Chapter 5: Blue Mountain Psychiatric Hospital (Part 5)

Chapter 5: Blue Mountain Psychiatric Hospital (V)

Approaching ten o'clock, the patient NPCs spontaneously gathered at the staircase entrance on the first floor, with the players trailing behind them.

The doctor stood at the iron gate of the staircase entrance, surveying the patients before him with a sweeping gaze.

At nine fifty, he finally pulled out the key.

"I'll emphasize once more, the doctor will start the rounds at ten. Everyone should stay in their rooms before the rounds begin, waiting for them to end. If anyone is missing..."

The doctor gave an ambiguous smile, then opened the iron gate.

The patient NPCs seemed to have gotten used to it, stepping onto the staircase with their characteristic slow and wobbly pace, resembling a group of old men with unsteady legs when viewed from behind.

The players followed the patient NPCs onto the staircase, whispering amongst themselves.

"We have to be in the rooms during the rounds, but he didn't say whether we could leave when they end, right? Can we take action together after the rounds?"

"I don't think so, this hospital is pretty scary, and it might be even scarier at night..."

"Where are we supposed to stay? The doctor didn't seem to mention it."

"Maybe the nine of us can stay in one room, like a big dormitory."

The lights in the corridor on the second floor came on.

As soon as they entered the second floor, the surrounding temperature seemed to drop a few degrees.

Qi Chenyang, who was walking at the forefront of the players, first noticed the few lines of text posted on the wall of the second floor.

Dormitory Area Nighttime Rules:

1# Maintain cleanliness in the room at night, promptly dispose of any trash in the bin;

2# Walking in the corridor is prohibited after twelve midnight;

3# Movement is prohibited once the corridor lights are turned off;

4# Staying in the bathroom for more than 10 minutes at night is prohibited;

5# After returning to your room, the door must be closed. Do not open the door if you hear knocking.

The fifth rule seemed to be posted at a different time than the previous ones, its color much more vivid than the font of the previous ones.

Xue Kai looked at these rules and couldn't help but wonder, "The first floor doesn't have these posted, does this indicate that the second floor is much more dangerous?"

Qi Chenyang shook his head, signaling him to look further.

After everyone had ascended to the second floor, the doctor NPC named He Xin locked the stairway door leading to the first floor.

"After we return to the second floor at ten, the stairway to the first floor will be sealed off. It's probably because of this that the first floor didn't display any nighttime rules, but it doesn't mean that the first floor is safer than the second. In fact, the posting of these rules on the second floor indicates that adherence to them could increase the chances of survival."

Having said that, Qi Chenyang slightly turned his head and quietly instructed the newcomers behind him, "Make sure to memorize these five rules well. Explicitly posted rules like these are essentially death traps; triggering them will surely provoke the pursuit of NPCs. But remember, if faced with danger, flee if you can, don't just wait for death!"

In the midst of speaking, Qi Chenyang caught Jie Fangcheng looking up at the rules on the wall from the corner of his eye. Even though he knew this person wasn't normal, he couldn't resist asking, "What are you looking at?"

"Look at rule number four."

Qi Chenyang hurriedly looked up again, scrutinizing the fourth rule intently.

Was there an issue with this one? Was it a difference in handwriting, or did this rule hold some kind of trap?

Just then, he heard someone beside him ask, "What if you're constipated at night?"

Qi Chenyang: "..."

Damn it!

Qi Chenyang turned around and walked away.

On the second floor, the patient rooms were concentrated on the right side of the staircase, totaling nine rooms.

Each patient NPC entered the room according to the number on their hospital gown, causing a shudder among the players.

Lu Xiaqin felt like she was truly about to faint: "We... we're not each going to be sharing a room with a patient NPC, are we?"

Qi Chenyang walked up to room number one. The door was ajar, revealing two hospital beds inside from the doorway. The number one NPC was already sitting on the bed closer to the door, eyes fixated on the players at the entrance.

Qi Chenyang could only nod: "It seems so."

Lu Xiaqin's legs gave way.

Everyone else also turned pale.

