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Chapter 937: Another Night

Jenna held her phone, wanting to reply to Luo Shan several times, but not knowing what to say.

Although she felt she should respond with something, to avoid appearing impolite, her spiritual intuition told her that saying the wrong thing at this moment could lead to unexpected consequences she didn't want to face.

In the end, Jenna put down her phone and watched TV, pretending not to have noticed Luo Shan's new message.

She alternated between immersing herself in the TV drama's story and instinctively criticizing some of the actors' performances.

This continued until eleven o'clock, when Jenna took a shower and washed her hair. She froze her wet hair with frost, then let the frost crack and fall to the bathroom floor, quickly drying her thick long hair this way.

Finally, she used a hairdryer to make her hair a bit fluffier, lay down on the bed, turned off all the lights, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

She wasn't used to falling asleep quickly through Cogitation. She preferred to let her thoughts wander freely before sleep, allowing them to fly unrestrained, to reminisce, to imagine.

In the dark room, Jenna's breathing finally became long and gentle.

The screen of her phone placed beside her pillow suddenly lit up.

The lit screen showed no incoming calls, messages, or system updates to run.

It only lit up for two or three seconds before going dark again, not triggering Jenna's spiritual intuition.

Not long after, the phone screen lit up again, still without any information displayed.

After alternating between lighting up and going dark three or four times, Jenna's phone returned to normal, with no more unusual activity.

Jenna's astral body once again saw the layers of frozen storms and the semi-transparent barrier formed by the storms. She saw numerous human shadows wandering in the virtual image of Dechuang Garden district, and strange creatures trying to enter this "spirit world residential district".

Like last night, Luo Shan guarded the semi-transparent barrier, sometimes using painting to create different supernatural effects to repel invaders, sometimes creating totem-like objects combined with strange chanting to directly affect various strange creatures…

After a while, the strange creatures retreated into the darkness. Luo Shan sighed in relief and flew to the area where Jenna and other astral bodies were wandering.

Jenna tensed mentally, employing her acting skills to make her eyes show obvious bewilderment, losing their proper focus.

She allowed herself to be guided by spirituality, drifting about like a kite.

Luo Shan quietly observed her for twenty to thirty seconds, then descended beside her, following her unconscious "wandering" and said casually, "The monster with a human upper body and a python lower body is called Lamotte. They prey on humans, feeding on human spirits, internal organs, and blood…

"The monsters that look like offspring of owls and humans are called Morna. They like to kill children, especially human children…

"Those naked women and men are also monsters, subordinates of the Spirits of Lust, who like to suck the energy and life force of the opposite sex…

"Those Spirit Bodies also murder humans because they particularly love to cook and eat human internal organs…"

After introducing them one by one, Luo Shan's voice became low, as if talking to herself, "Don't ask me why I know these things…"

Jenna maintained her performance but took note of these words.

Luo Shan exhaled slowly and deeply, with a sense of relief from finally speaking out some of the things weighing on her heart, no longer as tormented as before, and not having to worry about revealing her own secrets. She flew back to the barrier, waiting for a possible second wave of invaders.

At Xinhong District, in a rented apartment.

Franca looked at Ludwig, who had changed into bear pajamas, and asked curiously, "What abilities did you gain after eating that Sleepless mouse?"

Ludwig yawned. "I can see things clearly in pitch darkness, sense dangers hidden in the dark, and my spirituality and strength have increased…"

"You didn't gain the ability to be energetic with only two hours of sleep each day?" Franca asked for confirmation.

Ludwig shook his head. "No."

That's good, that's good. Sleepless hunger sounds terrifying… Not sleeping and being bored, you can only eat… Well, you could also preview, study, review… Franca sighed in relief without hiding it, then said thoughtfully to Ludwig, "Because you haven't digested the Beyonder characteristics and truly completed the absorption, your utilization of the Beyonder characteristics is still very rough, with great limitations?"

Ludwig nodded. "That should be the case."

"Then do you think you'll still have these changes when you return to reality?" What Franca really wanted to ask was whether the dream potions, represented by the Sleepless drink, contained real Beyonder characteristics that had been "grafted" over.

Ludwig answered honestly, "I don't know."

"If you get kicked out of the dream, remember to confirm this point," Lumian reminded Ludwig.

The authenticity of potions was related to some of their subsequent strategies.

Ludwig reluctantly agreed.

