lowering her wrist, the blade under her fingertips cut smoothly and precisely along the growth direction of the first rib above Xiahou Huai Gui’s right side.

Warm red blood immediately overflowed from the incision, quickly forming streams running down under Xiahou Huai Gui’s body.

Xu Xingguang probed under the skin with the knife tip, saying, "Not here."

The Corpse Centipede was crafty and, before fainting, must have minimized itself and hid somewhere in Xiahou Huai Gui’s body.

Xu Xingguang continued to cut the skin on the second rib.

This knife caused Xiahou Huai Gui to twitch with pain, his fingers grabbing the sheet pale with suppressed pain.

Suddenly Xu Xingguang said, "Let me tell you a story."

Xiahou Huai Gui’s mind was occupied by the pain, unable to hear what Xu Xingguang was saying clearly.

Turning off her mic, Xu Xingguang told Xiahou Huai Gui, "I once performed the same surgery on a girl. Do you know how many incisions I made on her body before finding the Corpse Centipede?"

Xiahou Huai Gui thought for a few seconds before asking, "How many?"

Xu Xingguang replied, "46 incisions."

Xiahou Huai Gui’s breath hitched, immediately wishing he was dead.

"It’s not here either," Xu Xingguang withdrew the blade, calmly cutting open the third rib as Xiahou Huai Gui, numbed by pain, sweated profusely.

Enduring the Corpse Centipede’s torment for years had granted him pain tolerance exceeding normal people, keeping him precariously holding on.

After a while, Xiahou Huai Gui rasped, "Did she die?"

"No, she survived."

"Wow, she must be incredible," Xiahou Huai Gui admired her truly.

Nodding, Xu Xingguang said, "Because she carried her lover’s child, she had to remove the Corpse Centipede before it transferred to the child."

Hearing this, Xiahou Huai Gui fell silent.

Xu Xingguang sneered, saying contemptuously, "Xiahou Huai Gui, are you going to be outdone by a pregnant woman?"

This was a provocation.

Xiahou Huai Gui understood the intent behind Xu Xingguang’s story, gritting out, "Go on! I can take it!"

"Okay."

Everyone fixated on the surgery room through the transparent glass wall, pained by Xiahou Huai Gui’s suffering and impressed with Miss Xing’s calmness under pressure.

After eight minutes, over ten incisions covered Xiahou Huai Gui’s back, blood blurring his body long since.

The bloody scene was stomach-churning.

Ye Mingluo was used to these scenes. Watching Huo Wen’an, his expression as lazily calm as ever, Ye Mingluo asked, "A Zui, don’t you find it gruesome?"

Huo Wen’an remained silent.

He focused on Miss Xing’s calm knife-wielding hands.

If a grotesque punishment could exchange for rebirth, he would lie on that bed willingly, allowing those hands to open his abdomen.

After cutting the last rib without seeing a trace of the Corpse Centipede, Xu Xingguang paused her hand.

Seeing Xu Xingguang seemed paused, assisting doctors were uneasy. "What’s wrong, isn’t it the Corpse Centipede in the young master’s body?"

At this moment, doubts arose even in observing room.

"What’s happening? Did Miss Xing truly make an error? Is the young uncle not parasite-bound by a Corpse Centipede?"

"Is Miss Xing spouting nonsense? Isn’t this treating the young master like a toy?"

Furious skeptical voices erupted in the observing room.

Xiahou Xiong and Luo Xiangyue stayed silent, but their expressions darkened and turned dangerous. If Miss Xing’s assessment proved incorrect, Huai Gui suffered this ordeal in vain.

They would never forgive Miss Xing.

"I told you she’s a fraud," Lin Daoist firmly believed Xu Xingguang was swindling, manipulating Xiahou Huai Gui for attention.

"To dare trick the Xiahou Family, today she won’t leave the Xiahou household standing."

Harsh remarks reached their ears, causing Ye Mingluo to doubt Miss Xing’s capabilities too.

"A Zui, you think she’s a scam?" Ye Mingluo sought Huo Wen’an’s opinion.

Huo Wen’an, studying the blue silhouette, spoke of another matter.

He informed Ye Mingluo, "Years ago, Great Sheep Country secretly built a weapon research station deep underground in the chaotic battlefield. Later deserted, for unknown reasons, Xia Country Alliance Military Department recovered some shredded documents from the derelict site. Once restored, they revealed research on a living mutation weapon."

Huo Wen’an gazed at Ye Mingluo, saying gravely, "This is top-secret, known only to the Alliance Army’s presidential decree and investigators involved in that probe. If a Corpse Centipede is truly inside Xiahou Huai Gui, it’s likely Great Sheep Country’s research station’s trickery."

Ye Mingluo and Huo Wen’an shared a close bond, this was the first Ye Mingluo heard of such a secret, let alone Miss Xing.

Yet, Miss Xing accurately described Xiahou Huai Gui’s condition, indicating her intimate knowledge of the Corpse Centipede.

Placing Miss Xing’s claims against Huo Wen’an’s revelations, Ye Ming realizes with shock a chilling possibility—

Miss Xing might know the entire core research of Great Sheep Country’s underground research station!

Given such knowledge, how can she be a mere scam artist?