Chapter 99.2: Love Welfare Institute (1/2)

Bai Liu taught little Bai Liu (6) how to use the game manager and his personal skill. The child was a bit confused at first but soon got to know it. He accepted the fact that his reality was a multiplayer game very quickly. There was no need for Bai Liu to explain it. The child soon started to move freely through the system store on his own.

Before Bai Liu left, little Bai Liu (6) asked him, “You told me about the details of those two games previously so I could quickly adapt to this so-called game manager?”

“It isn’t game sharing between friends at all.” There was no emotion on little Bai Liu (6)’s face. “You liar. Every word you say to me and everything you do has a purpose. This makes me even more confused about why you will give up taking my blood and die for me.”

“This isn’t something you can do at all. Of course, I definitely won’t do something so stupid.”

“Talk.” Little Bai Liu (6) held the coin on his chest tightly as he stared straight at Bai Liu. “What else do you need me to do for you? The money you gave me is enough for me to do many things.”

“I just want you to live.” Bai Liu looked at little Bai Liu (6) with a smile. “There is really nothing else.”

He walked out from behind the church and happened to see Liu Huai talking to Liu Jiayi about something.

Liu Huai wanted to give everything directly to Liu Jiayi like Bai Liu but Liu Jiayi couldn’t see. It wasn’t very good for her to hold so many things. Liu Huai might not trust Bai Liu but he trusted Bai Liu’s trading nature. In desperation, he could only say to Bai Liu, “If I die, I will give you everything before I die. You pass it on to my sister.”

He gave Bai Liu 400 points as payment in advance.

Bai Liu agreed.

The chorus performance soon ended and it was time to take the group photo. Bai Liu (6), who finally finished his makeup removal, was caught by a teacher and had a big dot drawn in the middle of his forehead with lipstick. He stood in the back row a bit lifelessly, his hair still not fully dried as he looked at the investors in front of him.

Bai Liu and a few investors stood in front.

The dean aimed the camera at them. “A group photo of the 200X performance at the Love Welfare Institute.”

There was a click and Bai Liu (6)’s inattentive gaze remained in the colorful photo. Bai Liu had always been curious about how Bai Liu (6) found him from among the group of investors. If he had asked, little Bai Liu (6) would probably point to this photo and tell him: You are the only one who doesn’t look at us with deprivation and greed. You look at us calmly, as if you are looking at yourself.

“The chorus performance is over. Children, please give the investors a gift for investing in you.” The dean raised her hand and gestured. “This is the task I gave you yesterday. Have you done it?”

The children gave sparse responses. “We’ve done it, Dean.”

The children started to line up to give homemade gifts to the investors.

Little Bai Liu (6) was standing in line and walked out. He passed Bai Liu in silence and didn’t give anything. Since his investor was dead, he didn’t need to give anything.

However, Bai Liu had asked for the prepared gift at the back of the church. Bai Liu (6) wasn’t very happy to give it to him but Bai Liu insisted and said he would give money. Finally, Bai Liu (6) succumbed to the charm of money and handed over the prepared gift.

The gift was two paintings drawn by himself. One was a small fish placed in a glass jar and the other was a broken mirror that burned on an exploding train. It happened to be the two scenes in the game that Bai Liu and Bai Liu (6) had talked about last night. The signature below was ‘w.’

Bai Liu looked down at the two paintings and understood where the paintings in the real world had come from and the sense of violation from them.

Bai Liu stared at little Bai Liu (6) standing in front of him. Since little Bai Liu (6) hadn’t really experienced the games, he only relied on what he knew to imagine and portray the scenes Bai Liu had told him.

This small welfare home was currently the only world that little Bai Liu (6) could see.

Thus, he used the things in the welfare home to depict the grand scenes Bai Liu mentioned. This made Bai Liu feel a bit weird when he first saw the paintings because the images were too ‘narrow’ and ‘angry’. They weren’t his usual style.

This weirdness came from the cognitive difference between him and little Bai Liu (6).

Bai Liu’s eyes fell on the uncleared lipstick at the end of little Bai Liu (6)’s eyes. Little Bai Liu (6) quickly looked away. He didn’t like being looked at directly.

***

At 7:30 p.m., the program ended.

The dean sent all the investors back to the hospital. Miao Gaojiang said goodbye meaningfully and Bai Liu replied casually. Then he returned to Mu Ke’s room.

Mu Ke’s room was empty.

This guy was still in the archives room below. Bai Liu glanced at the time.

He had planned for Mu Ke to stay there from 12 noon to 9:15 p.m., a total of 9 hours and 15 minutes. According to Mu Ke’s fastest memory speed, he could remember 300 to 500 medical records before the nurses changed shifts. These were the records of the children in the welfare home that Bai Liu visited in the real world and the estimated number of medical records of the investors.

There was still almost an hour and a half.

At this point, Mu Ke should use the keyboard to contact him. However—Bai Liu touched his bare neck. He had already given the game manager to little Bai Liu (6) and couldn’t get in touch with Mu Ke. He couldn’t understand Mu Ke’s current situation or tell Mu Ke any information that could help him.

The medical records room.

Mu Ke covered his mouth as he rummaged through the pile of dusty files. He didn’t know how long he had stayed in this dark place. It wasn’t like the wards that had clocks. Mu Ke could only occasionally look at the nurses patrolling outside to determine what time it was.

Mu Ke saw a nurse walk in the direction of the cafeteria and was a bit nervous. It was dinner time.

By this point, Miao Feichi and the others should’ve come back. Mu Ke quickly opened his system backpack. He just wanted to fiddle with the keyboard to inquire about Bai Liu when he saw the keyboard move.

[Enter.] This meant entry and it should mean he had come back.

Mu Ke removed the [backspace] and [?] keycaps. This was the back button and a question mark. He meant ‘should I come back now?’ Then he put the keycaps back on.

Bai Liu’s reply was quick: [end], [?]

Mu Ke helplessly replied: [N], [O]

The number of medical records here was more than he thought. Mu Ke looked at the names briefly and it was hard for him to remember so many irregular names, let alone the child corresponding to each name, the time point when they became seriously ill and the specific information.

At this time, Mu Ke had to be glad about Bai Liu’s foresight. After sleeping for a while, he could remember this type of cumbersome and detailed information more efficiently and clearly. Still, he couldn’t finish it in one afternoon. It was because there were too many medical records here!

Every patient here also recorded their previous detailed diagnosis at other hospitals. The medical history of each patient was too complex because they had been treated by many doctors and declared to have no cure. One medical record was equivalent to a small book.

Bai Liu’s message came again: [9], [1], [5]

Mu Ke understood. This was to let him leave at 9:15 when the nurses changed shifts.

There was just one serious problem. Miao Feichi and Miao Gaojiang had returned and Mu Ke might encounter them on the way.

Mu Ke: [v], [p], [?]

Mu Ke wanted to say PVP but there was only one [p] on the keyboard. He used the second half but this was a game. He felt that Bai Liu should be able to understand it.