Lumian thought for two seconds and asked again, "If I don't force you, compel you to stay in this dream, would you want to leave now, and would you be willing to enter again if you were kicked out of the dream?"

Ludwig hesitated for a moment and said, "I-I quite like it here."

Your attitude wasn't like this before, especially after knowing you still have to study, do homework, and take exams constantly in the dream… Franca grumbled inwardly.

"What do you like about this place?" Lumian asked with interest.

Ludwig pondered seriously and said, "The food tastes good, and some of it is real. I can also watch cartoons, and all of you have become a bit nicer to me…"

As if we were terribly abusing you before… Franca didn't say this out loud.

After Ludwig entered the second bedroom and lay down on the bed, Lumian turned his head towards Franca and chuckled. "Still not asleep at this time?"

"Can't I be nervous? Tomorrow is the interview, the first real interview in my life, and I can't fail!" Franca paced back and forth anxiously, muttering, "Normal makeup won't do, but looking too ugly won't work either. How do I strike the right balance… When to use Charm during the interview, shallow Charm or full Charm, then have Anthony find a chance to Hypnotize the interviewers to make them forget about it… Thinking about all this keeps me awake…"

Lumian chuckled in response. "It's not a big deal if you fail; you can find other opportunities.

"Besides, if you're already thinking about having Anthony Hypnotize the interviewers to make them forget about being Charmed, why not have Anthony directly induce the interviewers to choose you?"

"Wouldn't that make me seem useless?" Franca mumbled quietly.

After Lumian's consolation, thinking about how her companions would back her up, she finally calmed some of her anxiety and nervousness. She clenched her fist and cheered herself on, "It's just a try, no big deal!

"It doesn't matter if I fail, failure is the mother of success!"

Seeing Franca's behavior, Lumian suddenly recalled his younger self.

He stood up, walked in front of Franca, and gave her a hug.

"Hey…" Franca was startled.

Lumian said with a smile, his voice slightly low, "Aurore used to often tell me, just go for it, whether you succeed or fail, I'll give you a hug…"

Franca's expression changed, she opened her mouth, then closed it.

After two seconds, she smiled and said, "Shouldn't I, as the older sister—no, older brother, be saying these words to you?"

She broke away from Lumian's embrace and chuckled.

"Next time, when you're nervous, I'll say this to you too, and I'll give you a hug."

"A Hunter's nervousness won't show." Lumian shrugged.

"Tch!" Franca made a disdainful sound and entered the master bedroom.

Rest well to face the interview!

The next morning, on the tenth floor of the Tech Building, outside the "White Maple" conference room.

Franca found that nearly twenty people had come for the interview, each a stylishly dressed, attractive female urbanite.

Of course, with a Demoness's beauty, even at just Sequence 7 level, she was much more beautiful than these women. But today, Franca wore slightly old-fashioned black-framed glasses, hiding her bright eyes, and had let down her ponytail to fall naturally, appearing less carefree.

She also used the Lie earring, combined with makeup techniques, to modify some details of her features, making herself look like a conservative, average-level beauty.

"Next, Luo Fu."

Hearing her name, Franca straightened her fitted white women's shirt and loose-legged gray trousers, and walked into the White Maple conference room.

Inside the conference room were three interviewers, one man and two women, with an impressively beautiful woman sitting to the side.

That woman wore azure-colored contact lenses, her slightly curled long hair dyed chestnut brown. Her features had a somewhat exotic feel. She appeared to be only eighteen or nineteen years old, her face showing a hint of youthfulness, like a freshman or sophomore college student, yet she had an air of long-standing authority.

Princess Bernadette, Emperor Roselle's eldest daughter? No, now she's Miss Huang Beibei… Why has she come to observe Intis Group's interview? What does she want to do… What does she dislike, what does she like… As thoughts raced through her mind, Franca decided to abandon her plan to naturally Charm the interviewers later.

She answered the interviewers' questions normally according to her background setting, without standing out in any way or revealing her true personality.

After all candidates had been interviewed, the male interviewer looked towards Huang Beibei and asked flatteringly, "Young Miss, do you have any preferred candidates?"

"Just call me Miss Huang," Huang Beibei said in an even tone. "Some of those interviewees were too showy, some dressed too revealingly, some put all their energy into makeup and dressing up. How can they work like that?"

But Mr. Huang likes that… The male interviewer didn't dare say this out loud.

Huang Beibei continued, "I choose the most conservative one, Luo Fu."

"Got it." The interviewer didn't dare oppose Miss Huang.

