Chapter 41: The Holy Infirmary 08

Chapter 41: The Holy Infirmary 08

Before him appeared a youth, seemingly around fourteen or fifteen years of age.

The youth's complexion was eerily pale, his ash-gray eyes flickering with undisguised terror. His delicate lashes trembled softly, casting a dense row of shadows upon his cheeks.

He seemed to have just rushed here from elsewhere, panting gently and incessantly. His vest suit was stained by some unknown substance, making him appear particularly disheveled.

This child, Qin Fei recognized him; it was none other than the Holy Infant No. 24 whom he had just met not long ago.

How could he be here?

Qin Fei blinked in confusion.

Number 24 was an NPC, a fact that wasn't lost on Qin Fei, nor on many other players.

In the Church and Resting Area representing the world, Number 24's demeanor, attire, and behavior were clearly distinct from those of the players.

Not only Number 24, but also the black-haired woman, Number 23, and the blond man, Number 7, stood out as well.

It was easy to tell that they were NPCs.

They were similar to Xu Yangshu when Qin Fei first encountered him in the Shibin Village instance – their heads didn't display any affinity values.

But at this moment, a system notification glowed brightly above No. 24's head.

"One of the Holy Infants: Affinity 5% (Lamb doesn't dislike you, but he is usually very timid towards strangers)"

This was the first time Qin Fei had come across an NPC who had a base affinity of 5% without even saying a word to him.

Lamb stood within the Church of Flesh, his hands clenched and unclenched by his sides as his entire body trembled violently. It was clear that he was already extremely terrified.

When Qin Fei had rushed in, he had casually slammed the door shut behind him.

Now, however, there were heavy thuds and the sound of axes chopping from behind him.

Although the narrow wooden door wasn't thin, it certainly couldn't withstand the attacks of Nos. 0 and 2.

Qin Fei surveyed the entire space.

Concealing a person could only be achieved by the confessional booth located at the southwest corner of the bulletin board.

Strangely, while the entire interior of the church had been utterly transformed, the confessional remained identical to the one Qin Fei had seen in the surface world.

The tall, dark-brown cabinet stood silently in the corner, its deep velvet curtains tightly drawn, obscuring everything within.

Despite being just as powerless as the door behind it to withstand attacks from No. 0 and No. 2, it would provide temporary shelter.

Qin Fei glanced at No. 24, who was not too far away.

To escape the inner world, a sacrifice of the Holy Infant was necessary.

Although Qin Fei had considered using No. 2 for his advantage earlier, No. 0 seemed uninterested in that prisoner.

So, what about No. 24?

If he were left here unchecked and managed to hide, would No. 0...

This thought flashed through Qin Fei's mind for only an instant before he immediately dismissed it.

In the dimly lit church, the glowing 5% affinity bar above No. 24's head was exceptionally eye-catching.

A NPC that could be courted.

The hidden value it could bring.

Might be far greater than any one-time consumable.

The young man shot out like an arrow from a bow.

Before the small door behind him was smashed open, he had already swiftly and nimbly hoisted No. 24 onto his shoulder.

With one hand, he pulled open the confessional door, and their figures vanished inside in an instant.

"Bang!"

The wooden door shattered into fragments as No. 2 and No. 0 shoved each other, rushing into the church.

The church was eerily empty.

...

How peculiar.

It seemed that all external noise had ceased.

In the confessional, Qin Fei and Agent 24 squeezed onto a small bench, straining their ears to listen to any sounds from outside.

Since the loud bang echoed, no other sounds have emerged from outside the confessional.

That sound was clearly Number 2 and Number 0 breaking in, but there was no follow-up.

The cramped confessional separated Qin Fei and Lamb within the embrace of darkness.

Beside him, the young man was still gasping for breath, but he was acutely aware of their current predicament. He overlapped his hands to cover his mouth and nose, fearful that the sound of his breathing might be too loud and attract the attention of whatever was lurking outside.

Qin Fei soothingly raised a hand to rub the crown of his head.

"Don't be afraid," he whispered reassuringly.

Before Qin Fei's health deteriorated, during his years at the police department, he often dealt with troubled teenagers.

As a psychologist, Qin Fei frequently interacted with children who had been rescued from suicide attempts.

He would often engage them in conversation.

Due to this long-standing professional habit, Qin Fei instinctively put himself in a protective role when dealing with children.

Of course, that didn't stop him from entertaining the wicked thought of throwing Number 24 to feed Number 0 before entering the confessional.

