Ryan Walker's expression grew increasingly strange, because even from seven or eight meters away, he could clearly see many details on the sparrow: its short beak, round head, and fluffy neck. He could even make out the way the sparrow flapped its wings to take off and land.

　　Everything was incredibly clear—this was a super-visual experience he had never had before.

　　After more than ten years as a student, Ryan Walker was a bit nearsighted. He could barely get by without glasses, but there was absolutely no way he could see so many details so clearly.

　　No, to be precise, this wasn't the kind of eyesight a normal person should have. Even with corrective glasses, it would never be this sharp. Even the tiny print on an open newspaper three or four meters away was crystal clear to him.

　　Besides his vision, his hearing also seemed unusually sharp. The sparrow's chirping was one thing—it was practically a racket right in his ear.

　　The rustling of leaves in the breeze, the footsteps of people coming and going in the corridor outside the ward, the honking of cars on the distant road, even the sound of saline dripping—all of it was clearly audible to his ears.

　　What was happening to him? Ryan Walker stared wide-eyed, his breathing growing a bit rapid.

　　Enhanced vision and hearing?

　　Could it be...

　　He had encountered the most cliché opening scenario from online novels!?

　　The legendary loser protagonist who had suffered for over twenty years, surviving a freak accident and, by a twist of fate, gaining some kind of superpower—then embarking on a peak life of marrying a rich, beautiful woman and thanking his ex for not marrying him?

　　Wasn't this just too melodramatic? But melodramatic or not, he liked it! Ryan Walker's heart thumped excitedly. The more melodramatic, the better.

　　But just a few seconds later, a cold sweat broke out on his back.

　　Could there be another possibility?

　　Everything seemed calm right now, but what if the whole world had been infected by a mysterious virus at the same time?

　　Could the outside world have already turned into a zombie apocalypse? Hospitals were the easiest places for infection to spread—doctors, nurses, patients...

　　What if, the moment he opened the ward door, a horde of vicious zombies would come howling at him?

　　And what if the uncle in the next bed had already mutated into a zombie? Ready to leap over and bite through his throat, tearing into his flesh? The long-haired woman sleeping sideways on the bed by the window looked kind of creepy—her body was twitching slightly. Was she eating something? It looked like she was gnawing! Could it be that she was...

　　Just as his nerves were stretched to the limit, an old, trembling voice sounded.

　　“Amitabha.”

　　Uh...

　　What was going on!?

　　Ryan Walker was so startled he shot upright in bed, a bead of sweat sliding down his forehead.

　　“Young man, you’re finally awake.” Mrs. Bolton woke up from the companion bed where she’d curled up all night, and came over in surprise. “You had a fever all night that just wouldn’t go down. You really scared this old lady.”

　　“Zhang—Zhang Granny!”

　　Ryan Walker instinctively shrank back, dodging her hand. Forcing down his fear, he looked closely and saw that, aside from her face being a bit pale and her silver hair messy, the gold-rimmed glasses-wearing Mrs. Bolton showed no signs of mutation. Fangs? None! Claws? Well, Mrs. Bolton's nails were trimmed neat and clean.

　　“Child, are you alright?” Mrs. Bolton saw his pale face and shifty eyes, and worriedly reached out to feel his forehead. “Not hot. I’ll call the nurse.” As she spoke, she pressed the call button.

　　“Hey, young man, you’re awake?” The woman in the next bed turned over, still chewing on a piece of beef jerky as she spoke, “I thought you were still asleep, so I didn’t even dare eat too loudly. By the way, young man, you really should be good to your grandma. She was running around for you half the night yesterday, and you tossed and turned all night. Hungry? Here, want some beef jerky to tide you over?”

　　As she spoke, she generously handed over a big piece of five-spice beef jerky.

　　Ryan Walker stared at her for a few seconds, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and politely declined, “Um, thank you, auntie, but I can’t eat anything right now.” In fact, Ryan Walker was quite hungry. But thinking about what he’d just suspected she was eating, he really lost his appetite.

　　Phew!

　　After reading too many online novels, this was the aftereffect—clearly, the apocalypse hadn’t happened. The heart that had been in Ryan Walker's throat finally settled down.

　　“Grandma Bolton.” Ryan Walker steadied himself and sat up, gratefully saying, “Thank you for bringing me to the hospital yesterday, and for staying with me all night.”

　　“Young man, I should be the one thanking you.” Mrs. Bolton said with a guilty look, “I really did fall yesterday, and I was so dizzy I couldn’t get up. If you hadn’t been kind, this old lady’s life might have ended right there on the road. Come, have some water first—you sweated a lot last night.”

　　Ryan Walker was thirsty too, and gulped down a big glass of water, instantly feeling much better. He asked, puzzled, “Grandma Bolton, my name is Ryan Walker. You can call me Little Ryan—no, Little Ryan. By the way, did the doctor say what illness I have?”