Although they sat next to NPCs during dinner in the cafeteria, at least there were other players present at that time, and having experienced players like Qi Chenyang around gave them some sense of security.

Now, having to share a room with an NPC alone during the night, even the always calm Gu Shanshan's face changed.

At this moment, the voice of the doctor came from behind the players.

"Why haven't you returned to your rooms?"

Lu Xiaqin was so weak in the knees that she couldn't walk. Gu Shanshan helped her to the door of room number three, under the watchful eye of the doctor.

"Only two people are allowed per room, the entrance of a third patient is prohibited."

Inside the room, the number three patient sat quietly on the bed. Seeing Lu Xiaqin, he grinned at her, then like a mischievous child, plucked out his eyeball to play with it in his hand, staring at her with hollow, dark sockets.

Lu Xiaqin had almost stepped into the room, but recoiled in fear.

Gu Shanshan supported her, whispering, "How about you swap rooms with me? It seems there's no rule against changing rooms."

Lu Xiaqin trembled from head to toe, tears streaming down her face, yet she shook her head resolutely.

"No, what if changing rooms triggers another rule?"

Although Gu Shanshan didn't say anything, Lu Xiaqin knew all too well that the blood and human tissue coming out from the faucet were because of her.

Had it not been for the assistance of the player surnamed Jie, both of them might have already fallen victim to the deadly rules.

Lu Xiaqin was aware of her timidity. According to Qi Chenyang, this dungeon was considered simple in the game, yet she was here, trembling with fear. Even if she miraculously survives this dungeon, avoiding dungeons meant no accumulation of points, which were necessary for food and lodging at the base.

In the next dungeon, without the kind guidance of veteran players like Qi Chenyang, the care of Gu Shanshan, and the help of Jie Fangcheng, her death would be certain.

Gu Shanshan was different from her, possessing a calm demeanor. Despite fearing these entities, it didn't hinder her ability to think and act.

She had the potential to survive in the dungeon, perhaps even managing to accumulate enough points to return.

Lu Xiaqin didn't want to be a burden on others.

She took a few deep breaths, bracing herself against the door frame, her face displaying an extraordinary measure of courage as she stepped forward again—

Just then, Lu Xiaqin felt another head leaning out beside hers, peering into room number three.

Startled, Lu Xiaqin turned to find the player with the surname Jie.

Jie Fangcheng, who happened to be passing by, frowned like a strict disciplinarian, admonishing the number three patient, "What are you up to? If you misbehave again, I'll crush that eyeball of yours!"

Patient number three recognized him as the person who had prompted patient number nine to gouge out his eyes twice.

Number three had targeted Lu Xiaqin knowing she was easy to intimidate, but on seeing Jie Fangcheng, he subtly recoiled, his eyeball swiveling to watch the doorway.

"What are you staring at? Fix your eyeball back in place! Stop messing around." His tone resembled that of a stern school disciplinarian.

Obediently, number three reached out and resettled the eyeball into its socket.

Despite being a terrifying NPC, Lu Xiaqin thought she saw a hint of grievance in his eyes at that moment.

Jie Fangcheng nodded at Lu Xiaqin reassuringly, "Don't worry, if this little guy acts up again, I'll borrow the left hand of number nine for you tomorrow. His left hand has a knack for gouging eyeballs—you can have it as a talisman for courage tomorrow night."

Lu Xiaqin: "..."

Caught between the idea of carrying a severed hand and facing an eye-gouging entity, she couldn't determine which was more horrifying.

Lu Xiaqin felt drained: "Th... thank you..."

The doctor urged from behind, "It's almost ten o'clock! Hurry up!"

Taking a deep breath, Lu Xiaqin finally entered the room.

Jie Fangcheng also proceeded inside, his room being at the end of the corridor—room number nine.

Pushing the door open, he found number nine sitting quietly on the hospital bed. Seeing Jie Fangcheng, a smile spread across the inverted head of number nine.

Jie Fangcheng flashed a smile back at him, and after closing the door, settled down on the bed inside.

For a moment, the corridor and the surroundings fell into a tranquil silence.

Soon, the piercing sound of the ten o'clock bell echoed through the area.

