Xu Dengming wasn’t the type who couldn’t stay indoors, unless, like now, she had been lying in the hospital for so many days.
Too much leisure could easily make one feel empty.
In her past life, she had always been rushing forward.
Xu Dengming walked with her hands in her pockets.
Although no one had emphasized it, the Seventh Hospital was clearly not the kind of medical facility that was open to the public.
The busy medical staff lacked the kind of human touch that could only be found among ordinary people.
In just a fifty-meter-long corridor, nine people in white coats had passed by Xu Dengming, but she hadn’t seen a single patient.
Xu Dengming stopped.
Wang Yanxing was also receiving treatment here, and their wards weren’t far apart.
Unlike Xu Dengming’s room, the outer wall of Wang Yanxing’s room was transparent for easy observation.
Once her condition improved, she could draw the curtains from inside.
Xu Dengming stood outside the wall.
Wang Yanxing was asleep, her eyes tightly closed, her body sinking into the snow-white bed.
She had clearly lost some weight.
Wang Yanxing’s family lived in the inner city.
Due to strained relations, they only kept in touch periodically.
Moreover, traveling between the inner and outer cities was relatively troublesome, so her family still didn’t know about her accident.
Xu Dengming activated her [Observer’s Eye].
After using the experience pack, her skills had improved.
However, when affected by “Dead Flesh,” the subtle sensation of being able to capture even the smallest ripples of fate had disappeared.
Now, Xu Dengming could only catch the words “improving” from Wang Yanxing’s fate line.
That was fine, as these were the most crucial parts.
Since leaving Nest Park, Wang Yanxing had spent most of her time in a deep sleep to repair her mental state.
Thanks to the hospital’s effective treatment, after some targeted measures, Wang Yanxing’s daily sleep duration had decreased from sixteen hours to twelve.
The hospital’s statement matched what Xu Dengming saw, indicating that Wang Yanxing would fully recover soon.
Since the patient wasn’t awake, she couldn’t receive visitors.
The nurse in charge of Wang Yanxing said to Xu Dengming, “The patient is still resting. Maybe you can come back later?” Knowing they were classmates, she added comfortingly, “Don’t worry, she’ll get better, just a bit slower than you.”
Xu Dengming nodded and was about to leave when she saw Wang Yanxing turn over in bed, murmuring unconsciously:
“I don’t want to work anymore.”
The nurse: “…..”
Xu Dengming couldn’t help but smile and said to the nurse, “Actually, there are other campus recruitments coming up. I hope she recovers soon and doesn’t miss them.”
Wang Yanxing trembled slightly in her sleep.
The nurse silently pulled Xu Dengming a bit further away.
She was a responsible medical professional, committed to ensuring her patient’s physical and mental health.
Since it wasn’t convenient to chat with her classmate, Xu Dengming wandered down to the first floor and took a walk in the hospital garden.
The hospital garden was well-maintained, with vegetation that didn’t easily grow out of shape and all kept at a relatively low height.
The open view didn’t remind Xu Dengming of her experiences in the dungeons.
Occasionally, birds would fly over and perch near the bushes.
Xu Dengming stood nearby, watching with interest as the sparrows preened their feathers.
Compared to the vibrant reality brimming with life, the scenery of Nest Park could only be considered a more refined backdrop.
She spent the remaining hour or so in the garden.
Dusk had fallen, and the sky was enveloped in an endless haze of amber.
The white clouds were tinged with a golden hue, as if scorched by the setting sun.
The early winter wind rustled the grass, and Xu Dengming tightened her coat around her.
The fate she now saw still spanned a very short period of time.
Once the distance grew, many future possibilities would flow beyond her grasp.
Xu Dengming calculated the time in her mind.
Just as her walk ended, a nurse came to escort her back to her room.
She found herself greeted by a familiar visitor.
It was Zhao Bainiao again.
Xu Dengming raised an eyebrow and nodded at him. “Mr. Zhao, hello.”
Zhao Bainiao: “Hello.”
The two were now somewhat acquainted.
After the usual pleasantries, Zhao Bainiao got straight to the point.
Zhao Bainiao: “Given that you’ve entered the dungeons multiple times, to ensure your safety, we’ll inform you of some basic knowledge about the dungeons.”
Xu Dengming: “It’s really kind of you to make the trip just for my sake.”
During their conversation yesterday, Xu Dengming had shown interest in this basic knowledge, but Zhao Bainiao had not made any similar indication, nor had he revealed even a hint of information.
Xu Dengming thought that the change in Zhao Bainiao’s attitude was likely due to instructions from someone else.
As for why such instructions were given, it might have something to do with the cuckoo hypothesis she had proposed.
Zhao Bainiao: “Please note that all the information disclosed hereafter must not be leaked. Otherwise, the Bureau reserves the right to pursue legal action.”
His tone was serious, though compared to the scope of the Bureau’s authority, it felt somewhat weightless.
Xu Dengming nodded to show she understood and stood up to pour Zhao Bainiao a glass of water.
Zhao Bainiao took the glass, momentarily feeling as though he might have to speak for a long time.
