Chapter 26

“Ah, so… you’re the brother of Hanna’s savior! Matron misunderstood you!”

After figuring out the situation, the administrator matron who just moments ago had a ferocious appearance instantly reverted to her kind and amiable self, even pulling on Leon’s arm while complaining:

“Look at how this turned out… if you’d just said you were here to visit Hanna because you heard she was sick, wouldn’t that have been fine? Why show me your badge? I’ve always seen Hanna as my own daughter. If I’d known this connection existed, would I have stopped you from coming up?”

“…”

You’ve got to be kidding… if you hadn’t stopped me earlier like I was some kind of thief and kept interrogating me, I would’ve come upstairs long ago, right? Why would I need to show a badge to prove my identity? Feeling somewhat embarrassed by Leon’s speechless expression, the administrator matron’s face reddened slightly as she muttered: “I only stopped you because you looked unfamiliar. I know everyone in this apartment, and I really hadn’t seen you before. And you were wearing… cough… and carrying a big bag, so I thought it was better to ask more questions…”

It wasn’t because of the bag; it was because my clothes looked shabby, and you probably thought I was a thief, right?

Looking down at his old overcoat with worn edges, estimated to be nearly twenty years old, Leon helplessly smiled. This coat was left behind by his father—”himself,” older than he himself was. Its appearance was indeed rather pitiful. But considering the family’s previous situation of living off pensions, having warm enough clothing was already good enough, leaving no room for pickiness.

Now that he had a high-paying job, but the first week’s salary hadn’t arrived yet, naturally there was no money to buy a new coat. His appearance was quite shabby, and being chilled by the cold wind, he couldn’t help but huddle up. Being mistaken for a suspicious person wasn’t surprising…

“Cough… sorry, young man, Matron misjudged you.”

Seeing Leon’s helpless expression, realizing he had understood her “unspoken meaning,” the administrator matron quickly apologized, then together with the middle-aged nurse’s husband, led Leon inside, simultaneously reaching out to take the shopping bag from his hand.

“Oh my, your sister is such a benefactor to Hanna, and you brought so many things, your hands are all red. Quickly put them down and rest… um…”

Although Leon reacted quickly, dodging the administrator matron’s hand, the black goat’s horns were too sharp. In the violent shaking, they directly tore through the bag, causing a thud as it fell.

“…”

“…”

“That… sorry, these are reagents our bureau director asked me to buy for soup.”

Quickly bending down, stuffing the goat head back into the bag, and tying a knot at the torn spot, Leon bashfully explained to the two stunned people in front of him: “Our bureau director loves drinking goat head soup, but she sleeps late and can’t get up in the morning, so she asked me to run errands at the early market. After buying the goat head, I came over conveniently.

Hmm… also, I’ve only started working a few days ago, and I don’t have much money, so I didn’t bring anything this time. Sorry.”

“Ah, sorry young man, Matron moved too fast, haha…”

Having made several mistakes, making the atmosphere extremely awkward, the administrator matron felt too embarrassed to stay. She forced herself to say a few irrelevant words, then excused herself saying she still had to watch the door and hurriedly left the middle-aged nurse’s house.

After she left, the middle-aged man again apologized uncomfortably: “Auntie Mary… today she might have been overly worried about Hanna, so she acted a bit rashly, but it wasn’t intentional.

Normally, whenever someone in the apartment needs help with something big or small, she’ll often come without even being asked. Auntie Mary is a very kind and considerate person. If she offended you, I apologize on her behalf.”

“Not at all, not at all.”

Recalling what he saw before entering the apartment through his soul vision, Leon smiled and waved his hand:

“I can tell she’s a very, very kind person, and not just her, even all the people in your entire apartment building are good people… Hmm… may I make a bold request?”

Looking at the tightly closed door of the inner room, Leon cautiously opened his mouth:

Please don’t rush. Regarding your wife’s condition, I roughly guessed some reasons, which might be helpful in solving her problems. May I talk to her alone?”

“This…”

Upon hearing Leon’s request, the bookish middle-aged man hesitated for a moment, seemingly wanting to refuse, but remembering that the other person’s sister was his wife’s savior and had no reason to harm her, he reluctantly agreed, guiding Leon into the inner bedroom.

“Hanna?”

Gently calling his wife’s name, the middle-aged nurse wrapped in blankets was tenderly woken up. Before the middle-aged man could explain Leon’s intention, the disheveled-haired, bloodshot-eyed middle-aged nurse suddenly sat up, anxiously looking at Leon and loudly saying:

“I’ve seen you! You’re Anna’s brother! You were there the day before yesterday, right!

Quick! Tell me! Did you see the hospital eating people! Did you see that super strong bandaged woman!”

“Yeah, I saw it, and I’m here today precisely because of that.”

Giving the middle-aged man a glance, signaling him not to worry and leave everything to him, Leon gently said: “Don’t worry, you’re not crazy. Everything you saw is real.”

“You see! You see! He saw it too!”

Hearing Leon’s words, the middle-aged nurse couldn’t contain her joy, immediately grabbing her husband’s arm and shouting loudly:

“I told you I wasn’t crazy! The hospital really had issues! There really was a bandaged woman!”

“…”

Seeing his wife’s suddenly excited demeanor, the middle-aged man glanced at Leon, who had given a definite answer, and his lips involuntarily parted slightly, filled with hesitation.

After drinking some calming medicine, she had endured for almost two days, half asleep and half awake. Although she still believed she saw the bandaged woman, under others’ insistence, she seemed to doubt herself a little, and her condition appeared to be improving.

But now this sudden visitor, the savior, confidently affirmed her hallucinations. Wouldn’t this worsen her condition again?”Never mind, you can stay and listen too.”

Looking at the middle-aged man’s expression, knowing he probably wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving, Leon helplessly shook his head, abandoning the idea of letting him go, and instead turned around, grabbed the doorknob, and closed the inner room door.

“What your wife saw was actually…”

“Zzz…”

[Encountered an incomprehensible special existence, the variant badge “Materialist Soul (Bright Red)” activated, expanding your cognitive boundaries and acquiring partial information about the existence.]

[Name: Spirit Lodge (Miracle, Protection)]

[Appearance: An old ordinary apartment complex, where a white-curly-haired elderly woman with a slightly bent back and bowlegs always sits in the lobby duty room.]

[…]