"Even though we lost a lot of men this time, we technically won. The Dharma Sect tried to ambush us but lost two Dragon Veins instead."
Xuan Pin was talking to Li Huowang in a rather simple room.
The Liang Kingdom's Surveillance Bureau Chief, Xuan Pin, was satisfied and praised Li Huowang. "Entering the Earth Dragon's stomach and emerging unscathed is a miraculous feat. I knew you were very strong when I first saw you. If you help us continuously like this, the Dharma Sect will be destroyed easily."
Li Huowang ignored Xuan Pin as he shaved off his flesh to feed Li Sui. She had suffered grave injuries this time.
"But you have to be careful next time. Now that you've foiled the plans of the Dharma Sect, they won't let you off so easily."
Li Huowang twined Li Sui's tentacles around his fingers before stuffing the tentacles back into his stomach. "Where were you and the others when we were trapped in the Earth Dragon's stomach? Why didn't you come and rescue us?"
"We managed to escape the Earth Dragon but didn't have time to come rescue you. We were entrapped by the Dharma Sect when we made our escape."
Li Huowang said nothing. He didn't want to know whether Xuan Pin was lying or not.
He resolved not to rely on anyone.
Xuan Pin continued, "I've heard that... the Saintess of the White Lotus Sect was injured?"
Li Huowang frowned when Xuan Pin said that. Miaomiao was still alive, but her condition was bad.
Since most of her flesh had been bitten off, they had to use some flesh from the Immortal Family to replace hers, even after the White Immortal Family's efforts to heal her. She now looked more like a beast than a human.
Even so, she was very weak right now and required a lot of rest.
"You say he's saving some? Who is he saving?" Li Huowang suddenly said something random.
"Hm? What are you talking about?" Xuan Pin was confused.
"I'm asking who he's saving."
"Help! Save me! You need to get me out of here! What's the point of asking me so many questions and recording our conversation?"
"Qian Fu, if you want to get out, you must follow my orders," Li Huowang said firmly as he stood outside the room.
Li Huowang was using his phone to record his conversation with Qian Fu, but he was interrupted when a nurse came by and shooed him away.
Li Huowang checked his phone while walking out of the hospital. He stared at the recordings and decided that it was time to visit Qian Fu's family.
Li Huowang knew that the organization was waiting to ambush him. They were biding for time, and he was confident they would not let him go when the opportunity arose. Li Huowang refused to be passive in this situation. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶
He couldn't sit still without doing anything. He needed to rescue Qian Fu from the hospital now.
However, Li Huowang knew it would be a monumental task when he saw a police officer disguised as his driver. Due to his identity, it wouldn't be easy to rescue Qian Fu on his own, so he needed a helper.
"Nana, I need your help," Li Huowang whispered to Yang Na, who was beside him.
"Do you want to rescue the crazy guy from the hospital?" After spending so much time with him, Yang Na naturally knew what Li Huowang was thinking.
"Huowang, I can help you, but can I ask you a question first? Why do you want to get him out of the hospital?" Yang Na spoke softly as she looked at Li Huowang.
He hesitated. He was confident that Yang Na would faint from shock if he told her about Qian Fu and the aliens.
"He has insider information about the people assaulting me. I need to rescue him because I refuse to get ambushed by them!"
Yang Na wanted to say something, but she held back.
"I know he's a patient, but he also knows about the organization! Yang Na, you have to trust me! I'm telling you the truth!" Li Huowang held her hands and stared at her beautiful face.
She hesitated. She looked at the car at the entrance of the hospital and clutched Li Huowang's hands. "Then what should I do?"
Li Huowang sighed and said, "It's simple. You don't need to take risks. Just go to a certain place and find a certain someone. Once you meet her, just call me and let me talk to her."
Li Huowang had learned from Qian Fu that his daughter was paying the monthly hospital fee. If he wanted to get Qian Fu out, he needed to stop the money.
"Alright." Yang Na nodded. "Then let's split up here. You head back first, and I'll go find the person you've mentioned."
Yang Na walked towards the bus stop. She waved her hands when she was on the bus and Li Huowang quickly messaged her. Turn on your GPS and voice recorder. Do not turn them off.
Even though finding someone in the city wasn't dangerous, Li Huowang decided to play it safe.
Yang Na replied to him shortly. Ok. Are you worried for my safety? （'▽"）
Li Huowang checked his phone occasionally to check her location through the GPS. Yang Na also messaged him from time to time to update him on her whereabouts.
Huowang, I'm on the train now. ☆*:.o(≧▽≦)o.:*☆
?(?Д?)? Ah, there's no place to sit, so I have to stand. You owe me an ice cream when we get back.
?(?▽?)? Huh? I just got off the train. I'm taking another bus now.
By the time Li Huowang reached his home, Yang Na finally video-called him
Li Huowang accepted the call and saw Yang Na's confused face. "Huowang, are you sure this is the place? I feel like I came to the wrong place."
"Show me the place using your camera."
Yang Na raised her phone, and Li Huowang saw where she was. She was in the middle of a poorly maintained street. The buildings were close to each other, and the balconies were full of wet clothes that the residents had hung. The walls were yellow and the houses were uneven. It appeared that the place was a village in the middle of a city.
Li Huowang had stayed in Kangning Hospital before, so he knew that the fees were quite high. Qian Fu's daughter shouldn't be able to afford the costs if she lives there.
Chapter 701 - Freedom
"Yang Na, go to the address Qian Fu gave us and see if you can find anything."
"Okay, but the houses here are built in a very disorganized way," Yang Na said.
The camera shook as she moved. After searching for a while, Yang Na quickly found the address Qian Fu had given them in a small alley.
At the end of the alley, there was a two-story cement house. The cement was roughly applied, and there was colorful graffiti drawn by children.
The door on the second floor was locked, which was the address indicated.
Smack! The sound of a bowl breaking came from inside the house, followed by the crisp sound of a slap.
Yang Na stepped back in fright, but then cautiously moved forward.
"Money, money, money! All you care about is money! How much do I earn in a month?!" A man's rough shouting came from inside.
A woman could be heard sobbing, "You promised when you married me! You said you'd take care of Dad's medical expenses!"
"And you still dare mention your father! No wonder he loves money so much! How much has he swallowed over the years?! Why isn't he dead yet?! How long is he going to keep tormenting our family?!"
The sound of bowls breaking and furniture falling echoed from inside, mixed with a girl's suppressed cries.
Li Huowang heard their argument and realized they had found the right place. He quickly thought it over and had an idea. "Excuse me, is Qian Peiling here?"
"Who is it?" A scruffy man with a beard wearing a yellow scooter helmet came out, looking displeased.
His face showed a trace of impatience when he saw the face of a young student on the phone screen.
If it weren't for the fact that the person holding the phone was a beautiful woman, he would have started cursing immediately. "What do you want?"
"Hello, Mister Qian has asked me to tell you he doesn't want to stay at Kangning Hospital anymore. He wants to leave. Nana, I sent you a video. Play it for them."