Even if Mr. Huang himself were here, he would say, "Right, right, right, my daughter has such good judgment!"

Comments 16

  1. Offline
    Jack_Nat_Mikhail
    + 00 -
    Thanks for the chapter
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  2. Offline
    Srotoshinni
    + 40 -
    Ludwig pondered seriously and said, "The food tastes good, and some of it is real. I can also watch cartoons, and all of you have become a bit nicer to me…"

    Ludwig is such an adorable cutie pie, I hope he stays the same even though unlikely
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    1. Offline
      Unaffiliated_Busines
      + 10 -
      We all need a cute Angel kid in our LoTM lives
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  3. Offline
    (67) Chapter 951: Everything as Usual

    Lumian once again looked at the Wang and Ding, whose entire bodies were wrapped in white bandages, seriously examining their condition and the surrounding details.

    "You must not disturb the patients," the nurse instructed Lumian and his group as they entered the ward, then left, returning to the nurse's station.

    At this moment, likely influenced by the dialogue between the family members and Captain Tu, the patient Ding woke up and slowly opened his eyes.

    Surrounded by layers of white bandages, Ding's brown pupils appeared slightly darker than usual, and it took a while for him to regain focus.

    Lumian didn't notice anything unusual worth noting.

    Tu Tan Duong approached the bedside and kindly inquired about old Ding’s condition, but old Ding lacked energy and spoke incoherently.

    Lumian listened for about thirty seconds, glanced at the still-sleeping Wang, and gradually retreated without attracting attention as he exited the ward.

    He immediately noticed the information posted outside the ward about the doctors and nurses:

    "Chief Physician: Huang Fu Dat. Head Nurse: Qi Fang."

    From the photo, it was clear that Qi Fang was the nurse who had just brought Lumian and his group to the ward.

    The information didn’t mention any names... The names feel like they belong to the "natives" of the Dream City, not "outsiders." It doesn't seem problematic... Lumian returned to the ward and followed Captain Tu Tan Duong to inquire about old Ding and his two family members.

    They didn't stay long, to avoid disturbing the patients' rest.

    As they walked through the corridor and passed the nurse's station, heading towards the main entrance of the medical area, Lumian casually glanced at the bulletin boards on the walls.

    On one side was information about technological achievements and details about certain diseases and injuries, while the other side had brief introductions of all the doctors and nurses in the medical area, arranged in several rows.

    Lumian’s eyes fell on the topmost photo.

    It was of a kind-looking female doctor with decent features and slightly brownish eyes, appearing to be in her forties.

    The introduction read: "Roland, Deputy Director..."

    Lumian's first reaction was, "Isn't this the same surname as Franca?" Then, he suddenly shivered, nearly startled.

    He recalled another Roland.

    This was a renowned name he had heard while investigating the Sea Prayer Ritual in Port Santa, Feynapotter Kingdom:

    Mother Roland of the Church of The Earth Mother!

    This is equivalent to the Pope or Patriarch of other Major Churches!

    The "Planter" pathway has the "Doctor" sequence, and as the head of the Church of The Earth Mother, Roland is likely a high-ranking Angel of this pathway, one of the strongest healers in the real world. In the Dream City, she serves as the Deputy Director and Chief Surgeon of this hospital—definitely qualified, fitting with Mr. Fool's subconscious recognition. But the issue is, this is a Mushu Hospital... Lumian naturally retracted his gaze, his expression remaining calm as he followed Tu Tan Duong towards the entrance of the medical area.

    He remembered that none of the Major Arcana materials mentioned Roland having a corresponding Dream City figure.

    Is it because it’s unknown, deemed unimportant, or simply an NPC? Roland becoming the Deputy Director of Mushu Hospital—is this a manifestation of Mr. Fool's subconscious, representing a certain understanding, or is it due to the nature of her pathway being exploited by the Great Mother? Or perhaps, this is one of Mushu Hospital's "achievements"? If Mother Roland is the Deputy Director, who is the Director? Lumian thought this was something to report to the Major Arcana.

    This doesn't conflict with the results of his first "test," which were for his own understanding. He’s concerned that any issues with the Dream City figure might affect the real-world Mother Roland and wants to give the Major Arcana a heads-up.

    Upon leaving the medical area, Lumian curiously asked:

    "Captain Tu, what is the name of the Director of Mushu Hospital? Why haven't I seen any information about them?"

