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墨書 Inktalez
The personnel turnover at Mighty Falcon is quite rapid. Many people view this place as a stepping stone; once they list their experience here on their resumes, it becomes easy for them to find new opportunities elsewhere. Xin Yi has become accustomed to the constant flow of teammates, who come and go like clockwork.
It was only upon seeing Ming Hua that some memories began to resurface. This person had been part of Team C, with whom he had very little interaction. If his memory served him correctly, their only encounter had been during a collective meeting before the incident involving Team C.
Team C was a source of concern for everyone at Mighty Falcon. They possessed strong work capabilities and shared a bond of camaraderie, making them arguably the most harmonious team in the department. However, after being selected for a reconnaissance mission, only two out of dozens survived. One of them was Ming Hua.
No one knew the specifics of their mission; all Xin Yi knew was that after that event, Team C existed only in files and casual conversations. The two survivors had left Mighty Falcon and no longer had any connections to it. Team C had become a name that would never be used again.
Xin Yi felt pleased that his former teammates were doing well in life. He helped Song Bunan organize the condolence gifts and checked the food items inside. Given Song Bunan's current throat condition, the only things he could eat were those two rows of sweet milk drinks.
Suddenly, Brother Ming Hua appeared and sent a bag of snacks. In their small group chat, Song Bunan immediately shared a picture. Xiao Mei responded quickly, indicating she would come by to pick it up soon.
"What did you find out last night?" Xin Yi asked in the group chat. He had intended to discuss this matter with them the previous night but decided to wait until daytime after seeing Song Bunan with a cold.
"The east side of the fourth floor has always been an 'operating room'; it must have been reserved for experiments. We couldn't get in, but based on recent analyses and comparisons of the hospital's architecture, the active hatch in the photo should be inside there," Xiao Mei replied promptly, seemingly without anything else to do.
"How did you get a photo of Ming Hua?" Since access to that area was restricted to specific staff members, it was unlikely that Ming Hua had taken the photo himself. Could it have been his sister? Xin Yi's question was answered by Song Bunan.
"It was Sister Ming You; Brother Hua told me some pictures were taken by her. However, that was during a visit before work; now she can only go back and forth between the finance office and the cafeteria." This explanation did not convince the others. How could someone in finance visit such an important place while coming to work?
Xin Yi's expression grew complex as he pondered potential issues while attending to incoming patients. The patient who arrived began recounting how he transformed from a strawberry into a giant mushroom in the forest. He vividly described what fertilizer the gardener used when cultivating him, even naming the brand clearly.
"This person has been to the east side," Song Bunan quickly messaged. After sending off that patient, Xin Yi looked at him for clarification.
"The gardener helped us upgrade by nourishing the land with the purest substances, saying that as long as we successfully turned into mushrooms, we could live happily in the forest forever." The nourishment he referred to must be surgery. This person's memories were slightly clearer than others', allowing him to express more detailed content; according to his medical records, he had just been discharged not long ago.
Song Bunan shared all his thoughts with Xin Yi, watching as his expression grew increasingly serious with each line he read until he finally frowned and said "good." Song Bunan understood what this "good" meant; he stealthily pulled out a bag of soft candies from his own bag, thinking he might sneak a few bites while no one was watching.
Unaware of what was happening in the examination room, he focused intently on opening the bag when suddenly a hand appeared in his line of sight—not only taking away what he held but also lifting away his entire stash. He looked up to meet Xiao Mei's smiling gaze; his friend disapproved of his solitary indulgence and left him with just that bag of soft candies while taking everything else away.
"You’re sick, don’t eat recklessly." This blatant excuse left Song Bunan feeling helpless, and he cast a pleading glance at Xin Yi, only to find that she had tacitly approved Xiao Mei's actions.
Considering how much his throat hurt, Song Bunan decided to endure until the end of the workday to make his move.
[These individuals are the result of failed experiments, which is why their behaviors and levels of madness are strikingly similar. I just overheard someone mention that more patients requiring hospitalization will arrive tomorrow; we need to find a way to sneak into the eastern wing.]
Shui Su's message interrupted the farce, and Xiao Mei hurriedly took her snacks back to her department. Song Bunan's attention was drawn to the information Shui Su had sent him; he recognized a familiar name among the details.
Copper Coin.
Hadn't he already turned into a Cyborg and run away? Song Bunan recalled their encounter that day. Although he had been transformed into an unconscious killer, at least there hadn't been any other issues. From what he had seen at the time, Copper Coin should have been a relatively successful test subject in the lab; otherwise, he wouldn’t have managed to escape from the chaos.
