The question left Huo Li momentarily stunned.

Xiaoyi's gaze pierced Huo Li as he elaborated. "If that person is targeting us because we pose a threat to parasites—or to humanity as a whole—then I admit that my existence is highly dangerous to all living beings. It makes sense for them to want me dead. But here's the issue: compared to me, you are a far greater threat to intelligent life. So why didn't they try to kill you?"

Huo Li stared at Xiaoyi silently for a while before letting out a heavy sigh. "I don't know."

The youth raised an eyebrow.

Huo Li continued, "I've considered many possibilities regarding this person's identity, but none of them make sense. If they are a parasite—and assuming a parasite really devoured such a powerful ability user—wouldn't it be far more efficient for them to expose our plans to the Interstellar Federation and eradicate us? Why would they go after us alone?"

Xiao Yi, "How do you even know they're a parasite? Have you ever seen a parasite with abilities? The odds of that happening are slim, yet you're considering it?"

Huo Li, "If they're human, they would also be aware of our plans. After all, they managed to track you down among billions of planets. However, it doesn't make sense for them to target you while we are united against the parasites. Even if they believe that your ability is a significant threat to humanity, they should wait until we've developed a way to distinguish parasites from humans—or until after we've defeated the parasites—before betraying us."

Xiao Yi, "Or they could be a human ability user siding with the parasites."

Huo Li shook his head. "What kind of person would align themselves with a species intent on destroying their own? It's impossible—unless that person is mentally…" Huo Li trailed off, swallowing the rest of his sentence as a sudden thought struck him.

The dark-haired youth's voice asked coldly through the mental link, "You think I'm mentally unstable?"

"No, no, Xiaoyi, I absolutely wasn't referring to you!" Huo Li hastily clarified. "What I meant was… well, uh… you're an extraordinary being who truly understands the preciousness of humanity's inner virtues."

The black-haired youth's expression softened slightly at this clumsy but earnest compliment. "That still doesn't explain the different treatment between the two of us. Perhaps this ability user is someone you crossed paths with during your 3,000 years of life? Maybe they're one of your so-called 'family or friends.'"

Huo Li inexplicably sensed a trace of killing intent in Xiao Yi's latter words. Although he didn't understand the reason, he still hurriedly explained, "I was abandoned at an orphanage by my parents right after I was born. When I grew up and found them, they passed away a few years later, and I never spoke to them. There's no one alive who shares my bloodline."

Black-haried youth, "What about close friends?"

Huo Li, "I don't have many friends. Those who could be considered friends or subordinates are all part of the Alliance. Xiao Yi, you've met all of them."

Black-haired youth, "Then what about a boyfriend or girlfriend?"

Huo Li looked even more wronged. "Xiao Yi, I've never been in a relationship in all my 3,000 years! Not even one person has secretly admired me."

The youth was surprised, "How would you even know that? I thought you didn't like prying into others' thoughts."

Embarrassed, Huo Li explained, "Xiao Yi, this seems to be a side effect of my ability. Whenever someone around me harbors strong emotions directed at me—like hatred, killing intent, contempt, envy, or fear—I can clearly sense it. On planets where I'm on a mission, it's not so bad because they don't know me, and their feelings toward me are practically neutral.

But every time I walk through the streets of the Alliance, the fear, reverence, disgust, and jealousy from every savior nearly overwhelm me! And I can't block it out."

The youth tried his best to suppress his laughter. "Three thousand years and not a single admirer… That's just…" (Too tragic.)

Huo Li, feeling utterly innocent, explained, "When I was young and full of energy—well, only a few hundred years old—I thought prying into others' thoughts was normal and even took pride in it. But back then, I discovered that not a single person in the entire Alliance liked me. Not a single one! Out of curiosity, I combed through the thoughts of every savior. Even that scoundrel Xu Yun had over a dozen admirers, while I had none. It was quite a blow. Unwilling to accept this, I dug into their minds to seek for the reason…"

The youth urged, "And then?"

