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"I disagree with this treatment plan. The illness in his body is maintaining a delicate balance. Once disrupted, the consequences are unpredictable!"
"But doing nothing is just waiting for death!"
"His internal organs are already failing massively. If we don't try something, the heart condition alone will take his life!"
"Professor Li, what's your opinion?"
The hospital office was filled with experts arguing over the treatment of a young man. Some suggested risky interventions, while others proposed a more cautious approach.
But regardless of the opinions, one harsh reality remained unchanged.
"With the current medical standards worldwide, it's impossible!"
"Is that so?"
The middle-aged man seemed to have anticipated this response. He nodded and said, "Thank you for your efforts, doctors."
Standing at the door of the hospital room, he placed his hand on the doorknob but hesitated for a long time.
After composing himself, he pushed the door open.
"Hey, Rowen! How are you feeling today?"
The atmosphere in the room remained heavy, unaffected by his cheerful greeting.
Glancing at his own son, who stood silently with his head bowed, the middle-aged man's expression darkened.
"You wouldn't—"
"He didn't say anything, Uncle," Rowen interrupted, putting down the manga he was reading and forcing a smile.
"I just listed out the medications I take every day and cross-referenced them in my mind. I asked him to verify a few things."
The middle-aged man fell silent. He had almost forgotten that this young man, aside from his inexplicable luck, also possessed an extraordinary intellect.
And yet, someone with such a promising future was enduring such suffering. Heaven, are you truly fair? You grant him unimaginable talents but take away his life?
"At first, I was curious about my condition because, aside from some targeted cancer medications, the rest of the drugs were a jumble of everything."
"Since we're not in some cheesy daytime drama, I had to look for answers within myself. So, I drew a lottery."
Rowen's expression turned solemn. "It's a matter of life and death, with 29 attempts in total. I drew the death sign every single time."
"Rowen, actually—"
The middle-aged man wanted to comfort him but found himself at a loss for words. He remained silent.
"Don't worry, Uncle. I won't give up hope."
Rowen smiled optimistically. "No matter the outcome, if I lose hope, then all your and the doctors' efforts would truly be in vain."
"I don't want to die!"
"So I'll fight to stay alive!"
A month later, in the hospital.
Rowen, now frail and skeletal, struggled to sit up with the help of a nurse. His failing organs had taken away his ability to eat, and his heart condition left him immobile.
"Help me... turn the page."
"Let me do it!"
A younger boy took the manga from the nurse, earning a displeased glance from Rowen.
"Actually, from when you were a kid, I realized you were special, Rowen."
"You were good at studying, good at sports, smart, strong, and always gave people a sense of security. Even though you were sometimes out of line, you always had a big group of friends around you. Do you know? Someone like you puts a lot of pressure on me!"
"Save it... just turn the page."
The boy silently flipped the page, glancing at the cover of the manga, which featured a straw hat with a goofy grin.
"Do you remember when you were seven and we went to pick mulberries?"
"I remember. What about it?"
"That time, you jumped off the tree to save me and cut your arm badly."
The boy continued flipping pages as he spoke, "The doctor said the wound with stitches would take over a month to heal, but you ripped off the bandages after a week."
Rowen remained silent.
"What are you trying to say?"
"I want to say that no matter what secret you have—superpowers or anything else—"
The boy stopped flipping the pages and stared at Rowen with red eyes. "You're my only brother. Can you please not die?!"
"You're the one who said you wanted a more challenging life. So live one!"
Rowen remained silent for a long time before breaking into a smile.
"You really have read too many manga. It's like you've turned into a chūnibyō!"
"Is that so?"
The boy clenched his fists. "But this time, I don't want to hear you say that!"
Two months later, in the hospital.
The middle-aged man trembled as he signed the critical condition notice, staring at the frail figure on the bed.
"You have an exam tomorrow. Go home."
"I won't leave!"
"Go!"
The middle-aged man's firm tone left no room for argument. He sighed deeply. "If Rowen were conscious, he wouldn't want to die in front of you either. You understand, don't you?"
"I do."
The boy bit his lip and slowly turned to leave.
Once the boy was out of sight, the middle-aged man sat down, his gaze fixed on Rowen's gaunt face.
"Even in the end, you're still suppressing your true nature with humanity, Rowen."
A cold wind swept through, and the air seemed to freeze.
"You should have realized it by now. What you have isn't an illness. You're just starving, haven't eaten in too long."
Suddenly, as the man finished speaking, the lights in the room flickered. A dark mist began to rise from Rowen's body, resembling a venomous snake slithering toward the middle-aged man. But just as it was about to attack, an unseen force restrained it.
Ignoring the danger, the middle-aged man lit a cigarette.
"It's not the food we eat every day that you need. It's live souls!"
Souls of the living!
"Many, many years ago, the world faced a catastrophic crisis. A Heavenly Demon from another realm descended, turning the land into a bloodbath and the sky into smoke."
"Unable to bear the suffering of the living, our ancestors and their companions used their souls as bait. Together, they defeated the Heavenly Demon and sealed it within the body of an infant. A Heavenly Demon cannot be killed, only sealed."
"However, human lifespans are limited. Once the vessel dies, the Heavenly Demon dies as well, but it will soon revive in the outside world. So, every few decades, a new infant must be found to bear the seal, repeating the process for thousands of years."
"And this time, the vessel is you!"
As the middle-aged man spoke, the dark mist around Rowen began to float, forming a grotesque face. The face shifted expressions and features, representing the countless children who had served as vessels over the centuries. Their souls were trapped by the Heavenly Demon, denied peace.
Looking at the swirling mist, the middle-aged man's expression darkened. "I thought the seal had finally erased your malice after all these years. You've gone years without raging. But it was all an act, wasn't it?"
The Heavenly Demon did not respond but let out a sinister, sidelong grin.
"It seems you're as weak as can be. In the final days of the Will of D., you can't even break through the protective soul light of this young vessel."
Over the centuries, each vessel had accumulated immense karma and blessings, forming a protective soul light that suppressed the Heavenly Demon. But this passive light, which once meant nothing to the Demon in its prime, now held it back, showing how weak it had become.
The middle-aged man exhaled smoke slowly. "So, it's time to end this nightmare and stop the tragedy from repeating."
(End of the chapter)