Qi Yu hesitated for a moment before finally reaching out to take the rose from the female ghost’s hand.
It was actually a risky move. In the information the players had collected, there were plenty of cases where someone touched an object belonging to a ghost and triggered a death flag on the spot, instantly killed with no chance to react.
This kind of setup was called “fishing.”
Sometimes, the moment a player entered a dungeon, they would see a book lying openly on a table or a neatly made bed in the corner.
The moment they picked up the book or sat on the bed, something would burst out from underneath, bones, corpses, hidden traps.
There were all kinds of ways for ghosts to mess with players, and no shortage of people who took the bait.
Still, the ghosts weren’t without limitations. Usually, touching something would only cause mild consequences, like a ghost suddenly leaping out and giving you a full-body “hug.” As long as you could run out of the room alive, you were usually fine.
But if you damaged something belonging to them, say, shattered a vase, ripped a doll, or destroyed an item they cherished, they might chase you halfway down the street.
And if you happened to damage something vital, like their remains, ashes, or bones… congratulations.
You’d be granted a permanent chased until death buff for the rest of the dungeon.
So, players in these copies had all learned to be careful. Unless it was a fragile paper clue that couldn’t be helped, everyone handled objects with reverence, tidying, straightening, treating trash like treasures.
You could say that everyone was respectfully picking up garbage.
But then out of nowhere….. A female ghost appeared and voluntarily offered him a rose.
Qi Yu hesitated, but he didn’t feel like she was deliberately trying to trap him. After all, if she really wanted to trick him, she could’ve just hidden the rose inside a drawer.
Caught off guard, he would’ve touched it without thinking and died right there.
Besides…
Had anyone ever seen a ghost begging a player to take something?
Yet here one was, right in front of him.
The female ghost looked at him with tearful eyes, trapped halfway inside a cabinet, her body twisted at an unnatural angle.
She could barely move, but she still struggled to raise her trembling hand, fingers forming a pleading gesture as if saying please, please.
Someone else might’ve thought she was flipping them off.
But Qi Yu had good comprehension skills and more importantly, a swarm of lemon shaped spirits were currently hovering around his head, squeaking insistently: “Item! Item! It’s an item!”
Maybe it was their noise or maybe it was a lapse of judgment but for a moment, his common sense short-circuited and nd he reached out to accept the rose.
Then!
【Congratulations, Player, for obtaining the item “The Murderous Doctor’s Rose.”】
【Upon acquiring this rose, you are automatically bound to the identity of the Murderous Doctor’s Wife. Favorability with the first floor ghost increases; hostility from the second floor ghost increases.】
【Item Description: This rose was cultivated by the Murderous Doctor’s wife. On Valentine’s Day, the doctor picked and preserved it into an eternal dried flower, planning to gift it to her. However, a sudden accident ruined his carefully prepared romantic surprise.】
【Its petals, stained a deeper red by fresh blood, are now permanently vivid. This item can be sensed by the Murderous Doctor and may trigger special events at night. Please explore further to discover its surprises!】
【Note: This item is bound and cannot be discarded.】
Qi Yu: “…”
Damn it! Scammer!
Give me back my trust!
As expected, anything that came knocking on its own door was never a good thing.
He swore to himself that next time, he’d never take anything suspicious again.
Before, he’d been hoping the Murderous Doctor wasn’t Xie Shao. Now, he was praying Xie Shao would go on a rampage and beat the hell out of every other doctor in this place, just so he could feel safe.
Getting taken advantage of was still better than waking up in the middle of the night to find the game’s final boss standing beside his bed, wearing a white coat and smiling while holding a scalpel.
Goodbye, his fragile purity, it was about to fly away with the wind once again.
Qi Yu almost shed tears on the spot. He stuffed the rose deep into his backpack, out of sight and out of mind. He really didn’t want to look at the damned thing again.
But just as he left the reception counter, Huang Mao and Tang Yu came rushing over.
“Qi ge!” Huang Mao’s expression was brimming with excitement. “I knew it! You’re just like Tang ge! Another secret child of the game!”
Qi Yu: “…”
I am not! I have nothing to do with that damned game!
This old man, Qi Yu, may be chubby from eating too much and never exercising, his belly round like a winter melon, but his face is still handsome, way better looking than that dog of a game!
Huang Mao, completely oblivious to his inner rejection, slapped his thigh in excitement.
“Awesome! Amazing!”
“Now I’ve got two thighs to hold onto!”
Qi Yu: “…”
Friend, you’re not going to have thighs to hold onto.
