One devil, one person

While lighting candles, Han Bo was attacked from behind by the murderer, who smashed his head, leaving a nearly six-centimeter gash. He bled profusely and lost consciousness on the spot, then shoved under the bed. The murder weapon was a crystal trophy on the filing cabinet in the finance office, awarded for "Second Prize in the Municipal Financial Knowledge Competition."

The only saving grace was that a gun with a full magazine was hanging on the side of the bookcase, which the murderer did not notice.

Everyone living in the administration building was awakened, and a crowd rushed to the outpatient department. Dr. Tang, a proctologist, was dragged out of his sleep and directly into the emergency room. After examining Han Bo's injuries, he said, "Make me a pot of strong tea. I can only stitch him up after I finish drinking it, otherwise my hands will shake."

Zhou Yi was so anxious he jumped up and down: "Let's not even talk about whether he needs stitches or not, is his life in danger?"

Grandpa Tang yawned slowly and said, "Then we need to do an MRI, or a CT scan, to see if there is any damage to the white and gray matter of the brain, whether there is any intracranial edema, or whether any blood vessels have ruptured."

Zhou Yi was furious: "Can't you doctors have any sense at all? What the hell are you guys for if we've already done all the tests?"

Grandpa Tang knew this wasn't the time when he was a chief physician anymore. After thinking for a moment, he said, "He just vomited unconsciously. I'm certain he has a concussion. Judging from the depth of the wound, the assailant was trying to kill him."

Zhou Yi clenched his fists so tightly they cracked, and gritted his teeth as he spat out three words: "Yu Zhongjian!"

Sadness, anger, disbelief, and other emotions were all written on everyone's faces. Ma Li had also sobered up and stood by the wall silently shedding tears. My mother leaned against my father, trembling, and kept saying, "No, no, how could it be Dan Dan? This child is usually so capable and well-behaved."

Zhao Zhuobao and Li Tonggu also realized that their leader had caused a great disaster, so they squatted on the ground without saying a word.

Gao Chen clearly couldn't believe this had happened. He asked Zhang Yanhuang in a low voice, "Who injured Captain Han? Was it Captain Yu?"

I called Li Qiang and asked him to make tea for Grandpa Tang; I told Liu Meili to take the medical team to do some preparatory work and check which large medical instruments could be used; I persuaded my parents to go back and rest first, and that any questions could be answered tomorrow, as treating Han Bo was the most important thing at present.

The generator was running, the CT scanner was warming up, and the outpatient department was brightly lit. Zhou Yi, Gao Chen, Liao Donghui (who had been woken up), Ma Li (who refused to go back to her room), and I sat on a row of chairs outside the emergency room waiting for the stitches to be finished.

Zhou Yi asked me, "Is that kid locked up?"

"Um."

"What do you plan to do with him?"

"Keep it locked for now."

Zhou Yi's eyes widened: "Da Feng! He's going to kill Han Bo, and you're still planning to keep him alive?"

I glanced at him helplessly: "It wasn't Yu Zhongjian who attacked Han Bo; he changed his personality."

Zhou Yi laughed angrily: "Heh, in a society governed by the rule of law, there's nothing you can do about a mentally ill person. At a time like this, they can still use being sick as an excuse to evade responsibility? I don't care if he's sick or not, hurting Han Bo is unacceptable!"

A warm feeling welled up inside me, this time for Han Bo. Day and night together, fighting side by side, exchanging sharp words and playful banter, in just a few months of close companionship, Zhou Yi truly regarded him as a brother.

“Then go beat him up to vent your anger, just don’t kill him.” I sighed. “He is bad, but Yu Zhongjian did nothing wrong and made many contributions to us. I can’t ignore his existence. Killing him is the same as killing Yu Zhongjian.”

Zhou Yi stood up irritably and paced back and forth. After a while, he kicked the chair hard and said, "Who is this kid? Is he the freak we met when we first came to the veterans' home?"

"Yes, it's him, Yu Yu." My chest felt tight. The person I least wanted to see had finally appeared. What's wrong with Yu Zhongjian? What happened to him tonight that allowed Yu Yu to take advantage of him?

Ma Li spoke up timidly from the side: "Da Feng, what...what are you talking about? Who is Yu Yu?"

I turned to look at her and Gao Chen's completely bewildered expressions, and sighed again: "Well, it's a long story..."

