Chapter 00155: Learning from the Past to Prevent Future Mistakes
# Learning from the Past to Prevent Future Mistakes
Chapter 155
Novel: Above Destiny
Chapter 155: Learning from the Past to Prevent Future Mistakes
The moment the familiar face appeared, there was no relaxation of vigilance.
Instead, what immediately appeared in the office was a bullet of calamity, fired from the barrel of a gun!
The deafening roar of the gunshot even drowned out the wails coming from the hallway.
The bullet shot through the air, and the mercury seal was broken.
Within ten steps, the condensed calamity material traced a brief straight line before crashing into an invisible barrier, scattering rapidly.
However, it couldn't form any contamination, as if it had been absorbed by something unseen, disappearing without a trace.
It was blocked!
Ji Jue frowned—this was the downside of calamity bullets.
They were too unstable.
Once the primer ignited upon impact, they would quickly activate.
Beyond ten steps, they would scatter and become ineffective.
Moreover, their essence was ash, lacking penetrating power.
Even a bulletproof vest could stop them.
It was also a reflection of his limited skill.
He couldn't stabilize the properties enough to prevent the primer from triggering upon impact, yet still ensure rapid diffusion upon entering a human body.
At this moment, seeing Ji Jue fire without hesitation, the figure that had suddenly appeared screamed, instinctively crouching and covering her head.
Her cries were even louder than the gunshot.
It made Ji Jue's ears ache.
However, the equipment she was wearing seemed familiar...
"Ahhh, save me!" Tong Hua cried out, covering her head.
"It's really me, it's me!"
Seeing that the other party wasn't making any other moves, Ji Jue was slightly stunned.
He quickly stepped forward, crossing the barrier, and pressed the gun barrel against her forehead, firing off questions like a machine gun: "What's Sister Wen's full name?"
"Wen Wen!" Tong Hua answered without hesitation.
"Age?"
"26."
"Three... cough, the third question is, who am I?"
"Ji Jue, male, 19 years old, from the Mechanical Engineering College of Tianmen University. Your teacher is Master Ye Xian from the Ember Workshop, and your senior is A Chun..."
"What's in Tong Ting's pocket?"
"It's all the dried fruit I bought!" Tong Hua burst into tears, unsure if she was crying out of anger or fear.
Seeing the tearful woman answer all the questions correctly, Ji Jue was taken aback, his eyes widening: Damn, it really is her?
Did I almost blow the head off the silly young lady of the Tong family? If this got out and the Tong family found out...
Should I silence her?
Ji Jue's mind raced: No one else knows anyway.
And in the Time Ruins, as long as I clean up the evidence properly, no one would be able to trace it back.
I could just say I never saw her after we get out.
As if sensing the dangerous glint in Ji Jue's eyes, Tong Hua clung to his leg, sobbing uncontrollably: "Brother Ji Jue, don't kill me! You know me, I respect you the most! I can even offer you tribute! I'll give you all my allowance every month, wuwuwu, the company's bank card password is 865..."
Before she could finish, Ji Jue clamped her mouth shut.
"Alright, stop talking nonsense."
The last trace of doubt in his heart finally dissipated: No one else would be this pathetic.
It must really be Tong Hua.
But Tong Hua grew even more terrified, staring at him wide-eyed: "I've already given you all my money, you're not planning to take advantage of me, are you?"
In the long silence that followed, Ji Jue put away his gun and let out a helpless sigh.
"Miss, do me a favor and look in the mirror."
He dragged her to the mirror by the sink, pointing at her reflection, and asked sternly: "Are you as good-looking as me? Why are you always thinking about taking advantage of others?"
Hmph, what a joke of a woman, so cringe!
Fortunately, the water in the Time Ruins was still usable.
At least after Ji Jue checked it, he could confirm that using it wouldn't cause any negative effects.
After Tong Hua finally washed up and regained her composure, Ji Jue sighed and asked the most important question: "Why didn't you show yourself earlier?"
We're all acquaintances here.
It's fine to be wary of others, but you've been following me for so long without even giving a hint?
"Brother, it's not that..."
Tong Hua was stunned, staring at him, her mouth opening and closing several times as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.
From the bottom of her heart, she wanted to ask—
"Do you really not know how terrifying you look right now?"
"Huh?"
Ji Jue was confused.
He instinctively reached for his phone, but realizing he didn't have it, he went to look in the mirror.
"Everything looks normal to me?"
In Tong Hua's eyes, the figure shrouded in crimson flames, like a skeleton in the fire, was tilting its head, examining Ji Jue's reflection in the mirror with confusion: "What's wrong?"
No need for the Ether Eye's observation.
At this moment, even with just Tong Hua's naked eye, she could see the terrifying essence beneath the calm soul, ready to burst forth at any moment.
It was as if the Eternal Flame left by the Cataclysm of Flames had marked his soul, leaving an indelible imprint.
At this moment, Ji Jue's body was constantly shifting between a normal human appearance and a monstrous form.
Under the stimulation of the distorted aura in the Time Ruins, countless sparks of light rose from his soul.
And beneath his feet, the crimson shadow shifted with his movements, stretching and contracting, as if countless blurred figures were struggling to reach out from hell.
Despairing wails.
Alright, no need to say more.
You're about to reveal your true form, aren't you?!
At this point, even without her saying anything, Ji Jue could feel it.
