That night, the gas explosion at Mercy Hospital went viral on the internet, not only across Cliff City but throughout the entire Haizhou media platforms, sparking widespread discussion. Half of the outpatient building was gone, and other buildings suffered varying degrees of damage.

The public reflected on issues of public safety and negligence. In the end, the incident concluded, for the time being, with a press conference held by the relevant municipal officials, followed by a formal apology. What surprised everyone was that, despite such a severe accident occurring at the hospital, only one doctor had died.

According to reports, the deceased, Mr. Lawrence, had worked at Mercy Hospital for seven years. He had been dedicated and skilled, a man of integrity and compassion. His sudden misfortune was deeply regrettable.

Regarding this, Ji Jue, a well-known workaholic from Cliff City Tianmen University, an unknown commentator, and a direct victim of the incident, who wished to remain anonymous, stated, “He got what he deserved, time to pop champagne!”

Unfortunately, though the death itself was a positive death, there was no champagne to be had. After such a major incident, the activities at Mercy Hospital were suspended for repairs.

Fortunately, the usually useless municipal office, which did nothing but bow and apologize, actually stepped up this time like a timely rain. They transferred hospitalized patients to other hospitals and covered part of the treatment costs. Although the number of people involved was not large, it still felt as if the sun had risen from the west.

When Ji Jue lay in his clean single room, he even felt pleasantly surprised, and without hesitation, devoured four luxurious nutrient meals in a single day!

Two days later, Wen Wen came to him and told him that she had accidentally punched and collapsed half of the outpatient building, and repairing it would only cost a little over eight million, but for some reason, all the electric scooters and cars in the two parking lots had been scrapped, causing losses exceeding twenty million. She asked if he had any idea why that happened.

Ji Jue just thought, I’m just a victim. I have a head injury, and I’m suffering from amnesia. How the hell would I know? Even the secondhand, nearly new, “female-owned, 99% new” electric scooter I bought last year from Lu Feng is gone! But you don’t see me complain!

In any case, admitting anything was absolutely impossible. He had bled for the Federation and taken a bullet for Cliff City. How could he tolerate such slander? It must have been that bastard Lawrence!

Besides, he had acted out of a righteous heart. Hadn’t he helped out Wen Wen when she was alone against a group of evil forces? If he had known she was that strong, that terrifying, and practically capable of summoning eighteen dragons with a single palm strike, then Ji Jue... well, he would have probably still done the same.

Fighting feels good! Fighting all the time feels even better!

But the matter had escalated so much that Ji Jue couldn’t help but worry.

“Did you get in trouble for this?”

Wen Wen scoffed, flicking cigarette ash out the window. “Trouble? What trouble? Do you really think I’d have to pay for something like this? Believe it or not, if blowing up half a hospital outpatient building is enough to take down a Dragonrite priest, then tomorrow the Security Bureau will flatten every hospital in Cliff City.

“Not to mention, stopping a terrorist organization’s conspiracy and attack, saving hundreds of thousands of people in North Mount District, and smashing a priest’s head in, all while only causing this little bit of damage... the Governor would probably be laughing in his sleep. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

“After this, the entire Cliff City Security Bureau’s KPI for the year is basically secured. If those idiots weren’t at odds with me, they’d probably be kneeling and thanking me right now! Those who were just watching from the sidelines are probably regretting it to death. If they had joined in even a little, this massive credit wouldn't have all fallen into my hands.”

“Credit? What credit? Is there a bonus?” Ji Jue’s eyes lit up, and he couldn’t help squirming on the bed, leaning closer with a smile as eager as a sycophant’s. “Come on, splitting the loot on sight is only fair, right? I’ve contributed too, Captain! I’ve got DKP too[1]. You can’t leave me out of the roll for drops!”

Wen Wen shrugged regretfully, rummaging through her empty pockets. “It’s all gone. You won’t have any use for the stuff they gave me. And the internal benefits from the Security Bureau aren’t something you can get your hands on either. But...”

She paused, then smiled. “Lawrence did have a bounty on him.”

Ji Jue’s eyes gleamed even brighter. “How much? Honestly, I love material wealth!”

“Let me see... the Federation Security Bureau put out a bounty of over ten million. It’s not too much. The Empire’s side had about forty million. And those lunatics at the hospital contributed quite a bit too, though they wanted him alive... Anyway, all of that adds up to this.”

She pulled a slip of paper from her chest pocket. The number on it, over fifty-three million, instantly blinded Ji Jue. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a check; it was a donation slip.

It was a donation from North Mount District’s Security Bureau office to the Radiant Charity Foundation, which had long been operating Mercy Hospital, specifically designated as funds for the hospital’s repair and reconstruction.

Ji Jue stared for a while, then suddenly felt that this wasn’t so bad. Although Lawrence had committed many evils over the years, that didn’t mean Mercy Hospital was some kind of den of evil. For many patients who had no money and no way to survive, a charitable hospital like this could be their last lifeline. In critical moments, even a short lifeline could save a life.

Besides, fifty million sounded like a lot, but for a place like a hospital, it was barely a drop in the bucket. Construct a new building, add a couple of new sets of equipment, and it would be gone in an instant.

Plus, the loot was usually split on sight, so he was entitled to half of that. By that logic, didn’t that mean he had also donated over twenty million to charity?

Even though he was still dirt poor, at least he was now a proper Chosen One. How could he possibly worry about making money? His student loans wouldn’t even be a concern anymore. And if things really got desperate, he could just cover his face, swipe a couple ATMs, and everything would be solved.

