Chapter 25 There is no safe zone here.

The cry for help woke up the hotel guests, who rushed downstairs in their slippers without even having time to get dressed properly.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

"Are the gangsters here?"

"What are the police doing? They just collect protection money and do nothing. Something even happened in front of a hotel!"

Not far from the hotel, a van was parked haphazardly on the side of the road with its door wide open.

Several packages rolled to the ground, and someone fell to the ground, clutching an unnaturally bent leg and groaning in pain.

In the dim morning light, the scene inside the car was indistinct through the glass, but two people could be vaguely seen fighting over the steering wheel.

The injured man lying on the ground saw the smugglers coming out of the hotel and immediately shouted:

"The Russians have robbed the cargo! The driver is in cahoots with them! There are also our men on the truck!"

The character of these middlemen is generally unknown; they indulge in all sorts of vices, including drinking, gambling, and prostitution. But when they're abroad and something really happens, they'll stick together.

Seeing this, a man wearing only underwear raised his arm and shouted:

"Brothers, we can't let those Russians cause trouble on our turf! Let's fight them!"

The traders, feeling sorry for their own kind, paid an exorbitant price of 8,000 rubles to hire a minivan to avoid being robbed by the taxi driver, only to discover that the minivan driver was actually in cahoots with the robbers.

They not only looted the goods, but they also injured people.

If we let these Russians just leave like that, then anyone can take advantage of these profiteers!

The black marketeers, armed with bricks, axes, and chains, swarmed forward and pounced on the van.

Seeing that things were going badly, the people in the car stepped on the gas and forced the car to start moving.

Early in the morning, there were few cars on the road. The van slid erratically like a drunken snake, followed by a group of Chinese people carrying weapons.

Something happened on the bus, and the bus suddenly sped up, leaving the traders far behind.

The van made a sharp turn, and several packages fell out of the open door, along with a man who looked like he was covered in blood.

"Zhang Jin? Zhang Jin!"

"Call an ambulance immediately!"

The black marketeers were in complete disarray. Some ran to the hotel and gestured to the Eguo receptionist to call the hospital; others futilely pressed their clothes against the knife wounds on Zhang Jin's body.

He was stabbed four or five times by the thugs in the car, blood gushing out like a fountain, and his face visibly turned pale.

"This Zhang Jin, if they want to rob us, let them rob us. Why risk your life like this..."

"Has the doctor not arrived yet? If they don't come soon, the person will die!"

In this era, being a speculator is like practicing weightlifting on the edge of a knife; the slightest loss of balance could result in being torn to pieces and dying without a complete corpse.

The traders themselves had been robbed, witnessed others being robbed, frequently heard of Chinese people being killed, and had even seen the corpses of their colleagues.

But it's different when a living person dies right in front of you.

As dawn broke, all the details became clearer.

It looked like a scene after a water pipe broke, with blood pooling on the ground, a dark, almost blackish red.

People, however, begin to resemble plaster, cold and stiff, appearing as if they are on a different, darker layer compared to those around them.

He's dying.

At this moment, even the most reckless middleman felt disheartened.

Even the traders who usually clashed with Zhang Jin couldn't help but feel a sense of shared sorrow at the loss of their acquaintance.

"Get out of the way!"

Suddenly, a clear female voice rang out, shattering the atmosphere of despair.

He Changyi forcefully pushed aside the crowd blocking his way, squeezed to the front, squatted down next to the injured person, and ripped off the clothes covering the wound.

"What are you doing?!" someone questioned.

He Changyi did not answer, but quickly checked the location and shape of the wound.

Then she decisively tore a strip of fabric from his shirt and tied it tightly around his thigh, making a knot that wouldn't break.

The blood flow from the wound slowed down immediately.

The middleman who was on good terms with Zhang Jin exclaimed in surprise, "You know how to save people?"

He Changyi still didn't answer, and turned around to reach out to the person behind her.

Give me your knife.

The smuggler, who was carrying a sharpened dagger, was taken aback and instinctively handed the dagger to her.

He Changyi used a dagger to cut open the clothes at the wound site, then instructed another person:

"You, get a bottle of vodka from the front desk."