Almost simultaneously, the distant sounds of a trolley rolling and the clinking of bottles and jars could be heard in the corridor.

Qi Chenyang tore open the cicada-shaped paper piece, revealing a transparent jade cicada that only he could see. It fluttered its wings gently before settling beside his right ear.

With thirty minutes of communication time, he intended to allow others to hear from the moment the doctor entered the room.

These newcomers had never cleared a dungeon before, facing the NPCs alone for the first time; they needed both courage and experience.

Shortly, all eight cicada-shaped paper pieces were activated, and the "Ming Cicada" function came into effect.

Qi Chenyang spoke softly, "Can everyone hear me?"

Following a chaotic chorus of affirmatives, Qi Chenyang patiently reiterated his instructions.

"Once the doctor enters, pay close attention. The process should be fixed. Follow my lead, and there should be no danger."

"Mm-hmm."

"Understood."

A brief silence enveloped the "Ming Cicada", the sound of the trolley outside seemed particularly slow, as if it carried something immensely heavy, requiring great effort to push.

Even though the sounds were slow, the increasing proximity of the noise made the agonizing wait feel like being trapped in a coffin, anticipating the gradual depletion of oxygen within.

At that moment, a timid voice emanated from Lu Xiaqin within the "Ming Cicada".

"Brother Qi, thank you."

Soon, a medley of disjointed voices echoed in agreement.

"Yes, really, thank you, Brother Qi. If not for you, I would have been scared to death upon entering the dungeon."

"Me too, me too."

"Luckily Brother Qi is here, otherwise, we newcomers wouldn't even know how we'd end up dying."

"I know, Xue Kai, you would definitely have died from fright."

"You think you're brave? You couldn't even walk properly just now!"

Qi Chenyang pressed his lips into a smile, feeling a slight easing in the tension that had held him.

At that moment, someone asked quietly, "Brother Qi, are all veteran players as kind-hearted as you?"

"No," Qi Chenyang's smile faded, he glanced at the patient lying on the bed labeled 'one'.

The first patient was of a small stature, but possessed extremely long arms and hair. His hair trailed on the floor, and seemingly disdainful of the unclean ground, he stretched his arms - which were even longer than his height - to idly wind his hair around them.

As if struck by a thought, Qi Chenyang's voice turned cold, "Some beings only resemble humans in appearance."

A hushed pause fell over the "Ming Cicada".

Just then, the distinct sound of a cart approached, seemingly just outside the door.

Qi Chenyang gathered his focus.

"Let's halt the chatter for now, brace yourselves—"

The noise lingered momentarily at the doorway to room number one before moving on.

Soon, the sound of a door opening echoed from not too far away.

An unfamiliar voice emanated from both the "Ming Cicada" and the corridor, merging into one as it reached everyone's ears.

"The doctor is making rounds."

Qi Chenyang abruptly sat up from the bed.

"Which room did the doctor enter??"

Inside the "Ming Cicada", a voice, trembling yet composed, responded.

"Room number four."

Gu Shanshan sat on her bed, locking eyes with the two doctors standing at the doorway.

One was the familiar He Xin, who normally bore a brash demeanor but now obediently pushed a cart laden with various solutions and medications, spanning two shelves.

It became evident upon opening the door that the slow pace wasn't due to the loaded cart.

Gu Shanshan's gaze dropped, noticing He Xin standing on one leg; the other seemed to be missing a portion of its shin, causing a limping gait.

As for the other doctor—

Gu Shanshan swiftly averted her eyes after a fleeting glance, covering her mouth to suppress the surging nausea. She spoke rapidly yet in a hushed tone.

"Besides He Xin, there's another doctor, likely Han Qi. But... his body... it's covered in numerous teeth."

Han Qi also wore a white lab coat, his head adorned with a peculiarly tall hat, seemingly concealing something protruding from his skull.

The rim of the hat was firmly clenched between teeth sprouting from his forehead, these teeth exceptionally small, resembling those of an infant.

Han Qi was also masked, yet the edge of the mask on his right cheek revealed two fang-like teeth, indicating the presence of similar features across his face.