I recounted Yu Yu's story in fits and starts as dawn broke. Midway through, Han Bo finished his stitches and was taken for a CT scan. We waited for the results for Grandpa Tang to examine. Only after he diagnosed her with a concussion, confirming no brainstem damage, did we feel a little relieved.

Liao Donghui had already prepared a ward and said he would arrange for someone to take care of us 24 hours a day, so we could go back and rest first.

On the way back to the administration building, Gao Chen kept questioning his existence: "You said Captain Yu is mentally ill, and everything about him is just a figment of his imagination? How is that possible? His marksmanship, his tactics, his fighting skills are all genuine!"

"According to the official information, Yu Yu's life experience is that he dropped out of school at an early age, was unemployed, wandered around, and posed a threat to society. His methods of killing were mostly to lure, drug, torture or abuse to death, and he rarely used direct violence. But we don't know some details, just as we don't know that Qian Shiqi was also his accomplice. There is no evidence that Yu Yu did not have the skills that Yu Zhongjian possessed; it can only be said that he never showed them."

“This is incredible,” Gao Chen said thoughtfully. “Back when I was at the hunter school… uh!” He suddenly stopped, pinched his forehead, and bent over.

I hurriedly helped him up: "What's wrong?"

"Headache." He paused for a moment, then straightened up and breathed heavily twice. "It's nothing. What did I just say?"

"You said you were at the hunter school."

He rubbed his temples, frowned and pondered for a moment, then said dejectedly, "Hunter Academy... I can't remember, or maybe I can't remember anything at all."

I gently patted his back and said, "It's alright, don't force yourself. You're doing very well now. Once the blood clot in your brain is cleared up, you'll naturally remember everything."

Han Bo was injured, and Yu Zhongjian fell ill, leaving both teams leaderless. The team members all begged me to make decisions. The members of the women's field team got up early and were all neatly dressed, ready to participate in training. My mother started having heart pain after visiting Han Bo and had to take nitroglycerin and rest in bed. Li Tonggu kept insisting on visiting Yu Yu, and even Chocolate couldn't dissuade him. Zhou Yi got angry and had a fight with him, like an elephant versus a monkey. Neither of them came out unscathed and both got a few bruises.

I was a little anxious and flustered, but I didn't show it on my face. I calmed myself down and tackled things one by one. Team One sent Fatty Luo to temporarily act as captain, and Team Three was handed over to Gao Chen. In this critical situation, he finally didn't refuse again. Liao Donghui helped me find two survivors with military service experience to serve as instructors for the women's field team's physical training. Sister Wei and Qin Yun were temporarily in charge of managing the canteen, and my elderly mother was given sick leave.

I was exhausted after two days and one night without sleep, but Li Tonggu was still calling from across the street, "Looking for General Manager Yu, looking for General Manager Yu." I promised him I would go after I finished my work, and if I broke my promise now, I wouldn't be able to get a good night's sleep.

As we approached the inpatient ward, I asked Xiao Li, "If I don't let Mr. Yu out, will you stay inside with him?"

Why won't you let him out?

"Because he hurt Han Bo and almost killed my brother."

Li Tonggu was stunned for a long time before saying, "He did something wrong. I told him to leave and come back."

The first one was Yu Yu, the second one was Yu Zhongjian. I'm glad that Xiao Li has the right values, but I still poured cold water on him: "He won't listen to you."

Leonardo DiCaprio still insisted: "I told him to leave, and I told him to come back."

Yu Zhongjian's personal charm is so great! Xiao Lizi used to be Yu Yu's loyal lackey, and had never even seen this personality before. After following him for a few months, he couldn't bear to part with him and could even distinguish between the two personalities.

Yu Yu was temporarily placed in the first ward next to the nurses' duty room on the second floor, with two people guarding the door. I immediately recognized them as the two who had been on night duty last night; they were still on duty late into the afternoon. I highly praised their selfless and courageous actions in apprehending the criminal yesterday, noted their names, and told them to quickly go find Liao Donghui to relieve them and catch up on their sleep.

When I entered the ward, I couldn't help but feel a bit emotional. These two had exceptional comprehension and execution skills; it seems I'll have to praise them during the meeting. Last night, all I said was: "Tie him up and disarm him." The man before me was blindfolded, gagged, veins bulging on his neck, almost completely naked except for his underwear, lying on the ward floor, bound from head to toe like a pickled pig's trotter, with ropes binding his flesh, making it difficult for him to move, let alone breathe.