The man was taken aback upon hearing this. He Changyi frowned and urged impatiently:

"Run faster!"

He Changyi's words sounded very commanding, and he subconsciously obeyed, jogging back to retrieve a bottle of vodka.

The wine was brand new and unopened. Without even opening the cap, He Changyi smashed the bottle neck open on the ground.

Then she briefly disinfected her hands and the dagger with strong liquor, and said to her friend Zhang Jin beside her:

"Hold his legs down."

His friend was puzzled, but it seemed that only this bad-tempered woman could save Zhang Jin now, so he could only listen to her for the time being.

The very next second after he pinned Zhang Jin down, He Changyi spotted the spot and slashed the wound, making it longer and deeper.

"ah!!!"

Zhang Jin, who was originally in a semi-conscious state, was violently awakened by the pain. He screamed and straightened up, then fell heavily back down.

His friend was so frightened that his hand trembled and he almost couldn't hold down his twitching leg.

"It's set!"

He Changyi shouted at him.

My friend's lips were trembling, and he couldn't utter a complete sentence.

"What are you doing?"

The other traders around were also stunned by this scene.

"Weren't you trying to save someone? Why did you stab them again!"

"Does this woman even know what she's doing? She's already so badly injured, how could she cut herself again? Wouldn't that just cause her to lose even more blood?!"

"Oh dear, why hasn't the doctor arrived yet? If she keeps causing this trouble, she might not survive what she could have!"

"Pull her away!"

Just as someone was about to pull He Changyi away, they watched as she inserted her fingers deep into the wound, stirring them inside repeatedly, seemingly searching for something.

Several spurts of blood gushed out, splashing onto her expressionless face, making her look particularly terrifying.

Zhang Jin fainted from the pain and then woke up again, his screams echoing incessantly, even more piercing than when he was first injured.

Those who were not injured felt a chill run down their spines, as if someone were stirring inside their wounds.

The person trying to pull He Changyi away flinched and instinctively took a step back.

However, He Changyi's expression relaxed somewhat.

She inserted her fingers into the wound, pressing on the vein to stop the bleeding, and then turned to give instructions to the others:

"Bring me a thick needle and a lighter."

The crowd remained motionless, staring at her in astonishment and fear.

Although they were scalpers who lived on the edge, they had never seen Hannibal Lecter eat people alive.

At this moment, only Zhang Jin's friend noticed that no new blood was flowing out.

"Blood! She stopped the bleeding!"

He shouted excitedly to the people around him:

"Sister He really knows how to save lives, quickly do as she says!"

The sharp-eyed scalper also noticed that after He's bizarre actions, Zhang Jin's largest and most blood-loss-prone wound actually stopped bleeding.

So... she wasn't abusing people in public, but was actually saving them?

"A needle? Where is the needle?"

I have a lighter here!

Under He Changyi's instructions, everyone hurriedly used lighters to heat the thick needles until the tips were red-hot.

He Changyi took the needle with his free hand and pressed it precisely onto the severed blood vessel. With a soft "sizzle," a wisp of smoke and the smell of roasted meat rose from the wound.

She then repeated this process several times until the severed blood vessel was completely charred and stopped gushing blood.

This is similar to the electrocautery knife commonly used in later surgeries, which uses high temperatures to burn the body to stop bleeding.

Given the limited resources available, He Changyi had to make do with what he had on hand. Fortunately, the results were quite good, saving Zhang Jin's life.

He Changyi pulled his hand away, untied the bandage on his thigh, and poured vodka on the wound again to rinse and disinfect it.

Zhang Jin was in excruciating pain, his screams echoing throughout the room.

This time, however, in addition to his friend still holding down his legs, all the free traders enthusiastically stepped in to help, pressing him down like a pig waiting to be slaughtered for the New Year.

He Changyi then used his free hand to quickly treat the remaining wounds.

Apart from the deep wound on his thigh that pierced an artery, the other wounds looked frightening, but the blood loss was not severe.

He Changyi performed simple hemostasis and bandaging, and also stopped his friend from giving Zhang Jin water.

