Xiao Yi was close to shoving the law-abiding driver out of his seat and taking over the wheel so he'd make it to the hospital sooner, but he held himself back as he answered messages that he'd missed on the flight.
[Captain Lee]: We're in room 3 on the top floor.
[V]: You hung up without giving me any information. I'm getting on a plane, I sent people to guard around the hospital and have someone looking into the fight but where did it happen?
Xiao Yi gave them both a quick message that he was off the flight, and Lee replied immediately.
[Captain Lee]: Wear a mask, the fans don't know what happened and someone could recognize you.
He stared at the message for a short while, felt around his pockets, and came up with nothing. He glanced at the driver and asked. "Have any masks?"
The driver just pointed to the bag on the floor behind the driver's seat.
Ah, Lee had been prepared. He glanced at the duffel bag and ruffled through it. He guessed that the driver or someone from Lee's staff prepared it while he was on the flight as it was clear by the tags on the pair of pj's, underwear, sweater, and sweatpants that it was all newly bought.
He found the package of fabric black masks in another compartment that held a phone charger, shampoo, body wash, a small toothbrush, and small toothpaste and hand sanitizer.
'You'll be recognized with a mask on.' Xiao Qiu's sentence from earlier rang through his ears and he laughed. He'd be recognized as Frost the scumbag with a mask, or Xiao Qiu's cute little brother without a mask. Either way, Frost was the lesser of two evils at this moment.
While on the flight he'd come up with some ideas. Perhaps, that attack in the alley was truly meant for him. If so, why would they target Xiao Qiu next?
It wasn't their parents, they may be vicious to himself but they'd never touch a hair on Xiao Qiu's head even if he had disowned them.
Although Xiao Qiu's team wasn't terrible, they weren't stepping on anyone's toes in the esports world yet, and even if it was… Why'd they target Xiao Yi, the person not on the team first? It didn't make sense.
Investors and V's ex were out of the question, they had nothing to gain from attacking a team of esports players and it would have been more beneficial to wait to kidnap Xiao Qiu and hold him for their demands instead of attacking.
Meanwhile, V got off the phone with his assistant as he entered his apartment to grab a suitcase already filled with everything he'd need on the journey. He'd been on his way to the apartment in the first place, grabbing this wasn't going to delay his journey.
They were beaten up. V's eyebrows furrowed as he glanced around the apartment quickly, checking that Xiao Yi hadn't left the stove on. His eyes landed on the computer by the balcony, displaying an AFK assassin in a team.
He wandered over and took a look at the party chat. It was just him, and a guy named Nightmare.
[Nightmare]: Not ready yet?
[Nightmare]: Did you go afk?
V leaned over the chair and typed on Xiao Yi's behalf.
[Sleepy]: This is his roommate, he's he had something important come up, sorry.
He closed out the game, turned off the computer, and swiftly exited the apartment.
Xiao Yi pulled the mask over his nose as they approached the hospital and put the duffel bag around his shoulders. As soon as the car stopped, he politely nodded to the driver, rushed through the hospital entrance, and went directly to the doors of the elevator.
It was there, that he noticed the two middle-aged people getting into an argument with the poor lady at the front desk.
"He's my son, you can't tell me what room he's in… Are you looking for a lawsuit?"
"Ma'am you're listed as risks on his file, we really can't!"
Xiao Yi's gaze lingered on them for a moment and the man noticed him. "Xiao Yi?"
Beneath the mask, Xiao Yi sneered. He walked to the front desk, gave over his ID, and bullshitted. "Miss, these people were abusive for years - we really don't want to see them, if they try coming to his room please escort them out by security… I'm scared for my brother's safety."
Mr. Xiao paled as he heard the other speak and he reached out to grab Xiao Yi's arm, furthering the front desk lady's pointed glare toward the couple. Xiao Yi avoided the hand while acting scared and 'fleeing' into the elevator.
He pressed 3 buttons and stopped at 3 floors before he exited onto the top floor to throw off his parents if they had been watching the counter.
Shameless!
How could they try to show up here after all they've put them through?
He was seething as he stomped through the halls, but it dissipated once he saw the number 3 atop a painted light blue door. He stood frozen in front of the door for a few seconds before he lightly pushed it open.
The light beeping and hum from the machines in the room didn't even register in Xiao Yi's brain as his eyes fluttered frantically, looking at the five beds to find his brother hooked up to a ventilator and IV drips.
Xiao Yi's arm shook as he approached the furthest bed in the room while Lee, the only awake person, watched silently from his own bed.
Xiao Qiu's handsome face which could be seen past the ventilator was swollen with bruises, his arms were covered in the same along with a few cuts from sharp objects and Xiao Yi could confidently say that baby blue was not his color.
His finger trembled as he softly grazed Xiao Qiu's hand as if he were scared that touching any more would cause the man in front of him to shatter.
Xiao Yi slowly turned around and glanced at the other sleeping boys, all of which were covered in bandages and hooked up to IVs and heart monitors of their own.
Just then, Lee spoke up. "They're just sleeping through recovery."
Xiao Yi nodded slowly and his eyes flickered to Lee, who wasn't in great shape himself with a cast around his leg and a splint wrapping his left arm. "What about my brother?"
"Other than external…"
Xiao Yi waited a moment for Lee to continue, but after a few seconds passed he asked. "Why is my brother in a fucking coma?"
"He has a brain bleed and a surgery in a few hours."