For an unknown amount of time...
A figure stood in the distance.
He wore a long robe, had handsome features, and exuded an ethereal aura, as if he were one with the world, a stark contrast to the modern setting.
"Hello," Lin Fan greeted, though he didn't know who the other person was. He noticed a familiar aura emanating from the figure, as if he'd met him somewhere before.
He thought... but couldn't recall.
Old Zhang said, "My Lin Fan is greeting you, why are you so impolite?"
Lin Fan interjected, "Old Zhang, maybe he's not good with words. We should be understanding."
"Fine, let's just assume he can't speak," Old Zhang conceded easily. He was easily persuaded by Lin Fan, but wouldn't listen to anyone else.
The mysterious man's voice was cold, "Why are you chasing me?"
Lin Fan replied, "Then why are you running?"
"If you chase, shouldn't I run?"
"If you run, I will definitely chase."
Silence.
The atmosphere became awkward.
Old Zhang exclaimed, "He can talk! He really was being impolite."
The Evil Chicken watched Old Zhang as if he were a fool. When did the man say he couldn't speak? This was the demeanor of a strong individual; they wouldn't speak casually.
This person before him gave the Evil Chicken a sense of danger.
Like a blade hanging over its head.
Ready to fall at any moment.
The mysterious man said, "You have a point. Indeed, I ran, and you chased. I see something in your heart. You are dissatisfied with everything now."
"Am I?" Lin Fan was surprised. He hadn't expected the other person to see such strange things in him.
The mysterious man's gaze was calm, yet it contained an all-seeing light, as if he had seen through Lin Fan's body and mind. He slowly said, "You are wondering if this world is worth protecting. But I want to tell you, this world is not worth protecting. The world you are protecting is dark. Why don't you join me in creating a new world?"
"You are the chosen one. I didn't want to contact you so early, but since you've appeared before me, I might as well tell you now."
Lin Fan and Old Zhang exchanged glances.
Then they whispered to each other.
"Do you understand what he's saying?"
"If you don't understand, I understand even less."
"Let's be careful. Maybe he's not right in the head. We can't pretend we don't understand, or we'll definitely hurt his feelings."
"Yeah, I know."
Their discussion was quiet, and the mysterious man naturally didn't hear it. But when they looked at him, their eyes held a sympathetic expression.
They were always very considerate of those with mental issues.
The mysterious man frowned, "What's with that look?"
Lin Fan and Old Zhang quickly shook their heads, "Nothing."
The mysterious man had noticed long ago that Lin Fan was extraordinary, different from ordinary people. He had been searching for the reason behind Lin Fan's uniqueness, but the other party hid it well, making it impossible to see through.
At this moment, the mysterious man smiled, "How about creating a new world with me? I saw what you just experienced. An unjust world is terrible. We need to change it. Join me in creating a fair world."
"Together, we will be unstoppable."
The mysterious man opened his arms, embracing the world, his chuunibyou demeanor particularly domineering.
They exchanged glances again.
"Okay," Lin Fan and Old Zhang nodded in agreement. They didn't want to provoke him. From initial suspicion to current certainty, they had determined that the other party had mental problems. They couldn't provoke him, but could only go along with him.
"Hmm?" The mysterious man was puzzled. He felt something was wrong. Their agreement was too quick, leaving him a little stunned.
The mysterious man said with satisfaction, "You are wise."
Lin Fan asked, "What do you want to do?"
Old Zhang tugged on Lin Fan's hand, "I'm scared."
He was truly scared, most afraid of this person with potential mental problems. He remembered how happy and carefree they were at Qing Shan Mental Hospital, everyone so friendly.
Lin Fan comforted Old Zhang's fear, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. With me here, there's no danger."
The mysterious man said, "Wait for my notification."
After saying this, the mysterious man prepared to leave.
"Wait," Lin Fan called out.
The mysterious man looked at him questioningly, "What else?"
Lin Fan said, "Can you come with me to a place? I want to take you there. It might help you. Trust me, I won't lie to you, just like I understand you."
He could sense the strong aura emanating from the other party. Though he usually wanted to spar with strong individuals, he didn't want to spar with this one. He didn't want to bully someone with mental issues.
In any confrontation, the mind decided everything. Even if one's strength was formidable, there could be terrible consequences.
These theories weren't his own discoveries.
Watching enough movies would make it clear.
Many strong individuals became neurotic after experiencing certain events, then were killed by villains who were originally weaker than them. The final conclusion was... whether the mind was sound affected one's strength.
The mysterious man said, "Alright."
