The hospital ward.
The demonic granny lay in the pristine white hospital bed. The ceiling light shone brightly, but the events that had transpired left her in a state of bewilderment.
Who am I?
What happened to me?
These simple questions revealed her inability to accept her current situation.
As a demon, she had awakened and descended upon Yanhai City with the sole purpose of playing a game with the humans. If she won, she would destroy the city. Now, finding herself lying in a hospital bed, struck her as incredibly bizarre.
For a demon, it was a humiliating experience.
"Hey!" The demonic granny called out to the two humans. Her demeanor was no longer kind; it was clear she had abandoned any pretense of benevolence.
"Granny, what's wrong?" Lin Fan inquired, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. The kind old granny seemed to have changed, appearing somewhat unfamiliar. Yet, this didn't diminish their friendly attitude towards her.
She had willingly given them flower garlands and a hundred yuan for barbecue – what a generous person!
Now, hearing her call, they naturally listened attentively, ready to fulfill any request.
The demonic granny's voice dropped to a low growl, "I've memorized your faces. You've subjected me to a humiliation I've never experienced in my long life. I hope you live well, because I will definitely come looking for you."
As her words faded, her body gradually turned transparent, ultimately vanishing from the ward.
Silence.
Utter silence.
Lin Fan and Old Zhang stared at the empty bed, dumbfounded. They exchanged glances before rushing to the window and peering down. There was no fallen body.
"She disappeared?" Lin Fan exclaimed in astonishment.
"Just like that, vanished before our eyes. How amazing!" Old Zhang had never witnessed such magic; it was more spectacular than anything he'd seen on television.
As for the demonic granny's parting words, they found them heartwarming. She truly was a kind granny, considering them friends. Though she had vanished, she promised to return.
They were content.
"Such an amazing granny. She'll come back for us," Lin Fan remarked.
Old Zhang added, "She left in such a hurry. We didn't even get to chat more."
The demonic rooster watched the two foolish humans as if they were imbeciles.
Don't you understand what just happened?
The look the granny gave you as she disappeared was the same look demons give to humans.
Didn't you sense it?
Nurse Zhang entered with a chart, prepared to administer medication. She found the elderly patient gone, with the two psychiatric patients sitting there, stunned.
She felt uneasy.
A gust of wind blew through the open window. Horrific images flashed through her mind: the two patients, faces contorted, throwing the old woman out the window.
She recoiled, withdrawing the foot she had placed inside the room. Without a word, she went to the next ward, peered down from the window, and sighed in relief when she saw no body. Returning to the original ward, she feigned composure.
"Where's the elderly lady?" Nurse Zhang asked with a forced smile.
"She disappeared," Lin Fan replied calmly.
Old Zhang nodded. "Just now, right in front of us. She can do magic."
Faced with the two psychiatric patients, Nurse Zhang felt increasingly nervous. She excused herself with a polite smile and immediately notified Deputy Director Li. A patient had vanished, the two other patients were babbling incoherently, and serious intervention was required.
"Old Zhang, let's go," Lin Fan said, rising and taking the rooster's leash, ready to leave the hospital.
Old Zhang followed, asking, "When will she come find us?"
Lin Fan pondered for a moment. "Probably soon. We still haven't returned the money we borrowed from her."
"Oh, right."
The two men and a chicken walked down the hospital corridor. Nurses and doctors who passed them gave them a wide berth, offering forced smiles when avoidance was impossible.
Lin Fan returned the smiles, his expression warm yet subtly unsettling.
Passing a ward, they glanced inside.
Chen Xiang lay in bed, watching Li Ang. Though his face was expressionless, his eyes betrayed him: jealousy, pure and simple.
His goddess had blocked him after he introduced her to Li Ang. This was unbearable.
He was superior to Li Ang in education, looks, temperament, and wealth. Why would she choose to chat with Li Ang and block him? It was an unacceptable truth.
Watching Li Ang tap away on his phone with a grin, Chen Xiang felt the urge to challenge him to a duel.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
So infuriating!
"What are you chatting about?" Chen Xiang asked.
Li Ang chuckled. "I just commented on her Moments post, and she said I'm funny. Take a look, isn't my comment hilarious?"
