Chapter 29: Mr. Sun

In his memory, the medical ward was modeled after a small hospital. Upon entering, one would find a modest reception lounge, followed by an east-west corridor where all functional rooms were symmetrically distributed. On the eastern side of the corridor were the outpatient departments: internal medicine, ENT, neurosurgery, dermatology, as well as the crucial radiology and laboratory departments. The western side housed the inpatient ward.

Except for the payment office, all the major departments of a small hospital were present.

Though the facilities were impressive, the staff consisted of only five people: two general practitioners, one dedicated radiologist who also handled laboratory duties, one nurse, and one skilled surgeon.

Now, however, they all lay within.

Fan Bei sifted through his memories, letting out a long sigh. He still recalled once catching a cold, and the endearing nurse who failed three times to find a vein for his injection.

But all of that was gone now.

He calmed his emotions and, accompanied by Da Bai, stepped into the reception lounge.

A polite female voice suddenly rang out.

"Sir, do you have any health concerns you'd like to consult about?"

Another voice, belonging to a middle-aged woman, chimed in.

"We’ve met hundreds of times, still calling him sir? Isn’t that little Fan? Why so formal?"

"Aunt Liu, come on. Once peace returns, I’ll be working at a top-tier hospital. I can’t afford to lose my professional demeanor."

"Sigh, by then you’ll be an old nurse, no one will want you."

"...Brother Zhao, Aunt Liu is bullying me again," the woman’s voice protested coquettishly to another room.

"Old Liu, you really know how to hit a sore spot. Ping, don’t be upset. In two years, you’ll be out, and then you’ll still be the beauty of our hospital..."

Listening to the familiar voices echoing around him, Fan Bei glanced at the dust-laden, empty reception hall. He felt no fear, only nostalgia and puzzlement.

"An illusion?"

At that moment, Da Bai barked loudly: "Master, be careful! Xiao Bai warns me that a lowly, chaotic, filthy spiritual entity is lurking here. Its true form is right at the nurse’s station ahead. It has devoured the staff’s spirit and memories, and is evolving. It’s creating an illusion to make you feel compassion, so you’ll hesitate to destroy it."

Hesitate? But I don’t need to do anything myself, do I?

Fan Bei looked closely and saw a mass of grayish-white liquid squirming atop the reception desk.

Ripples, like waves on water, spread across its surface. It seemed the voices emanated from there.

He was about to command Da Bai to attack, when a thought struck him.

Why did Xiao Bai assume he’d feel compassion for it?

Yes, if someone else had come, not only would they hear the voices, but they would likely see the illusions too. Otherwise, apart from scaring people, it wouldn’t serve much purpose.

So Fan Bei immediately put on a sorrowful expression: "Sigh, I know they’re all dead, and what I’m seeing is just an illusion. But I truly don’t want to harm this chaotic spiritual entity. At least if it remains, I can still hear their voices and see their faces."

"Master, no! It’s all fake, a deception crafted by that wretched jelly. You don’t have a system, your spiritual strength is weak, you can’t see its true form. If it evolves, it’ll become a great danger," Da Bai pleaded dutifully.

---

"Sigh, forget it. Da Bai, handle it yourself. I’ll go outside and cry for a bit," Fan Bei covered his eyes, feigning his grief.

With that, he turned and left, leaving Da Bai and Xiao Bai alone in the medical ward.

"Humans are so fragile—just a few illusory voices and images, and they’re moved to tears, their hearts growing soft. Da Bai, you mustn’t repeat their mistakes. Since your master is so kind-hearted, you need to be cold as iron to protect him," Xiao Bai instructed solemnly.

"Don’t worry. I’ve always been a cold-blooded killer dog, very fierce!" Da Bai howled, leaping onto the desk and furiously clawing at the mass.

Suddenly, a voice emanated from the liquid.

"This can’t be! Only a foolish mortal and a dumb dog—how could you see through my perfect illusion?"

"Idiot, there are two dogs who can see through you!" Xiao Bai sneered.