For the mysterious man, it was as he thought. Lin Fan had a demon in his heart. Everyone... no matter how good they were, had a demon within them.
Qing Shan Mental Hospital.
Lin Fan told Old Zhang to quickly cover the sign so the other party wouldn't see the words "Mental Hospital." He understood that if the man saw it, he would definitely become uneasy, and it might even stimulate him.
Therefore, the clever Lin Fan had Old Zhang cover the sign.
Old Zhang stood under the sign, looking around casually, as if telling everyone, "I'm covering something that others can't see."
Inside the mental hospital.
Director Hao stood by the window, watching the scene outside. The patients and caregivers interacted amicably, some chatting with patients and even laughing. It was a warm and harmonious scene.
Of course, he kept that particular caregiver in mind.
He would find time to give that caregiver a thorough check-up to see if they had been infected by the mental patients. Although this situation wasn't common, he couldn't be too careful.
Seeing a familiar figure, Director Hao hurried downstairs to greet the esteemed guest he missed dearly.
A-Da listened to Professor Starry Sky's lecture with rapt attention.
Many concepts clashed violently with his worldview.
Every time this happened, he chanted "Amitabha, boundless Buddha Dharma" to suppress his shock.
Suddenly, A-Da woke up with a start.
This aura... so terrifying.
He sensed the mysterious man's aura. To him, this aura was too frightening, contending with his pure Buddhist aura.
Who was it?
Under Professor Starry Sky's disapproving gaze, A-Da left the room. He had to know who could emanate such an aura.
In the office.
"Why did you think of coming back?" Hao Ren asked.
He looked at Lin Fan and Old Zhang. They had gained weight. It seemed they were doing well. One-Eyed Man had taken good care of them. If they had lost weight, he would have been heartbroken.
Lin Fan pulled Hao Ren outside, pointed at the mysterious man inside, and whispered, "I think there's something wrong with him, so I brought him here to have a look."
Hao Ren looked at Lin Fan, then at the mysterious man, blinking in a daze.
Damn.
A bit scary.
A veteran mental patient brought another suspected patient here and told him that the patient's mind might not be right.
If Hao Ren wasn't on good terms with Lin Fan, he would have yelled, "Someone, get this patient some medicine!"
"Is that so?" Hao Ren asked, feigning inquiry.
Lin Fan nodded seriously, "Yes."
Hao Ren said, "Don't worry, I'll observe him carefully later. You two stay by the side and don't talk, just watch me."
"Okay," Lin Fan replied.
Inside the room.
Hao Ren looked at the other party with a smile and extended his hand, "Hello..."
A friendly greeting.
The mysterious man glanced at Hao Ren. A mere mortal. In his eyes, Hao Ren was like an ant, unworthy of attention. As for shaking hands, there was no need to even think about it, completely unnecessary.
The other party's look made Hao Ren quite unhappy. Who did this guy think he was? Didn't he see his friendly gesture? Yet, he received a look of disdain in return. It was truly unpleasant.
The first impression was very bad.
Sick, definitely sick.
Hao Ren wasn't like Lin Fan, who didn't think or ask anything. The moment he saw the mysterious man, he knew this person wasn't normal.
His clothing seemed ancient.
It was unclear from what era he came.
"May I ask your name?" Hao Ren inquired.
The mysterious man replied, "Don't ask what you shouldn't. It's for your own good."
Hao Ren felt a terrifying aura emanating from the man as he spoke, like a devil lurking in the darkness, staring at him with frightening eyes.
He wasn't asking these questions for Lin Fan, but for One-Eyed Man, to investigate the identity of this mysteriously appearing person.
He felt a sense of unease.
It wasn't as simple as he had imagined.
Moreover, the other party wasn't from the Starry Sky Clan. If he were, he wouldn't be like this. Hao Ren pondered who he could be. Based on the current information, it was useless.
Hao Ren asked, "How did you meet Lin Fan?"
The mysterious man replied, "By chance."
Bullshit. To Hao Ren, it felt like none of this guy's words were true.
Just then, A-Da pushed the door open, stood at the entrance, and his gaze met the mysterious man's directly.
The moment their eyes met, A-Da felt a jolt in his heart.
As if he had met some ominous being.
Cultivating Buddhist practices, he was sensitive to such things. If the Little Tathagata were here, he would definitely see through the other party's true form.
"Amitabha!" A-Da put his palms together, bowed slightly to the mysterious man, and said, "This humble monk has gone to the wrong place. Farewell."
Retreat!
A strategic retreat.