Chqpter 171 Frank Hospital
The secret to communicating with the Deception God was to be straightforward. The Mirror God candidly explained that he had sought divination from the turtleguy several times but never received any favorable outcomes.
The strong often have an inherent desire to dominate others. Driven by both curiosity and competitiveness, there was an 80% chance they could be pulled in by the other person.
The Deception God’s white eye briefly moved, showing little interest. “Divination had no logic. And I thought you’d dislike such practices.”
The reason both parties could barely get along was that one valued logic while the other believed in truth.
The Mirror God said calmly, “Practice is the only way to test the truth.”
As they say, divination could truly become addictive. He was having trouble quitting now.
The turtlekin chose not to engage in a futile conflict. As they lived out their long lives, the effects of the Evolution Potion would slowly diminish, eventually transforming them into ordinary little turtles.
At the moment, all the turtleguy wanted was to retire in Sunset Town.
It curled up inside its shells, feeling bitter. It had always sought safety and good fortune, but how had it ended up in such a situation?
Under the Mirror God’s persistent persuasion, the Deception God finally put down the book in his hand, showing some interest. He had never been fond of mysticism, but testing it wouldn’t hurt, and it would prove that mysticism was a false proposition.
He tapped on the stone table with his fingers, and the surface immediately divided into two halves like a Yin-Yang diagram.
On the left side was the dormitory, where a black cat was perched on the Feeding Log, reading it word by word. On the right was the real Director’s Office, where A’Ao was fuming with anger.
The turtleguy, secretly miserable, suddenly extended its head. It lifted its drooping eyelids, which were almost covering half its eyes, crawled onto the stone table, and stared intently at the cat.
At this point, the Deception God finally showed genuine interest. Across different spaces, this beastkin seemed to recognize the true soul beneath the black cat’s exterior.
He gestured towards the black cat and said, “Give it a try.”
The turtleguy nodded.
As it did the divination, the Deception God noticed the Mirror God’s unwavering attention to the divination process and sneered, “It’s nothing more than a choice between a miraculous escape from death or a grim fate.”
Wen Shi and A’Ao were destined for a life-and-death struggle. Both were formidable in their own ways, with A’Ao having the upper hand in terms of strength. Regardless of who emerged victorious, the process would be a bloody contest.
“Miraculous escape from death?” The turtleguy questioned after hearing this, checking the divination chart three times. “Where does this ‘miraculous escape from death’ come from?”
The Golden Tower Kingdom was founded by the Mirror God. Within its territory, many internet slangs and famous quotes from the real world circulated, all of which the Mirror God had once heard from Wen Shi’s foster father.
The turtleguy looked at the divination symbols and summed up, “All roads lead to Rome.”
“……” What nonsense are you spouting?
“It’s too perfect.” The turtleguy stared at the divination result in fascination. “Even the divination symbols look so joyful.”
It stretched its neck to an unprecedented length, its entire face eager to press against the results a hundred times. The Deception God grabbed the turtle’s neck before it could engage in perverted acts. “Are you sure you didn’t miscalculate?”
The turtleguy said with great solemnity, “It’s an auspicious divination.”
The Deception God pointed at A’Ao’s image again. “How about his life path?”
In the subdued expression of the true spirit, the turtleguy saw the same skepticism as in previous clients who didn’t believe in superstitions but still wanted to be divined. These clients, once they started divination, would keep coming back for a thousand times.
The turtleguy spoke only five words, “Where there’s life, there’s hope.”
•
Dormitory.
Several players who had been on the night shift earlier still hadn’t returned, and nobody knew what they were up to.
The Feeding Log carried a hint of A’Ao’s presence, like a stimulus that made the cat’s pupils naturally turn aggressive. The black cat’s long tail clung tightly to its body, with every soft hair seemingly tinged with faint anxiety.
If Wen Shi knew how highly the turtleguy thought of him, he would surely have mixed feelings.
Right now, he had no clue about how to kill A’Ao. Main quests kept coming day by day, and if he didn’t come up with a good idea before midnight the next day, he feared he might meet his end inside the instance.
Ji Yuanzhi didn’t mean to exclude Seventh Commandment Guild Leader and the female player. When it came down to it, since they were doing the quest together, sharing information was a basic requirement.
