Xiao Ling was still leaning against the wall, hugging her red-dress doll.
Gu Zhan was surprised. “You pulled me in here?”
“Mm-hmm.” Xiao Ling nodded. “After you left, I kept thinking… about what my mom looks like…”
The patient information left for Xiao Ling was already crumpled, showing that she had looked over it several times since Gu Zhan left.
The words "Mom" seemed to give Xiao Ling courage. She finally raised her head and said to Gu Zhan, “I can feel that Mom is still here!”
[Is this NPC really about to issue a quest?]
[Can the NPCs in this game actively seek people to issue quests?]
[He was also pulled in at the start maybe he just happened to be standing by the wall?]
[Not likely. Looking at this NPC’s attitude, it seems like she was specifically waiting for him to come over.]
[It’s probably because he provided the NPC with information about her mother; no one else seems to have triggered this before.]
Gu Zhan was also quite surprised and didn’t know how to respond for a moment.
Xiao Ling mustered her courage to ask, “Can you help me find my mom?”
A system prompt rang in his ears.
[Congratulations player for triggering a side quest:]
[Quest Description: Poor child, separated from her mother for many years. Is your heart made of stone? Why won’t you help her?]
[Do you accept the side quest?]
“Eh?” Gu Zhan raised an eyebrow in surprise.
She hugged her doll tighter and shrank back, whispering, “I… I miss my mom. I want to see her.”
[There really is a new side quest! Accept it! Quickly! ]
Gu Zhan said, “She might still be in the hospital, but how are you sure she’s still alive?”
[707’s attitude towards the side quest is like a goddess treating his optional fan.]
[……]
[Can you even ask that?]
[Does he really not care about pissing off the NPC and getting killed?]
[…… I have a feeling this little girl is about to cry.]
Xiao Ling never expected that the question she bravely asked would receive such an answer.
She froze, tightly holding her doll. After a moment, she couldn’t help but tremble, “Wuu…”
“……” Gu Zhan didn’t expect that his words would make her cry. He couldn’t help but take a step back. “You… don’t cry…”
“Wuwah!” His insignificant attempt to comfort her had no effect. Xiao Ling didn’t even hear what he said and began to cry loudly.
The space echoed back, and the sharp cries of the little girl mixed with the echoes, creating a painful cacophony that made Gu Zhan’s expression change instantly.
[LOL, I’ve never seen him show such a rich range of expressions.]
[He deserves this for making the little girl cry.]
[But he’s right; it’s been six years since that woman came in. Is she still alive?]
[The punishment room has so many body parts, turned into specimens left in the hospital. It’s all happening here…]
Gu Zhan felt that this was the biggest challenge he faced since entering the instance—how to make a crying little girl stop.
He squatted down in front of Xiao Ling, trying to reason with her. “Don’t cry. I can help you look for her…”
But Xiao Ling didn’t listen to him at all, continuing to cry loudly. Gu Zhan had no choice but to compromise. “Alright, alright, your mom is still alive. Can you… stop crying?”
The moment he said “still alive,” Xiao Ling’s cries suddenly ceased.
Her red-rimmed eyes fixed on Gu Zhan like a rabbit. “Really? Mom is still alive?”
“……”
At this point, Gu Zhan couldn’t say anything else. He nodded, “Mm, she’s still alive… You said you can feel her here. Do you know exactly where she is?”
Xiao Ling paused to sense for a moment before suddenly pointing in a direction. “Over there.”
Gu Zhan looked up. He was inside the wall and couldn’t clearly sense the direction.
But that angle… was clearly outside the hospital building.
Just right, Gu Zhan also wanted to go outside to check.
Gu Zhan said, “I’ll help you find her, but you need to give me something. Otherwise, if I find her, she won’t come back with me.”
Xiao Ling hesitated for a long time. She had nothing with her… just the doll in her hand.
After thinking for a while, she reached out and handed the doll to Gu Zhan. “This is for you. Mom made the doll. She’ll definitely recognize it!”
Gu Zhan took the doll and glanced at Xiao Ling again.
