AFPoFH ARC1 ☆ 1~5

四院病友交流论坛 

A Forum for Patients of Fourth Hospital

ARC 1

Originally published: 2022 

Translation started: 2024, january

FULL NOVEL: 181 Chapters + 11 extra Chapters (Completed)

Novel tags: 

Light Horror; Silly Comedy; Action; Infinite Flow; Easygoing;

FMC; Strong Woman; Girl Friendship; Teamwork;   

No Romance (But there is CP Couple Pairing that activates in the last few chapters of the novel, but there’s too little call it romance) 

Daredevil;  Calm Protagonist; Flirty Protagonist;  

Investigation meets Cheeky Cheats; Power Progression; Corruption;  

Ghosts; Monsters; Gore; Magical Items; 

Scenario like Pocket Worlds; Secrets; 】 

Yu Xiao, a terminal stage cancer patient with an incurable condition, had reached a point where she had accepted her fate. Living each day with indifference, she had already made peace with the idea of departing from this world.

One day, her phone automatically downloaded an app called 'Four Hospital Patients' Discussion Forum'.

"Fourth Hospital? Isn't that the local psychiatric hospital?"

Curious, she tapped into the app. The top post read: 【Guide for the Morgue】

Yu Xiao:???

Second post: 【Cataloguing the Ghosts I've Encountered Over the Years】

Yu Xiao: No wonder it's a forum from a psychiatric hospital.

【Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming a Sealing Master!】 This one seems quite intriguing!

———— 

That night, terror descended, and the hospital was engulfed in a crimson hue. Unnameable horrors lurked outside the wards, murmuring by the rooms, "Let's see who's been naughty now?"

————

During rounds that night, the inspection ghost lifted Yu Xiao's blanket and stumbled upon the talismans by her pillow. The ghost was amazed to find high-level symbols.

The inspection ghost cried, "Why would advanced seals appear at a beginner's level?!"

Word count: 20k

☆ 1 Local Hospital 4 is a Mental Hospital

In room 1304 on the 13th floor of the oncology department at People's Hospital, Yu Xiao (余笑: "surplus of laughter" or "extraordinary happiness") entered, carrying two cardboard boxes. Despite the daylight outside, the room remained dim due to the drawn curtains.

The doctors and nurses had recommended that the three patients in room 1304 expose themselves to sunlight, but they stubbornly refused to open the curtains. Eventually, the medical staff ceased trying, as nobody wanted to argue with individuals battling cancer.

Zhao Lan (赵岚: "established in the clouds" or "making a foothold in the mist"), lay in bed, receiving chemotherapy. She appeared pale and despondent, her young age of 28 making the diagnosis of cancer all the more devastating. Although the doctors didn't explicitly mention it, everyone knew her chances of recovery were slim.

When Yu Xiao entered the room, Zhou Xiao Zhen (周小珍: "precious little circumference" or "valuable perimeter of youth") sat cross-legged on her bed and eagerly exclaimed, "Smiley (Xiao Xiao: Little Smile), you're back! Did you buy anything good?"

Zhou Xiao Zhen, who was only 18 years old and slightly overweight, had smooth, delicate skin as white as a steamed bun. Having shaved her head for chemotherapy, her round head resembled a soft-boiled egg. Among the three, her illness was the mildest, and the doctors had given her a favourable prognosis, which helped her maintain a cheerful and talkative nature. She loved chatting with Yu Xiao, and their conversations could last for hours.

"Um," Yu Xiao weakly responded, placing two delivery boxes on the desk next to the hospital bed.

At the young age of twenty, Yu Xiao was the only patient in the ward who still had a full head of hair and could move around without assistance. However, this wasn't because her condition was less severe, but quite the opposite. Her illness was so serious that surgery was not an option, and she was limited to conservative treatment with chemotherapy.

Fortunately, she had only undergone one round of chemotherapy so far, and her hair loss wasn't too severe, allowing her the energy to go for a walk.

Yu Xiao took a pair of scissors from the cabinet and carefully unpacked the delivery boxes. Inside, she found a thick stack of yellow paper, two brushes, a large box of vermilion powder, and a rectangular inkstone.

Zhou Xiao Zhen watched her with curiosity. "Smiley, what are these for? What do you use them for?"

After finishing organising the materials, Yu Xiao began cutting the yellow paper with the scissors. She calmly replied, "To draw talismans."

Zhou Xiao Zhen looked puzzled. "Oh?"

Yu Xiao continued cutting the paper into standard-sized rectangles before grabbing the vermilion ink and inkstone and heading to the bathroom.

When she looked in the mirror, she saw a pale and gaunt face. Her eyes were large and round, while her mouth and nose were small and delicate, giving her a youthful appearance. That's why Zhou Xiao Zhen, who was two years younger, always called her Smiley.

A month ago, Yu Xiao had been diagnosed with malignant brain cancer. Unfortunately, surgery was not an option because of the tumour's location, so the doctors recommended conservative treatment and observation in the hospital.

During this month, her family had rarely visited her. Her parents divorced when she was in junior high and started new families with their new partners. As a child of a broken home, she had been living at school since junior high. It was only a month ago, when she was diagnosed with cancer, that her parents reunited.

They cried in front of her once, brought her food a few times, and then gradually found excuses to stop visiting. Nevertheless, Yu Xiao was content with the situation. Even though her parents didn't show up, they were still generous in paying for her treatment and even hired a caregiver.

After rinsing the ink stone, she dissolved the cinnabar powder in alcohol.

Her new passion for talismanic drawings was ignited three days ago when the nurse finished her routine checkup. As usual, Yu Xiao hid her phone under the pillow. The doctor enforced strict curfew regulations, and any indication of phone usage after hours would result in reproachful admonishments from the nurse. To avoid scolding, Yu Xiao pretended to be asleep during every inspection.

When she retrieved her phone, she realised that an unfamiliar application was downloading. Had she accidentally clicked on an advertisement? But before she could stop the download, the name of the app caught her attention - the Fourth Hospital Patient Forum. She hesitated. Was it really necessary to have a forum specifically for patients?

She patiently waited for the download to complete and eventually opened the app. The forum interface, decorated with a pink colour scheme, resembled other internet forums. The first thread she saw was an official announcement.

Yu Xiao continued scrolling through the forum, her curiosity piqued by the cryptic thread titles.

【Guide for the Morgue】 

Confused, she clicked on the post and read a first-person account of someone's encounter with ghosts in a morgue and how they managed to escape.

It was a ghost story!

Already having trouble sleeping, Yu Xiao became even more awake. She scrolled further and found more posts related to ghosts, including one that listed various types of ghosts, their names, abilities, and even illustrations.

This wasn't a patient forum; it was a forum for ghost stories!

Suddenly, she remembered the name "Fourth Hospital" and realised it was a psychiatric hospital in her area.

