The nurse walked up to Xia Li and said,
"Hello."
Xia Li narrowed her eyes slightly.
’Why is she so calm upon seeing me?’
The other nurses and doctors were always so respectful and subservient.
Even a sick tiger is still a tiger to an ordinary rabbit.
No, that’s not right. For the past few days, no nurses or doctors had come to this room.
Xia Li leaned back slightly in her wheelchair, staring warily at the nurse.
"You’re not from the hospital."
The nurse sat nonchalantly on the hospital bed, crossing her legs and revealing a flash of her pale white thighs. She said,
"That’s right, Miss Xia."
Xia Li shuddered.
’Come to think of it, the security here is top-notch. How did this woman, disguised as a nurse, get in?’
’At such a sensitive time, while I’m sick... for a strange, unfamiliar woman to sneak into my room...’
Xia Li sized up the nurse again.
’Is she a professionally trained assassin?’
’Has someone finally lost their patience?’
Xia Li took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. In a low voice, she asked,
"Who are you?"
The nurse replied,
"I’m from the Taboo Association."
Xia Li froze.
’Taboo Association?’
It sounded like the name of some organization.
There were many powerful organizations in the world that ordinary people knew nothing about.
For example, a private sailing club composed of the world’s top billionaires, with only one hundred spots available.
Or the Bright Sect, founded at Kruso University, which had produced two presidents of Meiqi Country.
Or the Shenma Club, a global think tank whose members were intellectual elites and policymakers from various nations.
...
This nurse was none other than Jin Meiting.
Following Jiang Chaosheng’s instructions, she had found the red-haired youth’s older sister.
She had quickly learned about Xia Li’s current condition from a couple of security guards.
ALS combined with a congenital heart defect. She could die at any moment.
As for how Jin Meiting had gotten this information out of the security guards...
She was now a Succubus. Using a little Hypnotic Charm Art was as easy as drinking water for her.
The guards, thinking with their lower heads, had forgotten how to think at all. They just saw Jin Meiting as a gorgeous young nurse.
To earn a smile from the beauty, they had spilled everything.
Right now, those guards were still lost in a world where they were hitting on a beautiful woman, letting out lecherous, foolish laughs.
Jin Meiting was currently trying to figure out how to get Xia Li to go to Antique Shop Zero and become a member of the Taboo Association.
’This is the first task my master has given me. I have to complete it beautifully.’
Xia Li was clearly on her last legs, like a grasshopper after autumn, yet she still projected the aura of a person in power.
"What do you want with me?"
Inwardly, Xia Li was not as calm as she appeared.
’At a time like this, why would a member of a mysterious organization suddenly seek me out?’
’Perhaps... this is the key to turning the tables!’
Jin Meiting glanced at Xia Li.
"You’re very lucky. My master has taken notice of you."
The corner of Xia Li’s eye twitched.
’She had never heard someone use the title "master" before.’
’The crucial part is, this breathtakingly beautiful woman who seems like a high-level assassin... is actually a female slave?’
’The Taboo Association... just what kind of organization is it?’
Xia Li suppressed her shock and said with feigned sarcasm,
"Your master can’t be very smart. Otherwise, why would he notice me?
As you can see, I can’t go anywhere. I don’t even know when I’ll die.
I can’t offer you any help."
Xia Li’s words were a self-deprecating jab at her own situation.
To her surprise, the beauty in the nurse’s uniform before her suddenly started giggling.
Xia Li didn’t understand what about her words was so funny.
Jin Meiting looked at Xia Li, her eyes full of amusement.
"Heh heh heh... It’s because he pities you that he noticed you."
Xia Li’s eyes narrowed.
A demonic smile played on Jin Meiting’s lips.
"My master loves watching plays.
Especially the stories put on by ants after they are given a new life.
You should be grateful for your tragic fate.
Otherwise, you would never have had the chance to even hear my master’s name,
let alone see his true face."
Xia Li’s eye twitched slightly.
She felt like this woman was telling her a fairytale.
