Time: Late night
Location: Room 319
Participants: Three players and one thoroughly mutilated, unidentifiable corpse on the floor
The whole scene looked suspiciously like a murder scene—if you ignored the fact that the blood was the wrong color. The three “suspects” were even taking turns examining the body in great detail.
Their study of the nurse-turned-monster was abruptly interrupted when a message popped up from Lulu.
[Doctor Fu! We ran into a monster!]
Fu Changxun quickly replied: [What’s the situation? Are you okay? We’re heading over!]
Lulu: [We’re fine.]
Lulu: [I smacked it away with Xiao Xiao’s steering wheel. That thing’s actually super useful. Hey, Doctor Fu, can I ask… why does a little girl have a prop like that?]
That was left behind by Xu Zhengyi… Fu Changxun stared at the message for a long moment, then typed back:
[Don’t ask.]
Don’t ask about Xiao Xiao.
Even scatterbrained as she was, Lulu sensed something off and wisely dropped the subject.
[You guys should come up.]
With that, Fu Changxun turned to the others. “Let’s go check upstairs. This…”
He hesitated, glancing down at the pool of white blood on the floor.
Dong Zi said casually, “This is a hospital. It’s not the patient’s job to clean up. Call a janitor.”
Good point. They were in-patients now. Logically speaking, they had no obligation to clean anything.
Besides… based on what they’d seen last night, when the doctor who’d been killed returned to normal the next day, this monster’s body might also reset to its NPC form.
That settled it for Fu Changxun. Lu Qi, meanwhile, was still baffled. “But that’s a monster corpse!”
“And that’s a problem for the game to handle, not us.” Fu Changxun hadn’t turned off his livestream, so he used the opportunity to explain like he was giving a tutorial. “Each role in the game comes with built-in rules that can help us.”
“If I were a nurse, I’d probably be allowed to learn more about the hospital’s background—and it would be easier to investigate. But we’re patients.”
He paused, then added, “That’s why all our direct inquiries so far have been interrupted.”
But passive investigation—deliberate or roundabout—was something the instance allowed.
The third-floor monster had now been hacked to pieces. The fourth-floor one had just been driven off by Lulu.
For the patients, tonight’s threats had passed.
But for the players… their nightly adventure was just beginning.
Following behind the Black Cat, they returned to Room 411 and regrouped with the rest of the team.
“You finally made it,” Lulu whispered. “Xiao Xiao and I didn’t take our pills, and one of those black monsters tried to sneak in. Good thing she slipped me a prop just in time.”
It really was that steering wheel. Tough as a rock—monster fangs couldn’t even scratch it.
Xiao Xiao beamed. “It’s my dad protecting me. I’m just glad I could help.”
She had already come to terms with her father’s death and was doing her best to integrate into the game.
Doing her best to clear it.
“You’ve already done great,” Fu Changxun said gently. “You’ll be able to help even more in the future.”
He didn’t say anything further, but the little girl was already grinning with satisfaction.
As for anything that might stir up painful memories, he kept his mouth shut. Instead, he changed the subject: “Should we go to the fifth floor first, or head down to the basement?”
The best plan, logically, would be to split into two groups. But they only had two players with solid combat capability: Dong Zi, whose stamina was nearly maxed out, and Lulu, who had military experience. The remaining three were a child, a Stealth Walker, and a scumbag. No matter how they split, someone would be at risk.
“Fifth floor. We’ll talk to Liao Xing first,” Dong Zi decided firmly. “If we stick together, we’re less likely to get wiped. If we split up, we’re easy pickings.”
There was no need to risk their lives.
The black cat leapt ahead like a wraith, its emerald eyes gleaming in the dark.
The fifth floor was still pitch-black. Liao Xing wasn’t waiting in the hallway this time. The group switched on their flashlights and swept them down the corridor—still no one in sight.
Fu Changxun rubbed his chin. “Maybe we have to repeat yesterday’s chase scene?”
No sooner had he spoken than a rapid clatter of footsteps echoed toward them.
“Help—help me!”
Fu Changxun: “……”
Lulu blinked. “Wow. Doctor, don’t tell me you’ve got a cursed mouth, just like our team leader?”
Fu Changxun’s expression darkened. “I do not.”
Lulu was about to keep teasing him when Lu Qi pointed at them in confusion. “Wait, didn’t you guys say you didn’t know each other? Why do you seem so familiar?”
Fu Changxun’s heart dropped. He hastily opened his panel. “…Shit. I left my stream on the whole time.”
There was only one player with the nickname “Doctor,” and they’d been pretending not to know each other up until now. Acting chummy all of a sudden? Way too suspicious. Even Lu Qi had noticed, which meant the tens of thousands watching the livestream definitely had, too.
[Doctor?]
[Wait wait wait—is it the Doctor I think it is?!]
[Which Doctor? What did I miss? Someone catch me up!]
