Xie Ping’s face twisted into a sour grimace, as if he had swallowed a fly.


    “Are you okay?” Yu Xiao asked, eyeing the claw marks on the metal door. The monster had barely grazed it, and yet it had left such deep gouges. How terrifying was that thing? And how had Luo Jin survived crashing into it?


    “I’m fine.” Luo Jin brushed off his clothes and stood up, a faint golden shimmer still clinging to his skin. “I used the invincibility card. Nothing can hurt me until the glow wears off.”


    “Right, right!” Yu Xiao and Zhao Lan nodded, slapping their foreheads. They had forgotten about their own cards. Maybe they weren’t doomed after all.


    The elevator resumed its ascent, stopping at the sixth floor. Luo Jin and Zhao Lan moved to the front, ready to face whatever horror awaited them. But when the doors slid open, they were greeted by a bright and cheerful scene.


    A crowd of people, laughing and chatting, filled a spacious dining hall. The smell of food wafted in the air.


    A sign above the door read: “Delicious Buffet Restaurant.”


    The five of them stared, dumbfounded. What the hell was this? Some kind of sick joke? A twisted illusion?


    Luo Jin scowled and scanned the surroundings. He tried to press the elevator buttons, but nothing happened. He had no choice but to step out.


    The restaurant was decorated with colourful balloons and streamers. It looked like a place for a birthday party, not a nightmare. A man in a black vest and a bow tie greeted the customers at the entrance.


    He spotted Luo Jin and flashed a warm smile. He walked over and asked, “Welcome, welcome! How many are you?”


    Luo Jin gave him a cold glare. He had never seen anything like this before. He didn’t know how to deal with it.


    “How many are you, sir?” The man repeated, still smiling politely.


    Luo Jin hesitated, then said, “How do I get out of here?”


    “Get out?” The man looked confused for a second, then said, “Well, you can leave anytime you want. After you’ve had your fill, of course.”


    Luo Jin’s scowl deepened. This place was clearly not normal. Who would want to eat here? But the elevator was not working. Did they really have to stuff themselves to escape?


    The words echoed through the lift, making everyone’s ears ring. Yu Xiao snapped out of her daze and decided that they couldn’t just stay in this metal box; they had to face whatever was waiting for them outside.


    “Come on, let’s go,” she said, grabbing her bag. “Maybe it’s not as bad as it sounds.”


    The others nodded, not having any better plan. They followed her out of the lift.


    The man in the black vest, who had been smiling creepily the whole time, greeted them. “Hi there, hungry for some food? How many in your party?”


    “Five,” Yu Xiao answered, hoping he would leave them alone.


    “Great,” the man in the black vest said. “Right this way, folks.”


    He led them to the Delicious Buffet Restaurant, which was right next to the lift. Yu Xiao looked over her shoulder and saw that the lift doors were still open, still frozen on this floor.


    She felt a pang of relief.


    They entered the restaurant and were hit by the aroma of all kinds of dishes. Xie Ping inhaled and said, “Wow, this smells awesome.”


    His stomach growled in agreement, as if it had a mind of its own.


    “Welcome to the Delicious Buffet Restaurant,” the man in the black vest said, gesturing to the food stations. “This is a self-serve place, so feel free to dig in. But don’t go too crazy, okay? You don’t want to overindulge~!”


    He winked and walked away, leaving Yu Xiao and her friends in the middle of the restaurant. There were hardly any seats left; most of them were taken by people who were stuffing their faces with food, oblivious to anything else.


    They managed to find a table and sat down. Xie Ping, feeling bloated, groaned and raised his hand. “Help.” He was too fat to sit down.


    Luo Jin, who was sitting next to him, gave him a dirty look, reached over, and pushed him down into his seat.


    “Ow!” Xie Ping yelped, grabbing his belly and wincing. “What the hell, man? You want me to lose the baby?”


    The three girls at the opposite side of the table watched with varying degrees of amusement, horror, and pity. Yu Xiao piped up. “Hey, Luo Jin, take it easy. He’s got your bun in his oven, remember?”


