Chapter 17: Blue Mountain Psychiatric Hospital (Part 17)

Chapter 17: Blue Mountain Mental Hospital (XVII)

Qi Chanyang looked up to the heavens, speechless.

He actually said it!!!

He really uttered such a brazen statement!!!

Gu Shanshan, with a blank expression on hearing this, turned her gaze towards Qi Chanyang, looking at him with a querying demeanor.

Qi Chanyang wasn't sure how to explain it to her and could only vaguely nod in response.

Gu Shanshan uttered a perplexed "Ah".

When she voiced "Count me as one of the players not taking the medication", she had already mentally prepared herself for the possibility of death.

After all, she had encountered the patient NPCs post-transformation, even facing Ge Juan alongside Qi Chanyang, now having a rudimentary understanding of the abilities of the NPCs in this level.

Ordinary humans stood no chance against these dungeon NPCs, even a veteran player like Qi Chanyang, who had cleared the level six times, could only flee upon encountering Ge Juan.

The NPC doctors seemingly had substantial strength as well.

Yet now, just over an hour ago she and Qi Chanyang were nearly killed by NPCs, and suddenly the doctors are reluctant to act?

Gu Shanshan couldn't help but ask, "Why wouldn't they dare to act?"

Faced with Gu Shanshan's confusion, even Qi Chanyang was at a loss for words.

Should he tell her "The man before you is so powerful that NPCs flee at the sight of him"? This hardly sounded like a boast, rather it seemed like they had gone insane from their encounters with NPCs outside.

Before Qi Chanyang could figure out a plausible explanation, Xie Fangcheng had already spoken, "Because I have instilled fear in them."

...He really had the guts to say that!!!

Qi Chanyang glanced at him sideways.

Even the consistently calm and composed Gu Shanshan couldn't contain her shock at this moment, her face mirroring her astonishment, "How did you manage to do that?"

Xie Fangcheng swung the stick in his hand, demonstrating a few moves, "Like this."

"You managed to overpower them??"

"Yes, indeed."

Gu Shanshan turned her head to look at Qi Chanyang, her expression evidently indicating that she suspected Xie Fangcheng had gone mad.

Qi Chanyang heaved a long sigh towards the sky, "He's not wrong, actually."

Gu Shanshan: "..."

Very well, Gu Shanshan now believes he has also gone mad.

But Qi Chanyang could understand, after all, he wouldn't have believed it either if he hadn't witnessed it with his own eyes.

Furthermore, this man possessed an indescribable aura, making everything he said seem both utterly reasonable and brazenly outrageous at the same time.

This situation couldn't be explained clearly; Gu Shanshan probably wouldn't believe it unless she witnessed it herself.

After all, he himself didn't believe it in the past.

Thinking this, Qi Chanyang spoke, "It's alright, you'll know by tomorrow."

Gu Shanshan's expression turned even more indescribable.

Qi Chanyang pretended not to notice: "Let's leave it at that for tonight. Generally, it's not recommended to go out in search of clues past midnight in the instance. Midnight is a dividing line, and for players, the time from late night to dawn is the most dangerous period."

This is an experience summed up by the players, as a new day starts, new rules might appear in the instance, and generally, the NPCs grow stronger during this period.

Players are still human, after all. Although they get strengthened after clearing the level, they are still more adapted to functioning during the day, so experienced players avoid this time, which is termed as the "NPCs' home ground."

But this time, after Qi Chanyang finished speaking, he paused for a moment, then turned his head to ask Xie Fangcheng, "Is that alright?"

Xie Fangcheng remained amicable, "Sure."

Qi Chanyang said, "You all rest. I will keep watch through the night."

With that, he got up, grabbed his weapon, and sat at the doorway.

Gu Shanshan shook her head, "Let me keep watch. You both have already had a hard time searching for clues outside."

Qi Chanyang smiled, "It's fine, this is your first time in the instance, get some good rest."

It has only been a few short hours since these newcomers were pulled into the game from the moment of their deaths in the real world.

Decades of a normal life ended abruptly, all efforts and struggles turned to nothing, separated from family, lovers, and friends by life and death, becoming a member among the horror game players - this psychological transition requires adjustment.

Gu Shanshan blinked quickly, "Thank you, Brother Qi. Call me if you get tired."

"Alright."

Xie Fangcheng had already comfortably laid down on the bed, and considerately asked, "Do you want to hold onto this stick for now? Give it back to me when I wake up."

Qi Chanyang: "...I have a weapon."

Xie Fangcheng glanced at the "Whale Fall's Offering" held in his hand, which looked rather peculiar and was only about as long as two palms.

"Is that weapon of yours effective?"

"It's decent."

Xie Fangcheng waved his stick around, "This is quite handy, you know!"

Qi Chanyang's eyes narrowed slightly, "Really?"

Could it be... this stick only appears ordinary on the surface but is actually a rare item?

Is the boss hinting at something to him?

Xie Fangcheng nodded and kindly handed the stick over, "It's quite long."