Soon, Qian Fu's thin face appeared on the screen as he complained miserably. After his daughter and son-in-law watched the video, their argument became even more heated.
As the argument grew louder, their neighbors started peeking out to watch. The couple felt embarrassed, and they shut the door to resume their argument inside.
Yang Na did not leave. She quietly waited as instructed by Li Huowang.
After lunch, when he saw the man leave on his scooter, Li Huowang quickly told her to follow him.
"Did you know that there's a hospital better than Kangning Hospital? It's cheaper and treats patients well, so it would burden you less."
"But, there's one downside. There are fewer surveillance cameras."
Li Huowang quickly engaged in conversation, but the man remained indifferent.
"Huowang, it's useless," Yang Na said. From her expression, it was unclear if she was disappointed or relieved.
"No, it's useful. If it weren't, he wouldn't have listened to my nonsense just now."
"But he didn't agree to anything in the end."
Li Huowang smiled slightly and said, "It's our first meeting, and he doesn't know us well. How could he share his true thoughts with us? Look at him just now. Does he really want Qian Fu to keep wasting money at Kangning Hospital?"
He continued, "He doesn't want to be the bad guy or be seen as an unfilial son. He needs us to give him a push."
"How do we give him a push?" Yang Na asked.
Li Huowang opened his mouth to speak but then shook his head. "Never mind. You should come back. We'll revisit Kangning Hospital tomorrow."
Three days later, Qian Fu had to undergo gastric lavage after he swallowed a foreign object. His daughter and son-in-law also conveniently found out about it.
The issue was quickly resolved, and Qian Fu was transferred to the hospital Li Huowang had mentioned.
Li Huowang chose this place, and not just because it was cheaper. He was familiar with it since he had stayed there before, plus it was close to his neighborhood.
After the transfer, Qian Fu's condition seemed to improve. He no longer had to stay in a locked ward. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮
Time passed and the surveillance around Li Huowang eased up. One night, Li Huowang climbed over the neighborhood wall with his prepared supplies.
He rode the scooter Yang Na had arranged and went to the psychiatric hospital where Qian Fu was staying.
Li Huowang skillfully climbed the wall, avoided the cameras, and quietly sneaked Qian Fu out of the hospital.
Qian Fu changed from the striped hospital gowns into the clothes Li Huowang had prepared.
Qian Fu was finally free. Tears welled up in his eyes as he looked around and breathed in the fresh air of freedom. Suddenly, he rushed to a garbage heap, picked up some leftover food, and ate ravenously.
"Stop eating that!" Li Huowang pulled him away forcibly and led him into a secluded alley.
After nervously checking that no one was around, Li Huowang asked urgently, "I've set you free, so it's time for you to help me. How can we deal with those people?"
"Don't worry. You were alone before, which was inconvenient. Now we're on the same side, so I can help you fight them!"
"Stop with the nonsense! I asked how to deal with them. Don't tell me that you have no way. If you say that, I'll throw you back in the psychiatric hospital right now!"
"No, there is a way." Qian Fu quickly waved his hands, seemingly frightened. "They are watching you, but not me or my friends."
"I'll go find our friends now. You saved me, so my friends are your friends. You can be the bait once we have enough people, and we'll catch them all. Don't worry—they're not as powerful as you think!"
Li Huowang was somewhat skeptical but decided to meet Qian Fu's friends out of curiosity. He wondered if Qian Fu's friends could also see those people.
"Alright, here's my old phone and an unregistered SIM card," Li Huowang said, handing him the phone. "Contact me through this phone from now on."
Li Huowang was about to let him go when Qian Fu grabbed him tightly with a terrified expression on his face. "No! They're targeting me now! They're trying to turn me into one of them! Help me, please!"
"What?" Li Huowang was baffled. He saw Qian Fu suddenly change and look at him in surprise.
"Li Huowang? Where is this? What's going on? Why am I not in the hospital?"
"Damn it!" Li Huowang almost spat out blood in frustration at this sudden change. He had forgotten that Qian Fu had a split personality!
"No! I need to go back! I need to go back to the psychiatric hospital! I need to receive treatment!"
Qian Fu struggled to leave but was tackled by Li Huowang. A sharp knife was pressed against his throat. "Don't move!"
Qian Fu was clearly terrified by Li Huowang's actions. "Li... Li Huowang, calm down. You need to calm down. Did you not take your medication today? Be good. Take your medicine first."
Qian Fu continued, "We may be psychiatric patients, but we can't give up on ourselves! If we persist with treatment, we'll get better."
"Shut up! Get up!"
With a fierce expression, Li Huowang dragged Qian Fu deeper into the alley by the neck.
Qian Fu was visibly scared of Li Huowang, and his face had turned ashen.
Chapter 702 - Believe You
Qian Fu felt his hands and feet tied securely to the chair, and his face turned pale with fear. His eyes widened and his lips lost all color.
If I had been kidnapped by an ordinary person, there would at least be a reason—money or something else. But this guy's just a lunatic! 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮
He had heard Li Huowang's story and knew this guy had taken several lives. Now that Qian Fu had been tied up by him, he didn't even dare to imagine what he wanted.
Qian Fu glanced around fearfully to look for some hope.
This place seemed to be an abandoned house, possibly an unfinished building. Regardless, it seemed impossible to seek help from others. He could only find a way out through this lunatic.
"Li—" Qian Fu had barely uttered a word when he felt Li Huowang's five fingers clamped tightly around his neck. "Quiet!"
Li Huowang continued with his work when he saw Qian Fu sensibly fall silent.
After making sure Qian Fu was completely tied up, with no chance of escaping his restraints, Li Huowang finally breathed a sigh of relief. He stood up and looked at the man in front of him again.
Qian Fu pleaded, "Li Huowang, calm down. You need to calm down. Don't do something you'll regret for the rest of your life."
"Shut up!" Li Huowang grabbed a piece of cloth and stuffed it into Qian Fu's mouth, finally bringing some silence to the room.
Li Huowang felt a headache coming on. Of all times, he had to switch to his second personality now.
Fortunately, he had brought some equipment just in case. Otherwise, it would have been tricky to handle.
Li Huowang stared at Qian Fu and was at a loss about what to do next.
Having an ally with a mental illness was already troublesome enough, but this one even had episodes from time to time. It was genuinely tormenting.
After some thought, Li Huowang reached out and pulled the cloth from Qian Fu's mouth. "Let me ask you, how often does your personality switch? Are there any triggers for the switch?"
Qian Fu was stunned by the question and suddenly understood what was going on. "Did he ask you to save him? Did he instruct you to do all this?"
Then, Qian Fu leaned forward excitedly. "Li Huowang, he's a lunatic! How can you believe the nonsense of a madman? Everything he said is a lie that he made up!"
