Chapter 37: The Sky is About to Darken
Inpatient Department Building, Rooftop.
The golden sunlight poured down in the early morning, but as it reached about two or three meters away from the rooftop, it seemed to be blocked by something, and the light dimmed.
“Creek—!” The door to the rooftop was pushed open, making a light sound.
A cool morning breeze blew into the corridor. Jiang Li tidied up the silver threads at her temples that were blown askew, leaning on her cane, and limped toward the center of the rooftop.
In the center of the rooftop, a yellowed playing card was wedged into the concrete floor, with an exquisite spade A pattern printed on it, and a faint metallic sheen flowed across its surface.
“Shah—!”
Jiang Li bent down and pulled the playing card out from the crack in the ground. Suddenly, the dim light on the rooftop became bright, as if a dark room had just opened its window shades.
Her slender fingers caressed the card as Jiang Li frowned in contemplation for a moment, then bent down and inserted the card back into the ground.
……
When Jiang Li returned to the hospital room, Luxianbei had changed into a hospital gown and was half-lying on the bed, sitting upright at the small table on the bed eating breakfast. He gobbled up the food like a hungry ghost, shoving an entire piece of youtiao into his mouth in just a few seconds.
“Um…” Upon seeing Jiang Li enter, Luxianbei swallowed the youtiao he hadn’t fully chewed and took a sip of congee before patting his chest and sitting up straight.
“Are you very hungry?” Jiang Li tilted her head slightly, asking with a cold expression.
“Of course! Huh—!” Finally swallowing the youtiao that was stuck in his throat, Luxianbei’s expression remained unchanged as he exhaled a long breath, “The doctor said yesterday that I almost injured my digestive organs. Although it’s just the appendix, it’s best not to eat anything for the time being. I was starving all day.”
“Mm.” Jiang Li nodded and stepped forward, starting to untie the straps of his gown without any forewarning.
To facilitate immediate examination, the straps on the hospital gowns could be easily untied. By the time Luxianbei realized what was happening, his abdomen, which was wrapped in bandages, was completely exposed to Jiang Li’s gaze.
“Hey, hey! What are you doing? I don’t remember signing anything related to this in the contract!” Luxianbei quickly covered his chest and shrank back.
“Meeting the special requirements of the leadership isn’t a hidden rule across all industries?” Jiang Li lifted her chin at Luxianbei, saying seriously as she leaned in closer.
Luxianbei was momentarily stunned, “…”
The sunlight outside the window fell on Jiang Li’s fair face, and at such a close distance, he could even see the fine hairs on her face clearly. Luxianbei couldn’t help but think to compliment her: Leader, you’re so beautiful!
But if he really said it out loud, he would definitely be shot down on the spot, right?
Just as he was slightly distracted, Jiang Li’s fingertips silently pressed against the wound on his abdomen.
No residual spirit energy fluctuations? The level of night erosion is normal.
Looks like I was overthinking.
With that thought, Jiang Li stepped back, stood straight, and said coldly, “Your wound seems to be oozing bl**d a bit. Do you need me to call a doctor to take care of it?”
Luxianbei snapped back to reality and shook his head, “No, no! A real man doesn’t shed a tear at the sight of bl**d; a little bl**d is nothing! Even if I had three kn*fe wounds and six holes, I wouldn’t make a sound.”
“Oh? When I found you at the resort hotel yesterday, you weren’t saying that.” Jiang Li remarked flatly, “It was more like【Ah! Someone save me! I’m going to d*e! Someone come! My intestines are coming out!】like that.”
“Uh…”
Listening to Jiang Li’s mimicry, Luxianbei was momentarily at a loss for words.
What nonsense! How could I, a stalwart man, possibly have that kind of style?
Just then, Jiang Li suddenly stated, “Last night, the Flower Language Sunshine Resort Hotel was destroyed.”
Upon hearing this, it was as if he had been caught doing something wrong. Luxianbei’s heart skipped a beat, and he nearly displayed a panicked expression, but fortunately, he had a poker face.
“Really? How could this happen? What happened?”