"What?" Qi Chanyang was momentarily confused and paused as he took the stick.

This is clearly just an ordinary stick!!!

If it were a special item created by the system, like the "Whale Fall's Offering", a small notification would appear above the item when it's first acquired.

But holding this stick, all Qi Chanyang could feel was its weight.

Isn't this just a metal rod made by twisting together six table legs???

Meanwhile, Xie Fangcheng was explaining to him, "Long weapons are safer, and since you're leaning against the door, you can use it to change your posture when you're tired."

Qi Chanyang: "..."

He numbly set the stick aside, "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Call me if there's any movement."

Having said that, Xie Fangcheng finally closed his eyes.

The room fell into silence.

Qi Chanyang leaned against the door, his eyes closed as he rested.

After a while, a soft sigh echoed through the room.

"Why don't you sleep?" Xie Fangcheng turned his head to look at him, "This is actually the time I usually start my shift, and it's quite hard for me to adjust my biological clock."

"Huh? Aren't you tired?" Qi Chanyang was perplexed, "I saw you almost dozing off while holding the stick just now."

"Not tired, I've always been like this."

"..."

"Come on, come on." Saying this, Xie Fangcheng had already gotten out of bed and was pulling him up without further ado, "You go sleep, I'll catch up on some rest tomorrow during the day."

Qi Chanyang hesitated for a moment.

Engaging with NPCs at night was quite draining, and he was indeed a bit weary.

Qi Chanyang said, "Well, if you get tired, call me."

"Mm, okay."

Lying on the bed, Qi Chanyang became a bit curious, "What kind of job do you have that requires you to start working at this hour?"

Xie Fangcheng replied honestly, "Accounting."

"..." Alright, the boss's role as the manager of the underworld's finance department remains unshaken.

Qi Chanyang closed his eyes and soon fell asleep.

Once both individuals in the room had fallen asleep, Xie Fangcheng pulled the room door open in one swift motion and sat squarely in front of it.

He cleaned the stick in his hands and stared at the open door with spirited vigilance.

The night is long, why not engage with a few NPCs to pass the time!

.

Seven o'clock in the morning.

As the first bell rang in the hospital, Qi Chanyang opened his eyes, followed by an abrupt sit-up on the bed as goosebumps covered his skin.

The room door was somehow open, with only him and the still sleeping Gu Shanshan inside; even the severely injured patient from last night had disappeared.

Xie Fangcheng, who had offered to keep watch through the night, was nowhere to be found, but his stick was still lying at the doorway.

He didn't even take his weapon? What could Xie Fangcheng possibly be up to?

What happened last night?? But Qi Chanyang was a light sleeper; he should have awakened if there had been any noise!

As Qi Chanyang nervously gripped the "Whale Fall's Offering" in his hand, a head peeked in from the doorway.

"You're awake?"

Qi Chanyang: "..."

Xie Fangcheng stepped in and picked up his stick once more.

"Let's go, it's time for breakfast."

"...How did you know?"

"No. 9 told me."

As expected.

Soon, He Xin's voice echoed from a distance down the corridor.

"Wake up, everyone! The cafeteria is serving breakfast! Those who are late will miss out!!"

Qi Chanyang got off the bed and glanced outside the door, freezing on the spot.

He Xin, who was roaming around with rolling eyes as if picking out goods yesterday, was now standing about ten meters away, his gaze fixed firmly on Xie Fangcheng.

Xie Fangcheng leaned casually against the door, seemingly finding the stance a bit tiresome, straightened up.

He Xin, positioned ten meters away, immediately retreated a step backward.

Qi Chanyang exclaimed, "Holy shit!"

Xie Fangcheng was also startled, "Holy shit! Is he serious?"

Xie Fangcheng hadn't hit him yesterday, mainly because He Xin fled too early and couldn't be caught.

The bell rang once again, with various sounds emerging continuously from the different wards.

Soon, the patient NPCs who had taken their medication normally yesterday walked out of their rooms, nonchalantly heading downstairs to the cafeteria through the corridor.

Then it was number four's turn.

The little girl who had transformed into a terrifying figure yesterday had returned to her original state now, still sporting two ponytails and resembling a doll as she passed by the two of them.

Qi Chanyang furrowed his brow.

"It seems that the patients are repairable NPCs."

"What?"

Qi Chanyang explained, "In some instances, NPCs can revert back to their original state even if they die, resurfacing the next day. These are called repairable NPCs."

"That's incredible, isn't it?"

Qi Chanyang remembered, "Right, where did NPC number one go?"

"Oh, he's in room number nine."

"??"

"He woke up this morning, so I sent him to console number nine."

Compared to the two patients who either died or fainted before noon, number nine had been tied up in the cafeteria all night, only being released when the cafeteria NPCs started their shift.

At six o'clock in the morning, number nine returned wobbly, his neck having reverted back to its normal state. Seeing Xie Fangcheng, his head swung wildly on his still unusually long neck, resembling a sprinkler watering the lawn.