Qian Fu pressed on, "You still have a long life to live, so don't let that lunatic deceive you! If this continues, your condition will only get worse! Think about your worried family, your classmates, and your teachers!"
Swish! Li Huowang pressed his knife against Qian Fu's neck. The blade cut into his skin, and a drop of blood slowly oozed out. He stared fiercely at the bearded man. "I don't need your lectures! I'm not sick! I've recovered!"
"Also, don't avoid my questions! Answer me! How often does your personality switch?! What triggers the switch?!"
Qian Fu felt the sting on his neck and dared not provoke Li Huowang further. He quickly replied, "I don't know. After a personality switch, I just lose large chunks of memory and find myself in different places for no reason. If there was a pattern, I wouldn't have been in the psychiatric hospital for so long."
"No pattern? No triggers?" Li Huowang looked at him skeptically, finding it hard to believe. After all, they were enemies—Qian Fu could be lying to him.
Should I torture him? The thought made Li Huowang shake his head violently. He wondered why he would have such thoughts.
There's no good solution for now. Forget it. I better find a safe place to tie him up and wait for his personality to change back. Li Huowang grabbed the cloth to gag him again.
He needed to hurry back to his neighborhood. If his mom found out he had sneaked out, there would be big trouble.
Just as the cloth was about to cover Qian Fu's mouth, Qian Fu suddenly became frantic and shouted to someone behind Li Huowang, "Miss, don't come over! Run! This guy is a lunatic! Call the police quickly!"
Li Huowang felt a chill down his spine. Damn! Someone saw me tying up Qian Fu!
He turned with his knife raised, only to freeze in place as he locked eyes with the newcomer.
"I know what you're thinking. I've been watching all your moves recently. I'm not that naive." Yang Na used her phone as a flashlight and slowly entered the room. A complex expression crossed her face when she saw Qian Fu bound to the chair.
After opening and closing his mouth several times, Li Huowang finally sighed deeply. "Yang Na, you have to believe me. I'm not crazy!"
"Call the police! Quickly! This guy is a lunatic! He's killed people! More than one!" Qian Fu continued to shout frantically.
Angered by his outburst, Li Huowang punched Qian Fu in the face, silencing him.
Yang Na set down her phone and walked over to Li Huowang. She gently leaned her head against his chest.
Her voice was soft and a little aggrieved. "Huowang, I believe you, but can you tell me what's going on? No matter what it is, I don't want you to hide it from me."
"Also, why are you carrying a knife? Don't do such things." Yang Na gently placed her hands around Li Huowang's hand as he tightly held onto the knife.
Li Huowang sensed her warm touch. He struggled internally for a while before explaining everything to Yang Na.
"He has multiple personalities. The other personality is my ally, but this one isn't. That's why he's struggling and trying to escape, so I had to tie him up. As for the knife, I need it for self-defense. I don't know when those people will come after me. I can't be careless."
After he finished his explanation, he felt a bit anxious. He was unsure how Yang Na would react.
Then, Yang Na moved. She took the piece of cloth from Li Huowang's hand. To Qian Fu's shock, she stuffed it back into his mouth.
She saw Li Huowang's astonished expression, and she smiled. She wrapped her arms around him and pecked him on the lips.
She smiled even more as she looked into his eyes. "I told you. I believe you, Li Huowang. No matter what you say, I believe you!"
Chapter 703 - Two Sides
Li Huowang's heart trembled when he heard Yang Na's words. He looked into her pure eyes, at a loss for how to express his emotions.
Finally, he cupped her face and kissed her passionately.
Yang Na felt awkward since they were in front of Qian Fu. "Let's go home. Auntie wakes up early. She'll notice if we don't return soon."
She saw Li Huowang glance at Qian Fu again and said, "You don't need to worry during the day. I'll keep an eye on him, and we can stay in touch by phone."
"Alright," Li Huowang nodded. Things would be much easier with Yang Na's help, and he wouldn't have to worry about Qian Fu escaping.
Li Huowang got home and lay down in his bed. When he thought about what had just happened, he found himself restless and unable to sleep.
He had desperately longed for Yang Na to believe him, but a persistent thought kept surfacing in his mind.
It was understandable if Yang Na didn't want to trust him. He would find such a ridiculous explanation hard to believe if he were in her position.
But... Li Huowang hesitated. He was caught in a dilemma.
The bedroom door gently opened while he pondered this.
As he was about to get out of bed to see who it was, he felt a warm, soft body slip into his arms.
"Miaomiao, what's wrong?" Li Huowang recognized the familiar scent of her hair. He stroked the hairpin and felt smooth scales under her white fur slide across his body.
When her actions became increasingly inappropriate, he quickly restrained her hands. "No, Miaomiao, you're still injured."
Bai Lingmiao's body went limp, and her bloody tears soaked through the silk covering her eyes. "Li Huowang, do you dislike me now? Do you think I'm ugly?"
Li Huowang sensed the sadness in her tone, and he gently embraced her, then kissed the scales beneath her fur.
"No. When I left Zephyr Temple in a manic state, you never disliked me. How could I ever dislike you?"
"Besides—" Li Huowang fell silent as Bai Lingmiao kissed him again. Her forked tongue flicked out between her sharp teeth, wrapping around his tongue like a nimble rope. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚
Li Huowang was about to struggle when he felt another body lean lightly against his back. It was also Bai Lingmiao.
The oil lamp was knocked to the floor, and the room was plunged into darkness.
Li Huowang could still see clearly. "Besides, Miaomiao, you are simply beautiful now."
"......"
"......"
As the dark night slowly faded into the soft light of dawn, a slender, pale arm emerged from under the quilt to lift a corner of the starry curtain. Sunlight flooded in, causing both of them to squint against it.
"I'll get up first to watch that crazy uncle. You sleep a bit more," Yang Na said as she covered her chest and reached for the white sweater on the floor.
Li Huowang's exposed back rested against the headboard as he silently watched the fantastic scene before him.
His gaze made Yang Na blush. "Get some sleep. You didn't sleep at all last night."
Fearing he might have improper thoughts, Yang Na quickly clarified, "I mean, you ran out to save that lunatic from the psychiatric hospital."
"Why?" Li Huowang asked.
"Because we are childhood sweethearts, and I truly believe what you say. I'm not just trying to keep you calm and call the police secretly."
Li Huowang took Yang Na's hand. He was ashamed for doubting her. Why had he suspected her?
Yang Na kissed him lightly and turned to leave. It was obvious she was a little uncomfortable, as she clutched her stomach and moved slowly.
Li Huowang was left alone in the room. He sighed deeply and felt a rare sense of contentment.
Unlike before, he was no longer alone in facing anything. Yang Na would always be by his side, and this companionship felt terrific.
Knock, knock, knock. Someone was at the door. Yang Na had just left, so it couldn't be her.
"Son, I heard Nana has been accompanying you to the hospital lately?"
"I'm not saying anything, but it's good for young people to play together. You both should go together. I promise not to interfere."