    She didn’t get to finish. Luo Jin whipped his head around and gave her a look that could freeze lava. Yu Xiao quickly backpedalled. “…Not that it’s a good thing. We don’t know jack about delivering babies. What if something goes wrong? You’re just looking out for him, right?”


    Luo Jin relaxed a bit, but his eyes still burned with anger. Yu Xiao scanned the room nervously.


    The restaurant was packed with people and food. A long buffet table in the middle offered all kinds of dishes, from salads and soups to steaks and desserts. The sound of munching and slurping filled the air, along with the smell of spices and sauces. They had come here with no appetite, but now they felt a strange hunger gnawing at them.


    “What do we do?” Liu Si Si whispered. “Do we have to eat?”


    Yu Xiao turned to the glass window, where she saw the elevator doors still open. “Maybe not eating means we can’t get out.”


    “Then let’s eat,” Wang Chun said. “Everyone else is eating, and I… I’m starving.”


    Zhao Lan and Liu Si Si got up to get some food. Zhao Lan looked at Yu Xiao. “You coming, Smiley?”


    “I…” Yu Xiao hesitated. She felt a powerful urge to eat, to stuff her mouth with everything she saw. “I’ll think about it.”


    “Suit yourself,” Zhao Lan said. “I’ll bring you something. What do you want?”


    Yu Xiao’s eyes darted to the buffet table, where she saw a pile of oysters. She licked her lips. “Oysters.”


    “Okay,” Zhao Lan and Liu Si Si walked away, leaving Yu Xiao alone with her thoughts.


    Xie Ping was starving, but he was stuck inside the booth like a sardine. Luo Jin was blocking the exit with his body, sitting there like a Fat Buddha. There was no way Xie Ping could squeeze past him.


    Yu Xiao looked around and saw a sign on the table. It said, “Take only what you need, don’t waste food.”


    “Rumble…”


    Xie Ping’s stomach protested, making him more anxious. He pleaded with Luo Jin, “Brother Zhuge, please move, I need to get some food.”


    Luo Jin didn’t budge. He crossed his arms and looked at Yu Xiao, “Are you sure you want to eat the food here?”


    “I…I don’t know,” Yu Xiao felt a chill, “but if we don’t eat, we might be stuck here forever.”


    That was the problem. They all knew something was wrong here. Eating the food here could be a trap, but not eating could mean no escape.


    “Eat your fill and you can leave…”


    That’s what the ghost had said. But did he mean they had to eat the food here?


    Yu Xiao had a flash of inspiration. Luo Jin saw her eyes light up and asked, “Do you have an idea?”


    “The waiter behind that door said, ‘Eat your fill and you can leave,’ but he didn’t specify what we had to eat.”


    Luo Jin nodded, then frowned, “But do you have any food with you?”


    “No.”


    “Me neither.”


    Xie Ping was losing his patience, “Oh, come on, stop talking nonsense. Let’s just go get some food, that’s the only way out of here.”


    Yu Xiao’s teeth dug into her lower lip. If she went to St. Elizabeth, Tie Niu could smuggle in some normal human food from outside. But she wasn’t alone now. And if she tried to sneak out in a white coat, her secret would be busted for sure…


    “Ta-da!” Zhao Lan and Liu Si Si burst to the table, arms full of plates.


    Liu Si Si gushed, “This place has the best seafood ever!”


    Zhao Lan set down a platter of mouth-watering dishes, while Liu Si Si followed with two more, overflowing with food.


    They slid into their seats, Zhao Lan smacked her lips and nudged Yu Xiao, “Come on, dig in. These oysters are to die for.”


    Yu Xiao eyed the fat oysters. She hated them. She picked them to distract herself from her real hunger. But now, as she stared at the slimy shells, she felt her mouth watering incessantly.


    She had to get out of here. “We can’t eat the food here.”


    “What?” Liu Si Si blinked. “Why not?”


    “I said we can’t, so we can’t.” Yu Xiao’s voice was hard as steel. “If you don’t want to be trapped here for eternity, don’t eat!”


