Mutated Tao

Yang Na followed behind Li Huowang as he was carried away. She sobbed as she explained, “Huowang, don’t be afraid. I recorded all the conversations you had with Qing Wanglai and the others using a voice recorder.

“I’ve actually been collecting evidence all along. I gave all this evidence to Doctor Yi, and he knows that a group of people has been threatening you!

“Once you’re admitted, Dr. Yi will call the police, and I’ll tell them everything. Huowang, you’re safe now. You’re under their protection and won’t be in danger again!

“Huowang, don’t be afraid. You just need to take your medication!”

As the orderlies carried Li Huowang down the stairs, he continued to look up at Yang Na in disbelief, repeatedly asking why.

After Li Huowang uttered his final “Why,” Yang Na covered her face with her hands and squatted down, crying in despair.

The familiar areas of the White Tower Prison flashed before his eyes. The iron gate, barbed wire, the TV in the lounge, the fellow patients, and the isolation room.

Li Huowang sat in the isolation room, tightly bound. He ate when food was brought to him and took his medicine when it was given to him. Doctors treated his injuries, and he cooperated fully.

It was as if time didn’t exist. Li Huowang had no idea how long had passed.

When the restraints were taken off and his injuries had mostly healed, he was handcuffed and shackled. Then, the orderlies led him out of the isolation room.

He recognized the path they were taking—he knew he was being taken to Yi Donglai’s office.

He took his seat and, unsurprisingly, saw Yi Donglai.

The orderlies left at Yi Donglai’s signal, and then he sat down before Li Huowang with a tablet. “Don’t you have anything to say? This isn’t like you, Li Huowang.”

Li Huowang glanced around and observed Yi Donglai’s office. “What do you want me to say? Would you believe me if I said I wasn’t sick?”

It was a small, simple place. There was a desk with a computer and a therapy chair. Other than that, the only notable feature was the bookshelf on the left.

The tall bookshelf held various books related to Yi Donglai’s profession and some decorative items. One of them was an eighteen-sided die the size of a Rubik’s cube.

Yi Donglai noticed Li Huowang looking at the die and explained, “This is an eighteen-sided die inlaid with gold and silver. It is a relic from the Western Han dynasty. They used it for drinking games or Liubo chess.”

“Haha, a Western Han relic in your office? Are you crazy?”

“Of course, the original isn’t here. I saw it at Guanfu Museum in Shanghai and bought a replica from the gift shop.”

Yi Donglai picked up the die, quickly flipped it over a few sides, and showed Li Huowang the small characters at the bottom.

“See? Made in Yiwu. It’s fake.”

Li Huowang turned away, uninterested.

Yi Donglai placed the die on the table. “Why are you so calm now? Don’t you want to know how Qing Wanglai is doing? Or what happened to your enemies?”

Li Huowang clenched his fists. “There’s no point in me asking. I’m sure you will tell me anyway.”

“Let’s start with Qing Wanglai, the graduate student you and Yang Na mentioned. He doesn’t work or study at that university. I couldn’t find anyone named Qing Wanglai there.”

Li Huowang’s pupils shrank slightly. “That’s impossible!”

“It is possible. See for yourself.”

Yi Donglai handed over the tablet.

Li Huowang scrolled through quickly but did not find anything. Beside him, Yi Donglai joked, “So? Unless your friend is a computer expert who hacked the university’s network to change his information?”

Yi Donglai paused briefly before continuing, “And as for those enemies who spied on you and later tried to harm you, if it was such a big deal, it would’ve likely been filed as a case—maybe even with a special task force. Unfortunately, no case was filed.”

“Why?” Li Huowang pressed his thumb into the screen in frustration.

“Because there’s no evidence. All the places Yang Na mentioned happened in places without surveillance. The places have all been checked, and no evidence was found.

“We live in a society governed by law. Even if you confess to murder, you are innocent without a body found.

“Normally, without any physical evidence, eyewitness testimony would suffice. But in your case, I’m afraid the police won’t listen to you. As for Yang Na, the police won’t believe her either.”

“Why not?” Li Huowang asked, recalling Zhao Shuangdian’s theory of rules.

At this moment, he found the world increasingly absurd.

“Because she has depression, which can cause delusions. Your case is more akin to schizophrenia, without any basis in reality. But with depression, delusions formed from a distorted view of reality are common.”

“She’s been cured for a long time! Where would the delusion be from?!”

Yi Donglai’s expression turned serious. “No. Her condition has relapsed, and it’s worse than before. She needs rest, not stimulation. More importantly, you shouldn’t have blamed her. You’re the cause of her current self-destructive behavior.”

Li Huowang's fists tightened, his nails piercing into his flesh. “Where is she? I want to see her!”

“Forget it. She has other doctors caring for her. You two shouldn’t meet now. Focus on yourself first. This time, you might have to stay here for a year or two.”

“Yi Donglai! You tested me! I’m not sick!”

Li Huowang couldn’t stay for a year or two. God Yu’er and the other Simings had already infiltrated deeply. He would only become a target if he stayed here.

Yi Donglai replied sternly, “You’re not sick only while you’re on medication! Why did you stop taking your meds?! And how did you get injured?”

“I was beaten by those people!”

Clearly exhausted, Yi Donglai sighed. “Alright, it’s time to eat. After your meal, we’ll run some tests.”

Li Huowang turned and left with a heavy expression on his face.

Once he was outside the office, he quickly rushed into a nearby restroom instead of going to the cafeteria.

Li Huowang looked around, ensuring that no one was nearby. He then retrieved the eighteen-sided die and placed it meticulously in front of him.

He stared at the single large yellow dot and then said with a tone of negotiation, “Shai Zi, let’s make a deal.”[1]

1. Shai Zi is also the Chinese name for dice. ☜