Chapter 2180: Someone Behind
Xu Huo stood in the corridor, his gaze fixed on the door of the treatment room. The light inside was dim, and the figure of the woman with short hair was half-hidden in the shadows, her hand resting on the doorknob, not moving.
"Did you hear something?" Xu Huo asked in a low voice.
The short-haired woman turned her head, her expression somewhat strange. "There's someone inside."
Xu Huo's brows furrowed slightly. He had just checked the treatment room, and it was empty. But now, the short-haired woman was telling him there was someone inside. He didn't doubt her words; after all, she was a spatial-type super evolucionador, and her perception was sharper than his.
"Who is it?" Xu Huo asked.
The short-haired woman shook her head. "I can't tell, but the spatial fluctuations inside are very weak, almost imperceptible. If I hadn't been paying attention, I wouldn't have noticed."
Xu Huo fell silent for a moment. He recalled the scene when they had first entered the Hospital Diecisiete. The hospital was full of strange things, and this treatment room was no exception. But now, someone was hiding inside, which was unusual.
"Could it be a player?" Xu Huo asked.
"Not sure." The short-haired woman released the doorknob, taking a step back. "But the spatial fluctuations are very familiar, like... the kind left behind by a spatial-type super evolucionador."
Xu Huo's pupils slightly constricted. A spatial-type super evolucionador? In this hospital, there were already too many evolucionadores, and now another one had appeared. He couldn't help but think of the spatial-type super evolucionador he had encountered before, the one who had used the Cuchilla de Rayo Espacial.
"Open the door," Xu Huo said.
The short-haired woman hesitated for a moment, then nodded. She extended her hand, and a faint spatial fluctuation spread from her palm, gently pushing the door open.
The door slowly opened, revealing the scene inside the treatment room. The room was empty, with only a few medical instruments and an examination bed. But in the corner, a figure was crouching, back facing them.
Xu Huo's gaze sharpened. He recognized that figure—it was the middle-aged man they had seen earlier in the hospital, the one who had been acting suspiciously.
"Who's there?" Xu Huo called out.
The figure trembled slightly, then slowly turned around. It was indeed the middle-aged man, but his face was pale, and his eyes were filled with fear.
"Don't... don't come near me!" the middle-aged man stammered, his voice trembling.
Xu Huo and the short-haired woman exchanged a glance. The short-haired woman took a step forward, her tone gentle. "Don't be afraid, we're not here to hurt you. What are you hiding from?"
The middle-aged man swallowed hard, his gaze darting around. "There's... there's someone chasing me."
"Who?" Xu Huo asked.
The middle-aged man shook his head. "I don't know. I didn't see clearly. But they're very strong, and they've been following me since I entered the hospital."
Xu Huo's eyes narrowed. "Where are they now?"
The middle-aged man pointed toward the window. "They... they went outside. But they'll be back soon. I can feel it."
Xu Huo walked to the window and looked out. The hospital's courtyard was empty, with only a few withered trees swaying in the wind. But he noticed something unusual—a faint spatial fluctuation lingering in the air, as if someone had just passed through.
"Did you see their face?" Xu Huo asked.
The middle-aged man shook his head. "No, they were wearing a mask. But... but I saw their hand. They had a black bracelet on their wrist."
Black bracelet? Xu Huo's heart tightened. A black bracelet usually represented a black player, a dangerous existence. If a black player was lurking in the hospital, things were about to get troublesome.
"Let's go," Xu Huo said to the short-haired woman. "We need to find that person."
The short-haired woman nodded, then turned to the middle-aged man. "You stay here and don't move. We'll be back soon."
The middle-aged man nodded repeatedly, curling up in the corner.
Xu Huo and the short-haired woman left the treatment room and walked along the corridor toward the hospital exit. The hospital was eerily quiet, with only their footsteps echoing through the empty hallways.
"Do you think it's a black player?" the short-haired woman asked in a low voice.
"Not sure." Xu Huo's gaze swept the surroundings. "But if they're really a black player, we need to be careful. Black players are usually more dangerous than regular players."
The short-haired woman was silent for a moment, then said, "I've heard that some black players have already infiltrated the hospital. They're looking for something."
"Looking for what?" Xu Huo asked.
The short-haired woman shook her head. "I don't know. But I heard they're looking for a special item, something related to the super evolution."
Xu Huo's footsteps paused slightly. A special item related to super evolution? That reminded him of the Poción de evolución perfecta he had obtained earlier. Could it be that these black players were targeting that?
"Let's go check the courtyard," Xu Huo said, quickening his pace.
The two of them arrived at the hospital entrance. The courtyard was still empty, but the spatial fluctuation in the air had grown stronger. Xu Huo looked up and saw a figure standing under a withered tree in the distance, back facing them.
"Over there!" Xu Huo pointed.
The short-haired woman immediately tensed, her hand already gathering spatial energy. But just as they were about to approach, the figure suddenly turned around.
It was a man wearing a black mask, with a black bracelet on his wrist. His eyes were cold, and his gaze swept over Xu Huo and the short-haired woman.