Jiang Li stared at Luxianbei for a few seconds, not noticing any abnormalities on his face, and continued, “It seems that Mr. Rabbit’s ritual was a success, causing a fire; the entire hotel and the surrounding forest have become ruins.”
“d*mn!”
Luxianbei suddenly cursed fiercely, making Jiang Li freeze in shock.
“That Mr. Rabbit is too wicked, isn’t he?! Killing people everywhere is one thing, but he actually set the mountains on fire!” Luxianbei looked at Jiang Li with a blazing gaze and said, “Every forest is humanity’s precious treasure! Leader! Promise me you will bring him to justice, okay?!”
“……” Jiang Li stared at Luxianbei for a few seconds, rubbed her forehead, and said, “There’s no need for you to worry about that. Just take care of your safety.”
After a pause, Jiang Li seemed to think of something and took off the mourning badge from her chest, handing it to Luxianbei, “This is for you.”
“Uh…” Luxianbei took the badge, feeling the cold metallic touch against his fingertips. He faintly sensed something flowing beneath the surface, as if it had a life of its own, bringing about a comfortable and intimate sensation.
But…
“What is this?”
“The specially made badge of the Siye Society, which can warn of spirit energy fluctuations and convey information,” Jiang Li explained.
“Keep it with you. If there’s another situation like Zhu Linglong’s, I’ll know right away. As long as you don’t run around, your safety will be guaranteed.”
Luxianbei thought, “……” So if I turn back into that state from last night, would this thing be able to sense it?
If it can! Then it’s not a safety guarantee at all! It’s just a monitoring device!
Noticing Luxianbei holding the badge and spacing out, Jiang Li tilted her head and said blandly, “What? Do you have any questions?”
“No, I’m just too touched! You actually gave me such a valuable thing. I don’t know how to repay you; I can only endlessly support the will of the Siye Society and work like a donkey or a horse for you, to express my respect for you!”
Lies! I’ve become this half-human, half-ghost state, of course, I want to avoid contact with Jiang Li as much as possible! Luxianbei thought.
“This thing, every official member of the Siye Society has one.” Jiang Li said with a slightly disdainful expression, coldly, “I also don’t need you to work like a donkey; just… do well in being a person.”
Not sure if it was his imagination, but Luxianbei felt she was deliberately emphasizing the word “person.”
“Alright, focus on recovering. I’m leaving,” Jiang Li said, and after finishing her sentence, she leaned on her cane and limped out of the hospital room.
Watching Jiang Li leave, as the door to the hospital room closed, his stomach suddenly rumbled. He sighed and grabbed a youtiao from the small table, stuffing it into his mouth.
He was really hungry, never before had he felt so hungry, as if he could never be full.
After consuming seven or eight pieces of youtiao and three or five bowls of congee, the hunger in his stomach diminished slightly, only to be followed by a wave of itching from the wound in his abdomen. It was a healing itch, but much more intense.
The wound was healing, and at a fast pace!
Like an illusion, Luxianbei could even hear the faint sound of new flesh growing.
He curiously opened a small gap in the bandage around his waist, and he saw a scar that had completely scabbed over.
“Hiss—!” He took a deep breath, feeling some lingering fear.
After all that effort and enduring such great pain from the self-inflicted wound, it had progressed to this stage in just over an hour?
If, just now, when Jiang Li touched my wound, it had already healed to this extent, would she have noticed anything?
He pondered, and Luxianbei felt…
Hungry again.
……
After spending a quiet day, as the sky gradually darkened, Luxianbei stood by the window, watching the fiery sunset slowly sink below the horizon, his emotions starting to grow anxious.
The mysterious girl in the illusion said that bathing in sunlight could temporarily restore one’s original form. He didn’t know how long this “temporary” state would last.
If it could only last a day, then at night, wouldn’t he be exposed for all to see?
He needed to think of a solution! Luxianbei thought.
The little maid sat on the sofa in the hospital room, looking at the almost expressionless face of Luxianbei, who maintained almost the only expression he had—frowning, making her feel puzzled.
