This was a private hospital located not far from Yu Xi and Yu Zhengqing’s apartnt. A taxi ride took just about ten minutes to get there.
When Yu Zhengqing’s condition relapsed, it was Kong Lin’s father who arranged for him to be admitted here. Considering his health might require extended hospitalization, a hospital close to ho would make it easier for Yu Xi to care for him later.
C Country had many such private hospitals. To encourage more entrepreneurship, the governnt offered subsidies to healthcare facilities like this. With ample resources available, the majority of dical costs were also covered by governnt subsidies, making treatnt here affordable while providing excellent facilities.
To Yu Xi, this hospital looked more like a vacation resort than a dical facility.
The ordinary rooms accommodated at most two patients, while private rooms featured en-suite bathrooms, small kitchens, and balconies. These rooms, clean and well-lit, offered privacy and felt more like small apartnts—resembling the layout of her ho in her original world.
From Yu Xi’s perspective, such a room could easily serve as a proper residence. If necessary, she wouldn’t even need to return to her apartnt and could just live here.
Yu Xi entered the room just as a nurse was wheeling out a cart. After confirming her identity, the nurse explained that the patient had just finished chemotherapy and was extrely weak, now resting after falling asleep.
Yu Xi thanked the nurse and closed the door behind her. She placed the items she’d brought on the table in the outer room and tiptoed cautiously into the inner room.
Truth be told, she was apprehensive about what she might see. She feared encountering soone who bore a strong resemblance to Yu Feng, her late father in her original world—whether it was seven or eight points of similarity or a near-identical younger version.
Even though this was just a mission world and she knew the person wasn’t her real father, the thought of soone who looked like him suffering from cancer was sothing she deeply dreaded.
Thankfully, the man lying in the hospital bed bore no resemblance to Yu Feng—not even a trace.
Perhaps due to his illness, his complexion and lips were pale, his cheeks slightly sunken, and even in sleep, his brow was furrowed. Yet, despite all this, his elegant and handso features were undeniable.
The mont she saw him, Yu Xi’s fragnted mories of the world’s original storyline—scenes involving the elder brother—suddenly beca vivid, like black-and-white sketches coming to life with color and emotion.
Even though he didn’t look like Yu Feng, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of heartache.
In her original life, she was an only child. She had never known what it was like to have an older brother. Now, she did. This feeling was different from when she had a sister like Yu Qi in a previous mission. Yu Qi, being a spitting image of Fan Qi’s younger self, had always felt more like a maternal figure.
But Yu Zhengqing was an independent individual, soone who, after their parents’ death, had taken on both paternal and maternal roles—strict yet gentle.
Yu Xi admitted that even though the original “Yu Xi” in this world was rely a pre-set, chanical consciousness, she found herself resonating deeply with “her.”
Her second world task was to ensure that this person lived out the last months of his life in peace. But exactly how many months that ant, she didn’t know. Based on her experience in the first mission, it would be no more than six months, and perhaps as short as two or three.
Looking at the man lying in bed, she silently asked the system: How many months does Yu Zhengqing have left? Is there any chance to save or alter his fate?
The system didn’t respond. It didn’t even give its usual silent acknowledgnt of an unanswered query.
Yu Xi sighed, turned around, and left the inner room.
The outer room resembled a cozy living space with a sofa, television, dining table, and cabinets. The southern-facing balcony offered a view of the lawn and garden in front of the hospital. The world was currently in autumn, and the surroundings were picturesque, filled with the scent of flowers and the chirping of birds.
The setting sun painted the western sky in vivid hues of red. While beautiful, the vibrant crimson felt unsettling—perhaps because it resembled the color of blood.
Yu Xi sat quietly in the outer room, enjoying her dinner in rare peace. This was her most relaxed and comfortable al since arriving in this mission world.
Ever since the haunted house incident at the L City amusent park, she had been on the run. Even when she managed to eat sothing, it was always with her classmates around, making it hard to feel at ease.
She first retrieved a long-handled pot and so rice, preparing a pot of porridge for Yu Zhengqing on the induction stove in the suite’s kitchenette. For herself, she opted for a simple but satisfying al of spicy beef noodles, chili-fried eggs, and a cup of N Country milk tea.
