"Sir, please have a seat," another guard said, guiding him aside. "We've already called the police and requested hallway surveillance footage."
That was when Zahn Neri arrived.
His expression was dark and thunderous. Word of the incident had already spread through the hospital, and the thought that someone had entered with a gun filled him with cold fury.
Some of the staff greeted him respectfully, but Zahn ignored them and went straight to Yeri. His face hardened the moment he saw her condition, the blood on her hand where the IV had been torn out, the pallor of her skin, and the faint web of veins visible on her arms and temple.
"Take her to the ER. Now," he ordered sharply. His tone left no room for argument. "Check for internal injuries or any complications."
A nurse rushed to comply but hesitated when another staff member spoke up.
"Dr. Neri, a syringe was found earlier."
"Send it to the laboratory for testing," Zahn said immediately.
"Shouldn't we wait for the police? They might want it for evidence or their own forensic report—"
The staff member froze as Zahn's gaze turned glacial.
"The hospital will cooperate with the investigation," he said coldly, "but we'll assist the process, not delay it. There's nothing wrong with running our own analysis first."
His voice was calm, but the air around him was heavy, the kind that made even seasoned nurses instinctively lower their heads.
Outside the room, alarms blared faintly, echoing down the corridor.
---
When Shin was notified of the situation, he had just finished finalizing two billion-dollar contracts.
The deals were meant to keep those relics at Palazzo Archon content in their gilded cage so they'd stop bothering him.
Arriving at the hospital with Secretary Yun, Shin immediately noticed Master Zhi speaking with police officers in the hallway.
He gestured for Secretary Yun to discreetly gather information while he approached. Before he could reach the conversation, a passing nurse he stopped and asked about Yeri, informed him that she was still in the ER.
A flicker of anger surged within him. Why is it that every time he's not around, she ends up hurt or in danger?
Master Zhi spotted him and gave a curt nod of acknowledgment.
"What happened?" Shin asked at once.
The officer interrogating Master Zhi turned at the sound of his voice, startled to see Shin Keir himself. He knew this hospital catered to powerful figures, but even so, this level of tension was rare.
"I'm sorry, sir," the officer said carefully. "This is an active investigation. You're not authorized to be here."
Shin didn't raise his voice. Instead, he said evenly, "It's fine. The patient in that room is my fiancée. And he-" his gaze flicked to Master Zhi "is my future father-in-law."
The officer blinked, uncertain, and turned to Master Zhi for confirmation. The older man hesitated but finally nodded.
"If you're finished questioning him," Shin continued calmly, "I'd like a word with my father-in-law."
The officer stepped aside.
Master Zhi shifted uneasily, feeling awkward being called father-in-law but not correcting him.
"What happened? Is Yeri all right?" Shin demanded.
Master Zhi's frown deepened. His eyes darted toward the lingering police, wary of eavesdroppers.
He lowered his voice.
"An unknown man broke into my daughter's room and tried to assault her. Zenia was shot in the shoulder trying to stop him. It all happened so fast that I… tackled him and ended up shooting him dead."
Shin stared at him wordlessly.
Even at first glance, the story didn't hold up. Master Zhi was spotless, his tailored suit uncreased, not a speck of blood or sign of a struggle anywhere on him.
But Shin let it go. He could tell Master Zhi was hiding something, most likely to protect his wife and Yeri.
Just then, Secretary Yun returned. Shin excused himself, first assuring Master Zhi that he had already contacted the Keir family's top legal team. Master Zhi declined, insisting he had his own lawyers, but Shin left the offer standing.
In a quiet corner, Secretary Yun delivered his report in a low tone.
"The guy was likely a professional hitman, one of those called hunting dogs in the underworld. He has no fingerprints, no ID. To get into Neri Hospital with its advanced security that easily, he couldn't have been some random thug."
He hesitated before continuing.
"He was shot in the head twice. Madam Zhi took a bullet to the shoulder and Miss Zhi was unconscious when the nurses found her. Also, uh… they discovered an unconscious woman in the restroom. I checked who it was and it's Lucia Hera."
Secretary Yun swallowed hard noticing Shin's menacing, cold gaze. He knew his boss rarely lost his temper but since Yeri entered his life, she had become his only vulnerability.