After that, there was silence. When Li Huowang thought his mother had left, she continued softly, "You two should be careful. Don't cause any accidents."
Li Huowang buried his head under the covers. He did not want to discuss this topic with his mother.
Time passed slowly. During the day, Li Huowang had to be cautious of Madam Qi and others watching him, so he stayed in the neighborhood.
He only dared to venture out at night to check on Qian Fu.
After about ten days, Qian Fu's personality finally switched back.
"Not bad, tying me up was a good idea, Ji Zai. Thank you," Qian Fu said.
He continued, "Without your help, the Leotians would have used their advanced technology to control my body from afar and trap me again!"
After ten days of waiting, Li Huowang's patience was wearing thin.
"Weren't you supposed to find allies to deal with them together? Now that you're clear-headed, can we go find them?"
"Yes, yes!" Qian Fu nodded and massaged the marks on his wrists. "Don't worry. We can't just sit and wait for them to attack us. We need to take the initiative! I'll go find our allies now!"
Li Huowang stopped him as he was about to leave. "Wait, tell me who your friends are and where they are now."
"Uh..." Qian Fu hesitated. "I know the place, but I don't know how to explain it."
"How can you not know? There's a location app here. Point out the exact location," Li Huowang said as he handed his phone to Qian Fu.
After some clumsy gesturing, a location appeared on Li Huowang's screen—Sixth People's Hospital.
"Are you sure your allies are here?" Li Huowang's brows furrowed. From what he knew, the Sixth People's Hospital was also a public psychiatric hospital.
"Your friends aren't also mentally ill, are they?" Li Huowang wasn't surprised by this possibility.
"Yes, my friends live there. No need to worry since it's their territory."
After thinking it over, Li Huowang said, "Alright, go wait at the entrance of the Sixth People's Hospital. We'll go together during the day."
"Huowang, you can't go. You're being watched by many people."
Li Huowang shook his head confidently. "It's fine. I can't freely go to other places, but I can definitely go to a psychiatric hospital."
Chapter 704 - Chen Hongyu
Li Huowang looked up at the massive main building of the hospital before him. Large red words denoted its name—Sixth People's Hospital.
This was the address Qian Fu had mentioned, where his supposed friend who could help resided.
It was ten o'clock in the morning, the agreed-upon time for their meeting.
Li Huowang glanced around and saw Qian Fu looking around and standing nervously in the sunlight. He had clearly arrived early, carrying a few things in a black bag.
Li Huowang led Yang Na over without speaking. He only stopped briefly in front of Qian Fu before heading straight into the hospital.
Qian Fu understood Li Huowang's intent and quickly followed.
Once they were in the hospital lobby, Li Huowang said, "Go visit your helper." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶
Qian Fu nodded calmly, "Don't worry, I know this place better than you. Lend me your identification card. I didn't bring mine."
After following the visitation procedure, Li Huowang learned the name of Qian Fu's so-called helper. It was Chen Hongyu.
"Sounds like a girl's name. Huowang, do you think it's his girlfriend?" Yang Na asked curiously.
"If there's any relationship, it could only be a wife. At his age, it wouldn't be a girlfriend."
Li Huowang felt a bit worried. It was not because the helper might be mentally ill, but because he was uncertain if Chen Hongyu would provide any real assistance.
Considering how erratic Qian Fu was, it was already optimistic to trust half of what he said.
While they were talking, the door opened. A tall, overweight woman walked out.
This woman was very large and looked to be in her forties or fifties. She had dull eyes and looked listless. Her forehead and cheeks were covered in red pimples, and her sleeves and collar were dirty. Her scalp was visible through her thin hair.
Her overall appearance was undeniably shabby.
"Hongyu! Hongyu! It's been years, hasn't it?" Qian Fu rushed over excitedly. "Look what I brought you!"
He proudly opened the black plastic bag and revealed its contents: half a yellowed apple, a roasted eggplant wrapped in foil, and two half-empty soda bottles.
"Did you dig these out of the trash?" Chen Hongyu asked disdainfully. "Do you think I'm meant to eat garbage?"
"Don't be ungrateful. When we were homeless, finding these would have been a feast."
Li Huowang glanced at the surveillance cameras, then quickly grabbed Qian Fu's bag and threw it into a nearby trash can.
He leaned close to Qian Fu's ear and said sternly, "Do you want to get caught? Behave normally!"
Qian Fu saw Li Huowang's serious look and stopped trying to retrieve the garbage.
Li Huowang pushed Qian Fu aside and sat in the visitation area. He looked at the woman before him. "Hello, I'm Li Huowang. Your parents asked me to check on you. How have you been lately? How's your condition?"
She smiled sarcastically, her eyes drooping. "Just say what you need to. There's no need for an act. They can't hear us."
Li Huowang relaxed, decided to be straightforward, and quickly recounted everything that had happened to him. This old woman seemed much more reliable than Qian Fu.
However, after he finished, the woman mocked him and chuckled. She said, "Qian Fu is a lunatic, and yet you believe him?"
"Uh, Hongyu." Qian Fu looked up, his face filled with desire. "Stop kidding. You must have sensed it too, right? They're coming, and they're not just after Li Huowang. Once he's gone, they'll come for us. The Leotians are greedy."
Chen Hongyu ignored Qian Fu and turned back to Li Huowang. She said lazily, "He's crazy. Those people you encountered aren't aliens. They're just ordinary people with some schemes. It's a highly organized group hiding in the shadows."
"Oh?" Li Huowang felt a glimmer of hope. He finally met someone who seemed sane and informed. "Tell me more. How much do you know about them?"
Chen Hongyu hesitated, but Qian Fu interjected and said, "It's fine. You can tell him. He's on our side. He got me out."
Chen Hongyu finally said, "They aren't just targeting you. They're also going after others. I was once captured by them but managed to escape."
"Why? Why are they doing this? Who exactly are they?"
"They're doing this because they want to steal my special powers! Those who possess valuable things should act responsibly. They are an underground group trying to seize supernatural abilities!"
"..." Li Huowang was at a loss for words. He turned to look at Qian Fu, feeling foolish for ever trusting him.
Li Huowang looked at Chen Hongyu with a complex expression on his face. "Schizophrenia?"
"What? You don't believe me? Don't you have any supernatural abilities? Don't tell me you don't know. If you hadn't shown any abilities, why would they target you?"
"Supernatural abilities? I don't—" Li Huowang suddenly remembered something and shook his head vigorously. "No, that's not it. Absolutely not."
At this moment, Qian Fu chimed in again. "Hongyu, you see, I'm out now. You should come out too. Let's take care of those troubles together."
"No way, it's too exhausting. I'm fine here. You can fight outside while I stay here. They can't do anything to me while I'm in here," Chen Hongyu said before turning to leave.
Qian Fu panicked. He quickly grabbed Bai Lingmiao's bag and rummaged through it. "I'll give you money! Look, it's all red bills! Help us, and this money is yours! Also, how can you be sure they can't get in? Are you really safe?"
