Chapter 124
The accusations made by the man in the gold-rimmed glasses were eloquent and insightful, as if they were delivered across a vast distance of time and space, conveying the unspoken confusion and pain to Xie Xubai's ears.
Xie Xubai looked up. Countless golden bubbles swayed up and down in front of him, forming a dazzling curtain of light.
These fragmented pieces are not mysterious in origin; they are simply driven by the fluctuating emotions of the evil god's avatar, forming brief and fragile silhouettes in the long river of history.
Ignore it, forget about it, and it will disappear in a minute.
Xie Xubai lowered his eyelashes and continued walking forward in silence. He couldn't stay here too long, or he would get lost in the endless flow of time.
Perhaps the owner of the bubbles was also aware of this, which indirectly affected the bubbles' path. They simply gathered around Xie Xubai and did not actively approach him.
A bubble is about to burst; its surface is getting thinner and thinner, almost transparent.
It suddenly and unexpectedly caught up with the young man who was not looking back, then abruptly stopped a dozen centimeters away from him, staring at the slender and upright figure, waiting for itself to disappear.
Unexpectedly, a golden line emerged from Xie Xubai's palm, scooped up the unexpected bubble, and quietly brought it close to his ear.
...
History proceeded according to its original trajectory. Pei Yuheng's private conversation with Xie Yuchun seemed to have alerted those behind the scenes. Not long after returning to the hospital, he was restricted by the rules and could not leave the hospital premises without a legitimate reason.
In this life, he has not experienced those setbacks and pains, and his mind is clear, allowing him to maintain his thoughts and rationality within the constraints of his established persona.
However, due to cognitive interference, memories from previous lives and memories of this life became mixed up, leading her to believe that she adopted Xie Xubai after Xie Yuchun's death, and that when the child was fifteen, he could not bear his strict education and behavior and ran away from home.
Pei Yuheng searched everywhere for Xie Xubai but could not find any news. As a result, he closed himself off in endless worry and self-blame, and devoted himself to medical drug research and development, dedicated to solving heart failure-related diseases like Xie Yuchun's.
Nine years after Xie Xubai left, the gold-rimmed glasses once again split itself apart.
This time, it wasn't because there was no one to talk to about Xie Xubai, but because he wanted to distract himself. Perhaps it would be easier to bear if he didn't think about that person so intensely.
But it soon realized that it was still too naive.
The four clones faced each other, staring at each other, and the first thing they said to break the deadlock was, as always, that time that seemed to stretch on endlessly.
"Fifteen years to go."
Nine years have passed, and there are still fifteen years left. We haven't even made it halfway through.
All the clones fell silent until one of them finally couldn't help but ask.
Why do you like him?
Perhaps every unrequited affection is mixed with dark and resentful emotions, let alone nine long years without any response.
Nine years after falling for Xie Xubai, the gold-rimmed glasses finally realized that, compared to waiting for Xie Xubai, it had actually spent very little time with him, and its liking for the young man was simply irrational.
Tracing back to its origins, it seems that from the moment it was torn apart by the original Yan Shuo, falling in love with that young human became an indelible mark etched into its very bones.
But this should be the object's preference, not its preference, yet in the end it has to pay for this preference, which is unfair.
In an instant, the gold-rimmed glasses felt as if it had been enlightened, and its whole body felt an exhilarating awakening—yes, it didn't like Xie Xubai that much at all!
"Don't think about that human anymore."
"Find something else to do."
"agree."
"agree."
The four clones, united in their hatred and filled with righteous indignation, left one clone to oversee the hospital's situation and Pei Yuheng's safety, while the remaining three clones went their separate ways to search for the true meaning of life.
They set off at the same time, left the hospital, and finally arrived at the welfare home where Xiao Xubai lived at the same time, looking at each other in bewilderment.
"..."
The orphanage was funded by the First Hospital, had brand-new facilities, and was well-funded. The staff they hired were compassionate and would not mistreat the children. Xiao Xubai spent a relatively peaceful and stable time there.
Among the many abandoned orphans, he was the most diligent, determined to make something of himself and make his father, who had abandoned him, regret his decision. He would get up before dawn to study. At this time, before the classroom doors opened, Xiao Xubai would take his books to the corridor where he wouldn't disturb others, take out the wireless desk lamp that the headmistress had given him, and quietly read his textbooks.
He read quietly, without making a sound, curled up on the waiting chair against the wall, like a delicate and silent porcelain doll.
The three clones fixed their gazes on the child, and after a moment, they couldn't help but ask questions again.
Did he give us a mental suggestion before he left?