“Hey! You! Is your wound uncomfortable?”
“No, it’s not at all!”
“Then why do you keep frowning? Like you’re suffering from chronic constipation.”
Luxianbei suddenly recalled that he had eyebrows, which could move freely. He raised his eyebrows a couple of times, then relaxed his expression.
“You’re a little girl, with such dirty stuff on your lips. Is it really appropriate?”
The little maid glared at Luxianbei angrily, “Mind your own business.”
Luxianbei shrugged, “By the way, if I go out for a little while tonight, would you…”
“Of course not! What do you want to do?” The little maid’s expression instantly became alert as she sized Luxianbei up, “I warn you, don’t try anything funny, or I’ll report you to the lady.”
“Uh… I was just asking casually. I actually have a habit of eating late-night snacks. Really.” Luxianbei said with a flat expression and sincere tone, “There’s a saying that goes, three meals a day are just for survival, while afternoon tea and late-night snacks are for enjoyment! I’m not even asking for afternoon tea, can’t I at least have a late-night snack? Isn’t that a bit…”
“Stop!” The little maid sensed that Luxianbei was about to start rambling again and quickly interrupted, “No late-night snacks, do you want a peach?”
“Just stay where you are; you can’t go anywhere!”
Luxianbei, “…”
d*mn! It seems that using normal means to leave the hospital at night won’t work!
Should he sneak out? If detected, he would definitely be suspicious, right?
While thinking, he glanced out the window, and nightfall draped over the horizon like a purple veil. Soon, the light in the hospital room dimmed.
The sky is about to darken.
The next moment, Luxianbei felt something pierce his heart, followed by his heart pounding violently at an accelerated rate beyond normal frequency.
Epilogue
The process of transformation from light to dark at sunset was rapid, the fading light becoming visibly darker.
Luxianbei’s heartbeat continued to accelerate, and his complexion turned pale.
“I’m going out for a walk!” Forcing himself to endure the increasingly intense discomfort, Luxianbei coldly said to the little maid, then made his way toward the room’s exit.
Seeing this, the little maid quickly rose to her feet, blocking the doorway with her arms.
“Stop! The lady said that after dark, you’re not allowed to go anywhere!”
Staring at the little maid’s pouting face, a surge of intense anger inexplicably arose in Luxianbei, and a whisper began to echo in his ears.
It was as if there was one person, or perhaps a group of people, screaming at the top of their lungs, crying in despair, and accusing him with indifferent words.
“Shut up! Annoying!”
Luxianbei suddenly shouted, uncertain whether he was addressing the whispers in his ear or the little maid blocking his path, or perhaps both.
The little maid, who did not expect Luxianbei’s emotions to explode suddenly, jumped in surprise and instinctively shrank back. Her previously commanding tone softened a bit.
“M-Mr. Rabbit hasn’t caught you yet. It’s dangerous to run around after dark. Even if you want to speak some nonsensical and garbage logic, I still can’t let you go.” The little maid said, her eyes unexpectedly resolute.
The discomfort in Luxianbei’s chest intensified, and he took a deep breath to suppress it.
“I’m not your captive; do I truly have no freedom at all?”
“It’s not like that. I just…”
As he spoke, taking advantage of the little maid’s momentary distraction, he pushed open the door to the hospital room and hurried outside.
Perhaps startled by Luxianbei’s sudden unusual response, the little maid momentarily forgot to pursue him.
Turning his back to the little maid, Luxianbei waved his hand impatiently, “I’m just walking around the hospital! I’ll definitely be back before dark!”
As if! If I turn back into last night’s state, I won’t be coming back at all! Luxianbei thought, quickening his pace.
Watching Luxianbei’s retreating figure, the little maid opened her mouth, hesitating to speak.
Seriously, why did he suddenly lose his temper? Isn’t it all for his safety! Hmph! If he wants to d*e outside, let him!
Though she thought this way in her mind, the little maid turned around, sighed, and gently caressed the silver badge on her chest, sending a message to Jiang Li.
“Miss, Luxianbei said he wants to walk around the hospital. Should I follow him?”