Everything made sense now. This forum was for psychiatric patients to share their ghost stories.

Intrigued, she continued reading. The patients' ghost stories were not typical spooky tales but were logically consistent, well-structured, and even had cliffhangers that kept readers engaged.

Yu Xiao was impressed with the quality of the storytelling and read through several more posts.

"Surely everyone in the mental hospital is talented!" thought Yu Xiao as she scrolled through the online forum. The responses were varied and perplexing.

【Thank you for sharing, may you have peace for the rest of your life, OP!】 wrote one user.

【How many health points did you gain from this level, OP?】 questioned another.

【Wuwuwu... If only I had seen OP's post earlier, then there wouldn't be only me left alive in the ward.】

Yu Xiao couldn't understand the meaning of these replies. She wondered if it was her inability to keep up with the thoughts of mentally ill people.

But then she stumbled upon a post that promised to teach readers how to become a master of talismans. 

Excitedly, she clicked on it, only to realise the discussion was about a game. The original poster recommended making talismans using cinnabar and yellow paper instead of buying them from the mall. By making them yourself, you can have as many talismans as you want, which can significantly increase your survival rate in the game.

【OP is really talking nonsense. Can everyone learn to draw talismans?】 asked one user.

【I want to know what OP's success rate is,】 commented another.

【Where's the savings? Yellow paper and cinnabar are also expensive, you know?】 

【Don't listen to them, OP. I want to learn!】 declared yet another.

【...】  

Below was a picture of a yellow paper with red lines, a complex pattern of red lines covering the entire long sheet, making it look quite mysterious to Yu Xiao.

【The Thunder Striking Ghost Repelling Talisman 运雷打祟符 (a talisman for warding off evil spirits and summoning thunder) 】

The explanation for drawing the talisman followed, providing details on where to start and end each stroke and what to pay attention to during the process. The instructions were very thorough.

Lastly, the poster claimed that the success rate of drawing this talisman was only 20%, which surprised Yu Xiao as the author seemed to consider it relatively high.

Yu Xiao, an art student, found the patterns and lines of the talisman quite aesthetically pleasing, regardless of their authenticity.

As she continued scrolling down the forum post, she became increasingly interested in the various strange symbols and talismans. Since she had nothing else to do while in the hospital, she searched for yellow paper and cinnabar on a popular shopping website. She found a whole set of relatively inexpensive tools for drawing talismans and ordered them. Three days later, the package arrived.

Following the author's instructions to dissolve the cinnabar with alcohol, Yu Xiao brought the materials back to her hospital ward and neatly set up everything on her bedside table. She then sat on her bed and stared into space.

Curiously, Zhou Xiao Zhen picked up one of the yellow papers that had been cut and asked, "Are you really going to draw talismans? Like the ones in those 'Liaozhai Zhiyi' stories, to stick on ghosts?"

(TN: "Liaozhai Zhiyi" is a famous collection of supernatural stories written by Pu Songling in the Qing Dynasty. In the book, there are many stories about ghosts and spirits, and some involve the use of talismans or magical spells to control or communicate with them.)

"Yes," Yu Xiao replied seriously, teasingly adding, "Did you know that there is a ghost in our ward? I noticed her the moment I moved in. She is a female ghost who wanders around our beds every night. In order to prevent her from harming all of you, I must reveal my identity."

Zhou Xiao Zhen stared at Yu Xiao in bewilderment and asked, "What identity?"

With her hands pressed together, Yu Xiao said, "Amitabha Buddha, I am Yu Xiao, the 250th generation descendant of Dragon and Tiger Mountain."

"..."

Zhou Xiao Zhen was taken aback by her words. "Really?" she exclaimed.

"Pfft!" Zhao Lan, who had been quietly receiving her intravenous drip, chuckled weakly and tenderly. "Precious (Xiao Zhen), can't you see that Smiley is joking?"

"Haha, I knew it all along," Zhou Xiao Zhen's face turned red as she tried to save face. "I was just teasing her because she always looks so bored."

Zhao Lan turned toward Yu Xiao and asked, "Smiley, I remember you were a fine arts student. Why did you suddenly start drawing charms?"

"Just looking for something to do when I'm bored," Yu Xiao dipped her pen into cinnabar ink and sat up straight. "Don't disturb me, I'm going to draw a charm."

The Thunder Striking Ghost Repelling Charm was the only one she could remember how to draw because all the other talismans were too complicated for her to remember. Following the instructions from the post on the forum, she tried to clear her mind and focused on the charm. Her mind was now as still as a calm lake.

Next, she needed to pay homage to the gods, so she searched for an image of a god on her phone and worshipped it by bowing three times to the phone.

"It's done, it's done," Zhou Xiao Zhen muttered, watching Yu Xiao at work. "The doctor said that the tumour in her brain might affect her thinking, and now it looks like her mind has been affected."

Zhao Lan sighed, "Poor Smiley."

Yu Xiao opened her eyes, holding her pen in her right hand and lightly brushing red lines on the yellow paper.

"Knock, knock, knock."

The quiet room was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Yu Xiao was wholly focused on her task and wasn't disturbed. Zhou Xiao Zhen wondered who could be so polite as to knock when entering a multi-person ward and said, "Come in!"

However, there was no sound outside, nor did anyone push open the door.

"Knock, knock, knock."

The knocking resumed, and Zhou Xiao Zhen impatiently said, "The door isn't locked, come in!"

"Hee hee hee..."

☆ 2 The game is on

"Who knocks on the door and laughs outside instead of coming in like an idiot?" Zhao Lan, who was still receiving an IV drip and unable to move, was irritated by the knocking and laughter outside. "Precious, could you please go and see what's happening?"

(The phrase "敲门不进" ("When opportunity knocks, but one doesn't take it" or “Knocking on the door but not coming in) is a common idiom in Chinese, meaning “someone missing an opportunity or failing to take advantage of a chance presented to them” or  “someone who teases or provokes without actually following through”.)

Annoyed, Zhou Xiao Zhen got out of bed without bothering to put on her hat, revealing her shiny bald head, and walked towards the door. Just as she was about to open it, she heard a strange sound outside, as if someone was scratching the door with their fingernails.

Zhou Xiao Zhen's hand froze on the doorknob. Something was not right. Could there be crazy people in the hospital? This was the tumour surgery department, not a psychiatric ward. The hospital staff wouldn't play such pranks.

The scratching sound continued, and Zhou Xiao Zhen instinctively lowered her head, only to see a black piece of paper being pushed through the gap in the door. It appeared to be some kind of leaflet.

Someone was distributing leaflets in the hospital?

Yu Xiao breathed a sigh of relief as she looked at the talisman she had just drawn. The person who taught her how to draw the talisman in the forum had said that a successful talisman would emit a faint glow on the paper when finished. She examined the paper closely, but there was nothing there. It was probably a lie.