Well, anyway.

He hadn't actually done it, after all.

As the saying goes, actions speak louder than intentions. Qin Fei didn't feel any guilt over his fleeting thought.

Number 24 trembled at Qin Fei's unexpected display of warmth.

It seemed like he was extremely fearful of physical contact with others.

Even for someone with severe social anxiety, few would react so strongly to another person's touch.

Qin Fei looked thoughtfully at Number 24.

When Number 24 realized that Qin Fei had only gently touched his hair and then withdrawn his hand, he gradually calmed down.

He shot Qin Fei a cautious glance, and the affection meter above his head rose to 12.

Qin Fei: ? Does he develop affections so easily for others?

What could be the reason? Where was the logic in this?

The Confessional remained quiet outside.

A heavy, oppressive silence hung in the air, unsettling one's heartbeat and creating a sense of foreboding that something terrible was about to happen.

Could it be that something had happened to those two individuals?

Qin Fei reached out toward the curtain ahead, his fingertips grazing its edge, parting an almost invisible slit.

Outside was pitch black.

Qin Fei suddenly furrowed his brows.

Immediately, a system notification echoed in Qin Fei's ear.

"Please complete your confession in the Confessional: Progress 0%"

What...

A foreboding sensation stirred within Qin Fei, prompting him to turn and reach for the confessional's door.

The sound of a lock clicking into place echoed.

The door was now locked shut.

"..."

Qin Fei entered the confessional primarily to buy time.

Player 2 had fallen into his trap and was now steadily losing health.

As long as Player 2's health bar reached zero, the reversal between the Surface World and the Mirror World would occur, ensuring Qin Fei's safety.

Yet, right at this crucial moment, a mission was triggered.

Ever since they entered the confessional, all sounds from the church outside had vanished.

Presumably, until the mission was completed, neither he nor Player 24 would be under threat from Players 0 or 2 within this confessional.

It was an unintended stroke of luck.

However, it was uncertain whether the flow of time inside the confessional matched that of the outside world during the mission.

If both time streams were synchronized, it would truly be killing two birds with one stone.

In any case, it was pointless to dwell on it now.

Unable to complete the mission, he might not even be able to leave this wooden box.

Qin Fei stood up and began observing the situation in the confessional.

The small space was no more than five square meters, pitch black inside, with only a single chair placed in the center.

A green curtain hung before them, dividing the confessional into two halves.

Behind that curtain—

Qin Fei's gaze fell upon it, but in the next instant, his pupils constricted!

In the darkness, a hunched figure flashed by swiftly.

Then, a bony, aged hand, resembling tree bark, slowly emerged from within.

Lamb nearly cried out, clenching his lips tightly to stifle any sound.

The hand pulled back the curtain, moving forward, ever forward.

In the cold and murky atmosphere, he moved gently with small gestures, as if trying to grasp something intangible.

"I sense someone's arrival, I can hear them."

It was an aged male voice, whispering softly from the side of a wooden chest.

"Child, where are you?"

The hand reached out eagerly, continuously clutching at thin air.

Qin Fei gazed at that hand.

Someone who would stay in the confessional...

"Father?"

Qin Fei ventured a question hesitantly.

"Aah!"

Indeed, the voice promptly responded.

Then, the hand reached out even further.

"Take my hand, hold it tight, my child."

"Hold it, and your sins will be cleansed."

Qin Fei's gaze was profound. Behind the curtain lay pitch darkness, revealing nothing of what lay within.

Could there be a boss hidden inside?

It seemed unable to leave that spot.

And if he were to grasp its hand, would he inadvertently set it free?

Growing impatient with the lack of response outside, the owner of the hand grew restless.

"Why, why won't you come to me? My child."

"Do you not... have faith in Father?"

The aged and raspy voice grew increasingly menacing. The nails on that hand visibly lengthened bit by bit, curling gradually as they dug into the wooden wall beside it, producing a shrill scraping sound.

The air was permeated with a chilling intent to kill.

All signs point to one answer:

They had to step forward.

Lamb looked at Qin Fei with great concern by his side, "Sir Qin..."

He seemed extremely bashful, managing to utter only a single word before his pale face flushed red. He tightly pressed his lips together, daring not to speak another word.

He stole a glance at Qin Fei and then quickly averted his gaze, proceeding forward with small steps.

It was evident that he had noticed Qin Fei's hesitation and was prepared to take the risk himself.

