Chapter 96.1 Crimson Sunset Expedition
Over five centuries, the world underwent significant changes.
On normal days, Wen Shi often criticized video games, but suddenly, four words flashed through his mind like a startling thunderbolt: “The punishment is excessive.”
Song Yan was curious about why Yu Xingzhou praised the thunder, wondering if there was something special behind it. At that moment, Yu Xingzhou looked at Wen Shi and said, “He had strong determination, no need to worry.”
This determination reached an almost fanatical level.
A few people turned around and headed back to the inn. Song Yan’s question about the thunder was destined to remain without an answer.
While climbing the stairs, Yu Xingzhou intentionally slowed down a bit, waiting for everyone to ascend before he did.
Wen Shi looked back and spotted the other person taking out a pair of black gloves. The gloves had a smooth surface. Yu Xingzhou lifted his eyelids, met Wen Shi’s gaze, didn’t say much, put on the gloves, and quietly continued up the stairs. However, he didn’t go towards the side where the players were staying. Instead, he moved toward the left corridor where the shadows gathered.
Based on the clues from the Sky Tower, bringing an “admission ticket” into the cosmetic surgery clinic might have been a better idea. Wen Shi guessed that he was planning to go and commit murder.
The main quest would only officially start at night, so fighting among themselves wouldn’t lead to any benefits now. Hence, in the final moments before darkness fell, people were more likely to let their guard down.
Taking advantage, it wasn’t difficult to target a shadow with average abilities.
Wen Shi seemed to ponder, “Sometimes, even high-difficulty tasks need to be undertaken.”
A single admission ticket was enough to give Yu Xingzhou an innate advantage before beginning the quest.
“… Just don’t know how many people could benefit from the advantages of a single admission ticket.”
Over by Song Yan’s room, there was still the body of the tour guide’s shadow. For individual user experience, there was no need for an ‘admission ticket’. Bringing a fresh corpse like this with such sincerity, it should yield some gain no matter what.
After the sky turned dark, time flew by swiftly. Around 10:50, players and shadows started to come downstairs.
The wafting scent of blood caught the group gathered by the door off guard, making them hesitate for a moment. They almost thought it was an illusion. After all, the quest hadn’t even started yet, how could there be a bloodshed?
Yu Xingzhou and Xiao Hua stepped out one after the other. Xiao Hua was lugging a heavy sack of burlap. “Boss, wait for me.”
Coincidentally, the teenager and the girl also descended the stairs. The girl was trailing behind, urging, “It’s getting chilly at night. You should put on your jacket.”
“No need.”
The girl asked, “Want some hot water before we go?”
“…No need.”
A female player shook her head upon seeing this. “What’s wrong with all the men in this world?”
Qian Laiye cleared his throat. “Don’t generalize based on a few.”
More people were concerned about the burlap sack Xiao Hua was carrying. That was the source of the blood scent.
Scanning the surroundings, apart from the newbie, only one male shadow player hadn’t appeared.
Song Yan was the last to descend the stairs, also carrying a corpse. His first words as he came down were, “Let’s hurry… Otherwise, it might thaw out.”
He was panting the whole time. The newbie’s attributes, including stamina, were quite low. In the darkness, the frozen corpse’s pale bluish face, occasionally dripped corpse water.
According to the rules, the tour guide was only allowed to harvest resources from tourists and not harm other living people. So, after throwing her shadow’s corpse to Wen Shi as a warning in the morning, she hadn’t paid it much mind. Who would have thought there’d be more to the story? Faced with the dead face that resembled her own, the tour guide unavoidably felt a twinge of humiliation.
Song Yan noticed her displeased expression and quickly praised to amend, “When I took her out of the freezer, she looked as beautiful as a snow princess.”
He intended to compliment the corpse’s appearance, an indirect compliment to the tour guide, but Song Yan had been suppressing discomfort while moving the body, and his expression as he spoke twisted.
As the tour guide’s expression grew worse, Song Yan started to panic, seeking help by looking at Wen Shi.
Wen Shi remained composed as he said, “If she felt insulted during the handling of the corpse, she should also naturally deserve praise from the beauty of the corpse.”
Song Yan nodded.
Not wanting to damage the recently repaired relationship with the tour guide through bribery, Wen Shi whispered, “She’s just being immature.”
The incident of carrying the corpse quickly passed, and everyone began to wonder if the body had any clever uses. They became even more cautious around each other.
The tour guide was more lively at night. She swung her little colored flag and said, “I’m delighted to see that everyone has chosen to experience our unique cosmetic surgery offerings. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.” After speaking, she glanced at the girl, “Non-tourists cannot accompany.”
The teenager had already discussed this situation with her beforehand. The girl didn’t resist immediately. She had other plans in mind.
Outside the alley, a shuttle bus was waiting, and the tour guide got on first.