"No."
"So he chained us up?"
"No."
"Then why should we stay here?"
"..."
That's a good question.
Xiao Xubai's life at the orphanage was almost entirely confined to three points: the canteen, the classroom, and the dormitory. Even if he were to experience hardships, displacement, and the coldness of human nature later on, that would be years later; staying here would be meaningless.
The three clones thought this, but crouched down and quietly waited on the treetops outside the corridor window all morning.
They were unaware of what they were looking at. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, leaving dappled circles that reflected in three pairs of amber-colored pupils, silently and intently following the child's every move.
As the sun rose higher, the clones left behind in the hospital urged them to hurry back—with only a quarter of its strength remaining, it would be difficult to maintain order—and they slowly departed.
This time, instead of finding evidence that he disliked Xie Xubai, the man in gold-rimmed glasses became increasingly embroiled in the issue.
It seems that all living beings in this world who seek answers follow the same path: the more they cannot find the answer, the more persistent they become in their search; the more unsolvable the mystery, the more deeply the imprint becomes. By the time they realize it, they see that slender, smiling figure everywhere they look, whether their eyes are open or closed, an indelible image.
Did Xie Xubai foresee their fate?
Will Xie Xubai know that he has made them even stranger?
How much longer will it take for Xie Xubai to arrive?
Countless times, the gold-rimmed glasses shattered again. The masked men gathered densely together, wanting to mention the name of their beloved person once more, but they all momentarily lost their focus.
"Who...is that person?"
The clones were terrified when they realized that the image of Xie Xubai in their minds had suddenly disappeared.
They reacted instantly; the fragmented beings had not only lost their memories and negative emotions, but also their intelligence and thinking!
They are already under constant pressure from the rules, and if this continues, they may not even be able to keep the last memories they have with Xie Xubai!
The original entity panicked and reached out to the clone on one side, trying to devour it in order to preserve its sanity.
But then a loud clang rang out, and a sharp pain shot through its palm. Startled, it quickly dodged, the blade slicing through its skin and leaving a bright red wound that exposed bone.
Looking up again, he saw the clone holding a sword in front of him, its eyes filled with the same ferocity as his own.
Not only it, but almost all the clones extended their claws, assuming fighting stances, their eyes blazing with killing intent as they stared at their companions. The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder, ready to explode at any moment.
They share thoughts, and the moment their eyes meet, it's as if you can hear each other's cold, questioning gazes.
—Why should you stay?
—More than one person has waited this long, more than one person has looked forward to seeing him, so why are you devouring me?
On this day, dozens of clones fought fiercely, almost to the point of bloodlust.
This conflict was more like a catharsis of more than ten years of suppressed anger. All the madness and pain that had been suppressed in their bones completely erupted. They no longer regarded their clones as companions. They swung their claws, each move deadly, as if they wanted to devour their flesh and blood.
The oppressive force of the battle swept outwards, shattering brick walls and creating a massive spectacle that engulfed the entire hospital, causing a bloodbath.
Dean Pei Yuheng rushed over and was shocked by the horrific scene. He sternly ordered them to stop.
However, constrained by the rules, one clone, defying Pei Yuheng's orders, forcibly tore off a piece of flesh from another clone. Everywhere one looked, the ground was littered with bits of flesh and limbs.
The staff of each branch office turned pale and retreated repeatedly, realizing once again how terrifying the Defense Section was.
The gold-rimmed glasses incident nearly spiraled out of control for the first time, severely damaging three surrounding hospital buildings and injuring hundreds of people. The name "Mad Dog" spread far and wide, and everyone viewed the Defense Department as a menacing monster.
Amidst the passionate condemnation and accusations from everyone in the hospital, and for the safety of everyone, Pei Yuheng had no choice but to strictly order all members of the defense department to remain at the intensive care unit and not to leave without a transfer order.
The defense team members who survived the battle initially adhered to the principle of keeping to themselves and not interfering with each other, but in the end they could not resist reuniting.
Because almost all the elderly people who lived in the hospital in its early days were sent away by Pei Yuheng under various pretexts, very few people still remember their youthful appearance and experiences.
And so, several more years passed.
On an ordinary night, they patrolled their assigned area as usual, their movements sluggish and listless, their thoughts and memories scattered and not very focused. It was only after quite some time that they heard the noise coming from the doorway.
Two footsteps sounded, one old and one young. The old man talked on and on, while the young man listened patiently before responding in a low voice, gentle and soothing, like a spring breeze.
In an instant, all the scattered thoughts coalesced like a rope! The clones stood still as if by unspoken agreement, countless eyes staring straight ahead, their minds blank.