She rubbed her tired eyes. Due to the tumour, she had developed intermittent hearing loss. The doctor had warned her that if she didn't receive effective treatment, the tumour could eventually affect her optic nerve.

Lately, her eyes had been easily fatigued. She wondered if it was due to the tumour.

Stretching lazily, she noticed Zhou Xiao Zhen standing at the door with her back turned to them.

"Precious," Yu Xiao asked, "what are you doing over there?"

Zhao Lan, who was lying down, said, "Someone knocked on the door and laughed outside just now. Precious went to see."

"Look, ladies," Zhou Xiao Zhen turned around and held up the black paper in her hand. "The person we just saw seemed to be handing out flyers."

"Really?" Yu Xiao had never heard of anyone distributing flyers in a hospital ward before, so she asked, "What kind of flyers?"

Zhou Xiao Zhen flipped over the flyer and said, "Let me see... Congratulations on being selected, and welcome to the Hospital Survival Game."

Upon reading that, she couldn't help but exclaim, "What the heck is this?"

Zhao Lan coughed and asked, "Is it some kind of coupon?"

"Doesn't look like it... let me keep reading." Zhou Xiao Zhen continued, "Your ward has been chosen by the Sixth Hospital. Please follow the hospital regulations and cooperate actively with the treatment. Please handle doctor-patient relationships properly..."

"Is there more?" Yu Xiao asked.

"There's one more sentence," Zhou Xiao Zhen said, "Wishing all patients a speedy recovery and early discharge, yo~"

Yu Xiao burst into laughter immediately. "Why are you trying to be cute?" she asked.

"I'm not trying to be cute," Zhou Xiao Zhen said as she handed Yu Xiao the flyer. "It's written like this."

Yu Xiao took the flyer and noticed that the last word in the last line was indeed "yo," with a wavy line following it.

"Is this a flyer from the hospital?" Zhao Lan asked from her bed. "Isn't this the People's Hospital? Why is it changed to the Sixth Hospital?"

As Yu Xiao looked at the black and white flyer, she felt that something was off.

"Welcome to the Hospital Survival Game..."

The Hospital Survival Game sounded like an advertisement for some sort of haunted house. For some reason, she thought of the Fourth Hospital's patient forum, but this one was for the Sixth Hospital.

"I don't know," Zhou Xiao Zhen said. "I'll go to the nurse's station and ask."

As Yu Xiao pondered the potential connection between the Sixth Hospital and the forum, a sudden scream made her jump. She looked up to see Zhou Xiao Zhen standing at the door of the ward, the darkness outside enveloping her as she let out a piercing shriek.

Zhao Lan, struggling to sit up, asked, "What's happening?"

Shaking all over, Zhou Xiao Zhen pointed outside and stammered, "What... what's going on?"

Yu Xiao got off her bed and walked slowly towards the door, mindful of the doctor's advice not to engage in any strenuous activity. Even walking needed to be done slowly.

When she reached the door, she finally understood why Zhou Xiao Zhen had screamed. The hallway outside the ward, usually lit up 24/7, was now pitch black - not the kind of darkness that comes with night, but a thick, inky blackness that seemed to be hiding something ominous.

Despite not being able to see anything, they had a feeling that something terrible was lurking out there, just waiting to pounce on them.

After thinking for a moment, Yu Xiao said seriously, "Has the tumour finally started affecting my optic nerve?"

"No... no, look!" Zhou Xiao Zhen pulled at Yu Xiao's sleeve, still shaking, and pointed downwards.

Yu Xiao followed her gaze and saw that the ground outside the door was also shrouded in darkness. But there was a red blotch spreading towards them from a place they couldn't see, like a pool of flowing blood.

The two of them stared intently at the growing blotch of red while Zhao Lan, on the bed, grew increasingly agitated. "What are you seeing? Why is it so dark outside? Has the light gone out?"

Just then, a pale, swollen hand with black nail polish appeared at the door. Zhou Xiao Zhen let out another terrified scream, "Ahh!"

With a swing of her hand, Yu Xiao slammed the door shut with a loud "bang."

Little did she know that a hand obstructed the door, preventing it from closing properly and causing it to bounce back, widening the opening even more.

Zhou Xiao Zhen screamed once again, "Ah!!!"

Yu Xiao closed the door once more, forcefully slamming it shut. Four pallid fingers were caught in the door, writhing and twisting, while the black nails scratched against the wood, emitting a grating noise.

"What the blazes is this thing?" Zhou Xiao Zhen panicked and started jumping up and down. "It's coming in!"

"Thud!"

"Thud thud..."

Something outside was pounding relentlessly on the door, causing Yu Xiao's entire body to press against it and bounce up and down from the impact.

"Quick, lock the door!" urged Zhou Xiao Zhen. "Lock the door now!"

Yu Xiao's face turned crimson as she replied, "Those fingers are trapped, I can't close it!"

At this point, Zhou Xiao Zhen was too frightened to care. She lifted her foot and kicked the four fingers, delivering eight consecutive blows. However, as a cancer patient, she was too feeble to continue. Gasping for breath, she leaned against the door and said, "It's no use... this thing is too stubborn. Even if I twist the fingers into knots, it won't give up."

Yu Xiao lowered her head and observed the four fingers, now dirty and twisted into a strange shape, trembling.

"Whimper~..."

A strange noise came from outside the door. Yu Xiao pressed her ear against the door and listened. It sounded like a woman's shrill scream. Despite the pain, Yu Xiao refused to let go. She gritted her teeth and said, "I'll hold it back. There's a knife in the bedside drawer. Go get it and cut off the fingers."

"Ah?" Zhou Xiao Zhen looked at her in shock, thinking to herself, 'I didn't expect this. My soft-spoken and gentle sister is actually tough.'

She gritted her teeth and said, "I'll go get it."

As soon as she finished speaking, the hand stuck in the door suddenly pulled back, causing the door to slam shut with a loud "bang." 

Yu Xiao quickly locked the door.

By now, Yu Xiao's back was drenched in cold sweat.

"What's happening?" Zhao Lan trembled as she got out of bed. She couldn't walk far because she still had an IV in her arm. "What are you talking about? Whose fingers do you want to cut off?"

Yu Xiao and Zhou Xiao Zhen stood side by side at the door, frozen as if being punished. After a moment, Yu Xiao asked, "I'm not sure if my tumour has affected my optic nerve, but I just saw a hand stuck in the door. Did you see it too?"

Zhou Xiao Zhen vigorously nodded, "Of course I saw it!"

"Oh," Yu Xiao suddenly chuckled, "then it must be my tumour affecting my thinking. I must be going crazy, hehehe..."

"You need to snap out of it!" Zhou Xiao Zhen grabbed Yu Xiao's shoulder and shook her vigorously. "You're not crazy, and you're not hallucinating. There really is a ghost hand!"

"What? What ghost hand?" Zhao Lan was completely bewildered.

