7 hours later.
Tehran Army General Hospital, top floor of the surgical building, outside VIP-3 ward.
The corridor lights were stark white, with two guards in dark combat uniforms stationed on either side of the heavy bulletproof ward door.
The two were fully armed, looking as if they were facing a formidable enemy.
At both ends of the corridor were fixed sentry posts, and anyone approaching this area without authorization would be immediately stopped and questioned, or even directly detained.
Even the main entrance and the downstairs entry of the hospital were guarded by various armed sentries, creating an atmosphere akin to that of a national leader's security level.
Inside the ward, the lighting was deliberately dimmed.
Song Heping lay on the hospital bed, with bandages wrapped around his arms and legs, his complexion slightly pale but with a composed expression.