My friend was puzzled.

"But he said he was thirsty..."

He Changyi said bluntly:

“I finally pulled him back from the brink of death, and now you’re giving him water, which is like kicking him back towards the brink of death.”

His friend quickly poured the water from his cup onto the side, as if it were not plain water but some deadly poison.

After He Changyi used a wooden stick and straps to temporarily immobilize the fractured leg of another injured person, the Eros ambulance finally arrived late.

However, before treating the injured, the doctor, who was wearing a mask, asked Zhong Guoren, who was present, for money.

Zhang Jin's friend said urgently:

"Save him first, he's almost dead. You'll get your money back!"

The official of Eguo refused.

"No, you have to pay first. That's the market economy."

The moneylenders were indignant, saying that hospitals are places for saving lives and healing the wounded, and they had never seen a doctor so blinded by money.

"Give him the money."

He Changyi walked over, his white shirt covered in bloodstains, and his face and hands were also covered in blood.

"Saving lives is the priority; we can't worry about these minor details."

After the money was paid, the doctor from Eguo made a complete 180-degree turn and carefully carried the two patients onto the vehicle on stretchers.

At the same time, He Changyi informed the doctor of all the first aid measures she had taken in order to avoid affecting subsequent treatment.

“You are truly remarkable. I dare say that without your decisive action, this young man would have already met his guiding angel before the ambulance arrived.”

The doctor from Eguo praised He Changyi highly, saying that she did a great job and that even if he were present, he could not have done better without medical equipment and an operating room.

A middleman nearby who understood Emei language couldn't help but mutter:

"This is considered good? It seems the Russian doctors aren't all that great..."

The person next to him retorted:

"Isn't that good enough? Sister He managed to snatch someone back from the jaws of death. If it weren't for her, the ambulance wouldn't have taken them to the hospital, but to the funeral home."

Upon hearing this, the other person couldn't help but glance at him.

"Sister He? You're calling her that way way too affectionately. I remember you used to call her 'little girl,' so why are you suddenly calling her 'sister'?"

The man blushed and stubbornly retorted:

"What 'little wench'? Don't talk nonsense. I have always respected Sister He very much. She is my role model!"

Upon hearing this, everyone around burst into laughter.

"You shameless old woman, your daughter is older than her, and you still have the nerve to call her 'Sister He'? Aren't you afraid of making her sound old!"

The man waved his hands haphazardly and argued:

"I can't reason with you guys. Which of you has Sister He's abilities? She's not a sister because of her age. She's got all her skills! Don't tell me you're not afraid of getting hurt or sick in this area. With Sister He around, she can pull you back from the brink of death!"

Some people agreed:

“That makes sense. We’re all far from our hometowns and families, enduring this godforsaken place, all so that one day we can go home in style. If we’re not careful and something goes wrong, we won’t live to enjoy any of the money we make.”

The scalper, who had initially dismissed the idea, now realized it made sense.

Most of these people don't speak Eroica well, and they don't trust Eroica hospitals, so they have to bear their illnesses and injuries on their own.

It's not that they're so stubborn as to refuse to go to the hospital when they're really sick; it's just that even locals have to pull strings and give gifts to see a doctor, and these outsiders don't even know which way the doctor's office door faces.

Moreover, medicines are not only expensive in Russia, but also scarce, so many drug dealers make a living by selling drugs.

In summary, if you get sick, you might be able to cure yourself by taking random medications.

But then again, who wouldn't want to see a doctor to save their life? It's just that there's really no other way.

And now, the person who can save their lives is right in front of them.

"Sister He, what kind of work did you do before you became a trader?"

Someone brazenly approached He Changyi and cautiously asked.

He Changyi rubbed the dried blood off his hands and casually replied:

"I work at a hospital."

The person asking the question had a bright look in their eyes, and the other traders who were eavesdropping nearby also had a bright look in their eyes.

"Sister He, you must know how to treat patients!"

He Changyi finally looked at him directly, and said with a half-smile:

What are you trying to say?

The person asking the question shamelessly said:

"Sister He, when you have some free time, could you please take a look at our medical condition? It won't be for free; I'll pay you whatever you say!"