    She got up, shot a look at Zhao Lan, and said, “I’ll be right back. Don’t touch anything until I come back.”


    She left her seat, roaming around the restaurant. She needed to find the bathroom, but it was nowhere to be seen. After walking in circles, she ran into the Black Waistcoat at the entrance.


    The Black Waistcoat grinned, “Honoured guest, how may I assist you?”


    Yu Xiao: “I need the loo.”


    “Guest,” the black waiter drawled, “this ain’t the kind of place that has toilets.” Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    “…”


    She had to wear a white coat in a place where she wouldn’t attract attention. But since there was no restroom to hide in, the only option left was the kitchen.


    She swiftly headed towards the kitchen door, hoping to go unnoticed. However, just as she arrived, the black waiter suddenly appeared, blocking her path with a gloved hand. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but guests are not allowed in the kitchen.”


    “I’m not a guest, I’m a staff,” Yu Xiao lied.


    “Nice try, ma’am, but guests are not allowed in the kitchen, period,” the black waiter said sternly. “That’s the rule.”


    Yu Xiao exhaled, shooting him a dirty look. “And what if I break the rule?”


    “Then I’ll have to stop you, ma’am,” the black waiter’s smile turned cold. “By any means necessary.”


    Yu Xiao reached into her pocket and pulled out a disposable fondness card. She waved it in front of his face. “How about this? Will this change your mind?”


    The black waiter’s eyes flickered for a split second when he saw the card, but he quickly composed himself.


    Yu Xiao paused, not wanting to waste the card.


    She put the card away and grabbed the black waiter by the shoulders. “Look at me, look into my eyes.”


    The black waiter: “?”


    “What do you see in my eyes?” Yu Xiao bore into his eyes with a fierce gaze.


    Yu Xiao locked eyes with the Black Waistcoat, who squinted back at her. “Sorry, miss, but I don’t see a thing.”


    “Here, let me help you.” She grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, putting him between her and the kitchen door. “How about now?”


    The Black Waistcoat shook his head. “What are you trying to pull, miss?”


    Yu Xiao didn’t answer. She reached into her backpack and pulled out a white coat.


    The Black Waistcoat’s eyes widened. Yu Xiao gave him a dazzling smile. “Do me a solid, will you? Just stand there and look pretty.”


    The Black Waistcoat: “…”


    And then she was gone.


    Luo Jin had been watching Yu Xiao from the dining table. He saw her circle the restaurant like a shark, then stop at the kitchen door to chat with the Black Waistcoat. She switched places with him and stood still.


    Liu Si Si grabbed a razor clam from the plate. Luo Jin snapped, “Don’t eat that.”


    “Why not?” Liu Si Si smacked her lips. “It’s yummy.”


    Luo Jin’s face darkened. “You already had some?”


    “Sure did,” Liu Si Si said. “I snuck a bite when I got the food.”


    Luo Jin’s face instantly turned ugly. Next to him, Xie Ping reached for a steak. Luo Jin grabbed his wrist. “Unless you want to die, leave the food alone.”


    Xie Ping whimpered. His stomach twisted in knots. He curled up in the corner, too afraid to move.


    Liu Si Si tore into her food like a starving beast, her eyes glinting with madness. Her stomach was a black hole, never satisfied no matter how much she stuffed into it. Instead, she only ate faster and faster, as if racing against time.


    Luo Jin felt a chill run down his spine as he realised something odd. Ever since the elevator had dropped them off at this floor, he had seen plenty of guests arrive, but none of them ever left.


    He turned to Zhao Lan and asked, “Where did Yu Xiao go?”


    Zhao Lan knew exactly what Yu Xiao was up to, but she couldn’t spill the beans on Smiley’s scheme. She feigned cluelessness and said, “I have no idea, maybe Smiley had some business to take care of.”


    **


    Yu Xiao burst into St. Elizabeth, looking for Tie Niu. She yanked on his sleeve, gasping, “Quick! I need food!”


