Four hours earlier.

The street was flooded by a sea of fat white pigs—it was as though they had fallen straight from the heavens! This wasn't just a metaphor; pigs were literally raining down from the sky. One particularly enormous pig, which was launched into the air by an explosion triggered in a 'special world,' reached its peak before being abruptly yanked back into reality.

The 800-pound pig descended with an earth-shattering speed and smashed directly onto the windshield where Aliena sat. The glass shattered, barely slowing its momentum, and crashed on Aliena, causing the poor girl to reflexively raise her arms to shield herself! As a Level 1 strength-based ability user, she managed to barely block the impact. Still, the sheer force fractured both her radius and ulna.

After the incident, reporters of Prosperity Planet swarmed like vultures to a carcass. This was a once-in-a-century newsworthy event! Within a 200-meter radius, almost everyone—humans and parasites alike—had sustained various injuries. However, while others were hurt by car collisions, Aliena stood out as the sole victim who was injured by a falling pig!

The sheer absurdity of the situation, coupled with the charm of the red-haired maiden, instantly made Aliena the center of attention. Reporters surrounded her in layers, bombarding her with cameras and endless questions. Even her companions couldn't escape the label of 'friends of the girl hit by a pig,' which only amplified the commotion. No one dared to retrieve healing potions from the system space to treat their injuries under such scrutiny.

Especially Aliena, who was practically escorted onto the ambulance by the reporters, who badgered her with an endless barrage of questions:

"How should we address this beautiful lady?"

"What's it like to be hit by a giant flying pig?"

"Could you describe your feelings after being crashed by a pig?"

The constant buzzing of the journalists almost drove Aliena to snap and use her water manipulation ability to dehydrate them into silent mummies. But, maintaining her carefully crafted image, she forced herself to recount her ordeal with a delicate, pitiful demeanor.

Ten minutes later, the tragic tale of the red-haired beauty crushed by an 800-pound flying pig graced the headlines of the star network. Her tearful yet stunning face, juxtaposed against the massive pig lodged in her car, dominated media outlets. Within three hours, the story surpassed the year's top headline, 'The Destruction of Happy Planet.'

Meanwhile, her five companions, dragged into the media frenzy, were repeatedly interviewed. Even their injuries were made public, discouraging them from seeking treatment. Frustrated and defeated, the group decided to blow off steam with a feast of pork dishes at a nearby hotel.

"Boss, you didn't see it! It was literally raining pigs!" With his greasy face and dumpling-shaped head, Liu Mo described the scene animatedly. "I was right beside Aliena's seat when that massive pig shot down from the sky and smashed onto her windshield. At the time, I was flipping over from a rear-end collision, and I kept thinking—why didn't Aliena use her powers to turn the pig into dust? The cameras wouldn't have caught it…"

"You don't get it!" Aliena, who had been maintaining her lady-like image, finally snapped, her arms still stiff like a zombie's. "That was an 800-pound pig! Even if I drained all its water, there'd still be hundreds of pounds of grease! It would've crushed me regardless! And if reporters investigated later, they'd find the entire street littered with whole pigs or giant slabs of pork. Imagine if the pig on me was missing its lean meat—wouldn't I and half a pig become one of the galaxy's top ten unsolved mysteries?"

Nearby, Britney quickly forked a crispy piece of roast pig and offered it to Aliena, who angrily chewed it to suppress her anger.

Huo Li, however, grew more serious as he listened. His brow furrowed as he analyzed the situation. "Something's not right. Why would a once-in-a-lifetime event like raining pigs happen specifically on the route of our group, the only ones fighting against parasitic beasts? If this is related to our exposure or an enemy's interference—why would they drop over 10,000 pigs on us? And how could these creatures appear out of thin air? It's oddly similar to system-space capabilities…"

"That's impossible, Boss!" Liu Mo waved his thick hand dismissively. "System space can only place objects near its host; it can't suddenly launch pigs into the air!"

"You idiot!" Britney chided as she fed Aliena another piece of roasted pig. "While system space doesn't prohibit storing live animals, it's a vacuum environment for preservation. Any live pig placed inside would die within minutes."

"No, this incident is definitely connected to our operation," Huo Li continued, deep in thought. "Have we been exposed…?"

"Ahem!" Xiao Yi, who had been unusually quiet since the pig incident, coughed awkwardly. "Actually… those pigs were… my doing."

"What?!" The group turned to him, incredulous.

Rubbing his nose sheepishly, Xiao Yi explained, "… You see, the weaknesses of that special world include its limited range and entry frequency. Normally, this wouldn't matter because they hold absolute control within their domain. All uninvited can't enter. But thanks to my unique ability, the black threads connected to me also brought in the pigs when I was pulled in."

As Xiao Yi's story unfolded, everyone's expressions shifted from shock to unease.

"So, Sister-in-law, what you saw that night was real! We thought you were just having a nightmare!" Liu Mo exclaimed. "Good thing you prepared those mutated pigs in advance. Otherwise, half of the street would have smashed you into a meat patty!"

The nearby Da Li lifted his long, thin leg and lightly kicked Liu Mo, "What nonsense are you talking about, Liu Mo?"

"Don't think your kicks don't hurt just because you're pretending to be a delicate man!" Liu Mo winced, rubbing his leg as he glared at Da Li. "You nearly fractured me!"

However, Huo Li's expression did not become lighter because of his subordinates' banter. His expression was solemn as he asked, "Who is behind this? How did they find Xiao Yi?" (More importantly, do they know that Xiao Yi is an alien?)

The black-haired boy, "A human ability user."

"How can you be certain? Didn't you say you hadn't seen them?" Liu Mo curiously asked.