He Changyi clapped his hands and stood up lazily.

"It depends on my mood. And also on how you perform."

She turned and left, a group of people chasing after her, shouting:

"Sister He! Sister He, take care! Sister He, when are you in a good mood?"

When Vakim returned to the Baikal Hotel, he was surprised to find that there seemed to be a celebrity in the hotel named "hejie".

Wajim asked He Changyi with a puzzled look:

"Did something happen that I don't know about? Why is everyone paying attention to 'hejie'? It seems like these cunning guys have gained a leader or role model."

He Changyi laughed so hard he almost fell over.

Waqim came to order winter down jackets and leather gloves from He Changyi.

“I don’t trust Chinese businessmen, I only trust you. They are all potential swindlers.”

He Changyi asked him:

"Am I not a merchant from Zhongguo?"

Vakim said seriously:

“You are different from them. You are an honest person. You will not make promises you can’t keep, and you will not cheat us out of our money with inferior products. You are a white swan among black swans.”

"A kind and noble swan lady."

He Changyi wrinkled his nose.

"No matter how nicely you put it, I will not go to dance ballet."

Waqim placed a very large order, enough to keep a large part of Yuezhou Village busy.

With less than a month until winter, the construction schedule is extremely tight.

He Changyi traveled back and forth between Zhong and E, and even the customs officers recognized her, knowing that she was a rather troublesome person.

Her steps followed the red line closely, only a step away, yet she never crossed it.

No one can take even a single penny from her.

Because He Changyi frequently bought international train tickets, he got in touch with a junior manager at the train station who was directly in charge of ticket purchasing.

She stopped buying tickets from scalpers at high prices and instead started buying tickets in bulk through official channels.

In return, the average monthly bonus per person in the department where the junior leader worked increased by 100 yuan, and they also received an endless supply of Eros specialty chocolates.

The train attendants on the international train also became more and more familiar with He Changyi, and even the most serious people would show a stiff smile when they saw her.

This isn't just because of Zhong Guo vodka.

Because the E-guo train stops in Zhongguo for a very short time, the train attendants often don't have time to buy the necessary items.

Upon learning of this, He Changyi helped purchase a lot of supplies, ranging from canned goods from Coal Mine People's Brand to children's fever reducers, covering almost all daily necessities.

Once, a chubby female train attendant saw He Changyi and excitedly hugged him.

Her grandmother suffered a sudden heart attack, but fortunately, He Changyi sent her some quick-acting heart medicine, which saved the old woman from the brink of death.

Similar incidents have occurred many times, and now even train conductors with racist tendencies have to admit that while the Chinese are not exactly good, they don't seem to be that bad either.

Sometimes when customs checks are strict, the train attendants will even help hide He Changyi's valuables in the work area.

Some traders who didn't know He Changyi were very surprised when they saw this scene.

"What's going on? Is this woman from E'guo? But she clearly has a Chinese face, so why is the train attendant being so nice to her?"

"Why are these Russian train conductors so biased? They extort money from me and cause trouble if I don't give them something; but they treat her like their own sister, even sharing half of their own sausages..."

"Who is she? The railway bureau chief's daughter?"

Someone who knew He Changyi said:

"What nonsense are you talking about? This is Sister He. You newcomers don't know, but Sister He is quite famous in Moscow. Everyone knows her!"

"Let me remind you, be polite to Sister He. If you offend her, you might as well quit this line of work."

"If I hear you talking badly about Sister He behind her back again, I won't be so polite!"

The new speculator became a bit more restrained, closing the door and muttering to himself:

"Sister He? We need to be careful, lest we accidentally offend someone..."

"It seems Mosk is quite something. A woman like her is so capable; you really can't judge a book by its cover..."

Having seen the scenery along the way countless times, when the train stopped again at its final destination, Mosk, He Changyi was followed by several new faces, curiously looking at this unfamiliar country.

He Changyi hired several batches of veterans to escort the goods. Some felt that the road was too dangerous and preferred to go back to China to work. Others saw a business opportunity and started working as middlemen for a reward of three thousand yuan.

