WTNL Chapter 31

Fukang Hospital
Chapter 31: Tool man, so easy to use!

Fukang Private General Hospital, Fourth Floor.

Past the spacious, deserted waiting area lay a long, narrow corridor. The floor was smooth and cold, polished enough to serve as a mirror. The green-and-white walls looked particularly bleak and dreary under the slightly cyan lighting.

The steel doors were tightly shut, with the operating rooms arranged by serial number. Inside each thickened observation window was pitch black.

The sound of chaotic footsteps echoed in the empty corridor.

The four Red Team streamers walked in front, with Wen Jianyan trailing far behind, keeping a moderate distance from them.

“…What do we do next?”

Liu Yuze’s face was somewhat pale. He stared straight ahead, keeping his eyes fixed forward as he walked, and asked in a low voice, almost a whisper.

Although the hint said [The second basement level can be directly accessed from the operating rooms on the fourth floor], the fourth floor was simply too large, and the entire floor consisted of operating rooms. The best approach would naturally be to split up and conduct a grid search of the fourth floor. However, with such a troublesome NPC tagging along…

Finding the way to the second basement level without arousing suspicion would be no easy feat.

Wen Ya also kept her eyes fixed forward and responded in a low voice:

“…Let’s keep moving forward for now and see if there are any clues. If we really can’t find anything, we’ll use an item.”

Logically speaking, such a passage would be hidden very discreetly. However, due to the unique nature of this instance, the information gap between them and the Black Team was simply too vast.

For the sake of broadcast balance, the rules of this instance wouldn’t make it overly difficult for them in this regard.

The group walked slowly down the corridor, each harboring their own ulterior motives.

Drip.

In the dead silence, the faint sound of dripping water echoed.

Wen Jianyan turned his head slightly, looking in the direction of the sound.

Outside each operating room was a temporary hand-washing sink. The faucet of one of the sinks wasn’t tightly closed and was slowly dripping water.

Drip.

Another drop fell.

A trace of sticky crimson was left on the pristine white porcelain basin.

It was blood.

Drip.

One drop, two drops.

More dripping sounds echoed from all directions, surrounding them. The faucets outside every operating room began to drip fresh blood, faster and more voluminous, creating a sense of imminent encirclement.

The four Red Team streamers walking at the front also noticed this.

Having experienced multiple instances and joined a guild with more comprehensive information and abundant resources, they were highly sensitive to the omens of impending danger.

Everyone was on high alert, secretly focusing their attention on the areas where the sounds originated, nervously awaiting the onset of the mutation.

The dripping sounds became increasingly rapid, increasingly rapid.

Driven by an unknown force, the faucets loosened and turned, emitting a teeth-setting squeak. Small streams of crimson blood gushed out, then grew thicker and faster, eventually directly cascading down the pristine white porcelain interiors with a splashing sound.

Glug.

Glug.

Strange hollow sounds came from the drains, as if they were clogged by something.

The smell of blood in the air grew thicker, choking them and making it hard to breathe.

The viscous crimson blood water gradually leveled with the sink basins, then began to overflow uncontrollably, flowing wildly across the floor.

On the surface of the surging pools of blood, pale fragments of limbs could be faintly seen silently floating up and down.

Although they had anticipated something like this, the faces of the four Red Team streamers still took on a grave expression. They hadn’t forgotten that the troublesome NPC was still tailing them closely. If they were besieged in this corridor, it was highly likely they would lose everything.

The fragments of limbs in the sinks tumbled onto the floor along with the gushing blood water.

Soles of feet, calf bones, abdomens, greasy internal organs, ribs, half-missing skulls, damaged brains, eyeballs with optic nerves attached, small chunks of cheeks.

Men’s, women’s, young, old, tender, mature…

Countless body parts belonging to different humans were washed by the crimson blood streams and pieced together by some unknown force.

Fuck!

What the hell are these things!

Staring at the bizarre scene before them, all the streamers were startled. They stopped in their tracks, subconsciously drawing closer to each other, standing back-to-back in defensive postures.

Pitch-black, ugly thin threads resembling centipedes stitched the pieces together. One by one, fragmented, incomplete “humans” formed by piecing together different body parts emerged amidst the floor flooded with blood water.

They staggered to their feet, their agile, exposed eyeballs darting around. Irises of varying depths and colors reflected a cold, cruel glint under the icy lighting.