Gu Shanshan cast a brief glance before quickly lowering her head.

Han Qi stepped in.

The patient in room four was a little girl, draped in an oversized hospital gown that enveloped her slender frame, making her resemble a porcelain doll with disproportionately large eyes that seemed almost fearful.

However, upon witnessing her walk, one would realize that her legs were actually arms, identical to the pair that sprouted from her shoulders.

Han Qi squatted down, his eyes forming cheerful crescents as he smiled at the little girl.

"Qingqing, how are you feeling today?"

Patient number four obediently replied, "I feel very good today."

"Have you seen any strange little cats around?"

"No."

Han Qi rose to his feet, turning his head to instruct He Xin.

"Give Qingqing the same medication as yesterday."

He Xin pinched a round tablet from a medicine bottle and handed it to her. Patient four took it into her palm and turned her head to gaze intently at Gu Shanshan.

Gu Shanshan took a deep breath.

Soon, Han Qi approached her bedside.

"Miss Gu, I heard that you saw an eyeball in your spoon today?"

Gu Shanshan bit her lower lip, struggling to contain her rising fear.

"Yes."

"Eyeballs don't appear in spoons, do they?" Han Qi said, his gaze fixed upon her.

"But during mealtime, Doctor He saw it too…"

"Doctor He was mistaken, that was his error," Han Qi narrowed his eyes, turning to cast a chilling glance at He Xin who stood behind him, "Doctor He has already paid the price for his carelessness."

He Xin trembled slightly.

With that, Han Qi turned back around with a smiling face.

"Rest assured, Miss Gu. Although you are exhibiting severe hysteria at the moment, under the meticulous treatment here at Lan Shan Mental Hospital, such symptoms will surely diminish soon. He Xin, prescribe an additional dose of hysteria medication for Miss Gu."

He Xin, who had been stationed beside the small cart, seemed to brighten up at Han Qi's words, his face lighting up from its initial somber state. He joyfully retrieved a flesh-colored bottle from the second shelf, pinching out two pills to hand to Han Qi.

Han Qi extended his hand— as he moved, his voluminous sleeve slid up slightly, revealing a section of his forearm.

Disturbingly, two rows of teeth were also growing on his forearm.

Gu Shanshan forced herself to look at the teeth on his arm, knowing she needed to gather more information to relay to Qi Chanyang and the others.

Just then, the teeth that had been stationary on his arm suddenly parted, revealing a mouth and tongue, as if playfully making a grotesque face at her.

Gu Shanshan: !!!

She involuntarily gasped, retracting abruptly with a jolt.

"What's the matter, Miss Gu?" Han Qi's voice echoed, brimming with undisguised excitement and malevolence, "Have you witnessed another bizarre occurrence? Miss Gu, has your hysteria worsened?"

Gu Shanshan rapidly drew a couple of breaths, forcing herself to regain composure.

"No." She lifted her eyes, holding Han Qi's gaze steadfastly, "I am just very eager... to recover from my illness."

Han Qi observed her, before breaking into a smile after a lingering moment.

"No need to rush, you will get better, sooner or later."

With that, he handed the medication to Gu Shanshan.

Only after receiving the pills did Gu Shanshan realize why He Xin had struggled to pinch them out from the bottle, instead of simply pouring them out.

The two round tablets were covered in a dense layer of suspicious furry-like tentacles, squirming in the palm of her hand.

"Go ahead, eat them. Once you do, you'll get better," Han Qi urged, fixating his eyes on her.

Gu Shanshan felt as though her entire body was being crawled upon by these entities, a sensation so nauseating that it was turning her stomach.

She took a deep breath: "I... will take them myself in a moment."

"Oh no, that won't do." Han Qi replied with a smile, "Good children take their medicine along with their companions."

Sitting on the adjacent bed, patient four tilted her head, holding her pill, also awaiting her turn.

Gu Shanshan gritted her teeth.

In her ear, Qi Chanyang from 'Ming Chan' was swiftly analyzing the situation with her.

