21. Reflection

Cao Yan was dead.

A silver dagger inlaid with sapphires lay on the bedroom floor. She was sprawled across the bed, a look of bliss frozen on her face, while bright red blood splattered like raindrops against the walls and the quilt.

It was a suicide. Furthermore, the doctors discovered she had not been taking her medication on schedule; she had likely been deep within a delusional psychosis incomprehensible to others at the time of her death.

Fortunately, no one outside the hospital cared whether she lived or died, so the entire affair was hushed up quickly.

In front of Ward 721.

Ma En pushed the door open directly.

But the room was empty.

He turned back, walked a few paces into the corridor, and saw the gaunt woman capable of changing her appearance standing by the stairwell, about a dozen meters away.

She glanced at Ma En, turned, and walked into the stairwell.

Ma En followed.

When he pushed the door open, he saw the woman standing on the stairs, looking down at him.

"Did you get it?"

"I did," Ma En replied.

But the lockpick hadn't reacted?

She suppressed her doubt. "Is it on you?"

"Yes," Ma En said. "Xu Wen mentioned a new treatment plan. Do you know what that's about?"

The gaunt woman grinned. "He’s about to make a move on you all, but don't worry—he can no longer gather the number of lunatics he needs. You, Ning Changkong, and Cao Yan were all his targets."

Ma En asked, "You killed Cao Yan."

The woman laughed. "No, I didn't kill her. I just spun a beautiful lie, and she willingly drowned herself."

Ma En said, "I want to be discharged."

The woman sneered. "You know, I originally intended to kill you. All three of you will become Xu Wen’s power in the future; killing any of you serves the company's interests. Li Fen asked me to spare you, so I let Cao Yan die in your place. Now, hand over the item."

Ma En tilted his head slightly.

She was different from Xu Wen. This organization called "the Company" was not just a few individuals. If he exposed his powers in front of them, it would likely mean the entire company would become aware of his existence.

Ma En wasn't sure what kind of harm that would cause him, but based on his own notes, it was best to keep others believing he was just a mentally ill patient.

"You mean that even if I give you the item," Ma En said, "you won't help me get discharged."

The woman shrugged. "We will finish off Xu Wen, and you can try to hold on until after he dies. Ma En, that is your only chance."

She was growing tired of the pointless chatter.

The woman took a step down.

"Perhaps I have it," Ma En said, then took a step back.

He returned to the spacious, bright corridor.

He irritably straightened his collar, turned, and walked toward the end of the hall. He stepped quickly into the closing elevator and pressed the button for the sixth floor.

He currently had three paths: help the Company take down Xu Wen, find a way to make Xu Wen back off, or…

He tried to recall how to kill the doctor.

When he had retrieved the notebook, some fragmented memories had surfaced. Perhaps touching things that were meaningful to his past self would help him remember. The first thing that came to Ma En’s mind was his own identity: Director of the Anomaly Control Bureau.

His notes only mentioned that there was a staff passage for the Control Bureau in the basement ward, but they didn't say how to get there or if there were other ways to enter.

He had tried imagining himself being summoned to the Anomaly Control Bureau, but it was completely useless.

Ma En returned to his room.

*Click.*

"You carry the notebook on you?" Li Fen was sitting on his bed; the surrounding cabinets showed signs of having been rummaged through. "Sorry for going through your things, but I wanted to grab it and go."

All the valuable items were on his person.

Ma En shut the door behind him. "I ran into your..."

"Colleague," Li Fen said. "I don't like her, but we are the only two company members infiltrating the sanitarium, so I have no other partners. Don't worry about what she said; I am the one calling the shots."

Two methods—one of them had to work.

Ma En said, "I’ve read the book. There is nothing in it that can be used against Xu Wen."

Li Fen reached out. "Let me see."

Ma En didn't hand it over. "I’d like to ask, how do you know it can deal with Xu Wen?"

Li Fen replied candidly, "I don't. But the Company certainly does; this is the mission assigned to me by my superiors."

Ma En asked, "Can you take him out before he performs the new treatment on me? How will you do it?"

Li Fen said gently, "I can't tell you anything until I have the notebook."

She kept her hand extended.

Ma En handed over the thin notebook—his own name was no longer inside it.

Li Fen took it with a smile, lowered her head to look at the cover, and confirmed it was the item the Prediction Department had spoken of.

With a smile, she opened the first page.

"Very good. Transaction records. This must contain evidence of how Xu Wen obtained his position. It will strip him of his status as a doctor, and without that, dealing with him will be a piece of cake."

But as she kept flipping through the pages, her expression soured.

"This is just a regular bribery record."

She looked up, a faint flicker of anger in her eyes as she stared at Ma En. "Are you sure this is it? If we don't have the real notebook, you will definitely die at his hands. I won't lie to you: that new treatment plan really does kill the patients. Hiding it won't do you any good."

Ma En said sincerely, "That was all there was in the safe."

Li Fen’s expression turned cold.

There were only two possibilities: either Ma En was lying, or the notebook was indeed capable of taking down Xu Wen, but in a way she couldn't utilize or understand.

"Then there's nothing I can do," she said coldly. "If this notebook doesn't work, I’ll just have to wait for reinforcements from the Company, and you’ll just have to wait to die."

Ma En asked, puzzled, "Are you sure there’s no other way?"

If Li Fen truly couldn't provide any other help... then she was useless.

She shrugged. "Maybe you could try stabbing Xu Wen with a knife. Then you’ll disappear quietly in some incomprehensible way. No one will ever mention them; only cold, hard numbers will prove they ever existed. But I’ve heard those who cross the line don't just die—they wander the hospital basement for eternity. It’s filled with bloodthirsty, vengeful spirits. Though... maybe you’ll find a way out."

There was a hint of sarcasm in her tone as she said this. Ma En was merely a low-level lunatic; if he were trapped in the basement, he would only become one of those raving, vengeful spirits.

The basement?

"Thank you, Miss Li Fen," he said, looking at her.

The woman stood up, expressionless, and walked toward the door.

Ma En was no longer worth her breath.

It was a pity the other party didn't realize that some things were far more terrifying than death.

But for her, as long as Ma En didn't fall into Xu Wen’s hands, it was enough to give her ample time to wait for the Company's reinforcements.

These lunatics were no different from any other mortals—just cheap, renewable resources.