Number 24's overly righteous action surprised Qin Fei quite a bit.

He had assumed that with the child's timid nature, he would surely keep his distance from the priest as much as possible.

In the confessional's narrow space, Lamb drew ever closer to the priest's outstretched hand.

The youth gently extended his slender and delicate wrist forward.

The colorless lips had been bitten, a trail of blood seeping from the wound.

Just as Lamb was about to touch the priest's hand, Qin Fei suddenly grabbed hold of his sleeve.

The young man raised his index finger, making a "shushing" gesture towards Lamb.

Lamb was taken aback.

In the next moment, he witnessed the person in front of him flip their wrist, and in the blink of an eye, a hollow steel pipe as thick as an adult's lower arm materialized in his palm.

Qin Fei handed the pipe to the priest.

Lamb: ?

The innocent boy, for a moment, failed to grasp Qin Fei's intention, confusion evident in his gray eyes.

What was going on here?

Behind the curtain, a hand as withered as a dead tree branch gripped the steel pipe and gently rubbed it.

Perhaps it was because the thickness resembled that of a human wrist.

Or perhaps it was due to the darkness of the Confessional and the obscuring curtain.

The priest actually believed it to be the wrist of a living person.

"Oh, dear child," the priest seemed startled by the peculiar sensation.

"You truly are..."

He pondered for a while before finding the right word. "You're incredibly skinny."

Qin Fei: "...Pft."

Qin Fei extended his free hand to forcefully flatten the corners of his upturned lips.

A flood of question marks instantly filled the screen.

"?????? Is everything alright? Are you okay, host?"

"Hahahaha, is the host crazy or something?!"

"Save me, hahahaha! Should we all chip in and send the host to get a brain check? Can this be considered normal human behavior?"

"I genuinely surrender; I've read 'Holy Infant Orphanage' hundreds of times, and this is the first time I've seen someone deceive a priest like this."

"I finally understand why the streamer was sent to this scenario. His aura truly fits perfectly here; it's hilarious..."

In the live broadcast, Qin Fei, after dealing with the priest, promptly withdrew the steel pipe.

The smooth surface of the steel pipe glided over the priest's palm, its peculiar sensation granting him an extraordinary experience.

"Oh…"

A soft sigh emerged from behind the curtain, sending a chill down Qin Fei's spine.

"The Confessional: 50% completion."

The system's voice sounded again.

Seemed like he was on the right track.

The mission was straightforward—just follow the priest's requests, and the task would be accomplished.

However...

Why was it only 50% complete?

This old fellow was truly insatiable.

Shortly after, the remaining 50% of the task requirements were revealed by the priest:

"Come here, my dear child, let the priest touch your face once more."

The hoarse male voice was cloyingly sweet, an affected intimacy that made one's stomach turn.

He extended his hand a bit further, palm down, clenching and unclenching it.

Several small objects fell to the ground in response to his gesture.

Qin Fei bent down, picked one up, and brought it close to his eyes.

It was a hard candy wrapped in cellophane, melted by the priest's warm palm into a sticky mess, giving off a muted fruit aroma.

"Let us cleanse all your sins in one fell swoop. Once you leave here, you'll be a bright and pure good child once more."

"Come now, come closer, my dear little lamb."

The priest repeated these words with an unsettling fervor.

This priest didn't resemble a priest at all.

Instead, he conjured the image of an evil sorcerer from a dark fairy tale, luring children into his candy house only to devour them in the dead of night.

Lamb, standing beside him, trembled even more intensely.

Qin Fei's handsome brows were knitted so tightly that they could almost trap a fly.

He was no innocent seven-year-old to be fooled by a priest with a few melting candies and a high-pitched voice.

Judging from the priest's behavior just now, how could he be a genuine apostle of God who helped people atone for their sins?

He was clearly an old pervert taking advantage of his position!

The instances in this game knew no bounds; how could such a deviant character appear?

Qin Fei clicked his tongue in amazement.

Now, this pervert intended to touch a child's cheek.

If Qin Fei had to push out Lamb, who was trembling like he had Parkinson's, to shield himself, he would feel rather reluctant.

However, he was also unwilling to offer his own face.

Behind the veil, the withered old hand wriggled like a tangle of seaweed, revealing an impatient craving.

Qin Fei's face was as dark as if it had been coated with soot from a pot, but he tentatively took a step forward.

Just as he lifted his foot, he couldn't help but put it back down.

He glanced at his empty shoulder.