Even more uncontrollably, some people flashed behind the young man, letting out excited gasps, and leaned in to sniff him.
Twenty-four years have passed. Time flies, and more than eight thousand sunrises and sunsets have taken place. The war-torn land has been rebuilt, the First Hospital has been expanded several times, and the deserted streets have returned to bustling activity.
In the days and nights leading up to this, the clone had countless times imagined reuniting with the young man.
It wanted to bite down hard on the youth's neck, crush the neck bones, tear the flesh, and swallow it without chewing, letting the youth's blood fill its throat, merge into its own bones and blood, and into its limbs and bones.
It wants to hear the youth's painful screams, to hear the youth crying out in hoarse pleas for mercy, swearing to it that he will never dare to abandon it again.
Filled with resentment, the clone sniffed, and in the damp, cold air, under the pale moonlight, finally caught a whiff of the scent it had longed for on the young man.
It was his scent.
The clone was stunned, then suddenly its eyes burned, and a sour and surging taste spread to the root of its tongue, raging through its chest.
Those deep-seated resentments and doubts, those lingering confusion and pain, are forgotten in just half a second.
.
The terrifying scene that Xie Xubai witnessed before stepping into the time tunnel remained above the First Hospital. Pale white lightning bolts, like dragons, darted through the thick, dark clouds, followed by a deafening roar of thunder.
Many medical staff felt the oppressive atmosphere emanating from the intensive care unit and were terrified. Sharp alarms blared, ambulances flashed their red lights, and logistics and security personnel rushed to each branch hospital to organize the evacuation.
"Director Li has fallen into a coma for unknown reasons. Quickly take him to the Second Branch Hospital!"
"The fourth and fifth floors are full of seriously ill patients who have difficulty moving around, and they need to be transferred there as soon as possible!"
"Where is the dean? Nobody's in his office, and I can't get through on the phone. Has anyone seen the dean?!"
At the same time, in the underground base, Pei Yuheng devoted most of his strength to assisting Xie Xubai in fighting against the [Rules], but eventually, he was exhausted and staggered and fell.
Clang!
Fu Zong pulled hard with his left arm, and the smooth white chain shattered instantly.
He looked at Pei Yuheng with malice, reached out and grabbed his chin, forcing Pei Yuheng to look up at him: "Dear cousin, I'm not dead yet, and you're so openly daydreaming in front of me, aren't you showing me too little respect?"
Pei Yuheng gasped for breath, then suddenly looked up, his spiritual power flashing out and severing Fu Zong's finger bones in a lightning-fast motion.
Fu Zong's pupils shrank suddenly, and he let out a shrill scream. Pei Yuheng took the opportunity to break free of his restraints, bent down to pick up the finger bone that had fallen to the ground, and his eyes flashed with a resolute determination to face death.
At the critical moment, a huge hole suddenly appeared in mid-air.
Xie Xubai emerged from the crowd, landing steadily. His icy gaze swept over Fu Zong's sneering face, and two golden beams shot out from his palms at the same time.
A hard, cold chain pierced through Fu Zong's shoulders with a snap, pinning him firmly to the wall.
A clamp gripped Pei Yuheng's wrist, stopping him from putting his finger bones into his mouth at the last moment.
Xie Xubai pried open Pei Yuheng's hand, took out the tightly clenched knuckles, shook them helplessly, and said, "Didn't I tell you not to eat this kind of dirty stuff?"
As he spoke, he clenched his fist, and his blood-stained finger bones turned to ashes in the golden light.
Fu Zong hadn't lost contact with his detached flesh and blood. The instant his knuckles were violently destroyed, he let out another agonizing roar: "Aaaaaah! You two bastards—"
Before the curses could be fully uttered, a powerful and overwhelming pressure descended upon them in the next second.
Fu Zong was hit hard and vaguely heard the cracking sound of his bones being shattered. His internal organs almost fell over, and his face turned pale instantly. He trembled with his mouth open for a long time, but he couldn't even scream!
Pei Yuheng stared at Xie Xubai in astonishment, unable to hide his amazement.
At this point, he was still under the dual influence of the gold-rimmed glasses and the rules.
In his view, Xie Xubai disappeared for no more than ten seconds, but when he reappeared, his eyes were sharp and he exuded an imposing aura without anger. It was as if a naive child had grown into an adult overnight, and his entire demeanor had undergone a tremendous transformation, which was simply unbelievable.
"What happened?" Pei Yuheng couldn't help but ask, worried that Xie Xubai might have encountered some bad luck.