Chen Xiang couldn't let Li Ang know he'd been blocked, so he pretended to glance at the phone, forcing a laugh. "Very funny."
"I told her we're sharing a hospital room," Li Ang added.
Chen Xiang desperately wanted to know if his goddess had mentioned him or said anything else. Unable to contain his curiosity, he asked, "Did she say anything?"
Li Ang looked down at his phone, a smirk playing on his lips. "Nope."
Chen Xiang couldn't fathom the standards of women these days. Blocking someone as exceptional as him? Was that even humanly possible?
And this Li Ang, who looked like a loser, somehow received preferential treatment.
Perhaps he would never understand that Li Ang was simply better at flattering their goddess, shamelessly showering her with compliments regardless of the occasion. He would say anything to please her.
Like a persistent stream, eventually flowing into a vast ocean.
Suddenly, Chen Xiang felt a wave of unease. He looked up at the doorway.
His rosy cheeks instantly paled.
Two familiar figures, familiar faces. He wasn't mistaken; it was the psychiatric patient who had stabbed him.
What were they doing here?
Lin Fan and Old Zhang stood at the entrance, waving at Chen Xiang while whispering to each other.
"Don't worry, we won't go in. He's seen us. If we don't acknowledge him, he'll definitely have an episode and become hostile."
"Yeah, I know."
They stood there, smiling and waving, but refusing to enter the ward.
Lin Fan could forget anyone, but not Chen Xiang. The man was truly disturbed, frightening even. He had forced Lin Fan to stab him with a knife, despite acknowledging the danger.
Just thinking about it sent shivers down his spine.
Chen Xiang's mind replayed Lin Fan's actions. The psychiatric patient standing at the door, smiling and waving… it was all so terrifying.
When fear reaches a certain threshold, it can lead to a complete breakdown.
"Ah!" Chen Xiang screamed in terror, his expression exaggerated, as if he had seen a ghost.
Lin Fan grabbed Old Zhang and fled. They were just being friendly, waving and smiling. Why did he have to have another episode and scare them?
March 19th.
Morning.
Another beautiful day.
The Special Department dormitory.
Lin Fan and Old Zhang stood face to face, adjusting each other's clothes.
"Your collar isn't flipped properly."
"Oh… could you fix it for me?"
"You should pay more attention to these things."
"Yes, yes, yes."
Daily life was simple. The demonic rooster was gradually developing a habit of laying two eggs every morning. It never forgot its true nature as a demonic rooster. Its current subservience was merely a temporary act of endurance. One day, its demonic brethren would understand its actions, perhaps even feel pride.
Lin Fan, leading the hen, left the dormitory with Old Zhang. Their daily task was to patrol the streets.
Though they weren't sure what exactly they were supposed to do, the news had emphasized the importance of being helpful citizens.
The demonic rooster strutted with its head held high. While subservient in front of Lin Fan, it was bold and arrogant outside, unafraid even of powerful humans. What are you looking at? Never seen such a handsome rooster?
Downstairs.
"You two look really familiar. Have we met before?" Liu Ying asked with a smile, rubbing his shiny head.
He had inquired yesterday and learned that these two were new colleagues, personally brought in by the Chief. They must have something special about them, like exceptional strength. Otherwise, they wouldn't have earned the Chief's approval.
Lin Fan shook his head. "I don't think so."
"Maybe I'm mistaken." Liu Ying chuckled, then looked at the demonic rooster, frowning slightly. "This is…"
Lin Fan explained, "Her name is Hen. She's my pet."
A pet?
Liu Ying was surprised. As expected of someone chosen by the Chief, even their pet was unique.
Then he noticed the old man staring intently at him. "Is something wrong?" he asked curiously.
Old Zhang raised a hand and touched Liu Ying's bald head, pondering for a moment. "Androgenetic alopecia caused by excessive androgens."
Liu Ying was bewildered. He understood each word individually, but together, they sounded like gibberish, making his head spin.
"What does that mean?" Liu Ying asked.
He had started balding at a young age, eventually resorting to shaving his head completely, convincing himself that bald was good, bald was handsome, bald saved resources for the country.
