Heavenly Mandate System: End of the World

Chapter 10: Connection

As I made my way out of the Streamer company building, I couldn’t stop thinking about this unique experience. Witnessing firsthand the working lives of celebrities was truly fascinating. At the same time, I thought about how Kevin, my friend, also had a serious work persona here.

After delivering the package to Mysthy, I left the Streamer company building, planning to return to my apartment to rest and continue my cultivation. But just as I stepped out of the building, a familiar notification from the system rang in my head.

«NEW SIDE MISSION: HELP AN ELDERLY MAN WHO WILL BE IN DANGER»

I was startled and quickly looked around but didn’t see anyone who looked like an elderly man. Could the system be wrong? A sense of unease passed through my mind, but trusting in the system’s accuracy, I decided to walk around the area to see if anything would happen.

Just a few minutes later, a loud crash echoed from the street nearby. An accident! I rushed over and saw a chaotic scene. Two cars—a luxurious black one and a taxi—had collided forcefully. The black car had slammed into the front of the taxi, severely denting its front end.

This must be my mission.

Without hesitation, I ran over. As I got closer, I saw the taxi driver had already escaped and was safe. However, when I looked at the black car, I noticed the driver, an elderly man, was unconscious inside. It was him.

I quickly rushed to the black car, but the front was badly damaged from the collision, jamming the driver’s side door. There was no time to hesitate. I tried using force to open the door. The car was heavily damaged, and the door was harder to open than I had anticipated.

I can do this. I focused all my strength, feeling the flow of vital energy in my body surge into my arms, and applied more force to pry the door open. While I considered myself a cultivator and had reached a certain level, I knew my strength was only slightly above average.

After a few tense seconds, the door finally popped open. I quickly leaned in and carefully pulled the elderly man out of the driver’s seat. He was still unconscious, and when I checked, his breathing was rapid and shallow. This wasn’t good; I needed to get him to a hospital quickly.

Without delay, I helped the man over to the curb. While trying to keep him upright and breathing steadily, I anxiously looked around for help. At that moment, another taxi driver, who had witnessed the entire incident, ran over.

"You should get him to the hospital right away; he seems to be having severe breathing difficulties," the taxi driver said, his eyes filled with concern. "I know a hospital nearby. We can go there."

There was no time to hesitate. I could clearly sense the urgency of the situation. With the help of the taxi driver, I quickly helped the elderly man into his cab. The moment was incredibly tense.

I tried to remain calm, sitting next to the man while monitoring his condition throughout the drive to the hospital. As long as I could get him there in time, I could complete the mission and save his life.

The taxi rolled through the busy streets, and I could only hope the hospital wasn’t too far, so we could make it in time.

...

Thirty minutes had passed since the accident, and finally, the taxi driver and I had brought the elderly man to the hospital. When we arrived, I hurriedly helped him into the emergency room, calling for the doctors right away. Seeing him quickly taken in by the nurses gave me some relief, though I still felt a bit anxious.

Afterward, I stepped outside to pay the taxi fare to the driver who had helped. After all, I had ridden in his cab, and it was the right thing to do. But as I pulled out my wallet, the driver firmly shook his head, refusing.

“No need,” he said, his voice steady. “I make my living driving, but charging money for helping someone in need doesn’t feel right. You did a good deed, and I just helped a little.”

I was surprised for a moment, but then smiled, feeling a warmth in my heart. Despite the existence of bad people in the world, there were also plenty of good ones.

The taxi driver waved goodbye before returning to his car and driving away from the hospital. I stood there for a while, watching as the taxi disappeared into the distance, my heart filled with emotions. I was fortunate to meet people like him.

But now, my mind shifted back to the elderly man. Even though I had brought him safely to the hospital, I still felt uneasy. I couldn’t leave until I knew for sure that he was alright.

I moved over to sit on the bench outside the emergency room, my eyes fixed on the closed doors. Inside, the doctors were still working to save him. I sat there, breathing slowly, my mind gradually calming. Only when I knew the man was stable could I rest easy.

I had completed the side mission, but the sense of responsibility lingered.

While waiting outside the emergency room, I opened the system interface to check. The side mission was marked as completed, and as always, a random reward appeared before me. Upon closer inspection, a wave of joy swept through me: the gift this time was a one-hour deep enlightenment session.

I was truly lucky.

I smiled, contemplating the law of cause and effect. It seemed there was an invisible rule at play in life. Help others, and somehow, life would return good things to you. It’s not that they won’t come, but rather, whether you’re willing to slow down and notice when they do. I couldn’t deny that helping the elderly man had brought me peace, but it had also granted me a precious reward from the system.

Help others, and life will help you in return.

Looking at the reward I had just received, I became even more confident in this truth. This deep enlightenment session would help me break through faster. Currently, I was at Qi Refining Stage 1 - 15%, and I knew that with just a little more effort, aided by this reward, I could advance to the next level.

The time passed slowly as I waited outside the emergency room, but my heart was filled with hope. I had received what I deserved from the good deeds I had done…

...

After a period of anxious waiting, the light in the emergency room finally went out. The door opened, and the doctor stepped out with a faint smile on his face. I breathed a sigh of relief, now knowing that the elderly man was okay.

The doctor looked at me, smiling, and said, "You did very well. If you hadn't acted quickly to help, his condition could have been much more serious."

I smiled back, but I still felt a bit puzzled. I had only helped save someone, but why did this doctor seem to treat it as such an important event?

"Do you know who he is?" the doctor continued, his gaze becoming somewhat serious.

I was taken aback and shook my head. Honestly, I don’t care much about other people's identities; I just do what needs to be done. My days are filled with worrying about making ends meet; I don't have time to be concerned with politics or powerful figures in society.

The doctor chuckled softly and said, "He’s a high-ranking official in the government."

I froze, a mix of anxiety and fear rising within me. A high-ranking official? I hadn't expected that. If the man hadn’t survived, wouldn't I have been implicated too? Even though I was just helping, people might misunderstand, or worse, criticize me.

I lowered my head, feeling a slight tremor of fear as I thought about the potential worst-case scenario. It was truly fortunate that he had been saved in time; otherwise… I didn’t dare to think further.

"Anyway, everything is settled. He was saved in time, and there are no severe complications," the doctor said, patting my shoulder. "With some rest and further treatment, he will make a full recovery."

I sighed in relief, feeling the weight in my chest slowly dissipate. Not only was I lucky to have completed the task, but also because he was safe.

I nodded to thank the doctor, then quietly sat down for a while to reflect. Life sometimes throws unexpected situations our way, and though I’m just an ordinary person, there are moments when we become an important part of someone else’s life. This is connection.