"It's haunted, Misty!" Zhou Xiao Zhen dragged Yu Xiao away from the door. "There's a ghost outside! What do we do? Will the ghost come in..."

Zhao Lan was completely at a loss. "Don't get so excited. What did you two really see? Oh my, Smiley, you tell me. Is there really a ghost outside?"

As soon as the words were spoken, the ceiling lamp flickered, plunging the entire ward into darkness.

"Aaaaahhhhh~!"

A deafening scream reverberated in Yu Xiao's ears, causing her head to buzz and almost rendering her deaf. Suddenly, a pair of icy hands climbed up her neck, and she felt someone clinging onto her body.

Initially, Yu Xiao thought it was Zhou Xiao Zhen, who was scared and had thrown herself onto her. She reached out and embraced the person, using her other hand to grip the edge of the bed to prevent herself from falling.

"Precious, don't be afraid," Yu Xiao tried to keep her voice steady. "Don't hold onto me too tightly, or I might lose my balance."

But just as she finished speaking, she heard Zhou Xiao Zhen's trembling voice from behind her: "I... I'm not hugging you."

Yu Xiao immediately stiffened. If Zhou Xiao Zhen was behind her, then who was hanging onto her?

"Ten."

"Nine."

A woman's voice whispered slowly into her ear.

"Eight."

"Seven."

"Wu wu wu~..." Zhou Xiao Zhen cried out in fear. "Who's counting down?"

"Five."

"..."

"Two."

"One."

"Hehe...let's begin."

With a sharp electric sound, the lamp flickered before illuminating the room.

Yu Xiao instinctively closed her eyes, feeling something brush past her. Finally, a sense of relief washed over her. Reluctantly adjusting to the sudden brightness, she saw Zhao Lan squatting by the bed, while Zhou Xiao Zhen lay curled up under the quilt.

It wasn't Zhou Xiao Zhen who had been clinging onto her just now.

"What was that voice just now?" Zhao Lan stood up, leaning on the bed. "What's happening?"

Yu Xiao paused, then turned around and picked up the black flyer that Zhou Xiao Zhen had dropped on the ground. Everything suddenly made sense. 

The Fourth Hospital patient communication forum wasn't for mental patients; they had unintentionally stumbled upon a cruel and mysterious game.

☆ 3 Would you like some braised human ribs?

With a wry smile, Yu Xiao raised her head and offered, "I have both good news and bad news for you. Which one would you like to hear first?"

Without hesitation, Zhou Xiao Zhen firmly replied, "Let's hear the bad news first!"

Curious, Zhao Lan couldn't help but ask, "May I ask why?"

Zhou Xiao Zhen wrapped her blanket around herself and explained, "I like to eat sweet candy after taking bitter medicine."

"..." Yu Xiao's mouth twitched. She hesitated before revealing, "The bad news is that there are actually ghosts outside."

Before Zhao Lan could express her shock, Zhou Xiao Zhen burst into tears. Tears and snot ran down her face as she cried, "I knew our condition couldn't be cured. Now the ghosts have come to take us away. Whimper..."

Her weeping made the other two feel uneasy and unsure of how to comfort her. Zhao Lan tried to console her, "Smiley, what's the good news?"

Holding a pamphlet, Yu Xiao gazed at them and said, "The good news is that I know why there are ghosts."

Zhao Lan and Zhou Xiao Zhen were left stunned. After a moment, Zhou Xiao Zhen, with red eyes, asked, "Is it because of the King of Hell?"

Yu Xiao shook her head and replied, "No, it's not." She was about to explain what she knew when she noticed Zhao Lan's face light up with anticipation.

Zhao Lan looked at her and asked, "Are you really the 250th generation disciple of Maoshan (a Taoist school in China)?"

"....No," Yu Xiao was completely speechless. She reached for her phone on the nearby table and continued, "This all started three days ago when I couldn't sleep and was playing with my phone. Suddenly, my phone automatically downloaded a forum..."

She accessed the forum for patients at Fourth Hospital to exchange ideas and shared everything she knew with them. She concluded, "At first, I thought it was a forum for patients with mental illnesses, but it seems that's not the case. They must be like us, suddenly thrown into Fourth Hospital and dealing with ghosts every day."

The three individuals in the ward were young and had diverse interests in novels, animations, and films, making them open-minded about various topics. They quickly acknowledged this fact, and then Zhao Lan raised a concern, "However, this is the Fourth Hospital forum, and we are in the Sixth Hospital."

Zhou Xiao Zhen replied, "What's so strange about that? The Fourth and Fifth Hospitals must have been full, so it's our turn in the Sixth Hospital."

This reasoning seemed convincing, prompting Zhao Lan to ask, "Does that mean there are forums for the First, Second, and Third Hospitals as well?"

"It's highly likely," Yu Xiao smiled as she scrolled through the forum. There were numerous posts, and the post about drawing talismans was a popular topic consistently at the top.

She tried to create a thread and ask about the situation, but couldn't post because the forum indicated that she wasn't logged in. So, she attempted to register, but the system informed her that she couldn't register because she wasn't in the service area.

The three of them looked at her phones in astonishment. Zhao Lan, who was socially experienced, suggested, "Maybe we can't register because we're from Sixth Hospital?"

Zhou Xiao Zhen added, "That means there's probably a forum for patients at Sixth Hospital."

"Uh-huh," Yu Xiao nodded and asked, "Has anyone received any notifications on their phone?"

None of their phones showed any activity. 

Yu Xiao thought it was unfair for Fourth Hospital to have a forum while Sixth Hospital had none. It was clearly discriminatory.

While contemplating, Zhou Xiao Zhen suddenly pointed to a black flyer in the corner and said, "Hey, look over there. There's a QR code."

Yu Xiao leaned in closer and, to her surprise, she discovered a small QR code. She scanned it with her phone and sarcastically commented, "It's as if they were afraid we would notice it."

A message popped up that said, 【Do you want to download the forum for the Sixth Hospital patients' exchange? Y/N】

Just as they suspected!

The three of them proceeded to download the forum. To their surprise, the Sixth Hospital forum was quite empty, with only one post from an administrator outlining the forum rules.

Zhao Lan concluded, "This means the Sixth Hospital must have recently opened. We're among the first patients here."

"Oh-ho-ho~..." Zhou Xiao Zhen chuckled, "I suddenly feel a little proud."

"...," Yu Xiao stared at her, at a loss for words. She had reached the final step of the registration process, which required her to choose a nickname.

After considering ideas for a nickname, Yu Xiao thought for a moment before entering the name 【Warrior of Light】. However, the system quickly responded with the message:  

【Sorry, the nickname you entered already exists.】

Determined to find a unique name, Yu Xiao tried two more names, 【Pretty Soldier】 and 【Sixth Hospital Director】, only to receive the same response from the system.