This little girl standing in the corner looked exceptionally obedient.
She must be hiding something. Gu Zhan knew she probably wouldn’t say anything more at this point.
He took the doll and left the wall space.
Not long after returning to the ward, others began to return one after another.
This was Gu Zhan’s first night there, and there were only three beds in the ward, which was definitely not enough. Wen Ge had one to himself, and Zhao Xiaoyue, the only girl there, got another.
As for the remaining bed… Everyone looked around and noticed that Gu Zhan had gone to sit in the corner by himself. One of the boys unceremoniously took the bed.
Actually, sleeping on the floor wasn’t a big deal. After all, they had entered the instance, and their survival conditions were not that demanding.
But Gu Zhan was not sleeping on the floor out of courtesy or because he felt he couldn’t compete with them… Tonight, he had no intention of sleeping at all.
After the lights were out, the room quickly fell silent.
Everyone lay in their positions, and even if they couldn’t sleep, they didn’t get up… About twenty minutes later, Gu Zhan heard the sound of snoring coming from various beds.
Most of them had fallen asleep.
At this moment, he quietly got up and moved toward the ward’s door.
The door wasn’t locked, and the corridor outside was still lit. Just as Gu Zhan reached the door, he heard the bed behind him creak; someone moved.
He turned to look. It was Zhao Xiaoyue, who was leaning against the door.
Zhao Xiaoyue hadn’t been sleeping. After noticing Gu Zhan was about to leave, she frantically signaled to him—there was a checkup at ten-thirty; if he left now, he would be discovered!
Gu Zhan ignored her, quietly opened the door, and stepped outside.
Zhao Xiaoyue was extremely anxious but couldn’t get up to stop him.
Wen Ge was right next to her. If she got up, Wen Ge would definitely wake up, and that would expose Gu Zhan!
She could only hold back her urge, pretending to sleep while turning over in bed.
What was this person doing… going somewhere in the middle of the night?
—
Regardless of how shocked Zhao Xiaoyue was, Gu Zhan had already left the room.
The hospital was very quiet at night; the corridor was empty, and the lights were dim. In the dark corners, it felt like something was lurking.
Gu Zhan ignored all of that and walked straight toward the end of the corridor.
There were side doors on both sides of the inpatient department, and the main entrance of the lobby had always been locked. When they went to the cafeteria before, they used the side doors.
During the day, there were security guards outside the side doors.
He didn’t know if there was anyone there at night.
As he walked, he suddenly felt that this corridor seemed much longer than during the day… He should have been reaching the door by now, but he hadn’t even seen the shadow of the side door.
Gu Zhan wasn’t quite sure and slowed his pace.
“Brother…”
“Brother…”
Suddenly, someone called softly from behind him.
[Ahhh, it’s a ghostly voice in an empty corridor at night!! Don’t look back!]
[How did he trigger another side quest? Is this a side quest constitution?]
[It’s also possible he triggered a ghost; it seems like there are ghosts in this instance at night.]
Actually, Gu Zhan did this on purpose.
He had a vague idea that Xiao Ling’s mother might no longer be a living person.
In this place, not being a living person didn’t necessarily mean being dead, after all. Xiao Ling was just like this, caught between life and death, turned into a monster.
Hearing that voice, he wasn’t surprised. It hadn’t called for long when he turned around and made eye contact with the ghost girl lying on the ground…
Female Ghost: "......"
Gu Zhan: "......"
In the corridor, a terrifying silence spread.
Gu Zhan furrowed his brows, showing a hint of confusion: "You... called me 'brother'?"
The female ghost was dressed in white, her large robe covering her entire body, but it was clear that below the waist, there was nothing; blood was flowing out, staining the floor and her white clothing red.
She crawled on the ground with the strength of her arms, nearly reaching Gu Zhan’s ankle.
It was impossible to see what she looked like, as her messy black hair covered her features... just like the terrifying image of female ghosts in movies.
But no matter how you looked at it, she didn’t seem to be of an age that could call him “brother.”