Li Tonggu glanced at it and asked me, "Who is this?"

I silently stepped forward and removed the blindfold from his eyes. When I met his familiar eyes, I felt a mix of emotions. The eyes were still the same, but the look in them was completely different.

The indifferent, fearless, and resolute gaze was replaced by a sinister one, staring at people like a vulture eyeing a dying animal, constantly calculating when to pounce and devour them. The same body, the same face, yet it presented two completely different auras, one a devil, the other a god, well… not even an angel, just a person, a normal person.

"Little Li, just say what you have to say." I stepped aside, not wanting to look at that face any longer.

Li Tonggu squatted down beside him, touched the tightly bound rope with his hand, and said, "Go on, call him back, and I won't tie him up when he comes back."

Yu Yu made a "uh-uh" sound. Li Tonggu turned to look at me and I said, "We definitely can't take it. He has a grudge against me and I'm afraid he'll spit on me. Doesn't he know brainwave control techniques? If you let him use his powers, you'll know what he's saying."

Then Li Tonggu said to him again, "I'm listening to your power."

Yu Yu's eyes turned bloodshot, and he glared at me fiercely. I rubbed my temples with two fingers and said, "Oh, I got it. He said he doesn't want to leave now and wants to stay a little longer."

Li Tonggu rubbed his temples and said, "I can't receive anything. When are you leaving?"

Yu Yu twisted and turned wildly, continuing to moan, and glared fiercely at Li Tonggu.

"He called you a traitor, saying you betrayed him and that he would tear you to pieces once he was free! He also called you an idiot, saying that he wasn't the one who saved you in the first place, and that you were the one who chased after him to repay his kindness, which is why he took you in as his subordinate. In reality, he didn't think much of you at all."

Li Tonggu frowned, remained silent for a while, and then said, "It's all thanks to President Yu."

“It’s not the same, Little Li,” I said seriously. “Can Yu Yu be the same as Yu Dandan? Can she be the same as Yu Zhongjian? It wasn’t Yu Yu who saved you, so don’t repay the wrong favor.”

Upon hearing me mention Yu Zhongjian's name, Yu Yu suddenly fell silent. I could tell he was trying to calm himself; a few minutes later, his breathing gradually evened out, and his eyes regained their sinister glint. When Li Tonggu kept asking, "When are you leaving?" he gave a disdainful snort and turned his head away.

I kept yawning, my eyes filled with tears, and casually said, "Just like your good brother Qian Shiqi, you're still up to no good."

Yu Yu suddenly turned her head, and I twitched my lips. I advised Xiao Li, "You should go back first. Don't worry, I won't hurt him. I can receive his brainwaves. I'll try to persuade him."

Leonardo DiCaprio walked away dejectedly, his shoulders slumped and his head hanging low; his tall figure even seemed somewhat forlorn.

After walking around the pickled pig's trotters twice, I laughed and said, "Didn't expect that, did you? You fell into my hands as soon as you woke up. Hehe, I was prepared for this."

If Yu Yu's eyeballs could be used as projectiles, he would definitely want to shoot me to death.

"You've been asleep for quite a while and you still don't know the situation, so let me tell you. The Veterans Hospital is now my territory, and Xiao Li and Zhao Zhuobao are my men. Two of your four men are on good terms with me, serving me faithfully and following my lead. Don't count on Yu Xiaochun; he's useless even if he's released. Also, your good brother Qian Shiqi was quite active in Huaicheng, stirring up trouble, building up his army, and seizing grain, but he was recently executed by me on behalf of the government and the people. Before he died, he revealed a lot of dirt on you."

A hint of shock flashed in Yu Yu's eyes, and her tense legs twitched slightly. I pressed my advantage: "Didn't you say I was all brawn and no brains? Ha! Look at this, I'm standing while you're lying down, I'm free and easy, and your treatment is even worse than before. Huaicheng is my territory now. I have a team of over a thousand men, I have a large amount of supplies and weapons. I can crush you like an ant. I'm practically the king of Huaicheng! Simple-minded? You give me your opinion again."