What you’re going to have… is a death flag.
Would you like to experience a boss’s personal affection together?
Huang Mao, unaware of the incoming disaster, let out a loud whoop. His voice carried a bit too far, drawing the attention of several nearby players.
He instantly rolled up his sleeves, revealing his heavily tattooed arms, and glared around fiercely. His expression twisted into that of a genuine street thug, more intimidating than the female ghost from earlier.
“What are you looking at?!” he barked. “Got nothing better to do?!”
“If you’ve got time to stare, why not look for clues? You think watching us will get you extra points?!”
“Get lost, all of you! Keep looking and I’ll show you my hospitality, with my fists!”
He looked truly vicious. With the muscle on his face bunched up, he could’ve scared a child into tears just by blinking.
His outburst worked instantly, those curious glances were withdrawn in a heartbeat.
Even if someone grumbled in private, no one dared approach them again.
Tang Yu propped his chin with one hand, smiling lazily. “See? Isn’t Qi Wenyu handy?”
Qi Wenyu?
Qi Yu blinked before realizing that was Huang Mao’s actual name.
Back in their previous dungeon, everyone had been too focused on surviving and rushing tasks to bother changing their in-game IDs, and Pei Hu never cared enough to make introductions.
If Tang Yu hadn’t mentioned it, Qi Yu really might’ve thought the guy’s name was Huang Mao.
After scaring off the others, Qi Wenyu turned back toward Tang Yu, his rough facade melting into an awkward, good-natured grin.
“Hehe, Tang ge, all handled.”
“Good job,” Tang Yu said approvingly, patting his shoulder, “I knew you were perfect for this role.”
Then he pulled out a small bag of jujubes he’d found earlier, slipping a few into Qi Wenyu’s palm, “Keep these. Don’t let anyone see. If you get hurt later, eat a few to restore energy. If that’s not enough, come find me for more.”
Tang Yu even handed Qi Yu two.
Qi Yu hadn’t expected to get any, and the gesture left him both touched and slightly guilty but there was no way he’d refuse. In a place like this, a few jujubes could mean the difference between life and death.
After all, he was probably going to face the boss head-on tonight.
And he couldn’t tell anyone about the rose. If the others learned that the item allowed the Murderous Doctor to sense his presence, they’d definitely force him to leave the group for their own safety.
Qi Yu didn’t have the confidence to survive alone in this cursed hospital. He could only be cautious and avoid dragging the others down with him.
Meanwhile, he’d started forming theories about Tang Yu’s relationship with Qi Wenyu.
There was at least an eighty percent chance Tang Yu was a “chosen one” , a player favored by the system. A talent like him wouldn’t be overlooked.
He was probably already scouted and “sponsored” by a strong team. Qi Wenyu, most likely, was his bodyguard, handling the physical side of things.
In the previous dungeon, everyone had been taken down in one move by Song Qing, who had used some kind of special drug.
They never even got to see their combat ability. But if Tang Yu had chosen Qi Wenyu to stay by his side, the man must be reliable.
Qi Yu decided that tonight, to avoid triggering the cursed rose, he’d quietly distance himself from the others. For now, since things were relatively safe, it was best to focus on collecting as many useful items as possible.
How could he find items efficiently in this dangerous place?
Qi Yu looked at Tang Yu with an expression full of expectation, the way a father might gaze at his most promising son.
This man was his last hope to protect his chastity.
With Qi Yu’s deliberate friendliness, the three of them quickly became close. They huddled together, organizing the clues they’d gathered so far.
When most of the other players drifted away, Qi Wenyu leaned in and whispered to Qi Yu, “Qi ge, a few of them were just watching you. They said you stuffed something into your backpack earlier, probably an item. You should be careful. Lots of eyes around here, and most items aren’t bound. If someone spots you hiding one, they might try to snatch it.”
He lowered his voice further. “Next time you find an item, give me a look, I’ll stand in front of you and block their view. I guarantee no one will see what you’re doing.”
He added earnestly, “And you should also learn from Tang ge. He’s got tons of experience hiding things. Let him teach you how to stash items secretly. Otherwise, those with bad intentions might swipe them when you’re not looking.”
Qi Yu: “…”
If only they could steal it. By all means, please, take it away!
But of course, this cursed item was the kind that clung to you like a leech, an unshakable parasite.
Tang Yu didn’t notice his internal suffering. He looked Qi Yu up and down with open satisfaction, clearly pleased to have found a kindred spirit.
