Outcast

"Hehe..." Han Yimo gave a bitter smile, "Dr. Zhao, you're overthinking it. As a novelist, the last thing I want to talk about is my own work... If I have free time, I prefer to forget everything in my works and relax."

"Then let's talk about something else!" Dr. Zhao was slowly suturing the wound, but it was circular, making it more complex to stitch up than a regular wound. He composed himself and asked again, "Tell me, besides writing, how do you relax yourself?"

"I... play games."

Dr. Zhao nodded, "That's great, I also play games after work. What games do you play?"

Han Yimo, due to excessive blood loss, was thinking very slowly. After a long time, he said, "League of Legends... There's a female ninja named 'Akali', I really like this character."

"Oh?" Dr. Zhao smiled, "That's quite a coincidence, I also play League of Legends and I also like Akali. Although he spoke in a steady tone, everyone could see that his hands were slightly trembling. After so many years of practicing medicine, this was the first time he was suturing a wound without anesthesia and with the patient conscious. Now, no one knew whether he truly liked the character or was just trying to continue the conversation with Han Yimo.

"Dr. Zhao, do you also like Akali?" Han Yimo nodded weakly, "I'm fascinated by everything about Akali... This female ninja called 'Shadow Fist', I feel her story background is also..."

Dr. Zhao's hand paused slightly, then he stroked Han Yimo's face and asked, "Han Yimo, can you see me?"

"Hmm?" Han Yimo didn't know why Dr. Zhao suddenly asked this question and could only reply, "I can see you..."

"Who am I?"

"You are Dr. Zhao..."

After hearing this, Dr. Zhao nodded again and said, "Han Yimo, you're already hallucinating now, you must stay conscious."

"Hallucinations?" Han Yimo felt that his current state was still normal and didn't understand what Dr. Zhao meant, "Aren't I talking to you normally? How could I be hallucinating?"

"It's probably a symptom of excessive blood loss, your brain is not getting enough blood supply. The hero you mentioned, Akali, her title is 'The Outcast', not 'Shadow Fist'."

"The Outcast?" Han Yimo squinted his eyes, feeling a bit hesitant. He had never heard this name before, could this also be a reason for the hallucinations?

Qiao Jia Jian poked Qi Xia aside and asked, "Cheater, what are they talking about?"

"I don't know," Qi Xia shook his head, "I don't play games, I don't understand."

"I have played video games," Qiao Jia Jian pursed his lips, "but I've never heard of the game they're talking about, is this hero versus game more interesting than 'Fatal Fury'?"

Shi Tuzi sat down.

He was thinking about something else.

Han Yimo and Dr. Zhao's conversation also fell silent, presumably because Han Yimo was having too many hallucinations, making it impossible to continue the conversation.

The atmosphere among the group gradually became silent.

Lin Qin found that he couldn't help much, so he sat down beside Qi Xia.

"What are you thinking about?" Lin Qin asked.

Qi Xia turned his head and looked at Lin, his expression indifferent.

"This is the second time you've asked me 'what are you thinking,'" Qi Xia said, "Do you always ask your patients so directly during psychological counseling?"

"But you're not my patient." Lin Qin shook his head, "We also don't refer to our clients as 'patients', that would be very impolite. I'm just curious, you're such a smart person, what exactly is in your mind?"

"My wife," Qi Xia said with a wistful expression.

"Your wife?" Lin Qin nodded silently, "You mentioned before that someone is waiting for you outside, is that person your wife?"

"Yes," Qi Xia nodded.

Lin Qin smiled slightly, "I didn't expect that answer, so you're already married?"

"Why can't I be married?" Qi Xia felt like Lin Qin's words had an undertone.

"I didn't mean to offend you, but you're a swindler, what kind of person is your wife?"

"You..." Qi Xia was uncharacteristically a bit angry as he slowly stood up, his gaze icy cold, "What do you mean? Just because I'm a swindler, the person who marries me can only be of the lowest class, right?"

"Ah? I..." Lin was taken aback by Qi Xia's imposing manner, "I really didn't mean to offend, I was just very curious..."

"I advise you not to be curious about me." Qi Xia still spoke coldly, "I'm a swindler, and what I say won't be the truth."

Their conversation ended on a sour note, but Lin's expression did not seem to mind.

Dr. Zhao also finally finished suturing the wound.

"It's almost done..." Dr. Zhao said while wiping the blood from his hands, "We've done all we can do for now, and all that's left is to hope the wound doesn't get infected."

"Thank you..." Han Yimo's lips were pale as he slowly said to Dr. Zhao.

Seeing that everything was over, Qi Xia slowly stood up and said to everyone, "Everyone, it's time to say goodbye."

The other eight people showed their confusion upon hearing this.

Goodbye?

"Where are you going?" Qiao Jia Jian asked.

It's none of your business.

Looking directly at the restaurant in front of them, he seemed to be deep in thought.

"You're not really going to look for the 'Tao', are you?" Officer Li was taken aback.

"Why? Do you have any advice?" Qi Xia seemed to have accepted this answer.

"To be frank, you're going to your death," Officer Li shook his head helplessly, "Three thousand six hundred 'Tao'! What is the concept of three thousand six hundred 'Tao'?! If you can get one 'Tao' each time, for the kind of life-threatening game you just went through, you would have to pass through three thousand six hundred of them!

"Yes." Qi Xia nodded, "It sounds like a very slim chance, but there is still hope, right?"

"Hope?" Officer Li sighed, "Ten days, three thousand six hundred games... even the time to pass through the games is far from enough. Moreover, you could die at any moment in the game, but if you do nothing, you will only die after ten days."

After saying that, he paused and then continued, "And this 'death' is based on the premise that everything 'the Dragon' said is completely true. In other words, we are not necessarily going to die after ten days, and this place may not be destroyed. Even if you find three thousand six hundred 'Tao', he may not necessarily let you out."

"I understand the reasoning," Qi Xia interrupted Officer Li, saying, "But I'm not planning to wait here. Even if I just go out for a walk, it's better than staying here."

"But you..." Officer Li wanted to argue with Qi Xia about something more, when the door to the staff room creaked open again.

Everyone turned to look, and the female clerk from before came out.

Her body seemed to be nothing but bones.

Zhang Chenze frowned slightly, took off his ladies' suit jacket, and then went up to drape it over her.

She turned her head to look at the men, her face slightly angry: "What on earth did you big men do in the room? Where are the girl's clothes?"

Qiao Jia Jian shook his head helplessly and said, "It's a long story, and I advise you not to get involved with her."

"You're so kind." The female clerk stared straight at the clothes draped over her, then looked at Zhang Chenze, "It's a pity you're not a man, or I would definitely sleep with you."

"Sleep?" Zhang Chenze was taken aback by the girl, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

"Since we can't sleep, then I'll give you this to eat..."

She opened her dirty hand, which held a baby's arm that had been boiled to the point of disintegration.