After a few days of taking public transport, suddenly being faced with a private vehicle was quite an adjustment for everyone. A faint smell of disinfectant lingered around the car. The aged metal sides of the vehicle were pitted and dented, with the words “Crimson Sunset Cosmetic Surgery Clinic” painted on top, though half of the paint had peeled off.
Once they had all boarded, the doors of the midnight bus slowly closed.
The bus didn’t leave the area around the train station, but it continued to twist and turn, gradually deviating from the main path.
Wen Shi gazed at the nighttime scenery outside, his expression far from relaxed. The old lady hadn’t returned yet. Her survival skills were robust, making it unlikely for anything to happen to her. She had probably gone to the cosmetic surgery clinic in advance to keep watch, avoiding an extra trip.
Gradually, only a few streetlights remained visible on both sides as the bus continued to traverse through the chilling darkness. The bus moved too smoothly, and the interior was as dark as outside. Wen Shi felt the sensation of sinking into the darkness slowly.
After an unknown period, the driver suddenly hit the brakes, and in the split second of inertia causing them to lurch forward, everyone jolted awake.
As the most renowned hospital in the town, Crimson Sunset Cosmetic Surgery Clinic fell short in terms of its appearance compared to the newly established and properly organized Enchanting Beauty Clinic on Wangjing Road. There was only a worn-out iron gate at the entrance, without a guardhouse, allowing vehicles to come and go as they pleased.
The main building had four floors, with a nearby trash bin piled with blood-stained gauze and other medical waste, giving the whole hospital a somewhat unclean feeling.
The tour guide walked at the front, with the pungent smell of disinfectant wafting around.
There were no streetlights outside, but inside the hospital was well-lit. This was the first time Wen Shi saw this kind of cold-hued illumination that emitted a light similar to ultraviolet.
A plump nurse stood outside the main building, inhaling forcefully, seemingly enjoying the scent of blood.
Xiao Hua deftly unloaded the corpse from the burlap bag and gestured at Yu Xingzhou. “His welcome gift.”
“You go too.” Wen Shi told Song Yan.
Song Yan: “Then, what about you, boss?”
“No need to worry about me.”
The plump nurse effortlessly lifted the two bodies with one hand, then fetched a trolley upon entering the lobby. The bodies were casually stacked on it like livestock. Afterward, she glanced at the names on Yu Xingzhou’s and Song Yan’s travel badges, motioning for them to stand still and wait for a moment.
Carrying the bodies into the nurses’ station, the plump nurse emerged with two patient wristbands, handing them out: “These are VIP patient wristbands only for our hospital.”
The tour guide nodded. “Wearing this wristband has many uses. For instance, you can use it to access specific areas for dining and restroom facilities.”
No one found it amusing. Going to the restroom in an instance was undoubtedly risky, making the example casually given by the tour guide enough to illustrate the wristband’s usefulness.
Wen Shi’s impractical dream of a ‘one admission ticket, two uses’ was shattered. He instinctively looked at Li Nan, surprised that Li Nan hadn’t gone to the wilderness to acquire an ‘admission ticket’ in the afternoon.
However, a glance revealed that Li Nan somehow had an extra wristband. The most astonishing part was he stood closest to the nurse, but the plump nurse hadn’t detected anything amiss.
“This is Guild Leader Li’s second skill, Replication,” Qian Laiye whispered, “Replicated objects can confuse NPCs’ perception.”
The plump nurse handed each person a surgical notifice one by one, with different operation times for each individual, all concentrated between midnight and 1 AM.
Wen Shi’s surgery was scheduled for 12:10 AM, indicating he was to undergo a brain marrow beautification procedure in operating room six. It was said that this procedure could permanently boost human memory by improving neuron conductivity.
He paid special attention to the surgery’s risk warnings:
1. During Surgery
Anesthesia accident (VIP patients have professional anesthetists, so anesthesia accidents won’t occur)
Power outage accident (VIP patients have access to laminar flow operating rooms, so power outages are not a concern)
2. Post-Surgery
If uncontrollable factors during surgery lead to death, the patient’s body is automatically considered for donation.
The notification forms were pre-printed. Patients needed to sign again at the bottom right corner.
The plump nurse kept a watchful eye. With no other options, everyone took turns using the pen at the nurses’ station to sign their names.
Once everyone confirmed they had signed, the plump nurse droned, “The changing room is at the end of the corridor. There are new patient gowns inside. Change into them, and then wait in your respective operating rooms.”
Qian Laiye was in a bad mood. “As expected, the rules are targeting me. I’m in operating room number four.”
In the game, when the number four is involved, the difficulty level tends to invisibly increase. Yu Xingzhou and Li Nan were also in operating room number four, but for the two surgeries following his.
Qian Laiye asked Wen Shi, “How about you?”
Wen Shi: “Number six.”
“……” People with guaranteed base luck were truly different.
If, before coming in, everyone was thinking about how to carry out their hunting plan, now they were more concerned about how to endure the surgery. The system hadn’t issued any specific tasks yet. For now, the only way seemed to be stealing the VIP patients’ wristbands.