But his pride wouldn’t let him show it too much, so he only smirked lightly and said with a hint of arrogance,
“Don’t worry. With me here, your items will be safe. Even if you lose your underwear, your loot won’t go missing.”
Qi Yu: “…”
Heh. The item definitely won’t go missing. But his underwear? That’s starting to look doubtful.
In this deathtrap of a dungeon, if the Murderous Doctor really was Xie Shao, maybe if Qi Yu begged him nicely, asking him to let him sleep peacefully for one night, the man might actually agree.
The outpatient hall was huge, but with so many players rummaging around, it was quickly turned upside down.
Qi Yu heard the group debating whether to split into two teams and explore the corridors branching off the main hall.
But before they could decide, a sharp, terrified scream echoed from the corridor on the right.
The players instantly exchanged glances, then surged toward the sound.
Qi Yu and his small group followed, keeping pace with the others.
They hadn’t gone far when they saw her, the one who had screamed.
A short-haired woman, stylish and striking, the kind who would easily be called a beauty outside, was now collapsed on the floor.
Her face was pale, her makeup smeared by tears, and her eyes were ringed with black from the running mascara. She looked utterly broken.
Qi Yu recognized her. She was one of the newcomers
This round, the same woman who had cried and argued with a middle-aged man when they first entered. Later, she’d recovered quickly, even helping to search for clues. Some of the veterans had taken a liking to her and lent her a hand.
But if she was here alone now…
Qi Yu’s gaze lifted toward the open door of the examination room ahead.
Inside, A body hung from the ceiling.
Limp, lifeless, slowly swaying back and forth.
✦ ✧ ✦
Cresvynia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
(¬‿¬ ) the Ko-fi button is looking at you
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
← PreviousNext →
ChaptersChapter 1 · Enter the GameChapter 2 · Pick a roomChapter 3 · DeadChapter 4 · AtticChapter 5 · ResponsibleChapter 6 · A bamboo BasketChapter 7 · DiaryChapter 8 · Song QingChapter 9 · Sent to HospitalChapter 10 · Second CopyChapter 11 · Leaking InformationChapter 12 · Special Prop!Chapter 13 · Doctor GhostChapter 14 · Store RoomChapter 15 · Psychiatry HospitalChapter 16 · Things of PastChapter 17 · Second FloorChapter 18 · He’s adorableChapter 19 · You Like Him?Chapter 20 · Kiss meChapter 21 · Group women’s clothing PlayChapter 22 · Where’s my Skirt?Chapter 23 · Wife of Murder Doctor….Chapter 24 · Go to Third floorChapter 25 · You must find me!Chapter 26 · See you in the next dungeonChapter 27 · VideoChapter 28 · Player ForumChapter 29 · Two women vying for one manChapter 30 · The Giant WolfChapter 31 · A Kind and Benevolent FatherChapter 32 · Preparing the change clothesChapter 33 · Red Heart FruitChapter 34 · In what ways do I fall short of him?Chapter 35 · KissChapter 36 · Bald performanceChapter 37 · The Prince Has ArrivedChapter 38 · Prince Song QingChapter 39 · Should we…Chapter 40 · A Kiss of True LoveChapter 41 · BanquetChapter 42 · Snow White KingChapter 43 · KingChapter 44 · I miss you so much!Chapter 45 · LeavingChapter 46 · Wanting to See HimChapter 47 · Resource Type InstanceChapter 48 · The Banquet BeginsChapter 49 · KissChapter 50 · Full-Dive Virtual RealityChapter 51 · Everyone Is a LiarChapter 52 · MegaphoneChapter 53 · Dragon???Chapter 54 · Fire DragonChapter 55 · A powerful Fire DragonChapter 56 · Want Some Barbecue?Chapter 57 · The Characteristics of the GameChapter 58 · A little DragonChapter 59 · Searching for her sonChapter 60 · We’re Going to Tear Up the HostageChapter 61 · Mountain CollapseChapter 62 · DiscussionChapter 63 · Digging for Crystals?Chapter 64 · Making Money Selling LiquorChapter 65 · A KissChapter 66 · I’m the Best LookingChapter 67 · Ghost Ship 101Chapter 68 · Has the Competition Begun Yet?Chapter 69 · LotteryChapter 70 · First PlaceChapter 71 · The Sea Monster ArrivesChapter 72 · CooperationChapter 73 · The Man in the MaskChapter 74 · WarChapter 75 · The Players’ RevengeChapter 76 · ReturningChapter 77 · The End