Xie Xubai looked back at Pei Yuheng, staring at him silently without uttering a sound.
Deep-set eyes and brows, striking features, and a resolute expression. More than twenty years have hardly left many marks on this middle-aged man's face; he remains as radiant and refined as ever.
However, the painful experience of walking alone and bearing humiliation in his memory, and the great effort he had expended in suppressing Fu Zong, made his face pale and he looked somewhat haggard.
The thunder above the hospital fell silent, and Pei Yuheng could sense the sudden conformity of the hospital's rules.
Although he didn't know exactly what had happened, judging from Xie Xubai's calm expression, he guessed that the young man had intervened and temporarily suppressed the rules.
As if a thousand-pound burden on his shoulders had suddenly been lifted, Pei Yuheng was finally able to relax his tense nerves and steal a moment of relief.
But the crisis is not over yet, and it is not time to completely relax.
Pei Yuheng remembered that Xie Xubai called him "Uncle Pei" before he disappeared. It was just an affectionate greeting, but it made him feel dazed.
But this situation is clearly not a good time to stop and catch up.
Pei Yuheng took a short breath, forcing down the strong urge to recognize Xie Xubai, and waved his hand in front of Xie's eyes: "Director Xie? Can you still hear me?"
He joked, "I'm old and my legs aren't good, so don't expect me to carry you out. Be strong, if you're going to faint, wait until we're outside. I'll have Li Anmin change you to a VIP single room, breakfast will be delivered to your room for free, expenses will be reimbursed, and there will be double the soundproofing."
Xie Xubai snapped out of his daze and realized that Pei Yuheng's memory had not yet been restored and that he was still pretending not to recognize him.
He blinked rapidly, looking heartbroken: "I've devoted myself to the hospital director, and he's so stingy, only helping to arrange a ward?"
Pei Yuheng never expected that Xie Xubai, who had always kept his distance from him after joining the company, would take the opportunity to pick up the conversation and tease him in return.
Yet, he felt relieved and happy, simply because Xie Xubai did not hold a grudge against him for what he had done back then, nor did he despise his ugly and wretched appearance, and was still willing to be close to him.
In the blink of an eye, Xie Xubai appeared behind him in two steps, his arms casually wrapping around his shoulders: "Besides, who says they're old when they're only in their early fifties? I think the dean speaks with a strong voice and is in good health. Carrying me would be a piece of cake."
The young man hooked his arm around his neck and pressed down on him without reservation; what else could it be but a gesture to make him carry him on his back?
Pei Yuheng was instantly stunned, helplessly bending down to catch the young man's body as he pressed down on him. For a moment, his mind was buzzing, unsure whether to reprimand the other party for his lack of manners or for taking advantage of his kindness.
The words circled on his lips, but what came out was a light, indifferent rebuke: "...Director Xie, what are you doing?...Be careful, don't fall! Stop fooling around, get down here now!"
Pei Yuheng was exhausted and injured, so Xie Xubai naturally couldn't bear to put all the weight on him and had him carried on his back.
Seeing the usually stern and serious middle-aged man suddenly become flustered, his tight lips relaxed, and he awkwardly responded to Xie Xubai's unexpected closeness, Xie Xubai's mischievous intentions resurfaced, and he drawled, "You really won't let me carry you, Uncle Pei?"
Pei Yuheng was startled.
He was finally certain that Xie Xubai's cry of "Uncle Pei" before disappearing was not a hallucination.
Before he could even process the affectionate address, Xie Xubai opened his mouth again, his tone now dripping with a childish whine: "Then, would you be willing to carry me if I called you 'Daddy'? Dad—"
If the previous "Uncle Pei" was like a nightingale singing a melodious tune in Pei Yuheng's ear, then this "Dad" was like a million soldiers arrayed and beating drums in his heart, a sound that was earth-shattering and deafening.
"...What did you just call me?" Pei Yuheng didn't even care about Fu Zong, who was pinned to the wall. With trembling hands, he reached out to pull the mischievous young man on his back. "You little brat, you better not be joking with me...What did you just call me?"
He spoke very quickly, with an angry tone as if he was about to teach someone a lesson. Xie Xubai thought to himself that this prank had really gone too far, and hurriedly tried to calm himself down and make amends. But the next second, Pei Yuheng forcefully pulled him into his arms.
The middle-aged man didn't speak, but his words were more powerful than words. He placed his broad palm on the man's back, his chest heaving, his arms trembling from the force. He could no longer restrain himself and tightened his embrace inch by inch.
It's like finally finding a lost treasure after going through countless hardships.
