The nurse stifled a momentary choke; assessing a patient’s gender wasn’t her forte. If this escalated, she could risk her job.


    She backed away, whispering, “What do you need?”


    “I have a stomachache,” Xie Ping snapped at her. “Can’t a man groan in peace?”


    “Okay, okay, if it’s serious, let the nurse’s station know,” she quickly replied, and hurried off. She didn’t realise she had wandered into the oncology ward. What was a pregnant man doing here?


    Xie Ping closed the door and let out a breath. Then he felt a twinge of regret. Why did he have to portray a pregnant man so convincingly? He glanced over at the balcony, where a figure was leaning. “Sister Dragon, how’s it going?”


    “He’s not cooperating,” Yu Xiao said, massaging her hands. “I’ve been trying for ages, and he won’t budge.”


    Director Liao, in his wheelchair, stared blankly, his face pale, struggling to breathe, sweating profusely. He looked like he had been through hell.


    Xie Ping approached carefully, concerned. “He won’t talk. What do we do now? How long can Zhuge keep Mr. Wang occupied?”


    Yu Xiao bit her lip, frustrated. “Do you have any cards to make people confess?”


    “Where would I find something like that?” Xie Ping replied, sitting on the bed, holding his belly. “Isn’t your interrogation enough? You’re too gentle; he still has all his limbs intact. Let me handle it.”


    Director Liao, who had been trembling, perked up upon hearing about losing limbs. “What are you planning? That’s illegal! I’ll call the cops!”


    “Sister Dragon, he’s threatening us,” Xie Ping said, smirking. “What’s our next move?”


    Yu Xiao chimed in, “What else? I don’t want to end up in jail.”


    Director Liao relaxed slightly, thinking that they might let him go now that they were scared.


    “Let’s kill him and dispose of the body,” She suggested. “That way, we’ll be safe.”


    Director Liao shuddered again, pointing at Yu Xiao and Xie Ping, fiercely declaring, “Don’t play games with me. If you push me too far, I’ll bring this hospital down with me!”


    “Hmph,” Xie Ping said, undeterred. “Sister Dragon, let’s make him talk. Let’s see what he can do then.”


    “I’ve set a timer!” Director Liao yelled. “In seven days, this hospital will be a ruin!”


    Yu Xiao replied, “Then we’ll deal with you first and get out of here.”


    Director Liao fell silent.


    His obliviousness to non-player characters made him unaware of their inability to escape outside. Yu Xiao’s threat struck a nerve. He felt anxious, angry, in pain, and afraid. Then, he realised, “Just end it. I’m already dying anyway.”


    “Tsks,” Yu Xiao and Xie Ping shared a look that said it all: they were screwed.


    Sure, Yu Xiao could handle a fistfight, but torturing someone with the Ten Forms of Capital Punishment from the Qing Dynasty? That was way out of her league. She was just a student, not a psycho.


    (满清十大酷刑: A historical reference to various brutal forms of punishment used during the Qing Dynasty in China.


    Flaying: Skinning the condemned person alive.


    Waist Chop: Severing the body at the waist.


    Death by a Thousand Cuts: A prolonged execution involving numerous shallow cuts.


    Lingering Death: Slow and agonising execution.


    Strangulation: Killing by suffocation.


    Boiling: Execution by immersion in boiling liquid.


    Palace Punishment: Punishment reserved for those close to the royal family, often severe.


    Amputation: Removal of limbs as punishment.


    Grass Needle: Piercing with sharp objects.


    Live Burial: Burying alive as a form of execution.)


    “Fine, I’ll handle it!” Xie Ping declared, shaking off his daze. He placed a hand on his hip, shooting Director Liao a fierce glare. “Dragon Sister, things might get messy. You better wait outside.”


    Yu Xiao couldn’t help but feel impressed by his sudden bravado. She had pegged him for a coward, but maybe there was more to him than she’d thought.


    “Alright… just be cautious,” she advised, feeling somewhat redundant. Then, she added, “And don’t forget about your asthma.”


    Xie Ping rolled his eyes. He didn’t need her to remind him of his weakness. Grabbing a fruit knife, he rolled up his sleeves, ready to get to work.


    She couldn’t help but think, ‘When he’s dead, the coroner will take his body away. And the autopsy report will say: ‘The corpse was soft as jelly, except for the mouth, which was stiff as a board.”