Just as the porridge was about ready, Yu Zhengqing woke up. Seeing her standing by his bedside, his frown deepened.
“What happened to your hair? And why are you suddenly back? Wasn’t this study tour sothing you’d always wanted to do?” he asked, his voice weak but laced with concern.
Yu Xi adjusted the headrest of Yu Zhengqing’s bed, raising it slightly before placing the bowl of porridge in front of him. “Eat sothing first. I’ll tell you everything after you’ve finished,” she said softly, worried that if she told him now, he wouldn’t even be able to swallow a mouthful of food.
Yu Zhengqing sighed but obediently drank the porridge quickly.
“I also brought soup, very light. Would you like so?” she offered, filling another bowl.
Yu Zhengqing hesitated for a mont but ended up drinking the soup as well.
When he finished, Yu Xi handed him her phone, showing him a video of a “blood ghoul” attacking soone.
The graphic and violent images made Yu Zhengqing frown deeply. “What is this? A movie?”
“This is footage I took at the amusent park in L City,” she replied calmly.
“What!?” His head shot up in shock.
“Don’t worry, we’re all fine. We escaped just in ti and flew out of D Country that very night. Later, we encountered so complications on the way, but fortunately, we all worked together and eventually returned ho safely.”
Yu Xi deliberately omitted the most dangerous and intense parts of the journey. There was no way to explain her remarkable combat skills and survival abilities without raising further questions.
She had debated whether to tell him about this at all. After all, he was a patient, and C Country had yet to experience an outbreak. It might have been better to let him enjoy so peace for as long as possible.
But recalling Yu Zhengqing’s decisiveness and capability in the professional world from her inherited mories, she decided it was better to tell him now. She needed his cooperation to stockpile the dicines and dical supplies he would require over the next several months. So of these were complex and outside her knowledge.
Taking back her phone, Yu Xi gave him a detailed explanation of the nature of the mutation and its implications.
Although sick, Yu Zhengqing’s mind was still sharp. He quickly realized that if such a crisis spread in C Country, the collapse of normal life would make him a burden on Yu Xi.
At Yu Xi’s request, Yu Zhengqing wrote down the nas of all the dications he currently needed, highlighting a few that could alleviate his pain if proper treatnt beca unavailable.
“I’ll rest here tonight,” he said. “But tomorrow, I’ll go ho with you. The sooner we prepare, the better.”
What Yu Zhengqing didn’t know was that their ho was now completely empty—stripped of all belongings.
Yu Xi didn’t argue. Instead, she helped him out of bed and to the bathroom to freshen up. She patiently responded to his every word of advice and coaxed him back to sleep.
For Yu Xi, it didn’t really matter whether they went ho or stayed here. Aside from dication and dical supplies, she already had everything she needed stored away in her Star House warehouse. What she needed now was a plan to acquire all necessary items before leaving the hospital.
Counting the ti spent on the delayed flight from N Country, Yu Xi hadn’t had proper rest in three days.
Even with her remarkable stamina, she felt drained. Deciding to prioritize her recovery, she planned to sleep for six to seven hours before tackling her next steps.
After cleaning the dishes and pot, she locked the suite’s door, took a quick shower, changed into clean sportswear, and dragged the sofa to the inner room’s door. Wrapping herself in a thin blanket, she lay down and fell into a deep sleep.
She was jolted awake by a faint, unsettling sound.
The noise, coming from sowhere far away, was faint but persistent enough to rouse her. Was it just her imagination?
It sounded like… growling?
Yu Xi remained perfectly still, her ears straining to catch the sound. After a long pause, just when she thought it might have been a fignt of her half-dreaming state, she heard it again.
The low, guttural growl was unmistakable—and terrifyingly familiar.
It was coming from sowhere inside the hospital.
Yu Xi sat bolt upright, glancing at her phone. It was just past 3 a.m., the hour when people were at their most vulnerable to fatigue.
There was no doubt in her mind. That was the sound of a blood mutation patient. Judging by the tone—vaguely human but distorted and slurred—it was a third-stage patient. Its growls hinted at the breakdown of speech functionality.
Starting from the third stage, blood mutation patients exhibit heightened aggression and strength, with large areas of flesh torn away. Once discovered, they can easily incite panic among those nearby.
But how could such advanced-stage patients appear so quickly in Hua Country?