    Tu Tan Duong, now in the elevator, thought for a few seconds before saying:

    "Strangely, I haven't heard either.

    "I only know that Mr. Huang used to have a very close relationship with this hospital, donating a lot of money to help establish it."

    Money... A lot of money... Donations... Lumian thought this was likely due to the Great Mother contamination that still existed in Emperor Roselle.

    This also makes Mushu Hospital wealthy, seemingly unconcerned about "money" issues, unlike the Fantasy Association's painting Hostel, which still needs to squeeze its favored ones and believers to install equipment.

    As they waited for the slow elevator, Lao Ha suddenly asked Tu Tan Duong:

    "Captain Tu, do you think Wang and Ding can recover to their previous state? They could really fight before."

    "Are you eyeing their positions?" Tu Tan Duong asked with a smile.

    In the Intis Group, security isn't just about guards. There are real security personnel responsible for protecting Mr. Huang’s family and important guests, providing security for the group’s companies during jewelry, antique exhibitions, and military equipment transactions, collaborating with armed forces to protect important mines, and more.

    Old Wang and old Ding belonged to the security personnel, with salaries higher than regular guards, and if they went abroad, they even received allowances.

    "I’d rather not. I can't handle the risks, nor do I have the skills," Lao Ha waved his hand, looking somewhat embarrassed.

    Tu Tan Duong glanced at Lumian and, with a smile, said:

    "I originally wanted someone in their sixties, but HR gave me the youngest one. Luckily, Inspector Grimm was satisfied."

    "Why did you want someone in their sixties?" Lao Ha, who was in his late thirties, asked on behalf of Lumian.

    Tu Tan Duong chuckled:

    "Security is a service role. You young folks lack the experience to handle delicate situations and can't just lie down and play dead to avoid trouble.

    "Think about it, if you got into a conflict with someone in the building, would you have the guts to lie on the floor, clutching your chest, crying out in pain, gasping for breath? A sixty-year-old wouldn't have such concerns—they’d dare to lie down, cry out, and bluff. Would the other party dare to continue the trouble after that? Having an old person is like having a treasure!"

    Lumian understood that Tu Tan Duong was giving him a gentle warning, thinking that his first-day conflict was a sign of inexperience.

    Xiao Zhao, oblivious to Tu Tan Duong’s hint, naively asked:

    "Then why not directly hire someone over seventy?"

    "What should we do now that he's actually fallen ill while on duty?" Tu Tan Duong angrily scolded Xiao Zhao, "You don't feel bad spending Hoàng's money, do you?"

    Xiao Zhao chuckled, without refuting Tu Tan Duong.

    At that moment, an elevator finally stopped on their floor, already crowded with people inside.

    As they entered the elevator and it slowly descended, Lumian suddenly felt as if he and the others were sinking into the dark depths of the sea.

    It was a hallucination brought on by his intuition.

    The hallucination quickly disappeared, as the elevator stopped at the next floor.

    Just like that, the elevator continued to stop at various floors, and Lao Hạ muttered, "It's a bit cold, this air conditioning is too strong..."

    Just now when we were taking the elevator up, you didn't say anything like that... Is it because we're descending now, close to the ground? Lumian pondered while observing the other people in the elevator, noticing that they were all slightly pale due to the cold air conditioning.

    Aside from that, nothing else seemed unusual.

    When the elevator finally stopped on the first floor, Lumian suddenly had the feeling that it would drop in free fall, and instinctively rushed out.

    The overly effective air conditioning effect suddenly disappeared.

    Lumian pinched his nose and followed Tu Tan Duong and the others towards the main entrance of Mushu Hospital.

    Just now, he had smelled a faint scent of blood.

    As they exited the hospital building, the sunlight, slightly weaker than before, instantly brought a feeling of clarity and brightness.

    "That's why I hate hospitals," Lao Hạ muttered.

    Lumian half-turned, looking at the busy lobby and the tall floors above, making a mental note:

    "There are indeed some abnormal details here, but most of the doctors, nurses, and patients still seem fine...

    "If they all had issues, this city would have been polluted to an unimaginable extent by now, and Mr. Fool would have subconsciously reacted..."

    As his thoughts raced, Lumian suddenly saw a face pressed against a glass window on the twelfth floor.

    That face was wrapped in white bandages, only the eyes, nose, and mouth were uncovered.

    It seemed to have also noticed Lumian, struggling wildly, and then it looked as if someone behind it was forcibly dragging it away from the window.