[Come on, who else? The one ranked #2 on the Points Leaderboard, username “Doctor.”]
[It’s really him?! He looks so… ordinary. And wasn’t he kinda extra earlier?]
[Seriously, you guys didn’t notice? He was faking it the whole time—pretending not to know the others. Turns out they’re all acquainted.]
[What’s his full name again? Changxun? Which Chang and which Xun?]
[Why are you trying to look him up IRL? Wanna kiss up or settle a score? If it’s the former, count me in. If it’s the latter, you’re on your own.]
[I just wanna know how he got to #2! Please teach me! I’ve cleared two instances and only have 20 points—I can’t afford any good items!]
[That average-looking face… Could he be using a Disguise Jammer? The one they sell in the Game Shop…]
[That actually makes sense…]
He couldn’t see the barrage of messages flooding the stream, but the Stealth Walker part of his class made it very clear he was being stared at—by a lot of people.
There was no doubt. His cover was blown.
Fu Changxun broke out in a cold sweat, but thanked the heavens he was still wearing the Disguise Jammer.
Even if he’d been outed, they only knew one identity.
But he didn’t have time to worry about the stream. Looking up, he saw Liao Xing being chased by a white monster, sprinting right toward them.
Dong Zi had already tensed, ready for a fight—but the moment the monster saw him, it did a complete 180 and bolted in the other direction. It was running even faster than it had arrived.
For some reason, the players all got the impression it was practically scrambling on all fours to get away.
“Wait—isn’t that the one from last night?” Fu Changxun said. “Is it really that dedicated to the job?”
Dong Zi shined his flashlight at its neck and nodded. “Yep. Same slash across the throat.”
Fu Changxun: “Employee of the month!”
Doctor by day, monster by night. Working 24/7—this thing was living the 007 life.
[What are they talking about? Which one from last night?]
[They turned off the stream last night! So they must’ve snuck out and fought something. Looks like they won—now the monster’s scared of them!]
[That’s insane. They beat a monster head-on? Total badasses.]
[The Doctor’s that strong? Doesn’t look it. All skinny arms and legs—doesn’t seem trained at all.]
[It’s probably the tall guy who did the fighting. He looks like he can throw down.]
[Let’s keep watching and see.]
With the monster gone, the only one left was the dazed boy standing in place. He gave the players a grateful nod, then asked uncertainly, “Have we met?”
His expression was confused, unfeigned. He clearly had no memory of the previous night.
He’d mentioned before that every time he was dragged away by a monster, he’d forget. But none of them had expected his memory loss to be this severe—not even retaining one night’s events.
Fu Changxun said seriously, “We have. We agreed to meet here again tonight. Your name is… Liao Xing.” He handed him the notebook. “This is from your friend. He asked me to give it to you.”
The boy froze upon hearing his name. Only when the notebook landed in his palm did he snap back to awareness. “Oh… Thank you for helping me.”
He didn’t remember making any requests, but he did remember that he was looking for his best friend.
He opened the notebook effortlessly—where others had failed—and stared blankly at the handwriting inside.
Fu Changxun saw that he wasn’t stopping them and that the instance hadn’t blurred the text, so he leaned in to read:
I keep imagining—have I already died? Am I nothing more than a soul trapped here?
I’ve begun to forget things. My best friend’s name. My own name. Why I even came to this place. All I remember is that I need to leave. Destroy this place. Then leave everyone behind… Maybe one day I’ll forget even the basics of life and become a true idiot.
I’ll give this notebook to my best friend, so that one day, when I’ve forgotten everything, he can return it to me. I hope… when that day comes, we still have the chance to meet again.
Let me die from this world.
Let me remain in dreams,
becoming the filth beneath a butterfly’s feet.
…
Though Liao Xing’s notebook was worn with time, it was obvious it had been well cared for. The pages had been turned many times, but there wasn’t a single crease.
He turned his head and asked, “My best friend… What was his name?”
He had forgotten the name—but that friend had kept his belongings this carefully, for this long.
“His name is Wang Fan. About your age,” Fu Changxun said.
He didn’t use his ability. He simply looked at the boy and said warmly, “He wanted me to tell you—he’s still waiting for you. He said not to lose hope.”
Liao Xing looked down at the notebook again, then back up into Fu Changxun’s encouraging gaze. He nodded. “I won’t.”
Their entrusted side quest was now complete. But as for the main mission—how to clear the instance as the patient faction—they still had no clue.
Seeing the disappointment on everyone’s faces, Dong Zi cleared his throat. “We’re still going to the basement tonight, so don’t pack away your weapons just yet.”
Before anyone could speak, Liao Xing suddenly said, “Can I come with you?”
Fu Changxun turned to him, surprised. “Don’t you want to try and remember more?”
“I’ve only remembered bits and pieces.” The confusion in his eyes hadn’t fully faded. “You’re going to the basement? Take me with you. I might be able to help.”