【Damn!! That scared me to death!! Why did he suddenly turn around?!】
【I’m out here losing my mind; why is he so calm ahhhhhh?!】
【He actually asked her that 'brother' part; it’s both terrifying and hilarious!】
【This must be some kind of natural talent.】
The female ghost was also taken aback; she never expected that Gu Zhan's first words upon turning around would be this.
She froze in place, her hands, which were crawling on the ground, already deformed. She lifted her hair and emitted a hoarse growl from her throat: “Ugh...”
Gu Zhan noticed that she was holding something in her hand, so he bent down to take a look.
As soon as his fingers touched hers, the female ghost got angry.
She really could kill! Couldn’t he show her a little respect?!
Suddenly, the ghost sprang up, her sharp claws extending from her fingertips, swiping toward Gu Zhan's forehead!
There was no doubt about it! With that power and speed, if it hit Gu Zhan, he would be instantly severed in two!
Fortunately, Gu Zhan's reaction ability was top-notch; he quickly retreated, avoiding the ghost's attack.
The female ghost’s anger peaked, her long nails digging into the ground as she crawled rapidly toward Gu Zhan!
That speed was no longer human; Gu Zhan took a quick glance and turned to sprint down the corridor!
At this moment, the comments were buzzing with excitement:
【Here it comes! Finally, someone... something that can take him down!】
【Let him feel fear! Let him see he can’t just do whatever he wants! Ghosts really can kill!】
【Suddenly, this instance feels more impressive.】
【You reap what you sow; this newbie is doomed.】
【No! My new wife!!】
[Player 707 has triggered a mini-game and is about to enter a side quest space...]
[Game Introduction: The girl has a great relationship with her brother. After arriving in this unfamiliar place, she has been searching for her brother. Be careful, you are not her brother; don’t let her catch you.]
The killing intent behind him had almost become tangible. Even without turning around, Gu Zhan knew that the ghost genuinely wanted to kill him.
He could only run forward.
Suddenly, the ground beneath him became soft and unstable, and the walls around him began to close in. Countless hands stretched out from the walls, clawing and trying to grab Gu Zhan.
Fortunately, Gu Zhan was agile and managed to evade them.
But it seemed endless; this path appeared to have no end.
No matter how skilled Gu Zhan was, he was still an ordinary person. After running for a while, his lungs reached their limit, and his chest felt like it was on fire.
This wouldn’t do. He turned around, and the female ghost was still chasing him.
Her sharp claws were planted on the ground, and without a lower body, she moved quickly. Her resentful gaze, hidden under her black hair, pierced through him like two 500-watt flashlights.
“…”
In that moment, he found strength again, and his running speed increased.
But this wouldn’t last; the human body has its limits.
Gu Zhan began to observe his surroundings. He noticed that the doors to the rooms next to the corridor were all identical and very familiar.
They were the same as those in the hospital wing.
He had passed by the punishment room several times already... As he passed it again, he turned his foot, ready to push the door...
However, before he could reach for the punishment room door, it suddenly opened, and a hand reached out, pulling him inside.
Gu Zhan stumbled and crashed against the wall. Immediately, that person covered his mouth.
The punishment room was dark, so he couldn’t see the person’s features, but he could vaguely feel that the figure was shorter and slimmer than him—it was likely a girl.
She whispered, “Don’t make a sound.”
Outside the punishment room, the female ghost's shrieks echoed. She seemed unwilling to let her prey escape, lingering at the door, howling, even scratching at the door with her long nails.
Creeeeak.
After an unknown amount of time, the commotion outside finally subsided. The girl then released her grip over Gu Zhan’s mouth, letting out a sigh of relief. “They’re gone.”
She let go of Gu Zhan and turned on the light.
The bright light shone on her, and Gu Zhan finally saw her features. She was gentle-looking and looked exactly like the information he had on Sun Jingqiu.
Wasn’t she the person he was looking for?
Gu Zhan stood at the door without moving, looking at the girl in the room. She appeared very young, not like a mother at all.
He asked, “Are you Sun Jingqiu?”
