Chapter 753: Mental Illness

Orange Isle was deserted at night, just as it was during the day. Only the spray-painted graffiti by the unscrupulous developer on the walls had become more visible.

When Li Huowang saw Wu Qi's RV and Qing Wanglai's luxury car, he knew he was late.

Li Huowang led Yang Na up the cement stairs towards the unfinished building. When they arrived, he saw everyone else gathered in a circle, discussing something.

"But if this isn't acceptable and that isn't acceptable, we can't just sit here and do nothing, can we?" Chen Hongyu's voice echoed through the empty building.

Seeing Li Huowang and Yang Na approach, Qing Wanglai gave a slight nod with his chin, then continued, "Of course, we can't just sit back and do nothing. We need to make the first move and gain the upper hand."

"Zhao Lei has confessed, and through him, we now know their temporary hideout. So we must act quickly before they relocate."

"Really?" Li Huowang's spirits immediately lifted upon hearing this. After being monitored for so long, they were finally going to fight back.

"How many guns can you get?" Li Huowang eagerly asked Qing Wanglai.

"Not a single one. My money wasn't earned by selling arms."

"Hmph." Li Huowang emptied all the tasers from the plastic bag. "These alone won't be enough. We'd better get some knives too; a crossbow would be ideal."

Qing Wanglai sighed softly, as if resigned to Li Huowang's suggestion. "Li Huowang, we are, after all, in a society governed by law. Can we please not immediately think of using weapons whenever we encounter a problem?"

"Law-abiding? Are we supposed to be law-abiding with them when they aren't with us? People are dead, and you talk about being law-abiding? Is the name of your gun 'Rule of Law'?"

"I'm ready!" An excited Qian Fu walked to the corner, pulled back a plastic sheet, and revealed several unusually sharp rebar rods underneath.

The cement clinging to them showed that he had picked them up from this very abandoned building.

"Everyone! Wait a moment!" Chen Hongyu's voice made the others stop.

"If we follow your plan and kill everyone there, do you truly believe that will solve the problem?"

"They are a group, a group trying to steal our special abilities. Those people are just low-level thugs. Killing more of them won't help. Who's to say the real masterminds aren't abroad, directing things via satellite phone?"

Everyone present froze, listening to Chen Hongyu's startling words.

"Since we have the chance to gain the upper hand this time, we should think about using this victory to expand our advantage and ultimately resolve this trouble once and for all."

"I agree with Sister Chen's proposal." Hearing Qing Wanglai speak, Li Huowang looked at him.

"Regardless of what their 'projections' are, I don't think it's that simple. We shouldn't just look at the surface but focus on what's underneath."

"Whatever their 'projections' may be, as long as we resolve the underlying issue, they will naturally lose their power and disappear."

Li Huowang looked at Chen Hongyu, then at Qing Wanglai. "If we're not going to act directly, then tell me, what exactly do you propose to do with all those people? Talk them into surrendering?"

Qing Wanglai pulled a corked test tube from his pocket. The liquid inside sloshed back and forth as he moved.

"Highly volatile, colorless, odorless, causes loss of consciousness, skeletal muscle relaxation, and short-term memory loss."

When he heard the list of effects, Li Huowang's eyes widened. "There's something like this? Where did you get it? A knife?"

"This stuff is much more potent than tasers."

"Through legitimate channels." Qing Wanglai put the test tube back into his pocket. "It's best not to resort to violence if we can avoid it. With these people, we can try to negotiate with the other side, which would benefit both parties."

"Even if negotiations fail, we can at least understand their demands, which will help us comprehend the true nature of the 'projections'."

"Alright then, no time to waste, let's go."

Li Huowang didn't discard the tasers and rebar rods. If Qing Wanglai's knockout drug proved ineffective, these would be their backup.

They carried the items downstairs in small groups.

As they walked downstairs, Li Huowang asked Qing Wanglai, "Since Zhao Lei confessed, did you send him abroad as previously agreed?"

"No," he shook his head. "Zhao Lei has betrayed them. He wouldn't dare leave the country; it would be a death sentence."

"Whether he wants to or not, he's on our side now. I let him go, and I'm sure he'll come back to us given some time."

"Are you so sure? Do you know him well?"

"Not really, but he was on our side before."

As the two chatted, Qian Fu, head down, hurried past them from behind.

Just as he turned the corner ahead, Li Huowang saw him glance sideways. His eyes were now filled with fear and shock.

"Qian Fu, wait a moment, I have something to ask you." Li Huowang said, sensing something was wrong, his hand slowly reaching for the taser in his pocket.

However, upon hearing this, Qian Fu ran even faster.

"Quick, chase him! His personality has switched!" A frantic Li Huowang immediately pursued Qian Fu.

Seeing Li Huowang and the others gaining on him, a cornered Qian Fu quickly retreated to a stairwell corner, gripped the sharp rebar rod in his hand, and violently lunged towards Li Huowang's chest.

Li Huowang was forced back two steps by the sharp point, and the others caught up.

They formed a semicircle, facing Qian Fu, who was backed against a brick wall.

"What do you lunatics want?!" Qian Fu shouted fiercely at them.

"Go be crazy on your own! Why do you have to drag me into this?!"

"I'm miserable enough! What do you want from me to leave me alone?! Get out of the way! I want to go back to the mental hospital! I need treatment!"

"Qian Fu, don't be impulsive. Look at me, look at my face." Qing Wanglai stepped forward, trying to calm him. "Do you remember who I am? We've met before."

"Who are you? They're all delusional lunatics! Qing Wanglai, you're the craziest one among them!"

"Stop pretending! I know everything! You killed those two orderlies! You framed someone else!"

Hearing this, Qing Wanglai looked a bit troubled. He turned to Li Huowang and whispered, "This is difficult. Qian Fu's secondary personality, affected by mental illness, is very unstable."

"Is that so." Li Huowang, still clutching the taser, glanced at Qing Wanglai's profile but said nothing.

"I'm saying it again! You be crazy, just don't drag me into it! Get out of my way!"

"Alright, we'll move aside, don't get agitated." Under Qing Wanglai's direction, everyone cleared the stairs leading down.

As Qian Fu, trembling, started to run downstairs, he suddenly saw a sparkling object fall from above and shatter in front of him with a 'smack'.

Qian Fu paused for a second before realizing it was a test tube, with some liquid seeping out.

Just as he prepared to rush further down the stairs, his consciousness suddenly began to blur, his limbs went limp, and soon his body slumped to the ground, losing all awareness.