Chapter 728

Li Hengbo's anguished cries echoed in the ward, while the two policemen outside seemed not to hear.

Lin Dongfan pulled out the syringe, tossed it into the trash, sat back down, cigarette between his lips, coldly watching Li Hengbo curled up in agony on the hospital bed.

"Kill you?"

Lin Dongfan exhaled a puff of smoke.

He laughed icily: "That would be too easy for you. If you died, who would clear Duan Xinhua's injustice? Who would repay Duan Xiaobin's blood debt? Su Yuhong's life… who would give her an explanation?"

Li Hengbo gasped heavily, cold sweat beading on his forehead, the puncture site on his thigh burning with pain.

But he forced himself not to cry out again.

He merely stared fixedly at Lin Dongfan, his eyes burning with vengeful fire.

"You think sending me to prison settles everything?" Li Hengbo rasped: "Lin Dongfan, you're too naïve! How many people are implicated in Duan Xinhua's case? Who's pulling the strings behind Duan Xiaobin's death? Su Yuhong's car accident… you really think I orchestrated it alone?!"

He drew a breath, lowered his voice, tinged with near‑mad delight:

"I'll tell you why I've had smooth sailing these years, why everyone in Wu Zhou gives me the green light—because too many people are tied to this profit chain!"

"I, Li Hengbo, am merely a glove put on display!"

"You think snapping my finger will finish it? Naïve! Those hands will retract, slip on a new glove, keep making money, keep opposing your Lin family!"

Lin Dongfan listened silently, the cigarette burning slowly at his fingertips.

After Li Hengbo finished speaking, Lin Dongfan slowly said: "Done?"

Li Hengbo blinked.

"I already knew all that," Lin Dongfan said, stubbing out his cigarette: "If I grab you, the whole net will show a tear, and those hiding behind the net…"

He paused, leaned close to Li Hengbo, his voice a whisper: "They'll be more anxious than anyone, and right now they can't wait to cut this loose end of yours."

Li Hengbo's pupils shrank: "What the hell do you mean?!"

"The real target of last night's car crash was you, you know that yourself." Lin Dongfan locked eyes with him: "Someone wants to silence you, kill you to cover up."

Li Hengbo's breathing grew ragged, and he was momentarily speechless.

"At eight tomorrow morning, the Wu Zhou Police will escort you back to the capital." Lin Dongfan glanced at his watch: "They'll guard you the whole way, nominally for your safety, actually…"

"To send me to my funeral? I get it."

Li Hengbo replied, his hatred so fierce he nearly bit his teeth apart.

The ward fell into dead silence.

Only the monitor beeped regularly.

After Along while, Li Hengbo asked hoarsely: "Why are you telling me this? Isn't watching me die exactly what you want?"

"I do want you dead, but I'd rather you say everything you need to before you die." Lin Dongfan lit another cigarette: "On your deathbed, surely you don't want to drag a few scapegoats down with you? I don't believe that; it's not your style."

Lin Dongfan took a drag of his cigarette.

He continued: "They want to kill you mid‑journey; if you don't want to die in such frustration, you'll have to listen to me and cooperate with my plan."

Li Hengbo stared at Lin Dongfan: "What plan?"

"'Replace the Prince with a Civet Cat.'"

Lin Dongfan spat out the five words, not rushing to reveal his full plan.

Waiting until ten o'clock at night.

Late night, all quiet.

Lin Dongfan brought a bespectacled, refined‑looking middle‑aged man, accompanied by Lao Ba.

The middle‑aged man pulled a suitcase containing various bottles, jars, and molding materials.

This man was Xu Wenxuan, a top‑tier domestic film‑special‑effects makeup artist who had produced lifelike human‑skin masks for several fantasy blockbusters.

He was an old classmate of Ye Jiaying, summoned by Lin Dongfan overnight to Wu Zhou.

"'Professor Xu, time is tight—can you finish before dawn?' Lin Dongfan asked."