"Boss," Secretary Yun went on quickly, "there's something important, the hallway surveillance was tampered with. There's a five-minute gap. Two security guards were found dead near the emergency exit. The police think the intruder came through there. They're also investigating Miss Hera's possible involvement, but… she hasn't regained consciousness yet."
Shin inhaled deeply, forcing his pulse to steady. His mind raced through the implications, danger, and the invisible hands behind them.
"Where is Zahn?" he asked finally, his tone quiet but sharp.
"He's in the ER. Operating on Miss Zhi."
Shin turned toward the window, the city lights reflecting off the glass like scattered embers. After a moment, he gave his order, his voice low and decisive.
"Contact that person in Hexion. Tell them this case is top priority."
Secretary Yun worked swiftly, drafting an encrypted email and attaching the discreet photos he had gathered before sending them to a contact in Hexion.
Meanwhile, Shin lingered in the hallway, debating whether to wait outside the ER for Yeri and Zahn. But before he could decide, the police motioned for Master Zhi to follow them.
Although Master Zhi had acted in self-defense, the law required temporary detention until the investigation concluded and the court officially ruled it so.
Yet Master Zhi showed no trace of fear or anxiety. Calm and composed, he was already giving instructions to his lawyer, who had just arrived.
He knew full well, if this matter leaked to the media, it could deal a heavy blow to Zhi Corporation. The vultures in the business world would swoop in without hesitation, especially the Nafplions, who had long been waiting for a weakness to exploit.
"You can't take him," Shin said suddenly, stepping forward and blocking the police from leading Master Zhi away.
The officers exchanged uneasy glances. Had it been anyone else, they would not have shown such restraint, but this was Shin Keir, a name that carried its own authority.
Still, one of them spoke with polite firmness, "We're simply doing our job, Mr. Keir. We have to follow due process."
Shin chuckled softly, though the sound carried an edge. "That might be true by law, but in case you haven't noticed..." he gestured subtly toward the covered body on the stretcher "the man who died was from the underworld. His fingerprints were erased. That means this falls under our jurisdiction. This is something the mafia should handle."
The hallway went quiet.
As strange as it was, their country operated under two parallel systems: the governing law and the underworld code.
Since ancient times, territories had been divided between the government and the mafia clans.
In Sin City, when conflicts occurred between mafia parties, the police turned a blind eye as long as civilians weren't harmed and public order remained intact.
The underworld could tear itself apart, and the authorities wouldn't care, as long as these underground organizations kept their violence among themselves and didn't harm civilians or cause public chaos.
Master Zhi blinked, momentarily thrown off. Although the Zhi family had long-standing affiliations with the Vulture Organization, the family had always maintained a careful balance, publicly abiding by the law.
The police, on the other hand, looked both speechless and wary. One of them finally muttered, "That only applies if the other party is also part of the mafia."
Shin's lips curved into a cold smirk. Crossing his arms, he turned toward Master Zhi.
"Father-in-law forgot to mention your association with Vulture?"
Master Zhi caught on instantly. Of course, Shin was giving him a way out, a shortcut through the chaos.
Going through the judicial process meant headlines, speculation, and potential ruin. But invoking the mafia's internal jurisdiction? That could contain the matter quietly.
More importantly, protect Zhi Corporation from public scrutiny.
Clearing his throat, Master Zhi straightened his suit and replied without hesitation, "That's right. We've made plenty of enemies over the years. In business, who hasn't offended a few people?"
The police fell silent again.
One of them, a veteran detective, frowned deeply. "The hospital called it in. Many of the people here have nothing to do with the mafia. And the woman found in the restroom, according to our sources, she's an ordinary citizen. If she was dragged into this against her will, we can't just turn a blind eye."
Shin smiled, the curve of his lips sharp and villainous. "Of course. You're doing a fine job, officer. Society needs more people like you."
The detective tensed.
Shin's next words dropped like quiet thunder.
"But let's be honest. With the mafia involved, can you guarantee the safety of my father-in-law?"
The detective's expression darkened. Shin's tone wasn't loud, yet it pressed like a blade at the throat.
Technically, Shin wasn't threatening him but if the officer insisted on taking Master Zhi into custody and something did happen later, the police would shoulder the blame for failing to protect a high-profile figure.
And now that Shin Keir had publicly called Master Zhi his future father-in-law, this incident had officially become a high-profile case, high-priority affair and politically volatile.