’What does she mean by "new life"?’
’Can she actually cure me?’
’And what’s this about never being able to hear her master’s name in my lifetime?’
’For someone as powerful and influential as me, is just hearing his name supposed to be a gift?’
’Is her master a world-class billionaire?’
’Or... a high-ranking official from the Imperial Capital?’
After she had her fill of laughter, an envious expression appeared on Jin Meiting’s beautiful face.
"You should feel honored that you get to perform for my master.
So put away those worthless little schemes of yours and be grateful that the master has even glanced in your direction."
For some reason, Xia Li didn’t feel like the woman before her was belittling her.
She had a gut feeling that as long as she met this ’master,’ she would be able to escape her fate.
Xia Li trusted her intuition. It was because of this sharp intuition that she was able to build World Dream into what it was today.
She wanted to meet this ’master’.
Even if her intuition was wrong and the ’master’ couldn’t cure her, he might still be able to keep World Dream from dying in her hands.
She would still have time to ensure World Dream was passed on to a suitable successor.
Xia Li thought highly of her assistant.
That assistant was daring and driven, with a sharp mind and decisive methods, and was also very loyal to her.
Xia Li was silent for a long moment.
"How can I meet your master?"
Jin Meiting let out a sigh of relief.
She had originally been just a college senior.
Facing a powerful figure like Xia Li, she was actually quite flustered, afraid she would screw things up.
’If I had just come out and said,’
’"My master has a lot of powerful antiques that can cure your illness."’
’Xia Li would have probably thought I was the one who was sick—mentally ill.’
’If I had suddenly transformed into a Succubus to show off my power...’
’Xia Li’s terrifyingly fragile little heart might have just given out and she’d have died right here.’
’Thankfully, my whole chuunibyou speech that I learned from anime managed to bamboozle Xia Li.’
’But it wasn’t really a deception, either.’
’What I said was basically all true.’
’Didn’t the master say it himself?’
’He likes strong people who are in desperate situations.’
Jin Meiting glanced at the time and said,
"My master gave me a lot to do today. I don’t have time to waste talking nonsense with you."
She took a pre-prepared slip of paper out of her pocket.
On it was written the address of Antique Shop Zero.
Jin Meiting placed the slip of paper on the bed and said,
"You only have one chance to see my master, and that’s tonight."
With that, Jin Meiting stood up and swayed her slender waist as she walked out of the room.
...
Xia Li stared intently at Jin Meiting’s retreating back.
After Jin Meiting left, she quickly picked up the slip of paper.
It was an address.
She quickly committed the address to memory.
Xia Li frowned.
’I’m a terminally ill cripple. How am I supposed to leave Oasis Hospital to meet this ’master’?’
’I have to meet him. World Dream absolutely cannot be destroyed in my hands!’
An idea struck Xia Li. Mustering all her strength, she grabbed a water glass and hurled it at the television.
CRASH!
A loud shattering sound rang out.
A few minutes later, two security guards rushed into the hospital room.
They were professionally trained and extremely sensitive to such sounds.
Seeing that Xia Li was unharmed, the guards breathed a sigh of relief.
If Xia Li had tried to kill herself, every one of them would have been punished.
Xia Li was exhausted, panting heavily.
"Call Lawyer Zhao. Tell him I agree to sign the contract.
But, you have to take me somewhere to pick up my father’s belongings.
Don’t worry, it’ll take an hour at most. He can wait for me here in the room."
The guards looked at each other. The one in the lead stepped out of the room and dialed a number.
On the other end of the line, Lawyer Zhao was ecstatic.
"Go! Let her go! As long as she signs the contract, anything is negotiable!"
The guard asked suspiciously,
"Could it be a trap? What if she goes somewhere with people she knows who can help her?"
Lawyer Zhao cursed,
"Can’t you just watch her?!
If she behaves, fine. But if she tries anything funny, you drag her right back here!
And if she says anything she shouldn’t to anyone she meets, you drag them back here too!"
The guard nodded.
"Understood."