Chen Hongyu saw the cash in Qian Fu's hand and stopped. As she turned around, her chubby face showed a hint of greed.
She extended her dirty, black-nailed fingers toward Li Huowang and the others. "Fifty thousand! If you want me to help, give me fifty thousand each, then I'll deal with them."
Chapter 705 - Take Action
"Deal!" Qian Fu immediately agreed to Chen Hongyu's demand.
"Where are you going to get fifty thousand?" Li Huowang looked at him.
Qian Fu quickly leaned in and whispered, "Shhh, just pretend I have it! Right now, we just need to figure out how to get through this mess. We'll worry about everything else later! Better to owe money than lose our lives!"
Li Huowang fell silent and watched Qian Fu hand the money to Chen Hongyu.
Yang Na looked conflicted, not by the money but by the weight of their recent conversation. She said, "Huowang, are you sure what this woman says is true? About supernatural abilities... is it really...?"
"I..." Li Huowang hesitated, glancing between Qian Fu and Chen Hongyu. "I don't know... But since we're here, let's give it a try. Don't just listen to what they say—watch what they do."
Despite saying this, Li Huowang wouldn't have chosen this option if he had another way. Yang Na still looked conflicted, but she finally nodded without saying anything.
"How do we get you out?" Li Huowang asked Chen Hongyu.
"No need! She doesn't need us to rescue her. She's very capable, and she can get out by herself," Qian Fu said confidently.
"I'm different from Qian Fu. I wasn't brought here against my will—I paid to get in. For me, leaving is as simple as saying a word. I have a lot of stuff, so come on and help me pack," Chen Hongyu said and turned to leave the visitation room.
"Come on, Li Huowang, let's help with the luggage! See, we already have a helper!" Qian Fu said as they headed toward the inpatient area.
Li Huowang thought for a moment and then said to Yang Na, "Let's go. Let's get her out first."
Yang Na nodded and followed Li Huowang toward the inpatient area.
Since they were helping a voluntarily admitted patient pack her belongings, the three easily got inside the Sixth People's Hospital.
This place was no different from the other psychiatric hospitals, with some people behaving oddly and speaking nonsense. Li Huowang was used to it.
As they walked, various absurd remarks reached Li Huowang's ears.
"I don't eat eggplant. Not because I'm picky, but because the eggplants given to me all look shifty-eyed. If you give me a different bowl of eggplants, I'll definitely eat it."
"I'll tell you a secret, the world we live in might just be a holographic projection left by another higher world in space. The things around us seem real but are actually images. We can move because that higher world is moving, and we think because the entities in that higher world are thinking! This is a physics model I proposed in 1997, but it has never been academically recognized. I'm telling you, what I'm saying is true! The whole world is fake!"
"What higher world? Let me check your pulse. Oh my, you're very ill. Did you take the medicine I prescribed earlier?"
Li Huowang sensed Yang Na's tension and softly reassured her, "Don't worry. The patients who can move freely are not violent. They're mild cases that pose no danger."
They soon reached Chen Hongyu's room. Li Huowang saw the pile of luggage under her bed. There were plastic tubs and basins among other things, which Li Huowang couldn't identify.
Everything, from the luggage to the snakeskin bags, was dirty. Yang Na valued cleanliness, so she frowned when she saw this.
"Just take that bag of snacks. I'll get the rest later," Li Huowang said. He grabbed a snakeskin bag full of clothes and headed out.
Carrying all this stuff was tiring. Fortunately, Li Huowang and Qian Fu were not weak. After two trips, they finally finished moving everything.
Li Huowang carried a suitcase and led Chen Hongyu, who had changed into new clothes, outside.
"You encountered them? Fought with them?" Chen Hongyu suddenly asked.
Li Huowang nodded. "Yes, I even killed one of them and bit off some fingers. Unfortunately, the police couldn't find the culprits even after the incident was reported."
"Hmph, how naive. You actually thought reporting to the police would help? They have people on their side, and one of them is very powerful. They'll wipe out all the evidence cleanly and leave nothing behind."
Li Huowang looked at her and her three chins seriously. "Is what you're saying really true?"
"What? You've been targeted, and you still don't believe it?"
Li Huowang replied, "Believe it or not, I just want to solve this problem. I want to live a normal life. I don't care about anything else."
"Don't hope for that. You can't avoid some things even if you don't want to deal with them. If you want to solve this problem, you have to face it."
With that, Chen Hongyu lifted her luggage and quickened her pace.
Suddenly, a figure dashed behind Li Huowang. He grabbed a clothes hanger and wrapped it tightly around his neck.
The plastic-covered wire squeezed his windpipe, which made it hard for Li Huowang to breathe. His head started to fill with blood uncontrollably. He grabbed the hanger and struggled to look behind.
He soon saw a familiar face inverted above him. It was Wang Wei, his former doctor!
Wang Wei's foot stepped heavily onto Li Huowang's back, preventing him from escaping. His expression was ferocious as he glared at Li Huowang.
"How long are you going to deceive yourself?! Remember! That world is not fake! Everything that happened there is real! Wake up!"
"Cough, cough..." The suffocation intensified. Li Huowang's eyes rolled back, and he soon saw strange circles and various changing snowflake patterns.
Thump! Chen Hongyu punched Wang Wei on the head and knocked him out. He fell to the ground, motionless.
Li Huowang quickly removed the hanger, coughing violently while he clutched his neck.
"Are you okay?" Chen Hongyu patted Li Huowang's back. She looked at the unconscious Wang Wei with a serious expression. "I never thought their people could infiltrate here. What did you do to make them watch you so closely?"
Once he could breathe again, Li Huowang felt lingering fear as he replayed what just happened in his mind. Wang Wei's strength was astonishing. Without Chen Hongyu's help, Wang Wei's ambush might have succeeded.
He looked at Chen Hongyu gratefully. "Thank you."
Regardless of whether she was mentally ill, she had proven her goodwill towards him. Even if she was indeed mentally ill, at least she was the good kind.
Chapter 706 - New Helper
Following this major incident, the nurses quickly arrived and hurriedly took the unconscious Wang Wei away. Several managers immediately came forward to apologize.
The fact that a patient attempted to murder someone and nearly succeeded was a serious matter. If this were to get out, it would severely damage the reputation of the psychiatric hospital.
The staff became increasingly nervous upon learning Li Huowang's identity.
Although he had almost been killed, Li Huowang did not demand compensation. He only had one request—to meet with Wang Wei. This guy was crucial.
The individuals trying to harm Li Huowang had been lying low for a long time, and now they had finally sent someone to strike again. Since they had encountered him, it wouldn't make sense not to extract any useful information from Wang Wei.
The people at the Sixth People's Hospital naturally agreed to this small request. It was a trivial matter compared with the potential negative impact of this incident becoming public.
Shortly after, Li Huowang met Wang Wei again. This time, Wang Wei was in a straitjacket with a muzzle to prevent him from biting.
