Chapter 79: The Female Assassin Armed to the Teeth

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Let go of me or I'll scream for help!" Xia Yubing hadn't expected her identity to be exposed so quickly. All she could do was stubbornly deny it.

"You failed once the other day, and now you're making another move so soon. You really are in a hurry," Lu Feng said casually, his grip tight around her wrist, refusing to let go.

This assignment had a seven-day deadline. If she didn't succeed within that time, her handler would send someone else, and she, as a failed killer, would be blacklisted and never used again.

Xia Yubing had been brought into this line of work before she even came of age. She had endured unspeakable hardships and knew how to kill quickly and efficiently, but aside from that, she knew next to nothing—not even finishing high school. This was a job she couldn't afford to fail.

She pulled the brim of her baseball cap lower, avoiding Lu Feng's gaze, and snapped angrily, "Are you crazy? Grabbing my hand and babbling nonsense..." Halfway through, she lashed out with her right foot under the table, aiming for his knee.

Sensing the movement, Lu Feng immediately parted his legs and leaned his chair back.

Bang!

Xia Yubing's kick landed squarely on the chair, sending both Lu Feng and the chair skidding backward.

But he still held fast to her wrist, and using the momentum, he dragged her down onto the table.

With a flick of her left hand, a dagger slid from her sleeve into her grasp. Without hesitation, she slashed it toward Lu Feng's hand, which was clamped over her pulse.

Lu Feng saw the glint of the blade but didn't try to block it. Instead, he suddenly tightened his grip, his fingers pressing hard into the acupuncture point at her wrist.

A muffled groan escaped her lips as pain shot through the pressure point. Xia Yubing instantly regretted offering her wrist for a pulse reading, never imagining she'd be found out so soon.

Once Lu Feng had subdued her, he knocked the dagger from her hand and reached for her mask, intent on seeing her face.

She tried to block his hand, but he pulled the mask away before she could stop him.

The moment her mask was ripped off, Xia Yubing sprang into action. With a palm pressed to the table, she lunged at Lu Feng as if seeking his embrace. But as the mask was pulled free and her mouth and nose were exposed, it became clear she held a razor-sharp blade between her teeth. Using the momentum of her leap, she slashed mercilessly at the left side of Lu Feng's neck, aiming for the carotid artery.

Lu Feng truly hadn't expected her to be armed to the teeth—literally. When the blade was just three centimeters from his throat, he hurriedly released her wrist and shoved her away with all his strength.

She tumbled backward, rolling as she landed to put distance between them. Without so much as a backward glance, she pulled up her collar to hide her face and fled the wellness clinic at lightning speed.

This female assassin was as slippery as an eel, escaping his grasp twice now.

Lu Feng tried to recall her face after the mask came off, but in that fleeting moment—when he'd nearly had his throat cut—he hadn't gotten a clear look. All he remembered was that she was young, had fair skin, and a tear-shaped mole at the corner of her left eye.

A waitress was greeting guests outside when she heard the commotion from Lu Feng's consultation room. She entered, saw the overturned furniture, and asked, "Dr. Lu, is everything all right?"

Lu Feng waved her off. "It's nothing. Just have someone clean up in here."

The waitress came in, righted the chairs and tables, cleared away the broken items, and replaced them with new ones.

...

When Su Dao'an heard that Lu Feng's consultation room had been upended, he came to check on things. "What happened?" he asked.

"Nothing," Lu Feng replied with a wave, then suddenly asked, "Every patient who comes in should be registered, right? Who was that person just now?"

Su Dao'an called the receptionist, checked the computer records, and said, "Her name is registered as Xia Chong... Huh, she used Mrs. Chen's VIP card."

"And who is she to Mrs. Chen?" Su Dao'an asked the receptionist.

At Yun'an Wellness Clinic, only VIPs could see Dr. Lu. Of course, the clinic was not a hospital—consultations were different. After taking a patient's pulse, the TCM doctor would prescribe herbal remedies, advising clients on what to eat to reduce internal heat.

But Lu Feng could treat any illness after taking a pulse. With his official TCM license, he could legally write prescriptions.

The receptionist glanced at the record and said, "This lady claimed to be Mrs. Chen's niece. She was wearing a mask, saying she had a cold. Since Mrs. Chen is a VIP, and it's common for VIP cards to be lent out in such cases, I let her in."

"Pull up Mrs. Chen's number and call her to check," Su Dao'an instructed.

"No need," Lu Feng interjected, already forming a picture of what had happened. "The card was probably stolen."

Su Dao'an frowned, then told the receptionist, "Freeze the card immediately. Call Mrs. Chen and see if her card is missing. If it is, ask her to apply for a replacement next time she's here."

The receptionist nodded and went to make the call.

...

Lu Feng stroked his chin in thought as he walked back toward his consultation room. Su Dao'an hurried after him, asking, "Xiao Feng, did something happen? Who was that woman?"

Lu Feng looked at Su Dao'an, uncertain whether to share the truth. As he glanced past him, he caught sight of a security camera in the corridor corner and pointed at it. "I want to see the surveillance footage," he said.

Su Dao'an led him to the monitoring room, where they pulled up every video that might have captured the female assassin.

They watched it from start to finish but found nothing useful. Clearly, the assassin had scoped out the positions of every camera beforehand; all that could be seen was the brim of her cap—never her face.

Su Dao'an, watching the footage of the woman dodging every camera, grew more and more uneasy. "What did she come here for? Xiao Feng, tell me the truth," he pressed.

After a moment's silence, Lu Feng replied, "She's probably an assassin."

"An assassin?" Su Dao'an was taken aback, then immediately asked, "After you?"

"Yes. She made an attempt two days ago but got away. I didn't expect her to come all the way to Yun'an this time," Lu Feng answered.

"No, we have to call the police right away," Su Dao'an said, his brow furrowed.

"It's no use. That assassin is highly skilled. Ordinary police won't be able to handle her at all, and unless something truly serious happens, there's no way the SWAT would get involved," Lu Feng shook his head.

"But what if we find a clue—track her down?" Su Dao'an suggested.

"That's unlikely. Last time, I cut her ankle and she still managed to cover the wound and escape. It'll be very hard to trace her," Lu Feng replied, still shaking his head.

"Then what else can we do? We can't just sit here and wait for another attack," Su Dao'an said, both anxious and angry. "Who could possibly want you dead badly enough to hire an assassin?"

...