A Bad-Hearted Doctor is Unbearably Beautiful - Chapter 97

“I heard there’s a child on today’s list with an extremely high kidney match rate. The bidding price won’t be low…”

Crystal glasses clinked softly, creating crisp, musical notes. Under the magnificent vaulted ceiling, a hunting feast was unfolding, draped in the skin of luxury.

Shen Zhao’s body grew increasingly rigid. Everything here was a direct assault on his nerves, serving up his most painful childhood memories on a silver platter for these people to devour.

Lu Xiao’s palm was warm as he pressed it against Shen Zhao’s back, sliding it down slowly in a calming gesture. “Stay calm. There are surveillance cameras everywhere.”

Shen Zhao forced a faint, practiced curl of his lips. “I understand.”

They continued further in, approaching the core of the hall. In the very center was a sunken circular stage, surrounded by tiers of seating. This layout ensured that everyone in the audience was looking down into the center—a literal, physical manifestation of looking down upon others from a position of power.

A long black table sat at the center, covered in a velvet cloth. Several waiters stood in a line, placing documents and fountain pens on the table.

“I haven’t seen where they’re keeping the children yet…” Lu Xiao whispered. A dozen people had already taken their seats around the center, their expressions varying from greed to cold amusement. Every person here harbored their own dark secrets.

A man walked onto the circular stage. His voice rang out, cutting through the room without the need for a microphone. He clapped his hands together lightly.

“Distinguished guests! Thank you all for coming to the ‘Sacred Healing Manor’! Next, I shall present to you the most anticipated part of our event—the ‘Adoption’ ceremony!”

Shen Zhao’s eyes narrowed; Lu Xiao’s breath hitched almost imperceptibly. At that moment, a mechanism opened in the floor of the central stage. A white birdcage, nearly two meters high, rose from the depths.

Inside the cage were several children around ten years old, dressed in prep-school uniforms. Their clothes looked brand new, their hair was neatly styled, and their faces even had a healthy, rosy glow.

But their expressions were vacant.

They were like livestock that had been so thoroughly broken by long-term discipline that they no longer knew how to resist. They even wore practiced, fawning smiles, standing in the cage to demonstrate their health to the seated guests.

The hunt had officially begun.

At the sight of those children, Shen Zhao’s body began to tremble reflexively. His breathing became erratic and shallow. In an environment of relaxed, celebratory indulgence, his reaction was glaringly abnormal.

Several people nearby turned to look. PTSD? This is bad.

Lu Xiao didn’t hesitate. He swung around, pulling Shen Zhao into his arms, and immediately blocked Shen Zhao’s lips with his own.

A man sitting in the row behind them frowned. “Can you find somewhere else to make out?”

Shen Zhao couldn’t speak. His body went limp against Lu Xiao, his head lolling onto the other man’s shoulder. If he had looked strange a moment ago, it could now be interpreted as… him being in a state of intense arousal.

Lu Xiao’s heart was pounding with anxiety, but he maintained the facade of a debauched playboy. Wearing his black-and-gold filigree mask, he tilted his head and smirked at the man behind them. “Sorry about that. My baby is ‘hungry.’ Have some understanding.”

After saying that, he immediately went back for another kiss.

A man in a white suit wearing a fox mask slowly swirled his whiskey, his eyes peering through the slits of the mask at the couple. The man in the burgundy shirt from earlier let out a cold snort. “It’s all coercion. Who knows what kind of dirty drugs he’s fed the guy. No class at all.”

Lu Xiao tightened his grip on Shen Zhao’s chest, swallowed hard, and pulled his lips away. When he looked up, his eyes were dangerous. He let out a mocking laugh, his lips still glistening. “Didn’t get enough last night. Got a problem with that?”

“How vulgar!” “An eyesore!” “Hey, look at that little lover of his. He actually is quite stunning.” “What, you want a turn?”

Filthy words and mocking laughter surrounded them, but Lu Xiao ignored it. He had to keep playing the part. If they were exposed now, not only would the mission fail, but they’d both lose their lives.

Lu Xiao felt that this “performance” in front of the crowd was enough to be rated an R-rated movie scene. He only hoped he could delete these audio clips when he exported the camera evidence later.

Just please calm down, ancestor, he thought. He whispered into Shen Zhao’s ear: “Ancestor? Baby? Doctor? Director?”

Only when he felt Shen Zhao finally give him a slight push did he breathe a sigh of relief.

Shen Zhao’s hands finally stopped shaking. “You really are…”

“Don’t yell at me. I wasn’t ‘enjoying’ that one bit,” Lu Xiao whispered back with a smirk, supporting Shen Zhao’s shoulders to help him sit up straight.

Under various masks, the powerful elite from all over began to eye the “merchandise” in the cage with contemptuous interest.

“Tonight’s ‘items’ look quite good,” a woman in a black lace mask noted. She wore matching lace gloves, smiling as she leaned against a pot-bellied middle-aged man, tracing circles on his chest.

“More than good. There are a few I think are suitable for long-term ‘cultivation’ at home. Who knows when they might come in handy.” “And how do you plan to use them?” “To their full potential, of course~”

Shen Zhao’s hands tightened again as he listened to the voices around him.

Another person spoke up lazily, “I heard the core medical department is advertising two rare ‘full-set’ matches this time. Usually, it’s just one or two usable organs, but if there’s a chance to adopt a full set…”

A wave of cold revulsion washed over Shen Zhao and Lu Xiao.

Before Shen Zhao could whisper to Lu Xiao, the man in the white suit and fox mask walked over from behind and let his gaze drift over them thoughtfully. “You two look like new faces.”

Shen Zhao quickly adjusted his expression, putting on a perfectly cold, aloof smile. “So, you’re a regular?” His tone was tinged with a faint, aristocratic arrogance.

The fox-masked man chuckled. “You could say that. I haven’t seen any good stock in a while, but today… there’s a pleasant surprise.”

Lu Xiao blinked. Is this guy treating me like I’m invisible? What’s the meaning of this? Can’t see me?

Lu Xiao let out a cold laugh, his expression radiating possessiveness over his “property.” “A pleasant surprise? You’d better pray you don’t run into any ‘unpleasant surprises’ yourself.”

“You certainly have good taste in companions,” the fox-masked man said, ignoring Lu Xiao’s threat as his eyes unabashedly roved over Shen Zhao. “The rest… I can’t say I’m impressed by.”

He then tapped his glass against the one on the small table next to Shen Zhao. “Since you’re new friends, you might as well have some fun today.”

Shen Zhao smiled inscrutably. “We will.”

In the center of the hall, the host’s voice rang out again: “Next, we shall show you the most precious and rare resources of this event.