Chapter 441: Director, That Old Baldy's Gone Mad!

One-Eye leaped agilely from rooftop to rooftop, his movements practiced and swift. Landing on the top of a building, he paused.

"Huh?" he muttered to himself. "I feel like I've forgotten something."

He pondered for a moment, but couldn't pinpoint what it was. With a light tap of his toe, he launched himself towards the Special Department.

Qing Shan Mental Hospital.

"Knock, knock!"

"Come in."

Director Hao leaned back in his leather chair, idly scrolling through his social media feed, curious to see what his formerly discharged patients were up to. Just recently, a former patient had tried to fool him into believing they were cured, but he'd seen right through the charade and promptly readmitted them.

Sometimes, he felt a surge of pride in his diligence. What other mental hospital director in the world could boast such dedication? None, absolutely none.

"Master, what can I do for you?" Director Hao set down his phone, screen facing the desk, and rose to greet the visitor with a smile.

Regarding this "Master"…

Director Hao had always suspected some underlying issues.

Nothing concrete, mind you.

Further observation was required.

Still, his accommodations were excellent – a room in the same hallway as the other patients, convenient for management.

Of course, ordinary patients couldn't just waltz into his office. Any attempt to do so resulted in a swift escort back to their rooms by the orderlies.

Regardless, the Master's gold bracelet was quite something.

A'Da said, "Director Hao, although I've only been here for a day, I've discovered that this place is teeming with individuals of great spiritual potential. Take Professor Xingkong, for instance, a truly enlightened individual."

See…

He's not far from the brink of madness.

Director Hao smiled. "That's wonderful. It's good to meet enlightened individuals and exchange ideas. It can lead to personal growth."

Speaking of Professor Xingkong, Director Hao could only say that the man had been at Qing Shan long before his own arrival. He was generally reclusive. Later, he'd started a tutoring group, attracting a following of patients. To be able to lead a group of patients in learning… well, that suggested Professor Xingkong's condition wasn't so simple.

He'd already ranked the patients at Qing Shan.

Lin Fan and Old Zhang were high on the list, known for their extreme self-destructive tendencies. They'd improved recently, though the reasons were complex. Likely, leaving Qing Shan and experiencing the outside world had gradually improved their mental states.

A'Da continued, "To be honest, Director Hao, I've attempted to converse with Professor Xingkong, but he seems to have some misconceptions about me."

Hearing this, Director Hao's ears perked up.

Why are you telling me this? It's not going to do anything. Don't tell me you want me to talk to Professor Xingkong on your behalf?

He pondered.

He felt it was a distinct possibility.

Director Hao coughed lightly. "Master, Professor Xingkong has a… unique personality. You just need to be patient and communicate with him properly. I believe you'll gain a lot from it."

A'Da said, "I do have patience, and I intend to have a proper conversation with Professor Xingkong. By chance, I overheard him speaking about his knowledge outside his door, and I found it quite insightful, aligning with the principles of the cosmic and stellar Dao." A'Da now regarded Professor Xingkong as a highly enlightened individual, someone on a very high spiritual plane.

Director Hao felt increasingly certain that this Master had problems. This was the first time he'd heard anyone praise Professor Xingkong so highly.

Of course, as a professional mental hospital director, he never subjectively belittled any patient. Instead, he experienced things firsthand, used his brain, and considered whether what the patients said had any merit.

Therefore, he withheld judgment for now.

"Oh," Director Hao responded, his tone noncommittal. He'd lost interest in the conversation and was being quite perfunctory.

The message was clear:

Master… you should go now. My time as director of Qing Shan Mental Hospital is precious, worth thousands per minute. If you want to chat with patients, go ahead, but chatting with me is pointless.

A'Da said, "Director Hao, I wonder if I could share a room with Professor Xingkong." He was eager to closely observe Professor Xingkong. If he could engage in philosophical discussions with him, he was sure to gain valuable insights.

Director Hao feigned difficulty. "That's not possible."

"Why? I see you hesitate, Director Hao. There must be a reason. Please tell me. If it truly isn't feasible, I won't ask further." A'Da inquired gently.

As the top-ranked evangelist among the ten, he was highly skilled in the art of proselytizing. The other nine couldn't hope to surpass him. They focused on quantity, while he focused on quality. Converting just one person could surpass all their efforts combined.

Director Hao shook his head. "Professor Xingkong resides in our most exclusive VIP suite, a private single room."

"Please, Director Hao, could you help me?" A'Da pleaded.

Director Hao tapped his fingers on the desk, his expression grave. "It's not that I don't want to help, it's just… very complicated."

Had he not made himself clear enough?

A'Da didn't press further. His discerning Buddha-mind saw through everything. He lowered his head in contemplation, then removed a necklace from around his neck. The chain was ordinary, but the pendant was quite remarkable: a miniature golden Buddha.