    The gaunt Tie Niu nodded, “I’ve got you covered, roasted thighs, ready for the Dean anytime.”


    “No,” Yu Xiao snapped, “I need food for the living.”


    Tie Niu frowned, “Well, the living are edible too…”


    “I need food that normal living people eat!” Yu Xiao shouted, losing her patience. “Can you get me some?”


    “Sure,” Tie Niu said, “but St. Elizabeth only has bread and fruit. If you want something more fancy, you’ll have to go outside…”


    “Forget it!” Yu Xiao said, “Just give me the bread and fruit!”


    Tie Niu handed her a bag of food and was about to leave, when a calm, unhurried footstep sound echoed in the hall.


    George was a picture of elegance in his white coat, standing a safe distance from the Tie Niu. “She’s nothing special, you know. Just a human. You don’t have to be her lapdog,” he sneered.


    The Tie Niu’s skull eyes blazed with blue fire. “You wouldn’t get it, George. You don’t know the first thing about loyalty.”


    He turned and marched into the operating room, leaving George to stew in his own anger, feeling a twinge in his wounded side.


    “Loyalty?!” George spat. “What a load of crap. The only person I’m loyal to is myself.”


    **


    Black Waistcoat, for some inexplicable reason, stayed put until Yu Xiao emerged with a bag in her hand.


    “Wow, you’re still here,” she said, flashing him a grin. “You’re so sweet, Black Waistcoat.”


    Black Waistcoat felt a muscle in his cheek twitch. “…That’s not my name.”


    Yu Xiao was too busy changing her clothes to notice his annoyance. She asked him offhandedly, “Oh, really? Then what should I call you?”


    He plastered a fake smile on his face and said, “Gluttony. That’s my name.”


    Yu Xiao didn’t realise that Black Waistcoat’s words might have been more than just a random NPC name until she was almost at the table.


    “Smiley!” Zhao Lan yelled, holding Liu Si Si in a tight grip. “Get over here, now!”


    Yu Xiao rushed over and saw Liu Si Si thrashing like a madwoman. Zhao Lan had her pinned to the table, but she kept squirming and babbling nonsense, drool dripping onto the tablecloth.


    “What the hell?”


    “She ate the food,” Zhao Lan said, nodding her head towards the plates on the table. “She wolfed down everything we brought back, and she’s still hungry.”


    Yu Xiao frowned, opened her backpack, and pulled out some bread and fruit. “Here, eat these. They’re safe.”


    Luo Jin’s eyes darted to the bread and fruit on the table, but he didn’t say a word. He just reached for an apple.


    Xie Ping had been starving for so long; he snatched several slices of bread and shoved them into his mouth.


    Yu Xiao held Liu Si Si down with one hand and forced bread into her mouth with the other, telling Zhao Lan, “I’ve got this, you eat.”


    As soon as the bread touched her tongue and Yu Xiao swallowed the first bite, everything changed.


    The buffet restaurant that was bright and crowded a moment ago turned pitch-black. Where did the tables go? Where did the heaps of delicious food disappear to?


    The only things around them were filthy stones with rotting skeletons on top.


    They were surrounded by corpses that had been dead for ages, but still gorged themselves on rancid, wormy meat.


    Xie Ping gagged and puked on the spot.


    Yu Xiao felt her stomach churn. She fought back the nausea and hoisted Liu Si Si up. “Come on!”


    Luo Jin grabbed Xie Ping, who was still heaving. The five of them ran for their lives. They were almost at the elevator when someone blocked their way.


    It was Gluttony.


    Everything else had changed, but he looked the same.


    He wore snow-white gloves, a tight black vest, and a neat haircut. He smiled at them.


    “My dear guests,” Gluttony said, “are you unhappy with the food I’ve prepared for you?”


    Yu Xiao said, “Luo Jin, go!”


    Luo Jin’s mouth twitched. “The invincibility card has expired.”


    “What? Already?” Zhao Lan gasped in disbelief.


    “That’s how it is…” Luo Jin’s face darkened. “The stronger the card, the shorter it lasts?”


