Chapter 70
Zhen Shiluo was undoubtedly the hottest figure on all major platforms recently.
This was not only because his advertisements were bombarding everyone from multiple directions but also because the boast he made was simply too big.
If one were to search for “Zhen Shiluo” on any platform now, the results would inevitably be filled with words like “Miracle Doctor,” “Scammer,” and “Snake Oil Salesman.”
[This is too fake. He’ll say anything just to make some quick cash. Isn’t he afraid of being arrested by the state?]
[Some of the previous fake medicine sellers stayed in the gray area, but even they didn’t dare say they could absolutely cure it. They only said they could alleviate the painful symptoms after contamination and couldn’t even guarantee that. This Zhen Shiluo is talking way too big. Just watch, he’ll be caught sooner or later.]
[Obvious fake. Only the elderly who don’t go online much would believe this. These are turbulent times, and the authorities are cracking down hard. Just watch—the next time you see news about this ‘Miracle Doctor Zhen,’ it’ll be about him being arrested for fraud.]
Zhong Xin scrolled through the various comments about Zhen Shiluo. The more he read, the heavier his heart sank.
The moment he felt discouraged, a sensation of tearing instantly appeared on his face. Layers of bark-like growths crawled over his skin, covering yet another portion of his already dwindling human skin.
Intense pain rose from deep within his heart. Zhong Xin could no longer hold his phone. With a thud, the phone fell to the floor, and he clutched his head in agony, screaming.
“Ah Xin!”
“It’s okay, it’s okay, Mom and Dad are here!!”
Zhong Xin’s parents sat on either side of him. Seeing him have another episode, they hurriedly comforted him while pouring water from a thermos for him to drink.
“Drink some water. You’ll feel better after some water…”
Zhong Xin’s entire body was shaking—a trembling caused by pure physiological pain. The pain made him break out in a cold sweat, as if he had just been fished out of a lake. His pupils were somewhat dilated.
Before he was infected, he had once joked with his classmates that if he were infected, he could definitely endure it and become an Awakener.
But once he was actually infected, he realized how naive his previous thoughts had been.
Pain!
It was too much pain!
Every moment, every minute, every second was spent in agony. This pain didn’t just come from the body; it felt as if something from the depths of his soul was tearing him into pieces.
It hurt more than a burn, more than a fall. It hurt so much he couldn’t eat or sleep. Ever since the infection, his temper had become very explosive, because it’s impossible for a person to maintain a peaceful character while in the throes of extreme pain.
As the duration of his contamination grew longer, Zhong Xin’s episodes became more frequent, and his temper became even more volatile. His five senses were so sharp that if someone downstairs coughed, it could make him snap instantly, wanting to rush down and seize the person by the throat.
In this extreme agony, Zhong Xin even began to feel hatred toward his own parents.
“Let me die!! Just let me die!!!”
He roared at his parents with pain and hatred: “Why won’t you let me die?! Why?!”
Zhong Xin had been infected for thirty-one days. He had attempted suicide eighteen times. The first ten times, he had regretted it at the last second.
The last eight times were all because his parents were keeping a 24-hour watch and stopped him in time.
In the beginning, after being stopped, Zhong Xin would feel fear once he regained his clarity.
But by now, even in his moments of clarity, he wanted to die.
It was too painful. He only wanted to find an escape.
If the world an Awakener perceived after awakening was like this, Zhong Xin would rather be an ordinary person for the rest of his life. No, to be precise, he would rather be disabled—a deaf or blind person would be fine—as long as he didn’t have to feel this pain, as if his soul were being torn apart every second.
Watching their son suffer, even though they had cried too many times this month and it seemed their tears had run dry, Zhong Xin’s parents still wept, their eyes red and swollen.
Zhong Xin’s mother clutched her face in agony: “One more try, Ah Xin, just one more try. If it doesn’t work this time… we, we’ll let you go…”
Zhong Xin couldn’t hear anything anymore. He turned his head and saw the wall. Immediately, as if he had found some treasure, he lunged forward to smash his head against it with wild joy.
A large hand with distinct knuckles easily grabbed the back of his neck, followed by a clean, swift strike that knocked him unconscious.
Zhong Xin’s parents hurriedly ran over to support their unconscious son, looking at the person before them in shock.
The man was wearing a trench coat. Golden hair cascaded down, his eyes were deep blue, and his features were sharply defined, making him look biracial at first glance.
This kind of extremely superior appearance made the Zhong parents instantly realize that the newcomer was an Awakener.
As Awakeners appeared before the public, people gradually realized they were easy to distinguish. It was likely that after awakening, the Qi essence remodeled the body, making their physical state and appearance more excellent.
Anyone handsome enough to have a “wall” between them and ordinary people was basically an Awakener.
“You… you are?”
Hua Yi took out his ID and showed it to them. “Just passing through.”
“In the future, when he has an episode, try to let him fall into a deep sleep as much as possible. It can delay the spread of the total-body contamination.”
Hope instantly rose in the Zhong parents’ hearts.
After all, this was an Awakener. In the eyes of ordinary people, Awakeners knew more inside information, and contaminated Awakeners also had a chance to receive treatment.
“Do you… do you have a way for our child to clear the contamination? His willpower is very strong. He’s been contaminated for thirty-one days and has endured it through sheer grit. If there’s a way, he can definitely do it!”
