Chapter 28: A Grim Revelation and Red Eyes

After reading Liu Ge’s diary, Qiao Xia could finally piece together the entire sequence of events.

Beyond his boxing matches, Liu Ge also frequented clubs, seeking the company of women for pleasure.

It was there that he contracted the illness.

Learning this unexpected truth, Qiao Xia found himself utterly speechless.

Previously, Qiao Xia had imagined Liu Ge’s infection stemmed from something far more mysterious—a super plague, an enigmatic drug, secret men in black, or even an alien invasion.

Instead, it was simply this?

However, it did explain why so many people, like Liu Ge and his teammate Dalong mentioned in the diary, exhibited the same symptoms. It seemed the ‘ladies’ had been a little too dedicated, diligently spreading the virus to everyone.

The situation had already unfolded, and dwelling on other possibilities was futile.

Given the terrifying symptoms Liu Ge displayed after contracting the disease, they could not afford to be complacent.

Furthermore, the syringe containing the mysterious liquid required constant monitoring. Qiao Xia felt he couldn’t put all his eggs in one basket, relying solely on the fat police officer. He needed to inquire elsewhere for information.

Perhaps he could unearth some concrete details.

After all, the syringe had only appeared in Liu Ge’s pocket after he escaped from the hospital.

This led Qiao Xia to suspect it was most likely stolen from the hospital.

Considering Liu Ge’s previous state of body stiffness and unresponsiveness, he wouldn’t have been able to use a syringe even if it were in his pocket. It was highly probable that after being admitted to the hospital, someone had helped him administer an injection, after which he regained his faculties.

Following this line of reasoning, the answer seemed on the verge of revealing itself.

Despite this, Qiao Xia decided it would be best to ask the committee members tomorrow about the process of sending Liu Ge to the hospital.

As for why he wouldn’t go now, today’s experiences had been utterly harrowing. With his chances to reverse outcomes exhausted, Qiao Xia felt an inexplicable fear of venturing outside.

Had this happened before, Qiao Xia would have simply scoffed, dismissing it with a casual laugh and a phrase like, “What’s the big deal? Is it really necessary?”

Now, having personally endured it, Qiao Xia understood the gravity of the situation.

Don’t believe him?

Just experience the threat of death a few more times, and you’d believe anything.

His last future premonition had shown him his carotid artery being bitten through. Even now, Qiao Xia’s hand instinctively went to his neck, a phantom pain throbbing, despite the absence of any physical wound. The past ordeal had left him with post-traumatic after-effects.

Though these effects were likely temporary, Qiao Xia decided it was best to simply stay put.

Perhaps, he would play a game.

****

Early the next morning, when Qiao Xia awoke from his slumber, he found his entire body aching, his limbs heavy, making even the act of rising from bed exceptionally difficult.

The sheer number of events from the previous day had prevented his body from recovering quickly.

Fortunately, after Qiao Xia lay in bed for a while longer, the pain subsided considerably, allowing him to grit his teeth and force himself to get up.

While Qiao Xia yearned to linger in bed, he had a packed schedule today, leaving him no spare moment to continue resting.

Besides attending school, he needed to visit the committee, check on Grandpa Li’s recovery, and casually reconnect with the fat police officer. Any remaining time would be dedicated to physical training, aiming to sharpen his reflexes.

The previous day, while engrossed in a game, Qiao Xia had played single-mindedly until nightfall, his attention completely absorbed. However, after he had washed up and settled into bed, his thoughts inexplicably drifted to Duan Yulan.

Indeed, it was Duan Yulan’s flirtatious advances that made Qiao Xia realize he had been neglecting his training, allowing her to succeed time and again.

After all, simply looking at Duan Yulan’s delicate demeanor, she hardly seemed like someone who had deliberately trained her physique.

At most, she probably just danced, drank bubble tea, and went shopping with her friends.

Yet he, who used to train daily and spar with Liu Ge, diligently honing his skills, now found himself slower than Duan Yulan. This made Qiao Xia feel utterly useless.

Therefore, resuming his physical training needed to be prioritized immediately.

Although Duan Yulan’s behavior yesterday seemed to convey her affection for Qiao Xia—otherwise, she wouldn’t have initiated such intimate physical contact—Qiao Xia viewed it as her simply acting out.

He and Duan Yulan had barely interacted before, their conversations never exceeding three sentences. To claim she liked him now?

Hers was an affection that had come far too suddenly.

Moreover, Duan Yulan had always been quite aloof. Such a drastic and sudden reversal would strike anyone as abnormal.

Qiao Xia, still preoccupied with Liu Ge’s predicament, paid little mind to Duan Yulan’s advances. He simply dismissed it as a whim of a rich young lady, seeking some novel, unconventional experience.

Much like Zhou Li, who sometimes acted impulsively, leading to many amusing yet exasperating situations.

With such examples around him, Qiao Xia found Duan Yulan’s abnormality not so difficult to comprehend.

Qiao Xia didn’t dwell on Duan Yulan any further. After he finished washing up and getting ready, he promptly left home, heading towards school. On his way, he spotted a breakfast stall opening its doors. After a moment’s thought, he decided to buy something to fill his stomach.

“Boss, I’ll take a steamer of soup dumplings to go.”

“Coming right up!”

Upon seeing Qiao Xia, the plump boss recognized his regular customer who always bought soup dumplings. He quickly responded with a chuckle, his hands swiftly packing the dumplings for Qiao Xia.

“Why no soy milk today? It just came off the stove, still piping hot!”

“No soy milk, thanks. I’m rushing to school; it’s too much hassle to drink on the go.”

As the plump boss packed the dumplings, he didn’t forget to promote his other offerings. Qiao Xia immediately shook his head, declining any further purchases.

If not for the fear of an aching stomach from hunger, Qiao Xia wouldn’t have even wanted the dumplings.

Unlike his usual hearty appetite, after the string of events from yesterday, Qiao Xia found himself utterly devoid of hunger, unsure if it was the sudden surge of pressure or the frequent threats of death.

“Ah, I don’t know what’s wrong today. We haven’t even had a third of our usual breakfast customers! It’s all because of that terrifying infectious disease; my business is going to collapse.”

As he listened to the plump boss’s grumbling, Qiao Xia’s curiosity was suddenly piqued.

‘Infectious disease?’

The moment those words registered, Qiao Xia immediately thought of Liu Ge’s strange illness.

Besides, he hadn’t heard of any infectious diseases appearing recently!

“Boss, what infectious disease are you talking about? I’ve never heard of it.”

A question on his mind, Qiao Xia, having completely forgotten his ‘rush,’ spoke with an interested expression, ready to glean information from the plump boss.

“Oh, you’re a student, always busy with your studies, so it’s natural you wouldn’t know! Lately, here in U City, a really strange infectious disease has suddenly appeared. People who get it have their eyes turn red, and they attack others. I’ve heard quite a few people have been bitten!”

Seeing Qiao Xia’s intrigued expression and with no other customers around, the plump boss immediately launched into his story.

However, the mention of ‘red eyes’ sent a jolt through Qiao Xia’s heart.