"From what we can tell now, you shouldn't consume more than three of these pills. The NPC mentioned that your hysteria is intensifying, with an anticipatory tone, implying grave consequences upon ingesting three; I suspect... that could be a lethal dose. Two might not be fatal but are bound to have severe side effects. Shanshan, find a way, you absolutely must not swallow those pills!"

Gu Shanshan was fully aware of the danger, but she was being scrutinized by three pairs of unblinking eyes.

Left with no choice, Gu Shanshan placed the pills on her palm and, in front of the three individuals, opened her mouth to place the pills inside.

Han Qi watched her intently.

"Miss Gu, have you swallowed them?"

Gu Shanshan mimicked a swallowing gesture, nodding her head, all while firmly holding down the violently writhing pills in her mouth with her tongue.

Han Qi chuckled coldly: "People really don't cry until they see their coffins, do they?"

Gu Sansan felt her hair stand on end, yet the Han Qi before her merely gave her a glance, his eyes filled with pity and sympathy. He then cast a profound look at patient number four, before leaving quickly with He Xin.

The moment the door of the ward closed, Gu Sansan swiftly stretched out her hand.

In just a few seconds, she felt as if her mouth had been completely filled with strange objects.

With immense effort, she tore the two creatures adhering to her oral cavity out.

The moment they were out, the two creatures reverted back to their small pill-like forms.

Gu Sansan retched twice, spat out a mouthful of blood, quickly removed her jacket to tightly wrap the two pills inside it, and then, bearing the pain, swiftly shared the information with the others in a low voice.

"Xiao Qin! If the doctor asks, say you were mistaken, that you didn't see the eyeball, otherwise, you'll have to take two pills. The teeth on Han Qi... they are more than just teeth; they are lipless mouths with their own consciousness, capable of moving independently. Don't stare at them, if they notice, the teeth might open up..."

Lu Xiaoqin asked through her tears, "Sansan, are you okay?"

Inside the "Ming Chan", Gu Sansan spoke with the tone of someone who had narrowly escaped death, "I hid the pill under my tongue... What the hell is this thing?! Once they enter the mouth, they grow rapidly, possessing tentacles and suckers, adhering to the mouth... The moment the doctor leaves, you guys need to remove them immediately, otherwise, they..."

"Big sister..."

A strange voice from the little sister transmitted to everyone's ears through the Ming Chan.

There was a deathly silence on Gu Sansan's end, and after a while, her voice, feigning calm, resonated again.

"What is it, Qingqing?"

She called the name of the patient number four, trying to sound affectionate.

But given the current circumstances, no one would believe they could foster any closeness.

Beneath Gu Sansan's hospital bed, number four was prostrating on all fours. Despite the prone position, her head had turned 180 degrees, a youthful face connected to her back, large eyes fixed on Gu Sansan, twin ponytails dangling in mid-air.

"You didn't take the medicine, did you?"

Gu Sansan took a deep breath, forcing a smile, "I did, little sister."

"You're lying." Number four pouted before breaking into a cheerful smile, "It's okay, I'll tell you a secret too, I didn't take it either."

Saying so, number four extended her hand, mimicking Gu Sansan, and pulled a creature from her mouth.

This creature was visibly smaller than what Gu Sansan had and transformed back into a pill, differing in color from what Sansan had ingested.

It seemed that the medicine from the first and the second layers were not of the same kind.

Number four tossed the pill onto the ground, where it squirmed rapidly before disappearing.

Number four smiled, slowly stood up, and then climbed onto Gu Sansan's bed.

Gu Sansan suppressed her urge to flee, attempting to persuade her to take the medicine.

"Sister really did take her medicine; good children should heed the doctor's advice."

Number four gazed at her, propping her chin up with a pair of hands, swinging two legs identical to arms, emanating a bizarre, naive girlish charm.

Number four smiled, saying: "I am just following the doctor's advice."

——"The doctor said, all the patients in the ward must take their medicine together!"

Her innocent eyes sparkled with excitement: "Big sister, since neither of us took our medicine, we won't feel sleepy today! So, after the doctor leaves, we can play games!"

"…What kind of game?"

Number four looked at her, her eyes twinkled with a teasing laughter: "This game is called — guess, guess, how much flesh you have on your body."