"It's fine, you can leave. I want to talk to him alone," Li Huowang said to the hospital staff nearby.
The staff were caught in a dilemma, considering that this man had just attempted murder.
However, they quickly thought of a compromise. Wang Wei was placed in a restraint room, allowing Li Huowang to talk to him through the iron bars. There would be no chance of another incident under such circumstances.
Li Huowang looked at Wang Wei again after everyone left. Wang Wei now seemed even more deranged. His eyes were wide open and bloodshot, reflecting the madness within him. He drooled from the corners of his mouth, which twitched slightly.
"Are you one of them?" Li Huowang asked.
Wang Wei stared back at Li Huowang but said nothing.
"What do they want? I want to talk to them," Li Huowang said.
This was a probe. Li Huowang first needed to know their identity, regardless of their intentions.
He found it rather hard to believe they were the Leotians that Qian Fu mentioned, or the group plundering supernatural abilities Chen Hongyu spoke of. He wanted to meet them personally and see them with his own eyes.
Of course, Li Huowang was recording their conversation. If he could gather crucial evidence, the best outcome would be reporting it to the police and eradicating them with the help of others.
Wang Wei merely stared at him without saying anything.
"It's useless. He's just a pawn. You won't get anything out of him," Qian Fu said from the side. He didn't seem like his usual crazy self.
"Leotians are masters at bewitching people. Some of us have been bewitched by them, turned into their puppets, and manipulated at will. You're mistaken if you think you can get any clues from him."
Despite this, Li Huowang refused to give up. "Wang Wei, do you remember me? You used to be my doctor. What happened to you after we parted? If you tell me, maybe I can help you.
"I didn't quite hear what you said. Can you repeat it?
"You tried to kill me, but I don't hate you. I just want to know why."
Li Huowang asked several questions and even shared some of his past in an attempt to get Wang Wei to respond. And yet, no matter what Li Huowang said, Wang Wei remained silent. He was just like a puppet, as Qian Fu described.
Their roles had reversed compared to a few years ago. It was very ironic.
After he asked many questions and elicited no reaction, Li Huowang finally decided to leave.
As Li Huowang was leaving, Wang Wei finally spoke, "Li Huowang, you are running away."
Li Huowang stopped and slowly turned back to Wang Wei. "What did you say?"
"I said you are running away. You know it, and you always knew it. You can link to that world. Your potential is limitless!"
Li Huowang's pupils dilated slightly. Is that their goal? They think I can take things from hallucinations, so they want to abduct me?
He quickly remembered something and said, "So the experiences on the ship weren't just my hallucinations? There really are people like that?"
Chen Hongyu interjected, "See? I told you. They are after our supernatural abilities. You must have one too, or they wouldn't come for you."
"Sister Chen, let me ask more questions first," Li Huowang turned back to Wang Wei. "Answer me. Is everything I just said true?"
Wang Wei did not respond directly but instead said, "You answer my question first. When did you stop believing in these possibilities? Are those your true thoughts? Or is it because someone made you think that way?"
He raised his voice. "Li Huowang, don't trust Yi Donglai! He's actually harming you!
"Think about it! What has Yi Donglai done? If he truly cared about you, why wasn't he by your side when you were in trouble?
"That world exists! Yi Donglai is harming you! He has sealed your abilities! You need to remember to become whole!
"You are not sick! You have extraordinary talents! You don't need treatment or medication!"
"Not good!" Qian Fu quickly covered Li Huowang's ears. "Don't listen to him! The Leotians are bewitching you. Don't stop, don't look, don't think!"
Qian Fu forcefully dragged Li Huowang out. Actually, Li Huowang was about to leave on his own. There was no valuable information they could gain from Wang Wei.
"Alright, stop covering my ears. My mind isn't so fragile that I'll be shaken by a few words," Li Huowang said in the hospital lobby as he shook off Qian Fu's hands.
He glanced at Chen Hongyu beside him and asked, "What are you planning to do now?"
"Why are you asking me? Aren't you the ones who invited me to come out of retirement?" Chen Hongyu said and picked her nose.
"We need others besides her, right?" Li Huowang asked Qian Fu.
In any case, Chen Hongyu had just saved his life—making more friends like her was worth it. She might be mentally ill, but she was still helpful.
Qiang Fu replied, "Yes, we need to find Qing Wanglai next."
"Qing Wanglai?" Li Huowang frowned. "Sounds like a man's name. Is he also mentally ill?"
"No, he's not mentally ill. He's a scholar."
"A scholar? A student?" Li Huowang almost thought he had misheard. There was actually a normal person among Qian Fu's helpers.
"No. Qing Wanglai is a graduate student," Chen Hongyu added.
Chapter 707 - Qing Wanglai
Finally, someone who wasn't mentally ill would join them. Li Huowang was eager to meet a normal person who could help him learn more about the people targeting him.
However, Qing Wanglai was a graduate student and Li Huowang was strictly prohibited from approaching schools due to his ankle monitor. He had to delegate the task to Yang Na, who would go with Chen Hongyu and Qian Fu.
Li Huowang did consider Yang Na's safety, but he wasn't too worried since it was broad daylight with many people around, and the destination was a well-known university.
Huowang, I'm on the subway. Have you had dinner? ??.?.???
It's so crowded during the evening rush. Thankfully, Madam Chen is strong. (???-???)
?????? Why don't you reply to my messages? This bad habit of yours needs to change. How can I know what you're thinking if you don't say anything?
Li Huowang felt nervous when he saw Yang Na send over another text. He quickly typed back. Nana! They're here! They're watching me again!
After sending the message, he anxiously peered out the window and spotted several shadowy figures under the trees at dusk.
Although he could not see them clearly, Li Huowang felt confident they were looking in his direction.
A notification chimed, and he glanced at his screen to see Yang Na's reply. Could it be Madam Qi?
Impossible! Madam Qi is off work at this time. I've been behaving well lately, so the Neighborhood Office isn't monitoring me closely.
What should we do? Should we call the police?
It's fine. They seem to be hesitant now. Besides, I'm not a pushover! Li Huowang opened a drawer and revealed a gleaming knife.
In fact, Li Huowang found the appearance of these people somewhat reassuring. It meant Yang Na and the others were temporarily safe.
"Huowang, come out for dinner!"
"Coming!" LI Huowang drew the starry curtains and blocked the view from outside, making him feel more at ease.
Meals had always been just him and his mother. His father was a taxi driver, and the evening rush was the most lucrative time for him.
Today's meal featured braised chicken with mushrooms, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and stir-fried snail meat with leeks, accompanied by seaweed and shrimp soup. The aroma alone was mouth-watering.
Sun Xiaoqin was a good cook, but Li Huowang wasn't enjoying it much. He kept checking his phone and glancing toward the balcony.
"Son, where's Nana?" Sun Xiaoqin noticed someone was missing.