The girl turned around in surprise. “How do you know my name?”
Looking at this girl who seemed to be in her teens, Gu Zhan didn’t know how to explain... What should he say? Yes, you have a child?
He took out the doll. “Someone asked me to find you. Do you recognize this doll?”
Sun Jingqiu took the doll, her face filled with confusion as she examined it carefully before shaking her head. “I don’t recognize it…”
She casually placed the doll on a nearby table and turned to search the cabinet. “We’ll probably have to stay here overnight. It’s cold at night; do you need a blanket?”
As soon as she finished speaking, Gu Zhan suddenly felt very tired.
An idea surged in his mind.
Yes, he would need to stay here overnight; he needed a blanket.
Gu Zhan didn’t speak, allowing Sun Jingqiu to rummage through the cabinet. After searching for a while, she found only a worn-out blanket. Fortunately, it was large enough. She came over to Gu Zhan with the blanket and said, “There’s only one. Let’s sit close together and make do.”
Saying this, she found a corner in the room, leaned against the wall, and gestured for Gu Zhan to come over.
Gu Zhan walked over and sat beside her. She lifted the blanket and said, “Come a bit closer; it’s really cold at night.”
Although the blanket was big, it was just a blanket. For both to cover under it, they would have to sit very close.
Gu Zhan had never had this kind of experience of being so close to someone. His body instinctively resisted, and goosebumps rose on his skin. But his mind felt clouded; whatever Sun Jingqiu said, he just did, inching closer to her...
Their bodies touched, and the cold feeling spread from Sun Jingqiu.
She smiled at Gu Zhan and said, “See? I told you, it’s cold at night; come a bit closer.”
They were already quite close, and if they moved any closer, they would have to embrace each other... Gu Zhan's eyes darkened. He continued to shift his body closer to Sun Jingqiu.
Sun Jingqiu lifted the blanket, preparing to wrap both of them under it...
At that moment, Gu Zhan suddenly grabbed her wrist.
Sun Jingqiu froze for a moment. “What’s wrong?”
Gu Zhan gripped tightly; the veins on the back of his hand stood out.
Yet even with this strength, he couldn’t lift Sun Jingqiu’s hand!
Chill enveloped him from all sides, freezing him to the point he couldn’t open his mouth. His limbs started to tremble, and his vision began to blur...
Sun Jingqiu smiled kindly and gently. “It’s really cold at night; quickly, wrap yourself in the blanket. Tomorrow morning, we can leave together.”
“You…” Gu Zhan was shaking all over, his teeth chattering, but he still persisted in holding onto Sun Jingqiu’s wrist, managing to stammer, “What… is in your hand…”
Suddenly, he forcefully turned Sun Jingqiu's hand over, causing the blanket to drop and revealing a stamp underneath!
The moment it was discovered, Sun Jingqiu forcibly exerted strength, trying to cover Gu Zhan with it.
Gu Zhan was quick; he swiftly pressed down, and that stamp landed on Sun Jingqiu.
Only then did he notice that under Sun Jingqiu’s sleeve, there was also a blue stamp! Four of them in a neat row!
The one Gu Zhan pressed down was the fifth!
Sun Jingqiu's gaze suddenly turned cold, her movements becoming stiff. “Failed, failed… Why… did you expose me?”
She let out a piercing scream, and her calm exterior was instantly torn apart. Her clothes changed, and her hair and body transformed!
Her clean clothes turned into blood-stained white garments, and her long black hair obscured her face.
She was not Sun Jingqiu; she was the female ghost outside!
Her lower body vanished, leaving her only able to crawl on the ground, her remaining arms flailing wildly, her voice filled with resentment and murderous intent: “You wanted to find me, right?! Why did you expose me!!”
“Why did she even send you to find me!! Hahaha!”
It seemed her anger was provoked further; she didn’t rush toward Gu Zhan but rather lunged at the table beside her, grabbing the doll and tearing it to shreds.
[What the hell is going on? Isn’t she Xiao Ling’s mother?]
[This ghost has gone mad!]
