Chapter 323

The morning sun had just begun to stream through the window when Lily Clark tugged at Luna White's arm excitedly. "Luna, take me to pick up William! I can't wait to meet the hero!"

Luna swayed slightly from the force of Lily's enthusiasm. "Alright, alright. But he just got discharged from the hospital—don't overwhelm him."

"I promise!" Lily raised three fingers, her eyes sparkling. "I just admire him so much! If it were me, I'd have been too scared to even speak, let alone think of a way to call for help!"

At the hospital, William Cooper had already packed his few belongings. When the nurse handed him his discharge papers, she gave him an extra glance. "You're the young man who outsmarted those kidnappers, aren't you? Truly remarkable."

Fellow patients in the ward cast admiring looks his way. A bespectacled middle-aged man sighed. "William, if you hadn't stepped up that day, who knows what would've happened to the rest of us."

William smiled bashfully, though his gaze kept drifting toward the door.

"Waiting for your girlfriend?" a patient teased.

"No, it's—" Before he could finish, Luna and Lily walked in.

After completing the discharge formalities, the group had just reached the hospital entrance when William suddenly stopped. "Luna, I want to visit Sally today."

Luna glanced at the bags Henry was carrying. "Henry, why don't you head back first? William and I will go to Sally's place."

Lily immediately clung to Luna's arm. "I'm coming too! I won't cause any trouble!" She leaned in and whispered, "I can't miss something this exciting."

Henry shook his head in resignation. "Just come back early." Before leaving, he gave his younger brother's shoulder a reassuring squeeze, pride evident in his eyes.

The taxi twisted through narrow alleys before stopping in front of a row of low, weathered houses. Faded red slogans about "safety in production" still clung to the peeling walls.

"This is it?" Lily's eyes widened—clearly, she hadn't expected their savior to live in such humble conditions.

Luna stepped forward and knocked. A wary female voice called out from inside, "Who is it?"

"We're here to see Sally."

The door cracked open, revealing a face with carefully applied makeup. The moment the girl spotted William, her expression twisted, and she immediately tried to slam the door shut.

Luna reacted swiftly, wedging her foot against it. "Victor and the others have been arrested. The police will protect you."

The resistance against the door weakened. After a tense silence, it slowly creaked open. "Come in."

The interior was so dim it took a moment for their eyes to adjust. Thick coal smoke hung in the air, making Lily cough. As their vision cleared, the scene inside came into focus: a battered wooden sofa, chipped enamel mugs, and an emaciated middle-aged woman lying on a bed in the inner room.

Sally stood by the bed, fingers nervously twisting the hem of her shirt. "What... do you want from me?"