His spiritual essence, which had been overly active since entering the Time Ruins, seemed to have found a suitable environment, flourishing and growing.
But soon, as Ji Jue actively restrained his spiritual essence, the blessing of the Primacy of Spirit took effect, and he returned to stability.
All the flesh and spiritual essence in his body were back under his control, with no trace of recklessness or agitation.
In Tong Hua's eyes, all the strange phenomena disappeared without a trace.
She couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Then, she suddenly realized...
"Wait a minute!"
She widened her eyes, accusing him angrily: "When you shot at me earlier, were you really trying to kill me?"
Tsk...
This is why I hate perceptive brats.
"Of course not!"
Ji Jue turned around, smiling warmly: "Didn't I know you had defensive gear on? You used it when we were fighting that calamity horde! I remember it clearly!"
"Really?" Tong Hua was skeptical.
"Really."
Ji Jue nodded, his smile sincere: "I was just worried someone might be impersonating you. After all, in the Time Ruins, you have to be extra cautious. You know me, I value my friends too much to risk killing you just for a test, right?"
"... That makes sense."
Tong Hua nodded in realization, but before she could ask more, Ji Jue changed the subject: "So, my exploration here is done. Did you find anything?"
In a way, the Time Ruins were like a crucible, or perhaps a chaotic stew of various essences and elements, pieced together into a contradictory realm.
But since it existed, there must be some logic to it, no matter how twisted.
The problem was, Ji Jue wasn't Ether.
He couldn't just touch something and have clues fall into his lap.
But now, a ready-made Ether had come to him, hadn't she?
"Pretty much the same as you."
Tong Hua was drawn into his topic, sighing in frustration, "There's too much calamity aura. I didn't dare look too closely. I could only confirm the direction of suspicion and then carefully investigate the clues... What I can confirm now is that the hospital rules are really useful. In the Time Ruins, they're our lifeline as explorers."
From the moment they entered the Time Ruins, they had been assigned identities—junior resident doctors sent to the hospital to work like beasts of burden, the bottom of the food chain.
But even at the bottom of the food chain, they were still part of the chain.
As long as they followed the hospital rules and completed their tasks, they could ensure their safety.
The problem was... neither their so-called 'colleagues' nor the 'patients' would wait for them to get the hang of things.
If they made a mistake or accidentally violated the hospital rules, they would pay the price.
The hospital would 'fine' them, and the patients would demand 'compensation.'
But whether it was fines or compensation, all they could offer was themselves...
A newly hired doctor, ostracized and coveted by colleagues, wary and coveted by patients, gradually losing flesh and soul in the endless competition and work.
In the end, even their sense of self would shatter, devoured and assimilated by this eerie hospital, turning into lifeless puppets.
"Ah, this is terrible..."
Tong Hua sighed in despair.
"Terrible? Isn't this just like real life?" Ji Jue, on the other hand, felt relieved after hearing this.
He patted her shoulder and said, "Knowing that the hospital rules are our lifeline is enough. At least for now, we don't have to worry about our safety. But in the long run, we still need to find a way to dismantle the Time Ruins from within. Do you have any ideas?"
Tong Hua shook her head.
Usually, such Time Ruins would have a core, an anchor point for all the contradictions and distortions, like the central thread in a tangled ball of yarn.
It could be a person, an object, or something else.
Such a role was often referred to by outsiders as the 'Lord.' The entire chaotic Time Ruins were built around them, and within the Time Ruins, they usually possessed unimaginable power and authority, making them difficult to defeat.
But at the same time, once they were dealt with, the Time Ruins would collapse on their own.
That was the key.
"Is it the hospital director?" Ji Jue suddenly asked.
He recalled the bloated figure at the front of the conference room, a grotesque, swollen monster like a river ghost...
Tong Hua shook her head, unsure.
When the director appeared, she had looked closely.
Although he was strong and terrifying, he didn't seem to have a deep connection with the entire Time Ruins.
Or perhaps, it just wasn't the right time yet, so she couldn't see the connection clearly.
Or maybe...
"What if the core of the Time Ruins, the 'Lord,' is the entire hospital?" She finally voiced her greatest concern.
What if the entire hospital had mutated and become the foundation of the Time Ruins? How would they end this then?
With just the two of them?
One Ember, one Ether—they'd spend their whole lives tearing it down and still not finish.
Ji Jue's smile was her answer.
"That would actually make things easier."
"On the way here, I noticed that this hospital is quite large, with all kinds of departments."
Ji Jue said, "From what I know, hospitals like this usually have oxygen production rooms."
Not just oxygen production rooms.
The water here was still flowing, indicating a sufficient supply.
As long as there was water, they didn't have to worry about oxygen.
And with water and electricity, that meant... there was gas.
With Non-Aggression in hand, Ji Jue was essentially a mobile workshop.
If necessary, he could blow the entire hospital sky-high...
His smile grew more cheerful, but it made Tong Hua's hair stand on end.
Just then, they heard footsteps coming from the end of the hallway.
Tong Hua froze for a moment, tense.
But the moment Ji Jue reacted, his expression changed drastically.
He leapt up, stepping on the table and lunging toward the stiff, lifeless remains of Zhao Zhou, grabbing him and pulling him up.
Then, he began frantically... stripping off Zhao Zhou's clothes!
At lightning speed!
(End of Chapter)