"She... she had something come up," Li Huowang made up an excuse.
Sun Xiaoqin struggled to understand young people's matters, so she only offered her perspective. "Son, you need to be responsible to Nana. I'm not rushing you, but good girls like her are hard to find nowadays."
"Take Brother Li next door, for example. His son Li Changnan, who you used to play with, went on a blind date with a girl born in 1993. I've met her, and she's not as good as Nana. Do you know how much they spent on the betrothal gifts alone?"
Li Huowang would usually respond to such remarks. However, he received a video call, then quickly shoveled the remaining food into his mouth and rushed to his room. "Mom, I have something to do. We'll talk later."
Back in his room, Li Huowang took a deep breath, composed himself, and tapped the green button. Yang Na's face appeared on the screen. "Huowang! Look, we've arrived!"
The screen shifted to show the main road of the university. As it was evening, it was bustling with people.
Li Huowang brought his phone closer to the screen and said softly, "Qian Fu, find that person."
"We're already here now. What's the hurry?" Qian Fu's voice sounded as the screen began to shake. They were on the move.
With the changing sounds in the video, Li Huowang knew they had entered a building, got into an elevator, and were going to ask someone for directions.
When the screen steadied, they were in a lively cafeteria. A thin man with rectangular rimless glasses appeared before Li Huowang.
He seemed to be in his twenties, with short hair and an open-collared white shirt.
He was eating quietly, contrasting with others who were chatting or on their phones. He seemed very quiet and ate unhurriedly from his bowl using chopsticks.
If Li Huowang guessed correctly, this was Qing Wanglai.
"Wow, Huowang! Look, he's so handsome!" Yang Na exclaimed.
Li Huowang frowned, and his impression of Qing Wanglai instantly dropped.
At that moment, Qing Wanglai looked their way, put down his bowl, stood up, and walked towards them. "Long time no see. How have you been?" 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢
"Little Qing! I got locked up again. I tried to send you a message for help, but I couldn't get through! You wouldn't believe how they tortured me there!" Qian Fu started to complain, leaving no room for Chen Hongyu to speak.
"Shut up!" Chen Hongyu snapped and covered Qian Fu's mouth. She directly addressed Qing Wanglai, "Give me your meal card. I'm hungry!"
Qing Wanglai curiously glanced at Yang Na before handing over a meal card from his left pocket with two fingers. "Our cafeteria's spicy frog pot and sweet and sour pork are quite good. You should try them."
Chen Hongyu soon returned with two large trays of food, and the four of them sat down together.
Both Chen Hongyu and Qian Fu were clearly more focused on eating than talking, devouring their meals with gusto.
When Li Huowang saw that they were not talking, he said, "Hello, Qing Wanglai. Let me introduce myself. I'm Li Huowang."
Qing Wanglai put down his bowl, took Yang Na's phone, and scrutinized Li Huowang through the screen.
His reaction puzzled Li Huowang, so he introduced himself again.
Qing Wanglai replied, "There's no need to repeat yourself. I know you're Li Huowang. Have you eaten?"
Chapter 708 - Projection
Li Huowang was speechless when this guy asked if he had eaten at a time like this. "Mr. Qing, I've finished my meal. Can we discuss the matter at hand now?"
"Please wait a moment. I haven't finished eating yet." Qing Wanglai picked up his bowl.
Li Huowang frowned at this response. What is this guy's deal?
"Can't you talk while eating?"
"The ancients said not to talk while eating or sleeping. Besides, talking while eating leads to improper chewing, which can cause indigestion and an increased risk of biting your tongue or choking," Qing Wanglai said and handed the phone back to Yang Na.
Since Qing Wanglai had refused, Li Huowang had no choice but to wait. He was the one who needed Qing Wanglai's help.
Li Huowang saw his girlfriend Yang Na looking hesitant and said, "Don't just stand there. Eat while they're eating. Don't let yourself go hungry." 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺
"Alright then, Huowang, I'll hang up the video call for now. We'll talk after eating," Yang Na said and ended the call.
Li Huowang sighed at the static screen. Why were all the people Qian Fu found so weird? Even though Qing Wanglai wasn't mentally ill, he didn't seem very reliable either.
Li Huowang stood up and walked to the window, lifting a corner of the starry curtain to peek outside. The sky was already dark, but he could still feel those eyes on him. They were still there!
Whoosh! The starry curtain was pulled open again, and Li Huowang was exposed to their gaze.
If you have the guts, come in! I'll make sure you won't leave here in one piece! Li Huowang gripped his knife tightly, his teeth clenched and his eyes filled with hostility.
However, it was clear that due to Wang Wei's previous actions, these people didn't plan to act immediately again.
They were just watching for now, and they didn't do anything even when the video call alert sounded again.
Li Huowang quickly closed the curtain and answered the phone. On the screen, a new environment appeared. It seemed like a small, single-person dorm room.
Unlike typical male dorms, this one was remarkably clean and tidy. Most items were white, and the walls were bare except for a single calligraphy painting. It gave off an immaculate impression.
Qing Wanglai took a sip from a cup of green tea and said, "Hello, Li Huowang. Let me reintroduce myself. I'm Qing Wanglai. I've been informed about your situation."
He continued, "Here's what I think: First of all, you're under severe restrictions and can't accomplish anything while being surveilled like this. We need to find a way to temporarily restore some of your freedom."
"Wait, hold on," Li Huowang interrupted.
"What? You don't want to regain your freedom? Would you prefer being confined to your neighborhood?"
"No, before we proceed with anything, I need to confirm something first. What's your opinion about those who are trying to kidnap me?"
"Do you think they are Leotians, or an underground group spying on people with supernatural abilities?"
Qing Wanglai chuckled and said, "Why would you think I would believe that? Do I look like a lunatic?"
"Then what do you think? What's the truth behind this? Who are they?" Li Huowang could feel his palms sweating. He was finally getting a rational person's explanation.
Qing Wanglai slowly drank some tea and said, "Physicist Julian Madacena proposed a hypothesis that our universe might be a holographic image. Everything you see and perceive is a projection. I agree with this hypothesis."
"Huh?!" Li Huowang was momentarily stunned. What did this guy mean? Had he heard this somewhere before?
"What do you think is real? What do you think is fake?" Qing Wanglai asked.
"Is it possible that our world is a vast phantom or a reflection of some existence? Like our shadows. We are their shadows."
Li Huowang wordlessly stared at the screen. This guy might also be mentally ill, just undiagnosed.
"I don't agree with your view," Yang Na said.
She seemed like a different person, far from the gentle girl when she was with Li Huowang. She came off as being quite assertive.
Her gaze sharpened as she clutched her cup tightly. "Science is about bold hypotheses and careful verification. All hypotheses are merely hypotheses until they are proven right. Do you have any critical evidence to support your words?"
Qing Wanglai smiled smugly. "Of course I do."
"Then prove it. I don't believe you can," Yang Na replied skeptically. "If you had decisive evidence, you could win a Nobel Prize. Why would you be here?"