A'Da pressed his palms together, placing the miniature Buddha between them in prayer. After a moment, he placed the necklace on the desk and slid it towards Director Hao.

"Director Hao, Buddha is merciful. I truly wish to share a room with Professor Xingkong."

Director Hao's eyes lit up. "I appreciate your kindness, Master. I've been experiencing some inner turmoil lately and need a golden Buddha to calm my mind. I'll return it to you as soon as my mind is at peace."

A'Da sighed inwardly.

The places that needed his teachings were truly dark.

The darkness in people's hearts needed Buddha's light.

"Being able to help you, Director Hao, brings me great comfort," A'Da said with a smile.

Director Hao loved people like this. They understood what needed to be done without him having to spell it out. He'd known all along that this monk's origins were dubious, something that would terrify ordinary people. But to him, it was nothing.

The monk was using his hospital to preach, and he was after the monk's… no, that wasn't right. How could he say he was "after" it? It was a mutually beneficial arrangement, a case of helping each other.

In the hallway outside the ward, the nurses and doctors nodded to Director Hao.

He'd already briefed them in the work chat group.

If they saw him with the old monk, they were to avoid discussing patient matters.

Standing before the ward, Director Hao peered through the glass window and saw Professor Xingkong engrossed in his work. Smiling, he pushed the door open. "Professor, I need to discuss something with you."

No response.

Director Hao understood Professor Xingkong's condition.

It was a minor issue.

He walked in and looked down. Professor Xingkong was drawing a star chart. He had to admit, it was quite good. Even a skilled artist might not be able to match such artistry.

"This Master would like to share a room with you. Do you agree?"

Professor Xingkong continued drawing, seemingly oblivious to Director Hao's words.

Director Hao remained calm and patient. He was a professional. In situations like this, persistent questioning would be foolish.

"Alright, since you're not saying anything, I'll take that as a yes," Director Hao said with a smile.

No need for words. He'd simply resolve the matter in the simplest way possible.

"I don't agree," Professor Xingkong said without looking up.

Director Hao pulled the Master outside and spread his hands, feigning regret.

"Master, you heard him. He doesn't agree."

He didn't wait for the Master to respond before continuing, "But rest assured, I'll see this through. I'll talk to him again when the time is right. Pressing the issue now will only antagonize him, and then there will be no chance in the future. Do you understand, Master?"

A'Da pressed his palms together. "Amitabha."

If Master Yongxin were present, he would have translated for Director Hao: He wants to exploit you, but the Buddha's name "Amitabha" suppresses this desire.

Director Hao patted the Master's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'm very reliable."

With that, he left, leaving A'Da standing alone in the hallway, lost in thought.

A moment later…

"Hey buddy, wanna buy a watch?"

A'Da turned to see a man lurking behind him, holding a pen.

"Greetings, sir," A'Da replied.

"Wanna buy a watch? Imported, retains its value, trendy, stylish, top-notch taste."

"Alright, please show me one."

Back in his office, Director Hao sat at his desk, admiring the necklace. He bit it; it was hard, definitely real gold.

He took out his phone and scrolled through his contacts, quickly locating his target:

Master Mai, the Collector.

Click!

Director Hao took a few pictures of the golden Buddha necklace and sent them to Master Mai.

Almost immediately, he received a reply.

Master Mai, the Collector: "Real gold?"

Director Hao: "Are you kidding? I know my gold."

Master Mai, the Collector: "Okay, I'll give you the current gold price, 410 per gram for pure gold. What do you say?"

Director Hao: "Get lost."

Damn it, he hadn't expected the guy to be so shameless, trying to haggle over the gold price. He wanted to strangle him.

Master Mai, the Collector: "Director Hao, I'm just kidding. But you have to tell me the history of this golden Buddha necklace. The craftsmanship is excellent, master-level work, looks almost divinely created. But I have to ask, what Buddha is this supposed to be? It can't be the Buddha, it doesn't look like him."

Director Hao: "It's not from this planet. Figure it out yourself."

Knock, knock!

Just then, the Senior Director rushed in, his face pale. "Director, something's happened!"

Director Hao put down his phone. "What's with the panic? Don't panic. Stay calm. Take a few deep breaths to relax."

"Oh, oh." The Senior Director took two deep breaths, filled with admiration. The Director was indeed the Director. He remained calm even when faced with his panic. Truly admirable. He'd been learning from the Director for a long time, but he still felt he had much to learn.

"Tell me, what happened?"

With Lin Fan and Old Zhang gone, what could possibly go wrong? During their absence, Qing Shan Mental Hospital had been incredibly peaceful. If anything were to happen, it would surely be after their return.

This Senior Director was still a bit green, needing more training.

"The old baldy got into a fight with a patient."

"A serious fight."

"And that old baldy's condition is severe. He got his nose bloodied, but he kept saying, 'If this allows the benefactor to vent his inner demons, this humble monk is willing to offer his body to appease them.' "

"My god, he's completely lost it!"