Ye Zhizhou woke up again after half a month had passed. He sat on the edge of his hospital bed, browsing the latest news on the Star Network, his eyes filled with confusion.
Was it a dream?
He rolled up the sleeve of his hospital gown, and the small mirror tattoo on his wrist had disappeared. He called out in his mind over and over again, but the familiar interface didn't reappear. He extended his fingertip, and a butterfly formed from his spiritual power gradually took shape.
This was all that was left—a piece of evidence from the numerous worlds he had visited.
The butterfly fluttered its wings and flew towards the vast sky outside the window. He flipped through the news, his gaze unfocused. Was it a dream? High-level spiritualists often experienced hallucinations after being injured. The missions in the Orient, the endless tasks, and Jia Jia...
His phone rang again, but without hesitation, he hung up and covered his forehead with his hand. Memories were sometimes blurry, sometimes clear, as if something important were being stripped from his memory. The Orient... but who was the Orient?
"You can only be mine."
Who was speaking...
"Little brother..."
Please don't cry.
"Host, are we entering the next world?"
What are all these thoughts in my head...
"We'll always be together, waiting for me in the next world."
Alright, I'll wait for you... but who are you waiting for?
One face after another flashed before his eyes, and he shook his head in discomfort, closing his eyes. It must be a hallucination... How could he possibly like so many people at the same time? Like?
Did he ever like anyone?
Suddenly, a shrill alarm from the equipment pierced the air. He bent over, burying his face in the blanket as his uncontrollable spiritual power surged.
It's so painful... like something is missing from my body...
The door to the hospital room burst open, and a group of people in white coats rushed in. They lifted his body forcibly and secured him to the bed. His arm was injected with a needle, and then his vision darkened as a medical helmet covered his eyes.
"The patient's spiritual power is dangerously unstable. Quickly, transfer him to the magnetic therapy room!"
"Notify the patient's family! This situation requires surgery!"
"Clear out the isolation area! If a 3S-level spiritualist loses control, all the patients on these floors will go mad!"
"He was fine this morning, how did this happen now? Who turned on the patient's communicator?! Damn it, didn't I tell them that the patient's spiritual power had just upgraded and couldn't handle external information? Why is the Star Network still on?! Who is in charge of this ward, and where are the patient's family members? How come no one has seen them yet!"
"Um, Director, this patient is an orphan..."
"...Why is everyone just looking at me! Move to the magnetic therapy room!"
As the hospital bed seemed to move beneath him, he heard the voices of the medical staff coming and going, but he couldn't make out the words clearly. What's an orphan? He clearly had family... the Orient, the tasks, and Jia...
"The patient seems to be talking..."
"Make way, make way, don't block the elevator!"
"...I must have been mistaken."
For a brief moment of clarity, as his overwhelming spiritual power subsided, he couldn't help but clench his fist, a tear streaming down his eye. He couldn't forget... he couldn't... Orient, save me...
"My goodness, is this the materialization of spiritual power? It's so beautiful..."
"Ah, so many butterflies!"
"Shut up, all of you! The patient's spiritual power is even more unstable now. Prepare for surgery! Get a surgical room ready!"
...
In another hospital's top-tier ward, a handsome young man with glasses opened the window and walked to the bedside, replacing the withered flowers on the nightstand. "Brother, you've been asleep for so long. It's time to wake up; everyone really misses you."
A semi-transparent chubby butterfly fluttered in, landed on the bed, and then disintegrated.
"Hmm?" The handsome young man turned around, as if sensing something, then shook his head with a wry smile. "Maybe it's just my imagination. Every time I come here, I feel like you're still awake, pretending to be asleep to tease me... Please wake up, big brother." After saying that, he looked expectantly at the bed, but unsurprisingly, there was no response.
"This is...," he muttered to himself with a touch of childishness, as he continued fussing over the flowers that never seemed to look right no matter how he arranged them. "If you don't wake up soon, I won't come to see you anymore. You don't even know how hard it is for me to get time off."
A gentle breeze lifted a corner of the curtains, and the slanting sunlight streamed in. The person lying on the bed with closed eyes moved their fingers under the blanket, unnoticed by anyone.
Another month had passed, and the calendar had finally turned its last page, welcoming the new year.
Ye Zhizhou opened his eyes, looking around the ceiling in confusion. He stretched lazily, wrapping himself in the blanket, and reached for his communicator on the bedside table. He dialed his senior brother Fang Yixing's number.
After a few seconds, the call connected, and a tired and hoarse voice came through, "Speak quickly, and get to the point. If you dare to waste my time, I'll tear up your graduation report."
"Happy New Year, Senior Brother!"
Ripping sounds followed, as if paper was being torn. "Page one."
"Senior Brother, my injuries have really healed. Please let me return to the research institute!"
Ripping, ripping. "Page two, torn pages come with a bonus. Page three is gone too."
"...I've successfully developed the X2 gene modification serum at home, and I've even created an improved version with better results."
There was silence on the other end of the communicator for a few seconds, then a loud thud and a high-pitched scream, "Get your ass to the research institute, now! Immediately! Remember to bring your medicine and your brain!"
Click. The call ended. Ye Zhizhou squinted his eyes, recalling his senior brother's almost ear-piercing shout, then he threw off the blanket, jumped out of bed, and bounced on the spot, "A narrow escape from death brings great fortune! I'm here for the great fortune!"
