Chapter 62: The Golden Needle

The off-road vehicle quickly arrived at the South Garden Hotel, which was a military property, not open to the public, and only accommodated military personnel from the region and those passing through Rongcheng.

Tang Weiguo led Zeng Yi straight in, up to the second floor, and into a private room.

Zeng Yi was startled; the private room was already filled with a table of bald men, each with a forehead so shiny it looked bluish, clearly all tough characters.

Seeing Tang Weiguo enter, the bald men all stood up, standing at attention in front of the table, giving Tang Weiguo a salute.

"Let me introduce everyone. This is Zeng Yi, Doctor Zeng. He was the one who injured Lao San, and he was also the one who treated him!" Tang Weiguo laughed heartily. "Doctor Zeng is a straightforward and tough guy, and I really like him. Everyone, raise a glass to him."

The bald men looked at Zeng Yi with various expressions—some were不服 (unconvinced), some were disdainful, some were angry, and some were sneering.

"Doctor Zeng, please sit. These are my subordinates, they only know how to fight, and if they offend you in any way, please don't take it to heart!" Tang Weiguo gestured for Zeng Yi to sit down, then waved his hand. "Sit down, I called you here to drink, not to stand at attention. What are you all standing there for?"

One of the bald men couldn't wait and stood up, raising his glass. "Doctor Zeng, I'll drink to you!" This was very direct, without even a reason for the toast, just drinking.

Zeng Yi wasn't fooled; this was clearly a setup for a drinking marathon. He raised his glass. "What I admire most are the brave men who defend the country. It's an honor to drink with so many elite soldiers today. I'll drink to all of you."

"Brother Zeng is indeed a straightforward man. Alright, let's all drink this first glass together!" Tang Weiguo raised his glass first.

The bald men, seeing Tang Weiguo's nod, all raised their glasses. Fine, we'll let you off for the first glass, but the drinking is just beginning.

Just as they put down their glasses, Zeng Yi raised another glass. "I feel very ashamed for accidentally injuring Lao San. I'll drink this one myself!"

Tang Weiguo, upon hearing this, thought, "Isn't this a slap in the face?" He also raised his second glass. "Lao San got what he deserved. He wasn't skilled enough. I didn't discipline my subordinates well. I'll drink this one with you as an apology!"

The bald men, though unwilling, had to follow and drink the second glass. Their leader had apologized, so they couldn't be wrong.

Zeng Yi raised his third glass. "I consider all of you as acquaintances now. I'll drink to all of you. After this glass, let's forget about the past and never mention it again!"

Tang Weiguo was immediately alarmed. This guy couldn't be doing this on purpose, could he? He was clearly trying to take the initiative. Damn, this guy just finished eating and has a full stomach, so he's not afraid of drinking quickly. But my guys have been waiting on an empty stomach for a long time. If we keep drinking like this, they'll be out of commission soon.

The key was that this guy's reasons were quite legitimate, and they couldn't refuse. Tang Weiguo had to raise his glass again. "After this glass, we're all brothers. Whoever mentions the past is a bastard!"

The bald men were all surprised. They were all raring to get back at Lao San, but now their leader had shut them up before they even started. Not mentioning the past, what was the point of the drinking contest?

Tang Weiguo planned to call a temporary truce. If he let Zeng Yi keep toasting like this, his side would be wiped out. They needed to rest and regroup before launching a concentrated attack.

After the third glass, Tang Weiguo quickly said, "Eat, eat, Brother Zeng, try our military food and see if it's tough enough!" He had changed his address from Doctor Zeng to Brother Zeng, and now to Brother Zeng.

Zeng Yi knew Tang Weiguo was temporarily conceding. He couldn't raise another glass and said, "It's tough, very solid!"

The food at the South Garden Hotel had a typical military canteen style—ample portions, greasy, and not concerned with presentation. The key was to eat well and be full.

The bald men all had a high alcohol tolerance, but they couldn't handle drinking on an empty stomach. Their stomachs churned, and they realized Tang Weiguo's strategy. They all buried their heads and started shoveling food into their mouths, no longer mentioning drinking. They were frustrated because they had planned to get back at Zeng Yi, but he had already taken the upper hand. This was going to be a tough nut to crack.

During the meal, Zeng Yi learned that Tang Weiguo was the deputy director of the Rongcheng Garrison Command, responsible for handling emergencies. The bald men were all members of his elite squad.

