Living Beyond the Blame Chapter 4

Ethan Jian hung up the phone, and the phone screen automatically returned to the standby desktop.

Against the dark background, the handsome and heroic general holds a halberd in his hand, his face is tired and covered in blood, except for his pair of eyes which are sharp and bright, almost turning into a blade and piercing through the screen.

Ethan Jian silently slid his finger onto the settings icon and skillfully cut out a picture of a landscape with green trees, replacing the official promotional image of "The Crow" that was originally on the desktop.

He was receiving saline and glucose in a small clinic.

If it weren't for their good physical condition, if it were someone else, they wouldn't even be able to stand up now.

"You are so weak, and you still take the job?" The old doctor in the clinic looked at Ethan Jian disapprovingly. They were acquaintances. The old doctor was a retired ordinary doctor who did not have any special skills. He usually treated minor illnesses and pains.

Huaicheng is not a particularly prosperous city, but there are two large film and television bases here, and there are crews shooting here almost every day. Many young people who want to make a name for themselves in the film and television industry drift to Huaicheng to rent houses, and then squeeze into the subway every day, crossing most of the city to the entrance of the film and television city, waiting in the cold wind for the crew that needs extras.

They live in poverty, have no medical insurance, and do not have much money to see a doctor or treat their injuries.

Ethan Jian was once one of them, and that was how he became familiar with Dr. Old Martin, the doctor in the small clinic.

"Young man, why are you working so hard?" The old doctor wiped his old glass lens and picked up the stethoscope again, "How many days have you not eaten? Go to the hospital for a comprehensive check-up, and then rest at home for a month!"

Ethan Jian smiled bitterly. The body is the capital of life, and he was not willing to torture himself like this.

---No one would believe me even if I told them what happened last night.

His eyes fell on the teacup on the table, and the water in it suddenly swayed and spilled some onto the table.

Mr. Old Martin didn't see it and continued to chatter: "Compared to other young people, you are already successful enough. In a few years, you bought a house in Huaicheng and a car. I asked you to quit smoking, find a nine-to-five job, and live a down-to-earth life. You are good-looking and energetic, so you can do anything, right?"

Ethan Jian was silent.

If he hadn't received that call from Patrick Li's agent, he would indeed have been ready to leave the film and television industry.

I have taken great risks over the years and made a decent amount of money, but most of it was used to buy a house and that second-hand car. I don't have much left. After being idle at home for half a year, I really can't continue to live off my savings.

"That job you just mentioned on the phone requires you to go to Haicheng to sign the contract. It takes three hours by bus from here to Haicheng. How can you be so easily defeated?" Old Martin blew his beard and glared at him.

Ethan Jian pinched his brows and sighed with a headache: "Let's talk about it tomorrow."

How could it be so exaggerated that it would fall down just because of the wind? If it were really that fragile, would it still be possible to go to the clinic for treatment?

Old Martin glared at him and went back to his work.

Although it was very noisy here, with the crying of a child who refused to get an injection and the honking of horns from passing vehicles outside, the noise was exactly what made Ethan Jian feel at ease. Lying down at the place behind the clinic where Old Martin took his lunch break to get an IV drip, Ethan Jian felt sleepy and fell asleep without realizing it.

During this time, the nurse came in to change the IV bottle, but he didn't wake up.

Ethan Jian is dreaming.

In the dream, there was an endless desert, the sky was an ominous blood red, crows were perched on dead tree trunks, making ugly hoarse cries. A young general slowly turned around, his posture was straight, and his back was like a mountain.

He had a halberd in his hand and there were corpses at his feet.

He walked out of the desperate situation step by step, heading towards the direction where the sun was setting...

Suddenly there was a shout in the dream, and all the crows and dead trees in the desert disappeared. The general stood in the studio, wiped the blood off his face, handed the prop halberd to the crew, with a smile as warm as spring breeze on his face.

Then Ethan Jian woke up. He opened his eyes and stared at the mottled ceiling in a daze.

"Almost done." Elder Old Martin entered the room and removed the needle from Ethan Jian. "You slept so soundly. It's almost time for dinner. How do you feel?"

How else could I feel? I hung two large bottles of water, so of course I wanted to go to the toilet!

Ethan Jian nodded to indicate that he was feeling much better. He pressed the needle hole with cotton, straightened his clothes, and went into the bathroom.

The toilet was a single room, just inside Old Martin Lao's lounge. After taking care of his physiological problems, when Ethan Jian turned on the faucet to wash his hands, he saw the light bulb above his head sway twice, and then fell to the ground with a bang.

"What's that sound?" Mr. Old Martin asked outside.

...

Ethan Jian couldn't be sure if this was the work of his telepathic ability. He walked out of the bathroom in the dark and said awkwardly, "The light bulb is broken. I'll go to the store and buy a new one for you."

"Why change it? Just call someone to fix it tomorrow." Old Martin didn't take it seriously and handed over a small plastic bag. "Go home and have a rest. Here, this is your medicine! Your symptoms are malnutrition and low blood sugar! Remember to take your vitamins..."

Before he could finish his words, he was suddenly stopped by Ethan Jian.

Old Martin was puzzled. He had known Ethan Jian for several years, and this was the first time he saw fear in the young man's eyes.

"Did you hear any sound?" Ethan Jian's voice trembled a little.

Mr. Old Martin was puzzled. There was no sound at all. It was quiet outside.

Around six o'clock is the busiest time in the old city, with people returning home from work or school, and the sound of pots and pans clinking. Why is it so quiet?

Ethan Jian's eyes fell on the door of the lounge, which was closed.

