“Bang—”
The air trembled, and bright light hit Gu Zhan's eyelids, making him squint.
“Patient 707 has been admitted.”
A cold female voice sounded.
Patient 707? Who?
Gu Zhan squinted against the blinding light and realized he was lying down under a surgical shadowless lamp.
Next to him stood several people in deep green surgical scrubs, their faces obscured by the light.
One of them leaned over to look at him; the blue medical mask covered most of his features, leaving only a pair of narrow, dark eyes visible. He said, “707 has woken up. Administer a sedative.”
A syringe pierced the back of Gu Zhan's hand, and the cold liquid flowed in, gradually blurring his consciousness...
...
“Crash—”
“Bang!”
The sound of metal clashing echoed sharply. A metal bed was forcefully pushed away, sliding a great distance before crashing against the wall.
Gu Zhan's head struck the bed frame heavily, and the intense pain momentarily brought him back to awareness.
Then came the sound of a door closing.
The surroundings suddenly fell silent, and after a moment, Gu Zhan struggled to open his eyes.
This should be a hospital room; the ceiling was blurred with unclear stains, and a foul smell of disinfectant lingered in the air.
Gu Zhan turned his head to look at the room's furnishings, only to see seven or eight people huddled in the corner.
“...”
The group included both men and women.
The man furthest away noticed he had woken up and gruffly said, “Hey, are you a rookie or an old-timer?”
“Wh… what…” Gu Zhan opened his mouth, but his vocal cords seemed affected by the medication, producing a hoarse and weak sound, “New... old?”
“Ha.” The man scoffed coldly and turned his head away, “Don’t ask. You’re a rookie.”
The others displayed expressions of disappointment.
Upon learning that Gu Zhan was a rookie, they lost interest in him.
Gu Zhan lay alone on the bed, half of his body numb.
The bed was situated in the center of the room, and its rollers made a squeaking sound with the slightest movement, making Gu Zhan feel very uneasy. After waiting for a while without anyone approaching, he forced himself to sit up, intending to get off the bed.
The effect of the sedative hadn’t worn off, so he couldn’t rise. Instead, he struggled to gather enough strength and ultimately rolled over, falling off the bed.
He was very thin, and the fall didn’t have any cushioning; hitting the ground directly against bone wasn’t a pleasant experience. Gu Zhan lay on the floor for a long time without getting up.
A girl who couldn’t bear to watch came over to help him.
Gu Zhan managed to lean against the wall and said to her in a muted voice, “Thank you.”
The girl knelt beside him and quietly asked, “Are you really a rookie?”
“Should… be…” Gu Zhan replied in a low voice, his throat still hoarse.
The girl expressed her disappointment, saying, “You’re a rookie too… Three or four new players have already entered this scenario… This is only my second time in a scenario; how could this happen…”
Gu Zhan glanced at her. He was quite good-looking, with refined features, especially his eyes, which were long and indifferent yet beautiful and deep. Under his gaze, the girl's already unstable emotions became even more tumultuous.
She leaned against the wall, murmuring phrases like “It’s over” and “This is terrible.”
Gu Zhan asked, “Where is this? Why is it so bad for rookies?”
The girl smiled bitterly, “You don’t even know where this is… Have you read any novels? Watched any dramas? Movies? Do you know about those deadly games where people can die? We’re currently in a game…”
“I know.” Gu Zhan's eyes revealed little emotion, his voice uncertain due to either the medication or his nature, sounding light, “Aren’t we here voluntarily?”
At the mention of “voluntarily,” a flicker of discomfort crossed the girl's eyes.
Yes, it was all voluntary.
But the willingness was built on the foundation of the game system providing them with enough temptation... Now that they hadn’t received any rewards, they were being sent to die; who would be willing?
Initially hoping he might be some impressive character, the girl was taken aback to see that he actually thought participating in the game was out of “volition,” which struck her as laughably naïve.
She shifted away slightly, not wanting to associate with someone so overly innocent in such a place.
—
The room fell silent, but out of Gu Zhan's sight, it was bustling with activity.
[This live broadcast has so few viewers]
[It must be new let’s see... D-grade scenario “Changhe Psychiatric Hospital,” a rookie scenario, nothing much to see]
[It seems there are three or four rookies in this scenario; I’m leaving; it’s a waste of time; they’ll be wiped out in no time]
[Not necessarily; I saw a player on the leaderboard, quite famous]
[Is it that guy named Wen Ge? A player ranked in the top 1000 for individual ability, how is it fair for a leaderboard player to be in a rookie scenario?]