Becoming increasingly frustrated with the uncooperative system, Yu Xiao decided to try entering a random name. To her surprise, they received a congratulatory message that said: 

【Congratulations, user 'Deaf Descendant'! (聋的传人) You have successfully registered.】

(TN: a play on words, as the phrase for "deaf" and "dragon" sound similar in Chinese)

Feeling disheartened by her own experience, Yu Xiao turned to the others and asked how they were doing. 

Zhou Xiao Zhen responded with a serious expression, "Not yet. It keeps telling me that the nickname I entered already exists."

Zhao Lan chimed in, "I haven't either. Since the Sixth Hospital recently opened, it's improbable to have such a large number of registered users. It appears that all the hospitals share a common set of nicknames, and we can only choose from the remaining ones from the first five hospitals."

After some time, the trio finally managed to register. Zhou Xiao Zhen's nickname became 【Braised Egg Girl 438】(卤蛋少女438), and Zhao Lan's was 【Nickname Hassle】(昵称好难). 

(“卤蛋" literally means "braised egg" and is a slang term for someone who is a bit of a goofball)

When they saw each other's nicknames, they both felt relieved to realise that they were not the only ones with bad nicknames.

"I'll make a post asking about the situation," Zhao Lan said, starting to create a new post. And then...

"I found a problem," Yu Xiao announced to the other two, who were busy scouring the forums with their heads together.

Without looking up, they asked, "What problem?"

"Isn't this game supposed to be about surviving in a hospital?" Yu Xiao questioned.

"Of course," Zhou Xiao Zhen confirmed, "It's clearly advertised as a hospital survival game."

"In that case," Yu Xiao stated, "what is the most important factor for survival?"

"Staying alive," Zhou Xiao Zhen replied matter-of-factly. "You have to evade the ghosts and stay alive."

"No, that's essentially an escape game," Yu Xiao said, holding a cup in one hand. "But isn't staying alive the most crucial element of survival? And when it comes to staying alive, isn't eating the most important thing?"

Zhao Lan, who had been browsing the forum, was jolted by her words and looked up. "You're right. What about our dinner?"

Typically, family members could bring or buy food, caregivers could arrange it, or hospital canteen staff could sell food from carts. However, their current situation presented a problem: family members and caregivers were not allowed to enter. As for buying food from the canteen...

"Will there still be people selling food?" Zhou Xiao Zhen asked anxiously. "There are ghosts outside."

As soon as she spoke, a familiar sound echoed from outside - the sound of a cart wheel rolling down the hallway. The three companions exchanged glances, and Zhao Lan's face turned pale as she suggested, "Why don't we skip dinner tonight? Missing one meal won't harm us."

As the weakest among them, if Zhao Lan could afford to skip a meal, then her companions could too. They weren't sure if the person pushing the cart outside was a human or a ghost, so it was best not to take any risks.

However, Yu Xiao raised a concern, holding a flyer in her hand. "According to this flyer, we are required to follow hospital regulations and cooperate with treatment. Wouldn't not eating be considered a violation of the rules?"

Zhao Lan responded calmly, "At the very least, it wouldn't be cooperating with treatment."

Zhou Xiao Zhen then got out of bed, opened her cabinet, and pulled out a bulging pink backpack. With a mysterious look on her face, she placed it on the bed, unzipped it, and proudly announced, "I have food."

Yu Xiao and Zhao Lan leaned in to get a closer look. They saw several bags of chips, spicy sticks, and carbonated drinks.

"..."

As Yu Xiao saw the colourful array of junk food, her appetite suddenly woke up. She reached for a bag of spicy sticks, causing Zhao Lan to look at her with a hint of concern. "What if eating junk food is seen as not actively cooperating with the treatment?" she asked.

"..."

Yu Xiao paused, thinking about the possible consequences. "What do you suggest then?" she reluctantly responded, putting the spicy sticks back down. "Should we go and buy some food? But what if the person pushing the cart is a ghost?"

"I've already considered that," reassured Zhao Lan. "Based on the information I read on the Fourth Hospital forum, they've been surviving in the game for a while. Even with a large stockpile, they would have depleted their supplies by now, so they must have a fixed source for replenishing their stocks."

The three of them turned towards the door. If there was a fixed source of food in the hospital, it was likely to be the food cart from the cafeteria.

Yu Xiao approached the door, pressing her ear against it to listen for any sounds outside. Meanwhile, Zhao Lan and Zhou Xiao Zhen leaned in to listen as well.

For a brief moment, the sound of the cart could be heard from outside, until it abruptly ceased. The three individuals exchanged perplexed looks when, out of nowhere, a voice spoke as if the speaker was standing right by the door.

"Would you like some braised human ribs?"

☆ 4  All the patients are brave

"..."

The hospital room was enveloped in an eerie silence, and Zhou Xiao Zhen couldn't hold back her tears as she covered her mouth.

"Why are you crying?" scolded Yu Xiao, before turning towards the door and saying, "Thank you, but no thank you."

There was a moment of silence outside, followed by a voice that said, "Are you sure? I have a variety of delectable dishes here: braised liar's tongue, boneless children's feet, cold mixed shredded widow..."

With each dish mentioned, the faces of the three individuals in the hospital room turned pale, and Zhao Lan couldn't bear it any longer as she exclaimed, "No, no, please leave immediately!"

"What a pity, so much mouthwatering food," the voice outside lamented while loudly salivating, "Hehe~ The only ones not eating here is the food."

"..."

The sound of a cart being pushed outside resumed, causing Yu Xiao and the other two to exchange glances.

Zhou Xiao Zhen, who was timid, observed the serious expressions on her two fellow hospital sisters' faces and cautiously inquired, "What did those words mean?"

Yu Xiao turned her gaze towards Zhou Xiao Zhen and gently reached out to touch her head, which was full with prickly little hairs. Affectionately, she remarked, "You're still in high school, aren't you? Your reading comprehension needs improvement."

Zhou Xiao Zhen pouted and felt the urge to cry again, but Zhao Lan intervened by pushing away Yu Xiao's hand and admonishing, "What are you doing? Don't tease Precious."

'Zhao Lan is always the best!' Zhou Xiao Zhen gazed at Zhao Lan in awe as she gently explained, "It means that those who do not eat will be eaten by ghosts."

"..."

"Waaah~..."

"Shh." Yu Xiao pressed a finger against her lips, signalling for both of them to stay silent. "Here they come again."

The sound of the cart being pushed outside grew louder and louder. Zhou Xiao Zhen's face was soaked with tears as she glanced at Zhao Lan.

Zhao Lan suddenly felt a sense of responsibility as the eldest sister. She reached out and comforted the younger girl, saying, "Don't be afraid. At least now we know how to differentiate between a person and a ghost outside."

After speaking, she leaned against the door, straining to listen to the sounds outside.

