I revived the Demonic Sect in North America

Li Ang was stunned when he heard the system notification.

I didn't do anything, so how did the task get completed?

Is it...

The system's so-called escape from the Six Doors' encirclement refers to breaking free from the NYPD's arrest.

So as soon as Officer Karen left, the system immediately determined that Li Ang had escaped.

After figuring this out, Li Ang was both amused and exasperated.

What is this? A misaligned system?

This system doesn't seem very smart.

But no matter what, being able to easily complete the task and receive the reward is definitely a good thing.

Thinking of the reward, Li Ang's heart suddenly raced.

He closed his eyes and sank his consciousness into his mind, whereupon he saw a floating yellow talisman.

[Celestial Talisman: After use, this talisman can randomly detect one piece of significant information that is causally connected to the host.]

[Note: This secret is a thread of destiny; those with the right affinity will receive it.]

Random intelligence gathering?

Li Ang was also curious about the effects of the talisman.

He opened his eyes and looked around.

The third-floor corridor was deserted, and the nurse on duty had already fallen asleep again, slumped over the duty table.

Li Ang cautiously slipped into the fire escape.

With a thought, the Heavenly Secret Talisman that had been in his mind appeared out of thin air in his palm.

The talisman paper looks thin, but it feels rough to the touch, much like aged parchment.

"Come on, let's see what surprises this system can bring me."

Li Ang imitated the gesture from an Eastern movie he had seen before, pinching a corner of the talisman with his thumb and forefinger.

With a gentle flick, the talisman spontaneously combusted without fire.

The burned talismans turned into tiny, firefly-like golden specks of light, which quickly dissipated into the air without leaving a trace of ash.

[Ding! The Heavenly Secret Talisman has been activated.]

[Collecting and analyzing relevant intelligence for the host...]

Current progress: 1%...

Li Ang did not expect that the use of this Heavenly Secret Talisman would require a countdown, and the progress was frighteningly slow.

I waited a minute, but it still wasn't two percent.

Li Ang was speechless upon seeing this.

He abandoned his plan to wait in the fire escape, turned around, pushed open the fire door, and walked back to Fiona's ward.

In the ward, the snoring from bed number two was still deafening.

Fiona leaned against the hospital bed, which was tilted at a 45-degree angle, and looked out the window absentmindedly.

The dim bedside lamp outlined the contours of her thin profile, her long golden hair draped limply over her pale hospital gown.

Li Ang could clearly see that Fiona still had two wet streaks on her face.

He walked gently to Fiona's bedside, sat down in a chair beside her, and softly called out:

"elder sister."

Fiona snapped back to reality, hastily wiped her face with the back of her hand, sniffed, and forced an awkward smile:

"Hey, you're back. Officer Karen left?"

"Okay, I'm leaving."

Looking at Fiona's slightly red and swollen eyes from crying, Li Ang felt an indescribable sadness.

He reached out to wipe away the remaining tear stains on Fiona's cheek.

The moment Li Ang's fingertips touched Fiona's skin, a system notification sounded in his mind.

[Ding! Mid-grade furnace cauldron detected - Frail and sickly Xizi!]

[The characteristics of a frail and delicate woman: Her body is like a willow branch, her life like a flickering candle; her appearance is beautiful and delicate, evoking pity. This woman has a gentle and fragile personality, and is more likely to develop feelings of love and dependence on a responsible man.]

[Difficulty Level: Relatively Difficult]

[System notification: Please subdue this furnace as soon as possible.]

[Reward for a Mid-Grade Furnace: Treasure Chest x1]

Li Ang's hand froze in mid-air, a sense of absurdity rising within him.

For Li Ang, Fiona was like both a mother and a sister.

They are Li Ang's beloved family and friends!

How could you possibly do that?!

This system is a real beast!

"Li Ang? What's wrong? Why do you look so pale all of a sudden?"

Fiona noticed that Leon's expression was off and worriedly took the hand that had just wiped away her tears:

"Are you feeling unwell? Or is there some problem with the police?"

"No, I'm fine. There's no problem."

Li Ang grasped Fiona's hand in return and said firmly:

"Don't worry, sister, I will definitely find a way to help you recover!"

"Recover to health? Fool..."

Fiona smiled helplessly, a smile full of bitterness:

"Honey, do you know how much that costs? Just the dialysis three times a week, after deducting the portion my lousy insurance covers, I still have to pay over two hundred dollars out of pocket each time. That's six hundred a week, two thousand four hundred a month."

Her voice was very soft, as if she were stating a fact that had already overwhelmed her.

"This doesn't even include the various painkillers, targeted therapies, and all the medical checkups and follow-up examinations. And what's more, even if—and I mean just in case—the hospital actually finds a suitable kidney donor for me..."

"The bill for a kidney transplant is at least 500,000 yuan. Post-operative anti-rejection medication costs tens of thousands of yuan every year, and you have to take it for the rest of your life."

Fiona looked away, glancing at her withered hands, where the marks of the IV catheter remained.

"I still have student loans from medical school, and I still owe 120,000 yuan. Those loan companies won't be so kind as to waive even a penny of interest just because I want to live."

"The little money I've saved up over the past few years has almost all been burned up in the last six months. I'm... a bottomless pit now, Li Ang. I'm a bottomless pit that will drag you down with me. Sometimes I really think, maybe I should..."

At this point, Fiona's shoulders slumped, a deep sense of powerlessness enveloping her.

"Shut up, Fiona!"

Li Ang forcefully interrupted Fiona's self-pity.

"Look at me, listen to me!"

He cupped Fiona's cheeks in his hands, forcing her to look at him.

"You're not a bottomless pit, you're Fiona, the angel who pulled me out of hell and gave me a new life! Don't worry, Fiona, it's just money, right? I'll handle it! I swear!"

"Li Ang, you're still a child! You're a minor! What, are you planning to go to an underground club and hang out with criminals and pimps like tonight? Waiting for the police to bring you back? Have you considered what if you don't come back?"

Fiona also became agitated, her blue eyes filled with lingering fear and pain.

"Li Ang, I'd rather give up treatment right now than have you take that risk for me! Do you understand?!"

"I see."

Li Ang firmly stated:

"I swear, Fiona, I will never do anything dangerous again. I will not drop out of school, nor will I join a gang. I will use my brain and legal means to get the money we need."

Fiona looked incredulous.

"It's not that easy."

Now that Li Ang has the system's support, he's actually quite optimistic. He shrugged and said:

"As long as you don't give up, there's always a way, right? I can try to apply for more scholarships, or find another part-time job. If all else fails, I can sing in the subway station or wash dishes in a restaurant on weekends!"

"We can also contact a social worker to see what other subsidies you can apply for. I'll also look into your insurance to see if there are any loopholes—"

"Hey, don't look at me like that, dear sister. This is called making good use of the rules. Anyway, there's a way. But the prerequisite is that you have to stick with me."

Fiona was slightly moved.

Li Ang looked directly into her eyes with tenderness:

"I need you, Fiona. You are my only family. How can you bear to leave me alone in this world, to suffer the pain of living alone?"