Xu Wenxuan pushed up his glasses, confidently replying: "Shouldn't be a problem; I brought all the materials—silicone mold, skin wax, special pigments…"

Having said that, Xu Wenxuan glanced at Li Hengbo lying on the hospital bed.

He added: "However, making the facial mold requires his cooperation. Besides, the mask needs at least eight hours to set and harden. Time is short; we must ensure nothing goes wrong midway."

"'Don't worry, the policemen outside are guarding for me; no one will come in to disturb.' Lin Dongfan said: 'Let's begin.'"

"'Mm.'"

Xu Wenxuan nodded, opened the suitcase—inside lay all the special‑effects makeup tools.

Li Hengbo lying on the bed said nothing.

He offered no resistance.

Cooperating with Lin Dongfan's "Replace the Prince with a Civet Cat" plan wasn't something he willingly did, but he knew that if he refused, he'd likely die halfway through the escort to the capital.

Once aboard the prisoner transport, it would be nine deaths to one life!

Going along with Lin Dongfan's plan might still offer a slim chance—at least to live until the court trial; if luck struck, maybe a suspended death sentence.

Xu Wenxuan worked skillfully, first smearing petroleum jelly over Li Hengbo's face, then evenly applying the prepared sodium alginate paste, leaving only the nostrils open for breathing.

"'Don't move, hold still for fifteen minutes,' Xu Wenxuan instructed."

Li Hengbo sat rigidly, eyes staring through the gaps in the alginate at Lin Dongfan—the man he loathed to the bone now his sole lifeline.

Fate truly is ironic.

Fifteen minutes later, Xu Wenxuan carefully removed the solidified facial mold, began mixing silicone, and poured it into the mold.

Meanwhile…

Xu Wenxuan had Lao Ba sit down, then began adjusting Lao Ba's basic facial contours, using skin wax to build up his cheekbones and refine his jawline.

Time ticked by, and before they knew it, dawn had arrived.

Waiting for the mask mold to take initial shape.

Xu Wenxuan put the silicone mask on Lao Ba's face, carefully adjusted the edges, glued it with special adhesive, then began painting, rendering skin texture, and adding pore details.

Finally, he took out a pair of custom-made contact lenses and put them on Lao Ba, imitating Li Hengbo's iris color.

"All right."

Xu Wenxuan stepped back two paces and examined his work.

Under the light, Lao Ba's face had become "Li Hengbo." Although close inspection still showed slight unnaturalness, in dim light or from a distance it was convincing enough.

"Damn, it looks just like him."

Seeing this godlike makeup skill, Li Hengbo felt as if he were looking at his own "decoy," and finally a hint of a smile appeared on his face.

Lin Dongfan stepped forward, stared at Lao Ba for a few seconds, and nodded: "All right. Lao Ba, remember, you are now the wounded-not-yet-healed Li Hengbo, a cripple. If anyone approaches on the road, cough and groan, keep your eyes mostly shut. Don't remove the handcuffs; they're a key prop."

"Understood."

Lao Ba's voice came through the mask, a bit muffled, but after deliberately lowering his pitch, it actually had a hint of Li Hengbo's hoarseness.

Lin Dongfan turned and looked at Li Hengbo.

And he threw him a set of doctor's white coat and mask: "Put it on and follow me."

"Where to?" Li Hengbo asked.

"Another route." Lin Dongfan glanced at his watch: "The Wu Zhou Police will be here shortly to take you. Lao Ba will stay here to take your tribulation for you, and I will personally escort you secretly to the capital."

He paused briefly.

Lin Dongfan added further: "Listen, if you play tricks on the road, or if you reach Jingcheng and betray me, I can just as easily send you to meet the Buddha!"

"Cut the threats, lead the way!"

Li Hengbo talked big, but in action he was still cooperative, daring not to be the slightest bit vague.

6:30 a. m.

Lao Ba lay in the hospital bed impersonating Li Hengbo, while Li Hengbo followed Lin Dongfan onto a black off‑road vehicle and left the hospital ahead of the escorting officers.