480: Chapter 13: Bygone Days (Part 1) 480: Chapter 13: Bygone Days (Part 1) “Sister Zhenfan,” this nickname has quite the story behind it.
As everyone knows, the Daoist Master is a superpower user with a terrible character who loved nothing more than to provoke others’ emotions to capture attention to himself.
This daring individual was infamous throughout the city.
He had the audacity to call Kardesia ‘Lady Lion’ to her face, and to label the leader of the skeletal remains as ‘rotten skull face.’ Aorus was mockingly referred to as a ‘powdered young master,’ and Budman was ridiculed as ‘the chief of fools, the fool of fools.’ Apart from Mo Yuankai and Chi Zijing, every superpower user had been pushed by him to the brink of fury, doctors included.
The doctor’s real name was Chikou Zhenfan, and she despised anyone calling her by name.
She was three years older than Gongsun Ce and they had known each other since childhood, hence the birth of the nickname “Sister Zhenfan.” Every time Gongsun Ce paid her for her medical services, he would jokingly call her by that nickname to enjoy her displeased reaction, as a result, the cost was often double or even several times the usual fee.
(He didn’t dare call her “Sister Chikou” because once, after such a tease, she truly flayed his skin.)
In the simplest terms—
It was all because of the mistakes made in youth.
“I’m really sorry!” Gongsun Ce clasped his hands together, apologizing shamefully, “Such detestable teasing is despicable, and only recently did I realize this.
I was truly too naughty in the past.
I know saying this now is meaningless, but please believe that I will not do it again!”
The doctor nodded her head, imitating someone’s tone from the past, “Sister Zhenfan begs for a hug.”
The young man with grey hair covered his ears, “Spare me, please…”
The woman with blue hair looked at him indifferently, her gaze akin to viewing a piece of trash.
“Sister Zhenfan, it’s so adorable that you treat me despite being unwilling, all for the sake of money.”
Gongsun Ce collapsed to the ground with a scream, “Stop!
Just kill me already!!!”
The doctor sat down on a chair, casually crossing her legs, her sandals hovering above the head of Gongsun Ce who was rolling on the ground.
“The Daoist Master has developed a sense of shame.
I’m quite surprised, you really have changed.”
“Ah.”
Gongsun Ce halted his actions, his voice deepening.
“I saw the outside world and realized my insignificance…
and my own absurdity.”
The tone of Gongsun Ce’s voice reminded her of the airship from seven years ago.
The doctor gave up on the idea of taking further revenge and brought up the actual reason for her visit.
“What are your symptoms?”
Gongsun Ce got up from the ground and sat back on his couch.
“Hallucinations.” He gripped his hands tightly, “You’ve probably seen the news, I was in the Country not long ago.
Since returning, I occasionally feel like I’m still there…
Do you understand?
I always feel as if I’m already dead, and what I’m experiencing now is nothing but a pre-death hallucination.
As long as I seek thrills, the hallucinations vanish…
and I can return to real reality…”
Uttering these words seemed to take a lot out of him, causing cold sweat to form on his forehead.
“But I should have died there.” His hands began to tremble more violently, and his voice grew bizarre, “I should already have—”
Click.
A ballpoint pen tapped on Gongsun Ce’s hand, stopping his outburst.
The young man with grey hair looked up, breathing heavily, to see the calm face of the doctor.
“Sorry.”
“Common PTSD, you need medication, but more importantly, psychological treatment,” the doctor said, taking out a form from her medical kit, “Let’s do a psychological assessment first.”
“No.” Gongsun Ce instinctively refused, “You know psychotherapy is pointless for me; I can’t live without lying.”
The doctor looked at him for a moment, then put away the form.
“Then I can only give you some medication.”
“Thanks, that’s all I need.”
The doctor took out several different bottles of pills, instructing him on the dosage for each.
“Did you get that?”
“Of course,” Gongsun Ce repeated, “Of course…
what did you say?”
The doctor placed the bottles aside and brought out a new pill organizer.
It was split into small compartments, two rows totaling fourteen slots.
“Put the pills in this box, one compartment per day.”
“Okay, okay.”
For a long time, no one spoke.
The doctor carefully arranged the pills while Gongsun Ce stared blankly.
“Doctor?”
“What is it.”
“How is my older brother?”
The doctor didn’t stop her movements.
“He’s physically very healthy, but in other respects, all is not normal.
His heart is functioning normally, but there’s extremely abnormal data in his informational disturbances.
The release of his superpower puts a great strain on him, a phenomenon we have never encountered before.”
“So the conclusion is?”
“Mo Yuankai is basically unable to fight,” the doctor said indifferently, “He’s hardly stronger than any average person now.”
Gongsun Ce lowered his head, remembering the phone call from Mo Yuankai the previous afternoon, when he encouraged him with usual bravado to go out for a walk and get some fresh air, without a word about his own dire condition.
“…
I know.”
The doctor completely ignored his response, continuing to speak on her own.
“Aorus Otimis has been very active lately.
John Garcia and Budman Avis have plans too.
Chi Zijing is as quiet as ever.
Many small organizations have emerged during the time you’ve been away…
everyone has their own schemes.”
“Ah.” Gongsun Ce closed his eyes, “I understand what you mean.”
The doctor went silent, continuing to place pills quietly.
The monotonous sound of the pill organizer opening and closing filled the room.
“I won’t get involved in those things anymore.
Let them do whatever they want.
I won’t drag the current state of my older brother into danger.
The officials are protecting him, right?”