Before the formal briefing began, he first took out a confidentiality agreement from his briefcase and handed it to Xu Dengming.
Xu Dengming carefully read through all the clauses on the document and signed her name at the bottom.
The texture of the paper was familiar, clearly of the same type as the document she had signed after clearing the elevator dungeon.
However, the binding force of this agreement seemed significantly weaker.
If signing the previous confidentiality agreement had felt like being tightly bound by ropes, this one felt more like being tangled in a ball of yarn-there were obstacles, but they wouldn’t be too difficult to remove if she really wanted to.
After signing, Xu Dengming handed the confidentiality agreement back to Zhao Bainiao.
Zhao Bainiao: “Next, I’ll explain the characteristics and categories of different abilities.”
Xu Dengming: “May I ask first, what type of ability is Nest Park related to?”
Zhao Bainiao didn’t hide it and replied directly, “According to the Bureau’s assessment, the special ability involved in Nest Park is called ‘False Disciple.’ Its characteristics include trading, deception, transformation, and inducement.”
Xu Dengming murmured, “Transaction…”
She chuckled softly and commented, “It sounds like a group of merchants peddling health products everywhere.”
Zhao Bainiao explained, “False Disciples’ are adept at leading people into traps. Encountering them is quite terrifying, and internal conflicts among ‘False Disciples’ often ensnare innocent bystanders.”
He continued, “If most ‘False Disciples’ belong to the evil faction, then some powers naturally lean towards the righteous faction, such as the ‘Ember Bearers.’ ‘Ember Bearers’ are attuned to fire and possess purifying abilities. They are relatively weak in the early stages but have immense potential later on.”
He then adopted a serious expression, “Ember Bearers in their growth phase are highly vulnerable to targeting. If you feel you’ve acquired similar abilities, please contact us immediately for protection.”
Xu Dengming reflected on the characteristics of her own skills and found no apparent connection to fire or purification.
She solemnly promised, “I will.”
Zhao Bainiao had been observing Xu Dengming’s reactions as he spoke.
His intuition told him that her promise was sincere.
Xu Dengming asked, “Besides ‘False Disciples,’ are there other types of special abilities?”
Zhao Bainiao replied, “There’s a highly practical ability called ‘Artisan.’ Those who awaken this ability excel in crafting and creation, often gravitating towards technical fields in their careers.”
Xu Dengming thought this ability would be perfect for recent graduates urgently seeking jobs.
As for her own awakened abilities, [Observer’s Eye] and [Chamber of Fate], they seemed more suited for setting up a fortune-telling booth in some corner.
After mentioning ‘Artisan,’ Zhao Bainiao’s expression suddenly turned peculiar.
“Additionally, there are the followers of the ‘God of Flesh and Life’ and the ‘God of Intellect’ “
Xu Dengming keenly caught the keyword in Zhao Bainiao’s words.
“God?” she said with interest.
“That’s quite an unusual title.”
Zhao Bainiao shrugged: “I also find it a bit exaggerated, but don’t take it too seriously. The so-called ‘gods’ are merely titles with a strong cultish flavor. It stems from certain individuals with awakened abilities who believe their powers are a gift from the gods.”
“They think that by being devout enough, they can achieve greater self-improvement. According to our bureau’s investigations, those who pursue life and wisdom are more numerous and tend to form organizations, conducting various worship rituals.”
Xu Dengming picked up on a hint in Zhao Bainiao’s tone and said: “The Bureau doesn’t seem to have much animosity towards these people.”
Zhao Bainiao, who had almost forgotten his external identity as a Bureau member, paused and said, “Well, many of their actions don’t violate the law, so there’s no strict regulation.”
Xu Dengming nodded, “I see.”
She then asked, “So, are these people generally trustworthy?”
Zhao Bainiao hesitated for a moment before replying, “Not necessarily.”
He added, “While there are areas worth cooperating on, with some fanatics, it’s hard to tell what’s going on in their minds.”
Xu Dengming softly repeated, “…”
What had those people done to be deemed untrustworthy by Zhao Bainiao, who belonged to the orderly faction?
Zhao Bainiao: “There are also some ability users who, despite having a form of idol worship within their circles, do not directly refer to their objects of worship as deities. For instance, certain ability users renowned for their expertise in making and using poisons refer to their idol as ‘Mr. Boneless.’ “
She continued, “Not all ability users are willing to disclose their circumstances. For those individuals, the bureau has limited information, and some of it remains unverified. However, the rarer the ability, the lower the chance of encountering such users.”
“Under normal circumstances, being familiar with the more common abilities is sufficient to handle most crises.”
Xu Dengming: “So, how many types of abilities are officially recorded?”
Zhao Bainiao: “The official count is around ten, but not every type has precise records. Our understanding here in Sanjiaorong City is also limited.”
Xu Dengming: “Oh, so is the number of ability types fixed?”
Her tone was casual, as if she were merely asking out of curiosity.
Zhao Bainiao didn’t pay much attention to Xu Dengming’s question either.
After all, when he was first learning about the related theories, he had also asked Ji Zizai similar questions.