Xie Fangcheng tried reasoning with him, "Can you blame me? You were trying to eat me yesterday!"

Number nine whimpered, "Twelve o'clock, no eat..."

"Oh, you normalize at twelve o'clock, do you?"

"Mm..."

Xie Fangcheng touched his nose and said, "You've had a hard time, haven't you?"

Number nine returned to his room, crying and sniffling.

So when number one woke up, Xie Fangcheng patted him on the shoulder, followed by his neck, chest, limbs... Eventually, number one succumbed and limped away to find number nine.

Qi Chanyang: "..."

"What's wrong?"

With too many points to critique, Qi Chanyang opened his mouth, "... Number one listens to you?"

Xie Fangcheng subtly replied, "Not bad, we had a bit of a chat."

After a short while, the players began to wake up one after another.

Everyone seemed more exhausted than they were yesterday, even after a night's sleep.

Xue Kai, with a sallow complexion, asked, "What exactly was in those pills? I had nightmares all night."

"Me too! I kept dreaming about the moment I died."

"I kept dreaming about yesterday in the cafeteria... yue..."

It appeared that all the players who took the medication had nightmares, whereas Gu Shanshan seemed to have the healthiest complexion amongst them.

Many were curious and asked what had happened since she hadn't taken the medicine yesterday.

After Gu Shanshan recounted the mutation of number four yesterday, a collective gasp of shock rippled through the crowd.

The patient NPCs were already frightening enough as is, and now they find out that these entities could mutate, becoming even more terrifying after the change!

Could they really complete this instance?

After listening, Lu Xiaoqin became very worried, "Are you alright, though?"

"I almost died yesterday, thankfully Qi Ge saved me."

From about ten meters away, He Xin urged again, "It's time to eat!"

Many people shivered upon hearing his voice, with Lu Xiaoqin gripping Gu Shanshan's sleeve in fear.

Internally, Qi Chanyang felt somewhat reassured.

He spoke calmly, "Let's go have our meal first. We can continue this conversation afterwards."

Upon arriving at the cafeteria, the patient NPCs had already settled down, including number one and number nine, who had emerged from an unknown location and were now seated at the dining table.

The nine patients stared at them in unison, their faces markedly different from ordinary humans. Lu Xiaoqin, recalling the incidents described by Gu Shanshan from yesterday, shuddered all over. Gu Shanshan held her hand, reassuring her, "It's alright."

After the players took their seats one by one, breakfast was promptly served.

A serving of salted vegetables with rice porridge, accompanied by two fried dough sticks per person.

The seemingly normal breakfast somewhat alleviated the lingering unease in everyone’s hearts.

Upon sitting down, Gu Shanshan was addressed by the number four patient sitting beside her: "Big sister."

A chill ran down everyone's spines.

Yesterday in "Ming Chan", this NPC had used the same tone to utter the most terrifying phrases.

—— "Let's play a game, guess how much flesh you have on your body."

But at this moment, the little girl seemed just like a normal young girl, albeit with protruding eyeballs that sent shivers down your spine as she stared intently.

She tilted her head and said, "Big sister, you were so clever yesterday! But Qingqing won't lose again tonight, okay?"

The dining table fell into a deafening silence.

Lu Xiaoqin covered her mouth, her eyes filled with worry as she looked at her.

Gu Shanshan remained composed, not forgetting to inquire, "If I choose to take the medicine tonight, will Qingqing take it too?"

Number four pursed her lips and began to eat her porridge without a word.

Just like her, number one, who also had not taken the medicine, said nothing and quietly ate his fried dough sticks.

In the midst of the silence, Xie Fangcheng asked number nine, "I'm curious too, Nine, will you take the medicine tonight if I do?"

Number nine's eyes brightened, "Yes, take... must take medicine."

Xue Kai, quick-witted as always, immediately caught on and asked, "Xie Bro, didn’t you take the medicine yesterday either??"

"Mhm."

Everyone turned their attention to him, and Xue Kai hastily asked, "What happened yesterday since you didn't take the medicine? Those few..."

Xue Kai subtly nodded towards He Xin who was standing at the doorway.

"Is it possible not to take the medicine?"

"Yes, it is."

"What?! How did you manage that??"

Xie Fangcheng responded in a subtle manner, "I had a discussion with the doctor."

Sun Miao interjected eagerly, "You can communicate with them? Is it easy to communicate?"

Xie Fangcheng admitted frankly, "Not really easy to communicate."

After speaking, he added, "So, I'd advise against communicating with them."

Everyone thought to themselves, 'Apart from you, who else would converse with these NPCs!'

Xue Kai was somewhat blindly following him and was preparing to learn from his experience, "How did you communicate with them?"

Xie Fangcheng demonstrated in person.

He turned his head towards He Xin who had been staring at him incessantly, "What are you looking at? Seeking death?"

He Xin glared at him ferociously but eventually lowered his head.

Xie Fangcheng remarked nonchalantly, "See, he isn't staring at me anymore. Isn't that successful communication?"

Xue Kai: "????"

Everyone else: "????"