Chapter Six: Finally, the Wait is Over!
Early spring of the second year, Zhonghai City Mental Health Rehabilitation Center.
After several months apart, Zhou Xianglin and Liu Shihao arrived here together with their entourage.
The hospital’s director personally came out to greet the major benefactor Liu Shihao and accompanied the group to the most luxurious and specially-designated therapeutic ward in the hospital.
Outside the one-way glass of the ward, Liu Shihao looked through the window at his son inside.
Liu Hongyu sat on a sleek, soft rubber bed, propped up with cushions, watching television. His hands and feet were not restrained.
“His condition has been relatively stable over the past couple of days, with no extreme behavior. However, we maintain 24-hour surveillance without any relaxation. Please rest assured, Mr. Liu!”
The attending physician, who accompanied the director, spoke.
Zhou Xianglin also watched Liu Hongyu inside, then turned to ask the doctor.
“How is his physical condition? How are his vital signs? He should still be relatively healthy, right?”
The doctor quickly replied, “The latest comprehensive physical examination was a week ago, and all indicators were healthy.”
“That’s good.”
After speaking, Zhou Xianglin looked toward Liu Shihao and then nodded slightly. At last, a faint smile appeared on Liu Shihao’s face as he glanced at the director.
The director, being perceptive, surely understood the significance of today’s event. For the sake of caution, he asked for confirmation.
“You mean, today, Mr. Liu?”
“Yes, today.”
While Liu Shihao spoke, his men pushed in a specially made hospital bed, atop which rested a neatly crafted wooden box.
The director nodded to the attending physician...
Moments later, when Liu Shihao and the others arrived at the hospital’s CCTV monitoring room, the timing was just right.
The hospital’s broadcast music began to play—signaling the patients’ outdoor activity time.
Almost simultaneously, the suite-like ward began to release a hypnotic gas.
Soon, unaware of his father’s arrival, Liu Hongyu grew drowsy. Due to the controlled dosage and release speed of the gas, he only grew weak and did not fall asleep immediately.
“Boom—”
A thunderous explosion shattered many windows in the hospital. Shortly after, a fire broke out somewhere within the hospital, rapidly spreading toward the ward area where Liu Hongyu was.
“Fire—fire—quick, put out the fire—”
Heart-wrenching screams echoed, and from Liu Hongyu’s perspective through the small observation window, the corridor outside was bathed in red flames...
Fire? I... I can’t move. Maybe... maybe dying in the fire wouldn’t be so bad...
“Ring ring ring ring ring...”
As alarms blared, Liu Hongyu slipped into unconsciousness.
The next moment, regardless of the still contained fire in the corridor, the ward door was forcefully opened. Several burly men rushed in.
They lifted Liu Hongyu and placed him into the wheeled wooden box bed, fitting a breathing mask on him before pushing the bed out of the ward and rushing toward the hospital entrance.
Liu Shihao and Zhou Xianglin were already waiting at the hospital gate.
Liu Shihao’s attention was fixed on the wheeled bed and the wooden box. Beside him, Zhou Xianglin glanced at his old friend and suddenly asked,
“Shihao, you look worse than last time. You should get a full check-up sometime. Don’t let your body give out before your son recovers!”
Liu Shihao forced a smile but said nothing.
Finally, I have waited for this moment. I wonder if Heaven will grant me more time—to see Hongyu fully recovered...
At that moment, the hospital fire alarm bells rang out.
---
Before them, thick smoke billowed from the inpatient building’s backyard of Zhonghai City Mental Health Rehabilitation Center...
---
Only twenty minutes later, at a corner of Zhonghai Airport, a private jet took off, headed for Jingzhou.
At Jingzhou Airport, a helicopter was already being prepared and waiting...
---
Early morning in the first half of the second lunar month, within the Shennongjia Nature Reserve, in the Liu family’s private experimental economic forest area—Hidden Immortal Valley.
A strange “whirring” sound pierced the stillness from afar.
In the Ningxin Study Hall, the children all seemed to hear it, and murmurs arose among the students copying texts at their desks.
“Quiet!”
With a single sharp word from Zhuang Lin, the classroom instantly fell silent.
Zhuang Lin then rose from his desk, walked to a window, opened it halfway, and looked toward the sky in the direction of the sound.
There, a helicopter was slowly descending.
The main arrival has come!
If nothing unexpected occurs, this might be the only glimpse of modern high technology these people will see for years to come...
“Teacher, what’s that sound?”
Inevitably, a bold student asked. Zhuang Lin smiled and replied,
“A windstorm, a tornado—just the changing climate!”
---
A river flowed through half the valley, fed by mountain streams and primarily by an underground spring within the valley.