Huo Li, "I found that upon discovering my abilities, anyone who was initially attracted to my appearance or status would feel only two emotions: fear or disgust. They dreaded the possibility of their inner 'evil' being exposed, unable to bear the thought of even one person knowing. Everyone is terrified of their carefully crafted 'outer image' shattering into illusions. But tell me, who among humanity has a heart so pure and flawless, without a single defect? None.

Every person is a mixture of good and evil in constant conflict. Though they are completely unaware, I've long since grown accustomed to this phenomenon."

Xiaoyi, disliking the somber turn of the conversation, teased, "It sounds like you're bitter, Mr. Huo Li, the 3,000-year-old bachelor."

Huo Li, "Not at all. The thought of someone tolerating my 'flaws' out of infatuation with my power or looks would be even more intolerable. My ability is a part of me—it reflects my true self."

"Stop flattering yourself, Mr. Huo Li," the black-haired boy said mockingly. "In 3,000 years, not even your power or looks have dazzled anyone to like you!"

Huo Li paused awkwardly before saying, "Xiao Yi, you're the first person in 3,000 years who doesn't despise my ability."

Xiao Yi was momentarily stunned, feeling that this conversation was veering into strange territory. He quickly brushed it off and steered them back to the topic. "Maybe it's because I'm only three years old—my inner and outer selves haven't had time to diverge yet. Anyway, let's go back to the matter at hand. To prove you have no connection to this person, I have a plan…"

Huo Li set aside his other thoughts and listened intently to Xiao Yi's explanation. For ten minutes, the two of them discussed the specifics of the plan through their mental link. To an outside observer, it appeared as if they were simply locked in a tense standoff. After the discussion, one figure seemed to blur momentarily, though it happened so quickly that it might have been an illusion. Then Huo Li stood up and teleported back to his room using a teleportation talisman.

.

The next day, the hiring process at Philip Hospital was in full swing. The group was extremely busy since the hospital was set to open for a trial run the following day. Among them, the most talkative and mature-looking, Liu Mo, naturally assumed the role of interviewer.

At that moment, Liu Mo was sweating profusely in his office, staring out the window at the crowd of five or six hundred job seekers. He felt completely out of his depth. The bald, plump middle-aged man paced nervously around his office, muttering to himself:

(This hospital is going to conduct live experiments in the future. I can't risk hiring a parasite, but how can I tell who's a parasite? Is there a way to figure it out with interview questions?)

Looking down at the seven or eight sets of interview questions he had prepared overnight—ranging from IQ and EQ tests to questions about career aspirations—Liu Mo grew increasingly doubtful.

As Liu Mo wiped away his sweat and tried to select the best questionnaire, his confidence waned further. "Even if we disregard the parasite issue, we still need loyal and reliable medical staff who can strictly keep secrets. But how am I supposed to figure that out with hundreds of people in a single day?"

With just five minutes remaining before the clock struck 8 AM, marking the start of the interview, Liu Mo glanced at the long queue downstairs. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he decided it would be wise to consult the Boss. He used the smart device on his wrist to call Huo Li. Within seconds, Huo Li's voice came through the line:

"Liu Mo, what's the matter?"

"Boss! It's about the interviews," Liu Mo began hesitantly. He explained the situation in detail, emphasizing that it wasn't due to his incompetence but rather the sheer difficulty of the task. "After the media publicity, so many applicants showed up! I'm the only one handling the recruitment… Uh, I'm not saying I can't handle the task, but given our hospital's unique nature, it's really challenging to discern…"

Huo Li interrupted, "Liu Mo, you mean you don't know who among these applicants should be hired, right?"

"Uh, that… Yes, Boss," Liu Mo admitted, summoning the courage to acknowledge his limitations. Surprisingly, Huo Li wasn't his usual critical self. Instead, he offered a straightforward suggestion:

"Let me simplify it for you: eliminate anyone over 30 and under 25. You can handle the rest."

"Huh?" Liu Mo was stunned by the seemingly arbitrary criteria. How could such a casual approach yield suitable candidates?

