On my second playthrough, they were full of malice towards me.

Inside the dark sand bar, a faint glow flickered once more.

Chapter 33 Dane's Clinic

"Ah!"

Irene suddenly sneezed and inexplicably felt a cool sensation on her neck.

The girl instinctively pulled her clothes tighter around herself, then looked around.

She and Liao Ji have now arrived in the "gray area" of the black market, a neighborhood sandwiched between the wealthy area and the gang's territory, serving as both a buffer zone and a natural underground market.

The wealthy provide the money, and gangsters provide the services. One shady underground transaction after another is quietly carried out here. Over time, this has actually driven the development of this crooked area, turning it into a large hub for the gray industry chain.

Unlicensed shops, black markets trading contraband, arms dealers, human traffickers, brothels, nightclubs—basically anything that can indulge people's desires and satisfy various needs can be found on this "gray street."

The "Dane Clinic" that Liao Ji and the girl are going to is just such a black clinic, unregistered and without proper documentation at the church.

After looking around, Irene didn't find anything unusual. It was 9:30 p.m. While the rest of the Black Hole was a desolate and deserted night, the time was just right for "Grey Street." People were hurrying along the street, and it was one of the few places in the area where the lights were still on late at night.

"Have you caught a cold? Should we go buy a scarf?"

A concerned voice came from the young man beside her, and Irene shook her head.

"No need, I'm not that delicate. Let's hurry up and go. I don't know why, but I suddenly have a creepy feeling."

"Do you often experience this feeling?"

Of course not!

She rolled her eyes at the young man, then really sped up a bit. She always trusted her intuition, a habit of every scavenger.

A few minutes later, after navigating several alleys of varying sizes, a signboard flashing with the words "Dane Clinic" finally came into Liao Ji's view.

Although the clinic wasn't very big, it seemed to have quite a few patients inside. Even at this hour, there were still many people coming in and out of the clinic.

However, according to Liao Ji's observation, most of these people had superficial injuries, and the more serious ones might just have fractures that required bandages and casts.

For injuries like this that aren't life-threatening but still shouldn't be ignored, going to a cheap, unlicensed clinic is indeed the most cost-effective option.

Upon arriving at the ward area, there was only a female nurse dozing off at the front desk. Irene didn't disturb her and continued walking straight in. The girl had been here many times before and knew the way well.

【108】

In the third-to-last room in the ward corridor, Irene gripped the doorknob with excitement and, without even knocking, pushed the door open directly.

"Mom! It's me."

"Mom?"

The girl's joyful voice abruptly stopped, and she froze in front of the ward door. When Liao Ji followed and looked into the ward, he understood why.

The hospital bed was empty, and the bedding and sheets were all white, clearly indicating that it had already been tidied up by the nurses in preparation for the next patient.

"How...how could this be!?" Coming to her senses, Irene quickly backed out in disbelief and glanced at the ward number.

【108】

That's right.

This must be the hospital room where my mother is staying.

But what about Mother?

Where did her mom go?!

Seeing that Yilin was in a panic and was about to open each and every ward, Liao Ji stopped the girl.

"Don't worry, the doctor may have changed your mother's treatment plan at the last minute. Let's go to the front desk and ask."

"Yes, yes, the front desk!"

Irene rushed to the front desk, startling the almost asleep nurse on duty. The young woman, of course, didn't care about anything else and anxiously asked:

"Doctor, Nolan, what is Nolan's room number?"

Logically speaking, inquiring about patient information should follow procedures, but the effect of the "clothing change" forced upon Liao Ji at this time became apparent.

The nurse saw that the girl looked wealthy and figured she was not someone to mess with, so she didn't say much and took out a tablet and started scrolling on it.

But soon after

"Nolan? I'm sorry, miss, we don't have any patients named Nolan in our clinic right now."

"What, what did you say?!" Irene wondered if there was something wrong with her ears.

Until the nurse on the other side repeated it again.

"Miss, I can't find this person in my current ward registration. Did you... go to the wrong place?"

"Impossible! How could this be! Dane Clinic, number 108! My mom is right here! You...you!"

The commotion caused by Irene immediately drew the attention of many patients in the clinic. Even the nurse at the front desk frowned at the agitated girl, beginning to wonder if she was there to cause trouble.

Just then, a hand reached out from behind and pressed down on Irene's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, doctor, my sister is a little agitated. Here's the situation: my mother was supposed to be in room 108, but we just went to check and the room is empty. You also said there's no one in the room there."

"Could you please check the dispatch records for ward 108 for us? It doesn't need to be too long, just the last two days will do. Thank you for your help."

