Zheng De was completely compromised. He wasn’t a child; he understood the law of the jungle. It was just a game room, not worth burning bridges for. Even if he lost, he had a copper coin as a bottom line.
He confessed, “The file is under the cabinet in my restroom.”
“I’ll go get it,” Han Qianqiu volunteered.
Shen Ling allowed him to go.
While waiting, Shen Ling unfolded the paper he had brought from the inside world. The paper was very fragile, showing signs of age, similar to several diaries previously obtained by Yan Xiu.
On it was written:
“I can’t resist that power. It’s deeply rooted in my body, sucking my marrow and flesh. Once the flute sounds, my body will undergo a change.
I have been possessed. The power of the gods has changed my body. Now, I have to believe that I have become a monster, capable of absorbing madness.
I have become the monster in the story, and also the sacrifice offered to the gods.
When night falls, the madness will engulf me. Before my eyes, there is only desolate land and howling storms, with a misty end calling out to me. I obey that voice, walking forward. When I reach the deepest part of my consciousness, the world is pure black.
I am like a mad wanderer, with only the flute as my guide.
He will take me to the spiritual realm, to find the one guided by the gods – he is also a follower of the gods, willingly sacrificing himself. He will continue to chant praises to the gods:
…
The miraculous night when the black star rises
The wondrous moon running in the night
…
My soul can no longer sing
My songs are no longer flowing like tears
There is only dryness and silence
The lost Kalksa
In the midst of singing, I will extend my slender beak into his brain, sucking away his madness.
This is the most beautiful sacrifice offered to the gods. I will feed this madness to the chosen sacrifice, gradually severing his connection to this world. He will gradually lose his relatives, friends, but he will receive the grace of the gods. The yellow mark will attach to his body, appearing on his skin.
In the end, on the night when the black star rises, I will bury him in the lake.
This is the perfect sacrifice.
The writing on the paper behind was blurry and messy, with many typos, and used Pinyin – even the Pinyin was disordered and incorrect. Shen Ling found it difficult to read, but from these details, it could be seen that this person had fallen into madness.
In the lower left corner, there were two lines of small characters, but they were too blurry for Shen Ling to identify. He said, “Let’s do an investigation.”
After rolling the dice for investigation, he quickly found that it read:
“The story is not over yet, the black tide is surging, and the wizard is washed ashore, looking around in confusion.
He still cannot get the blessing of the gods.”
After flipping over the page, there was a small paragraph on the back:
“I’m starting to forget things. I can’t remember what happened yesterday. Familiar people pass by me, and I can’t even call out their names. I know I know them, I should know them.
What did I do yesterday?
It seems like I’ve forgotten someone.
Today, the nurse asked me to sign, and I thought for a long time before I remembered what my name was.
My name is Liu Tianqiao.
I have a younger brother.
His name is Liu Xiaotao.
…
My name is…
I have a younger brother, his name is…
…………….
Liu Xiaotao.
He is called Liu Xiaotao.
When Shen Qianqiu saw this, he happened to bring the file over. As soon as he entered the room, even he, with his rough nerves, sensed the heavy atmosphere.
He didn’t dare to speak loudly, carefully handing the file to Shen Ling.
Shen Ling opened the file and sat down to carefully examine it.
Years ago, a major earthquake shattered countless families, leaving the two brothers without any relatives, wandering. At that time, both of them were not adults yet. After being sheltered, it was discovered that both of them had a certain degree of mental problems. Later, they were admitted to this mental hospital by Director Zheng. The mental problems of the two brothers were to some extent illusions and emotional deficiencies. Both brothers had little reaction to contact with the outside world, as if life only revolved around each other. Liu Xiaotao had a very serious dependency on his older brother, and he would panic and cry if he left his brother. Compared to Liu Xiaotao, the older brother, Liu Tianqiao, seemed much more stable, but he often engaged in self-harm when alone. Later, Liu Tianqiao died in an accident, and Liu Xiaotao’s emotions collapsed, and his condition became even more serious. He closed himself off from the outside world emotionally and underwent a long and difficult treatment before gradually showing improvement. The subsequent files were all about Liu Xiaotao. After Shen Ling finished reading them, he thought about the whole incident and said, “I have a guess I want to share with you.”
The few people held their breaths and listened.
Shen Ling said, “This hospital has two worlds, the inside world, if I’m not mistaken, is the spiritual world of the monster we saw, these two twin buildings, Building A and Building B, each have their own inside world. Our building, Building A, has the inside world of Liu Xiaotao, and the building across from us, Building B, is his brother, Liu Tianqiao’s.”
“Wait, what’s the matter with Liu Xiaotao?” Xia He felt completely lost. Even Zheng De, who was standing with the director, didn’t understand everything clearly. He listened to Shen Ling’s words with a furrowed brow.
