Chen Xuanqiu had barely risen when the nurse, accompanied by two security guards, rushed frantically to the scene.
“What exactly happened here?”
The older, leading security guard, a middle-aged man, asked in astonishment.
Ni Shanshan then recounted the recent events, while Xiao Tong remained cowering behind the workstation, still trembling.
“It’s over now. We’re completely finished.”
The older security guard instantly grew frantic, pacing like an ant on a hot griddle.
“Captain Tang, what’s wrong?” the young security guard asked, clearly bewildered.
“Are you dense? What does it signify when a person with a gun appears in a hospital? It means we’ve been derelict in our duties. We’d be lucky not to be summarily dismissed.”
Captain Tang snapped, lamenting their sheer ignorance and lack of initiative.
The young security guard immediately grasped the gravity of the situation, his face falling into a bitter grimace. He cursed at the corpse, ‘Couldn’t you have just died somewhere else? Even in death, you’re still making trouble for me.’
“And the blood beneath the body? Did you wipe it clean?”
Ni Shanshan queried, her gaze fixed on the bloodstains beneath the body.
“Ah? Ah, yes, yes, yes! I… I thought it looked a bit messy, so I cleaned it up.”
Chen Xuanqiu, thinking on her feet, quickly seized the opportune moment to offer her explanation.
“You foolish child. This is a crime scene. We don’t need to clean it up; the police will handle it naturally later.”
Ni Shanshan stated with a sigh of resignation.
“Oh.”
Chen Xuanqiu nodded obediently.
“I truly don’t know where you found such immense courage.”
Ni Shanshan remarked with a playful, chiding tone.
“Was I really that brave?”
Upon hearing this, Chen Xuanqiu felt a surge of self-satisfaction. No one had ever praised her in such a way before, and it seemed her recent ‘training’ had indeed paid off. While corpses were certainly terrifying, they were far more ‘manageable’ than malevolent spirits.
“Captain Tang, what should we do now? Should we call the police or notify the hospital leadership?”
Ni Shanshan turned to ask Captain Tang.
“Let’s notify the hospital leadership first. We’re merely subordinates, after all. Whether to call the police, or how to do it, ultimately rests with the hospital’s decision.”
Captain Tang explained.
Ni Shanshan nodded in agreement, recognizing this as an unwritten rule of the workplace: one must never overstep their bounds in any matter.
Shortly after, Captain Tang received an order from the Dean, instructing those present not to spread the news and to ‘store away’ the bodies for the time being.
“Gather the bodies? Won’t that compromise the crime scene?”
Ni Shanshan asked, perplexed.
“Who cares? It’s the Dean’s instruction, after all.”
Captain Tang replied, then, with the young security guard, swiftly carried the bodies into a vacant patient room. Afterward, he meticulously used a mop to clean the remaining bloodstains from the floor until not a trace remained.
Soon after, Dean Liu and Director Ren arrived in a hurried rush, immediately seeking out the three individuals involved to ascertain the situation.
“I don’t know what happened. They were clearly shooting at me, but somehow, they ended up shooting themselves.”
Chen Xuanqiu replied, her words a mixture of truth and fabrication.
“Yes, Dean Liu. I was there with Sister Tong, and it was truly bizarre.”
Ni Shanshan echoed.
Dean Liu fell into deep thought, and after a prolonged silence, he addressed the group. “When the police question you later, just say they killed each other. Leave the rest to me, understand? And under no circumstances are you to speak of this to anyone.”
The hospital staff exchanged uneasy glances before nodding obediently. Everyone understood that Dean Liu intended to downplay the serious incident, particularly as the inpatient department had just experienced a nurse abuse scandal the previous night.
Chen Xuanqiu voiced no objections, as this outcome aligned perfectly with her desires, especially since the three men were connected to her recent gender transformation.
“Young lady, I hope you’ll tell the police the same thing. When you’re discharged, I’ll do my best to get you a discount on your medical fees.”
Dean Liu turned to Chen Xuanqiu, his tone beseeching. As she wasn’t his direct employee, he had no choice but to use gentle persuasion.
“I understand. I won’t say anything out of turn.”
Chen Xuanqiu nodded eagerly.