The noise of the cart quickly faded away, and a rather pleasant male voice spoke softly, "Would you like to buy some food?"

Zhou Xiao Zhen's face brightened. "The voice sounds so nice. It must be a human, right?"

Zhao Lan motioned for her to be quiet, then inquired of the person at the door, "What dishes do you have?"

The voice responded, "We have steamed eggs, shredded potatoes, braised chicken, stir-fried cabbage, and egg drop soup with seaweed..."

"All of these dishes are for humans!" Zhou Xiao Zhen exclaimed excitedly. "We should definitely order something!"

Zhao Lan furrowed her eyebrows briefly, but then relaxed. There was nothing suspicious about the delivery person this time.

"Alright," the person outside responded. "What dishes would you like?"

"I'm actually quite hungry. I think I'll order the braised chicken," Zhou Xiao Zhen suggested, seeking their opinions. "I'm craving some meat."

Zhao Lan leaned against the door, a smile appearing on her pale face. "I don't have much of an appetite, so I'll just have the steamed eggs. Smiley, what would you like to eat?"

Yu Xiao coughed softly, feeling exhausted and lacking appetite. She simply wanted something to go with rice. She inquired, "What flavour is the shredded potato?"

There was a brief silence outside, before a voice replied, "It's salty."

Although Yu Xiao initially wanted to order spicy and sour shredded potato, she also enjoyed the regular version. Hence, she decided, "In that case, I'll have an order of shredded potato."

The three of them placed their orders, and the sound of food being packed into containers could be heard from outside. Shortly after, a gentle knock on the door followed. "Alright, open the door to receive your food."

Zhao Lan took a step back, and Zhou Xiao Zhen unlocked the door. Just as she was about to open it, there was a click. Yu Xiao grabbed Zhou Xiao Zhen's hand and locked the door with her other hand..

Zhou Xiao Zhen: "?"

Yu Xiao asked from outside, "Are you Lil' Chen (陈: "to lay out" or "to display"), right? Usually, you and your mother deliver the food together. Why are you alone today?"

"My mother is sick," the same low but pleasant voice said. "So I came by myself."

After a moment of silence, Zhou Xiao Zhen asked, "Is the tanned Uncle who sells food every day called Lil' Chen?"

Yu Xiao appeared frightened and responded, "I don't know."

"Oh dear, we've been discovered!" The voice from outside suddenly grew louder. "Open the door!"

The door was forcefully struck, producing a jarring noise.

"Ah!!" Zhou Xiao Zhen trembled, and Yu Xiao promptly rescued the door.

"I nearly let him in just now. I almost killed you all..." Zhou Xiao Zhen's complexion turned pale.

Bang! The door continued to be pounded.

Just when Yu Xiao was feeling lost, Zhou Xiao Zhen suddenly stood up straight and slapped the door with her palm, creating a loud bang.

With shocked expressions, Yu Xiao and Zhao Lan watched as she yelled, "Why are you making noise? You dead thing! If you dare to hit the door again, I'll fight you! I haven't taken a shit in five days, you dare to mess with me, I'll make you eat a shit biscuit... "

Ever since entering this dreadful game, Zhou Xiao Zhen had been living in constant fear. Now, she let out a stream of insults, finally finding some relief. After finishing her outburst, she listened for any sounds outside and realised it had gone quiet. Whatever had been hitting the door seemed to have vanished.

"Phew, finally gone," Zhou Xiao Zhen exclaimed in relief as she wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. She then turned to see Zhao Lan and Yu Xiao, but noticed their peculiar expressions. "Misty, I... huh? Why are you both giving me that look?"

"..."

Zhao Lan remained silent, leaving Zhou Xiao Zhen puzzled.

"Very good," Yu Xiao praised, giving Zhou Xiao Zhen a pat on the shoulder. "Keep up this momentum."

Blushing, Zhou Xiao Zhen shyly admitted, "Actually, I'm not usually like this."

"We know," Zhao Lan smiled at her and then pressed her ear against the door. She turned to Yu Xiao and said, "It was really dangerous just now. Thankfully, you were alert. What should we do now? Even ghosts can pretend to be regular food delivery guys."

"I'm considering," Yu Xiao furrowed her brow. 

Her biggest concern at the moment was the difficulty of distinguishing between the real food delivery guys and the imposters. She was also worried about how frequently the food deliveries would occur. If they missed the genuine delivery person, they would go hungry. Based on their speculation, if the patients didn't eat, they would become food for the ghosts.

There was no time for deep contemplation, as the sound of a cart could be heard outside.

"Do you want to buy food?"

Yu Xiao decided to alter her strategy and responded, "Yes, we would like to buy some food, but we are unsure of the best options here. By the way, what is your favourite dish? Could you recommend something to us?"

"Ah..." it seemed as though the person outside was thinking or reminiscing. "Without a doubt, it would be the barbecue cheater's heart."

Yu Xiao shut her eyes and replied with a cold tone, "Move along, next one!"

...

"Wanna buy food?"

"Buy." 

Yu Xiao asked, "Recommend me your favourite dish."

"Sour and spicy fish."

Hmm? The three of them exchanged glances, puzzled. Zhou Xiao Zhen whispered, "Could this person be the real delivery guy?"

"Perhaps," Zhao Lan said. "Let's give it another try."

Zhou Xiao Zhen cleared her throat and said, "Are you Lil' Chen? You used to come with your mom to deliver food, but today you're alone?"

The person outside seemed to be in a bad mood. "I'm not named Chen. My mom passed away years ago. I've been delivering food by myself for many years!"

The three of them were delighted to hear this response. Zhao Lan asked, "So, what dishes do you have?"

"I have radish soup, shredded potatoes, steamed eggs, and celery and pork stir-fry..."

"The dishes appear to be normal," Zhao Lan carefully considered and found no issues. "I do recall that the delivery uncle who comes every day has a bad temper."

"Are you sure?" Zhou Xiao Zhen placed her hand on the doorknob. "Alright, let's place the order then."

At this point, they didn't really care about what to eat. They were not picky anymore. 

Just as they were about to order, Yu Xiao suddenly remarked, "The cafeteria food tastes really good. By the way, what other ingredients do they use besides salt, soy sauce, human brains, and MSG?"

"Huh?" The person outside seemed incredibly perplexed. "Just adding human brains is enough to make it delicious. Do I need to add anything else?"

"..."

Zhou Xiao Zhen, feeling exhausted, suggested, "Should we just have potato chips for dinner tonight?"

An impatient voice from outside interrupted, "Are you buying or not?"

"Get lost!!"

Yu Xiao, physically and emotionally drained, leaned against the door, her ears ringing. She weakly admitted, "I can't handle this anymore. It feels like my intermittent hearing loss is flaring up again."

"Oh no! What should we do?" Zhou Xiao Zhen looked at her with concern.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine after getting some sleep."

