Hospital 444

It was during the nineties, more than a decade after the economic reform had opened China to the world. The arrival of a world-famous Western magician to perform in China caused quite a sensation. But, since most people still got their news from newspapers at that time, and not every household had a TV, even many locals in W City were oblivious to the event.

Edward Harland’s magic shows were always inseparably linked with Gothic themes of death, which would be considered very grim by today’s standards. He and his female assistant dressed in a style reminiscent of Marilyn Manson, hence very few parents would take their children to see his magic shows.

In comparison, the cabinet trick was one of the less bloody and spooky acts in his repertoire.

But that day... when the assistant failed to reappear as he reopened the cabinet, he did not panic but instead broke into a sinister laugh. The magic show descended into utter chaos.

The identity of his female assistant was shrouded in mystery, with the news only revealing her surname as Chen. This woman had been by his side for many years, rarely speaking and loyally fulfilling her role through his many alarming and terrifying tricks.

Due to his assistant’s disappearance, he was arrested, but soon declared mentally unstable. Not long after returning to his country, he took his own life with a gun.

Raymond Harland was only five years old at the time. His parents had divorced shortly after his birth. Nonetheless, Raymond greatly admired his father and had fully inherited his father’s exceptional talent for magic. Today, he has become a renowned magician within Western society.

His father’s death brought shame to the family, and the female assistant has never been found. However, Raymond has always believed that his father Edward was not a criminal and has been determined to uncover the truth about his father’s magic act.

Dai Lin watched Luo Ren carefully and said, "Now, if you want to change the future, you absolutely must not go to the magic show. At least, from your description, we can be certain of one thing, the you of the future, has never experienced a prophetic dream."

"Yes," Lu Yuqing had noticed this as well: "So from the moment you dreamt, the future was bound to change."

Dai Lin recalled the previous case of Jiang Han, where the collaboration with Director Mei and Dr. Tang had successfully saved Mr. Jiang, proving that... there is no predetermined future.

"Was Edward Harland’s magic really just magic?" Dai Lin started pondering upon this question: "Or maybe, it was not the kind of magic we usually understand."

Lu Yuqing agreed with Dai Lin’s opinion: "Indeed, there have been similar clinical cases. However, most of them are domestic, involving things like hexing and witchcraft curses, which can indeed curse others. Wraith Surgery Department recently handled such a cursed surgery."

"But in the West, there must be curses we don’t understand as well, right?"

Lu Yuqing smiled wryly: "There is too little clinical evidence for such cases."

Dai Lin had not told Gao Heyan about this, and Lu Yuqing had to involve her only because it was related to the prophetic dream, but Dai Lin hoped Luo Ren wouldn’t meet with the other doctors of Hospital 444 again. He was becoming more suspicious that the hospital itself was a curse to the patients.

"Next is your most recent dream..."

There was no pattern to when Luo Ren had prophetic dreams or how far into the future they reached.

The only certainty was that each time he awoke, he could remember every detail of the dream vividly, without even feeling like he had been dreaming.

"This time, something major happened in my dream," Luo Ren’s lips quivered as he slowly said: "It was on March 1st next year... in the dream..."

Clearly, he had dreamt of something extremely terrifying, to the point that he could not even articulate it.

"It’s alright, take your time, no rush."

Dai Lin didn’t know what exactly he had dreamt of, but it was obviously something of immense terror.

Everything in the prophetic dream gradually turning into reality, it was natural for him to feel fear towards all aspects of the dream.

To foresee the future was in itself a horrifying matter.

"In the dream, I still think of that woman as my mother... and then... then..."

"Then?"

"She wasn’t human..." Luo Ren’s face was filled with terror: "I don’t know how to describe my nightmare to you with words, it was too real... she seemed to be possessed by a devil, I could distinctly feel that there was something else inside her, that thing made me think of her as my mother!"

Just like how the Black Blood Matriarch made us see those spirits as goats?

That’s what Dai Lin thought.

"I understand..."

Dai Lin nodded and said: "Anyway, we have to resolve all of this."

Possession by the devil...

A devil was sealed within Dai Lin’s right eye at that very moment. Moreover, he knew all too well the sensation of being possessed by the devil.

"Then, what happened?"

"She..." Luo Ren gazed into Dai Lin’s eyes and uttered these words.

"She killed... all three of us."

...

Dai Lin had to face a choice.

He didn’t want to let Luo Ren, who could see the hidden rules on the business card, enter Hospital 444, and the problems he faced were mostly stemming from events that would occur in the future.

March 1st of next year...

According to Luo Ren’s dream, Dai Lin would die on that day.

Of course, the future can definitely be changed.

There was one clue that was key.

Luo Ren said his mother... knew Mr. Raymond.

For that reason, Luo Ren brought a strand of his mother’s hair to Dai Lin.

But Dai Lin confirmed through the hair... that Mr. Raymond Harland did not exist in the memories of Luo Ren’s mother at all.

Based on the content of the prophetic dream—

Lu Yuqing, who became Luo Ren’s girlfriend, worshipped Edward Harland, so on Christmas Eve, she took Luo Ren and his mother to watch a magic show.

It was after that day’s magic show...

Luo Ren’s mother underwent a "transformation." 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

However, Luo Ren completely failed to realize that his mother had become another "person."

If it was a curse similar to that of the Black Blood Ancestral Hob, then... he definitely would not be able to cope on his own.

Theoretically, it would be best for him to find a sufficiently powerful assistant.

Gao Heyan would definitely not do; she wasn’t capable enough.

Yin Wuque? If this were the past, he would definitely trust Yin Wuque, but now... he dared not risk Luo Ren’s life and property.

Thinking of Wei Zhengxian and Gu Yanan, who had turned into "goats," Dai Lin felt extreme fear; he absolutely couldn’t let his dear friend Luo Ren become like that!

Absolutely not!

In theory, as long as they didn’t watch the magic show, they should be fine.

But...

Can a curse really be changed that easily?

Dai Lin didn’t dare to maintain such an optimistic attitude.

Just then, Lu Yuqing called Dai Lin.

"I’ve thought of someone who could help us," she said.

"Who?"

"The Department of Fierce Spirits, Deputy Director Fang."

"Fang Zhou?"

Dai Lin had, of course, heard of the great reputation of Deputy Director Fang Zhou.

The Department of Fierce Spirits was overseen by Han Ming, but as the Executive Vice President, he often found it difficult to fully manage the Department of Fierce Spirits on his own. Therefore, the major surgeries in the department were primarily carried out by the two deputy directors—Li Bolin and Fang Zhou.

Li Bolin had always been recognized as Han Ming’s most loyal right-hand man, while Fang Zhou was completely different. His promotion by Han Ming had been entirely due to his outstanding abilities.

"Do you have a personal connection with Deputy Director Fang?"

"Yes. Dr. Fang transferred to the Department of Fierce Spirits in the last two years and was arranged by Vice President Han to assist Deputy Director Li Bolin. He was in the Ghost Surgery Department before. When I took my attending physician exam, he was the chief examiner. I understand his character, and most importantly, he’s one of the few surgeons who have practiced in Western countries. Plus, he’s not involved in faction struggles, and he absolutely treats all patients equally."

"Alright, I understand. Then could you do me a favor and arrange for Dr. Fang to make a house call? As for the Spiritual Therapy Points, I’ll cover the cost."

With such a formidable expert stepping in, Dai Lin immediately felt much more at ease.

After all... nothing in the future had happened yet.

It should... still be preventable... right?