Everyone began reading the Feeding Log.
After successfully escaping the director’s office, the mosaic on the log’s surface disappeared. According to the system prompt, they instinctively thought it might contain information about monsters, like eating habits and feeding schedules. However, as they read, it seemed more like A’Ao’s personal diary.
【Economic downturn. Everyone’s complaining about the industry’s slump, but my business is thriving.】
【I’ve dubbed myself the Terrifying Piano Master, even though I only know how to play one song. I publicly claim that anyone who hears me play will meet a grim fate three days later. Oh, people’s curiosity is truly fatal. They come with loads of money, even in groups.】
【On September 12th, went to collect food. Today’s breakfast was three nobles who died prematurely, lunch was provided by two young women who came to listen to my performance due to a bet, and dinner consisted of five homeless men.】
【February 1st, added a priest to the meal.】
【On March 12th, we arrived at a seaside town. Ignorant townsfolk threatened to burn us alive, but instead, Jian Guangsi enjoyed a hearty self-service meal.】
[T/N: 见光死 (jiàn guāng sǐ) : literally means “dies upon seeing the light.” in internet culture, it’s a slang meaning “to be killed by the cold, harsh light of reality when two people meet offline.”]
……
The first half of the diary could be roughly summarized as A’Ao using human curiosity to his advantage, traveling with his pet and and waiting for ingredients to be automatically delivered to his doorstep, all while amassing plenty of wealth.
The system’s notification sounded:
【A’Ao’s pet: Jian Guangsi
As soon as it sees light, it’ll kill all of you~
Traits: As the host, after feeding enough flesh and blood, it can continuously spawn new entities.】
A small lamp was placed in front of the Feeding Log. The black cat, relying on its size advantage, squeezed into the middle to turn the pages. A group of players surrounded it, reading every word in the log under the lamplight.
After turning another page, the log’s previously triumphant tone changed.
【August 15th, I was invited to perform for the Earl. Another fat sheep!】
【Three days later, I went to collect food with Jian Guangsi. The Earl didn’t die! Jian Guangsi was severely injured on the spot. I kneeled in front of the Earl, admitted my mistake, and in the end, he gave me three days to create a piece called “The Ideal Bride.” The Earl’s exact words were, “If I can’t feel the warmth of the bride’s soul in the music, I’ll cut off your limbs and throw you into the arena.”】
【August 21st, I found a way to stay alive—I exchanged my hand with someone’s existence.】
The rest of it was almost like the beginning, with intermittent mentions of what Jian Guangsi had been fed over time.
After reading the whole thing, everyone had a somewhat speechless twitch at the corners of their mouths. They didn’t know if they should call A’Ao bizarre or if the Earl was crazier. Seventh Commandment Guild Leader didn’t know about the Deception God’s situation, but when he saw the last word, “exchange,” suddenly everything clicked. It was like making a deal with a demon. A’Ao later became the Director, and the eerie crucifix in the hospital could be directly linked to this event.
Pei Wenwei had disappeared for a while after coming out of the archives room. Shortly after, Yu Xingzhou and Li Nan successfully changed their identities. Now it became clear how it was done.
However, this matter couldn’t stir his emotions anymore. Seventh Commandment Guild Leader’s breathing grew somewhat rapid, and his eyes greedily shone brighter than the faint lamp glow.
None of them were saints. Yu Xingzhou and Ji Yuanzhi exchanged a glance, spoke a few words in hushed tones, while Li Nan silently contemplated something.
Wen Shi knew what had simultaneously captured the attention of several big shots lay. A’Ao mentioned in the log that he always took Jian Guangsi to collect the bodies, implying that the cause of death had nothing to do with the pet. The power of that musical piece was real.
The true super divine item might be a piece of sheet music with the extreme power to curse others.
There was a touch of wisdom in the cat’s pupils now. This was good news.
A’Ao couldn’t simply hand over the sheet music. There might already be someone with murderous intent towards A’Ao among those present here.
Besides, the amount of information this log provided was overwhelming!
Seventh Commandment Guild Leader frowned. The Feeding Log aroused people’s greed but didn’t offer more useful information. He suddenly noticed the black cat elegantly turning around, about to leave.