With the little maid’s abilities, as long as Luxianbei was not far from the hospital, she could easily keep up, which was why she didn’t rush to follow him when she saw him walk away.
Soon, the badge trembled slightly, and a voice that seemed somewhat cold rang in her ears as she lightly brushed her fingertips over it.
“If it’s just around the hospital, let him go. He’s not our prisoner; he should have this little freedom.”
Huh? Did the miss just say something similar to that poker-faced chatterbox? The little maid pouted, filled with jealousy.
Just as she was thinking, Jiang Li’s instructive voice echoed in her ear again, “Watch for spirit energy fluctuations in the area.”
“Yes, miss, I understand!” The little maid responded.
……
As night fell, the last rays of the setting sun stained the corridor bl**d-red, and bizarre, colorful lines flew across her vision. The whispering in Luxianbei’s ears gradually intensified, the originally empty corridor at that moment seemed to become crowded.
It felt like many people were around him, invisible and untouchable, driving him to the brink of madness.
“Bang——!”
In the familiar restroom, at the end of a familiar cubicle, Luxianbei slammed the door shut.
Finally, the moment the cubicle door closed, the whispers ceased. His ears were abruptly filled with silence, interrupted only by the occasional dripping sound of water, adding an eerie quality to this silence.
The sunlight slanted, sank, and disappeared. The sky had completely darkened, and the lights in the restroom had yet to turn on, plunging the entire cubicle into an instant darkness.
“Bang bang—— bang bang bang——!”
His chest felt like it was being slammed by some ferocious beast, the cold and bloody sensation spreading from his chest. The indescribable pain made Luxianbei curl his body, squatting against the cold wall.
Something wanted to burst out from his body. This thought flashed through Luxianbei’s mind, and then, his eyes started to feel a burning pain.
In an instant, his bl**d felt as if it had been ignited, glowing gold-red, coursing through his veins. Every pore opened up, and sweat began seeping out, evaporating into white smoke as it reached the surface of his skin.
A surge of heat rushed through his veins, colliding with the cold sensation brewing in his chest. His heart suddenly stopped for a moment, and Luxianbei’s body twitched, collapsing to the floor.
“Uh——!” A painful groan involuntarily slipped through his clenched teeth.
The cold and the scorching heat chased, collided, and fought within his body.
Luxianbei felt like his body had become an extremely unstable reactor, ready to explode at any moment and shatter him to pieces.
“Bang—— bang bang——!” Outside the window, a playing card flew in, violently crashing against the window, accompanied by the sound of flapping wings.
Luxianbei didn’t have time to contemplate the sound from outside. He could feel the coldness within him receding; the scorching power seemed to be gaining the upper hand as his body temperature soared at a terrifying rate.
Then, his consciousness began to blur, uncontrollably leaning forward. His hands and cheeks touched the cubicle’s walls, producing a soft sound, and a scent of burning plastic wafted through the air.
It was not changing but melting! Luxianbei thought, feeling the transformation in his body.
I must do something; otherwise, I might d*e!
He recalled the ancient murmuring he had heard when swallowing the witch’s egg, and unconsciously began repeating it.
“There are… there are those of Zhongshan. A woman dressed in green…”
Struggling to speak, every word felt particularly clear as he sensed his voice gradually becoming shriller and younger, then slowly returning to normal. The scorching heat within him, like fuel running out, quickly cooled down.
“Zizi——!”
The restroom lights flickered twice as if there was a poor connection, then stabilized, illuminating the entire restroom in a stark white.
It’s stopped? Luxianbei weakly lifted his hands to see they were damp with sweat.
Didn’t transform into an urban legend?
But… Luxianbei narrowed his eyes, feeling heavy-hearted.
If this kind of pain happens every day, it would be too difficult to endure!
Moreover, with the uncertainty of what might happen “a few days each month,” it felt unsettling.
“Ah——!” Luxianbei sighed, then leaned against the wall and stood up again.
Since he survived, he had to keep going, right?
Even if the salted fish nearly got roasted, it was still a salted fish.