"No, that's not the issue," Zhou Xiao Zhen said, almost in tears. "If you can't hear, how will we be able to tell if it's a person or a ghost outside? We're stupid. Without you, what can we do?"

Veins throbbed on Zhao Lan's forehead as she held back her emotions for a moment. Finally, unable to contain herself any longer, she placed her palm on Zhou Xiao Zhen's head and gently stroked it. "Your little head is so beautiful and you speak so well."

"What?" Yu Xiao looked at the two of them in confusion, unable to hear their conversation. "What are you talking about?"

"It's over! She can't hear us," Zhou Xiao Zhen suddenly felt hopeless about life. Then, she turned to Zhao Lan and said with determination, "Misty, if the ghost comes in, let me be the first to die. As a ghost, I will protect all of you."

Faced with this serious request, Zhao Lan didn't know how to respond. Fortunately, the sound of a cart outside the door saved her.

Yu Xiao regretted accepting the nickname 'Deaf Descendant'. She didn't expect that she really wouldn't be able to hear at this critical moment. The two in front of her were moving their mouths, but her world remained silent.

"Do you want to buy some food?" a seemingly ordinary male voice asked.

Zhou Xiao Zhen looked at Yu Xiao seeking reassurance before responding, "The food in the cafeteria is really good. By the way, besides salt, soy sauce, MSG, and human brains, what other seasonings does your cafeteria use?"

There was silence outside the door.

Zhao Lan let out a sigh of relief, thinking it was just another ghost.

However, the person outside the door grew angry. "Are you nuts? Who eats human brains? I don't have time to waste with you..."

With that, the sound of the cart slowly faded away from their ward.

Zhao Lan's mind exploded. She impulsively slapped the door and yelled, "Wait! We were just joking. Please come back! If you don't, we'll starve!"

Yu Xiao, standing beside them, grew concerned. She observed the sudden outburst from both of them, banging on the door and shouting at something outside. She recalled Zhou Xiao Zhen's earlier display of shooting outside and felt reassured. Despite their lack of survival skills in their ward, their mouth’s offensive power was formidable.

As they continued to curse vehemently at the door, it looked like they were determined to forcefully open the door and confront the person on the other side.

☆ 5  The ghost comes in during ward rounds

After a brief moment, Zhou Xiao Zhen tapped her phone and handed it to Yu Xiao. The note displayed on the screen said, "Smiley, we've decided to open the door."

Yu Xiao glanced at them, and they returned her gaze. Their worried expressions and tight lips revealed their anxiety. Yu Xiao's smile remained unwavering and determined. "Go ahead, I trust you."

Zhou Xiao Zhen's eyes welled up with tears as she thanked Yu Xiao profusely. "I'm grateful to have met you and become friends. Even if opening the door leads to our deaths, I would accept it. I have no regrets if I can face death with you."

With these words, she placed her hand and took a deep breath. As she turned it to open, she stole a last deep look at her two cherished friends. 

...Zhao Lan who stood behind the bed, wearing a slightly awkward expression. And then she glanced at Yu Xiao, who stood farther away next to the bathroom, clutching the talisman paper she had drawn, her eyes closed as she whispered incantations.

"Why are you standing so far away?!" Zhou Xiao Zhen felt betrayed.

Zhao Lan forced a laugh, saying, "It's crowded when there are too many people."

"No!" Zhou Xiao Zhen's emotions dampened, and she grabbed Zhao Lan's hand. "Come over here and open the door with us, and Smiley, come over here too."

"Smiley can't hear..." Zhao Lan said.

"I'll go get her," Zhou Xiao Zhen replied.

The three young women squeezed behind the door, and Yu Xiao looked troubled. 

Despite being diagnosed with a terminal illness, she hadn't reached the stage of accepting her fate. She could only pray that her ancestors would protect her and that the person outside was a genuine delivery person. However, she soon realised that if her ancestors truly had the power to intervene, she wouldn't have developed a terminal illness at such a young age. Her distressed expression deepened.

Zhou Xiao Zhen and Zhao Lan opened the door together. The wooden door, with its natural colour, creaked open slightly. The thick, fog-like darkness tried to rush in, but it seemed to be blocked by an invisible barrier.

Although Yu Xiao couldn't hear anything, she could feel the coldness and malevolence.

The three of them stared at the crack, their nerves on edge, forgetting to even breathe.

Suddenly, the door shook slightly, as if someone outside was touching it. Zhou Xiao Zhen's body went limp and she leaned against Zhao Lan, who was weak and unable to support her weight. Zhao Lan then leaned on Yu Xiao. Despite struggling, Yu Xiao clenched her teeth and silently braced herself against the wall.

Under the gaze of the six pairs of eyes, a white object approached the crack in the door. The object was so white that most of it was hidden in the darkness, making it impossible to discern its specific shape through the crack. Then, the object got stuck, as the crack was too narrow.

As the three of them contemplated whether to lock the door again, a pale, emaciated hand resembling that of a corpse suddenly thrust itself into the crack.

"Ah!" Zhou Xiao Zhen let out a brief and urgent scream, raising her leg to kick the hand. Just at that crucial moment, a calm voice from outside the door interrupted, "Don't move. I'm here to deliver food."

Zhou Xiao Zhen's leg remained suspended in the air. The hand swiftly widened the crack and inserted a bulging white plastic bag. The shape of the bag indicated that it contained multiple boxes, and a faint aroma of food wafted out.

Overwhelmed with joy, Zhou Xiao Zhen burst into tears. "It's really food!"

Zhao Lan, consumed by excitement, tightly grasped Zhou Xiao Zhen's hand. "We did it!"

Though Yu Xiao couldn't hear, she could sense their elation. She patted the arms of the two women and pointed at the crack. "The hand is still there."

Their happiness quickly disappeared when they noticed that the hand of the dead body was still in the room, protruding through the crack with its palm facing upwards. 

"We have received the food," Zhao Lan said cautiously. "You can go now." 

There was silence on the other side of the door, and Zhou Xiao Zhen raised her leg once more. Yu Xiao turned around and got ready to fetch a knife from the drawer. 

Just as the tension in the room became unbearable, an impatient voice came from outside, "What about the money? You haven't paid yet!"

"......"

The room fell silent once again. 

Zhao Lan hesitated before speaking up, "We don't have any cash. Can we use Alipay?"

In the darkness, the corpse's hand retreated for a moment and then emerged again, this time holding a QR code.

When Yu Xiao returned with the knife, she found Zhao Lan squatting on the floor, scanning the code with her phone.

After paying the bill, Zhou Xiao Zhen quickly locked the door as soon as the corpse's hand disappeared. Both she and Zhao Lan let out a sigh of relief. But as they turned around, they were startled to see Yu Xiao standing behind them, gripping a fruit knife that was no bigger than half her thumb.

"What are you doing with that?" Zhao Lan asked, surprised.

