“Notify all Android users that more and more free websites will be shut down, and the Android app is chaotic. It’s essential to find a safe and stable app to read books. The site owner strongly recommends switching to a new app, which is convenient for listening, switching, and finding books!”
The doctor at the Ping’an Hospital Outpatient Department had concluded after a series of tests and examinations: “Rest assured, your son doesn’t have any mental illnesses.”
Zhushi Jiu’s parents, Zhushi, and his sister, Zhushiya, let out a sigh of relief, but they couldn’t help but doubt the doctor’s diagnosis. “Doctor, our son has been acting strangely since yesterday. He told us that a disaster would occur in Jiangcheng and Wucheng at 10 am today. Are you sure our son doesn’t have any mental problems?”
The doctor shook his head and glanced at Zhushi Jiu, who was sitting quietly in a chair, looking quite calm. “Our diagnosis report is conclusive. Your son might be feeling a bit down, possibly with mild depression, but there’s no way he has paranoid delusions.”
Zhushi Jiu remained silent, but the atmosphere around him did seem somewhat gloomy. Although it wasn’t entirely accurate to say he had no problems, it was an exaggeration to imply he needed medication. As for his family suspecting he had paranoid delusions – that was simply unfounded.
“It’s clear your son is indeed worried about something, but it’s not severe. As a doctor, I recommend he gets out more and exercises to clear his mind.”
As they left the hospital, Zhushi Jiu looked up at the sky, which was a brilliant blue.
“Bro…” Zhushiya called out in exasperation.
To her, her brother seemed to be acting strangely, and she suspected he was still thinking about that absurd “end-of-the-world” scenario.
Zhushi Jiu checked the time. “9:52.”
There was no time to do anything.
However, Zhushi Jiu didn’t want to do anything anyway. He called Li Hua in front of his family.
“Hey, Li Hua, everything okay on your end?” Li Hua asked.
“I’m not doing well. My family sent me to the hospital, thinking I’m mentally ill,” Zhushi Jiu replied, glancing at his parents, who looked embarrassed.
Zhushi Jiu added calmly, “But it’s okay. The diagnosis was normal.”
His family felt they had overreacted when Zhushi Jiu said this.
Zhushi Jiu asked, “Where are you now?”
“I’m in Ji Province.”
“Okay.”
As the final moment approached, Zhushi Jiu and Li Hua didn’t have much to talk about. After confirming their locations, Zhushi Jiu didn’t hang up the phone, letting the time tick away.
He wasn’t afraid because he had already died twice, and his heart was filled with sorrow. He was sorrowful because he still had many things left undone, sorrowful because his family didn’t believe him, and sorrowful because he was powerless against his fate.
In the last minute, Zhushi Jiu and his family sat down on a bench in the hospital park, chatting and watching the scenery.
Zhushi Jiu stopped talking about the end of the world, and his parents stopped questioning him about “lying” to them.
—Until 10 am sharp.
The familiar blue light, the familiar pain.
“What the…!” Li Hua’s shocked voice echoed through the phone.
The phone call, which was supposed to remain connected, was suddenly cut off, displaying “Communication Disrupted” on the screen.
Zhushi Jiu let out a bitter laugh: “Sorry.”
His parents and sister had already started panicking, looking terrified.
“What’s going on?! My eyes…!”
They seemed to think there was something wrong with their eyes, as everything they saw was a deep, eerie blue.
“Ah, it hurts so much—”
Zhushiya was the first to react, quickly thinking of the disaster her brother had mentioned!
As she looked at Zhushi Jiu with a shocked expression, he seemed to be joking when he said, “This time, I’ll get to die with my family, which isn’t so bad.”
This was the third time he had received this result. Li Hua’s family had also met their demise in the end.
Zhushi Jiu woke up from his “nightmare” for the fourth time, his bed sheets drenched in cold sweat, his face pale as paper. He didn’t have the energy to move a single finger.
Originally, the body’s protective mechanism would have shut down his brain to prevent excessive pain, but Zhushi Jiu couldn’t even do that because he had experienced rebirth, and his body was unharmed. His brain’s protective mechanism didn’t work.
The memory of his body dissolving from the mysterious energy etched itself into his soul, every millisecond a vivid recall. Even waking up from that collapse was a struggle.
“What the…?!” Li Hua’s voice came from below the bed.
Zhushi Jiu’s face was deathly pale, and Li Hua’s expression changed immediately.
“Zhushi Jiu, what’s going on?”
“……Don’t talk……I’m fine,” Zhushi Jiu weakly forced out a sentence.
He really didn’t have the energy to talk and wanted to let his brain rest as much as possible, but his mind was still filled with thoughts, mainly about the events leading up to his death in the previous loop. The pain and terror in his family’s eyes were still fresh in his memory.
“I’ll go get the doctor!” Li Hua exclaimed, ignoring Zhushi Jiu’s protests.
As Li Hua left, Zhushi Jiu was left alone, his eyes fixed on the old, worn-out ceiling. The air conditioner hummed in the background, and the computer on Li Hua’s desk occasionally made game sounds. Everything seemed to be telling Zhushi Jiu that this was just a peaceful, ordinary day.
It was unknown how much time had passed when the sound of hurried footsteps and Li Hua’s shouting came from the corridor outside.
Zhushi Jiu’s entire brain felt foggy, and he only managed to regain some of his energy when the doctor in a white coat climbed onto the bed.
“……Light dehydration, rapid heartbeat……Did you do some exercise recently?”
The doctor asked after conducting a preliminary examination.
Zhushi Jiu’s symptoms resembled those of intense physical exertion.
“Teacher, he’s been staying in the dorm, and he just had a nightmare. That’s why he’s like this,” Li Hua explained.
“It’s strange,” the doctor said, looking puzzled, and wanted to conduct further checks.
However, Zhushi Jiu raised his hand to stop the doctor: “Teacher, don’t bother. I’m fine, my roommate is overreacting.”
Perhaps due to the nurturing environment, Zhushi Jiu’s body gradually regained its energy. Although his limbs were still a bit weak, he was almost back to normal.
The doctor let out a sigh of relief: “Young people need to take care of their bodies. You had a nightmare and ended up like this. I suggest you go to the hospital for a thorough checkup. To be honest, I suspect you might have heart problems……”
“Okay, I’ll go when I have time.”
Zhushi Jiu forced a smile to placate the doctor.
After the doctor left, Zhushi Jiu’s fake smile finally collapsed, and his entire face was filled with despair.
At this moment, Li Hua, who had been waiting anxiously, finally dared to speak up: “Zhushi Jiu, you scared me. Are you really okay?”
“……”
Zhushi Jiu let out a long sigh and forced himself to calm down.
When he finally looked at Li Hua, he said: “……Li Hua, listen to me……”
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