Lu Yan stood in front of the door, quietly waiting for the staff to open the door to the ward. The system chatted with him, "[The talents of the Harbingers indeed possess powers far beyond others, but ordinary people always feel fear towards them.] [That Wei Chengwu... his mental state isn't very stable. If you continue with that sentence, he might end up dead. Suicide.]"
Lu Yan pondered for a moment, "That's truly unfortunate." His tone lacked both pity and regret, just calmly stating a fact. The system fell silent. After the door was opened, it revealed not a ward but a long, narrow corridor with security doors every few meters.
The director handed Lu Yan the medical records of Subject 07, "Mr. Lu, the degree of mutation in 07 is already quite high, but he has not shown any aggression. We have special protective measures in place, so the ward is safe."
Lu Yan looked down at the thin sheet of paper in his hand. Subject 07 (Name: Zong Yan) - Talent: 42-Fire, Psychic Threshold: 7200, Mutation Degree: 987, Mutation Direction: Carbonization. However, the system provided different information, "[Ah, the talent is Signal Interference 519, the fire is gone, this record hasn't been updated yet.]"
Lu Yan questioned, "Why is it gone?" The system chuckled, "[Of course, it was stolen.] Stolen, his life, his ideals, everything... all that's left is an empty shell. Truly, a beautiful soul of despair."
"The degree of mutation is already quite dangerous," the director expressed concern, "if the treatment fails, we may have to consider sending him to the 12th Research Institute."
The 12th Research Institute, rumored to be the euthanasia center for Harbingers. Lu Yan nodded slightly.
After passing through various checkpoints, they reached the final door. The director opened it, saying, "Mr. Lu, I'll wait for you outside. Access cards are required for entry and exit, and you don't have the authorization yet."
Entering the ward, Lu Yan glanced at the corner where a camera was positioned. For safety reasons, the surveillance here was controlled by a central computer, ready 24/7. Subject 07, or Zong Yan, sat quietly in a blue-and-white striped patient gown, restrained with handcuffs, ankle chains, all connected to an iron cylinder.
The room was filled with toys children would like, computers, and televisions. Every inch of the floor was covered with fire-resistant mats, and there were even water spray devices every few meters.
For Zong Yan's sudden visit, there was no vivid reaction. He just stared blankly at the corner where a broken guitar lay.
Lu Yan spoke, "Zong Yan." No response. So, he said again, "Zero Seven."
This time, 07's body trembled slightly, then slowly raised his head, looking toward the source of the sound.
Half of his face was burned, his eyeballs melted due to high temperatures. The junction of flesh and skin had black patterns. The other intact eye, red and lifeless.
Despite Zong Yan's high pollution level, Lu Yan had treated such patients before. He approached Zong Yan, took off his gloves, and extended his hand, "Give me your hand."
Zong Yan tilted his head, looking curious. White threads emerged from Lu Yan's sleeve, connecting to Zong Yan's arm. At such moments, Lu Yan couldn't help but share a connection with the Kingfisher inside him.
Zong Yan's blood was black, staining the transparent threads. Curious, he leaned closer.
Zong Yan stood up, and the iron chains on him swayed. His slender back blocked the surveillance's view. He held Lu Yan's hand, not speaking, just using his index finger to trace two numbers: "95."
Lu Yan was surprised, looking into Zong Yan's eyes. There seemed to be some focus now, a burning beauty in the red eyes.
Lu Yan realized, Zong Yan meant, "Save me." He didn't want to go back to the research institute, didn't want to be locked up again, and didn't want to see familiar faces disappear.
Lu Yan's expression remained calm. He even asked the system curiously, "Why would Zong Yan seek help from me? We're strangers meeting for the first time."
The system answered, "[Initially, 07 and the Dragon executed missions together. When Tang Xunan fell into a dream, so did he. You actually share the same past.] [So, he has seen you.]"
Lu Yan remained silent, just staring at the degree of mutation on the monitor.
Minutes passed, and the data dropped from 98 to 96. The system's tone sounded surprised, "[You seem somewhat moved? Can it be that you really want to save him? Dealing with this might be more troublesome than using your talent to kill Wei Chengwu. After all, Headquarters doesn't know about your talent, and Wei Chengwu himself is mentally unstable. Jumping off the building, though sudden, is not incomprehensible.]"
After some contemplation, the system continued, "[But if 07 escapes during your treatment... you might face the investigation team directly.]"
Lu Yan sighed, "Sounds complicated and serious consequences."
"Yes," the system nodded metaphorically, "[Forgive my directness, after experiencing some changes, 07's heart has turned as black as his face... don't be misled by him. He's just using you.]"
Lu Yan couldn't help but glance at 07 again. He showed a silly, childlike smile.
Lu Yan said to the system, "I think you must have a solution."
The system fell into a brief silence, "[Why? I mean, it doesn't fit your personality. Or maybe, recently, have you imitated someone as your main personality?]"
A rare question that puzzled the system.
Lu Yan replied, "I haven't imitated anyone. I just think 07 playing the guitar sounded nice, and it's a pity not to hear it again. Besides, he's my patient."
He withdrew his hand. The Kingfisher inside him was already full, belly bulging, even belching.
"All right. If you want to save him, it's not impossible, and in the long run, it may not be a bad thing... truly." After thinking, the system hesitated and said, "[Maybe you can try fighting poison with poison?]"
Lu Yan left the ward. Outside, the director looked concerned, "How is 07 now? Can he be saved?"
Lu Yan nodded slightly, "Yes. The mutation degree has dropped to 94 now, but one treatment is far from enough. I'll stay in City X longer."
The director was overjoyed, "Great! Where would you like to stay? Need us to prepare a set of rooms for you? A car? A maid?"
Lu Yan thought for a moment, "No need. I usually stay at the Prevention and Control Center. But I hope to work at a nearby hospital."
The director, recalling the advice from Coordinator Li, understood that Lu Yan, who had little social and entertainment activities, used to be a surgeon before becoming a Harbinger. He relieved stress by performing surgeries.
The director showed respect, "I understand! I'll arrange it for
you tomorrow. Which department would you like to go to?"
"The Emergency Department." Lu Yan paused for a few seconds, "Get a few more anesthesiologists and surgical assistants."
Human efficiency had decreased now, and three surgeries a day were exhausting. It was a resource-intensive profession.
Lu Yan went to the hospital for two reasons: he had an itch for surgery, and there was an abandoned green mailbox in front of the nearby hospital.
As times changed, these mailboxes gradually faded away, with few people sending letters. However, in City X, these mailboxes had another purpose.
Customers could, according to their preferences, place orders through the mailbox to the slaughterhouse to reserve their desired pig. The slaughterhouse would then request corresponding compensation based on the difficulty of obtaining the pig.
Earlier, in the ward, Lu Yan asked the system how to save Zong Yan. The system told him, "[You can try submitting an order to the slaughterhouse, purchase a live pig.]"
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