Chapter 634

It really doesn't look like what a young person of that age should be like.

The war indeed seems to have inflicted great trauma on that world; thinking of her son's mischievous appearance, Zhiruo could only sigh helplessly.

Life plays tricks on people.

She continued reading, especially the official description of this person.

Chi Jinan, affiliation: Church.

Because he suffers from a serious illness, he spends most of his time unconscious; he has currently been transferred to a hospital somewhere in Shoudu, his mental state is somewhat abnormal, so if anyone spots someone who looks like him, they should keep their distance and then notify the Special Affairs Bureau.

So that's what 'high risk' means?

Zhiruo seems to be able to understand a little bit now, but only a little.

After all, it could threaten one's life, but since the other person is mostly in a coma, the chance of an incident should be very small.

She continued reading down; actually, the people listed afterward are in much the same situation as Chi Jinan above—basically, they all suffered serious injuries for various reasons, and Tianmian City's medical resources simply couldn't handle them, so they were sent to Shoudu.

However, Zhiruo doesn't quite understand: everyone else at most got a front-facing photo, but the only one called Chi Jinan, who spends most of his time in a coma as a youth, was marked with a five-star high-risk label.

The comment section below this bulletin is also confusing, as if those players had some secret code only they understood.

【1L: Scared the hell out of me—I thought the authorities had dropped a bunch of super dangerous guys into Shoudu.】

【2L: Actually, it's the complete opposite—those sent here are basically seriously injured, mentally not very healthy; most are battlefield PTSD, post-war stress and such, which would need professional psychologists, no wonder.】

【3L: What's there to fear? This notice is just a warning to ordinary people; even if those individuals are transferred to Shoudu, they're basically isolated, so they couldn't possibly come into contact with ordinary folks.】

【4L: That's true—I just saw the Blood Lotus and thought it was the Wasteland 'Who's Who'.】

【5L: What 'Who's Who'? A list of high-risk individuals?】

【6L: I really thought that at first—I had assumed red would be followed by green, then a bunch of Aberrant Species, but the Blood Lotus turns out to be the only thing here that truly deserves the high-risk label; I even suspect this notice was issued just for him.】

【7L: I thought it was a bounty on high-risk individuals, but it turns out to be a targeted notice.】

【8L: After all, he's that lunatic...... What exactly happened to him? How did he end up in a prolonged coma? If he can't be saved, does that count as eliminating a harm?】

【9L: That lunatic's family is wealthy and has connections above; they'll definitely try every means to save him.】

【10L: I still hope to see the legendary Ying Guang Lu in there, and hear the officials summarize the bad deeds that person did—after all, it's the highest bounty.】

【11L: Don't even think about it, upstairs—it's impossible; they're not even in the same world.】

【12L: Leaving aside that this is a warning to ordinary people, those appearing here are basically dangerous individuals who have come to this world, and I've heard that Ying Guang Lu has isotopes in this world.】

【13L:???】

【14L:!!!】

【15L: wc, bro, spill the details!】

【16L: This can't be detailed—you should know they're two completely different people who just happen to share a face; the authorities are also doing this to protect that person's personal safety.】

Ying Guang Lu......

What is this strange alias again?

Thanks to these two days of understanding, Zhiruo has also gained some knowledge about isotopes, parallel worlds, and the like—after all, they might in the future encounter deceased people reborn in this world, but to them they are merely the most familiar strangers.

Although she doesn't know the meaning of some terms, she can still grasp the general idea.

In any case, the truly dangerous existences are still isolated by the authorities, so they basically cannot cause harm to them.

————————————————

The hospital room curtains were half-drawn; Chi Jinan lay on the bed, the blanket pulled up to his chest, exposing his wrists wrapped in several white bandages, the edges of the bandages revealing a tube—one end inserted into a subcutaneous vein, the other connected to the IV stand at the head of the bed.

His complexion was the pallor common in hospital wards, only his red hair stood out sharply against the gray-white background, like a flame doused by water, leaving only the smoldering embers.

Qi Junyi sat in a chair beside the bed, leaning against the backrest, with a phone spread across his knees.

He wore a gray-blue shirt, sleeves rolled up to mid-forearm; these past few days he had spent considerable time studying this phone, which is far more convenient and easier to use than the Church's communication runes.

"...... Well, things here are okay, same as usual; the doctor came by this morning and said all indicators are stable, at least for now there's no deterioration."

Hearing what was said on the other end of the line, Qi Junyi slightly turned his head and glanced at the person on the bed.

"I've looked at the list," he said, "five-star high risk—here the authorities are actually giving him face."

"If it weren't for the mediation of the Chen Family and the Church, he might not have been allowed to leave Tianmian City at all."

Chen Xiaoshuang's voice sounded especially troubled, but Mu Lingxiao, at the end, especially urged them to take care of Chi Jinan.

"What did the officials say? He can't do anything in this state, so their worries are pointless."

"But he is still Chi Jinan."

Chen Xiaoshuang sighed; in order to get Chi Jinan onto the ground, the Church almost unconditionally accepted many unequal treaties from the authorities, who mostly hoped they'd back down, but who would have thought the Church would agree to all of them.

"...... Has he already decided?"

Qi Junyi remained silent for a long time, then still asked.

"He has decided—'In this world there is no god; what meaning does a church that worships god still have?' That's how he answered."

"That's not surprising, after all, he never voluntarily took that position from the start."

Qi Junyi sighed; as of today, how many of their decisions have been made under compulsion, or without any regret?

"The pope's seat is only that big, and it's also really hard—it's amazing he could sit in it for so many years."

"That's fine...... Anyway, the backup is left with that kid Yue Chengzhang; could I retire early?"

As Qi Junyi said this, his tone carried a hint of a smile.

"You're fine; just look after Chi Jinan, as for me......"

Chen Xiaoshuang's affairs, however, are far from over.

They hadn't talked long before hanging up; their previous relationship wasn't exactly good—indeed, it was merely that of senior and junior, with little interaction even then.

They merely walked a stretch together because they shared the same aspirations, but they were bound to part ways in the end.

Fortunately, Chi Jinan has remained in a coma; letting him keep sleeping like this isn't bad......

Qi Junyi held the phone in his hand; he knew that when awake, Chi Jinan's consciousness was constantly being torn apart by that mad annihilation—perhaps only sleep could grant him a rare peace.

However, when he turned his head, he met a pair of cold, ink‑black pupils.