Feeling the scrutinizing gazes around him, Song Yan fearfully took a step closer to Wen Shi.
The information on the wristbands was written with an oil-based pen, and the surface was still relatively smooth. If wiped off and names were changed, it probably wouldn’t be noticed, confirming that it was an object that could be snatched.
“My kitchen knife hasn’t tasted blood in a long while,” Wen Shi warned some people who still wanted to squeeze closer.
After the plump nurse who brought them in finished explaining, she and the tour guide headed upstairs.
Since they were already here, the tour guide was planning to do some post-operative maintenance on her appearance.
It was now 11:35, and even the earliest surgery would have to wait until midnight. People dispersed to look for guide boards, searching for information related to VIP patient rooms.
Wen Shi noticed that the shadows, who usually preferred to be alone, was often seen in groups of two or three tonight. It was clear that everyone was worried about being targeted when alone.
Knowing that some were likely lying in wait, Song Yan didn’t dare to wander off and stayed close to Wen Shi.
A wormplayer took a bolder step to search for wristbands.
He had no skills, and since he had no human body, the shadows wouldn’t gain much by killing him. Additionally, wormkin could control their own size and shape, making it easier to hide.
With everyone gone, the cold wind continued to shuttle through the corridor. Song Yan huddled up and rubbed his hands together for warmth. In doing so, he lowered his head and spotted Big Eye.
The fierce gaze of the mini octopus made Song Yan feel even colder. Swallowing nervously, he tried to steer the conversation, “Boss, aren’t you going to steal a wristband?”
On the train, Song Yan had always used Wen Shi as a benchmark to compare the strength of other players. Now, he was addressing him as “boss,” showing his admiration.
“No need,” Wen Shi comfortingly patted the mini octopus’s head, “It’s okay to rely on your elders when the time comes.”
It wasn’t a matter of fighting or killing. Occasionally, it was alright to depend on older individuals.
Hearing “rely on your elders,” Song Yan immediately looked around, not seeing the old lady he had encountered on the train. Just as he withdrew his gaze, there was movement from the ceiling, and a light wristband was tossed down lightly.
A crack appeared in the ceiling, and deep-set eyes stared over, “My dear grandson.”
Wen Shi nodded. “Thank you, Grandma.”
The ceiling closed again. Song Yan’s eyelids twitched, quite startled.
Wen Shi lightly brushed the patient wristband with his fingertip. In truth, he felt that leaving the name as it was would be fine. The wristbands worn by deceased players in the House of Mirrors didn’t match their travel badge names either. Considering that there was another surgery later, in the end, he didn’t take shortcuts and obediently changed the name.
With the wristband obtained, Wen Shi walked towards the changing room.
As he entered the men’s changing room on the left, Li Nan and Yu Xingzhou were in the process of changing. Their smooth and toned muscles still looked powerful even in the semi-darkness.
The mini octopus had enlarged somehow, and two tentacles snatched the top hat from Wen Shi’s hand, flipping it over to rest around his eye sockets.
Wen Shi: “……”
They’re both guys, so why are you being so particular?
The octopus grew even larger in size and began herding patients.
Yu Xingzhou and Li Nan understood its behavior of driving them out. They nodded at Wen Shi, then pulled back the curtain of the changing room and left in succession.
Since they didn’t initiate conversation, Wen Shi naturally wouldn’t rashly ask them which main quest option they had chosen.
Faced with the assertive octopus that looked crabby, Song Yan wisely retreated to the entrance, preparing to enter once Wen Shi finished changing.
“Shrink.” Ten seconds later, Wen Shi flawlessly covered the resized octopus with the top hat, taking off his sportswear.
Initially, he didn’t think much of it, but the previous actions of the mini octopus strangely triggered a sense of privacy. Occasionally, he would glance at the top hat, making sure it wasn’t peeking.
The patient gown was a standard size, a bit loose on Wen Shi. He had to roll up the sleeves.
There were still thirty-two minutes until the surgery started. Wen Shi weighed whether to use this time to explore the underground area mentioned by the mini octopus, where the contamination was the worst.
The downside was the tight schedule. He might not make it back to the operating room in time. The upside was that midnight was essentially the boundary between safety and danger in the game, and the danger level would decrease. As a pre-surgery patient, it sounded more plausible to use the excuse of wandering around due to nervousness or getting lost.
He quickly made up his mind and decided to go downstairs.
Wen Shi told Song Yan, who was waiting outside, “If you’re coming with me, you have thirty seconds to change clothes.”
The latter didn’t hesitate to choose to follow Wen Shi.
While Song Yan changed clothes, Wen Shi headed towards the nurse’s station. The information board confirming the existence of first and second underground floors, but it didn’t specify what was on those levels.
On the other side, Song Yan quickly changed his clothes and rushed from the other end of the corridor. Wen Shi pressed the elevator button and waited for him to catch up before stepping into the elevator. Song Yan followed.
Unexpectedly, a change occurred at this very moment!
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