"Then let's keep going," Tianlang said with a smile as he casually plopped down beside Zhao Heng.
"Well, you're certainly making yourself at home," Zhao Heng remarked, arms crossed with his usual flat expression.
Zixuan sighed at their antics, but continued her story.
"Though the work was hard, seeing the joy on patients' faces when they recovered made it all worth it. I used to believe that saving lives was a noble calling—that's why I kept giving it my all."
"Isn't that the truth?" Tianlang asked, shrugging with a casual gesture.
But Zixuan shook her head.
"Saving lives may be the duty of a doctor, but that doesn't mean the system shares that heart. After I became a full-fledged doctor and started working at one of the city's top hospitals, I expected things to continue as usual. But the longer I stayed, the uglier it all became."
"You mean… internal corruption?" Zhao Heng asked.
"Exactly. Just as people fear—some used their positions to bleed patients dry. And the mastermind behind it all was the hospital director himself."
They disguised their greed as 'treatment.'
Diseases that could be cured with a small sum were twisted into illnesses that "required" exorbitant tests and procedures—prescriptions costing tens of thousands.
All to push more products. No method was too low for them.
"I tried to report it anonymously," Zixuan continued. "But there was no response. Later I found out—the director's a relative of the city's mayor. So there was nothing I could do."
"Ha… the classic 'friends in high places' situation," Zhao Heng muttered.
"So then what?" Tianlang asked, leaning forward.
"I'm just an ordinary citizen," Zixuan said with a bitter smile. "What could I possibly do? I decided to keep my head down and treat my patients the right way. But even that drew the director's ire. He accused me of ruining his 'profits.' Said that if everyone treated patients like I did, the hospital wouldn't make any money."
"That sounds like a declaration of war," Zhao Heng commented. "How did you respond?"
Zixuan shook her head.
"I refused to compromise. I wouldn't force my patients to pay for overpriced drugs. So they ostracized me. During one surgery, someone secretly switched the meds I was using… and the patient died on the table. They used that incident to destroy my reputation in the medical community."
"Unbelievable!" Tianlang's fists clenched. "If Yingba were here, he'd tear those so-called 'doctors' apart!"
"Oh? Sounds like your colleague has a strong sense of justice," Zhao Heng said.
"Not exactly," Tianlang admitted. "But he does hate two-faced hypocrites. If you fall into his hands, you might not die—but you'll wish you had."
"Let's not get sidetracked." Tianlang leaned in again. "What happened after that? Did you just let them get away with it?"
Zixuan sighed.
"I had no choice. After that incident, no clinic or hospital would hire me. I was effectively blacklisted."
Both Tianlang and Zhao Heng fell silent.
"So what did you do afterward?" Zhao Heng asked quietly.
"I moved out of my apartment. A few friends from university helped me get a job running a pet shop. One day, I overheard some customers talking about a trending new game. I thought… maybe I could use the popularity of the game to subtly expose the truth. So I joined…"
She trailed off, and it was clear from her tone that the plan hadn't worked out.
"Don't be too hard on yourself," Zhao Heng said gently. "Everyone has limits. You've done what you could."
Zixuan frowned. "You're the one who asked, remember? I moved on from this a long time ago." She shot him a look, and Zhao Heng cleared his throat awkwardly, turning his head away.
"Speaking of stories," Tianlang said with a grin, "how about you, Zhao Heng? You've been awfully quiet about your past."
"My past…?" Zhao Heng was quiet for a moment before speaking. "There's not much to say."
He leaned back, his tone flat.
"I'm a corporate grunt. Work is never-ending—documents, deadlines, bosses yelling. If you slip up, you're out the door. Just your run-of-the-mill 'office drone.'"
"Sounds rough," Tianlang said, a bit unsure of how to respond.
Zhao Heng nodded.
"It was. Endless tasks. Meetings every other day. Always watching your boss's mood. I had to learn to fake smiles, fake concern. Eventually, I even forgot what my real expression looked like."
"No wonder you're always so stoic," Zixuan commented.
Zhao Heng gave a small chuckle.
"That's not all. To secure deals, we'd ruin our health—drinking till we puked at business dinners just to make clients happy. Then, the next morning, we'd drag ourselves back to work like nothing happened."
"People see us and think we're 'successful,' but… is that really a life worth living?"
Zixuan looked at him sadly. "Seems like you had it rough, too. So how'd you come across Supreme Teyvat?"
"That… was one night, after drinking with clients again."
He returned to his dorm, exhausted. Glancing at the time, he collapsed onto his bed.
"Already this late… Guess I'm working with a hangover again tomorrow."
He groaned and turned over.
"Ugh… When will this cycle ever end…"
Ding-ling-ling. Ding-ling-ling.
His phone buzzed.
Zhao Heng expected it to be his boss—but instead, it was a game ad.
"Feeling hopeless? Lost your passion for life? Yearning to change your fate? Come to Supreme Teyvat! Become the legendary Elemental Sovereign! Rewrite your destiny—today!"
He stared at the screen.
"…Bit over the top, aren't we?"
But then his eyes drifted to a parcel he'd received earlier—a neural interface helmet, gifted by a colleague for reasons unknown.
Curious, he clicked the download link.
"So you got hooked?" Zixuan asked.
"Yeah. I was skeptical at first. But once I logged in… I felt free. I ended up playing all night. Sure, I got chewed out the next day, but that one night gave me a fresh perspective. Ever since, I've been using the game to blow off steam."
The moment he finished speaking, the room settled into a peaceful silence.
…Until—
"We're back!"
Kailin and Mo Yan returned.
"Huh? Tianlang and Zhao Heng are here too? What, were you guys gossiping or something?" Kailin's face lit up with curiosity.
Zixuan smiled.
"Nothing much. Just chatting. How was your little date?"
"Wha—date?! S-Sis Xuan, d-don't say weird things! Mo Yan and I were just… walking around!"
Zixuan giggled. "Yes, yes. Most people call that a date."
"You—ugh, forget it! I'm not talking to you!" Kailin huffed and turned away.
"Pfft…" Zhao Heng couldn't help but smirk—and Kailin immediately noticed.
She leaned over. "Hey! Did I just catch you smiling, Mr. Stoic?"
"You're imagining things," Zhao Heng said coolly, arms folded, turning his head away. "And also… too close."
"Ah—sorry!" Kailin quickly pulled back.
That night, they all stayed up chatting in the warm comfort of companionship, not falling asleep until very late.
Breaking News:
Feeling hopeless in life? Lost faith in your future? Do you long to change your destiny? Then joinSupreme Teyvat, where you'll become a revered Elemental Sovereign! Gain respect! Claim your freedom! Rewrite your fate—starting now!
Important Notice:
Confirmed transmigrator detected. Title granted: Defier.
The Covenant of Rebellion has now been initiated.
Please collect all Guardian Tokens and open the path to Dreamsky.
~~------------------------
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