"This type of bizarre power has to be an awakened ability! If not an ability, then what—hypnosis? Magic tricks?" Xiao Yi scoffed, clearly unsettled at the group's inability to grasp such a basic deduction. "And parasites must assimilate a host completely to gain their abilities. Do you think someone with such an extraordinary power could be killed so easily by a parasite?"

Huo Li nodded in agreement. "Someone with such a remarkable ability must have left traces of their existence—whether in people's memories or recorded data. If we search systematically, we're bound to find something…"

"Across billions of planets? Sure, good luck!" Xiao Yi interrupted, "Our priority now is getting the hospital running to obtain samples and differentiate humans from parasitic creatures."

"But look at the state we're in," Aliena sighed, glancing at her heavily bandaged arms. "It'll take weeks for these injuries to heal naturally."

"This is actually an opportunity," Huo Li said thoughtfully. "It's the perfect way to demonstrate the effectiveness of our hospital. By the time we open in three days, all of you will be fully healed."

"Boss, are we seriously going to treat patients?" Britney muttered under her breath. "None of us are real doctors."

Xiao Yi chuckled softly and raised his wrist-mounted smart device. He dialed a number and switched to loudspeaker.

"Hello, this is Prosperity TV," the voice on the other end greeted.

"I'm the second son of the Philip family," Xiao Yi began, pausing briefly. When the name didn't seem to register, he added, "And a friend of Miss Aliena."

"You mean the one who was…" The voice on the other end spiked in volume, trembling with barely contained excitement.

"Yes, the one hit by the flying pig," the youth confirmed.

"Do you have any updates about Miss Aliena to share with us? Or perhaps—"

"No," the black-haired youth interrupted. "I'm calling to announce that the Philip Hospital will officially open at 8 a.m. in three days. During the event, we'll demonstrate the Philip Family's latest technology: Nano Repair Fluid. We'll showcase its efficacy by treating the injuries sustained by our employees during the flying pig incident."

"Does that include…"

Black-haired youth, "Yes, it includes Miss Aliena and her companions who were with her during the incident."

The voice on the other end was trembling with excitement. "Understood, Mr. Philip! We'll dispatch our best team to cover the event…"

Xiao Yi hung up without waiting for more, cutting off the overly eager reporter.

"What… what exactly is Nano Repair Fluid?" Aliena, still confused by the galaxy-wide media spotlight, asked.

"What if it doesn't work?" another team member hesitantly added.

"Are we substituting it with healing potions from the system mall?" Liu Mo speculated.

Xiao Yi did not intend to explain that the so-called 'Nano Repair Fluid' was actually his own transparent cellular plasm. Instead, he remained silent, leaving Huo Li to take charge.

Huo Li stepped in to end the discussion. "Enough. That's for Xiao Yi and me to handle. You all had a long rest day and vented with your pig feast, so now it's time to get back to work. Head to the new hospital site immediately. Prepare for tomorrow's interviews with medical staff, a trial run the following day, and the official launch under media coverage on the third day."

Grumbling about their injuries, the group reluctantly prepared to leave. Liu Mo muttered under his breath, "Even injured, we're forced to work overtime…"

A single glance from Huo Li silenced him. Liu Mo hunched over and drove the group to their destination.

.

Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the hospital's new location. Though it was already night, the streets in front of the hospital were still bustling with traffic. Aliena, shedding her earlier frustrations, assumed her professional demeanor and briefed Xiao Yi and Huo Li on the area:

"This is a prominent commercial district on Prosperity Planet, home to many corporate office buildings. Several upscale residential areas surround it as well, with housing prices exceeding 50,000 star coins per square meter. That's why this hospital costs such a high price."

The group entered the hospital, which was brightly lit by incandescent lights. The facility boasted a towering, brand-new outpatient building at the forefront.

"This hospital was built less than a year ago," Aliena continued. "Its interior design and medical equipment are state-of-the-art. We wouldn't have found such a well-constructed property if not for the original owner's financial troubles, leading them to sell before opening. The hospital is bordered on three sides by Prosperity Central Park, offering a serene environment. Most importantly, no tall buildings are nearby, ensuring excellent privacy and preventing any outside surveillance."

After checking out the place, Xiao Yi couldn't help but nod in approval. The hospital's layout was really nice. It was designed in a rectangular shape, with the tall outpatient building right at the front. Behind it was an L-shaped inpatient building that turned 90 degrees clockwise, creating a cozy garden area with lawns, pathways, and stone benches. A few smaller buildings served as dining halls and other common areas on the right side. At the back, there was an administrative building quite a distance away from the main part of the hospital. The high, sturdy walls that surrounded the whole place added to its charm. Xiao Yi thought, (what a perfect spot to kill and sell goods!)

Huo Li also praised the team's choice, finally allowing the injured group to call it a day. Their streak of misfortunes had, at last, come to an end.

After returning to the hotel, everyone went to their respective rooms while Britney offered to take care of Aliena, who was temporarily disabled. Once the doors were closed, Xiao Yi sat on his bed and reached out to Huo Li through telepathic communication:

"Huo Li, come to my room. Use a teleportation talisman, and make sure no one sees you."

"What—what?" Huo Li stammered, his voice betraying a sudden nervousness. "Xiao Yi, are you asking me to sneak into your room?"

"Yes!" Xiao Yi confirmed succinctly.

"O-okay." Flustered, Huo Li straightened his hair in the mirror before teleporting into Xiao Yi's room.

The black-haired boy sat on the bed, his expression devoid of humor. He gestured for Huo Li to sit on a nearby chair and continued speaking telepathically.

"Huo Li, I've been wondering about something since this afternoon."

Huo Li snapped out of his earlier thoughts and asked seriously, "What is it, Xiao Yi?"

"Why hasn't he tried to kill you?"