At the End of the Road

Perhaps Commissioner Xin carried enough clout, or perhaps Lu Zhan simply had a face everyone loved.

Whatever the reason, Lu Zhan actually managed to enjoy three days of lavish meals at the hospital without paying a cent.

Unfortunately, the Ninth Medical Security Center was far too stingy. On the fourth day, Lu Zhan was forcibly discharged.

"How utterly graceless. The people at this hospital are such snobs! First they fawned over me, then they turned their noses up!"

"Hmph. If this weren't a hospital, an Armored Warrior like me would never come back."

"Otherwise, I'd make you lot witness the return of the king!"

At the entrance to the Ninth Medical Security Center, the bald-headed Lu Zhan waved to the medical staff who had come to "see him off."

Whatever their attitude now, for those first three days they had practically worshipped him.

It gave Lu Zhan a genuine appreciation of the Inspection Office's power.

Outside the hospital, traffic bustled under bright sunshine.

For an instant, Lu Zhan almost thought he was still on Blue Star.

But when a breeze swept over his bare scalp, he immediately came back to his senses.

This world was different, after all. And so was he.

Although Lu Zhan held the Ninth Medical Security Center's "stinginess" in contempt,

he had to admit that both its medical care and its food deserved to be called "high-end."

Under the care of professional doctors, Lu Zhan's head, originally bandaged into a ball, had healed completely in just two days.

There was one small regret: his hair had not grown back.

But that was not because the Guarantee Center's medical skills were lacking. Lu Zhan had refused to have his hair regrown.

The Ninth Medical Security Center's medical skills are decent, but they're hardly miraculous or free of side effects.

They healed my badly injured body so quickly by overcharging every cell in it.

That was the only way to rouse the cells and make my body instinctively save itself.

But this treatment squeezes too much out of the cells, affecting their vitality and lifespan.

Being brought back from the brink this time cost me at least two years of life.

There's no point wasting another half month of my life over a little hair.

Lu Zhan had not spent these past few days at the hospital merely freeloading.

He had spent more of his time borrowing someone else's authority to engage the medical staff in conversation.

In fact, that was the very reason he had chosen to stay a few extra days.

With the experience of his previous life, Lu Zhan understood one thing very well: no matter how the world changed, hospitals were always places filled with "advanced" knowledge.

His own recovery, in particular, had already confirmed that the Ninth Medical Security Center was no ordinary institution.

Although he had arrived in this world abruptly, merging with his predecessor's memories had kept Lu Zhan from being completely lost.

But his predecessor's understanding of this world was far too rudimentary and one-sided.

Lu Zhan wanted a deeper understanding of this world and his own body.

The Ninth Medical Security Center was the ideal place to find it.

With Xin Ya's authority to hide behind, along with his own "aptitude to become an Armored Warrior,"

Lu Zhan had thrived at the Ninth Medical Security Center-at least for the first three days.

Once he learned he had the aptitude to become an Armored Warrior, Lu Zhan never considered hiding it.

Quite the opposite: he intended to advertise it himself.

Otherwise, why would the Guarantee Center's medical staff, who considered themselves superior people, bother with him?

Three days was a little short, but Lu Zhan, who had no qualms about asking questions, had learned a great deal.

The negative effect on his cells' lifespan was something he had uncovered through tactful questioning.

He had picked up a few other tidbits of information as well.

For instance, more than fifty other unfortunate souls had been brought to the Ninth Medical Security Center along with him.

Only a dozen or so had survived.

As skilled as the Ninth Medical Security Center's doctors were, they could not raise the dead or regrow flesh on bare bones.

The doctors didn't say so outright, but there should be some way to reverse this shortening of my cells' lifespan.

But with my current status and standing, there's no way I could gain access to it.

Heh. If this incident hadn't involved a mutant beast, and if the Inspection Office hadn't brought me to the hospital,

my predecessor probably would never have qualified to set foot inside the Ninth Medical Security Center in his entire life.

After leaving the Ninth Medical Security Center, Lu Zhan felt as though he had been "put back in his place."

Everything before him felt fresh and new, but he had no mind to appreciate any of it.

He was penniless now. He could not even afford bus fare.

This is bad. Even the clothes I'm wearing came courtesy of the Guarantee Center.

My predecessor didn't have any friends he could trust with his life. Even if he had, I couldn't contact them now!

While "enjoying the good life" at the hospital, Lu Zhan had considered contacting the outside world.

But the only way to do that at the Ninth Medical Security Center was by telephone.

Sadly, not one of the people Lu Zhan knew was that "wealthy."

Unlike Blue Star in his previous life, where landlines had all but disappeared,

telephones were a symbol of wealth in Yero City.

Forget ordinary workers-even among the city's middle class, few could afford one.

Three months ago, I turned eighteen, and the Wutu Gang sold me to the Black Star Steam Locomotive Factory.

As an apprentice, I earned five hundred a month, but half of it went straight to the Wutu Gang.

Over those three months, after food, clothing, rent, and transportation, I saved a total of...

Lu Zhan had intended to work out how much he still owned.

But ignorance was bliss. Once he did the math, he wanted to cry.

In the three months he had lived on his own, he had not saved a cent.

Worse still, the twenty-third had been payday.

Otherwise, the seven of them would not even have had

the money to go out for a late-night meal.

And now that little bit of money had all been "stolen by the mutant beast."

At any rate, Lu Zhan had not seen his money since waking up.

When it rains, it pours!

If I remember correctly, that vicious-looking landlord is still waiting for my rent!

I can't even go home now!

A moment earlier, Lu Zhan had resolved to put his feet through some hardship and walk back to his rented room.

Now he could not bring himself to take another step.

After nearly a week without showing his face, his belongings had probably already "changed owners," hadn't they?

Fortunately, there was always a way out. Lu Zhan had signed a twenty-year "indenture contract" with the Black Star Steam Locomotive Factory.

As long as the Black Star Steam Locomotive Factory remained in business, he did not have to worry about unemployment.

"Whoooo!"

A piercing sound suddenly reached Lu Zhan's ears.

A steam locomotive rattled past so close it nearly brushed him, leaving a great cloud of white steam in its wake.

"Cough, cough!"

"The wheels on that thing are no good. They need replacing!"

Choked by the steam, Lu Zhan delivered a scathing assessment out of professional habit.

The next instant, that ill-mannered steam locomotive actually reversed and stopped in front of him.