Chu walked aimlessly, not really knowing what he was supposed to do or where he was supposed to go, he honestly felt that this ‘mission’ was useless, totally pointless, what could he possibly find out about this place or learn about any Dixianians, it was absurd, only their king could think of sending three men after a few women and desperate men. He didn’t even have the envoy’s power to detect his people, was he supposed to stop everyone asking Are you from Dixing?

Chu made a face at his own thoughts, finding Dixiangians was hopeless, but learning about this world just wandering around was also hopeless. And stupid.

From the start he had wondered if there was another reason for this mission, but he hadn't asked, why should he care anyway?

At least he could enjoy a few hours away from the dark and gloomy atmosphere of the palace, which was a big relief.

Unlike the envoy he had not changed his look, it wouldn't be as easy for him since only the envoy was ‘entrusted’ with the ancient devices, but it didn't bother him, he was not eager to have things implanted inside his skin.

He never wore a mask anyway, so he walked in his usual black clothes, choosing a street at random, looking around. He only had to pass the time until it was time to go back, and luckily he would only have to report to the Envoy and not to the king himself.

Like everyone else, he preferred to stay as much away from the king as possible.

He heard a commotion, people raising their voices telling someone to watch where he was going, and turned to see an old man stumbling and falling on the road. He was almost hit by a car but it stopped in time. The driver shouted at him in anger, insulting the old drunk before driving away.

What a world, Chu thought, was it so different from where he came from?
He walked closer but didn't make any attempt at helping him, living in Dixing had taught him to mind his own business and never attract unnecessary attention, so he kept watching the scene until he heard a voice.
"Grandpa, are you alright?"

He saw a young man running towards the old drunk and trying to help him stand up but he wasn't strong enough and with great effort he only managed to get him out of the road and back into the sidewalk. The young man checked if he was hurt, picked up the things that had fallen out of his bags and put everything next to the old man.

Watching him, Chu thought that the guy was indeed young, he looked like he was little more than a kid.

Chu walked closer out of curiosity, he had nothing else to do anyway, and asked, "Is your grandfather hurt? You shouldn’t let him go out by himself in that condition."

It seemed like only now his presence was noticed.
"Oh he’s not really my grandpa, I just don’t know his name, I’ve never met him before," the guy said while he kept checking if the old man was alright, frowning when he felt no reaction.

"Quick, call an ambulance, he needs help," he exclaimed at that point.

Chu didn’t know how to do that, he didn’t own a cellphone of course, and seeing his hesitance the kid called him to take his place at the man’s side and called the ambulance using his own phone, before kneeling down again.

They waited there together; Chu didn't know why the guy seemed to care so much since he didn't even know the old man, neither was he sure what they were waiting for, but he would soon learn.

An ambulance arrived shortly and two paramedics immediately checked the man's conditions. Assessing that the man was not drunk but he was also not breathing, they hurried to take him away.

Chu felt a business card being shoved into his hand.
"Please call me when you learn something, I really have to go now."

Two bags full of food provisions were put into his other hand, and he was pushed towards the ambulance.
"Please, go with him, I hope he gets better poor man, I wish I could go with you."

Chu got in the ambulance just before they closed the doors, and the last thing he saw was the young man smiling gratefully at him before he went away. Chu didn’t speak, he only watched the paramedics take care of the old man completely ignoring his presence.

He looked at the card and read ‘Guo ChangCheng’. What a big name for a guy like that, he thought.

They got to a hospital really quickly, the old man was rushed in and left in the doctors’ care.
Chu's presence was completely ignored, he got out of the ambulance too and wandered around not sure what to do.

He watched the people working at the hospital, a lot of them looked really busy, others not so much. He heard a nurse saying that the guy was so old, he had to be drunk, he wasn’t worth all that trouble, but the other nurse with him scolded him saying that the man wasn’t so old and anyway every life was worth their trouble, that was their job.

Chu thought that people seemed to be the same everywhere, he listened to all the comments and watched doctors and nurses run back and forth from one patient to the other; he found a seat and sat down, still holding the old man’s bags with him.

He didn’t know what he was supposed to do with the bags, with the man or with the business card, so he waited until someone told him anything.

He was eventually approached by a nurse who had seen him get out of the ambulance, and he was told that the old man was now stable, he had a mild heart attack but was now sleeping, breathing regularly. He needed rest and they were going to run some tests, then he could take him home.

Chu didn’t say anything but the nurse was still there and looking at him so he nodded to make her go away.
He didn’t really like staying there, but he did it anyway.