Only then did Dean Liu feel a measure of relief, before he finally placed the call to the police.
Soon after, the police arrived, and Dean Liu immediately stepped forward to negotiate.
The outcome was surprisingly swift: two police officers didn’t even bother to review the surveillance footage. They merely took perfunctory statements from the three young women before departing with the bodies.
Chen Xuanqiu was greatly astonished. ‘It seems Dean Liu wields considerable influence,’ she mused.
After all the commotion, it was nearly dawn before Chen Xuanqiu finally returned to her ward to sleep. Yet, her mind refused to rest, immediately replaying the night’s perplexing events.
After much contemplation, Chen Xuanqiu unexpectedly found herself feeling a touch of joy. Despite the profound fright she had endured, her gains were undeniably far greater.
Firstly, she could sense the Infant Spirit secretly assisting her, which meant she no longer needed to live in constant fear within the hospital.
Secondly, she had discovered a method to strengthen the warm current within her: absorbing human blood.
Thirdly, she had uncovered clues regarding the murders of Dr. Wei and his grandson, giving her hope for revenge.
Upon closer examination, the first point had allowed her to stabilize her footing, the second provided a clear path for her development, and the third offered a distinct goal for her endeavors.
Chen Xuanqiu felt her path suddenly become unequivocally clear. The only lingering question was whether an increase in the volume of the warm current within her truly signified an enhancement of her inherent strength.
‘It seems I’ll need to find an opportunity to test this again,’ she mused.
Drifting into a hazy sleep, Chen Xuanqiu dreamt once more. She found herself transported back to this body’s childhood, attending kindergarten with her sister, bathing with her sister, and even sleeping alongside her sister…
****
Within a reasonably spacious room, a dozen men sat in stony silence, exchanging no words. Some sharpened knives, others handled their firearms, and the atmosphere was palpably heavy.
“Our captain and the others didn’t return last night. I believe everyone here understands the implications of that.”
The man seated at the head of the table spoke. His slender frame was accentuated by long hair that partially obscured his already gaunt cheeks. Yet, the pair of sharp, unforgettable eyes beneath them commanded immediate attention.
“We know. The mission failed, obviously.”
A burly man on the left, toying with a combat knife, replied.
“Yes. So, I’d like to hear everyone’s thoughts. With the skills of those three, killing a minor should have been trivial. They could have assassinated the Mayor of Donghui City with ease.”
The long-haired man scanned the room as he spoke.
“Faceless Deputy, could it be that they encountered some kind of master?”
A short, thin middle-aged man with a middle parting, seated on the right, offered his analysis.
“Oh, come on. The only people in that hospital capable of resistance are a few young security guards. Do you consider them masters? There’s only one reason for failing a mission: a lack of capability.”
The burly man, still toying with his combat knife, said with disdain.
“Brute Bear, are you questioning the captain’s ability?”
The man with the middle parting instantly narrowed his eyes.
“Yes, and what of it? Our squad was assembled temporarily. None of us truly know each other. Who knows if he even possessed the qualifications to be a captain?”
Brute Bear, the knife-wielding man, retorted sharply.
“Then you are questioning the organization’s judgment.”
The man with the middle parting immediately hurled an accusation.
“You… If your combat skills were as sharp as your tongue, you’d be sitting in the captain’s seat right now.”
Brute Bear sneered, then plunged his combat knife into the table.
“Enough. Don’t start infighting when the mission isn’t even complete. If this mission fails, everyone here will die.”
Faceless Deputy interjected with a chilling tone, effectively halting the dispute.
“Heh, what’s there to worry about? I, Brute Bear, have killed everyone from high-ranking military officials to local magnates. Give me one day, and I guarantee I’ll send that brat back to the womb for a do-over.”
Brute Bear confidently smirked.
“I think it’s better to be cautious. How about this, Strategist? You go to the hospital later to check the situation. If there’s nothing unusual, we can act then; it won’t be too late.”
Faceless Deputy addressed the man with the middle parting who had just spoken.
“Understood.”
The man with the middle parting accepted the order.
“Is that really necessary? It’s just a small hospital, not some high-security prison.”
Brute Bear’s tone remained filled with disdain.