Mutated Tao

Li Huowang wolfed down his meal inside the brightly-lit canteen of the White Tower Prison. He was still thinking about what had happened just now.

Shai Zi is smart. He knows that he can’t fight against the Simings. He has no choice but to work with me to get what he needs. He’s just someone that I can kill at any time now.

Li Huowang was distracted and choked on something while his face turned red.

He stood up and clenched his throat with his hands.

Someone suddenly patted his back forcefully, causing him to regurgitate what he had eaten just now.

Li Huowang braced himself and looked at the messy table. He saw a small plastic figurine amidst his vomit.

The plastic figurine laid there silently and stared at him with the beady eyes.

“This is…” Li Huowang wiped his mouth and picked up the plastic figurine. He inspected it under the LED light and realized that it was the very same plastic figurine that Yi Donglai had given to him at the sand table just now!

Li Huowang was trying to figure out why the figurine appeared in his food when he saw the figurine opening its mouth to shout at him. “Ji Zai…! Ji Zai…! Ji Zai, don’t get distracted!”

He glanced around and realized what had happened.

“It… it was just a dream?” Li Huowang sighed in relief and looked at the clock on the wall. It was only three in the morning.

Li Huowang frowned and massaged his temples. He grumbled and complained about Yi Donglai’s treatment plan. It included the miniature scene, which subsequently gave him that nightmare.

"Ji Zai!" Li Huowang turned around an saw the little plastic figurine somehow glowing and standing atop his bedpost!

Bam! Li Huowang smashed his head to the wall and woke himself up from the intense pain.

He looked around him and found that the little figurine was not anywhere. He then realized that it was another dream. He had dreamed within a dream.

Thinking back about what had happened, Li Huowang pressed his head in pain and lay back down on the bed. “Shit. To think that the figurine could glow in the dark.”

Li Huowang rolled around in the bed, but he couldn’t sleep at all. He ended up staying up all night.

The breakfast at White Tower Prison today was plain congee and buns. Though the buns were made using old flour, they were still tasty and chewy.

Li Huowang, who was tired from the lack of sleep, took his plain breakfast and sat in a corner. “Damn that Yi Donglai. Why does he want me to go and play with a sand table? My mind’s a mess now!”

Li Huowang stared at the other patients and thought to himself. I’ve already sent Shai Zi out. As long as he manages to speak with Zhao Lei, Qing Wanglai and the others should come rescue me soon. I pray that Qing Wanglai’s's contact will help me get out of here "legally." I hope they don’t try to resort to a jailbreak.

Li Huowang didn’t care that the Three Ancient Ones were using him as a pawn. He didn’t mind as long as the trouble could be taken care of.

But… I think the Simings from the Dharma Sect could find me first. I hope that Qing Wanglai and the others aren’t too late.

Li Huowang stared at his surroundings as he thought about it.

Even though he was back in this place, he still knew how to tread carefully.

He was thinking about what to do when someone approached him. “Why are you back here? What happened outside? Is everything alright?”

It was a familiar face. She was Zhao Ting, the girl with depression. It seemed like she was doing much better after receiving treatment. She even came to greet Li Huowang on her own accord.

Another youth followed her and greeted Li Huowang. It was Wei Shili, the man with mania. His fingers still twitched occasionally. “You are back? Why? Did you relapse?”

Behind Wei Shili was a large youth. It was the one that Li Huowang had helped before. “Brother, here. Apple.”

Li Huowang frowned and was wary of them. Even though he knew them, he couldn’t guarantee that they wouldn’t harm him.

Li Huowang looked at the apple on the table and didn’t take it. He still remembered how it felt to have a needle stabbing into his tongue.

“It’s nothing. Just a small issue. I can get out again once I’m done with it.” Li Huowang left after tossing them those words.

He had no desire to make friends there or involve them in his life, regardless of their opinion of him.

Li Huowang walked outside and stood behind the wire mesh. He looked outside and saw the eighteen-sided die that he had thrown out was gone. With a sense of satisfaction, he made his way back inside.

He was soon called by a nurse and escorted back to the room with the sand table. Yi Donglai had been waiting for him.

“Feeling better today? Let’s finish this early so you can rest.” Yi Donglai tapped the table with his pen. The little figurine was already in the middle of the sand table.

Li Huowang wanted to explain something to Yi Donglai, but he ultimately said, “I need to go to the toilet.”

Yi Donglai nodded. “Go. Third door on the left. Do you need tissues?”

Li Huowang ignored him and entered the toilet. He turned on the tap and splashed his face with cold water.

Who does Yi Donglai represent? Can I trust him? Can I explain everything that I’ve encountered to him?

Yi Donglai was different from Li Huowang. He had helped Li Huowang before and hadn't harmed him so far, but Li Huowang didn’t want to leave his fate in someone else’s hands.

More importantly, Li Huowang was afraid that Yi Donglai was part of the Laws. He had once angered the Laws and was punished severely because of that. He feared something grave would happen if he angered them again.

He kept thinking before deciding on continuing to observe the situation once more. He chose to wait for the Three Ancient Ones to come and rescue him.

Li Huowang calmed down and returned to the room. He sat down on the plastic stool and reached for the plastic figurine in the middle.

Five enormous fingers, even larger than mountains, exerted pressure on the figurine, causing space-time to warp and emitting a resounding boom.

“Alright, let’s start.”