[What do you think?] Shui Su inquired.
[He vanished without a trace after escaping. Investigating through social connections yielded no information about his family or friends. Now that he’s showing up here, I suspect something is off.] Song Bunan found it hard to believe that this person would turn into a madman after undergoing transformation; it seemed more normal for him to have some awareness and intentions regarding what he might do in the hospital.
[In the eyes of the lab, you and Xiao Mei are completely transparent; it’s only natural for them to react accordingly. Although Xin Yi and I are being monitored, we haven't raised any suspicions. Given the current situation, Copper Coin being hospitalized could be a way to test our identities. He has seen us.]
[We need to take some alternative measures.] Upon seeing the images Shui Su sent, Song Bunan understood what he meant by "alternative."
During lunch, Shui Su and Song Bunan temporarily left the hospital under the pretense of needing to seek medical attention outside. Xin Yi wanted to follow but couldn’t catch up with Song Bunan. It was as if he had suddenly evaporated from beside her; in the time it took him to put on a coat, he had disappeared without a trace. Xiao Mei appeared unconcerned, holding onto him at the clinic door and assuring her that they wouldn’t be in danger.
"As Bunan would put it, they’re off to do something you wouldn’t approve of; after all, that’s their job." The child sitting across from her smiled sincerely while clutching the juice that originally belonged to Song Bunan.
Why did they suddenly decide without telling him? Xin Yi was puzzled. To this, Xiao Mei merely shrugged, indicating that such things happened often and one would gradually get used to it.
"Is this how things always are in their line of work?" Xiao Mei's explanation piqued Xin Yi's curiosity. She began to take an interest in Song Bunan's job, which she personally disliked, wanting to ask him about what he usually did.
"There are many strange things in the world, and what they excel at the most is strangeness. As an atheist who despises the 'spiritualist' industry, it's better for you not to delve into their specific work."
Everything returned to the question of why they were here. Xiao Mei didn't say anything more, just smiled and suggested that he take the opportunity to discuss with Song Bunan when he had time. "I'm not good at explaining," Xiao Mei said.
During lunch break, Xin Yi sent a message to Song Bunan asking when he would be back. There was no reply, and no one in the group responded to Xiao Mei's question either. His curiosity reached its peak, and he decided that as soon as Song Bunan returned, he would ask what he had been up to.
The bumpy road outside New Life Hospital made Song Bunan feel nauseous, and his sore throat, aggravated by dry heaving, was a double torment for his body and mind. The taxi driver drove cautiously, but once they reached smoother ground, he unleashed a torrent of curses, primarily directed at New Life Hospital for their lack of humanity.
"Oh? What do you mean by that?" Shui Su and Song Bunan expressed that they were there for a consultation as soon as they got into the car, which eased the driver's initial hostility and made him willing to chat with them.
"What kind of Broken Asylum is this? It's just a place that makes good people sick," the driver exclaimed indignantly. "My cousin's child was supposed to have just a minor psychological issue and didn't want to interact with others. After visiting Small Clinic, they referred him here, claiming that after half a month of treatment he would be cured. But half a month later when I went to pick up the child, a perfectly fine young man had gone mad on the way back, saying he couldn't live without the Great Forest and that the outside world was a giant hot pot where he couldn't survive on just one vegetable."
"I was the one who went to pick him up and immediately returned to the hospital to ask what was going on. The doctors there acted so arrogantly, saying that your child is mentally weak but now has strong opinions and thoughts thanks to their intervention. They assured me that he wouldn't have psychological issues again, though there might be some side effects at first—he would behave strangely when returning to Normal Life but would get better once accustomed."
"Listen to this nonsense!" The driver slammed his hand on the steering wheel in frustration. "The kid lived fine for over ten years, and now he's got to get used to Normal Life again. It's clear they're just passing the blame for their failed treatment. Plus, this hospital has connections; many families have reported issues but no one ever takes action. They can only suffer."
Through the rearview mirror, Song Bunan saw the driver's angry expression turn into deep concern as he glanced at them. He continued, "Young man, you both look quite young; don't go running back to this terrible hospital. The people inside are no good. If you really think you have problems, go to another hospital; it could save your life."
The driver urged them throughout the ride, even after they promised not to visit New Life Hospital again; he insisted until he had exhausted all his advice before finally stopping. Just as they arrived at their destination, they thanked him and hurriedly got out of the car.
Shui Su and Song Bunan arrived at Bunan's home, closed all doors and windows, drew the curtains tight, lit special incense candles in the pitch-black living room, and lay steadily on the carpet waiting for what was to come.
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