Along the entire corridor, the concentration of dismembered limbs near Wen Jianyan was the highest, and the speed at which the corpses assembled was also the fastest.

While the corpses around the other streamers were just barely piecing themselves together, the corpses near him had already been stitched up, stood up, and begun to staggeringly launch attacks at him.

Wen Jianyan: “…”

Not to complain, but is there really a need to make the targeting this obvious!

Wen Jianyan barely maintained a deep, unreadable expression of calm on his face as he dodged backwards, narrowly avoiding the monster lunging at him, cursing inwardly.

Fuck.

He knew that the aggro of these monsters would definitely be focused entirely on him.

Even the monsters near those Red Team streamers showed little interest in their closest prey. Instead, they moved towards him with increasingly rapid and agile movements.

At that moment, one of the monsters suddenly closed in with a posture and speed unimaginable for a human!

The incomplete, malice-filled face rushed before his eyes in an instant. The dislocated jaw opened wide, a long, blood-red tongue hanging down. It was about to clamp down hard on the arm Wen Jianyan had raised to shield his body—

Suddenly, without warning, a small livid handprint appeared on the corpse’s face.

The corpse’s movements involuntarily stiffened slightly.

The next second, more small handprints emerged on the fragmented skin of the dismembered corpse. From the cheeks to the neck to the chest, bruised marks bizarrely bulged outwards.

“Gurgle, gurgle—”

The monster’s eyeballs bulged prominently. Strange gurgling sounds came from the ghastly white organs where the fascia could be seen, as if enduring some indescribable agony.

Immediately after, its entire body slowly toppled backwards, sinking with a splash into the blood water that was now calf-deep.

Still reeling from the shock, Wen Jianyan took two steps back. The blood water beneath his feet sloshed.

The young man raised his hand, his pale, slender palm gently stroking the empty space beside him twice. His voice was kept low, causing the ending note to sound exceptionally gentle:

“Thank you, baby.”

In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:

[?!?]

[Ahhhhh I don’t care! The streamer just called me baby!]

[…Good heavens, this Black Team captain is truly formidable. I finally understand why a hunting instance was initiated after such a long time; it wouldn’t work without a hunt.]

[Ghost Mother is awesome!]

[Hahahahaha bet you didn’t expect this, the streamer has one hundred and ten ghost babies wrapped around him keeping him safe!]

[I’ve decided, I’m supporting the Black Team this round. (Tipped 100 points)]

[Me too, me too! I’ve placed my bets, fam! Go Black Team! (Tipped 100 points)]

[This round is indeed a rare hunting instance where the Black Team has the upper hand. I’ve never seen a situation like this before; this is truly an eye-opener. (Tipped 200 points)]

[Veteran Nightmare viewer here to offer some insight. The streamer playing like this does give him a slight upper hand for now; at least ordinary ghosts and monsters, and the Red Team streamers, can’t harm him. However, based on my experience watching so many live broadcasts, playing like this means a 100% chance of not surviving.]

[Right, even if he wins this team battle, he will definitely die.]

[Ah? Why? Please explain.]

[Because the streamer can’t even be completely considered human right now, being recognized by the ghost babies as their Ghost Mother. When the instance ends, the live broadcast system will directly determine that the streamer has lost his human identity. At that time, he will be permanently left behind in this instance. Everyone, cherish this while it lasts.]

[Ah this, I think I’ve heard of cases like this. Some streamers borrow the power of ghosts too many times in an instance, and as a result, they get assimilated. Ultimately, they become a new monster acknowledged by the instance rules, slowly losing their human reason and ability to think, eternally wandering within the instance.]

[Although this situation is rare, it’s not unheard of. While the power of ghosts and monsters within an instance is strong, sometimes even aiding the streamer, this kind of power is toxic. Spending too much time with it will eventually lead to a backlash. Just wait, this streamer will be no exception.]

[Ugh, and here I thought this streamer had good potential for the future, plus his good looks. Never mind, let’s just watch while we can; we probably won’t see him in the next instance.]

At that moment, Wen Jianyan felt his finger being tugged slightly.

A small livid hand appeared in the empty air, pointing in a certain direction.

A tender, childish voice sounded, accompanied by an icy breath brushing past his ear: “Mommy, over here.”