A few minutes later, Xie Xubai took the elevator out of the underground base and came to the surface.
Not far away, the red lights of ambulances were flashing incessantly, all the lights in the building were turned on, making it as bright as day, all the security personnel were mobilized, and the shouts of the crowd for help rose and fell.
The bustling activity over there only served to highlight the deathly silence of the supervisory district.
Almost the instant Xie Xubai stepped out, a dozen or twenty silent heads simultaneously rose, their scarlet eyes fixed on him like jackals eyeing their prey, creating a chilling and tense scene.
Xie Xubai met their gaze, his heart pounding in the quiet night. He took a deep breath, pinched his fingertips, and walked toward the defense team members in front of him.
The moment he lifted his leg, a dark hurricane swept past, slamming Xie Xubai against the wall with a thud. His bloodshot eyes looked down at him, scrutinizing him: "Liar."
At such close range, Xie Xubai was almost overwhelmed by the ferocious aura emanating from the other party. He turned his face away and chuckled softly, "...What did I lie to you about?"
The man's eyes were gloomy, and he was about to answer when Xie Xubai suddenly raised his hand, his fingertips hooking the mask covering the man's face, and slowly pulled it down before leaning forward and kissing him directly.
For a moment, the man's breathing stopped, then became disordered in the next second.
Their breaths mingled and intertwined, and wisps of fragrance filled his nostrils. His mind seemed to explode with a bang, and all the noise receded like the tide, leaving only the image of Xie Xubai clumsily kissing him.
Bang!
Xie Xubai felt a sharp pain in his back as the man pressed him against the wall again, and without any further words, kissed him fiercely.
Unlike his awkwardness, the man's familiarity with plunder was almost innate. Xie Xubai's lips were forced open and could not be closed under the forceful sucking.
He gasped for breath, desperately trying to draw in the oxygen in the air, maintaining a precarious composure and calmness, but he didn't know where the man had pressed. It was as if a strong electric current had struck his brain nerves, and Xie Xubai's mind went blank, almost causing him to collapse to the ground.
"We need to find the hospital director as soon as possible!" "Where was the director last seen?" "The entire emergency department has been evacuated!"...
In the distance, cries for help continued, seemingly heading in this direction. Xie Xubai opened his eyes wide, instinctively struggling, but the man held his hands and feet firmly, kissing him even more passionately.
"Wait... those mad dogs from the Defense Section are up ahead!"
"The dean shouldn't be here. Let's go, let's hurry!"
Soon, Xie Xubai could no longer hear any sound.
Her breathing grew increasingly disordered and heavy, and the sounds of passionate sucking echoed in her ears. All her hesitation and caution were shattered in that moment.
Beneath layers of thunderclouds, a strong wind howled, brushing against the young man's hand, which was pinned above his head and his wrist was held in a grip. His fingers were long and slender, with distinct knuckles, and they curled up from tense to slightly relaxed.
Several members of the defense department stood on tiptoe, eagerly waiting, but Xie Xubai's gaze never shifted. One of them could no longer wait and suddenly transformed into a dark shadow, impatiently merging with the man kissing the young man. Then came the second, the third...
There was no need to relive the battles of yesteryear. All forces voluntarily converged, transforming into an invisible shockwave that surged toward the hospital, forcefully shattering the thunderclouds and causing a massive impact that radiated outwards, breaking through the illusion that had shrouded everyone's minds for over twenty years!
The gears of fate turned with a clatter, and the torrent of history surged on relentlessly. All the disordered cycles of cause and effect finally returned to their proper course at this moment.
Pei Yuheng, who was in the underground base, struggled to compose himself, got up and hurriedly walked outside, but suddenly stopped.
He remembered the trials and tribulations of more than twenty years ago, and his final farewell to Xie Xubai. Suddenly, he was shaken to his core, and the bluish-purple marks on his body, belonging to the ghouls, gradually faded away as his memories became clearer.
On the ambulance heading to the Second Affiliated Hospital, Dr. Li, lying on the hospital bed, flicked his finger and slowly opened his eyes.
The people who had gathered and were retreating in the open space were swept away by the impact. They covered their heads, their chaotic consciousness suddenly clearing, and they looked around as if waking from a dream: "..."
[Hospital Rules] Suddenly realizing the truth, high in the sky, the scattered thunderclouds reassembled, and thick bolts of lightning thunderously cleaved through the night.
Countless people looked up in shock and uproar, hearing the incessant roar of thunder and the flashes of lightning like fireworks, as if eagerly announcing to the world—
[Welcome back Vice Dean Xie!]
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