IRCDM Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Task: Drink More Hot Water

This clinic isn’t small. At the front desk, a young girl with heavy makeup is looking at chips. Two medical robots shuttle through the lobby, and seven or eight people are waiting in line on the side chairs, most of them also looking at chips.

“Li-ge, you’re here!” The girl’s eyes lit up when she saw Li Yao. “I’ll call Director Wang.”

“No need, I’ll go find him directly.” Li Yao tossed her a candy.

“Thank you, Li-ge!” Chuxia unwrapped the candy and threw it into her mouth, smiling and making a heart gesture at him. “Love you~”

Liang Huan said, “Do you come here often?”

“Occasionally.” Li Yao led him inside. The inner hall was a triage room, and figures could be vaguely seen through the translucent windows. Nameplates of the attending doctors were displayed outside.

Li Yao didn’t stop there, but took him directly to the second floor.

He knocked on the door and pushed it open.

“Hey—hey—hey hey hey!” The person inside was startled, hurriedly closing the projection, and cursing, “Do you have any manners, just barging in? Are you in a rush to be reincarnated or to hang yourself—oh, it’s Colonel Li.”

His face was full of smiles as he greeted them: “Commander Li has graced us with his presence, I’m so sorry for not welcoming you sooner, so sorry. The people below are really something, not even telling me you were here.”

“I didn’t let Chuxia tell you.” Li Yao sat in his chair, casually fiddling with the external chip machine on his desk. “What are you watching, Director Wang? So mysterious.”

“Hey, nothing, just a new film I got a few days ago, a surgical video from the East District First Hospital. I was just thinking of studying it.” Wang Le Ren rubbed his hands together, watching him play with the chip machine, daring to be angry but not daring to speak. “Is there something important you need? Are you injured again? I’ll take a good look at you.”

“I’m fine, it’s him.” Li Yao pointed to Liang Huan. “His brain was damaged by an heteromorph shockwave. See if there’s any way to help him recover.”

Only then did Wang Le Ren look at Liang Huan. After seeing his face clearly, he was obviously stunned for a moment, and tentatively asked, “This gentleman is…”

“My husband.” Li Yao tapped his temple. “He probably watched too many historical dramas and thinks he’s an emperor, making me kneel and kowtow to him at home.”

Wang Le Ren wanted to laugh but didn’t dare to. He walked up to Liang Huan and said, “Do you really think you’re an emperor?”

“…” Liang Huan frowned and looked at Li Yao.

Li Yao was looking down, playing with the chip machine, not noticing his displeasure.

Wang Le Ren flattered him: “Your Majesty, I am Wang, the imperial physician in your palace. Do you remember me?”

Wang Le Ren was on the plump side, with sparse hair and a round, bulbous nose. If his imperial physician looked like this, Liang Huan wouldn’t even want to drink the medicine.

He glanced at Wang Le Ren with disgust: “I’m not sick.”

“Ah?” Wang Le Ren turned his head to look at Li Yao. “He seems pretty normal.”

Li Yao held the chip machine in his palm and weighed it. “He’s pretending. He doesn’t remember anything from before. Take a look at his brain. If it doesn’t work, use electroshock to stimulate him and make him remember what happened before.”

“No problem.” Wang Le Ren turned sideways and opened the door, gesturing for Liang Huan to come out with him. “Your Majesty, please.”

Liang Huan didn’t move.

Li Yao sighed, got up and put his arm around Liang Huan’s shoulder, leading him out. “Alright, I’ll accompany you.”

Only then did Liang Huan mercifully nod his head.

The brain examination was complicated and cumbersome. Li Yao was stopped outside when they entered the examination room. Liang Huan sat in the chair as instructed by the robot, and two chips the size of fingernails were attached to his temples. Wang Le Ren’s face suddenly appeared on the virtual screen in front of him.

“Mr. Liang, it wasn’t convenient to talk outside just now. How did you end up with Li Yao?” Wang Le Ren looked respectful and flattering. “Does Mr. Yu have something to instruct me?”

Liang Huan’s mind stirred. It seemed that Wang Le Ren knew “Liang Huan,” but who was this Mr. Yu? Could it be that his getting close to Li Yao was someone’s deliberate arrangement?

After a little thought, he had a plan in mind. He said in a deep voice, “It’s not the time yet. I’ll look for you when the time is right.”

Wang Le Ren looked as if he suddenly understood, and said diligently, “I understand, I understand. Mr. Yu’s matters are all important, and must be treated with caution. Rest assured.”

Liang Huan wanted to dig out some information about this identity from him. In this situation, the less said, the better. He just nodded aloofly.

“Then shall we still do the examination?” Wang Le Ren was very perceptive.

“Normal examination.” Liang Huan knew that he didn’t have amnesia, he had merely transmigrated. He also wanted to see if the medical technology of this era could detect it.

Wang Le Ren began to examine his body very professionally.

Half an hour later, dense rows of test reports were spread out on the virtual screen.

