Chapter 250: Injury

"Xiao Yi?"

Xu Chongguo, who was sitting in front of the stairs lighting a cigarette, saw the figure in the gray cotton jacket return and immediately walked up, asking sternly,

"Xiao Yi, where did you just go?"

Zhao Yi scratched his head awkwardly, trying to avoid Xu Chongguo's gaze.

Xu Chongguo's expression tightened. He pulled out Zhao Yi's right hand, and a short knife still stained with dirt was being gripped in it.

"Did you go to kill Old Man Ding?"

"I originally... I really wanted to..."

"And then?" Xu Chongguo lowered his voice. "Is he dead? Where did you bury the body? Did anyone see you?"

"Old Man Ding is indeed dead... but I didn't kill him."

Xu Chongguo was stunned. "Was it an officer?"

"No, it was that reporter named Lin. I saw him kill Old Man Ding with a gun in the alleyway." Zhao Yi recalled Chen Ling's indifferent gaze, and his brow furrowed involuntarily. "I always feel that this reporter isn't quite right..."

Xu Chongguo's expression became somewhat strange. "How is it this Lin Yan again..."

"Again?"

"Just before you came back, Officer Han Meng stopped by," Xu Chongguo said slowly. "He asked if we had ever been interviewed by a reporter named Lin Yan, and asked if we knew where he lived... But how would we know where that reporter lives?"

"Officer Han Meng also thinks there's something wrong with him?" Zhao Yi frowned, deep in thought.

"Regardless, Officer Han Meng's matter has come to an end... We can live in peace now." Xu Chongguo patted Zhao Yi on the shoulder. "Don't do things like killing for revenge next time, you hear?"

Zhao Yi was about to say something, but as Xu Chongguo's palm hit his shoulder, his face turned pale, and he winced in pain.

Seeing this, Xu Chongguo immediately withdrew his hand. "Your wound hasn't healed yet?"

"...No."

"I told you to go to the hospital before, why haven't you gone yet?"

Zhao Yi opened his mouth and said bitterly, "We just arrived in Aurora City, and we finally found a job. The salary is barely enough for Ling'er and me to live on... Where would I get the money for a hospital?"

A look of helplessness flashed in Xu Chongguo's eyes. He turned back into the house, and a moment later, he returned and stuffed a dozen silver coins into Zhao Yi's hand.

"If you have trouble next time, remember to tell your uncle," Xu Chongguo said earnestly. "Although I haven't found a job yet, I brought most of my belongings when I fled the Third District... Take this to see a doctor, and pay me back when you earn money later."

"This..."

"Take it. Only when your body is healed will you have the strength to work and earn money."

Xu Chongguo didn't say another word. After stuffing the money into Zhao Yi's arms, he turned and walked away, leaving Zhao Yi standing there alone, his eyes filled with emotion.

Zhao Yi wasn't one to dawdle. After borrowing the money from Xu Chongguo, he went to the hospital immediately. After all, Xu Chongguo was right; he could only earn money if he was healed. Now that he couldn't lift anything or carry any weight, how would he live his life?

Zhao Yi chose a public hospital in Aurora City. Although it was crowded and the equipment was relatively old, the advantage was that the prices were relatively cheap. He took the last number of the day and pushed the door into the clinic.

"Where are you feeling uncomfortable?" the doctor asked, closing the medical record book.

"I have a wound on my back that hasn't healed after all these days."

"Take off your clothes and let me see."

As Zhao Yi took off his shirt, revealing the deep, bone-reaching whip mark, the doctor widened his eyes, his expression full of shock.

"You..." The doctor gently reached out and touched Zhao Yi's wound, which made Zhao Yi almost jump on the spot. "You're a survivor who came from the Third District a few days ago, right?"

"How did you know?"

"We can't treat wounds left by Calamities."

The doctor shook his head and began writing in the medical record book. "And your wound has already deteriorated to your internal organs; it's impossible to remove... You don't seem very old, you probably aren't married and don't have children yet, right? Have your parents come? I need to talk to them..."

Zhao Yi stood there in a daze.

"Doctor... I can't be cured?"

The doctor didn't answer directly, but his expression said it all.

Zhao Yi's face was deathly pale. He had finally borrowed money, hoping to get cured as soon as possible, but he never expected to receive this result... As if remembering something, he grabbed onto the last straw and asked:

"Doctor, do you know a doctor named Chu? My friend said he's very skilled. Should I go ask him?"

"Named Chu? You mean that miracle doctor Chu?" The doctor sighed deeply. "In your current condition, even he would likely be unable to save you... Forget it, I'll tell you the location of his clinic, go try your luck."

After speaking, the doctor thought for a moment, then took a form out of the drawer and handed it to Zhao Yi.

"What is this?"

"An application form to voluntarily participate in human experiments. If there's no hope for you in the end, you can also consider turning yourself over to Aurora City... At least after you're gone, your family can receive a very generous pension."

Zhao Yi stared blankly at the form, his mind completely empty. He shoved it into his pocket and turned away with stiff, mechanical movements.

In the cold, pale corridor, a crowd of patients stood in line waiting for consultations. Zhao Yi stood like a statue amidst the endless coughing and moaning. He didn't know how much time had passed before he slowly lowered his head to look at the address of the medical clinic in his hand...

That was the final hope of his life.

……

At dusk.

Chen Ling pushed open the doors of the newspaper office, leaving work right on time.

Although this was the designated time to clock out, most people were still working overtime. After all, the "Aurora Daily" was the largest publication in the entire Aurora City, and if you wanted to get ahead here, you had no choice but to compete against one another...

And Chen Ling, clearly, would not be "sucked" into that rat race.

On one hand, his identity as a reporter was merely a mask he chose to investigate intelligence; he had no desire to become an executive, so there was no need to waste too much time here. On the other hand, as a "rising star reporter" who had broken two major news stories within days of being hired, he had the capital to refuse to participate in the grind.

However, what surprised Chen Ling was that ever since the Han Meng case concluded, Wen Shilin hadn't appeared at the newspaper office, nor had he taken him out for any interviews or investigations. He seemed to be busy with something on his own.

As Chen Ling walked down the street, his peripheral vision suddenly caught a familiar figure ahead, and his eyes narrowed slightly...

Zhao Yi?

He saw that Zhao Yi was still wearing that same gray cotton-padded jacket, holding a slip of paper in his hand as if looking for something. Judging by his expression, he seemed rather absent-minded.

Chen Ling pondered for a moment. Instead of leaving, he trailed far behind Zhao Yi, wanting to see exactly where he was going.