Chapter 168 Frank Hospital
Three words, Wen Shi’s translation was accurate and precise.
Li Nan, the person who was insulted by the patient, remained calm. Scent samples were no longer needed. He returned the gown to Patient 209 and said, “Don’t insult dogs.”
As the side quest was completed, the people’s bones crackled like firecrackers. The forced rejuvenation of their youth was halted, and their condition slowly improved.
The nurse’s uniform was no longer loose, and through the thin fabric, one could fully sense the power of Li Nan’s muscles beneath his clothing. Patient 209 licked his lips, appreciating the man’s physique.
“Want to join us in a dream?” he issued a midnight invitation.
Wen Shi stood unkindly on the sidelines, watching the situation unfold. He noticed that Yu Xingzhou and the others did the same. Watching Li Nan being teased was more interesting than what they had originally planned.
Li Nan himself showed little emotional change, entirely focused on the task. He moved the table out of the way and, with indifference, pulled the patient out, preparing to take him back to the ward.
Playing hide and seek was somewhat easier than chasing an escapee. Once the person was found, the chances of the patient resisting and trying to escape again were low.
Arm twisted like a pretzel, the patient clicked his tongue in regret.
As soon as they left the dispensary, Wen Shi quickly stowed away the small lantern. He didn’t want to be a bright source of light in the hallway.
Actually, upon a closer look, each area of the hallway gave a different feeling. The Fantasy Zone was falsely cozy, while the XX Zone felt like an abyss, ready to devour every passerby.
Spending too much time in such an atmosphere could affect one’s mental state, so it was better to leave early.
“You actually found him?” Patient 233 had just left the previous ward. He raised his middle finger at Patient. “Defeated by a dog’s nose. Impressive.”
Altercations between patients were common, but before the tension escalated further, Li Nan quickened his pace to return Patient 209 to the ward.
Wen Shi didn’t follow inside but had something else to discuss with Patient 233 in the hallway. He got straight to the point and asked, “Where’s the journalist?”
Patient 233 responded with an odd smile, “He claimed to admire the first director’s style and came for that reason. Of course, we have to indulge him.”
If another patient had said this, it could be translated as the host had been sent underground to be buried with the first director, but these patients couldn’t go against the bet personally approved by the game. Wen Shi furrowed his brow, wanting to inquire further.
Patient 233, however, ran a finger across his lips at that moment, mimicking the action of zipping his lips shut, indicating that he wouldn’t provide any extra information.
Completely tearing apart relationships benefitted no one. As he watched Patient 233 return to his room, Wen Shi leaned against the wall, deep in thought.
Patient 233 didn’t need to deliberately hide the host’s whereabouts. Maybe he wasn’t unwilling to speak, but rather restricted by the rules from doing so.
Putting aside the rest for later consideration, Wen Shi began to check the quest rewards.
【Photo*1】
This photo captured the scene of an award ceremony for exemplary groups.
The certificate was the same as the one he had seen on the wall of the ward. A’Ao, with a fake smile, and the drowsy patients held up a certificate in an ironic image.
Wen Shi focused on the background in the photo—the office desk, the portrait… even the position of the trash can matched his memory of the director’s office. However, this room had no windows, and the interior space in the photo was noticeably larger. There were a few extra bookshelves against the wall, and faintly, one could see another door beside the bookshelves.
Clearly, it wasn’t just one director’s office.
Wen Shi stared at the photo. “Could there be more than one director’s office?”
The more he thought about it, the more it seemed plausible. Normally, the director’s office was undoubtedly one of the important exploration points in the hospital. In this high-difficulty instance, it was located on the first floor, and as long as players seized the opportunity, they could come and go freely. However, being too hasty would be too reckless.
The sound of a closing door interrupted his thoughts as Li Nan and the others walked out of the ward.
“I got an extra key.” Li Nan noticed Wen Shi staring blankly, likely checking the attribute panel.
The others received the same reward as Wen Shi.
It seemed rewards in this instance were distributed based on effort. Li Nan had put in the most work in the recent quest, so his reward was different. The key was undoubtedly crucial. If he chose to keep this information to himself, it could confuse the rest of the players at a crucial point.
Combining the information from the photo, Wen Shi suggested, “The key should be for another director’s office that we can access.”
The next step was to figure out where this office was located.
Yu Xingzhou suggested, “The runaway patients on the third floor might have clues on them. By considering everything, we might be able to deduce the location.”
If they didn’t want to share their clues, they would have to catch another runaway patient on the third floor themselves. While efficiency was important, it seemed there was no immediate need for that.
Wen Shi laughed. “Seventh Commandment Guild Leader’s hypnotic effect hasn’t completely worn off. Convincing him won’t be hard, provided he’s still alive.”
Yu Xingzhou wasn’t concerned about that. “To become the leader of a major guild, he’s not that easy to kill.”