"Exactly! You can’t even fool Da Bai, let alone Xiao Bai!" Da Bai howled, scratching ever more fiercely.

"Damn it! They said this method worked best against mortals! I’ve been deceived!" The liquid, caught off guard, struggled in vain.

Too late. Soon, all lingering voices faded, leaving only a gleaming, brass-like crystal core atop the desk.

"Uh, Da Bai, can I have this?" Xiao Bai asked.

"No. Master was so sad, I need to give it to him for comfort."

"Sigh, fine. Let him see the truth," Xiao Bai replied magnanimously.

"Mm, Xiao Bai, you’re truly a noble dog—so generous."

"Of course. That’s always been my way."

After a while, Da Bai called Fan Bei back and handed him the brass crystal core.

"Da Bai, ask Xiao Bai: what level is this thing?" Fan Bei asked curiously.

"Master, Xiao Bai says this creature was about to break through to Bronze Level 3, and it’s a special type. The crystal core it left behind, if used with the previous recipe, will greatly boost your spiritual power."

Fan Bei quietly stored it in the "Father of Systems," checking its description.

"Phantom Spirit Core: Use to increase spiritual power by 500 points."

A fine item, indeed—one core equals ten.

Counting today and yesterday’s haul, a thorough sweep of the shelter would allow him to craft another dog system.

But rather than rush, he wanted to maintain his previous "Good Person" system first. Step by step.

"Excellent! Da Bai, you’ve done well. When we get back, I’ll make you something tasty," Fan Bei patted Da Bai’s head, then sighed, "I should burn some paper money later, hoping they can rest in peace above and be good people."

Man and dog continued their deep cleaning of each examination room...

...

Copper Fortress.

---

Inside a large conference room, a long oval table sat packed with people.

At the front of the table stood a burly man in a suit and tie, looking every bit the city security guard.

Lang Sheng had gathered all his subordinates here to make an announcement.

"Gentlemen—no, fellow members of the Chamber of Commerce—I know my strange behavior these past few days has caused much trouble for you all. It’s my fault, my selfishness, and I owe you an apology!"

Everyone exchanged glances; some eyes gleamed brightly.

"Indeed, as some of you have speculated in private, I had a stroke of fortune. But I was too selfish, thinking only of myself, never considering to share with you, which blatantly violates our Chamber’s culture of ‘sharing blessings and bearing hardships together’!"

"This even led to the betrayal of our deputy leader and others. I am truly heartbroken. In their eyes, am I such a selfish leader that I would never share benefits with my brothers?"

"Why couldn’t they give me a little more time—at least until the Chamber’s IPO!"

Lang Sheng spoke passionately.

Some were moved in their hearts, others merely wore the expression.

"Big Brother, we were wrong to doubt you!" the diminutive Er Zi stood up first, bowing to Lang Sheng. "We should have given you more time."

A shadow flickered in Lang Sheng’s eyes, but he smiled warmly. "It’s nothing. As long as we unite and open our hearts, no misunderstanding is unsolvable."

"Today, I’ll share my fortune with you all and tell you the true reason I strive to be a good person! Let all our past misunderstandings and suspicions vanish like smoke!"

As soon as he finished, the conference room’s atmosphere soared.

Behind the black oval table, everyone’s eyes burned with anticipation.

Is Big Brother really going to be a good person to the end?

Anyone who receives a stroke of fortune tries every means to conceal it—from heaven, wife, parents, friends. Whoever makes it public... is a fool.

Big Brother hasn’t gone mad—he’s become foolish.

Foolish is good. Otherwise, how could we share in his fortune today?

"Big Brother, hurry and tell us!" someone urged impatiently.

Others’ eyes flashed with disappointment and resignation.

Lang Sheng took note of every expression, then declared solemnly:

"Alright, now I summon—after five hundred years of enlightenment from the Buddha, having purged all demonic and evil traits beneath Five Finger Mountain, transforming all falsehood, evil, and ugliness into truth, goodness, and beauty—the Monkey King, Mr. Sun!"