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Chapter 26: The Investigation Mission (Part 2)
“Oh dear… so you’re the brother of the person who saved Hanna’s life! I completely misunderstood you!”
Once she realized what was going on, the previously stern-faced manager quickly reverted to her kind and gentle demeanor. She even tugged at Leon’s arm, scolding him lightly:
“Look at the trouble this has caused… Why didn’t you just say you heard Hanna was sick and came to visit her? Why did you bother showing me your credentials? I’ve always treated Hanna like my own daughter. If I’d known about this connection, I wouldn’t have stopped you!”
“…”
Oh, please… If you hadn’t stopped me earlier and grilled me like a suspicious character, I would’ve been upstairs already. There wouldn’t have been any need to show my ID.
Seeing Leon’s exasperated expression, the manager flushed with embarrassment and stammered: “I only stopped you because you looked unfamiliar. I know everyone in this building, and I’ve never seen you before. Plus, you’re wearing… ahem… and you were carrying that big bag. I thought it was better to ask a few questions…”
You mean you were worried I was a thief because of my worn-out clothes, right?
Leon glanced down at his old coat, its edges frayed from years of use. It was at least twenty years old—older than he was—and had been passed down from his father. Back when his family lived off meager pensions, having something warm to wear was all they could afford. There was no room for pickiness.
Now, despite his new high-paying job, his first paycheck hadn’t come through yet, so he couldn’t afford a new coat. His appearance, coupled with the biting wind making him hunch over, made him look rather suspicious.
“Ahem… I’m sorry, young man. I misjudged you.” Realizing Leon understood her unspoken concerns, the manager quickly apologized. Then, along with the middle-aged nurse’s husband, she ushered Leon inside while reaching out to take the shopping bag from his hands.
“Oh dear, your sister is such a blessing to Hanna. You really shouldn’t bring so many things—it must’ve hurt your hands carrying them all. Let me help you put them down… uh…”
Though Leon moved swiftly to avoid her grasp, the sharp horns of the black goat head inside the bag pierced through the fabric due to the sudden movement. With a thud, the goat’s head spilled out onto the floor.
“…”
“…”
“That… um, that’s actually a gift for our chief. She asked me to buy it for her soup.”
Quickly bending down, Leon stuffed the goat’s head back into the bag and tied a tight knot around the tear. He then offered an awkward explanation:
“Our chief loves goat-head soup. She had stayed up late last night and couldn’t wake up early this morning, so she sent me to the morning market to get it for her. After buying it, I decided to drop by here since I was in the neighborhood. And… well, I just started working, so I don’t have much money yet. I didn’t bring anything else as a gift. Sorry about that.”
“Oh, my apologies, young man. My hand got ahead of me, heh…”
After several blunders that left the atmosphere tense, the manager felt too embarrassed to stay. She mumbled a few more trivial remarks before excusing herself, claiming she needed to return to her post downstairs, and hastily left the apartment.
Once she was gone, the scholarly middle-aged man offered another apology:
“Aunt Mary… she might’ve been overly worried about Hanna today, which made her act a bit rashly. But she didn’t mean any harm. Normally, whenever residents in the building need help, she’s always the first to lend a hand. She’s truly a kind and thoughtful person. If she offended you in any way, I apologize on her behalf.”
“No, no, it’s fine.” Recalling what he had seen earlier using his soul vision, Leon smiled and waved dismissively.
“I could tell she’s an incredibly kind person. In fact, not just her—everyone in this building seems good-hearted. Um… may I ask a somewhat bold request?”
Glancing at the closed door leading to the inner room, Leon hesitantly continued:
“The gas company’s compensation officer mentioned that your wife seemed to have… some differing thoughts about yesterday’s incident. Don’t worry—I think I understand the reason behind her feelings, and I might be able to help resolve her concerns. Could I speak with her privately?”
“This…”
The scholarly man hesitated, seemingly reluctant to agree. However, remembering that Leon’s sister had saved his wife’s life, and seeing no reason why Leon would harm her, he reluctantly nodded and led him into the inner bedroom.
“Hanna?”
Gently calling her name, the man woke his wife, who was still wrapped snugly in blankets. Before he could explain Leon’s purpose, the disheveled, bloodshot-eyed nurse bolted upright, staring at Leon with urgency. “I’ve seen you before! You’re Anna’s brother! You were there the other day, weren’t you?! Tell me! Did you see the hospital eating people?! Did you see that woman wrapped in bandages with incredible strength?!”
“Yes, yes, I saw everything. That’s why I’m here today.” Giving the husband a reassuring glance to indicate he should leave things to him, Leon spoke gently: “Don’t worry. You’re not crazy. Everything you saw was real.”
“You see?! He saw it too!” Overjoyed by Leon’s confirmation, the nurse grabbed her husband’s arm and exclaimed loudly: “I told you I saw it! Something’s wrong with the hospital! There really was a woman covered in bandages!”
“…” Watching his visibly excited wife, the man turned to Leon, whose expression confirmed her claims. His lips parted slightly, but he remained silent, torn between speaking and staying quiet.
After taking some sedatives and drifting in and out of sleep for nearly two days, his wife still insisted she had seen the bandaged woman. Though others tried to convince her otherwise, she began doubting herself, and her condition seemed to improve. But now, this unexpected visitor—the very person who saved her life—was affirming her visions. Wouldn’t this worsen her mental state?
“Forget it. You should stay and listen as well.” Noticing the man’s conflicted expression, Leon sighed and abandoned the idea of asking him to leave. Instead, he turned back, grasped the doorknob, and shut the inner door.
“What your wife saw… um…”
[Encountered an incomprehensible special entity. Anomalous-colored badge “Materialist Soul (Crimson)” activated. Your cognitive boundaries have expanded, and you have gained partial information about this entity.]
[Name: Spirit Dwelling (Miracle, Guardian)]
[Appearance: An old, ordinary apartment building. In the lobby, a duty room is perpetually occupied by an elderly woman with curly white hair, a slightly hunched back, and bowlegs.]
[…]
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