Wen Shi issued a command to Seventh Commandment Guild Leader through the【Kingdom】interface and arranged to meet him in the stairwell on the third floor.
Tonight, players were assigned to the deep zones for the night shift. The first and second floors were left with the plump nurses on duty. If they return to the first floor now, it might be considered as ending the night shift, making it less convenient to return later.
After sending the message, Wen Shi turned to Song Yan and asked whether he wanted to finish the night shift or continue with the group.
“I’ll finish the night shift,” Song Yan decided firmly.
Previously, they had a quest to rely on, so everything was controllable. Now, everyone was preparing to continue raising their exploration levels for their own purposes. If an unexpected situation arose, others would need to focus on protecting themselves.
They walked together to the stairwell on the third floor. Song Yan continued descending, heading back to the intern dormitory.
The duration for completing the side quest was uncertain. Wen Shi had just sent the command without specifying a meeting time, so he decided to wait for half an hour.
During the wait, his slender fingers lightly rubbed the pendant on his chest. Inside, the heart-shaped blood gem glowed with an extremely faint red light in the dim surroundings.
He had no idea about Jian Qingrong’s situation.
Wen Shi believed that Jian Qingrong was likely in the Split Zone, located at the far end of the corridor. To reach Jian Qingrong, they would first have to pass through the Phobia Zone and the Autism Zone.
“Let’s wait a bit longer.”
Li Nan had witnessed the game and the Lord of Terror’s gamble before, so he could guess Wen Shi’s thoughts. The Lord of Terror could slice a part of him and accompany them in the instance, just like last time.
Except for the one in the Intellectual Disability Zone, there might be others in different zones.
Before leaving the fourth floor, Li Nan glanced at the nurse station’s wall clock. It was almost time, and it wasn’t ideal to venture out to find someone.
As if to confirm his words, strange sounds suddenly came from upstairs. Laughter and wailing, two extremes of sounds, merged together. The hallway’s temperature dropped significantly. Even speaking felt like exhaling cold air.
The group’s nerves were on edge, and they descended a few more steps.
Feeling a bit cold, Wen Shi shrank his body. The cool down time of his【Small Cloak】hadn’t worn off yet, so he couldn’t use it right now.
He glanced at Li Nan’s fluffy tail, and the other two did the same. After they returned to their original height, that tail had also expanded a bit, looking quite warm.
Wen Shi tentatively asked, “Could we borrow your tail to warm our hands?”
Li Nan controlled his tail to lift and placed it on the hands of the three lined-up people.
Instantly, they felt much warmer.
The three of them couldn’t help but wonder what kind of transformed creature Li Nan was.
“It’s a mix of wolf and fox genes,” Li Nan voluntarily explained.
The part related to canines belonged to the ordinary Evolution Potion. It was called “Ultra-Rare” Evolution Potion because it had perfectly blended genes from the other two animals.
Still, the abilities of the other two animals weren’t very pronounced, and they could be substituted with items.
……
Split Zone.
Bizarre laughter filled the air as patients chased each other as if playing, but in reality, they were tearing each other’s scalps off. Some were even snatching each other’s eyeballs to play with. After midnight passed, the patients’ excitement level increased.
Essentially, no one from the other zones wanted to have dealings with the Split Zone. Even the hospital’s regular treatment skipped this place. A’Ao simply and rudely sealed off this area with several protective doors.
This was also the area with the most patients. Jian Qingrong’s “Cutting Meat to Feed the Eagles” plan had already begun its initial phase here.
His flesh and blood were limited. He couldn’t cover all the patients. Only those with exceptional strength could seize flesh and blood.
There were pros and cons. These patients could be of use to Jian Qingrong, but it would take some time if he wanted to fully control their consciousness.
For now, he could only issue some basic and easy-to-follow commands.
A hand with visible veins pulled out a photo, and a patient who suddenly appeared said mysteriously, “I stole this from Patient 444. Treat me to a midnight snack, and I’ll let you take a look.”
Jian Qingrong had previously said that whoever could find secret information related to the hospital, he would treat them to a meal.
Patient 444 was originally from behind the Ghost Gate and one of the first patients to arrive at Frank Hospital. These monsters were mostly dormant in their daily routines.
Jian Qingrong completed the exchange with a smile.
The photo was well-preserved. The patient, with blood all over his mouth, urged, “Hurry, I want to put it back.”
Ignoring him, Jian Qingrong’s gaze fixed on the photo. The man in the middle of the photo, wearing a shabby lab coat, was the first director of Frank Hospital, Wen Shi’s foster father. Two indistinct figures stood on either side of him, and behind them was a patient.
Among them, the most eerie part was that there were three people in the front row, but there was an empty space in the middle, covered in a mosaic. Even a glimpse of it could easily evoke a sense of dread.
This could be considered an unconventional family portrait. Unlike Wen Shi, the man didn’t have many human friends and usually mingled with monsters.