Since the inversion of the Inner and Outer Worlds, the Ghost Baby hadn't appeared again. Presumably, it was stranded in the Outer World for some reason.

The Outer World wasn't dangerous, so Qin Fei had never worried about the Ghost Baby's safety.

Yet, at this moment, he couldn't help but miss that little trinket that had consumed half of his points in the previous instance.

The Ghost Baby could control its appearance.

If it were here now, Qin Fei would let that old priest hiding in the box experience firsthand what it felt like to be touched by a young boy whose face was smeared with corpse oil...

"Hurry, hurry, come closer, my dear child."

The priest called incessantly.

From the cracks of the wooden confessional, something was creeping in bit by bit.

That horrifying sound sent chills down one's spine, clear and piercing.

It seemed to be attempting to pierce through the thin wood, invading this tiny sanctuary of safety.

In the darkness, the system notification in the void flickered like a malfunctioning neon sign.

"Come, my child, hurry to me," the priest's voice grew louder with each call.

"Only I can safeguard your safety and rescue you from evil."

...

Tsk, how bothersome.

Qin Fei's unsettling expression made Lamb even more anxious.

This time, the priest was going to touch his face.

Escaping with a steel pipe wouldn't do the trick this time.

There's no way out...

What should I do...? Lamb's breathing quickened, tears pooling in his large gray eyes.

But before those tears could fall, Qin Fei approached once more.

"Here."

In his hand was some object, square and fleeting before Lamb's eyes.

He gently brushed it against the back of the priest's hand, then stepped back half a pace.

"Did you feel that, my dear priest?"

The corners of Qin Fei's mouth curled into a faint, mocking smile.

The priest was taken aback.

The speed was so swift that he didn't actually feel anything. He merely sensed an unfamiliar object brush past the back of his hand.

"Again, one more time!"

The priest spoke urgently.

Lamb craned his neck to get a better look.

And finally, he could clearly see what Qin Fei was holding.

...It was, surprisingly...

A brick??

This...

As the priest's words faded, Qin Fei complied and presented the brick once more.

Never mind, poor brick. You'll endure this soon enough.

After all, you have no dignity to lose.

Qin Fei silently apologized to the brick in his heart.

The priest touched the surface of the brick again.

This time, he distinctly felt the sensation transmitted through the tip of his finger.

Priest: "...."

?

Is this actually a real human face?

Slightly skeptical, he touched it twice more just to be sure.

No, no.

Still not right.

How could the smooth and pleasant voice of that young man result in such rough skin when touched?

The priest withdrew his hand.

If he continued, his palm would be rubbed raw.

"You..."

Retreating his hand behind the curtain, the priest seemed to scratch his head before extending it again.

"Is this really your face? My dear child?" The priest couldn't resist asking.

"Good children don't tell lies," he emphasized.

"Certainly, my most esteemed Priest."

Qin Fei's lips curved into a smile as he nonchalantly replied, "What can I do? To make a living, I have to endure the harsh elements every day. It's only natural for my skin to become rough."

"Unlike you, Priest, who can stay comfortably in this box and live worry-free by just touching others' faces."

Priest: "?"

"How could you say such things about me?"

The Priest couldn't pinpoint exactly what was wrong with the young man's words, but he sensed an underlying insinuation.

"That is disrespectful to God," the Priest said, somewhat angered.

The NPC was upset.

But Qin Fei remained unperturbed.

Without any hesitation, he swiftly countered, "How dare I show disrespect, kind Priest? Every word I speak reflects my most sincere thoughts."

"You have no idea how eagerly I aspire to be just like you!"

The words landed with conviction, emphasizing sincerity.

The live stream chat erupted in laughter.

"Hahahaha, that really cracks me up! The host's skill in telling blatant lies with open eyes is improving day by day."

"In any case, it's still flattery, even if it's done inversely."

"Speaking of which, what would happen if this priest were to touch me?"

"Not much, I suppose. You won't die; it might just lower your sanity points... To be honest, I still haven't figured out the storyline behind this Confessional side quest. No previous player has ever completed it."

"I see. Well, if that's the case, it doesn't seem like a big deal for the streamer to actually let it happen."

"Exactly, exactly. It's also curious how high this streamer's mental resistance is. His sanity level always seems strangely stable."

"That's not entirely true. I've never even touched my beautiful wife's face, so how could I allow this old lecher to do so?"

...

Priest: "..."

The priest was taken aback by Qin Fei's response.

Of course, he was far from satisfied with the "face" he had touched.