"You're the ones who've been following me?" the masked man said, his voice low and hoarse.
Xu Huo stopped, his gaze fixed on the other. "Who are you? What are you doing in the hospital?"
The masked man let out a cold laugh. "That's none of your business. But since you've found me, I can't let you leave."
As soon as he finished speaking, the masked man's figure flickered, and the next moment, he appeared right in front of Xu Huo. A black dagger appeared in his hand, stabbing straight at Xu Huo's chest.
Xu Huo's pupils contracted. He quickly stepped back, but the masked man's speed was too fast. The dagger grazed his arm, leaving a shallow wound.
"Fast!" Xu Huo thought to himself. This masked man was definitely a spatial-type super evolucionador, and his speed was even faster than the short-haired woman's.
The short-haired woman reacted immediately. She raised her hand, and a spatial barrier formed in front of her, blocking the masked man's next attack. But the masked man was clearly not an ordinary opponent. He waved his hand, and the spatial barrier shattered instantly.
"Too strong!" The short-haired woman's expression changed. She took a step back, trying to distance herself from the masked man.
But the masked man didn't give her the chance. His figure flickered again, appearing behind the short-haired woman, the dagger aimed at her back.
"Watch out!" Xu Huo shouted, quickly activating his spatial power. A spatial wall formed between the short-haired woman and the masked man, blocking the attack.
The masked man paused slightly, then looked at Xu Huo with interest. "Interesting. You're also a spatial-type super evolucionador?"
Xu Huo didn't answer, his gaze fixed on the other. He could feel that this masked man was very powerful, perhaps even stronger than him.
"Since you're all spatial-type evolucionadores, let's see who's stronger," the masked man said, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
As soon as he finished speaking, the masked man's figure disappeared. The next moment, he appeared above Xu Huo, the dagger stabbing down at his head.
Xu Huo quickly dodged, but the masked man's attack was relentless. One after another, the dagger's strikes came like a storm, forcing Xu Huo to retreat continuously.
The short-haired woman tried to assist, but the masked man's spatial power was too strong. Every time she got close, she was pushed back by a spatial shockwave.
"Damn it!" Xu Huo gritted his teeth. He knew he couldn't keep this up. He had to find a way to break the masked man's rhythm.
Suddenly, an idea flashed through Xu Huo's mind. He deliberately exposed a flaw, luring the masked man to attack. And sure enough, the masked man took the bait, the dagger stabbing straight at his chest.
But at that moment, Xu Huo suddenly activated his spatial power, teleporting behind the masked man. At the same time, he condensed a Cuchilla de Rayo Espacial in his hand, slashing at the masked man's back.
The masked man was caught off guard. He tried to dodge, but it was too late. The Cuchilla de Rayo Espacial left a deep wound on his back, and blood immediately soaked his clothes.
"You...!" The masked man's expression changed. He turned around, glaring at Xu Huo with a fierce look.
Xu Huo took the opportunity to retreat, putting some distance between them. "You're not that strong after all," he said coldly.
The masked man gritted his teeth, his gaze full of hatred. "Don't think you've won. I'll remember this."
After saying that, the masked man's figure flickered and disappeared into the air.
Xu Huo let out a sigh of relief, but he didn't dare let his guard down. He turned to the short-haired woman and asked, "Are you okay?"
The short-haired woman shook her head. "I'm fine. But that person... who exactly is he?"
Xu Huo fell silent for a moment. "I don't know. But he's definitely not an ordinary black player. There must be someone behind him."
"Someone behind him?" the short-haired woman asked, puzzled.
Xu Huo nodded. "Think about it. A black player suddenly appears in the hospital, and he's looking for something related to super evolution. This isn't a coincidence. There must be some force behind him, pulling the strings."
The short-haired woman's expression turned serious. "You mean... there's a bigger organization behind this?"
"Probably." Xu Huo's gaze was deep. "We need to find out who's behind this. Otherwise, we'll be in danger."
The short-haired woman nodded. "What should we do?"
Xu Huo thought for a moment. "Let's go back to the treatment room first and ask that middle-aged man if he knows anything."
The two of them turned and walked back toward the hospital. But just as they reached the treatment room door, Xu Huo suddenly stopped.
"What's wrong?" the short-haired woman asked.
Xu Huo's gaze was fixed on the door. "The middle-aged man... he's gone."
The short-haired woman was startled. She pushed the door open, and sure enough, the treatment room was empty. The middle-aged man had disappeared without a trace.
"Did he run away?" the short-haired woman asked.
Xu Huo shook his head. "No. Look at the window."
The short-haired woman looked toward the window and saw a few drops of blood on the windowsill, still fresh.
"Someone took him away," Xu Huo said in a low voice.
The short-haired woman's expression changed. "Who?"
Xu Huo didn't answer. He walked to the window, looking out at the empty courtyard. "Whoever it is, they're still nearby. We need to find them."
The two of them exchanged a glance, then quickly left the treatment room, heading toward the direction the bloodstains led.
The hospital was still eerily quiet, but Xu Huo knew that a storm was brewing in the shadows. And behind this storm, there was an unknown force silently watching them.