Feeling all eyes on its sleek fur, Wen Shi had to tilt his head back.
He tentatively stretched a paw to the left, but Ji Yuanzhi on the right let out a light cough. Wen Shi then moved to the right, and Li Nan, without playing any emotional cards, voluntarily shifted positions to let it pass.
It was as if whichever side he chose to go to would determine who would help him obtain the super divine item.
“……” Refusing to take sides starts with me.
Song Yan expressed agreement and bravely picked up the black cat, glaring defensively at the others.
With this atmosphere, Seventh Commandment Guild Leader couldn’t even find an opportunity to speak.
Song Yan carried the cat towards the office, and then Li Nan and the others followed suit. Choosing sides was just a way to amuse the cat, a casual game, but some matters still needed to be discussed in advance.
Wen Shi returned to the office’s sofa. There was an official position assigned to him but there was not even a maintenance personnel to fix the door. It still looked as broken as before he left.
Li Nan and the others didn’t immediately follow. It was clear they were discussing the potential conflict over the super divine item and how to distribute it if they chose to cooperate.
None of this concern him.
Wen Shi was wholeheartedly focused on dealing with A’Ao.
After a short rest, when the time limit for his transformation was about to expire, a few more people appeared in the office, evidently having reached an agreement.
Before Yu Xingzhou could speak, Wen Shi waved his paw and said, “I don’t need a slice of that cake. Honestly, nothing can tempt me right now, not even the super divine item.” He then encouraged them, “Let’s team up to take down A’Ao. I want to become the Director.”
“……”
Several minutes later, the black cat transformed back into a human. The previous playfulness was gone as the young man leaned on the sofa, his tone more steady. “That Feeding Log is quite intriguing.”
Yu Xingzhou used an anti-eavesdropping item.
The moon had been bright these past few days. Wen Shi’s slender neck appeared even paler in the moonlight, and even the faint outlines of the veins on it could be vaguely seen.
“Firstly, I don’t think A’Ao is someone with many emotions.”
Ji Yuanzhi understood what he wanted to say. “A’Ao kneeling before the Earl for the sake of his pet doesn’t align with his usual style of doing things.”
Wen Shi nodded. “The most interesting thing about this log is that it’s a whole book, yet not a single sentence mentions A’Ao’s or the pet’s weaknesses.”
It even recorded that Jian Guangsi was once seriously injured by the Earl but didn’t mention a word about how the Earl discovered and injured it.
As for the director… quests as challenging as eliminating NPCs often hold crucial clues within the instance. Tonight, all the night shift rewards on the third and fourth floors point directly to the director’s office. That couldn’t be a coincidence.
There must be a connection between the two quests.
“A’Ao cares deeply about Jian Guangsi’s life, he’d even kneel for it. Could it be that if his pet dies, it will have a negative impact on him personally?”
As Wen Shi continued, his tone was almost certain, “With debts come debtors. Based on what I know about the Earl, when A’Ao went to collect food, the Earl should have prioritized killing A’Ao.”
What was the point of killing a pet? The Earl was an efficiency-focused madman.
【You have successfully discovered a secret of Jian Guangsi. Current progress: 46%】
The system’s mechanical voice sounded very enthusiastic.
Wen Shi suddenly felt uneasy, his scalp tingling, with goosebumps crawling on his skin.
This was just a clue derived from logical reasoning. Even if he was certain, there was still a lack of critical evidence. The game couldn’t possibly be so kind as to directly confirm the correctness of his conclusion.
The next moment, an ominous notification sound arrived, along with a foreboding sensation.
【You have successfully triggered a special quest】
【Special Quest: Kill the Director’s Half
Quest Details: You are worried that the intruders in the director’s office will be identified. You already harbor murderous intentions toward A’Ao. After considering everything, you decide to strike first.
A’Ao likes to have a backup plan, just like when he used to keep a spare key in another pocket. A long time ago, A’Ao quietly transplanted the other half of his heart into Jian Guangsi’s body.
Murder Jian Guangsi before 7 PM tonight.】
“……” Damn game!
Wen Shi, clinging to the last bit of hope, asked, “Did any of you trigger any quest?”
Ji Yuanzhi: “What?”