Huo Li's satisfied and confident voice continued over the line. "Here's another tip: interview each candidate one by one. Anyone you're unsure about should be eliminated immediately. If you meet someone we need, they will stand out within seconds."

With that, the call was terminated.

Liu Mo was left flabbergasted. What kind of advice is this?! Reluctantly, he leaned out of his window and shouted to the crowd:

"Philip Hospital's recruitment has an age restriction! Applicants under 25 or over 30, please leave! Interviews will proceed one at a time."

Ignoring the grumbling and complaints from below, Liu Mo shut the window. As the clock struck 8, he braced himself for the first applicant.

Half a minute later, a handsome young man walked in and introduced himself in an orderly manner. After the proper self-introduction, he demonstrated relevant work experience and completed the carefully selected questionnaire. His IQ and EQ were both high.

But should he be hired? Putting on an authoritative demeanor, Liu Mo scrutinized the candidate sternly while feeling immensely nervous inside. Ultimately, he couldn't decide. He signaled the man to leave, saying the results would be announced at noon. Following Huo Li's advice, he placed the young man's resume in the rejected pile.

The following three candidates, all young men and women, performed admirably. Liu Mo grew increasingly uncertain. He had now rejected four candidates and began to wonder if he was simply blind to their 'shining qualities.'

The next applicant was a short-haired young woman. After handing Liu Mo her resume, she skipped the questionnaire and declared, "Liu Mo, hire me as per Huo Li's instructions."

"What?" Liu Mo was so startled that he dropped the pen he had been holding pretentiously. This was too straightforward!

The woman continued, "Liu Mo, it's me, Huo Li. This body was created by your sister-in-law using black threads."

Liu Mo was completely stunned as he mechanically placed the woman's resume in the accepted pile. (Boss and Sister-in-law are incredible! They can create people out of thin air!)

From that point on, the interviews proceeded far more smoothly. Those who displayed the 'sparkling qualities' Huo Li mentioned walked in and said the exact same line.

There was only one exception—a male candidate who remarked, "Liu Mo, speed things up. There are still 90 more applicants waiting. If you don't hurry, you'll be working overtime again today!"

By the end of the day, Liu Mo successfully recruited 30 men and women who officially became Philip Hospital's employees. Given that the hospital was fully automated, many tasks—such as diagnostics and patient care—could be handled by machines, making the team of 30 sufficient for operations.

On the third day, Philip Hospital began its trial operations. The outpatient building at the front had been repurposed into a combined inpatient and diagnostics facility, renamed Philip First Hospital. The hospital became renowned for accepting only critically ill patients, boasting cutting-edge and highly expensive medical technology.

Each admitted patient underwent an initial diagnosis via comprehensive diagnostic machines on the first floor. These machines, developed in just one day by Xiao Yi, Huo Li, and a metal-element ability user, contained transparent threads with extraordinary properties. Based on the results, patients were then admitted to separate wards—humans in the first ward and parasites in the second.

The hospital also installed standard equipment typical of major medical facilities in various departments to maintain appearances.

At 8 AM, Huo Li and Xiao Yi—who had been inseparable since the day before—were inspecting the functionality of the hospital's systems in the first integrated building. Aliena and Da Li accompanied them, providing explanations.

"Mr. Philip, that room accommodates the laser surgery table that is currently undergoing testing. A skilled surgeon can operate it entirely on their own…"

Before Alaina could finish her explanation, the 14 or 15-year-old black-haired youth suddenly felt a strange silence around him. In an instant, everyone nearby vanished into thin air.

The space around the youth warped. In the blink of an eye, he found himself lying on the laser table that was currently operating! Reacting swiftly, he rolled aside but not fast enough to avoid a deep cut across his right chest, the wound cutting to the bone.

As the surroundings distorted once more, the black-haired youth's mental energy rapidly expanded outward. His facial features subtly shifted, his body grew taller, and he reverted to his original form—Huo Li, with black hair and blue eyes.