Liang Huan was a little dizzy, sitting in the chair with his eyes closed to rest. Li Yao looked at the reports, listening to Wang Le Ren babbling in his ear, “Commander, Mr. Liang’s brain data is all normal, but he suffered a heavy blow to the back of his head, so temporary amnesia is possible. Forcing stimulation is likely to cause irreversible damage. We still recommend resting.”

“Electroshock won’t work?” Li Yao asked.

“Oh, my commander, electroshocking the brain is no small matter! You used to be a tough guy with S-grade mental power and S-grade physical fitness in the army. Mr. Liang’s physical fitness rating is only D. How could he withstand that?” Wang Le Ren wiped the sweat from his forehead. “It’s not a big problem anyway.”

He wouldn’t dare to use electroshock on Mr. Yu’s man even if he was beaten to death. He wasn’t tired of living.

Li Yao looked at him coldly.

Wang Le Ren was sweating profusely from his gaze, and his smile was full of guilty conscience.

“Okay, it’s good that he’s okay.” Li Yao patted him on the shoulder, picked up the chip machine on his desk and shook it. “Borrow it for a couple of days?”

Wang Le Ren nodded with heartache. “How could I just lend it to you? I’ll just give it to you.”

Li Yao held the chip machine and blocked him with his hand. “No need to give it to me, you can be busy with your stuff, I’m leaving.”

Then he swaggered out the door with Liang Huan.

Wang Le Ren grabbed the clothes over his heart, in so much pain he couldn’t breathe.

This chip machine was a high-end product he had just gotten from the East District, and it cost him 100,000 condensed coins. Before it could even warm up, Li Yao took it away.

How could such an upright and brave person become such a ruthless mercenary!

He’s simply a robber!

Liang Huan followed Li Yao out of the clinic. The dizziness brought on by the examination just now still lingered, and the nausea in his stomach was getting worse.

“Are you alright?” Li Yao saw that his face was pale and couldn’t help but ask.

Liang Huan shook his head: “It’s nothing.”

Li Yao said, “Don’t force yourself. The radiation from the brain examination is great. If you’re really uncomfortable—”

Just when Liang Huan thought he was going to say something constructive, he heard him say seriously, “Just drink more hot water.”

Liang Huan’s head hurt even more.

The chip on Li Yao’s wrist lit up. He tapped his ear, not knowing what the other person said. His expression became serious: “Got it, I’ll be right there.”

He hung up the communication and looked at Liang Huan: “Can you go back by yourself?”

“I know the way.” Liang Huan raised his hand and waved, as if sending him away. “Go be busy.”

Li Yao: “…Forget it, I’ll take you back first.”

He hurriedly dropped Liang Huan off at the bottom of the dormitory building and lowered the window of the hovercar: “I probably won’t be back tonight. You can use the chip on your wrist to open the door. Don’t go to the cafeteria by yourself, and don’t go wandering around. I’ll order takeout for you for dinner, got it?”

Liang Huan was dissatisfied: “What about lunch?”

“Two meals a day is already pretty good.” Li Yao threw the chip machine into his arms. “Go back and put it away for me.”

Then the hovercar shot straight into the sky, merging into the traffic flow in the sky and disappearing.

Liang Huan held the heavy chip machine and slowly walked into the dormitory building.

Not enough to eat, not dressed well, and not even a bed to sleep on. Liang Huan deeply felt that the “original owner” had been completely deceived by Li Yao. Marrying this useless mercenary was of no benefit at all, and he might even have to support him one day.

“You’re back.” Uncle Yang, the watchman, greeted him.

Liang Huan nodded, then suddenly paused: “Uncle Yang, do you know where to find servants?”

“Servants? Oh, you mean maids.” Uncle Yang said, “You can just post a job advertisement on your chip.”

“Thank you.” Liang Huan said.

Seeing him enter the elevator, Uncle Yang chuckled.

The person Li Yao found is quite pretentious, wanting to hire a maid to clean such a small house.

Liang Huan looked at the posting price of ten condensed coins on the job advertisement and fell into silence.

There were only 3.3 condensed coins in his account.

Fortunately, there was a lot of recruitment information on it. Maybe he could find a job first, at least to fill his stomach.

He selected for a long time, but the recruitment above required professional skills or academic qualifications, and he checked his own academic qualifications—high school graduate.

His gaze stopped on a takeout recruitment: Small Panda Takeout sincerely recruits box lunch packers, 1,000 condensed coins per month, working hours six hours.

One thousand condensed coins can charge the chip five times, take twenty showers, and buy ten servings of delicious potato stew.

He frowned and slid down, discovering that there were also benefits: three meals included, unlimited.

His Majesty the Emperor stared at the words “three meals included” for a long time and clicked the confirm button.

“Ding!”

“Your resume has been approved. Please go to Small Panda Takeout Headquarters for an interview at eight o’clock tomorrow morning. Small Panda Takeout welcomes your joining.”