Its rough texture reminded him of the freshly laid concrete at the church entrance, which had been trampled on by countless people before it could dry properly. Bumpy and uneven.

Yet, the voice of the boy outside was truly delightful. The priest tilted his head, allowing that lark-like clear tone to resonate in his mind.

He indulged in this auditory feast, making a concerted effort to overlook the specifics of every word Qin Fei had spoken.

Oh!

What a child full of contradictions and beauty!

The priest finally gave in completely.

In the next second.

The long-awaited notification of mission success rang in Qin Fei's ear.

"Please complete the confession in the confessional: 50% progress."

Accompanied by the system prompt was an incredibly crisp cracking sound.

Qin Fei seized the hand that reached beyond the deep green curtain and forcefully bent it in the opposite direction!

The withered, aged hand was twisted into an angle that no ordinary person could achieve. The white bones pierced through the surface of the skin, and the sight of the broken ends was enough to send shivers down one's spine.

"AHHHHHHHHH!"

A blood-curdling scream echoed from within the confessional.

Lamb was startled, looking up at Qin Fei with concern etched on his face.

Qin Fei was unperturbed. "Don't be afraid, he can't get out."

What an old pervert.

If he could leave this box, would he have just fondled the steel bars and bricks moments ago?

Instances always imposed numerous restrictions on players, and NPCs were no exception.

Since Qin Fei had unintentionally discovered a favorable rule for his team, he naturally intended to take full advantage of it.

—There was no reason to let someone who offended him off lightly, even if they were just a scrawny old man.

Qin Fei brushed off imaginary dust from his hands.

The cries of pain continued behind him, but Qin Fei remained indifferent.

Finally, the Confessional's lock could be opened. He tugged at the latch and peered outside.

Perhaps the System couldn't bear to witness Qin Fei's continuous misfortune in this instance, for a rare stroke of good luck finally befell him.

In the hall, Player 2 had entirely melted into a pool of blood.

His massive frame, bereft of support, sprawled on the ground like a limp, soggy mass of mud.

Not far away, Prisoner 0 was staring blankly at the revolting scene.

Prisoner 0 relished in blood, death, corpses, and slaughter.

However, that didn't imply he would have any affection for the pile of garbage before him.

A look of disgust crossed Prisoner 0's face.

Then, he lifted his head.

Upon seeing Qin Fei in the Confessional, his eyes sparkled like stars in the night, suddenly illuminating with interest.

During the half-hour that Qin Fei spent inside the Confessional, Prisoner 0 had repeatedly swung his axe at the seemingly fragile wooden box.

Despite his immense effort, he couldn't budge the box even an inch.

And now, his most coveted prey had reappeared before him.

Prisoner 0 raised the ax in his hand high and strode vigorously towards Qin Fei.

But in the very next moment,

"Infant Saint 2 has withdrawn from this selection."

In an instant, the ground shook and mountains trembled.

The entire church convulsed violently, contracting like a beating heart. Prisoner 0 halted in his tracks, watching helplessly as his prey vanished before his eyes.

...

In the blink of an eye, the darkness and blood that had surrounded him were entirely gone.

Qin Fei's bloodstained uniform transformed back into his own clothes. Standing in the clean and refreshing hallway of the Surface World's resting area, he lifted his gaze to survey his surroundings.

Appearing alongside Qin Fei in the corridor were all the other Sacred Infants.

They seemed to be oblivious to what had transpired, gazing at one another in confusion with blank expressions.

Qin Fei immediately scanned the crowd for Xiao Xiao's figure.

Spotting him standing intact in the hallway, looking utterly bewildered with no visible wounds, Qin Fei felt relieved.

In the corridor, the twenty-plus players finally regained their composure.

Amidst the unprecedented chaos, everyone was packed together tightly.

Some were laughing, while others were weeping.

There were those who were kneeling on the ground, gasping for air in large gulps.

And then there were those who glared fiercely at others not far away.

Only Qin Fei stood quietly aside, his expression cold as if he were an outsider looking in.

Unmoving, his gaze pierced through the crowd and landed on the figure sitting alone in the corner of the lounge – Player 24.

At this moment, the boy no longer bore the introverted and bashful demeanor he had exhibited in the Confessional Room.

Perceiving that someone was observing him, he lifted his head.

His cold gray eyes resembled two lifeless glass beads, devoid of any emotion.

When he looked at Qin Fei, it was as if he didn't recognize him at all.