He took a deep breath and straightened his appearance.

However, in the desolate wails pervading the silence, a crisp sound suddenly rang out.

A knocking sound.

So piercing, like needles, it sent chills through Lian Cheng's heart.

He took a deep breath and opened the door.

He then saw the dean, swollen and decaying like a drowning victim with a pus-covered face, displaying an exaggerated smile as he looked at him.

Lian Cheng forced a smile, "What's the matter, Dean?"

"Something came up; everyone, let's have a meeting."

The dean clapped his hands, and then, one by one, eerie figures emerged from the darkness behind him, their faces scarred and twisted, all bearing identical enthusiastic grins.

Beneath the flickering lights, the unstable shadows danced between the smiles, sketching out grotesque arcs.

And the last to step out... was an unexpectedly young face.

Also smiling.

Yet so amiable and full of warmth and gentleness, inspiring admiration and trust.

He nodded slowly towards him.

"Let me introduce you; this is the newbie, just introduced by Director Qian, who recently joined our special infectious disease treatment team."

The dean warmly waved his hand towards the newbie behind him and said, "He arrived a few weeks before you and is sort of your senior. Come, say hello to your senior."

"Alright."

Ji Jue nodded, turned back, looked at Lian Cheng, and extended his hand enthusiastically.

Waiting for his response.

But a sudden sense of suffocation and panic surged up in Lian Cheng's heart, his skin crawling. For a moment, his vision blurred, and the gentle smile disappeared, leaving only a face of eternal burning bones surrounded by numerous blood stains and residual spirits.

But then, the hallucination seemed to vanish quickly.

Only Ji Jue's extended hand remained.

Quietly waiting.

Unwavering, as if it could wait until the end of time, unshakably firm.

Until Lian Cheng finally came to his senses; his hand twitching slightly, he slowly raised it.

But before he could extend his hand, the other hand eagerly reached out, grasping his fingers.

So warm, yet so forceful.

Like a hydraulic clamp extending a first greeting to its soon-to-be victim!

"Hello, Main Priest."

Ji Jue's right hand suddenly jerked, pulling him forward a step, and embraced him warmly, so intimately. Patting his shoulder, he whispered in his ear,

"The next one will be you."

Lian Cheng's expression instantly stiffened, uncontrollably spasming.

But Ji Jue's hand finally let go.

He stepped back voluntarily, returning to the dean's side after finishing the greeting.

Looking at him.

In that moment of eye contact, between two stiff or calm smiles, their gazes could not have been more different.

Anger and astonishment, coldness and malice.

Silently flowing.

Soon, all went quiet.

Lian Cheng managed a strained smile, but behind him, his right hand, nearly numb with severe pain, clenched furiously, veins bulging.

Damn it, damn it, damn it...

He lowered his head.

Suppressing the impending explosion of murderous intent and anger.

And so, he blended into the crowd.

.

Lian Cheng even forgot how he had gotten to the meeting room.

Along the way, amidst shock and fury, his mind seemed completely empty for a moment, like a walking corpse, simply following the arrangements.

Like everyone else, he listened to the speeches and instructions, applauding mechanically.

Finally, he took out the speech he had prepared earlier, his voice hollow and intermittent, no longer passionate.

"In summary, after adopting the new treatment method, there has been pleasing progress with the patients..."

But while everyone was focused and applauding joyfully, another piercing noise erupted.

"Cough, hold on."

Suddenly, Lian Cheng's report was interrupted, and the entire conference room went dead silent, everyone looking over with dissatisfaction, frowning at the newbie who had rudely interrupted.

"Sorry, I know this is not the right time to talk, but as a doctor, I must be responsible for the patients' condition."

Ji Jue raised his hand, straightened his white coat, and asked seriously, "I have just one question..."

He paused, looking solemnly at everyone,

"Does this treatment method really work?"

In a moment of brief silence, Lian Cheng's face turned even uglier. Without waiting for others to speak, he objected first, "This is what everyone has seen firsthand. Could it possibly be false?

If you know nothing, then don't waste everyone's time here. Every minute, every second you delay, patients are suffering!"

Seizing this crucial opportunity, Lian Cheng wanted to expel this person from the special team all at once.

No sooner had he spoken than all the attending doctors nodded.

Clearly aware of the extensive decay and necrosis occurring in the patients.

But before Lian Cheng could speak again, Director Qian had already lifted his head, coldly scolding, "You are a newbie. Just bring your ears and eyes, learn well.

This is not the place for you to speak!"

Lian Cheng's initially furious expression paused slightly; at this moment, Director Qian's words seemed not so much scolding but... rather protective?

Seriously?

Even he couldn't help laughing at such an absurd idea, Mutants in the Time Ruins going out of their way to protect an outsider? Ridiculous!

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