Liang Huan began to collect information through the chip again. His understanding of this world was too lacking, and he needed to supplement his knowledge in large quantities. But soon he discovered that there were problems with the design of the chip. There was too much information of varying quality in it that was difficult to distinguish from the real thing, and the webpage design and news push would attract people’s attention from time to time. Various entertainment videos and programs spared no effort to seduce people to click, and even he couldn’t help but play small games for half an hour.

[The 13th East District Mecha Competition is about to begin! The registration activity for the East Third District sub-region is in full swing!]

[The sub-region champion will receive a 3 million condensed coin bonus and an A-level mecha!]

[No professional restrictions, no age restrictions, no restrictions on mental power level or physical fitness! Action speaks louder than words, what are you waiting for! Come and join us!]

The host in the 3D projection was shouting excitedly. Behind him was a group of scantily clad men and women dancing enthusiastically. Amidst the impassioned music, golden condensed coins fell and scattered, and behind them, a humanoid black mecha several meters high stood majestically, with a glittering Dawn Star branded on its chest.

Liang Huan stared at the mecha for a long time before closing the projection.

Beautiful.

And there’s a bonus of 3 million condensed coins.

The only problem is that he doesn’t know how to pilot a mecha, let alone compete.

Liang Huan was distressed when the chip on his wrist suddenly vibrated, and a communication screen popped up. Nothing was displayed on it, only a clenched cat paw and a spread pink paw pad. He studied it for a moment and poked the clenched paw. The screen suddenly disappeared.

Ah, clicked the wrong one.

Soon the other party called again. Liang Huan clicked on the spread paw, and a strange voice came from the screen: “Is it convenient to talk?”

Liang Huan didn’t know who the other party was: “It’s convenient.”

“The plan is going well. You’ve now successfully married Li Yao. Next, you have to agree to whatever Li Yao asks you to do. You must get the thing within three months, got it?” the other party asked.

“Got it,” Liang Huan agreed with great seriousness.

Seeing that he was so straightforward, the other party chuckled: “I know you’re unwilling, but this is all for Mr. Yu. We’ve received reliable information that the backup black box of the Dawn Project Joint Fleet is in Li Yao’s hands. You know that we don’t necessarily need you, so you better not get any funny ideas, and don’t expect anyone to save you. Only Mr. Yu can let you live. Got it?”

Liang Huan’s eyes flickered slightly: “How do I confirm that what Li Yao has is the black box?”

“The instrument is on the way. Go to Pei Zhong in the Black Market in three days. He’ll give you the thing,” the other party said.

Liang Huan said, “What benefits do I get after I get it?”

“Ha, you’re really not honest. What other benefits do you want? Only Mr. Yu’s medicine can alleviate your high mental dysfunction. Otherwise, you’ll eventually become a useless person who can’t do anything.” The other party’s voice had a fierce tone. “Next week is the Mercenary Competition. I don’t care what method you use to get Li Yao to take the mental relaxant. His current situation must not be exposed to the military, otherwise you can forget about getting your medicine this month.”

Liang Huan said in a deep voice, “Okay.”

The other party hung up the communication.

The dizziness and nausea after the examination struck again. Liang Huan had no choice but to use the little inner strength he had left to barely suppress the feeling.

He entered “high mental dysfunction” in the search box, and a large amount of information was quickly searched.

Li Yao had also mentioned it before. High mental dysfunction is an incurable genetic defect. Mild patients exhibit physical defects, accompanied by muscle degeneration, dizziness, and headaches, and countless complications. As the symptoms worsen, patients will gradually lose their ability to move or experience explosive increases in physical fitness. The nervous system will gradually degenerate, and they will be mentally affected under conditions in which they cannot take care of themselves, specifically manifesting as mania, depression, or dementia… There is currently no good medical treatment, and with the increasing radiation values, the incidence of high mental dysfunction is also increasing year by year. Many retired soldiers and mercenaries will also induce this type of disease if they overuse their mental power, even though their genes do not have this defect.

Once the disease occurs, the patient’s lifespan will begin to count down, and the longest survival time is only eighteen years.

Liang Huan’s mood instantly dropped to a low point.

The chip lit up again.

This time, Liang Huan answered skillfully, thinking he had some other “task,” but Li Yao’s projection appeared on the screen.

He didn’t know which corner he was squatting in. The roars of heteromorphs and zombies and the sound of artillery fire were all around. His face was covered with ash and blood, and most of the clothes on his body were torn. He coughed to the side, turned his head and looked at him: “My bonus for this month has been credited to my account. I ordered you takeout for lunch. Don’t forget to go downstairs to get it.”

Liang Huan’s eyes reflected his embarrassed appearance covered in dust and dirt. He suddenly curled his lips and smiled.

“What are you smiling at? Hanging up!” Li Yao decisively hung up the communication.

Liang Huan sat on the sofa and tapped the chip on his wrist. His cold gaze fell on the “Husband” note on the screen.

Compared with the task publisher who threatened him on the black screen, Li Yao was a little more interesting.

At least he knew to order him takeout.