In general, the military's emergency response forces were not used for ordinary incidents. Local police riot squads and special forces handled such situations. If the military's emergency response forces were involved, the incident was of a high level. Tang Weiguo's elite squad was composed of the best of the best, specialized in dealing with highly trained and well-armed terrorists.

As the best of the best, Lao San had been injured by Zeng Yi's punch. These proud soldiers couldn't stand it. Even Tang Weiguo, upon hearing the news, rushed over to help his subordinates regain their honor. He wanted to get back at Zeng Yi in the same way he had been defeated.

After a while, one of the bald men stood up. "Doctor Zeng, I heard you have good martial arts skills. Can you show us?"

"Sit down!" Tang Weiguo frowned. "You're still a country bumpkin. At the table, just eat and drink!"

Tang Weiguo was angry. "I called you here to fight, not to bring up Lao San. Can't you find a reason to drink without mentioning fighting? I can't even beat him, and you think you can?"

Zeng Yi smiled. "These are healing skills. If you want to see, I'll show you." He subtly changed the subject. The bald men hadn't specified what kind of skills, and healing skills were still skills. Zeng Yi could see that these men were still unconvinced, and if he didn't show them something, they would likely take out their frustration in drinking. Even if he could drink a lot, he couldn't handle a group attack.

Tang Weiguo looked at Zeng Yi, wondering what he was up to.

Zeng Yi extended his left hand. On his middle finger, he wore a gold ring with a six-petaled plum blossom. He pinched the blossom and slowly pulled it, and it actually came off.

Everyone was surprised. Upon closer inspection, they realized it wasn't a ring but a gold needle wrapped around his middle finger, shaped like a ring. The needle was as fine as a hair, and when pulled, it was over a foot long, with the blossom being the needle's end.

Zeng Yi smiled. "I carry this gold needle with me all the time. Nowadays, stainless steel needles are used, which are easier to insert. This needle was passed down from my grandfather. To use it, you need some skill."

"Is it so fine that it can't penetrate the skin?"

Tang Weiguo's eyes widened. He took the needle and tried to pierce his skin, but it bent and wouldn't go in.

The bald men also tried, but none could pierce their skin.

Zeng Yi smiled. "You all have tough skin. Don't torture this needle!"

The gold needle returned to Zeng Yi's hand. He picked it up and straightened it. He held the needle's end with his right hand, and the needle trembled slightly in the air.

Zeng Yi took a deep breath and plunged the needle into the table. The needle went in without bending. He then slowly twisted it, and it continued to penetrate the table. In no time, the needle had pierced through three centimeters of the table.

Everyone was shocked. This was like trying to pierce a table with a hair. In terms of strength, they might have been better than Zeng Yi, but in terms of this subtle skill, none could match him.

Human skin is very resilient, and with developed muscles, like the bald men, it can be difficult to pierce, even with a steel needle. Zeng Yi had practiced a lot to master this skill, and he could even pierce the tough skin of a wild boar with a single needle.

Today, he showed his genuine acupuncture skills. Although it couldn't be used for fighting, it impressed everyone. They thought, if he had a steel needle, he could pierce a steel plate.

With this display, no one could bring up a contest of skills. He had clearly set the bar high. Unless they could also pierce the table with a needle, they wouldn't even get a chance to fight.

"Brother Zeng's skills are truly amazing!" Tang Weiguo, being a skilled person himself, knew the significance of this display. He raised his glass. "Let's all drink to you for your acupuncture skills!"

The bald men understood. The plan for a drinking contest was likely over. But they weren't as hostile toward Zeng Yi now. Fine, even if we don't use the drinking strategy, do we fear you? Tonight, you drink as much as you want, and we'll match you. We might not be as good at acupuncture, but we can drink.

These bald men were straightforward. Once they started drinking, it was terrifying. Despite Zeng Yi's good alcohol tolerance, he eventually got drunk and fell asleep on the table.

At this point, few could speak coherently. Tang Weiguo was better off, though he was also sitting and couldn't stand. He took out his phone and called for help.

Soon, a group of soldiers came in, two carrying one, and they took all the drunk men back. Tang Weiguo and the bald men were taken to the barracks, and Zeng Yi was taken to the military guesthouse.

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(End of Chapter 62)