But… every young person dreamed of having a thick, lustrous head of hair.
Every time he went to the barber shop and heard people with long hair complain about how annoying their hair was, his heart ached. What you have is what I can never attain.
Why would you say such things in front of me?
Don't you know it hurts?
"It's treatable," Old Zhang declared.
"What? You're saying my hair can grow back?" Liu Ying's eyes widened, his body trembling with excitement.
Old Zhang nodded. "Yes."
Lin Fan added, "Old Zhang's acupuncture skills are remarkable. He's saved many people. If he treats you, your hair will definitely grow back."
Liu Ying grasped Old Zhang's hands, his voice filled with emotion. "Master, I believe you!"
Look, he even started using honorifics.
To be a member of the Special Department, one had to be skilled. This was why Liu Ying believed him. The explanation sounded so professional, just like his dentist when he got fillings. He understood each word, but not the meaning as a whole. It just sounded impressive.
Whether he understood or not didn't matter.
Impressive was enough.
"Old Zhang, we have things to do," Lin Fan said.
"No rush, no rush at all," Liu Ying replied. "I'll come find you tonight. Master, please help me. This problem has troubled me for a long time. I considered hair transplants, but they're too expensive. Now that I've met you, Master, I feel like my chance has finally come."
After a brief conversation, Liu Ying stood at the entrance, waving as they walked away, his fists clenched in excitement.
"Yes!" He was so thrilled he could barely contain himself.
A colleague patted Liu Ying on the shoulder. "I think those two are a bit off. Seems like they're not quite right in the head."
Liu Ying's beaming smile faded. "What are you talking about? Don't say that about the Master, or I'll get angry."
His colleague chuckled, trying to appease him.
It was just a comment. Just a feeling. Nothing serious.
…
Ju Wei Xian, a renowned seafood restaurant in Yanhai City.
Inside, the servers bustled about, struggling to keep up with the influx of customers.
The restaurant offered reasonable prices, a diverse menu, and exceptional flavors. Their strategy was high volume and low profit margins. Earning three to five hundred yuan per table wasn't considered little, and six to seven hundred wasn't considered much.
Seafood, after all, relied on the allure of air-freighted ingredients.
Freshness and authenticity were paramount.
In the kitchen, the food runner called out, "Table three added an order of Avocado Eel Rainbow Roll. Make it quick, the customer is impatient."
"Got it."
The chef approached the fish tank, looking for a suitable eel.
The ordinary eels, unaware of their impending fate as a culinary delight, swam about cheerfully, as if eager to showcase their vitality.
But one eel behaved strangely.
It appeared listless, almost lifeless, yet it would occasionally twitch, as if to prove it was still alive.
The demonic eel was highly intelligent. By the riverbank, it had noticed a child who loved keeping fish. It had intentionally approached the child, allowing itself to be caught. With nothing better to do, it decided to stay at the child's home for a while.
Unexpectedly, the child's parents had sold it to the seafood restaurant.
It had considered resisting, but seeing so many other eels in the tank, it decided to lie low, feigning weakness to avoid attracting attention.
The chef glanced at the tank and scooped out the demonic eel. It was nearly dead anyway, perfect for serving to a customer. If it actually died, it would be worthless.
The demonic eel lay on the cutting board, its mind screaming, What are you planning to do, human?
Seeing the sharp cleaver in the chef's hand, it realized he intended to kill it.
Resistance. It had to resist.
Suddenly, there was a crackling sound, like popping beans.
The chef looked around in confusion, wondering where the noise had come from. Then he noticed a change in the eel on the cutting board.
Crackle! Pop!
Electric arcs danced around the demonic eel.
"Ah! A demon!"
The chef shrieked, raising the cleaver and bringing it down hard on the demonic eel.
Thud!
Blood splattered.
The eel was cleaved in two.
Despite his fear, he had still chopped it.
The obese chef wiped the sweat from his brow.
"Scared the hell out of me! Damn it!"
The electric arcs vanished.
The demonic eel stared, not dead, but stunned by the blow.
Wasn't your scream supposed to be followed by a panicked escape?
You actually dared to chop me?