Luxianbei always managed to slightly lean toward humor amidst the absurdity and pain, continuing to aspire to be a happy salted fish.
Stepping out of the cubicle and looking outside, the full moon hung like a disc beneath the night sky, its silver light flowing like a stream. He suddenly felt a sense of rebirth.
……
After leaving the restroom, as soon as Luxianbei stepped out, he saw a pale-faced patient, his face filled with terror. From the hospital tag on his chest, it seemed he was a patient from the proctology department.
Seeing Luxianbei’s appearance, which looked as if he had lost half his life, the patient gulped hard and weakly asked, “Little brother, are you… okay?”
“Ah?” Luxianbei was taken aback, his expression slightly guarded, and said flatly, “Oh! I’m fine, holding up, holding up.”
Seeing this, the patient patted his shoulder and said earnestly, “Little brother, listen to your elder brother: get it cut! Long pain is worse than short pain!”
Cut it? Luxianbei looked at the patient with an odd expression. Are you hinting at something? Why do I feel like there’s more to your words? Why should I cut it if I can keep it for now!?
“You were the one making that noise during the day, right? I recognized you by your voice.”
During the day? Luxianbei stared blankly at the patient, and upon seeing the words “hemorrhoids” written on his hospital tag, he seemed to understand something.
“Uh… it’s fine! Men, what’s a little pain? I can handle it!”
Luxianbei said calmly, straightening his back and walking away with his head held high, leaving the patient with an impressive figure, as if the earlier pain had never happened.
Watching Luxianbei walk away, the patient silently gave him a thumbs-up, “d*mn… what a tough guy!”
However…
As soon as Luxianbei turned a corner, he could no longer hold on. His body went weak, and he leaned against the wall, nearly falling over.
In this world, there are no true tough guys; those who grit their teeth and endure are the real tough guys.
……
Returning to the corridor of the hospital room, Luxianbei saw the little maid waiting at the door with a fierce expression from a distance.
As soon as he approached, the little maid began to complain, just as Luxianbei had expected.
“Where have you been? Why are you back so late? You didn’t even bring the badge the miss gave you! Do you know there was a strong spirit energy fluctuation nearby just now!?”
Of course I know! It almost got stronger! Luxianbei thought inwardly. However, what exactly is spirit energy fluctuation? Is it a special energy emitted during the transformation process?
It seems that next time, when it’s almost dark, I need to hide further away; just because I escaped detection this time doesn’t mean I can get away with it again.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Luxianbei said with a terrified tone, “I don’t know! What happened? I’m not in danger, am I?”
“Now you’re scared?” The little maid crossed her arms and glared at Luxianbei. “Let’s see if you dare to run around again!”
“I’m scared! I won’t run around anymore! I won’t run around again!” Luxianbei waved his hands, “You must protect me well! I don’t want to d*e!”
The little maid rolled her eyes, “Hmph! This time you’re just lucky! That energy fluctuation only lasted a few seconds before disappearing; it didn’t seem to target you; otherwise, you wouldn’t even know how you died!”
The little maid reprimanded Luxianbei, but her mood was not as calm as she appeared. The spirit energy fluctuation had been terrifying, beyond her understanding.
“Yes, yes, yes, I usually have good luck.” Luxianbei nodded in agreement. How else could he d*e? Perhaps he’d just be burned to d*ath by himself?
“Hmph! Just stay in your room! I’m going to patrol nearby and then inform the miss,” the little maid said, turning to leave.
“Wait!” The little maid hadn’t gone far when Luxianbei called out to her.
“What now?”
“Uh… is there really no late-night snack? I’m hungry.”
“……”
“Bang——!”
The little maid bit her lip in frustration, silent for a few seconds before slamming the door as she left.
“Ah——!” Luxianbei sighed. Just then, the little maid’s voice floated back from the corridor.
“There’s only instant noodles; you can’t have anything else!”
Instant noodles are fine! Almost dying and still being able to live to eat a bowl of instant noodles is pretty good! Luxianbei thought.
(This volume ends)