Hua Yi’s expression didn’t change. He looked at the poor parents begging him with what could even be called indifference.
“I have no way to save him.”
Zhong Xin had indeed held out long enough. Most infected humans would choose suicide within ten days or so due to the extreme pain.
But holding out longer only meant that he had endured the pain for longer.
Zhong Xin’s father even wanted to kneel and beg him, reaching out to grab his trench coat, but Hua Yi naturally took a step back, avoiding his touch.
How could a person who couldn’t even save himself save others?
A voice, pressed low and sounding very kind, suddenly came from the doorway:
“I do. I can save him.”
Hua Yi raised an eyebrow slightly and turned to see an old man with white hair wearing a Tai Chi suit.
His gaze dropped slightly, landing on the other man’s watch.
At the same time, the Qi essence in his body seemed to sense an enemy, suddenly surging with fighting spirit in the unseen realm.
The golden-haired man suddenly smiled, his misty blue eyes curving slightly.
“We meet again. Last time you guys called me over only to leave me hanging. You still haven’t given me an explanation.”
Luo Shizhen, who was seriously playing his character, maintained his elderly image:
“Sir, have you mistaken me for someone else? This is the first time we’ve met. I am Doctor Zhen Shiluo.”
“Oh~”
Hua Yi’s gaze swept over his silver hair. “Doctor Zhen Shiluo, my apologies. I have mistaken you for someone else. Please, old gentleman.”
Although he didn’t know what Luo Shizhen was doing, he could guess it was related to a mission.
Dressing up as an old man for a mission—he was quite dedicated.
There was no need for Hua Yi to make things difficult for a group of students. He stepped aside, watching the disguised “elderly man” maintain the gait an old man should have as he slowly walked past him.
To better play an old man, Luo Shizhen even hunched his back slightly, which made his height appear shorter.
Hua Yi lowered his eyes, happening to see the small whorl of hair on the top of the person’s head.
Who did his disguise? Every other part was done, but this whorl of hair was exactly the same as before.
A middle-aged version of Cheng Yunshao walked in with a stiff face. “Sir, is there something you’ve come to our Zhen Family Hall for?”
Hua Yi was very cooperative, pointing at the sleeping Zhong Xin. “I sensed a contaminated person here, so I followed them.”
“Didn’t you know? This is my jurisdiction.”
“However, since he is your patient, I won’t interfere. I’ll wait here.”
Cheng Yunshao stared at Hua Yi through his glasses.
He could tell that Hua Yi had recognized Luo Shizhen. Therefore, Hua Yi should know that Luo Shizhen, as a Purifier, could definitely purify a contaminated ordinary person.
So what was he still waiting here for?
The elderly version of Luo Shizhen in front slowly turned his head. “Assistant Cheng, come help me move the patient into the inner room.”
He was still working hard on his persona, remembering that he was an ordinary old man who couldn’t move another person.
Cheng Yunshao immediately responded, “Right away.”
He glanced at Hua Yi again and walked over quickly.
The other young Awakeners disguised in various professions also followed, casting wary glances at Hua Yi.
The Zhong parents urgently entered the ward as well. From inside, Luo Shizhen’s voice could be heard comforting them.
With his voice pressed low, it really did sound a bit like an old man’s; it was clear he had put in some hard work.
Listening to it, Hua Yi didn’t find standing there boring anymore.
He glanced at the seemingly empty area by the wall:
“Using your ability to turn invisible and stalk your own students—you’re quite the pervert, aren’t you?”
Sui An retracted his mental power threads, and his figure appeared.
“What is your purpose for waiting here?”
“I’m just bored. Just finding something to pass the time.”
The golden-haired man smiled in the sunlight, looking quite harmless.
But Sui An could sense the faint, murky aura emanating from him.
He frowned. “You’ve devoured high-level anomalies again?”
Hua Yi maintained his smile. “Yes. Still digesting.”
“You know, it’s very painful when I’m digesting that trash. My body is constantly being torn apart and rebuilt. No matter how many times I experience it, I still can’t stand it.”
“At times like this, I want to find others who are also in pain. Seeing you all in pain like me makes it seem a bit less unbearable. Those young people are still enthusiastically doing missions. Do they not know yet? The higher the sequence of an Awakener, the deeper the pain they feel.”
“See your student’s patient? That tiny bit of pain makes him want to die. We high-sequence Awakeners feel hundreds or thousands of times more than that.”
Sui An’s expression remained calm. Almost every high-sequence Awakener who survived, regardless of their outward appearance, possessed extreme self-control.
This self-control was forged through the extreme agony of surging Qi essence night after night.
Sui An was the best among them. His tone didn’t even hold a ripple:
“You should go back and rest.”
Hua Yi looked toward Sui An. He was still smiling, but the curve of the smile didn’t change in the slightest; it looked like a mask. In the depths of his eyes, there was only deep gloom.
“Have you heard a saying? Only those hiding a treasure want to drive others away.”
“I can feel it. It seems… you aren’t in that much pain anymore.”
His smile gradually changed, and he licked his lips, though the arrogance in his eyes remained unchanged. “I will find the treasure that brings you peace.”
“And then, I’ll take it.”
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