    “What do we do now?” Zhao Lan asked. “Should I use my invincibility card?”


    Yu Xiao was torn. The invincibility card was too valuable to waste. She was about to use it, when Gluttony reached into his pocket and handed her a card. “This is my business card.”


    Yu Xiao: “?”


    “Smiley,” Zhao Lan hissed, “snap out of it.”


    “Uh!” Yu Xiao grabbed the card without thinking. But as soon as she felt the pure black card in her hand, she wished she hadn’t. What if this was a trick?


    “I look forward to working with you.” Gluttony said, then stepped away from the elevator door, making room.


    Yu Xiao was stunned. What was he talking about?


    Luo Jin didn’t bother with any of this, he just hauled Xie Ping into the elevator in one swift move, and Zhao Lan yanked Yu Xiao in too.


    Even after the elevator doors shut, and Gluttony’s face disappeared from their sight, Yu Xiao still felt like she was dreaming.


    “What the hell?” Zhao Lan poked Yu Xiao. “What did you do?”


    “Nothing,” Yu Xiao said, completely confused.


    She looked at the business card in her hand. It was hard, with a texture that was neither paper nor plastic but more like smooth, cold jade. In the light, it even looked a bit see-through.


    There were two golden characters on it: Gluttony (暴食).


    And phone numbers.


    “You’re quite the networker,” Luo Jin suddenly commented.


    Yu Xiao was at a loss for words. Was this some kind of twisted fate, not just bad luck?


    Ding~!


    The elevator hit the fifth floor underground, and the doors slid open, showing Zhao Lan right next to Yu Xiao.


    Outside, it was pitch-black, and weird noises crawled in.


    Clickety~clack…


    Everyone stared nervously, as dozens of white skeletons came out of the dark.


    “Great,” Zhao Lan gripped her invincible card, thinking, “This is just what we need.”


    As the skeletons walked into the light, some of them stopped dead when they saw Yu Xiao’s hand. They all froze for a second, then ran back into the dark faster than they came.


    The elevator doors shut again, leaving everyone inside puzzled.


    Xie Ping leaned on the wall and asked, “What the hell was that?”


    Zhao Lan looked at Yu Xiao’s hand, still holding the gluttony business card. “They… seem to be scared of this card.”


    Luo Jin thought for a moment, then said, “How much would you take for this card?”


    “Ha,” Yu Xiao snorted. “You’re dreaming big.”


    Luo Jin eyed the business card in Yu Xiao’s hand, looking very sorry.


    **


    Meanwhile, Zhou Xiao Zhen and her two buddies had finished the whole script of the idol drama.


    Zhou Xiao Zhen checked the script and said, “ABCDE should be the five of them, but I don’t know who is who.”


    Lu Xu cracked up and said, “What if Lao Luo is C? Does he have to play a pregnant lady? Hahaha…”


    “I’m so worried without Smiley and Misty,” Zhou Xiao Zhen said nervously. “Are we doing the right thing by writing the script like this?”


    “What else can we do?” Wang Chun said. “We did follow Director Liao’s story.”


    “But if it’s that easy to escape the script, isn’t that too simple?” Zhou Xiao Zhen said. “We don’t even face any danger.”


    “That’s weird,” Lu Xu mused. “But we can’t go anywhere. I tried calling Lao Luo, but the call didn’t work. We have no choice, the only thing we can do is to write the script well here.”


    “I miss Smiley so much, she always has a plan,” Zhou Xiao Zhen lay on the table. “I miss Misty so much, she always spots trouble.”


    “I miss Lao Luo,” Lu Xu lay next to Zhou Xiao Zhen, “I feel so safe with him around.”


    Wang Chun watched these two pine away, feeling left out.


    Why didn’t she miss Liu Si Si? Maybe because there was no point.


    The elevator door on the ground floor opened, and a person with a huge belly walked out. The patients who saw him wondered, did this hospital have pregnant women too?


    Then they saw the face above the big belly, it was a very manly face.


    ─── ? ── ☆ ── ? ───