"I can't show you. My shadow can't express what our world is like. They don't even have thoughts. They move because we move. How could I explain?"
"Nonsense! How are you different from pseudo-scientists spouting nonsense online? I can't believe you are a graduate student!" Yang Na stood up angrily. Her initially favorable impression of Qing Wanglai had vanished completely.
"Imagine our shadows compared to us. They're so simple. If we as living beings are shadows of some existence, can you imagine what they might be like?"
Qing Wanlai saw Yang Na's confusion and continued, "What if their projection isn't just a single person, but rather our entire world? If our entire world is merely their projection, what kind of existence would that be?"
Yang Na opened her mouth and then closed it, unable to refute.
"You can't conceive it because you don't even have the organs to imagine it."
Qing Wanglai's expression became dreamy. "But I've seen it once. Even though I quickly forgot, I still remember how insignificant I felt at that moment."
"Our thoughts are just the reflection of their breathing. We exist only because they exist. Even our..." Qing Wanglai trailed off and then clutched his head in pain.
He turned to open a drawer, took out some capsules, and swallowed them with his now-cooled tea.
The room fell silent as no one spoke.
After a while, Qian Fu said, "What a load of nonsense. You're making this up. I think it's just Leotians."
Chapter 709 - Help
The conversation continued. Surprisingly, despite their differing viewpoints, they didn't get into an argument.
Qing Wanglai turned back to Li Huowang. "This is our first meeting, but since Qian Fu said he would help you, I assume we are allies. He has a talent in this area."
Li Huowang scratched his head. He was even more confused by the conversation. He said, "I'm curious, how did you end up discussing things with him? Your worldview is completely different from theirs!"
"Because we are not real. Although we have flesh and blood, we are projections and are truly false. Absolute reality and absolute truth do exist, but the truth in question exceeds our understanding and perception."
"If everything is fake, why care about what others think?"
"Hehe, I don't believe things are as they say, but everyone's ideas are unique. There's no need to impose my thoughts on others. I respect their views," Qing Wanglai said and raised his tea cup toward Qian Fu and Chen Hongyu.
Li Huowang looked at Qing Wanglai's profile through the screen. He was pondering his words, and he was highly skeptical of what he had said.
Even though it was just for a moment, he noticed that Qing Wanglai had taken some kind of psychiatric medication.
This guy might seem knowledgeable, but mental illness had nothing to do with intelligence.
In fact, from his years of observation, Li Huowang had noticed that intelligent people were more likely to suffer from mental illness than ordinary people. The less intelligent someone was, the less likely they were to have mental issues.
"This is our first meeting, and I understand your concerns. Don't worry, I am indeed trying to help you. Moreover, you're the one in trouble, not us, isn't that right? Regardless of who those people are projecting."
Li Huowang was temporarily convinced. It was true. Since Qing Wanglai was offering his help, it would be imprudent to display open suspicion, regardless of his intentions. He decided to remain cautious internally without revealing it outwardly.
"I apologize. This situation is too strange, so I have to ask more questions. What method do you have to get me out of this predicament?"
Qing Wanglai replied, "In today's world, you need connections to get things done. I know many people who can help. Your situation isn't too serious."
He continued, "You just need to wait at home. We will find someone to help you, and you'll have an answer soon. Once you're out, we can discuss our next steps."
Find someone? Is he looking for another mental patient? Li Huowang thought and frowned silently.
He wanted to ask for more details, but Qing Wanglai seemed unwilling to reveal too much.
"That's all for today. I have some things to do later. Right, add me on WeChat so we can keep in touch," Qing Wanglai said and stood up.
After exchanging contact information with Qing Wanglai, Li Huowang felt that they had at least made some progress. Their efforts hadn't been in vain.
Qing Wanglai escorted them to the university gate before he turned back. As Li Huowang was about to end the video call, he saw Qian Fu rush to a trash can, stick his arm in, and lick his lips as he rummaged through it. This attracted strange looks from a few passersby.
"Qian Fu! What are you doing? Act normal!"
Qian Fu held a half-full cup of milk tea as he turned around and retorted, "How am I crazy? This stuff is still edible. Why waste it? I'm just picking it up to eat. What's crazy about that? Many people in the world still can't get enough to eat. I think those who waste food are the real lunatics!"
Li Huowang was at a loss for words. This guy's way of thinking was really different from that of normal people.
After Chen Hongyu forcibly dragged Qian Fu away, Li Huowang ended the video call.
Li Huowang sat alone in his bedroom, reflecting on everything he had just heard and wondering if he had missed anything.
Ding! His phone buzzed. Li Huowang swiped to unlock it and saw a message from Yang Na.
Huowang, didn't Auntie Chen say she has special abilities? I was curious and asked her what they were. Guess what she said? (⊙ω⊙)
What did she say? 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶
He quickly received a video from Yang Na.
Chen Hongyu stood lazily by the roadside, her expression solemn as she looked into the camera.
"Huowang, watch closely."
Li Huowang was puzzled. Watch what?
The camera zoomed in on Chen Hongyu's forehead.
However, Li Huowang saw nothing apart from some pimples on her face.
"Mmm..." Chen Hongyu's expression became serious. She made a low sound as if she was channeling inner energy.
As Li Huowang wondered what she was up to, Chen Hongyu let out a low shout, and two pimples on her forehead burst open.
Yellow pus mixed with tiny bits of flesh oozed out onto her greasy face, making Li Huowang feel nauseous.
The video ended abruptly, and Yang Na quickly sent another message. What a disgusting superpower...
Li Huowang threw his phone onto the bed and sighed. What kind of people had he gotten involved with?
***
"We need to take the initiative. Those worthless people from the Dharma Sect think they can ambush and kill us whenever they want! Do they think we're easy targets?" A burly man in a black coat roared angrily inside a military tent.
No one inside the tent argued with him. This was the Great Khan, the tribal leader and Dragon Vein of Qing Qiu. As the emperor of Great Liang was absent, he was now the most esteemed person present.
"Khan, you are right. We must counterattack. I have a skill that could be useful, but may I borrow your country's tiger tally first[1]?" Xuan Pin said.
The Great Khan clutched his sleeve warily. "Are you joking? The tiger tally that commands the Qing Qiu army can't be given to an outsider! Do you know how short on troops we are right now? Go ask your stingy emperor of Great Liang if you have the guts!"
He continued, "He sure has a good plan. We're fighting for our lives here while he reaps all the benefits!"
"Khan, the emperor has already dispatched troops," an old eunuch reported and bowed respectfully.
"What good is that now? The Great Liang is so far from Hou Shu! It will be too late by the time they arrive!"
The Chief of Qing Qiu sensed the tense atmosphere and stood up to mediate. "Xuan Pin, just state your plan clearly. If it makes sense, our Khan will naturally send troops to assist you."
1. a special token carried by military commanders as a sign of authority. ☜