A counter-question successfully plunged Wen Shi into two minutes of depression.
Well, as expected, none of them did. He forced a tough smile and said, “The game wants me to kill Jian Guangsi and has even given me a time limit.”
Song Yan unintentionally said, “Why doesn’t it just ask you to go to heaven instead?”
Song Yan hadn’t done the initial exploration quest of the director’s office, but based on the records in the Feeding Log, Jian Guangsi, this flesh-eating monster, looked tough to handle.
Wen Shi pressed his temples.
It was impossible to go back to the director’s office to stir things up now. A’Ao might still be guarding there. After midnight, he’d have less than half a day to complete the quest.
Ji Yuanzhi pondered for a moment. “With proper coordination, it might be doable to kill it.”
They now had a basic understanding of this monster. The only challenge was how to pinpoint the location of the monster’s main body.
“We need a bait.” After some thought, Ji Yuanzhi adjusted his glasses. “The Guild Leader’s skill cooldown is almost over. He can go provoke the monster actively. As long as he froze time at the moment of the monster’s attack, we can pinpoint the monster’s specific location and take it down.”
Li Nan estimated the success rate, “It’s a good idea.”
Ji Yuanzhi turned to his boss, “Guild Leader, what do you think?”
Yu Xingzhou: “……”
Why do you think I’m not speaking?
As the scene shifted, Wen Shi’s brows relaxed. Now it was Yu Xingzhou’s turn to furrow his brows.
Undoubtedly, him being the bait was the most efficient way, not just for Wen Shi but also to ensure that once the pet was killed, they could go after A’Ao for the super divine item.
No matter how he looked at it, Yu Xingzhou could only nod in agreement. It was his own skill choices that caused this situation.
“Let’s go over the details once more,” he said.
He hadn’t slept half the night.
From how to lure the enemy to which skills and items to use during the time freeze to attack Jian Guangsi, Wen Shi and the others had meticulously planned every detail.
Just before dawn, the plump nurse suddenly called them back to the prayer room.
Wen Shi was taken aback. “Is the game suddenly giving you daytime quests?”
Killing the director was a high-difficulty quest, and killing the director’s half wouldn’t halve the difficulty.
Based on their earlier discussions, it felt too easy, leaving Wen Shi with a lingering sense of unease.
“It’s unlikely,” Yu Xingzhou said. “But even if there were side quests, they wouldn’t conflict.”
They couldn’t work non-stop, and quests couldn’t be stacked continuously. Resolving Jian Guangsi as planned wasn’t a problem.
As their footsteps reached the prayer room’s door, Wen Shi had intended to continue speaking, but the words caught in his throat when he looked up.
Surprisingly, A’Ao was also inside the prayer room. After the intrusion into his office last night, he still seemed a bit angry. Several nurses stood behind A’Ao. They looked alike, with identical expressions, coldly staring at the players.
“Form two lines.”
The group exchanged glances and, with some confusion, arranged themselves into two rows as instructed.
Several players who had been involved in the exploration of the director’s office couldn’t help feeling a bit uneasy, thinking that A’Ao might have a way to identify the intruders. As for those who hadn’t participated, they had spent the latter half of the night with the black market player, who hadn’t driven them away and had even proceeded with his job transition in front of them.
“Today is Saturday, and in a few days, it will be Friendship Day.”
A’Ao spoke coldly, surprising everyone with his words. “According to the hospital’s tradition, on rest days, we go for team-building activities. Except for critical positions, everyone else needs to participate. Two nurses will be stationed on each of the first and second floors while half of the staff will be left behind on the third and fourth floors…”
He glanced at Wen Shi, the beard on his face had long gone unchecked, sticking together in clumps. “Currently, you’re the only official doctor in the hospital, so you’ll be staying behind.”
Wen Shi, singled out from the rest: “?”
Taking away all my helpers for the quest and then leaving me behind? Is he speaking human language?
“The carriage is waiting at the entrance,” A’Ao impatiently urged the others. “Hurry up, we need to arrive at the team-building location before ten. If everything goes smoothly, we can return by seven in the evening.”
Wen Shi, with a quest to kill Jian Guangsi before seven: “……”
Screw your team-building!
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