Liao Ji, dressed in an expensive suit and with an upright posture, made a great impression on the receptionist nurse with both his appearance and his demeanor. She hesitated for a moment, because, in principle, outsiders to the clinic had no right to know the ward dispatch records.

but

The nurse stole a few more glances at the handsome young man across from her, and Liao Ji gave her an apologetic smile, which immediately made her feel a little overjoyed. After all, most of the people who came to the illegal clinic were either burly gangsters with fierce looks or poor people who were thinly dressed and pale. She had never seen anyone as fair-skinned and delicate as Liao Ji before.

Furthermore, since the other party also indicated that they were the patient's immediate family member, and judging from his sister's appearance, she was indeed very anxious, the female nurse finally nodded to the young man, granting Liao Ji a little bit of special privileges, and lowered her head to start operating the tablet under her hands.

A short while later.

"Sir, we found out! Your mother, Ms. Nolan, was picked up from the hospital at 11:00 a.m. today by... uh, her daughter, Miss Irene."

When the receptionist nurse got to this point, she gave Liao Ji a strange look, wondering if the young man had another sister.

On the other side...

Irene stared wide-eyed in complete disbelief. This was clearly utter nonsense. But just as she was about to speak angrily, the power of the contract struck her, rendering her unable to utter a sound or move.

Since it concerned his mother, his only family and the only one he depended on, Liao Ji understood Yilin's current irritability. However, he knew that impulsiveness wouldn't solve the problem, so he first used a contract to keep Yilin quiet and aside.

Is that so?

"Doctor, could you please take another look at this dispatch record and see who is listed as the registrant?"

"Huh? It's Director Frederick?"

Even the receptionist nurse was a little surprised; it was indeed rare for the director to personally make such a record.

"Understood. May I ask you one last question, Nurse? Is Director Fredley in the clinic now? And in which room?"

The nurse hesitated again. It might be fine with other doctors, but with the director, it was no longer a question she could answer casually.

Fortunately.

Seemingly sensing her predicament, the young man opposite her smiled and comforted her in a lighthearted tone:

"Oh, don't worry, Dr. Frederick and I are actually friends, and we have a pretty good relationship. Otherwise, he wouldn't have personally handled our registration, would he?"

Yes, that's true.

Since we're friends, then there shouldn't be any problem, right?

The nurse even became more respectful to Liao Ji, and quickly said:

"Sir, if you go up from this side to the third floor, turn left and go to the fourth room at the very back. That's Director Fred's office. Our director usually doesn't leave until around ten o'clock. If you hurry up now, you should still be able to see him."

Liao Ji glanced at the wall clock, which was a quarter of an hour shy of ten, and nodded.

"Thank you so much."

Chapter 34 The Cleaner

As he went upstairs, Liao Ji sorted through the known information in his mind.

First of all, Brian, the boss of Haisha, said that he sent someone to visit Irene's mother yesterday. Therefore, Liao Ji's account of the nurse's dispatch record that Irene's mother was transferred away at noon today is quite credible.

Based on this reasoning, a new question arises: why was it moved away at noon? Why at this time? Did any special event happen at this time?

The answer is obvious. Liao Ji can easily calculate that this time should be when Irene and Kaleva's people left the settlement and went to the [Ruins Cave] to dig up his "grave".

The last question is, why did Dr. Frederick send Irene's mother out of the clinic immediately after Irene and Kaleva's people left?

Liao Ji already had a terrible answer in his mind.

I hope I'm wrong.

The third floor of the clinic was very quiet, and there was no one in the corridor. I don’t know if it was to save electricity, but even the overhead lights seemed a bit dim.

Following the directions given by the receptionist, Liao Ji and Yi Lin arrived at their respective room doors. The girl was about to knock when the young man next to her pushed the door open and went straight in.

"Who are you?!" A startled cry came from inside the house.

Frederick, who was sitting at his desk, was undoubtedly startled by the two people who had suddenly barged in.

Liao Ji looked at the middle-aged man in the room, who was wearing a white coat and black-rimmed glasses and gave off a refined and scholarly vibe. Without wasting any words, he got straight to the point.

"Dr. Frederick, where is Ms. Nolan now?"

"Nonolan?"

The man paused for a moment, then seemed to quickly recognize the name. He frowned slightly, and after observing Liao Ji and Yilin's attire—clearly incongruous with the slums—he said directly:

"Judging from your appearance, you two don't seem to be family members of a patient. As a doctor, I have an obligation to protect the personal information of every patient!"

"Furthermore, this is the clinic's internal area, and outsiders are not welcome. Therefore, please leave immediately, or I will have someone escort you out!"

As he spoke, Frederick reached for his hand on a desk, on what looked like a call button.

To his utter surprise, the young man opposite him, who looked like a rich young master, actually pulled out a gun and pointed it at him!

"Dr. Frederick, do you think your men can get here faster than my bullets?"