    Before Lumian could react, it disappeared.

    But Lumian recognized him.

    He was the old Wang who had been asleep when Lumian visited the patient.

    Lumian returned to his senses, pretending as if he hadn't seen anything.

    If it weren't for the fact that tomorrow night he was going to find Anderson, he would have stormed up to the twelfth-floor ward right then, rescued old Wang, and seen what surprises and changes might occur.

    For Lumian, this wasn't an impossible task, but it had to wait until most of the experiments were completed.

    At a bustling hotpot restaurant.

    With several large tables, Tu Tan Duong grabbed some liquor and beer, laughing as he asked Lumian:

    "Can you drink?"

    "I can drink a little," Lumian replied with some hesitation.

    "That's good enough. Drinking is all about style, and your drinking behavior reflects your character. If you don't drink, you won't fit in with our two security teams," Tu Tan Duong said, pointing to the subordinates around him. "Except for those on duty, out of the country, in the hospital, or resting, everyone is here. Make a good impression."

    Lumian had heard Franca mention that many companies' welcome gatherings for new recruits were mainly to test their obedience and to pressure them into following orders, with drinking being the most common method.

    "I'll do my best," Lumian said, forcing a serious expression and suppressing a smile.

    Two hours later, with the table and corners of the room piled with various empty liquor bottles, Lumian, holding a bottle of strong liquor, smiled at Tu Tan Duong and said:

    "Captain Tu, drink up! Why aren't you drinking? Come on, let's finish what's left."

    Tu Tan Duong, pale and unsteady, muttered:

    "No, no more, let's save it for later... I still need to report to my wife at home..."

    Around him, Lao Hạ, Xiao Zhao, and the others were either slumped over the table, curled up in a corner, sleeping, just returning from the bathroom after vomiting, swaying, or gathered in small groups, babbling nonsense, or sitting in silence, not moving...
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    1. Offline
      Tимофей Кыркелан
      + 50 -
      For Lumian, "as usual" is to attract trouble and give headaches to heretics...
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      1. Offline
        Spectator_d
        + 30 -
        He's like the Medici.
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        1. Offline
          WD40
          + 00 -
          THE Medici
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    (66) Chapter 950: Dinner Invitation

    It`s really Mushu Hospital... Lumian wasn't surprised at all by Tu Tan Duong's response.

    He simply nodded and said, "Got it, Captain."

    He had thought about it - Mushu Hospital, being a key base affected by the Evil Gods in the Dreamscape, was somehow collaborating with Celestial Worthy. As a result, many things probably couldn't avoid being connected to it. It wasn't just a matter of carefully avoiding it, not stepping inside wouldn’t make it any less real.

    So, instead of avoiding it during the day while they still had time before their actions became urgent, while he still had the opportunity to enter again, and while he had a reasonable excuse to do so, he decided to go and take a look, maybe do some reconnaissance. Of course, the deeper levels, representing the Abyss and the shadows of Mr. Fool, would probably remain off-limits.

    After seeing Tu Tan Duong off and waiting in the monitoring room until nearly noon, Lumian and Lao Ha waited for their colleagues to take over their shift. Then they headed downstairs together to the company cafeteria in the annex building of the Intis Group's high-tech building.

    There was no meal allowance, and the cafeteria wasn't free, but it offered a wide variety of dishes at reasonable prices, subsidized by the company. As a result, whether they were from headquarters or a subsidiary, employees in the building loved eating there. Even President Huang occasionally stopped by for a meal to ensure the quality of the food.

    The only problem was that the cafeteria was crowded during peak lunchtime, and higher-paid employees often preferred ordering takeout or dining at nearby restaurants.

    As security personnel, when they could go to the cafeteria depended on when their colleagues came to relieve them. Everyone tacitly agreed to go earlier to avoid the rush hour.

    Lumian grabbed a tray with steamed egg custard with minced meat, pepper and vinegar sautéed leeks, fried chicken drumsticks, cucumber soup with meat, and a large bowl of rice. He and Lao Ha found a secluded spot, where they ate while Lao Ha entertained him with stories about the eccentricities of the company’s competitors.

    Lao Ha clucked his tongue and said, "Their boss is a complete exhibitionist. He often has whip marks on his body."

    Keep talking, throw in more slander, I like to listen... Lumian nodded in agreement while secretly muttering to himself.

    Suddenly, his phone vibrated twice.