[Fair? Ha, everyone knows a rookie counts as half a level of difficulty; with him bringing four rookies along, a D-grade scenario instantly becomes A-grade. How is that not fair?]
[That’s too tragic; I’d rather go tackle a real A-grade scenario than lead rookies in a D-grade one; at least the A-grade scenario offers A-grade rewards. The D-grade scenario has nothing but useless teammates.]
[I saw one rookie who’s pretty good-looking; it’d be a shame if he died like this.]
[Good-looking? What use is that? In this place, good looks are the least useful thing!]
Outside the scenario, there was a pure white city referred to by players as the game lobby.
At this moment, a new round of live broadcasts was starting in the lobby.
Several large screens stood in the center of the plaza; access to them varied depending on their position.
There were two conditions for viewing: paying a certain amount of points for a ticket and the visitor having cleared the current scenario.
The better the position, the more expensive the ticket.
After buying a ticket, viewers could choose different lines to watch players they favored. They could also place bets on players inside, wagering on who could clear the scenario; if they guessed right, the system would double their point rewards.
The failure rate in scenarios was very high; some would win and double their points; others would lose everything.
As a D-grade rookie scenario, “Changhe Psychiatric Hospital” had the lowest viewership. Half an hour into the broadcast, only two or three people had bought tickets to watch, most just browsing before leaving.
The few who had paid didn’t want their ticket money to go to waste, so they had to bide their time in the live room.
[Hurry up and get wipe out; I remember if everyone is wiped out at the start, they’ll refund half the ticket points.]
【Wait, Wen-ge is still in there!】
【Trust Wen-ge, even if others die, Wen-ge will definitely clear the level.】
【Wen-ge? What kind of obscure little streamer is that making such boastful claims?】
【Better than you, hiding behind the live chat like a coward.】
【Hah? Me, a coward? Is it not possible to you that the fact I’m typing here means I’ve already cleared this level】
As the few people in the livestream argued over Wen-ge, a blood-red countdown suddenly appeared in the middle of the stream.
【Stop arguing! Their level is about to start.】
At the same time, the players inside the level heard a broadcast.
【All 8 players are now online. The level is starting. Countdown: Five, four, three, two, one...】
—
“Bang!” The door was violently pushed open from the outside.
A head nurse, dressed in white with a blue-striped nurse’s cap, entered the room.
She looked young, but her features were stern. Her eyes slanted downward, and her lips were tightly pursed. Her gaze toward the players was far from friendly.
Especially when she saw the empty operating table. She couldn’t even maintain her cold demeanor, glaring at the players and forcefully dragging the bed out.
Gu Zhan had no doubt that if he hadn’t gotten off the bed in time, he would have been dragged away along with it.
As for where...that remained unknown...
After sending the bed away, the head nurse returned.
She paced slowly around the room, her gaze sweeping over the players as if she were inspecting a herd of pigs awaiting slaughter.
“Patients numbered 700, 701, 702, 703, 704, 705, 706, 707...” A cold voice echoed through the room. “The time has come. All patients, prepare for the test!”
As soon as the nurse finished speaking, the system broadcast sounded.
【Main task has been issued:】
【Task introduction: You are all patients of Changhe Psychiatric Hospital. This hospital is located on the outskirts of the city, far from the hustle and bustle. It’s an excellent place for recuperation. Unfortunately, none of you believe you are mentally ill, and you are all determined to leave this place.】
Following the task introduction, a timer began. They had already been in this level for two hours and three minutes.
The scarlet numbers, constantly ticking, exuded a chilling pressure.
“What is this place? What test? I’m not doing it. I regret this! I want to go home. Let me go home!!”
Someone finally broke under the oppressive atmosphere, clutching their head and dashing toward the door.
His cry made everyone frown. Before he could even reach the door, the head nurse grabbed him.
A faint smile appeared on her lips as she grasped his neck and slammed him into the wall. With a “bang,” his head met the wall in a bloody splatter, brain matter spilling out.
The room fell silent.
No one dared to run again. Even Gu Zhan, who was still drowsy from the medication, stood up, supporting himself against the wall.
The nurse’s smile quickly faded. Wiping the blood from her face, she coldly repeated to the players, “All patients, prepare for the test!”
The remaining seven players lined up against the wall.
