Unexpected Second Chance at Love
Chapter 979 - 979: Absolute, terrifying control.

The air smelled faintly of antiseptic—clean, sharp, and clinical. Fluorescent lights buzzed softly overhead, casting a pale glow that made everything look too white and sterile. Long, quiet halls stretched in every direction, the polished floors echoing each hurried footstep. Occasionally, the stillness was broken by the distant beeping of machines or the shuffle of nurses' shoes.

Grandfather Ji ran like the ground was falling away beneath him.

His breath came in ragged gasps—too shallow, too fast. His eyes darted wildly, unfocused, searching, fearing. Shoulders hunched and fists clenched, he barreled forward, uncaring of who or what stood in his way.

His legs moved instinctively, pounding the sterile floor with frantic urgency. He stumbled over corners and slipped before regaining his balance.

The call he received from Liu Shan still played back in his mind like a record player on repeat.

He threw the doors open when he reached the room he'd been directed to.

His heart dropped.

Zhong Yang lay unconscious on the hospital bed: his assistant, his friend of decades. A bandage was wrapped around his head, and his left arm rested in a sling.

"Zhong Yang..."

He whispered, pain breaking through his voice as he stepped forward.

"What happened?"

He asked, fists trembling at his sides, not bothering to look at Xu Long.

"Where is Ji Jingxu?"

When he received the call, they told him only that an accident had occurred and that Zhong Yang had been rushed to the hospital. He immediately asked about his grandson, but the answer was evasive—he was told it would be best to speak in person.

Now, staring at his friend lying still and bruised, dread clawed at him. He needed answers.

Silence.

He turned, finally facing Xu Long. The young man was seated, unmoving, eyes hollow as if staring into something far away. Even as Grandfather Ji entered the room, he hadn't looked up.

But at the mention of Ji Jingxu, something shifted.

Xu Long inhaled slowly, his composure breaking just enough to reveal the weight pressing on him.

"Mr. Ji... please sit down before I explain."

The old man narrowed his eyes, studying Xu Long's expression for a long, tense moment. Then, without a word, he sat.

"I'll ask you again," he said, voice low and tight. "Where is my grandson?"

Xu Long gathered himself. He raised his head, jaw clenched, and spoke with measured calm. He recounted everything he'd witnessed. The accident, the injuries Zhong Yang sustained, how the doctors treated the bleeding, and expected him (Zhong Yang) to regain consciousness once the anesthesia wore off.

Then, he hesitated.

He took a deep breath, eyes closing as if bracing for the impact of his following words.

"Ji Jingxu was taken by the time we arrived at the scene. Qi Li is pursuing the ones who took him. Right now, Alpha Team and Wolf Team are combing through every surveillance feed in Imperial."

The world around Grandfather Ji went still.

His body froze, as if time itself had stopped. His hands trembled at his sides, fingers twitching in search of something solid—something to anchor him in a moment that was slipping out of control. His face remained composed, but his eyes—

They screamed.

Then came the fury.

His jaw clenched so hard it seemed it might crack. His whole body tensed, and his fists curled so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His chest rose and fell in short, violent bursts. His eyes—no longer unreadable—blazed with a raw, burning fury.

"Who did it?!!"

His voice roared like a thunderclap—sharp, unrestrained, and full of wrath.

"Who dares kidnap my grandson?!!"

His fury echoed down the sterile hallways, drawing attention—but he didn't care.

His granddaughter was already slipping away. Aside from Lu Tian finding her, she hadn't reached out—not even once.

He didn't blame her. He blamed himself for waiting too long to tell her the truth. For thinking he had more time.

But now, it was already too late.

And now this.

His grandson had been taken.

Xu Long flinched at the weight of it—the authority, the helplessness twisted into rage.

He stepped forward, his voice calm despite the storm before him.

"We don't know who took him yet. But we're working on it. Qi Li followed the car that took him."

Grandfather Ji inhaled through his nose, slowly.

The knowledge that someone was tailing the kidnappers brought him some thin measure of control. But fear lingered behind his eyes.

"I'll have my men do a sweep," he said. "I will not sit back and wait."

He was struggling to stay composed. His heart felt like it might betray him at any moment, but he couldn't afford to fall apart—not now. Not when every second counted.

"I will have Zhong Yang moved to the Imperial Military Hospital. Dr. Dong will oversee his recovery until he regains consciousness. And send me everything you and the others have found so far."

He cast a final glance at the man lying unconscious, then walked toward the door. His hand paused on the knob.

"Does Ah Ling know?"

The question hung thick and heavy in the air.

Xu Long had been expecting it. His brow furrowed—not from confusion, but from the weight of the answer he had to give.

"I've contacted my boss. But no—Miss Han doesn't know yet."

Grandfather Ji's hand tightened around the knob. He didn't understand why everything was falling apart at once—but he knew one thing:

He would make them pay.

And when Yue Ling found out—so would she.

He didn't speak another word. He opened the door and stepped out.

Xu Long watched him leave, and in that moment, he understood why Grandfather Ji had commanded so much fear and respect over the years.

Even with his (Grandfather Ji) health declining, his face was calm—almost serene—but devoid of warmth. His eyes, sharp and cold, gave away nothing. There was no panic in his stride, no shake in his voice like before.

Only control.

Absolute, terrifying control.

It was the reason he had been called General.

As the old man's footsteps faded down the hallway, Xu Long turned back toward the hospital bed.

Zhong Yang lay unconscious, his expression still as the machines beeped softly in rhythm.

Xu Long could only hope that the old assistant would wake up soon because if anyone had seen the people who had taken Ji Jingxu, it would have been him (Zhong Yang).

His thoughts were cut short as doctors and nurses entered. Their movements were calm and practiced—they were preparing Zhong Yang for transfer.

Xu Long didn't ask questions. He already knew.

Once the transfer was confirmed and Zhong Yang was safely on his way to the Imperial Military Hospital, Xu Long left the hospital.

There was work to be done.

He knew without a doubt that whoever was behind this had crossed a line they never should have.

And they would pay the price for it—every last one.