When refreshing the intelligence, Jiang Tao tightly gripped a river-polished stone in one hand.
He wasn't sure if it would help.
But it provided some psychological comfort, at least.
**[Today's Intelligence 01]:**
You drank the Maotai that Sun Xiaobao gave you at a family gathering yesterday.
Obtained intelligence related to Sun Xiaobao—
Sun Xiaobao, in the late stages of liver cancer, is nearing the end of his life.
He feels profoundly lonely in his empty house, facing a desolate old age.
Providing attentive end-of-life care may earn you Sun Xiaobao's inheritance.
This includes: a 530-square-meter property in Beijing's Baigezhuang New Village and 2.32 million in bank savings.
**[Note]:** Sun Xiaobao has 38 days and 9 hours of life remaining.
"Old Sun…"
Upon seeing the first piece of intelligence today, Jiang Tao's heart tightened.
Although the system's intelligence suggested that he only needed to show some care for Sun Xiaobao to inherit his estate,
a 530-square-meter property in Beijing's Baigezhuang New Village was a fortune many could only dream of!
At the current market rate of over 30,000 yuan per square meter, the property's value was around 20 million yuan!
Add to that the 2.32 million in cash savings!
In terms of value, this piece of intelligence was undoubtedly significant!
It was, by far, the most valuable piece of intelligence Jiang Tao had ever received!
The intelligence display even glowed with a golden hue, different from the usual interface.
But…
Jiang Tao couldn't muster any joy; instead, his mood grew heavy.
Although he hadn't known Sun Xiaobao for long and their interactions were few,
the stark contrast between the old man's tragic fate and his cheerful personality deeply affected Jiang Tao.
"Even the heavens have eyes, but why do they always pick on the weakest threads to break?"
"Old Sun has already suffered so much in his life—why won't they let him go?"
Looking at the system interface's intelligence about Old Sun, Jiang Tao's mind conjured an image:
In a pitch-black house, a frail old man sat quietly on a worn-out rattan chair, awaiting the end of his life.
When Old Sun's relatives passed away, at least he was there to handle their affairs.
But now, with no friends or family by his side, who would take care of him?
While thinking about how to handle Old Sun's situation,
Jiang Tao, with a heavy heart, flipped to the second piece of intelligence for the day.
**[Today's Intelligence 02]:**
You had contact with Xu Jiantao yesterday while buying fireworks at Jiantao Supermarket.
Obtained related intelligence—
Due to extreme obesity and overwork, Xu Jiantao suffers a sudden heart attack on his way home, accompanied by complications such as a stroke.
Golden rescue time remaining: 1 hour and 8 minutes!
Providing benevolent assistance can earn the gratitude of Xu Jiantao's family and the operating rights to Jiantao Supermarket.
Jiantao Supermarket has been in business for eleven years, in a stable operating phase, with an annual income of around 300,000 yuan.
…
"Xu Li's brother!"
Seeing the second piece of intelligence, Jiang Tao was startled again.
The rescue team was about to spring into action.
Jiang Tao hurriedly closed the system interface.
While dialing 120 for emergency services on his phone, he shot up from the sofa like a rocket.
In a few strides, he reached the bathroom door and yanked open the glass door with a whoosh.
"Oh, honey! What's the rush~"
"Daddy, you big rascal, get out! No peeking at girls taking a bath~"
Inside the bathroom, two figures—one big, one small—both bare, turned and playfully scolded Old Jiang.
"Wife, hurry and get dressed—it's urgent!"
"I'll call Third Sis to come watch Little Xue. You're coming with me."
Jiang Tao didn't have time to explain much to Xu Li.
As he spoke, the 120 emergency line connected, and the operator's voice came through.
"There's a patient here with a sudden heart attack and stroke complications!"
"Please hurry to save them. The location is near Lijiazhuang on Gangcheng Road!"
"Quick, quick, quick, quick! You have to be fast!!"
"Bring more people! The patient is very heavy."
Once connected, Jiang Tao urgently reported the location where Xu Jiantao had collapsed, as marked by the system.
Thankfully, the system provided the exact location.
Otherwise, with more than ten kilometers between Nandian Town and Ping County, Xu Jiantao would likely be long gone by the time they found him!
"Your phone number, name, and relationship to the patient…"
The operator asked Jiang Tao a few questions before hanging up.
After ending the 120 call, Jiang Tao quickly dialed 119 for the fire department.
He didn't know the exact situation with Xu Li's cousin.
A sudden heart attack, possibly compounded by a traffic accident, would make things even more complicated!
…
Ping County, Lijiazhuang section of Gangcheng Road.
On the right side of the road heading south,
a Jianghuai T6 pickup truck had veered into a small grove below the roadbed.
The front of the pickup was severely deformed from a crash.
Inside, Xu Jiantao's head slumped forward.
His breathing was as faint as a flickering candle in the wind, as if it could stop at any moment.
Xu Jiantao, 41 years old, had a son and a daughter.
His supermarket in town earned 300,000 to 400,000 yuan a year.
This income was considered high in Ping County.
His bank savings kept growing, but Xu Jiantao had never felt true happiness.
Every morning, he woke up in a 140-square-meter house in Ping County's most expensive neighborhood,
then drove to the supermarket in town to start the day's business.
He returned home after midnight.
Three hundred sixty-five days a year, Xu Jiantao worked at the store even when sick, rarely taking a break.
Yesterday, seeing his cousin's family of three laughing and playing together, he felt genuine envy.
His two children—one 20, in college, and the other in high school—had grown up with little involvement from him beyond their conception.
They weren't close to him as a father, always feeling a thick barrier between them.
Watching his cousin's little girl cling to her dad, calling him "Daddy," Xu Jiantao was truly envious.
Sometimes, he wondered: what was the point of burying himself in work his whole life?
To buy a house, to buy a car, to pay for his kids' education.
To support his parents, to buy his wife designer clothes and handbags.
Had he ever lived a single day for himself?
He always thought that when he was in his fifties or sixties and couldn't work anymore, he'd retire and enjoy life.
But between tomorrow and an accident, the latter came first, didn't it?
In the brief seconds of his collapse,
Xu Jiantao's mind played his life like a movie.
At the final curtain, he saw four stark, pale words on the screen: **A Beast of Burden's Life!**
If…
If I survive this, I swear I'll live for myself from now on!
Everyone only gets one life.
I live for my sons, my sons for their sons, their sons for their grandsons…
Generation after generation, slaving away for the next—is that really right?