Jian Qingrong’s memory had partially returned by now. Although he couldn’t recall their names, he was certain that the two indistinct figures in the front row were true spirits.
One was undoubtedly the Mirror God that Wen Shi had encountered at the cosmetic surgery clinic. The other…
His hazy memory told him that the other one was quite adept at deception.
As for the mosaic-covered figure standing shoulder to shoulder with the man in the middle, Jian Qingrong had a bold guess: the Supreme Will.
His expression darkened suddenly.
The photo made a slight noise as Jian Qingrong’s fingers tightened around it, startling the patient, who quickly took it back to smooth it out and prepare to return it to its original place.
After the patient left, Jian Qingrong still held the photo.
In the Golden City, he played the role of the demon, equipped with temporary abilities granted by the instance. As long as there was a shrine, he could come and go freely, including the Golden Plum Casino. When Boss Mei mentioned “common characteristics” to Wen Shi, Jian Qingrong seemed to know its meaning.
In the moment he saw the photo, he suddenly realized something.
In the Sunset Town, the Mirror God had released three incarnations: the tour guide and the two newbies. These identities were bound to intersect with Wen Shi.
As for the Wandering Corpse who loved to sing and play pranks by Wen Shi’s side, and whom Wen Shi had invested in beforehand, he suspected that the Wandering Corpse was connected to the Supreme Will.
By extension, the other true spirit couldn’t possibly remain idle.
“The host,” Jian Qingrong squinted his eyes.
The pen that the host gave to Wen Shi had the effect of deceiving the public and brainwashing minds. The host also loved to spin lies and deceive people during the show.
So, could the term “common characteristics” refer to these incarnations these three bullies simultaneously placed around Wen Shi?
The reasons behind this remained unknown.
Currently, it seemed the option of causing harm could be ruled out.
The Supreme Will’s attitude towards Wen Shi was quite complex. Wen Shi possessed the ability to resurrect once, as if the Supreme Will wanted to make up for some regret about life through him. On the other hand, given the twisted psychology of these tyrants, they also seemed eager to use Wen Shi’s life in exchange for something.
So, among these three incarnations, there were definitely traps aimed at Wen Shi, but they had also left some advantages for him.
With this in mind, Jian Qingrong snapped his fingers lightly and ordered a monster to find a telephone receiver.
In all the treatment guidelines hanging around, there was a note at the bottom of each one stating that if there were any issues, doctors could be contacted using the telephone receiver. Conveniently, Wen Shi’s identity happened to be that of a doctor, so Jian Qingrong guessed he could contact him this way.
“Supreme Will, this time, let’s see how you’ll stop me.”
The Golden City was bound by rules, and even if he knew a lot of information, he was incapable of revealing it. But this time, since the telephone receiver was a reasonable item, there was no reason for the other party to prevent Jian Qingrong from contacting Wen Shi.
……
Ding-ling-ling—
In the stairwell, the sudden and explosive ringing in his mind jolted Wen Shi. “Hello.”
“I’ve missed you,” the mini octopus said in a husky, seductive voice, “Why haven’t you come to pick me up yet?”
Wen Shi laughed and replied patiently, “It won’t be long now. Besides, you’re safe for now…”
“I broke two of my tentacles.” The mini octopus sounded quite upset.
Wen Shi’s smile faded as he asked with a serious expression, “What happened?”
“I infiltrated another zone and killed two patients,” the mini octopus showed off, “Devouring them makes me stronger.”
Wen Shi had never imagined that the mini octopus, who had always liked sticking close to him, would become so assertive. It seemed like it had finally realized the importance of power.
But once it had this awareness, could it still be as happy as before?
“I hope you can be happy,” Wen Shi said earnestly.
“I am very happy,” the mini octopus replied, “I do this for happiness. The time we can talk is too short, and it takes a long time for me to make another call. I couldn’t find a second telephone booth in the Intellectual Disability Zone, so I had to sneak into other areas to steal one.”
The mini octopus’ potential was limitless. The Intellectual Disability Zone was the weakest among all the deep zones, yet it managed to awaken intelligence far beyond its original capacity. In its quest to seize the telephone receiver, its strength broke through once again.
Its tentacles wriggled happily as the mini octopus exclaimed, “Now we can chat on the phone a bit longer!”
“……”
•
Split Zone.
“The user you are trying to call is currently on another call…”
“Please try again later.”
“The user you are trying to call is currently on another call…”
……
Jian Qingrong, holding the telephone he obtained from the monster, dialed repeatedly, but the line was always busy.
Convinced that it wasn’t the Supreme Will playing tricks this time, Jian Qingrong lowered his head, his expression dark and suppressed. Finally, he softly muttered, “It’s so late, who is he talking to?”
Who, exactly, could it be?!
If you enjoy this novel, support the Translator ginevre on her ko-fi account :))
He’s talking to the little octopus! HAHAHAHAHAHA