Chapter 2 A Wrong Text to the Director

Everything was in a daze. Link was stunned and when he came to, he realized he was in an alternate space, an unknown dimension, an abyss with no end in sight.

The same ancient book appeared in front of him.

The book flipped open on its own to the first page. Then, a priest in black robes, albeit semi-translucent and phantom-like appeared.

“I am one of the Lewis bloodline past. The founder of the Devil’s Mend Teaching. Inherit you shall today, my own teaching to you, the Thirteen Needles of the Devil’s Mend. Watch and learn.”

The priest revealed a few needles he had and the needles flew about, like butterflies through a flower’s petal; graceful and flawless, mysterious and enigmatic.

Like an epiphany dawning on him, Link felt enlightened. All the medical knowledge he had not understood on the first page of the ancient book was made understandable to him at that moment.

The book seemed to be activated through bloodletting and only then would it bestow its knowledge.

Link understood something and moved. The second page flipped open and this time, a monk dressed in robes appeared.

“I am one of the Lewis bloodline past. The one that wanders amongst land and people. Inherit you shall today, my own teachings to you, the Yang-Returning Nine Needles of the Buddha’s Teaching. Learn it all!”

The man picked up the needles as if he had done it a million times before. The needles in his hands were so almighty that it would restore Yang, an unbelievable sight that was truly a sight to behold.

Even though Link felt extremely uncomfortable, he would never stop that was happening then as an endless trove of knowledge planted itself in his mind.

The third page revealed a man of religious personage with an unkempt appearance.

“I am one of the Lewis bloodline past. The one who exorcise the unholy and the damned. To incite fear and domination to the demons and devil, you shall learn the Exorcising Pentaformation.”

The man’s palm glowed and an inexplicable pentagram appeared, one that could exorcise evils and cure the ill.

The fourth page had a voodoo practitioner who carried himself with a certain dignity appear.

“I am one of the Lewis bloodline past. One that understood humanity. Inherit you shall today, the knowledge of Astrology and Horoscope. Pay attention!”

The fifth…

“I am one of the Lewis…”

There were a hundred and eight pages in the book, and someone would pop up from each page to teach Link something.

There was medical divination, meditation, exorcism, Fengshui, acupuncture, and many more. There were all sorts of knowledge of all aspects. Some even unknown and unheard of before. Link could only witness the juxtaposition and identity of each and every knowledge that was imparted onto him.

However, the amount of information imprinting itself into his mind was too much for him to bear. In the end, Link failed to hold himself and fainted.

An unknown amount of time later, Link finally woke up. He hurriedly examined his scrapped knuckle only to find his wound was fully healed.

He rubbed his eyes and flipped the blood-coloured book open. At that moment, the book ignited on its own and drifted into the air, surrounded by a bright, burning flame.

In unison, all one hundred and eight voices rang inside his mind: The living be the Lewis. For the dead are the Lewis. The child of Lewis grows eighteen. And if he shall be worthy, he shall awaken the rare mythical eyes, to see those others cannot. One with the All-Seeing eyes is the one true inheritor!”

“Those who have our inheritance shall treat all who live, help all the living cross over peacefully, heal all who live, contribute greatly to the world, and protect the future generations.”

As the last of the voices faded away, the book finally burnt into ashes that scattered into the wind.

Link pressed the temple of his head and tried to recall what just took place.

The inheritance included too many things that Link felt his entire self filled to the brim. Some of those mythical arts, magical even, were truly quirky.

He snapped out of his reverie a moment later. He began to doubt himself. What if it was all just a dream?

That being said, the ashes of the book’s remains were real. It seemed too real to be false. Those images in his mind… The voices… It was seared into his memory.

In his sea of memory, he recalled a certain progenitor teaching him a method to restore one’s Chi. Link proceeded to sit with his legs crossed and started to control his breathing. After only a while, he could feel Chi flowing in all of his body.

“So it’s real.”

Link breathed out a lung full of negative energy and immediately felt refreshed and energetic.

As Link dwelled in his moment, the sky started to brighten. Even so, Link felt no fatigue in his body. In fact, he felt spirited. All worries he had were thrown to the back of his head.

Link had a look of relief on his face. He took out his phone and typed a text message for Mary.

[Meet me at the small forest in the garden. I want something from you.]

He had several medical textbooks loaned to Mary. Since they were no longer seeing each other, it was only natural for him to get back what was his. He chose the little forest as it was a location they were both familiar with.

Since she did not reply to his message that instant, Link went ahead hurriedly to the security office to report in. He washed his face and clocked in for his duty as a security guard.

A security guard’s duty was dull and moot as all he did was look at people coming and going. All while standing and guarding a small area of only a few square meters. The other guards were not talkative. Annoyed and bored, Link felt his talents could never shine there.

At that moment, his phone made a buzz. He picked up the phone and read the message and found himself frozen stiff.

“Oh.. the gods must be crazy…”

Link wanted to slap himself twice then. He had texted the wrong person. He had carelessly sent the text meant for Mary to the director of the hospital, Jennifer Rayleigh!

What was more important was Jennifer replied back.

[Are you trying to hook up with me?]

Jennifer Rayleigh was famous for her cold, direct approach to anything. Her management style was rigid and punishing. She could simply fire someone without giving much of a face.

For him to send such an ambiguous text to her, her only response would be to treat it as one of a shameless nature, that is the “booty call”.

The question was, how was he going to reply to her?

Link drew in a deep breath and realized something. Jennifer did not have Link’s number registered!

Basically all residents of Golden Sands Hospital had Jennifer’s number saved. Link had never contacted her and had only saved her number into his phone for possible emergencies. That was why she did not know that the sender of the text was Link.

At that point, Link’s courage rose. He had been enraged about the events of the day before, where she had jumped to a premature conclusion that he was guilty.

‘She doesn't know who I am!’

Link composed a reply and sent it to her.

[I am trying to hook up with you. What about it?]

A reply came back instantly, including a bashful emoticon.

[Oh, you’re one bad man, aren’t you? (〃ω〃)]

To be completely honest, Link was thrown. Was that really Jennifer? The one known as the ice queen? Was she not the arrogant female director of the hospital? What happened to her? Was she just thinking about falling in love?

Link could not fathom the thought at that moment and replied with a simple message.

[ Do you have a boyfriend?]

[No. I’ve never been about dating. I just want to talk to a stranger.]

[Are you just lonely then? Are you just craving for a man in your life?]

Link became more and more daring.

[To be honest, I’m just your average Jane. Before sleeping, I do get lonely sometimes. Sometimes… I just want… that... But I am scared... By the way, send me your picture. I don’t want to talk to a creepy old geezer!]

If he saw Jennifer’s text, his heart started racing. He had never expected someone like Jennifer to have such sexy thoughts! She even wanted "that”!

[If you want someone’s picture, you’ll need to send a few over first.]

Link’s heart was racing. Who would have thought the always-cold-and-arrogant Director of the hospital to be able to craft such a daring text message?

True to her word, she did it. Half a minute later, a chain of picture messages came through. Link got so excited that he almost had a nosebleed.

Jennifer Rayleigh had sent him five or six photos of herself. There was one where she was dressed in a tight outfit. There was one where she was in short pants. One in her sleeping gown. Another in a long skirt and high heels. Another one that accentuated her curves and thighs. She was definitely a keeper.

It was a vast difference, between her usual high-and-might stature that she usually carried herself in, and the current texting version of Jennifer Rayleigh.

A buzz of happiness rose inside Link. Blood rushed to his head and he finally composed one last text.

[One more picture. One without clothes.]