Gu Zhan, who had arrived last, stood at the end of the line.
Perhaps because someone had just died, no one spoke. The only sound in the silent room was the nurse’s high heels clicking against the floor.
“Click, click...” The sound echoed in the empty room.
The nurse, expressionless, surveyed the room and began to explain the test.
“This is Changhe Psychiatric Hospital. You are all patients suffering from severe mental illness.”
“Diagnoses are sometimes incorrect. Maybe some of you are normal. To avoid misdiagnosis, the hospital conducts a daily test. If you pass, you will prove that you are normal. If you fail...you will receive corrective treatment.”
As she mentioned “corrective treatment,” the nurse flashed a sinister smile. Clearly, this was not a good thing.
After her explanation, she began pacing around the room, observing everyone. Suddenly, she approached Gu Zhan, leaning in so close that their faces almost touched. “So, are you normal?”
Gu Zhan’s face turned pale...the head nurse reeked of decay, and her teeth were yellow, with worms wriggling between them.
Gu Zhan desperately wanted to avoid this "intimate" encounter with the nurse, pressing himself tightly against the wall.
His appearance was the cold and aloof type, and with the nurse pressing him against the wall, it gave off a more delicate, vulnerable beauty.
【My poor wife is being targeted by the NPC. He must be terrified.】
【Come into my arms, I’ll protect you, honey.】
【??? Are you guys serious? Weren’t you just saying being good-looking is useless?】
【It’s useless but still good to look at.】
【Who wouldn’t like a pretty wife? If we were in the same level, I couldn’t bear to see him suffer like this.】
【NPCs always pick the weakest to scare. They found the most timid one this time.】
【When I went through this level, this nurse scared me too. I punched her on the spot.】
【??? Attacking the NPC? These NPCs hold grudges! How did you make it out alive?】
【Must be bluffing. Anyone can claim they attacked an NPC.】
The nurse was satisfied with Gu Zhan’s reaction and didn’t bother with more words. She stood up straight and announced the first question.
“The first question: If you are in the bathroom taking a bath and afterward, you have a full bathtub of water, would you use a spoon or a basin to scoop it out?”
As soon as the question was asked, the man who had spoken to Gu Zhan earlier immediately answered, “I know this one! Of course, you’d open the drain to let the water out!”
The nurse gave him a faint smile and marked something in her notebook. “Very good, correct.”
【Wen-ge strikes again.】
【What’s there to brag about? Who doesn’t know this riddle?】
【He only got one question right, calm down.】
“The second question: If I have a box of matches, a candle, and a kerosene lamp, after lighting both the candle and the lamp, and then leaving the room, when I return, what will go out first?”
Someone, following Wen-ge’s example, immediately answered, “Obviously the candle! A candle can’t outlast a kerosene lamp!”
The nurse glanced at him but didn’t respond.
Realizing his mistake, he quickly corrected himself, “I know! It’s the match!”
The nurse responded, “I’m sorry, you’ve already failed the question and lost your chance to answer.”
No sooner had she finished speaking when someone else quickly answered, “It’s the match!”
“Very good, correct. You gain one point.”
The person who had his answer stolen looked at the other player angrily, “That was my answer! Why did you steal it?”
The other player shot back, “You already failed! Didn’t you hear?”
Just as they were about to argue, the nurse sternly reprimanded, “No noise in the hospital.”
With a dead player still lying nearby and blood still on her face, her words carried weight, and the two quickly quieted down, pressing back against the wall.
The nurse proceeded to ask the third question.
It was another riddle, and soon, someone answered correctly.
The test continued, with the players’ scores steadily increasing on the scoreboard.
Except for Gu Zhan—his score remained at zero.
The others began to notice that he hadn’t attempted to answer a single question.
Standing at the back, Gu Zhan’s face grew paler. He wrapped himself tightly, trying not to touch anyone around him.
Even the viewers in the chat began to notice something off about him.
【This new player...something’s not right.】
【Thinking back, aside from that girl at the start, he hasn’t spoken to anyone.】
【Oh no, could he have social anxiety?】
【???? That’s a bit extreme, but it does make some sense.】
About ten minutes later, the test ended.
Each correct answer earned one point, and passing required three points.
Of the seven remaining players, only Gu Zhan failed to pass...he hadn’t answered a single question correctly.
With a “snap,” the nurse closed her notebook. “Good, only one person failed. The one who failed, come with me.”
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