    He picked it up to check—a message from Anderson Hood, whom he had dubbed "A Name You'll Remember."

    "Is that friend you mentioned actually you?" Anderson's message read. Lumian smiled and replied with a vague message, keeping the situation under control.

    After thirty seconds or so, Anderson responded, "Art requires talent, I hope you have it.

    "Our school doesn't have art classes, but I know a decent art studio. I learned there myself. If you're interested, come to Jinxiu East Gate on Sifang Street tomorrow night at 7, and I'll take you to check it out."

    Nighttime? Lumian pondered for a moment before replying, "Alright, thanks."

    He remembered that the art-themed homestay bar was right on Sifang Street, but its interior renovation wasn't finished yet.

    ***

    In the large administrative office.

    Luo Shan stretched, walked over to Franca's desk, and asked with a smile, "What are you having for lunch? I don’t want to fight the cafeteria crowds."

    Before Franca could respond, she lowered her voice and added, "Other departments always find time to have welcome parties for new employees, but not our administrative department.

    "It’s mostly because those girls either don’t like us or look down on us. The real fear is that they won’t go but will demand some kind of free help. Can you imagine what kind of mess that would be? Passive-aggressive remarks, concealed barbs, crying, arguments, maybe even a fight, leaving behind a ton of trouble to deal with. So, Truong Khánh simply stopped organizing department-wide gatherings. If people are close, they just meet up in private."

    Franca listened with interest, eagerly saying, "I wonder when President Huang will next visit the administrative department."

    The scene would be quite lively when that happened, and she wanted to witness it.

    Demoness couldn't help but have a slight tendency toward enjoying chaos, and watching drama unfold was a perfectly legitimate pastime.

    "President Huang probably won’t come by in the next few days; he has an important guest to entertain, and if he does come to the company, it’ll be on the sixth floor." Luo Shan revealed President Huang's whereabouts.

    Zaratulstra? Franca paid close attention to this development.

    Besides drafting the action plan, they had to guard against Celestial Worthy and the Evil Gods, who might do something to Zhou Mingrui in the Dream City. It was crucial to discover and stop any potential threat early.

    Moreover, this could also help them accumulate insights, aiding them in devising a wake-up plan—whatever Celestial Worthy's subordinates did, they could try to do the opposite.

    "That’s too bad." Franca said with regret. Then she asked curiously, "Won’t President Huang bring his guest to tour the company?"

    "They already have." Luo Shan suddenly hesitated, lowering her voice further, "That day, Zhou Mingrui happened to call in sick. Phew, could that long-named guest really be the evil force you said was sent from the future to disrupt the present? Did your team plan Zhou Mingrui's sick leave?"

    "The Artist sure has sharp instincts..." Franca smiled and said, "Is that guest named Zaratulstra?"

    Luo Shan nodded seriously.

    "That’s right." Franca confirmed her earlier guess.

    Luo Shan fell silent for a few seconds, then her eyes lit up as she said, "Why don't I invite Zhou Mingrui to join us for a meal? That way, you’ll have the chance to meet and chat with him."

    What the... So soon? So direct? Franca was shocked.

    She thought it would take 1-2 weeks of normal work interactions before she and Lumian could even reach the point of adding Zhou Mingrui on WeChat or exchanging a few casual words.

    Who would have thought that on their first day, Luo Shan would want to set up a dinner with Zhou Mingrui!

    This is too fast...

    This pace is way off schedule; I’m not ready yet...

    Seeing Franca’s lack of response, Luo Shan laughed and said, "Zhou Mingrui owes me a few meals. Every time he needs my help to gather information, he promises to treat me to a meal next time, but he’s only treated me once so far."

    "Hmm, welcoming our sisters to join the company is an extremely good reason."

    As she spoke, she picked up her mobile phone and quickly sent a message to Zhou Mingrui.

    A moment later, Luo Shan raised her phone and said:

    "He agreed, but said it would be for dinner tomorrow, as he has to work overtime tonight, and the break during lunch is too short to go out to eat."

    This agreement... no rejection or reluctance? Franca suddenly recalled an old saying:

    "The best way to approach someone is to get to know the people around them."

    Helping Luo Shan was indeed the right choice... This is truly good deeds being rewarded! After thinking for a moment, Franca said to Luo Shan:

    "Zhou Mingrui seemed to care a bit about those paintings you left on the table earlier. He didn't reject your invitation, but agreed, possibly because he wants to confirm or explore something..."

