Chapter 163: Gathering Storm

Yang Mi, who had originally intended to rush towards Su Bai at full speed, instantly stopped in her tracks upon seeing the room full of people.

Then, with a smile that managed to be both bright and awkward, she said, "Oh, everyone is here."

She nodded toward the group and then walked briskly over to Su Bai.

"Su Bai, how are you feeling?"
"Does it still hurt?"
"Is there any discomfort anywhere?"

Su Bai smiled and shook his head. "It doesn't hurt anymore!"

Yang Mi looked at Su Bai with a heart full of distress, wanting to reach out and touch his face, but realizing the surrounding setting was somewhat inappropriate!

So she withdrew her hand.

"How could you be so careless?"
"Must it hurt terribly!"

Su Bai smiled and shook his head to indicate he was fine.

Seeing that Su Bai's overall mental state was not bad, the crowd finally eased their anxious hearts.

Watching the affectionate way Yang Mi looked at Su Bai, Yang Beibei was the first to cough.

"Ahem, ahem, what's going on here!"
"Treating us like transparent people, aren't you?"
"His sister is still right here, go home if you want to show off your affection!"

Even though she knew it wasn't quite appropriate to smile when Su Bai was injured, she simply couldn't help it!

Yang Mengke also looked at Yang Mi and her brother with some surprise. The relationship between the two seemed somewhat different from the last time they met.

Yang Mi was the first to stand up, then glared at Yang Beibei.

Fortunately, there was no one else in the room except for Xue Qianqian, who looked at Yang Mi and Su Bai in astonishment. When did all of this happen?

Back when Yang Mi invited Su Bai to *Tomorrow's Light*, Xue Qianqian had felt something was amiss, but seeing the two of them now, it all clicked into place instantly.

So the two of them had been secretly crossing the passage while making a show in the open.

While the few of them were talking in the hospital ward, the topics surrounding Su Bai online were growing increasingly intense.

"I have already headed to the scene to pull the surveillance footage. Once I find out what that person looks like, I will definitely make him pay the price."
"Find out and post it. I refuse to believe that so many of us can't smoke out a bastard like this."
"I'm joining this too. Nobody try to persuade me this time, I'll fall out with anyone who tries."
"Bullying has reached our doorstep, are we not even allowed to fight back?"
"Exactly, are we just supposed to stay put and take attacks without returning them? Is there no law in this world? No justice?"
"We are determined to give that scumbag a lesson..."

For a time, the number of people joining the chorus to denounce the person who threw the hot soup base and trying to smoke him out grew rapidly.

Gradually, the situation showed a growing trend of escalation.

At this moment, the official account of the police station having jurisdiction over the scene in Beijing was the first to speak out.

"Please do not get excited, fellow netizens."
"The police have already intervened in the investigation. Please trust us; we will definitely deliver justice to Mr. Su Bai and the general public."
"Please wait patiently for the results and believe that the net of justice is wide, and nothing escapes it."
"Anyone who breaks the law will be punished by the law."

What was originally intended as an official explanation, however, stirred up a thousand ripples with a single stone.

Netizens instantly exploded.

"On what grounds? Please tell me why, official account!"
"Was the malicious framing of Su Bai on the internet last time ever resolved?"
"When personal safety wasn't involved, we endured it, but now it has threatened Su Bai's life. You still expect us to endure?"
"Please tell us, how long are we supposed to endure?"
……

Zhao Hongbing looked at the various comments exploding online, a cold sneer forming on his lips.

"Now, do you also get a taste of the helplessness of lying in a hospital?"
"My leg will completely heal in three to five months, but what about your disfigurement?"
"Now that you're disfigured, let's see how much longer you can prance around?"
"However, these cute netizens of yours are truly cooperative. Hehehe, next up, please accept the feast I've prepared for you."

Outside the entrance of Xue Qianqian's hotpot restaurant, a large number of Su Bai's fans had gathered, demanding to review the surveillance footage of Su Bai being injured.

Among them, a burly man suddenly stepped forward and grabbed the store manager by the collar.

"Is this your lousy shop? You let our idol Su Bai get disfigured and nearly lost his life?"
"How on earth do you run a store?"
"If you make a mistake, you have to bear the consequences."
"Brothers, smash this place up to vent our frustration for our idol Su Bai."

As soon as the burly man finished speaking, several similarly strapping men immediately appeared, holding steel pipes and iron hammers they had pulled out from somewhere, and began smashing things up.

The burly man even delivered a couple of vicious kicks to the store manager.

"Ah~"

The Su Bai fans who had spontaneously gathered around the hotpot restaurant hoping to get the surveillance footage were so frightened by the sight that they scattered in all directions.

They had only wanted to obtain evidence to track down the fugitive in black who threw the soup base; why had it escalated to this extent?

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

They had never once thought of solving the problem with such violence.

Because they knew very well that this had nothing to do with the hotpot restaurant at all, and the restaurant was merely suffering an undeserved disaster.

Suddenly, someone realized something.

Could it be? Someone was using them again?

Oh no!

A wave of intense regret washed over them.

They finally understood why neither Su Bai nor the authorities approved of their collective activities.

Because it was simply too easy to be exploited by people with ulterior motives.

It was just that whatever they said now was too late. Someone with a quick mind had already taken out their phone and started recording the scene.

Although they didn't know whether recording this video would help rescue Su Bai from the upcoming reputational crisis, recording it was better than nothing.

Not only at the hotpot restaurant, but also outside the perimeter of the police station under the restaurant's jurisdiction, things were unfolding.

Some people were holding a large banner that read: Su Bai Fans Support Group.

Holding megaphones, they shouted loudly: "Give us back justice for Su Bai, boycott insider trading."
"Give us back justice for Su Bai, boycott insider trading."
…

The moment they came over to chant slogans, someone immediately stepped out to stop them: "What you are doing constitutes illegal assembly and has seriously violated the law. This is your first warning."

Yet the people at the entrance of the police station refused to listen.

They still held up their banners and continued to shout aloud: "Give us back justice for Su Bai, boycott insider trading."

On the second occasion, the police officer in charge stepped forward: "This is your second warning. Do not be used by people with ulterior motives."
"If you do not disperse immediately, the police will take mandatory measures!"

Several people at the scene still shouted loudly: "Why aren't you taking action yet? Did you take someone's money?"
"The phones in our hands are recording. Every word and action of yours is under the supervision of the people of the entire country."
"Your inaction will arouse the public anger of the people nationwide."

The police officer in charge said sternly: "Third warning."
"If you do not disperse, we will take mandatory measures."

The person in the lead was still saying something aggressive.

With a stern expression, the police officer in charge ordered: "Arrest them all."

This scene was witnessed by countless netizens, causing an uproar.

Everyone had a lingering feeling that a storm was about to break.