He quickly shot a glance toward the four Red Team streamers.

Clearly, those few people hadn’t noticed this yet. All their attention was focused on the monsters before them. They hadn’t realized that the monsters were far less interested in them than in him, an NPC, nor had they noticed the heart-stopping moment that had just occurred on his side.

Wen Jianyan made a prompt decision: “Let’s go.”

While struggling against the monsters before them, Kong Laoliu cast a glance nearby and suddenly cried out in alarm: “That NPC is gone!”

The other three were instantly stunned and simultaneously looked in that direction.

Sure enough, the NPC who had been trailing not far behind them all along had vanished at some point.

This was a massive stroke of luck for them, causing everyone to involuntarily breathe a sigh of relief.

While that NPC was present, they didn’t dare to flee or fight back at will, fearing it would arouse his suspicion. Although they didn’t know where the NPC had gone now, this at least spared them the risk of being attacked from both the front and the rear. Now, they could finally let loose.

Wen Ya threw out a palm-sized sphere resembling a flashbang. The next second, an intense light burst forth, freezing all the monsters in place, unable to move.

She shouted: “The item will wear off in one minute, let’s go, quick!”

The group ran forward at top speed.

The pools of blood beneath their feet made sticky sounds. Heavy panting echoed in the narrow space. After turning the corner of the corridor, they rapidly distanced themselves and vanished within a few short breaths.

One minute later.

Time seemed to resume its flow. Countless dismembered corpses standing in the pools of blood recovered from their stiffened state and slowly began to move again.

However, having lost the scent of the living this time, they began to wander the corridor like headless flies, occasionally bumping into walls, stopping, and then resuming their aimless wandering.

Just then, the pool of blood on the floor surged.

Splash—

Accompanied by the sound of water, a monster with a face covered in countless livid baby handprints slowly stood up. Blood water flowed down from its broken body.

“Gurgle.”

The eyeballs on its face darted around twice, then it walked step by step towards the dismembered limbs nearby.

It grabbed one, ignoring the unwilling struggles of its kin, opened its dislocated, bloody maw wide, and bit down viciously.

The hair-raising sounds of chewing and swallowing echoed in the dead silence.

An unknown amount of time passed.

The blood water from the faucets had stopped flowing, and the accumulated pools of blood on the floor gradually receded, leaving only a scattering of gnawed fragments and remains.

The sole remaining monster slowly stood up.

Fascia had grown over its eyeballs, seamlessly integrating with its cheeks. The lower half of its face was stained a crimson color by blood water and minced meat, still dripping downwards. The black threads all over its body were stitched tightly, resembling hideous scars.

The livid baby handprints on its face still hadn’t disappeared; instead, they appeared even more terrifying.

“Gurgle, gurgle.”

It stood in place for a long while, seemingly searching for something. Bizarre sounds came from its half-damaged throat. A few seconds later, it turned around and staggered in the direction where Wen Jianyan had disappeared.

After shaking off the pack of monsters composed of dismembered limbs, the four Red Team members navigated through the complex terrain of the fourth floor, and soon, they could no longer hear the sound of blood water.

They stopped, panting heavily, and exchanged glances.

Fortunately, perhaps because they belonged to the Red Team, the monsters on the fourth floor didn’t seem highly aggressive. This was why they were able to escape despite having to hold back and being unable to act freely.

But even so, they couldn’t afford any more loss of time.

No one knew if anything even more outrageous would happen next on the fourth floor. It was best they found the way to the second basement level as quickly as possible.

After a brief discussion with his teammates, Liu Yuze opened his backpack, purchased, and activated a pathfinding item.

Soon, a bouncing arrow appeared before everyone’s eyes, flashing rhythmically, seemingly guiding the way for them.

“Let’s go.”

Following the arrow’s guidance, the group made numerous turns in the maze-like fourth floor, eventually arriving inside what appeared to be an abandoned operating room.

The smell of decaying dust floated in the air, seemingly mixed with a faint scent of blood.

The guiding arrow vanished.

“This should be the place,” Liu Yuze took a deep breath and said.

The other three Red Team members nodded and proceeded inward cautiously.

The lighting circuit overhead seemed broken, emitting sizzling noises and flickering from time to time, barely illuminating the pitch-black, wide-open operating room.