    Before Luo Shan could respond, Franca added:

    "If that's the case, then it's a good thing."

    The only issue is, does dinner count as nighttime?

    This could conflict with the action outline plan, possibly leading to chaotic and ambiguous experiment results...

    If the sky isn't completely dark, it shouldn't count, right?

    ***

    At 4:30 in the afternoon, after another patrol, Lumian and Lao Ha went into the underground parking lot of the high-tech building and saw Captain Tu Tan Duong sitting in a dark gray SUV. He extended his hand from the passenger seat and waved to them:

    "Over here."

    Lumian and Lao Ha walked over and sat in the spacious back seat.

    "Just the few of us?" Lao Ha looked out the window.

    Tu Tan Duong laughed and said:

    "Would a large group of people go to the hospital to visit a patient? The nurses wouldn't even let us in!

    "Just the four of us, Xiao Zhao will drive, and the other brothers will go directly to the party location."

    Xiao Zhao was a young man sitting in the driver's seat, his face looking a bit chubby.

    At this time, the road was relatively clear, and before 5:00, Lumian and the others arrived outside the Mushu Hospital.

    Each of the two young men carried a box of fruit and a bag of nutritional products, following behind Tu Tan Duong and Lao Ha as they went in.

    The main hall of Mushu Hospital wasn't much different from the last time Lumian was there—ordinary, with people coming and going, though occasionally one might notice a few nurses with indifferent expressions and slightly mechanical movements.

    Lumian withdrew his gaze, confirmed that he had no premonitions, and that there were no abnormalities around, then entered the elevator and went to the 12th floor.

    After getting out of the elevator, they turned into the ward area, opened the main door, and were greeted by the sight of a quiet nurse station and a long corridor stretching into the darkness.

    The light at the end of the corridor seemed to be broken, not yet repaired.

    Under the guidance of a seemingly normal nurse, they entered a two-person patient room where Lao Wang and Lao Ding were staying.

    Before Lumian, Xiao Zhao, and Lao Ha could clearly see the condition of the patients, the two family members rushed up to Tu Tan Duong, speaking one after the other:

    ". . . ."

    "Captain Tu, our Lao Wang's situation is definitely a work-related accident!"

    "Oh oh oh, Captain Tu, our Lao Ding almost died, look at him, just look at him, who knows how long it will take for him to recover."

    Tu Tan Duong finally found a chance to speak, raising his right hand to calm them down and said:

    "Ladies, this definitely counts as a work-related accident. Boss Huang said that not only will compensation be provided according to national standards, but the company will also give an additional sum outside of the standard, cover all medical expenses, and continue to pay their wages until Lao Wang and Lao Ding are fully recovered and able to work. We will not let our brothers bleed, sweat, and shed tears!"

    While Tu Tan Duong was comforting the family members, Lumian and the others turned their attention to the hospital beds, where they saw the two patients wrapped head to toe in white bandages, with only their eyes, noses, and mouths exposed.

    Lao Ha couldn't help but lean closer to Lumian and whispered:

    "I'm not being unkind, but they look really funny like this. I thought only on TV would they be wrapped up like this, but I didn't expect to see it in real life."

    Lumian didn't reply to Lao Ha, as he was thinking of mummies.

    It's said that mummies are closely related to the Mother Tree of Desire and the Chained Pathway.

    And in this case, to the Mushu Hospital.
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    1. Offline
      Максим Довбняк
      + 130 -
      *From this chapter: Rozanne - Luo Shan, as in the official translation. In Chinese, they sound almost the same, hence the name changes in the Dreamscape
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      1. Offline
        Ghasteroster
        + 80 -
        Damn, this is so awkward.
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        1. Offline
          Максим Довбняк
          + 80 -
          I agree. But there are problems here how to translate names from Chinese. This is the Chinese version of the name Rozanne... There will be more changes in the names of these guards and Intis Group employees (minor characters, but still)
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          1. Offline
            Ghasteroster
            + 30 -
            Well, yes, it's just an untranslatable pun. And then you either adapt it or leave it as is. As for me, adaptation is better. It at least makes some sense for the reader.
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    2. Offline
      Spectator_d
      + 00 -
      Lao Ha. Who is he?
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      1. Offline
        Максим Довбняк
        + 50 -
        One of the guards, he's not someone important.
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  5. Offline
    Chapters 947-949 in comments to chapter 935.
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    1. Offline
      علاء حسن
      + 60 -
      Thank you
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