About half an hour after the helicopter’s arrival, near the river spring, someone shouted loudly.
“Someone fell into the water—help, quick—someone fell in!”
“There really’s someone in the water! Get him out—”
In the chaos and urgency, a young man, his clothes torn and bearing faint burn marks, was pulled from the water.
Perhaps due to the cold water’s shock or something else, Liu Hongyu vaguely saw many people dressed in ancient attire rescuing him before losing consciousness again.
The young man was unconscious and was taken by kind-hearted villagers to the valley’s elder doctor...
News quickly spread that a stranger had been washed out from the spring, sparking widespread discussion among the adults and curiosity among the children.
Of course, except for a few immature children, most people knew who he was—but from this moment on, no one showed it.
---
The next morning, Liu Hongyu gradually woke up.
Dazed, exhausted, sore and weak all over, lying on a rather hard surface...
But since I’m conscious, I’m not dead, right?
Liu Hongyu slowly opened his eyes.
The surroundings were dim. He saw old wooden beams above, a wooden ceiling panel, the rooftop rafters, and hanging or spread medicinal herbs.
He recognized the faint medicinal scent, like that in an apothecary.
Where is this? Shouldn’t I be in the hospital?
Liu Hongyu paused and looked down at himself, covered by an old, gray quilt.
---
His gaze shifted around the room. The furnishings looked ancient—wooden tables, chairs, stools, and furniture filled the small room. The closed door was a wooden one with a lattice window.
The only light came through oil paper covering the door and window.
At that moment, outside footsteps approached, accompanied by a joyful child’s voice.
“Grandpa—I’m back!”
“Oh, welcome back, welcome back... What did the school teach today?”
“Today the teacher began ‘Encouragement to Learning’... By the way, has the visitor woken? Many friends asked. Even the teacher is curious!”
“According to the pulse diagnosis, there’s no major problem. But falling into cold water inevitably weakens the body; he will surely wake!”
“I’ll go see him!”
After these words, light footsteps approached the door. Liu Hongyu sensed someone was coming.
Suddenly, anxiety gripped him. Where am I? Who are these people? Why do they sound so strange?
“Creak~”
The door opened. Liu Hongyu widened his eyes, seeing a small boy standing at the entrance, about six or seven years old, wearing a thick gray robe with layers underneath for warmth.
The child’s eyes were lively. Upon seeing Liu Hongyu half-sitting up, he was momentarily stunned but quickly reacted and shouted outside,
“Grandpa—he’s awake—”
No sooner had the boy shouted than footsteps rushed closer, and an elder with a long beard appeared at the doorway.
Alongside his anxiousness, a subtle excitement rose within Liu Hongyu.
If the boy’s clothing seemed unusual, this elder’s attire was unmistakably ancient.
The long, crossed collar, the tied sash, the wide sleeves, his hair bun adorned with a wooden pin, and his white beard flowing with dignity—his measured gait as he entered the room, the boy following close behind.
This visitor was Mu Chen, the valley’s only doctor. Renowned for his medical skill, his presence drew crowds even in his hometown.
His coming here was not for the Liu family’s money but out of genuine interest in the “Breaking Illusions Project,” making him Liu Hongyu’s “attending doctor” in the valley’s physical sense.
Mu Chen carried the aura of a master healer. Just his approach filled Liu Hongyu with a gentle warmth.
The elder stroked his beard and calmly sat beside the bed, looking at Liu Hongyu, who was dazed and slightly parted his lips. A faint smile appeared on the doctor’s face.
“Judging by your complexion, young master, you seem unharmed. But I have some doubts. Might you enlighten me?”
Liu Hongyu swallowed nervously. This speech, reminiscent of ancient times as heard on television, made him tense as he suppressed his excitement and nearly overwhelming speculation. He took a deep breath.
After pondering briefly, Liu Hongyu forced himself to speak appropriately.
“I... I know no secrets and will speak freely, honored sir. Please, ask.”
Mu Chen nodded and pointed toward a corner on the floor beside the bed.
“May I ask your surname, given name, and where you hail from? How did you find your way here? It is early spring, still cold, yet you emerged from the spring with very different clothing and burn marks. Quite peculiar!”
Liu Hongyu was slightly stunned. Clothing?
He instinctively looked in the direction the elder pointed and saw his hospital patient’s gown, marked with charred patches.
In that moment, memories flooded back.
Yes, yes—the hospital caught fire! My last memory there was the raging flames!
Then, I seemed to be in the water, with many people dressed in ancient garb rescuing me...
Overcome with intense excitement, his body trembled slightly, heart pounding fiercely as if about to leap from his chest.
At that moment, Liu Hongyu’s first thought was: I did it. I really returned to ancient times!