Shen Ling explained, “Director Zheng Heping once went to a town where a meteorite fell, causing varying degrees of mental problems. The director cured their mental problems because he obtained a flute from that meteorite. This flute can summon and enslave monsters to absorb the madness of others. This can explain why this ward, despite not doing anything practical, has such a high discharge rate.” He looked at Zheng De and said, “You stand on the side of the director. You shouldn’t be completely unaware of this, right?”
Zheng De turned green and said, “He told me about this, but not in as much detail as you said.”
Shen Ling looked sympathetic.
Zheng De: “…”
Shen Ling continued, “But what he did was not to save the patients or for fame and fortune; he was just collecting enough sacrifices. These mad brains are the best sacrifices offered to their gods. Liu Xiaotao was the person summoned by the flute. He should have already been enlightened and had communicated with his gods in order to become the one who was possessed.”
“After turning into a monster, he can create a spiritual world and absorb people’s madness in the spiritual world. The spiritual world is a side note of his own spiritual world. The inside world we see is gray and broken, which proves that Liu Xiaotao loathes this world. But what I don’t understand is the connection between the events five years ago and the current events. Why did Liu Tianqiao set the fire back then, and where did he go?”
“I can provide you with some clues,” Zheng De said in a negotiating tone. “I know some things about Liu Tianqiao.”
“Not interested,” Shen Ling said flatly. “It would be quicker to ask the director.”
“Wait—” Zheng De looked at Shen Ling in shock. “Are you crazy? Do you know he’s the boss of this room? Just going to him like this?”
Shen Ling said, “So what? Do you want to be the bottom of the bottom? Are you ready to betray us and help us? Or have you developed feelings for your son?”
It was impossible not to care. Shen Ling’s head still hurt from the last time.
Zheng De was speechless. He gritted his teeth and said, “Don’t be too smug. You’re only here because of luck. If Yan Xiu hadn’t happened to pass by and save you, you would have been locked up by me.”
Shen Ling said, “Is it luck? I know he’s behind me. He’s dependent on relationships and will follow me closely. Even if I tell him to wait for me there, he won’t obediently wait for me.”
Yan Xiu, seizing the opportunity, leaned against Shen Ling’s side, shamelessly trying to be cute and said, “That’s right.”
Zheng De: “…”
Zheng De sneered, “Aren’t you afraid he’ll betray you? Do you really trust him like that? You haven’t experienced the feeling of being stabbed by someone you trust. Newbie, let me give you some advice. In this game world, no one is worth trusting.”
Shen Ling’s eyes flickered, and he subconsciously looked at Yan Xiu. Yan Xiu, just about to speak, heard Shen Ling laugh and ask him, “Can you do it?”
Yan Xiu retracted his vows to withstand any trial and simply responded with two words, “I can’t.”
Shen Ling ruthlessly stabbed Zheng De, “Are you so distrusting because you’ve been betrayed before? Isn’t it that you don’t trust anyone?”
Zheng De was speechless. He gritted his teeth and said, “Don’t be too proud. You’re only here because of luck. If Yan Xiu hadn’t happened to pass by and save you, you would have been locked up by me.”
Shen Ling said, “Is it luck? I know he’s behind me. He’s dependent on relationships and will follow me closely. Even if I tell him to wait for me there, he won’t obediently wait for me.”
Abandoning the revealed old wounds of Zheng De, they went straight to Building B. Han Qianqiu’s legs were trembling all the way, and when they were about to reach the director’s office door, he asked, “Can we really do it with just the four of us?”
He didn’t bother to respond to Han Qianqiu’s question and said to Xia He, “Use your stealth.”
Xia He: “Why? Don’t tell me you’re planning to let me sneak attack first? My strength is only 30, I’m a useless person without combat power.”
Shen Ling asked, “How good are you at sleight of hand?”
“75.”
Shen Ling said, “You stealth first, and when you meet the director, we’ll find a way to distract his attention. You find an opportunity to sleight of hand and steal his flute.”
Han Qianqiu: “What the heck?”
Xia He also looked surprised, “Can it work like this? Are you sure?”
Shen Ling: “I don’t know, but I know the four of us are definitely no match with bare hands.”
“It’s not four of us with bare hands, it’s two of us with bare hands. You and your brother are both war gods.”
“An 80-strength healer,” Xia He admired, “Can’t save a useless teammate? ”
Shen Ling: “You’re too modest.”
Xia He, self-proclaimed useless teammate: “…”
“Is anyone low on health?” Shen Ling asked. “Before going in, make sure your health is full.”
Yan Xiu still hadn’t recovered the 3 points of health lost from the last battle. Shen Ling cast a medical spell to recover the 3 points, just enough to fill it up.
Xia He: “Too stable!”
After everyone was fully healed, Xia He successfully used stealth to sneak in, hiding quietly outside the door.
Shen Ling knocked on the door of the director’s office and said in a low voice, “Director, it’s me, Shen Ling. I have something to discuss with you.”
After a while, the courteous Director Zheng Heping, dressed in a dark suit, opened the door with a kindly smile.
Han Qianqiu whispered, “He’s smiling so happily now, he won’t be able to smile later.”