[I heard that the monsters in the side quests can also go berserk.]
[Is this what a berserk monster looks like? It’s my first time seeing one.]
Gu Zhan pressed against the door, not protesting against her actions.
After the ghost tore the doll apart, he finally asked, “Aren’t you Xiao Ling’s mother?”
The ghost suddenly turned her head, her tangled hair revealing a pair of blood-red eyes.
She stared intensely at Gu Zhan, her head twisted at an unnatural angle. With a chilling smile, she asked, “Hehehe… Mother… Hehehe… Mother… She said I’m the mother… that wretched spawn!! How dare she call me mother!”
The ghost had clearly fallen into madness, yet Gu Zhan remained where he was, oddly calm.
He continued to question, “Why can’t she call you mother? She was born from you.”
“Not a mother!! Not!!” The ghost screeched, grabbing her hair and rolling frantically on the ground! As she rolled, she shouted angrily, “If it weren’t for her! I wouldn’t have come to this hellhole! It’s all her fault! I don’t want her! I don’t want her! Get out!!! Get away!!”
Gu Zhan pressed further, “Xiao Ling was born here because of you. Why do you have anything to do with her?”
The ghost’s rolling suddenly stopped. She lifted her head, revealing eyes bleeding with tears from under her hair.
She fixed her gaze on Gu Zhan: “If it weren’t for that wild man who violated me, I wouldn’t have had to kill him. If I hadn’t killed him, I wouldn’t have become a murderer... This place only allows those with sins to enter.”
“You came in too; what’s your sin?”
The moment Gu Zhan was stared at by the female ghost, a scene suddenly flashed in his mind—he was standing outside a villa, pressed against the wall, with a pinhole listening device in his ear. The owner of the villa was discussing something very important inside.
Not long after, two people left, and Gu Zhan climbed through the window, using the tools he had prepared in advance to pry open the villa window...
The scene quickly became chaotic. It seemed he had stolen something from this family... Soon, the news was filled with reports of important items being stolen, followed closely by the sounds of police sirens and various police cars in pursuit...
"What is your crime?"
The female ghost's question echoed in his ears, and Gu Zhan suddenly replied, "Theft."
He remembered that he was not a patient in a mental hospital but a thief who had been imprisoned for stealing important state secrets... But why would a thief be here?
Gu Zhan raised his gaze, meeting the female ghost's eyes, and his mind buzzed.
Right, he was a criminal, and the female ghost was also a criminal. What about the others?
Were they also criminals?
They must have been locked up here for committing crimes; this wasn’t a mental hospital at all.
As they locked eyes, the ghost's gaze suddenly deepened. Gu Zhan wanted to ask something else, but hurried footsteps suddenly echoed from outside the door. The female ghost abruptly turned her head to look outside, darting quickly towards the dark corner of the room like a startled fish.
The lights in the room flickered twice before returning to normal.
With a loud "bang," the door swung open, and the head nurse appeared at the entrance, shouting angrily, "Who’s in there!"
Gu Zhan stood in the light, unable to avoid being seen.
In a critical moment, he closed his eyes.
【???? Hurry up and run!】
【Run where? This room doesn’t even have a window; it’s too late!】
【At least struggle a bit. It’s already lights-out time; violating hospital rules will get you punished!】
【Does Room 707 even care about punishment? How many punishments has he already received?】
【Don’t be naive; this punishment is not like the previous one where they just sprinkled water on you. Did you see the person next to the head nurse?】
【Damn, I was too busy looking at my wife; how is this pervert also here?】
【Forget it, it’s room-check time now, of course, this pervert is here!】
【Oh no, oh no, my wife!! She’s going to be violated by this pervert!!】
Next to the head nurse stood a man in a white coat. He was tall with a straight back.
The corridor lights were off, and he stood in the dim light, his features obscured, with only half of his face visible—a strong jawline and a slight curve at the corner of his lips, seemingly looking at Gu Zhan in the room.
The moment he was being stared at, Gu Zhan suddenly felt a strange sensation, his mind buzzing as if washed with ice water...
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