Zhou City was just a second-tier city without even an international airport. The speed of this infection’s spread was truly terrifying.
Yu Xi walked to the window, parting the blinds slightly to peer outside, attempting to locate the infected by sound. But she quickly withdrew her gaze, realizing the source of the noise wasn’t from any neighboring buildings.
The faint growls were coming from within their own building, right beneath her feet. The outbreak was happening inside the very hospital they were in.
Yu Xi glanced at Yu Zhengqing, who was resting in bed, and restrained herself from heading out.
It was futile. The ergence of a single “Patient Zero” signaled the presence of countless hidden carriers. The apocalypse had officially begun in C Country, and she couldn’t stop it. Her priority was to protect the man lying in the hospital bed.
This building had ten floors. The sixth to ninth floors housed private rooms, while the tenth floor was reserved for luxury private suites. Floors five and below contained standard two-person rooms, with so functional rooms and operating theaters scattered throughout the building.
Private rooms were relatively empty, while the two-person rooms were about 60-70% occupied. Yu Xi and Yu Zhengqing were currently on the eighth floor.
The sounds ca from below. Judging by their faintness, they were likely coming from the first to third floors, the areas with two-person rooms.
Whether the infected were patients or healthcare workers, they would soon be discovered.
As expected, within monts of her analysis, terrified screams echoed from downstairs. First one, then several, mingled with the growls and sounds of struggle. However, the situation was quickly brought under control—faster than she had anticipated.
Yu Xi exhaled softly, relieved for the mont, but the rest of the night was far from peaceful in Zhou City.
About half an hour later, she heard the wailing sirens of fire trucks and ambulances from various locations in the city. Not just one or two, but several simultaneously.
By dawn, the sound of police sirens filled the air outside the hospital. The streets surrounding the building were cleared, and police barriers were set up.
Soon, a nurse knocked on their door, her face pale with unease. She inford Yu Xi that the hospital was under quarantine due to an outbreak of an infectious disease. Neither patients nor accompanying family mbers were allowed to leave. If they needed anything, they could inform the hospital staff, who would arrange for outside deliveries.
“You can’t leave either?” Yu Xi asked calmly, in stark contrast to the nurse’s pale complexion.
“Apparently not. But don’t worry. They’re arranging for inspections. Once cleared, people may be allowed to leave. Anyway, I need to inform the other rooms. Please stay put and avoid wandering around unnecessarily.”
“Wait a mont.” Yu Xi stopped her. “I’m worried this outbreak might not be resolved soon. Can I stock up on my brother’s dications in advance?”
The nurse flipped through the dical records in her hand. “I’ll ask the doctor. It should be possible. The pharmacy is in the building. I’ll check back around noon.”
“Thank you.” Yu Xi smiled at her.
At noon, the nurse returned punctually with their dications and lunch. The dicine supply wasn’t large—about a month and a half’s worth. Yu Xi understood the hospital’s policy wouldn’t allow them to dispense several months’ worth at once. But it was better than nothing; she would find other ways to secure more.
When Yu Zhengqing woke up and learned about the quarantine, he was overco with guilt.
From his perspective, he didn’t have much ti left to live, and how he died didn’t matter. But Yu Xi was still young and healthy, and now she was trapped in the hospital because of him. He couldn’t bear the thought.
“Brother, it’s not just the hospital that’s under quarantine,” Yu Xi said, trying to console him. “I’ve checked online. Last night, there were more than ten incidents of mutation patients attacking people throughout Zhou City. It looks like a single batch of infected individuals. This is no longer sothing that can be hidden… Nowhere in Zhou City is safe. Being quarantined in the hospital is actually a good thing—at least everything you need is here.”
That day, Yu Zhengqing spent his ti oscillating between self-reproach and uneasy resignation as Yu Xi comforted him.
While the hospital remained under quarantine, things inside were relatively calm.
At around 10 p.m., Yu Zhengqing, exhausted, finally fell asleep. Yu Xi prepared to spend the night on the sofa again. Just as she retrieved a thin blanket, there was a soft knock at the door of their private room.
…
Thingyan: I was on a 10-day overseas trip and just got back after a 30-hour flight. I know I’m behind on many chapters. I’ll work on them in the next few days. So sorry about that ????
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