Under the snow, Ye Zhizhou rushed into the military research institute. He made his way to the busiest and most chaotic area—the genetic research zone. Pushing the door open, he shouted, "Hey, everyone, I've survived the tribulation!"
The researchers, who moved like zombies with dark circles under their eyes, all paused and glanced at him before rolling their eyes in unison. Then they went back to their work.
"Those who don't take a break and come to stimulate their colleagues deserve to go to hell." The youngest junior, He Yu, came out of the printing room with a stack of documents and pointed towards the meeting room at the end of the corridor, saying lifelessly, "Master has gathered the entire project team and is waiting for you. Go in. Ye Senior Brother, thanks to your sudden enlightenment, our project team will be working an extra month."
Unwelcomed, Ye Zhizhou snorted, took the heavy-looking documents from her, and slung them over his shoulder. He headed towards the meeting room. "You heartless bunch! Working an extra month means happiness for the whole year. Don't you understand? Think about the bonuses! Did anyone suddenly fall in love with me?"
He Yu gave him the finger. "I only want to kill you. Our project doesn't end with this one. I can already see a scene of our senior brothers arguing fiercely about the next project next month. I hate you."
"You'll finish your internship and go back to school next month. What are you afraid of?" Ye Zhizhou tossed her a pill and squinted, smiling, "Take this. It's good for your skin, little sister."
"Don't act so old-fashioned. You're only one month older than me." He Yu caught the pill, sniffed it, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "This candy ball looks plain, but it smells quite nice. What brand is it?"
"It's the 'Big Brother Ye Brand Loving-Heart Candy Ball'." Ye Zhizhou answered casually and pushed open the door to the meeting room. "Master, have you missed me? I'm here to bring you good news!"
Jiang Guolong, with white hair and a serious demeanor, gave him a displeased look and set down the documents he was holding. He pointed to the seat on his right, then turned on the projector in the meeting room. "The documents are over there, help yourself. Now that everyone's here, let's begin the meeting. Ye Xiaoye, you can lead."
With a cheerful smile, Ye Zhizhou approached and poured a cup of hot tea for Jiang Guolong. Then he expertly stood in front of the projector, activated the communicator, and began transmitting the data. The members of the project team opened their files and turned on their recording devices, ready to take notes.
"Um..." A pretty girl sitting in the corner hesitated, raised her hand, and smiled apologetically at everyone. Then she turned to Jiang Guolong and asked, "Teacher, wasn't I assigned to present the X2 gene serum project? I've prepared my materials..."
He Yu, sitting to the left of Jiang Guolong, furrowed her brow and turned to look at Ye Zhizhou, who was standing in front of the projector.
"Did I assign you?" Jiang Guolong looked puzzled as he flipped through the notebook. Then he slapped his forehead and explained, "My apologies for not making it clear. Ye Zhizhou has been in charge of the X2 project all along. The materials I gave you were compiled by him before he was hospitalized. He can go into more depth during the presentation, so just listen to him."
After the data transmission was complete, Ye Zhizhou turned off the communicator and approached Jiang Guolong, looking puzzled. "Who is this?"
"A new intern." Jiang Guolong suddenly remembered that he hadn't introduced them yet and gave a brief explanation, "Ye Zhizhou is in charge of the X2 project. Ren Qiao is a new intern who has been here for a month. She's also from the military academy, and I think she's in the same year as He Yu?"
He Yu shook her head. "No, I'm from the third floor, and she's from the first floor." In the Federal Military Academy's Genetics Research program, there were eight grades, and classes were typically grouped together in a single building. The first and second floors were for the first and second years, the third and fourth floors for the third and fourth years, and so on. The researchers at this institute were mostly graduates of the Federal Military Academy, and they often used floor numbers to describe their academic years.
"The first floor?" Jiang Guolong was surprised. "Wasn't it the third floor? The information I have states that you're from the third floor."
Ye Zhizhou was also taken aback. Students in the Genetics program typically couldn't start their internships until their third year. How did this first-year student end up here?
Ren Qiao's face turned red, and she explained quietly, "I, I skipped a grade. I had already passed the grade-skipping assessment before joining the institute. Starting next semester, I'll be on the third floor for classes, so, so... He Sister, I didn't say which floor I was on. How did you know? I'm sorry; I should have explained earlier..."
Everyone suddenly understood. She had skipped a grade; that's why this new and attractive intern was so capable. But it made sense. How could He Yu know which floor she was on?
All eyes turned to He Yu, who suddenly felt like she had been shot in the knee. She said helplessly, "When I went back to school to submit a report last time, I saw her going to the first floor for class... Erm, why are you all looking at me? I didn't say anything wrong. She's currently on the first floor, isn't she?"
"Alright, alright." Jiang Guolong waved his hand and pushed Ye Zhizhou, who was suddenly lost in thought. He frowned and said, "Let's quiet down. Ren Qiao, have a seat. After the meeting, come to my office with me. I want to confirm the grade-skipping situation with you. Ye, go ahead with the presentation. Everyone, pay attention."
The group's attention returned to the meeting, Ren Qiao took her seat, He Yu opened the presentation materials, and Ye Zhizhou snapped back to reality. He walked to the projector, turned on the microphone, and a hint of confusion flashed in his eyes.
Just now, it seemed like he had seen several semi-transparent flags on Ren Qiao's head, but those flags disappeared in an instant. Was it an illusion? But why did those flags seem so familiar? Where had he seen them before?
Under the meeting table, a small, cracked mirror with a pile of scars on it trembled slightly and tried to move in Ye Zhizhou's direction.