Mutated Tao

Li Huowang looked up at the massive main building of the hospital before him. Large red words denoted its name—Sixth People’s Hospital.

This was the address Qian Fu had mentioned, where his supposed friend who could help resided.

It was ten o’clock in the morning, the agreed-upon time for their meeting.

Li Huowang glanced around and saw Qian Fu looking around and standing nervously in the sunlight. He had clearly arrived early, carrying a few things in a black bag.

Li Huowang led Yang Na over without speaking. He only stopped briefly in front of Qian Fu before heading straight into the hospital.

Qian Fu understood Li Huowang’s intent and quickly followed.

Once they were in the hospital lobby, Li Huowang said, “Go visit your helper.”

Qian Fu nodded calmly, “Don’t worry, I know this place better than you. Lend me your identification card. I didn’t bring mine.”

After following the visitation procedure, Li Huowang learned the name of Qian Fu’s so-called helper. It was Chen Hongyu.

“Sounds like a girl’s name. Huowang, do you think it’s his girlfriend?” Yang Na asked curiously.

“If there’s any relationship, it could only be a wife. At his age, it wouldn’t be a girlfriend.”

Li Huowang felt a bit worried. It was not because the helper might be mentally ill, but because he was uncertain if Chen Hongyu would provide any real assistance.

Considering how erratic Qian Fu was, it was already optimistic to trust half of what he said.

While they were talking, the door opened. A tall, overweight woman walked out.

This woman was very large and looked to be in her forties or fifties. She had dull eyes and looked listless. Her forehead and cheeks were covered in red pimples, and her sleeves and collar were dirty. Her scalp was visible through her thin hair.

Her overall appearance was undeniably shabby.

“Hongyu! Hongyu! It’s been years, hasn’t it?” Qian Fu rushed over excitedly. “Look what I brought you!”

He proudly opened the black plastic bag and revealed its contents: half a yellowed apple, a roasted eggplant wrapped in foil, and two half-empty soda bottles.

“Did you dig these out of the trash?” Chen Hongyu asked disdainfully. “Do you think I’m meant to eat garbage?”

“Don’t be ungrateful. When we were homeless, finding these would have been a feast.”

Li Huowang glanced at the surveillance cameras, then quickly grabbed Qian Fu’s bag and threw it into a nearby trash can.

He leaned close to Qian Fu’s ear and said sternly, “Do you want to get caught? Behave normally!”

Qian Fu saw Li Huowang’s serious look and stopped trying to retrieve the garbage.

Li Huowang pushed Qian Fu aside and sat in the visitation area. He looked at the woman before him. “Hello, I’m Li Huowang. Your parents asked me to check on you. How have you been lately? How’s your condition?”

She smiled sarcastically, her eyes drooping. “Just say what you need to. There’s no need for an act. They can’t hear us.”

Li Huowang relaxed, decided to be straightforward, and quickly recounted everything that had happened to him. This old woman seemed much more reliable than Qian Fu.

However, after he finished, the woman mocked him and chuckled. She said, “Qian Fu is a lunatic, and yet you believe him?”

“Uh, Hongyu.” Qian Fu looked up, his face filled with desire. “Stop kidding. You must have sensed it too, right? They’re coming, and they’re not just after Li Huowang. Once he’s gone, they’ll come for us. The Leotians are greedy.”

Chen Hongyu ignored Qian Fu and turned back to Li Huowang. She said lazily, “He’s crazy. Those people you encountered aren’t aliens. They’re just ordinary people with some schemes. It’s a highly organized group hiding in the shadows.”

“Oh?” Li Huowang felt a glimmer of hope. He finally met someone who seemed sane and informed. “Tell me more. How much do you know about them?”

Chen Hongyu hesitated, but Qian Fu interjected and said, “It’s fine. You can tell him. He’s on our side. He got me out.”

Chen Hongyu finally said, “They aren’t just targeting you. They’re also going after others. I was once captured by them but managed to escape.”

“Why? Why are they doing this? Who exactly are they?”

“They’re doing this because they want to steal my special powers! Those who possess valuable things should act responsibly. They are an underground group trying to seize supernatural abilities!”

“...” Li Huowang was at a loss for words. He turned to look at Qian Fu, feeling foolish for ever trusting him.

Li Huowang looked at Chen Hongyu with a complex expression on his face. “Schizophrenia?”

“What? You don’t believe me? Don’t you have any supernatural abilities? Don’t tell me you don’t know. If you hadn’t shown any abilities, why would they target you?”

“Supernatural abilities? I don’t—” Li Huowang suddenly remembered something and shook his head vigorously. “No, that’s not it. Absolutely not.”

At this moment, Qian Fu chimed in again. “Hongyu, you see, I’m out now. You should come out too. Let’s take care of those troubles together.”

“No way, it’s too exhausting. I’m fine here. You can fight outside while I stay here. They can’t do anything to me while I’m in here,” Chen Hongyu said before turning to leave.

Qian Fu panicked. He quickly grabbed Bai Lingmiao’s bag and rummaged through it. “I’ll give you money! Look, it’s all red bills! Help us, and this money is yours! Also, how can you be sure they can’t get in? Are you really safe?”

Chen Hongyu saw the cash in Qian Fu’s hand and stopped. As she turned around, her chubby face showed a hint of greed.

She extended her dirty, black-nailed fingers toward Li Huowang and the others. “Fifty thousand! If you want me to help, give me fifty thousand each, then I’ll deal with them.”