The council hall was a mess, covered with many bloody footprints. Liang Lao Qi met Liang Yongping's expectant gaze and solemnly nodded.

Although the lighting here wasn't particularly good and the medical tools weren't completely available, the situation was urgent, and he couldn't worry about it anymore. Once the preparations were complete, Liang Lao Qi took a deep breath and turned his gaze to Liang Xiao.

Liang Yongping and Liang Yong'an stood aside, their eyes filled with tension. For them, the only thing they could do now was to silently pray.

Chu Ge sat quietly, lost in his thoughts. Suddenly, he realized something, stood up from the chair, and walked toward the door.

Liang Yong'an furrowed his brow, turned to look at his elder brother Liang Yongping. Liang Yongping shook his head, signaling him to be patient, and also turned his gaze towards Chu Ge.

Chu Ge walked to the door, stopped, and stood there quietly with his back to them, making no further moves.

Liang Yong'an looked puzzled, but Liang Yongping showed a bitter smile, sighed slightly, and couldn't help but feel a bit self-deprecating.

As Liang Xiao's real grandfather and the current clan leader of the Liang Family, he was actually not as considerate as an outsider!

Because of the recent series of events, his mind was chaotic indeed, but how could that young man named Chu Ge possibly be calm in such a situation?

Liang Yongping was right. What Chu Ge wanted to do was indeed guard the door here, not allowing anyone to disturb Liang Xiao's surgery.

Outside the council hall, it was empty, but in the courtyard behind an archway a dozen meters away, it was full of anxious waiting Liang Family members. Seeing Chu Ge appear at the door, they all frowned, eyeing him like tigers, ready to charge over at any moment.

Chu Ge looked at the crowd behind the archway, pointed at himself, waved his hand, and then pointed behind him, making a gesture for silence to these people.

The slightly agitated crowd quickly quieted down, although their eyes were still full of coldness, ruthlessness, and immense suspicion.

After making these gestures, Chu Ge directed his attention forward and began to wait patiently.

Whether he was putting on a show or being genuinely concerned, whether he was pretending or not, Chu Ge knew in his heart. As for what others thought, that was their business.

In the council hall, Liang Xiao lay on the operating table, with the clothing on his upper body already removed, exposing his smoothly contoured muscles to the air. The anesthesia and disinfection steps were completed, and next was the surgery.

As an elder deeply versed in medical arts for many years, even without precise instruments to examine Liang Xiao, Liang Lao Qi was incredibly confident in his judgment. The surgery was imperative.

Taking another deep breath, Liang Lao Qi picked up the sharp scalpel, yet at that moment, his hand hesitated, and a trace of hesitation appeared on his solemn face.

Since ancient times, there has been a saying that doctors shouldn't perform surgery on their own family. Even though Liang Lao Qi's mental resilience was strong, even though he had seen serious injuries, even though he was well-versed in both traditional and modern medicine, he could not escape this old adage.

After all, before his eyes was not just his family, but also the Liang Family's most outstanding young member, a martial arts genius rare in a hundred years!

If nothing unexpected happened, Liang Xiao's achievements in martial arts could likely, no, definitely surpass all of them, reaching a height they couldn't attain!

This child... was supposed to have a limitless future!

Once he made the incision, he would have to continue until the end!

But, if the surgery failed...

Liang Lao Qi dared not think further, a tremendous pressure rising in his heart, causing the hand holding the scalpel to tremble slightly.

Since he started learning medicine, this was only the second time such a situation had occurred. The first was his initial surgery on a real person, and the second was now.

His first surgery failed, and that person died.

In those few seconds, Liang Lao Qi experienced countless internal struggles, repeatedly telling himself that he could do it, that this surgery wasn't very difficult for him, yet an image of the patient who died under his care involuntarily appeared in his mind.

The eyes that once trusted him, the tightly closed eyelids at the time of death, seemed to be right in front of him.

The touch of a body turning from warm to cold under his hands felt as though it was still at his fingertips.

Liang Lao Qi's hand trembled visibly, his heart chaotic and only growing more so. Even after taking several deep breaths, his right hand holding the scalpel continued to tremble decidedly.

Liang Yongping and Liang Yong'an watched Liang Lao Qi; both elders saw his tension, aware of the reason behind it. They wanted to say something encouraging and comforting to him, but they couldn't bring themselves to do so.

Because they were more anxious than Liang Lao Qi, even more unable to face failure.

"Clang" — Liang Lao Qi's scalpel fell onto the instrument tray.

Liang Lao Qi lowered his arm powerlessly, a bead of sweat sliding down the creases of his face, trailing down wrinkles of age and despondence, mixing with a teardrop, both shattering upon the ground with a 'thud'.

"Big brother, second brother, I... I..."

