Facing an Ancient God for a Year

Chapter 1250: Chapter 1248: Subjective Initiative

There’s a beauty to DNA deterioration, calling it pollution seems quite fitting.

As Amila explained, Fu Qian scrutinized the tangled mass, clicking his tongue in admiration.

The scene was quite striking, even Lei and Reginald looked rather grim.

Of course, he knew what was on this person’s mind; otherwise, how could he operate so professionally, ensuring not a single harm?

“Understood, so why haven’t you acted yet? Are you waiting for him to wake up?”

He wiped the knife in his hand before putting it away, indicating he had understood, then asked with a smirk.

…

As an activist who had been contributing to the team all along, it seemed he had the standing to ask such a question now.

However, both Amila and Reginald reacted quite uniformly, looking up and down at Fu Qian, especially his freshly cleaned hands, saying nothing for the moment.

“How are you feeling?”

After sizing him up for nearly ten seconds, Amila finally spoke first.

“Very well.”

Fu Qian’s smile did not fade as he repeated his previous answer.

…

“We should take action now.”

Amila was silent for a while, seemingly making a certain kind of decision, then turned to look at Reginald and said.

“Are you certain?”

The latter did not seem very agreeable.

“I’m certain, he’s already taken enough risks, haven’t you seen the results?”

Amila spoke with a firm tone, unabashedly pointing at Fu Qian.

“Actually, it could be more.”

Reginald was not so easily convinced.

“We don’t have the right to do that!”

“But we can ensure he won’t suffer irreparable harm.”

“Hundred percent sure?”

…

“Anke, what do you think?”

Reginald didn’t reply immediately, and after a moment, he turned to look at Fu Qian, smiling enigmatically as he asked a question.

This was already the fourth time this question appeared, but at this moment, it seemed rather out of place.

Reginald’s attitude seemed to be a deliberate attempt, eager to see what answer might come this time, as Fu Qian’s responses had always been shocking.

“I think… it could indeed be more.”

To everyone’s surprise, Fu Qian nodded, agreeing with Reginald’s view this time.

“Do you know what more means?”

Before Reginald could say anything, Amila couldn’t hold back, her gaze sternly signaling Fu Qian to keep it low.

“Don’t rush, Mr. An Ke has provided many valuable insights along the way, and I believe this will be no exception.”

Reginald rarely smiled, seemingly satisfied with Fu Qian’s reckless spirit.

“So, Mr. An Ke, how could it be more?”

After interrupting Amila, he first confirmed the patient’s condition beside him was temporarily stable, then listened with a pleased demeanor.

“Simple, like this.”

With an air of ease, Fu Qian rolled up his left sleeve to show the inside of his arm to his two teammates.

…

In that instant, the expressions on both Reginald and Amila’s faces froze.

On the somewhat thin arm lay a deep brown flatworm, sucking intently.

“You… how could you… when?”

After a long silence, Reginald remained stern without speaking, yet Amila could no longer contain herself.

It seemed her agitation slightly affected her ability to organize language.

“Just now.”

Fu Qian made a motion of picking off a leech.

“At that moment, you hid one…”

Amila instantly understood, recalling his ambidextrous operations from earlier.

Under such efficiency, merely a little cover-up could easily go unnoticed, missing one or two entirely.

But why…

“As for why to do this, actually, it’s quite simple.”

Fu Qian seemed to completely grasp what she was thinking.

“Though the two of you have always been evasive, what you really wanted me to help with has been a question I’ve pondered all along, and on the way, I made some guesses based on your actions.”

“For instance, I mentioned earlier that you both seemed somewhat lax in your duties.”

“Having a clear goal, yet not only did you not hurry the volunteers to work, you even had leisure to test and instruct; when I asked about certain details, you explained tirelessly…”

“It seemed you weren’t pressed for time, but rather stalling for it…”

“Realizing this, a thought naturally came to mind—what you needed me to do, could it actually be what I have been doing, which is staying in this nightmare for as long as possible?”

This question was directed at Amila, but unfortunately, after her initial shock passed, her expression was more complicated than ever, showing no inclination to answer.

Luckily, Fu Qian didn’t force it, even the leech on his arm was left alone.

“And after circling around, there suddenly came a change. I had observed the building’s structure; from the previous destination to this gentleman’s ward, it was definitely not a normal patrol route.”

Fu Qian drew a route in the void.

“This action can only be explained by a certain change that caused you to alter your strategy, deciding to take me directly to the most severe case.”

“And reflecting on the changes possibly related to me, the answer is nothing changed, and I think that’s the reason…”

“You wanted to see my change, this was the purpose of my volunteering.”

“A victim from the World Within the Painting nightmare, entering another nightmare, is there anything that could happen through this contact, like causing resonance between two nightmares? Ideally, finding a path into the World Within the Painting?”

Fu Qian asked Reginald this time.

“Continue.”

Sadly, the latter wasn’t in the mood to answer either, responding curtly.

“As for the change in strategy, it was quite simple really. After discovering this gentleman’s situation might be bad, you chased him all the way, which could explain it as your desire to address the hazard as quickly as possible, but then Amila did something.”

Fu Qian gestured at Amila’s face.

“As soon as she dismissed people, she took off her mask.”

“Although indeed there was no exposure risk anymore, it was clear the only one left didn’t require any exchange, doing so seemed a bit deliberate. I interpreted it as a hint.”

Fu Qian pointed at himself.

“With the aim of having me also remove mine.”

“Simply staying in a nightmare without changes was not enough, your revised strategy further evolved, moving towards having me directly engage with individuals at pollution risk, correct?”

“When did you start thinking this?”

Without any guilt or denial, Reginald asked expressionlessly in return.

“Why do you think I took off the mask?”

Fu Qian chuckled, finally plucking off the leech from his arm.

“And after it still had no effect, why did I go a step further, to be bitten by something that had fed on polluted blood?”

Regarding subjective initiative, you know nothing.