Dilapidated, abandoned surgical instruments were piled inside, bearing brownish-black spots. It was impossible to tell if they were rust marks or dried blood.

The floor was messy, scattered with unusable disposable surgical tools.

Everything here seemed completely out of place with the modern operating rooms outside, and the room temperature seemed to have dropped to its lowest, chilling them to the bone.

Passing by broken-legged surgical beds, crooked surgical lights, and steel racks, the group reached the far end of the abandoned operating room.

There, stood an old-fashioned elevator.

A rusted, diamond-patterned iron grating blocked the exterior. Inside was a narrow, old elevator that could barely accommodate a few people. Dim yellow lights flickered within the elevator.

The group exchanged glances.

It seemed this was indeed the place.

Two robust male streamers stepped forward and forcefully pulled open the rust-covered iron doors. Soon, the iron doors emitted creaking sounds as they slowly opened to the sides.

They walked into the elevator.

The touch panel in this elevator was also an extremely old design. It only had two round, brass-colored buttons: one labeled “-2” and the other labeled “4”.

Clearly, this elevator could only stop at two places.

Liu Yuze poked the “-2” button.

Nothing happened.

What was going on?

He was a bit puzzled and was about to press it again when Wen Ya pulled him back: “Wait, look.”

Liu Yuze followed the direction of Wen Ya’s finger.

He saw a tiny keyhole at the very bottom of the touch panel. From the looks of it, it seemed they could only activate the elevator if they had the key.

The group’s brows instantly furrowed.

A key?

This hospital was simply too massive. All their hints could at most lead them here. If going down to the second basement level required a key… they truly wouldn’t know where to start looking.

Just then, a faint “ding” echoed from the darkness outside the elevator, like the sound of metal clashing, abruptly breaking the dead silence and causing their hearts to jolt subconsciously.

Everyone was badly startled. They jerked their heads up and simultaneously looked in the direction of the sound.

Under the dim light, they could barely make out a person standing in the blurred shadows.

“You’re here,” a familiar voice rang out.

The young man placed the scalpel he was playing with back onto the tray and walked out of the darkness step by step.

The hem of his white lab coat was soaked with splattered blood. Crimson blood drops stained his glasses and his bloodless cheeks. A few droplets of blood ran down the soft contours of his cheeks, making his night-black eyes and pale face stand out even more. Under such a stark color contrast, his originally almost refined and ascetic temperament became eerie and bizarre.

His pale, handsome face was stained crimson, shrouding him in a layer of almost wicked allure.

In short… he looked absolutely twisted.

“It seems you indeed know the way.”

Wen Jianyan narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the four people before him.

“Since that’s the case, there’s no need for me to hide it from you.” He added casually: “The key is in the Director’s Office on the fifth floor.”

The four Red Team members were instantly overjoyed, subconsciously breathing a sigh of relief—

Great, it seems they passed this NPC’s test!

However, in the pocket of Wen Jianyan’s white lab coat lay a folded piece of paper. The edges even bore a bit of rust from the door; it had clearly been pinned to the iron door for a long time.

It read:

“The key is in the Director’s Office — Left on April 23rd”

In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:

[…Pfft!]

[Pfft!]

[Pfft!!]

[How can this streamer lie without batting an eye! This guy clearly arrived just two minutes before them, took the note, hid in the darkness, and struck a pose to wait for people!]

[Pfft! What a pretentious man!]

[Damn it, if he’s faking it, why am I still bewitched by him! This defies science!]

In truth, when he found the elevator, this group of Red Team members had already lost their usefulness to Wen Jianyan. He originally planned to ditch them and leave directly. But unexpectedly, the existence of this key disrupted his plans.

If he went outside now to take the elevator up to the fifth floor, no matter how fast he moved, there was still a massive possibility of bumping into this group of streamers on his way back. At that point, it would be a bit difficult to cover up his lies.

Since that was the case, he might as well continue to string these Red Team streamers along and have them keep working for him.

Wen Jianyan stepped out of the darkness, his expression unchanged.

The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, carelessly wearing a faint, ambiguous smile. His eyes, dyed pitch-black by ghost aura, narrowed slightly. His long, thick eyelashes drooped, concealing the cynical, shallow smile in the depths of his eyes.

—Tools, so useful!

__

Author’s Note:

Did the dog scammer act like a decent human being today?

No!

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