"She can't hear you," Zhou Xiao Zhen typed on her phone to communicate.

With no danger present, Yu Xiao smiled and explained, "I was worried there might be danger, so I grabbed a knife."

Seeing the small knife in Yu Xiao's hand, Zhou Xiao Zhen was shocked. It was too small to even cut an apple, let alone a ghost's finger. She asked incredulously, "Is this the knife you asked me to use to cut off the ghost's finger?!"

Despite the twists and turns, the food was not an issue and in fact, it was quite delicious. The three of them often had no appetite due to illness, but today they surprisingly had good appetites, mainly because of the great energy exerted.

After finishing her meal, Yu Xiao felt drowsy and lay on the bed. She held the talisman she had drawn earlier in the day. The contents of the forum for the Fourth Hospital's patients were genuine, so the seal script in the post must also be real. However, her own talisman had turned out to be a failure.

It was not surprising that she hadn't succeeded, considering that even the person who posted the tutorial had a success rate of only one in five.

Feeling extremely sleepy, Yu Xiao placed the talisman paper under her pillow and closed her eyes. She quickly fell asleep.

Meanwhile, Zhou Xiao Zhen and Zhao Lan were tidying up after the meal. Suddenly, Zhao Lan noticed a heart-shaped sticker on one of the takeout boxes. They hadn't paid much attention to it initially, as many takeout bags often had similar stickers with messages like "please give us a good rating."

But just now, Zhao Lan suddenly had a thought, "Do the delivery men from the Sixth Hospital also need good ratings?" So she examined the sticker more closely and immediately called Zhou Xiao Zhen over, saying, "Precious, come and look at this."

"Hey, what's up?" Zhou Xiao Zhen crawled off the bed and took the heart-shaped sticker from Zhao Lan's hand. After reading its message, "Remember to rest on time~ Meow~", she remarked, with a disgusted expression, "Eww, this guy is so gross."

"..."

"Is this really the main point?" Zhao Lan was on the verge of collapsing. "Why would a food vendor, who doesn't even know how to behave like a normal person, attach something like this to our food container? Could it be a kind of warning?"

Zhou Xiao Zhen realised, "You're right, what is he trying to remind us of?"

"Remember to get enough rest..." Zhao Lan pondered for a moment and suggested, "Every night, a nurse comes to check on us after we're admitted to the hospital. What if we are not asleep when she comes to inspect our ward? What would happen?"

Zhou Xiao Zhen's body hair stood on end. "Misty, stop talking! Smiley, say something. What should we do?"

As she turned around, she noticed that Yu Xiao's bed, the farthest one, remained completely still and silent. If one listened closely, the only sound audible was her calm and steady breathing .

"..."

"No wonder she's called Smiley," Zhou Xiao Zhen exclaimed in awe. "Her mental resilience is truly impressive, as tough as a cow that fell from the sky and still remains badass."

"It's great that she's like this," Zhao Lan said seriously. "We should strive to be like her and aim to sleep until dawn."

Although easier said than done.

At half-past eight, the lights in the ward suddenly went out, accompanied by a gentle tune.

A thin and sharp female voice, as if choked by someone, said, "Oh, the lights are out~ You better be a good girl and go to bed, or else you'll be eaten~ Hehehehehe..."

“……”

As Zhou Xiao Zhen lay in bed, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. It seemed that there were no young people who could fall asleep before 8 p.m. However, when she heard the deep and steady breathing coming from the bed next to hers, she couldn't help but feel envious, even to the point of tears.

Human nature often works in mysterious ways. The more we desperately cling to something, the more elusive it becomes. This was precisely the situation for both Zhao Lan and Zhou Xiao Zhen. They had been lying in bed with their eyes closed for what felt like an eternity, but sleep continued to elude them, leaving them wide awake and growing increasingly restless.

Zhao Lan had never despised herself as much as she did in that moment. She longed to knock herself out and find some reprieve from her sleeplessness.

Time passed as the hospital room remained engulfed in complete darkness. Visions of the day replayed in their minds: the darkness lurking beyond the door, the sight of blood flowing in the dimness, and the eerie hands that emerged along with the blood.

Initially, they had attempted to fall asleep by counting sheep, but their thoughts had gradually shifted to listing vegetables, and eventually, unconsciously, to imagining unsettling dishes such as braised cheater tongue, boneless children's feet, and cold shredded widows.

They now whimpered and trembled in fear, finding it even more difficult to find sleep.

"Misty..." Zhou Xiao Zhen whispered softly from the bed beside her.

Zhao Lan shifted her weight, then responded in a quiet voice, "Yes?"

"I can't sleep."

"...Me neither."

"Is it true that someone will come to check on us?" Zhou Xiao Zhen fretted, her anxiety causing breast hyperplasia. "I'm so scared."

Zhao Lan was about to say something when footsteps echoed in the hallway. The two immediately fell silent, as still as corpses.

When a person loses their sight, their other senses become heightened. In that moment, they could distinctly hear the sound of the door opening and closing, as well as the rustling of clothes.

Zhao Lan, lying in bed, made a deliberate attempt to hypnotise herself. 'You are already asleep. You are already asleep. You are dreaming now...'

Suddenly, she sensed an eerie and chilling presence drawing near from her left side. Goosebumps raced across her arm under the covers, causing a shiver to run down her spine.

In that moment, a flood of terrifying scenes from various horror movies she had watched in the past flooded her mind.

"Whoo..."

A cold wind blew on Zhao Lan's neck, sending shivers down her spine and causing goosebumps to appear all over her body. She tightly closed her eyes, remaining completely still.

"Naughty~" whispered a mischievous voice.

Zhao Lan felt a tingling sensation on her scalp. It had sensed her! It had realised that she wasn't asleep!

Fear briefly consumed her, but she soon realised the issue. If it was certain that she was still awake, why hadn't it eaten her yet?

Zhao Lan remained motionless, ignoring whatever the thing beside her bed was saying. She was resolute in her decision to pretend to be a dead pig until the very end.

However, her determination faltered in the next moment as a pair of icy hands forcefully pressed down on her and started rolling her like a rolling pin.

Zhao Lan: "~!!!"

Could it actually do that?!

She was being tossed and turned on the bed, but she was determined not to open her eyes. 'I won't open them, even if it means death!'

In the adjacent bed, Zhou Xiao Zhen heard the disturbance and became terrified. Suddenly, Yu Xiao, who was lying in the furthest bed, flipped over and scratched her neck, murmuring to herself.

"..."

Zhou Xiao Zhen's mind went blank when she heard Yu Xiao sleep-talking. Of all times, she chose to sleep-talk now!

As the room fell silent, the hands that had been shaking Zhao Lan earlier suddenly stopped. In the next moment, the sound of footsteps could be heard, breaking the silence as they approached the bed in the innermost part of the room.

☆ | Next Chapter 

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