He Changyi never interfered with their choices; he would only offer some pointers to these novice dealers when he encountered them, thus forming a good relationship.

She doesn't have a stable team yet, partly because her business is like the tide, sometimes extremely busy and sometimes extremely quiet, so she doesn't need stable, long-term employees; and partly because no one has caught her eye yet.

After all, most of the journey would be spent either in a foreign land or traveling long distances, and carrying a large amount of cash would really test the other party's character.

It is said that wealth can tempt people. If someone cannot resist the urge to kill and steal, even if He Changyi is highly skilled in martial arts, he cannot withstand being struck from behind.

In this short period of time, too many traders were killed in Oros.

Some were killed by gangs, some were robbed to death, and some were killed by acquaintances. Newspapers frequently report news of Chinese people being killed.

He Changyi had seen a familiar face, a middleman, at the hotel. If he didn't see him for a while and asked again, he would say that the person had died in an alley/river/taxi...

Ironically, the mortality rate of speculators is not necessarily proportional to the speed at which they accumulate wealth.

Some people die tragically on the streets of Mosk on their first visit, while others repeatedly teeter on the edge of death but still emerge unscathed.

In any case, death and sudden wealth are twins, dancing a joyful little bear dance around every speculator.

Therefore, unless it is someone absolutely trustworthy, He Changyi would rather be a lone wolf who is always vigilant.

Even so, accidents always happen regardless of human will.

On that day, as He Changyi was signing a cotton clothing supply agreement with a renowned Eros merchant, a series of firecrackers suddenly went off downstairs at the hotel.

He Changyi was stunned and hadn't reacted yet. He thought to himself, "It's not a holiday, so which black marketeer is setting off firecrackers?"

However, the burly Slavic man sitting opposite her immediately changed his expression.

"Gun! Someone's firing!"

His already fair skin was now as white as wallpaper, and he scrambled under the table.

He Changyi then realized what was happening.

She stood up abruptly, walked quickly to the window, turned to look out, and observed the situation downstairs.

Chaos had broken out outside; people were shouting, running, and some were lying on the ground, their fate unknown.

Meanwhile, some people carrying guns continued to enter the hotel.

Their hair was shaved very short, revealing stubble, and they wore black leather jackets. They appeared to have tattoos on their exposed necks and arms, and their shooting movements did not suggest they had received military training.

The gunshots gradually rose from downstairs, like popping beans, and it was clear that the shooters were sparing no bullets.

At this extremely dangerous moment, He Changyi couldn't help but mentally rant and rave.

No, can't your Great Emei have a day of peace and tranquility?

The seemingly unbreakable alliance has crumbled, and what about the promised peaceful evolution? Where is the peace? In the history books?

The former allied nations, once as close as brothers, are now experiencing xenophobic massacres, frictions are constantly arising along the newly established borders, and the country is in a state of high alert and paranoia, with no one knowing whether the next war will be internal or external.

And the police, they're so quick to collect protection money, but can't you be of even the slightest use?

The gangsters have already gotten their hands on you. Is now the time for you to play dead?

In a theoretically safe zone like the Baikal Hotel, people actually dared to break in and indiscriminately shoot. Apart from the presidential palace, is there even one safe place in Oros?

—Oh, by the way, the presidential palace isn't necessarily safe either.

In short, if the police don't come to the rescue soon, the big spenders who paid for the money will all be wiped out!

Despite the complaints, He Changyi's speed was by no means slow.

She turned back to the negotiating table and pulled out the burly man from under it.

"What are you doing? This is murder!"

The Slavic giant was as delicate as a flower, his strong limbs limp and powerless. He was dragged out by He Changyi, who was a size smaller than him.

"Shut up, I'm saving your life!"

He Changyi looked around; the gunshots outside the door were getting closer and closer.

She steeled herself, opened the window, threw the big man out, and then jumped out herself.

Almost simultaneously, the door was kicked open, and the tattooed gunman opened fire into the room with a machine gun!

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Author's note: Yes, geese were that dangerous back then. I suggest adding this area to your list of places to avoid when traveling through time.