I Run Away with the Earth to Save the World [Unlimited Flow] - Chapter 123

The siren grew closer.

The Earth’s voice filled Jing Qizhen’s mind with enthusiasm. “Whoa, this is exhilarating!”

Jing Qizhen fell into deep thought. How would the police’s appearance affect the strange hospital’s situation?

So far, their understanding of the hospital was much too limited.

Even with Yan Hong and Gu Leshan investigating outside, and with the Earth’s ability to gather information, the clues were scarce, especially when all the doctors and nurses had become ghosts. The information obtainable from the real world was of little use…

The erosion area in the remote Shennongjia countryside was a reflection of a possible alternative scenario from the past with Erya and Siya of the Xu family. The incident with Miss Li, the ghost in Yunhai Wancheng Department Store, was a manifestation of a possible future scenario. However, the setting of the Second Municipal Hospital of Binhai City, where everyone had turned into ghosts, made it hard to guess what might have happened back then for it to come to be.

Noticing Jing Qizhen furrowing his brows, Yun Shuanghua seemed somewhat concerned. His expression grew more vivid and he kept looking at Jing Qizhen. However, he also briefly turned his gaze toward Si Jiayang, who was busy cooking, and then asked hesitantly, “Will the police’s appearance affect you?”

Even though absent-minded, Si Jiayang, whose hands were still cooking, thought, ‘Obviously, it will!’

The police’s appearance was much like adding a new NPC in a horror game; how could players ignore their presence?

Jing Qizhen, following Yun Shuanghua’s gaze, fell silent for a moment and then asked, “Are you worried it might affect Jiayang’s cooking?”

Si Jiayang was taken aback before he returned to his senses. He was still holding onto a bag of salt. “Huh?!”

Faced with Jing Qizhen’s piercing stare, Yun Shuanghua nodded honestly.

Si Jiayang: “…” This was a really unexpected answer.

Jing Qizhen: “…” He knew it! Yun Shuanghua was, at heart, a food lover.

The Earth’s voice whispered in Jing Qizhen’s mind, “After all, the police aren’t looking for him but they can still enjoy Si Jiayang’s food.”

While their exchange was going on, the March Hare, already scared and a mess, stood up, tugging at its own ears, and began to pace back and forth in a panic. “Why are the police here? What did I, the innocent Sir Rabbit, do?”

Si Jiayang turned to look at the March Hare. “Why are you so nervous? This isn’t normally something you’d be worried about, is it?”

Jing Qizhen explained, “Maybe for the March Hare, the police are much like the Queen’s Knight of Hearts in the Fairy Tale Kingdom.” Why else would the March Hare react so strongly?

The March Hare looked at Jing Qizhen. “Isn’t it?”

Jing Qizhen: “The comparison is quite apt.”

In ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’, there are judgments and penalties, and they’re quite unfair. If the March Hare were put in that position, it would surely worry.

The March Hare tugged its droopy ear. “QAQ…”

The sound of the police siren grew closer. By now, it was practically just outside the hospital.

Jing Qizhen stood up. “I’m going to check.”

At that moment, nobody could be sure whether the police were human or ghosts, and the view from the cafeteria was poor since it was on the first floor. Aside from the clear sound of the alarm, there was not much else that could be seen.

Jing Qizhen had placed a few cameras in the hospital building, but the police might not pass by those areas, so the team would need a better view.

Si Jiayang had just finished cooking a plate of food and hadn’t even gotten a chance to deal with the ingredients left on his cutting board. He instinctively reached for his surgical gown resting on a nearby seat. “Let’s go. I’ll go with you.”

Jing Qizhen nodded and then explained the situation over the wireless communication to Lu Lingxi, who had been aiming at them with a sniper rifle, “Put away the gun for now. We’re not sure about the situation with the police in this world. Be careful not to get spotted.”

Lu Lingxi replied concisely with just two words, “Got it.”

Manman’s lowered but still clear voice also came through, “I’ll keep an eye on those cameras. Currently, the survivors next door have fallen asleep, but they seem to be sleeping uneasily.”

Jing Qizhen thought for a moment. The fact that the survivors were sleeping restlessly seemed to fit their characteristics. He softly responded, “Got it.”

Seeing that Jing Qizhen and Si Jiayang had put on the full set of surgical attire again, covering their faces and hands completely, the March Hare looked a bit envious. After thinking it over, the March Hare volunteered, “I’ll go with you! I have to figure out the purpose and ability of those police officers. As a noble Sir Rabbit, I don’t want to be taken to court for lying!”

