Drawing on Connections

Qing Wanglai’s conversation continued. Despite their fundamentally different views of the world, they did not, oddly enough, start arguing.

Qing Wanglai looked back at Li Huowang. “We’ve just met, but since Qian Fu says he wants to help you, then I suppose we’re allies on that side of things. He has a gift for this.”

Li Huowang scratched his head, his headache worsening. The man’s explanation hadn’t cleared anything up; it had only made his thoughts more tangled. “I’ve just got to ask—how do you even talk to each other? You two don’t even share the same view of the world!”

“Because we are false. Though we have flesh and blood, we are projections. Genuinely false. True reality is absolute existence, and absolute reality is absolute truth. But that kind of truth lies beyond our understanding—it’s not something you or I can perceive.”

“So, since we’re all false anyway, why care what others think?”

“Heh. I don’t think things are as they say. But everyone’s thoughts are unique. I don’t need to force my way of thinking onto others. I respect their views.” Qing Wanglai raised his teacup toward Qian Fu’s friend, Chen Hongyu.

Li Huowang, watching the man’s profile on the screen, mulled this over in his head. He held a strong skepticism toward Qing Wanglai’s words.

He might have only seen it for a moment, but he had spotted it: the stuff Qing Wanglai had just eaten looked an awful lot like psychiatric medication.

The guy might seem incredibly learned, but mental illness has nothing to do with IQ.

In fact, from Li Huowang’s years of observation and understanding, smart people had a higher rate of mental illness than the average person. The dumber you were, the less likely you were to go crazy.

“It’s our first meeting. I can understand your wariness,” Qing Wanglai said. “But rest assured, I am helping you. And right now, you’re the one in trouble, not us, aren’t you? No matter whose projection those people are.”

Li Huowang was temporarily convinced. It was true—the other side was offering to help. Whatever his motives, keeping his suspicion so openly plastered on his face at a time like this would just be bad form.

Even if he was wary, he’d keep it hidden inside.

“Sorry, Mr. Qing. It’s just… this whole thing is so bizarre, I can’t help but ask a few more questions. So, what’s your method for getting me out of this mess?”

“In the world we live in now, if you want to get things done, you need connections. I still know a fair few people who can help. And your situation isn’t all that serious.”

“For now, just wait at home. We’ll go find people and figure something out. I believe we’ll have an answer for you soon. Once you’re out, we can talk about the next steps.”

“Find people? You don’t mean other psychiatric patients, do you?” Li Huowang thought, frowning slightly.

He wanted to ask for more details, but the other party didn’t seem keen on sharing.

“Let’s leave it here for today. I’ve got things to do later. Oh, right. Add me on WeChat so we can stay in touch.” Qing Wanglai stood up as he spoke.

After Li Huowang got Qing Wanglai’s contact info, this matter was considered settled for the time being. The hard work of the past few days hadn’t been for nothing—at least there was some progress.

Qing Wanglai saw them off to the university entrance before turning back. Li Huowang was about to hang up the video call when he saw Qian Fu bolt toward a trash can, sticking one arm in and rummaging around while licking his lips, drawing quite a few strange looks.

“Qian Fu! What the hell are you doing? Act normal!”

Qian Fu turned around with half a cup of milk tea in his hand, arguing with conviction. “I’m mental? This stuff’s perfectly good to eat! I’m just picking it up so it doesn’t go to waste. What’s wrong with that? How am I mental? There are plenty of people in this world who don’t get enough to eat! I think the ones who just throw perfectly good food away are the real lunatics!”

Li Huowang was momentarily stumped, unsure what to say. The guy’s thought process was just fundamentally different from a normal person’s.

By the time Chen Hongyu had forcibly dragged Qian Fu away, Li Huowang ended the video call.

Sitting alone in his room, Li Huowang replayed everything he had just heard, racking his brain for anything he might have missed.

Ding-dong. His phone went off. Swiping it open, he saw a message from Yang Na.

“Huowang, Auntie Chen said she has a special ability. I was curious, so I asked her what it was. Guess what she told me? (⊙w⊙)”

“What did she say?”

The moment he sent the message, he received a video from Yang Na.

Chen Hongyu was standing lazily by the side of the road, her face grave as she stared into the camera.

“Huowang, watch closely.”

A giant question mark popped up in Li Huowang’s mind. “Watch what?”

Just then, the camera zoomed in, closing in on Chen Hongyu’s forehead.

But aside from a few pus-filled pimples on her face, Li Huowang couldn’t see anything.

“Hmm… hmm…” Chen Hongyu’s expression grew more intense, and she began making low, grunting sounds, like someone straining while practicing qigong.

Just as Li Huowang was wondering what on earth she was doing, Chen Hongyu let out a soft yell. The two pustules on her forehead suddenly burst.

Milky-yellow pus, mixed with thin, fleshy strands, oozed out of the holes and flowed down her greasy face. A wave of nausea hit Li Huowang as he watched.

The video stopped right there. Shortly after, Yang Na sent another message. “So gross… that’s her special ability…”

Li Huowang tossed his phone onto the bed and let out a sigh. What kind of people had he ended up with?

“We need to strike back! These wastes from the Fa Sect think they can ambush and kill us whenever they want! Do they take us for pushovers?” A fat, burly man in a black fur coat stood inside the military tent, shouting in fury.

No one in the tent contradicted him. He was the Great Khan of Qingqiu, the very Dragon Vein of Qingqiu. With the Emperor of Liang currently absent, he was the one of highest status.

“Great Khan, you speak truly. A counterattack is certainly necessary. I have a proposal. Might I borrow your kingdom’s tally?” Xuanpin spoke.

Hearing this, the Great Khan warily covered his sleeve. “Are you joking? The tally that commands the three armies of Qingqiu? How could I give that to an outsider! You complain about a lack of troops now, do you? Go beg your stingy Emperor of Liang for them!”

“He’s playing a clever hand—fighting and dying here while he reaps the benefits from afar!”

“Your Highness, the Emperor has already dispatched his troops,” an old eunuch bowed and replied respectfully.

“What use is sending troops now! Do you have any idea how far Liang is from Shu! By the time they get here, the dandelions will be too old for even the goats to eat!”

Seeing the atmosphere turn sour, Qingqiu’s Sitian Jian rose to smooth things over. “Xuanpin, just get to the point. If what you have to say makes sense, our Khan will naturally send troops to assist you.”