He walked over step by step and opened the door.

There was indeed no one outside.

---Even though there were no patients coming for treatment, the nurses were nowhere to be seen.

Old Martin ran out in a panic, calling the nurse's name, and then left the clinic. He was stunned. All the neighbors were gone, and there was a cane and chess pieces lying on the stone bench where the old people usually gathered to chat.

Ethan Jian reached out and slowly supported his forehead. He didn't expect that the disaster would happen again.

"What's going on?" Mr. Old Martin had never seen such a ridiculous thing in his decades of life.

Ethan Jian's mind was in turmoil, and he was so annoyed that he wanted to smash everything in front of him to pieces. However, there was an old man beside him, an old man who took good care of him, and he could not show his despair.

Supporting Mr. Old Martin, Ethan Jian found a place for him to sit down and recounted his experience last night in the briefest possible words.

Of course he still had some reservations and did not mention that he could move objects with his mind.

After Mr. Old Martin calmed down, he quickly realized his current situation - intellectually he did not believe Ethan Jian's words, but the facts were shocking.

"You entered the elevator, and everything changed when you came out?" Old Martin's brows were furrowed so much that they could pinch a mosquito to death. He couldn't help but think of the fact that he thought Ethan Jian's IV drip should have almost run out, because the nurse said that the young man had fallen asleep, so he deliberately closed the door when he came in to check.

When did the sounds outside disappear?

Mr. Old Martin thought hard and finally clapped his hands: "It was after the light bulb in the toilet broke!"

The noise was quite loud and Old Martin was startled. He was afraid that Ethan Jian would run out of energy and fall in the toilet, so he hurriedly asked. Then they kept talking until Ethan Jian noticed something was wrong.

"What should we do?" Mr. Old Martin was sweating profusely.

It turns out that the truth behind Ethan Jian's poor health was this: a young man could survive dozens of hours without food or water, but for an old man like him, wouldn't this be fatal?

Ethan Jian picked up a newspaper from the floor of the clinic. His pupils contracted when he saw the headlines of social news.

Huanyu Cinema, stolen supermarket food, at eleven o'clock last night...did the young couple die?

"boom!"

A ball of fire appeared in the distant sky and a huge roar was heard.

Ethan Jian was stunned, and quickly ran to the window with Old Martin Lao, only to see thick smoke coming out of the top floor of the Pearl Hotel, a landmark building in the center of Huaicheng City, and the air was filled with the smell of gunpowder explosion.

If it were any other day, Ethan Jian would definitely think that the Pearl Hotel had been attacked by terrorists.

"Is there anyone else?" Mr. Old Martin was surprised and happy.

It was strange. No matter who fell into this world where time stopped, they would be at a loss. Who would have the energy to throw explosives? It was not easy to find explosives in China, unless you made them yourself - "Swoosh, bang!"

Someone was setting off fireworks over at Linjiang Bridge. Bunches of fireworks leaped into the sky, breaking the tranquility of the night.

"Mr. Old Martin, you are hiding in the clinic. I will go and take a look."

"...Be careful." Old Martin wanted to go with him, but with his old limbs, he would definitely drag Ethan Jian down if anything happened.

After nodding to Mr. Old Martin and promising to come back, Ethan Jian walked out of the street carefully and headed towards the Linjiang Bridge.

Although the Pearl Hotel is relatively close, the dangers of setting off fireworks and throwing explosives are obvious and need no elaboration.

The night was cold and windy, and the road was just like the night before, with countless cars with their lights on. It was rush hour, and except for the green and red lights, they didn't respond at all, just like any other traffic jam.

It looks bustling and prosperous, but in fact it is empty.

Suddenly, a young man riding a mountain bike with a big bag on his back came into Ethan Jian's sight.

"Huh?" They saw each other at the same time.

The mountain bike glided over lightly, and the young man with dyed hair looked at Ethan Jian suspiciously: "Who are you?"

Countless thoughts flashed through Ethan Jian's mind when the other party appeared. The young man's calm attitude further confirmed his guess - this person must know something, otherwise no one could face such a change as if nothing had happened.

"I'll go over there." Ethan Jian pointed towards the Linjiang Bridge.

"Oh, we are kindred spirits, let's go together!" the young man said immediately.

Ethan Jian said calmly: "You go first, I'm looking for a car."

"You are too casual. You are not prepared at all." The young man did not completely let down his guard and was still staring at Ethan Jian.

Ethan Jian saw the big backpack behind the other person, with a corner of a food packaging bag sticking out from the zipper that was not completely closed, and he seemed to understand something.

"I hid the food somewhere else," said Ethan Jian.

The young man laughed and gave a thumbs up: "I have an idea, actually I have one too, but I brought two bags of food. Don't worry, the plot has just begun, there is no..."

The young man hadn't finished his words when a man suddenly appeared from the darkness, swiftly striking him on the back of the neck with his palm, knocking him unconscious.

Ethan Jian saw it when the other party touched him.

This person was none other than his childhood friend Victor Lu.

Although it was unclear what Victor Lu was going to do, between the outgoing childhood friend and the suspicious stranger, Ethan Jian would of course choose Victor Lu, so he watched Victor Lu knock the man unconscious in silence.

"Great, you're here too!"

Lu Mi excitedly grabbed Ethan Jian's hand, with a look of fear on his face: "I came out of the elevator and found that everyone was gone. There are still people killing people at the Pearl Hotel. Let's leave here quickly and find a place to hide."

...

Ethan Jian looked at him quietly. Lu Mi could no longer maintain the smile on his face and quietly took a half step back.

"What, what happened?"