However, Jing Qizhen and Si Jiayang, who could walk quietly, decisively refused the hopping big rabbit.

The March Hare: “QAQ I can walk without hopping.”

Yun Shuanghua reminded, “You could also dig a rabbit hole.”

The March Hare’s red eyes finally relaxed. “Ah, yes!” A noble Sir Rabbit can do anything!

Jing Qizhen wasn’t too worried about the rabbit hole causing the hospital building to collapse, considering it wasn’t an ordinary rabbit. However, before leaving the hospital cafeteria, Jing Qizhen reminded the March Hare, “First of all, the police may not necessarily come after you, but they might investigate because of your presence. After all, a big, living rabbit isn’t something you see every day.”

The March Hare nodded in understanding, replying confidently, “Of course, a noble Sir Rabbit is unique.”

Jing Qizhen continued, “Also, if you plan to dig a rabbit hole, instead of digging one to spy on the police, you might as well dig one to hide. Once the police leave, you can come out.”

The March Hare nodded seriously, deciding to follow both Jing Qizhen’s advice and its own idea, planning to dig a tunnel straight out of the hospital. Of course, the noble Sir Rabbit wouldn’t just run away. It still had to follow the Prince!

Yun Shuanghua kept watching Jing Qizhen. This time, he didn’t follow but watched them disappear into the night before turning his gaze back to the leftover ingredients Si Jiayang had prepared.

The March Hare blinked its bright red eyes and saw its noble prince stand up from the dining table, walk straight to the cutting board, pause for a moment, recall how Si Jiayang’s movement earlier, and then start imitating.

The March Hare: “…”

Recalling the porridge that turned into burnt mush and the choking smell still lingering in his mind, the March Hare watched as Yun Shuanghua perked up and prepared to give it another go.

The hospital cafeteria might not survive.

The March Hare was sure of it.

***

Fully armed once more, Jing Qizhen and Si Jiayang left the cafeteria, quietly returning to the old hospital building.

With the arrival of the police, the corridors became much livelier. Many of the ghost doctors and nurses from various departments came out to see what was going on. Jing Qizhen and Si Jiayang held their breath and blended in, trying to stay unnoticed in a secluded corner.

There was no response from Lu Lingxi and Manman in their earpieces, indicating that the cameras they were monitoring had not captured anything useful yet.

With the sudden arrival of the police, even the hospital director appeared. He looked like a middle-aged man at that point and since he was in ghost form, Jing Qizhen had to examine him carefully to notice the resemblance between the ghost director and the retired old director from the real world.

Perhaps due to the influence of the erosion area, neither the ghost director nor the hospital staff seemed inclined to clear the scene after hearing that the police were coming. Instead, they gathered even more, chatting together as if watching a spectacle.

Jing Qizhen and Si Jiayang remained cautiously in the corner. Although risky, it seemed that everyone’s attention was focused on the case, so the chances of being noticed were low.

However, the situation that followed completely exceeded their expectations.

They finally saw the newly arrived police officers. Four ordinary humans with unfamiliar faces, wearing uniforms, with a glimpse of light blue shirts visible under their collars.

However, seeing those human police officers didn’t trigger the usual fearful reactions from the ghost doctors and nurses who had earlier acted like they’d seen ghosts upon encountering Jing Qizhen and the others. Instead, they chattered on about the earlier events.

Similarly, the four human police officers, surrounded by the ghost doctors and nurses, with the ghost director also present, were completely in professional mode, calmly gathering information. They didn’t seem to notice that the hospital staff members were in ghost form, nor did they find anything strange about it.

Jing Qizhen and Si Jiayang exchanged glances. Even through their goggles, they could see each other’s confusion. They had thought that the arrival of the police would break the chaotic situation caused by the lack of information, at the very least helping them confirm whether the erosion area was dominated by humans or ghosts.

However, now the situation had flipped. The police appeared human, yet they could interact harmoniously with ghosts without finding it odd. It stood in stark contrast to how the ghost doctors and nurses reacted when encountering Jing Qizhen and the others.

As a result, instead of clarifying previous assumptions, Jing Qizhen and the others found themselves even more confused.

Could it be that the difference between ghosts and humans wasn’t the defining factor of the erosion area?

At that moment, the ghost doctor who had fled in terror earlier, frightened by the March Hare, returned with the help of another ghost doctor. Stammering, he described the terrifying, giant rabbit in a red dress.

The nurse who had fainted earlier had also woken up, looking pale and terrified. “That rabbit could talk. I saw its blood-red eyes…”

Jing Qizhen and Si Jiayang: “…”

That big rabbit really became the focus.