"Old Qi, life and death are decreed by fate, wealth and honor lie with the heavens, you..."

Liang Yongping wanted to say "I'll do my best," even though he had said those words several times already. This time, however, his mouth opened, his lips trembled, but he couldn't say them.

How could he expect Liang Lao Qi, who was already in this state and disturbed by inner demons, to do his best?

If he really said that, it wouldn't just be irresponsible for Liang Xiao's life, but also for Liang Lao Qi, and even... he would be pushing both Liang Xiao and Liang Lao Qi into the abyss.

Liang Yongping knew clearly that if Liang Lao Qi failed, it would be as if Liang Lao Qi had killed Liang Xiao. From then on, until his death, Liang Lao Qi would probably never resolve this inner conflict.

Perhaps... he himself would be the same. Even if he didn't blame Lao Qi outwardly, even if he knew it wasn't Lao Qi's fault, could he truly forgive Lao Qi from the heart? The answer... was certainly no.

The brotherhood built over decades of trials and tribulations would also start to crack.

While the elders hesitated, Liang Xue picked up the scalpel and looked at Liang Xiao on the operating table with an expressionless face, "Where should I cut him open?"

Liang Lao Qi was startled and turned to look at Liang Xue, "Xiao Xue... you? Are you really going to..."

Liang Xue didn't even turn her head, her eyes still fixed on Liang Xiao, and calmly said, "Tell me, how should I do it? Horizontally or vertically?"

"But... you've never done anything like this before, you..."

"So what?" Without waiting for Liang Lao Qi to finish, Liang Xue interrupted him, "If it were him, he would definitely do the same, right? Tell me, how should I make the first cut?"

Her gaze focused on Liang Xiao's chest, Liang Xue waited for a few seconds without hearing an answer from Liang Lao Qi. She turned her head and met Liang Lao Qi's eyes.

Liang Lao Qi's hands clenched into fists, his brows knit deeply into a "川" character, and finally, he shook his head, "Put the knife down. Letting someone who's never operated on anyone take the scalpel is utter nonsense."

"Nonsense? Being hesitant and unable to act now is true nonsense. If it were him, he would say the same."

"This..."

Liang Lao Qi was at a loss for words. It's not that he didn't understand the reasoning, but unfortunately, many things aren't so simple as just understanding.

"Can you stop hesitating? If you can't do it, who else will if not me?"

Liang Xue's voice was still so indifferent as she turned her head to look at Liang Yongping and Liang Yong'an, "Clan Leader, Second Elder, if you're confident you can do better than me, I can give you the knife."

Liang Yongping and Liang Yong'an looked down at the glimmering surgical scalpel, but no one reached out.

Liang Xue let out a cold laugh, "You can't do it, can you? So tell me, if I'm not here, who would be?"

"Sigh..." A sigh accompanied by footsteps sounded from behind them. The three old men of the Liang family turned around to see Chu Ge walking toward them. Only Liang Xue didn't turn, still facing away from Chu Ge, her eyes focused on Liang Xiao on the operating table.

"He's right. Letting an outsider take the scalpel is utterly reckless."

Chu Ge's voice came from behind Liang Xue, and for the first time since she entered the meeting hall, her expression changed slightly, frowning a little.

Liang Xue slowly turned around, facing Chu Ge for the first time, "So?"

Chu Ge picked up a pair of gloves from the surgical tray, put them on, and held out his hand to Liang Xue, "So, let me do it."

The three elders were stunned, their eyes filled with astonishment as they looked at Chu Ge.

Liang Xue let out a cold laugh, "Can I trust you?"

"Whether or not you trust me is your issue, but I don't think Liang Xiao has enough time to wait for you to develop enough trust in me."

As soon as Chu Ge finished speaking, the glimmering surgical scalpel had already left Liang Xue's right hand and appeared in Chu Ge's. When Liang Xue noticed this, her pupils suddenly shrank, and a flash of horror appeared on her indifferent face.

This expression was fleeting, and Liang Xue soon returned to calm, "Ha, as expected of the guy who defeated him."

Liang Xue turned her head to look at Liang Yongping, "Clan Leader, can you promise me something?"

"Speak."

"If this guy fails, don't let him leave the Liang family alive."

Liang Yongping didn't speak. Two seconds later, he closed his eyes. The corners of Liang Xue's mouth lifted slightly, she said nothing more, and walked straight to the door.

Next, she would guard the door for Liang Xiao, who was still alive. Perhaps, in a moment, it would become guarding the door for the late Liang Xiao.

"Old sir, if necessary, please cooperate with me."

Chu Ge calmly said to the still-dazed Liang Lao Qi, aiming at Liang Xiao's chest, hand raised, and the knife fell.

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