His eyes started to redden again. I laughed wildly, and then couldn't help but yawn: "So why did you risk your life to wake up? I know your character better than anyone. Schemes and tricks won't work on me. I won't let you go until you're out of here. I'll spare your life out of consideration for our past acquaintance, but don't expect to have a good life. Didn't you incite patients to protest against the inhumane medical treatment provided by veterans? The hospital director who was willing to explain things to you politely for the sake of face and honor is gone. I'm the one in charge here. I'm a tough guy with strong limbs. Try using your control techniques to incite them again, and I'll let you taste the inhumane treatment right away."

Hearing his breathing become heavy, I picked up the strip of cloth and blindfolded him again, then kicked him in the thigh without hesitation. I opened the door and, in front of the two guards changing shifts, declared righteously, "Being sick is not an excuse for shirking your responsibility. You used despicable means to force our Captain Yu away, attacked Captain Han and seriously injured him, and show no remorse for the murders committed before the apocalypse. You even said you wanted to kill everyone in the Glorious Army? You are simply too arrogant! Our survivor team will never allow you to stir up trouble and undermine our unity!"

I slammed the door shut and said to the two men, “This murderer is Captain Yu’s younger brother, a twin. He is skilled in martial arts and has killed several people before. He is ruthless and extremely dangerous. You just need to stay here and watch him. Ignore any noise he makes. I’ve taken the key. I’ll arrange the meal.”

The two readily agreed, their gazes toward the door immediately becoming more wary than before.

Back in my dorm, my brain completely shut down, and I collapsed onto my bed and fell into a deep sleep. It wasn't a restful sleep; I dreamt of Yu Zhongjian.

He stood in a waist-deep pool, looking at me without saying a word, his gaze as calm as ever. The water slowly rose from his waist, soon reaching his chest. I was frantic, opening my mouth to shout but no sound came out. I desperately stretched out my arms towards him, but he was too far away to reach me. I threw off my coat and shoes and waded into the water towards him. There was a huge reverse force in the water, making every step incredibly difficult. I watched helplessly as the water rose over his chest, neck, chin, until it submerged his nose, and I was still so far away from him. All I could do was scream with all my might, "Xiao Yu! Don't commit suicide!"

His eyes suddenly curved into a smile, then disappeared into the distance.

A sudden twitch in my right leg jolted me awake. I was momentarily disoriented, unsure of where I was or what time it was. I lay there stiffly in the darkness for a while before regaining my senses. Liu Meili was snoring loudly on another bed. The sky outside the curtains was still dimly lit, not yet dawn.

I quietly got up, put on my shoes, and went downstairs. The snoring in the corridor was still going on, but the lone sound of the chainsaw was gone. Zhou Yi was at the outpatient clinic taking care of Han Bo. He said he wouldn't go anywhere until Han Bo woke up.

Leaving the administration building, I headed towards the outpatient clinic, encountering two more men on night duty along the way. They recognized me and were gentler than the two from last night. They greeted me first before asking, "Password: Yu Xing, um, Yu Xing what was it again?"

Another person quickly chimed in: "How long will we dwell in this world? Why not entrust our hearts to it?"

Since the attack on the auto repair shop, Binbin has been extremely enthusiastic about the "insider code," racking his brains to recall everything he had learned. After moving to the veterans' quarters, no one played with him anymore, which made him very unhappy, thinking we weren't vigilant or cautious enough. Later, he met Liao Donghui—a bureaucrat who was trying his best to control himself but occasionally still wanted to indulge in formalism. Together, the two turned the code into a password, tirelessly changing its content every day and notifying everyone, keeping themselves very busy.

I once thought it was pointless; the real enemy looked like a corpse, how could they possibly infiltrate the people and cause sabotage? But I never expected that this little rule, which I thought was just to amuse my younger brother, would cause Yu Yu to stumble and fail before he even got started.

“Reply: You may die if you wish, or live if you wish.”

Classical Chinese is difficult to memorize, I smiled understandingly, then felt a little lost. Why not just entrust oneself to fate? Yu Zhongjian was so confident, so strong; if he hadn't given up voluntarily, would Yu Yu really have had a chance to rise to prominence? He once admitted that he didn't want to wake up, that he wanted to be eliminated—there must be historical reasons for this. What exactly happened last night that triggered his fragile, world-weary emotions?

I don't understand.