Chapter 1083: Patient, Take Your Medicine
The pen constantly moving across the paper was grating on Miss Ma’s nerves. After several failed attempts to use her items, she started cursing again.
However, the man opposite her showed no reaction at all. Behind his lenses, a pair of cold eyes observed her as he recorded notes in his notebook. Though his expression didn’t change much, judging by the speed of his writing, he wasn’t as relaxed as before.
“It seems your condition hasn’t improved.” Once Miss Ma finished cursing, he closed his notebook and shook his head. “You can’t leave this room for now.”
Miss Ma looked puzzled. From the very beginning, she had no idea what this person was doing. It sounded like he was trying to extract information from her, but he never asked anything substantial. Instead, he kept writing and recording in a mysterious manner.
“Don’t think you can fool me like this. You’re nothing but a Mental Super Evolver. Even if you want to control me, how long can you keep it up? Either kill me outright, but making me submit—impossible!”
Xu Huo tucked his notebook under his arm and prepared to leave.
Miss Ma realized she could move again, but an extra iron chain had been added to her hands and feet, only allowing her limited range of motion. The room was no longer pure white as before but had returned to its original state.
Although her limbs were still bound, Miss Ma’s expression relaxed slightly. She picked up the chain and tiptoed to the door. Just as she was about to open it and call for someone, she heard Xu Huo speaking to Zheng Da outside: “Her condition is worse than the last assessment. She might have violent tendencies. Don’t open the door for her, and be careful when delivering meals.”
Zheng Da, also wearing a white coat, nodded. His face lacked the usual fake smile, instead showing a serious, professional demeanor.
Miss Ma twisted the door handle vigorously and shouted, “Zheng Da, what are you doing! Come help me!”
Outside the door, once Xu Huo left, Zheng Da’s expression turned vicious. “Behave yourself, or you won’t get any food!”
“Are you crazy?!” Miss Ma kicked the door in anger, but Zheng Da didn’t even glance back as he walked away.
“Come back!” Miss Ma pounded on the door desperately, but received no response. Just then, a flash of light reflected into her face. She instinctively blocked it and looked up to see Zeng Shangping in the room across from her, holding a mirror and shining it at her.
“Zeng Shangping, you hairless…” The words that slipped out stopped halfway. Miss Ma’s eyes widened. “Why are you wearing a patient gown too? Why is there sunlight outside? And bird calls?”
“Room 23, Ma Chunchun, time for your medicine.” A nurse with bright red lips walked over and placed the prepared medication on the window ledge. “Take it obediently. Don’t spit it out, or I’ll have to tie you up.”
“Qian Zi, it’s me!” Miss Ma pressed her face against the glass of the door, speaking urgently. “It’s me! I came to Xiaohe City after you. You used to be in a relationship with Zeng Shangping, but then you broke up and got together with Cao Zheng!”
The red-lipped nurse, Qian Zi, slapped the door and said irritably, “Keep spreading rumors, and I’ll give you a sedative! Enough nonsense. Don’t think you can skip your medicine. Take it now!”
Seeing that Qian Zi acted as if she didn’t recognize her at all, Miss Ma couldn’t help but step back. But Qian Zi’s gaze toward her turned hostile. She pulled out a walkie-talkie from her uniform. “Old Zheng, Room 23 won’t take her medicine.”
Miss Ma couldn’t hear what was said on the other end of the walkie-talkie, but Qian Zi put it away, pulled out a simple firearm, and shot her through the medication window.
Miss Ma fell into a drowsy state but didn’t completely lose consciousness. Vaguely, she felt herself being tied to a bed. Zheng Da and Qian Zi discussed giving her an injection and mentioned that another patient in the hospital had mysteriously disappeared.
“…Probably ran away. Who would want to stay in this godforsaken place?” Qian Zi said.
“Shh… I heard from Dr. Xu that the director’s office often smells like cooked meat…” Zheng Da said. “You know, this place is short on everything. There’s no way the food is that good. Who knows what it really is!”
“Hey, I’ve heard that too. Aren’t there often female patients getting pregnant here? Director Kang says the babies are sent away, but no one knows where those children end up…”
“Stop talking! This place is in the middle of nowhere, and Director Kang has absolute power. Even if we’re angry, we have to endure it!”
“That old bastard puts on a good-guy act, but which female patient hasn’t he taken advantage of? I think he’s afraid of being exposed, so he secretly tells us to increase the dosage…”
“…Enough said…”
Miss Ma fell asleep. After an unknown amount of time, she suddenly woke up. Finding the iron chains gone from her hands and feet, she quickly opened the door and rushed out, only to run into Qian Zi delivering medicine.
The other woman smiled. “Dr. Xu said you’ve been more stable these past two days. It’s good to get some sun. Come on, take your medicine.”
Miss Ma instinctively wanted to step back, but catching the slight change in Qian Zi’s expression, she obediently took the medicine. However, halfway, she changed direction, grabbed Qian Zi’s hair, and shoved both the medicine and cup into her mouth. “Bitch! Take your medicine! Take your medicine! You take it yourself!”
People came running—familiar faces of medical staff. Others stood nearby, showing no interest in her resistance. They, too, had familiar faces. As Miss Ma was dragged back into her room, some were obediently taking their medicine, some were playing with nurses, and others were clapping and laughing at her like fools…
“This isn’t real!”
Tied back to the bed, Miss Ma received another dose of sedative. When she woke up again, her violent resistance forced the nurse to keep injecting her.
This cycle repeated—waking up a few times, falling asleep a few times—until she finally learned to behave. She stopped resisting the nurse and took whatever was given to her. After all, it was just an illusion; the food couldn’t be real either. Her compliant cooperation earned her freedom and the chance to go out for walks.
The outside of the room hadn’t changed much, except for a few iron doors added to the corridor, a nurse’s station, and a clearly marked doctor’s office. She found Zeng Shangping downstairs and whispered urgently, “Are you trapped too? That Xu guy is really something. Have you contacted anyone else? Or is everything we see fake?”
Zeng Shangping also looked grim, lowering his voice. “So you’re still awake too. I fell for it as well. I can’t get out of the illusion no matter what. When that Xu guy comes later, you and I will work together to hold him down.”
He showed her a broken mirror. “Kill him, and we can get out!”
“Your items don’t work either?” Miss Ma frowned. “Without items, we’re probably no match for him. Besides you, who else is in here?”
Zeng Shangping pulled her aside and subtly pointed at another man not far away. “See him?”
“Cao Zheng, Qian Zi’s man.” Miss Ma still hadn’t caught on.
“He’s a bodyguard sent by my uncle. He’s not mentally ill at all. He’s here to keep an eye on me and stop me from leaving, so my uncle can inherit the entire estate!” Zeng Shangping said angrily. “I won’t let them succeed. I have to get out!”
Miss Ma’s expression turned dazed. “This is fake too…”
“Room 23, Ma Chunchun, Dr. Xu wants to see you,” the nurse called out.
(End of Chapter)