Seeing Ji Jue happily clutching the donation slip, Wen Wen, who hadn’t gotten the reaction she expected, felt bored. She shook her head and took out a bag from the side before handing it over.

“Forget it, I’ll stop teasing you. This is for you.”

“Oh my, how can I accept this, oh... Oh? Oh!” Even as Ji Jue put on a show of refusal, his hands clung tightly to the bag without letting go.

Wen Wen couldn’t help but feel like slapping him. Could you at least act a bit more noble right now?

“You’re too generous. I don’t care about these things, you know. You understand me, Mrs. Wen. I’m all about selflessness and dedication...”

Even as he kept rambling, his hands didn’t stop moving. The moment he opened the bag, he saw a box inside. When he opened it, it revealed a necklace.

“Nice design!” he said instinctively.

Only then did he realize something, and looked up at Wen Wen in shock. Something was off, very off. Much more than just “off.” They had only known each other for less than a week. She had already given him a watch, and now she was giving him jewelry...

What’s going on here? Are women always this full of tricks?!

He was honestly scared that the next thing she’d pull out would be a car key... mainly because he felt his moral bottom line couldn’t stand the test. What if he ended up falling from grace and living a life of waking up every day in a seaside villa, feasting, drinking champagne, and driving luxury cars?

“What are you thinking about?!” Wen Wen rolled her eyes. Unable to hold back any longer, she smacked him on the back of the head, not once but twice. “This is something that the Dragonrite guy left behind. I can’t use it, so I’m giving it to you. Take it if you want it, if not, I’ll take it back!”

“No no, don’t take it back! I’m just touched, okay?” Ji Jue quickly clutched the bag, putting on a smile. “In all my life in Cliff City, I’ve never felt warmth like this before. I’ve known you for just over two days, Mrs. Wen, and I’m already about to tear up.”

He happily examined the pendant in his hand, another drop from Lawrence’s “loot.” As the saying went, “One whale falls, and all life thrives[2].” Ji Jue thought Lawrence’s demise was good, but he didn’t expect the gains from that guy’s death to get better and better over time. He sincerely hoped more people like that would die in the future. Ideally, one per workday, two on holidays.

The tiny pendant was only about the size of a fingertip. The base seemed to be inlaid with a fragment from some kind of statue, golden in color and carved into half a face. Only the lips were intact, carrying a faint, enigmatic smile, and they were both sorrowful and joyful at the same time. The pendant looked mysterious and solemn, almost divine.

In the Security Bureau’s records, it was known as the “Mouth of the Ancient Ones.” It was an ancient alchemical artifact excavated from the central regions by the Empire. According to experts, its origins could date back to before the Cataclysm Era. It had been possibly created during the Central Empire’s peak, modeled after the majesty of the emperor, and enshrined as a sacred object in temples.

In simple terms, it was a collectible. Of course, for something to be worshiped by so many people, it definitely wasn’t just any collectible. If put up for auction, it could easily fetch several hundred million. It looked pretty epic, after all.

Unfortunately, the item was now incomplete. It had been damaged during a struggle, and its fragments were scattered across different locations. Although fragmented, it still retained special abilities, mainly regeneration. It could speed up wound healing, expel toxins, and remove detrimental conditions.

Equipment like this was always highly sought after. After all, no one could guarantee they’d never get hurt while out in the world. You could never have too many life-saving tools. In the hands of a Chosen One like Lawrence, with proper matrix compatibility, it could even allow severed limbs to regrow. Although Ji Jue didn’t have the Vortex Matrix, even achieving twenty or thirty percent of its effectiveness was already more than enough.

“By infusing it with spirit matter, it can speed up wound healing or stabilize injuries. However, this ability works by promoting cell division, so your lifespan will suffer if you overuse it. I suggest you don’t overdo it. Just wearing it already helps. The side effect is that you’ll get hungry faster after getting injured. Your appetite will increase several times over, so watch out,” Wen Wen reminded him.

“No problem. I usually get hungry fast anyway. I don’t mind extra meals.” Ji Jue happily put the necklace on, not caring at all. The hospital meals here were free and unlimited. Before he was discharged, he was determined to swallow the cafeteria whole.

“Be serious. This thing is for saving your life.” Wen Wen’s expression turned stern. “I just got the Security Bureau’s field inspection results today. The dragon blood contamination has been completely cleared. There’s almost nothing left, it can basically be ignored.”

Ji Jue was confused. “Isn’t that a good thing?”

According to Wen Wen, that dragon blood stuff could drive an ordinary person insane and turn them into some kind of awful monster just by smelling it.

If it’s been completely cleaned up, doesn’t that mean everyone’s safe?

1. DKP stands for Dragon Kill Points, a structured loot distribution system used in MMORPGs (like World of Warcraft, EverQuest) where players earn points for participating in raids and spend them to bid on or buy dropped gear. It acts as a fair, in-game currency rewarding consistent attendance and contribution, ensuring dedicated players get priority on loot. ☜

2. “One whale falls, and all life thrives” describes the natural phenomenon in which a whale’s body sinks to the ocean floor after death, forming a “whale fall” that nourishes the deep-sea ecosystem. Its remains provide nutrients that sustain tens of thousands of organisms for up to a century. It symbolizes the gentle yet magnificent cycle of life and death in nature, where death is transformed into new life, becoming a rare “oasis” in the deep sea. ☜