    With a huff, she stormed out of the room, her anger simmering. But as she reached the door, her eyes caught sight of some expert photos hanging on the wall. Suddenly, an idea struck her.


    “Xie Ping,” she called back, pivoting on her heel. “Come out here for a sec.”


    “What? Why?” Xie Ping’s confusion was evident as he held the knife, poised for action. “Dragon Sister, chill. I’ve got this under control. I know what I’m doing. I’ll make him talk, not kill him.”


    Director Liao clenched his jaw, refusing to show any hint of fear as he locked eyes with Xie Ping, defiance blazing in his gaze.


    “Hey, Xie Ping, why don’t you step outside for a sec, please?” She said, her voice dripping with sweetness. “I need to talk to you about something.”


    Xie Ping didn’t have much of a choice. He shuffled out of the room, clutching his big belly. After closing the door behind him, he asked, “What’s going on, Dragon Sister? What’s the big secret?”


    Yu Xiao flashed him a mischievous grin. “I’ve come up with a plan to make him spill the beans,” she said, nodding towards the door. “Remember that picture Director Liao showed us? The one of his dead wife? Well, I’ve got this nifty little prop that allows me to change my appearance. I can look just like her and pop up in front of him. He’s already freaked out by ghosts, right? So what do you think he’ll do when he sees his dead wife? He’ll probably wet himself and blurt out everything.”


    Xie Ping’s eyes lit up. “That’s brilliant, Dragon Sister. Let’s do it.”


    Yu Xiao winked at him. “But first, we need to prepare.”


    **


    Director Liao had braced himself for a world of pain. He had hoped that Dr. Wang, his saviour, would come to his rescue, but fate had other plans. Those two devils returned.


    Yu Xiao, dragging Xie Ping along, sauntered into the room. She flashed a wicked smile at Director Liao and said, “You know, I really wanted to chat with you, but you were too stubborn to cooperate. So now you have to face the consequences.”


    Director Liao felt a surge of rage in his chest. He wondered, “When did you ever want to chat with me?”


    “You’re counting on our mercy, aren’t you? You think we’re too soft to hurt you, right?” Yu Xiao snapped, her voice dripping with sarcasm.


    Director Liao’s eyes widened, wondering what she was up to. Was this all a bluff, a mind game to freak him out?


    “Well, let me tell you something, we may not have the guts to cut off your limbs—that’s too gross for us, we’re not that twisted,” Yu Xiao said, holding up a finger. “But we have a better way to make you pay.”


    Yu Xiao grabbed a fruit knife and approached Director Liao. The cold blade glided over his naked skin, making him tremble with fear.


    Yu Xiao grinned as she sliced through the jade Buddha hanging from Director Liao’s neck. “You’re such a scaredy-cat, with all these trinkets to keep the spooks away. Do you believe in ghosts, Director? How do you think it would feel to be alone in this place, with nothing to protect you from the things that go bump in the night?”


    Director Liao, who had faced death with a stoic calm, felt a surge of panic. “You… you wouldn’t…”


    “Oh, I would.” Yu Xiao said, swiftly snipping off the rest of his charms and amulets. She grabbed a fruit knife and flashed it at him. “And you know what else? You’ve got a Zhong Kui on your back. Can’t have that, can we?”


    She slashed at his back twice, drawing blood but not cutting deep. The tattoo of the demon-queller was ruined.


    “Ah…” Director Liao let out a pitiful scream. “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you all!”


    “Come on.” Yu Xiao said, clutching the pile of talismans. She winked at Xie Ping. “Let’s leave Director Liao to his fate. We’ll check on him in the morning.”


    “Sure thing.” Xie Ping said, following her with a smile.


    “Don’t go!” Director Liao yelled after them. He tried to turn his wheelchair and chase them, but he was too frantic. The wheelchair got caught on the door and he tumbled to the floor. He didn’t seem to notice the pain, only the fear. He reached out his hands and crawled towards them. “Don’t go, let me out…”


    “Click.”


    The door slammed shut behind him, locking him in. Director Liao dragged himself to the door, his fingers clawing at the handle. Nothing. He was trapped.


    A chill crept over him, making him shiver. The room seemed to grow colder by the second. He pressed his back against the door, scanning the ward with wide eyes. The curtains swayed in a breeze he couldn’t feel. The bed was empty, but something moved underneath. The cabinet was slightly ajar, and he swore he saw a flash of malice in the dark.


    He wasn’t alone.


    **


    Yu Xiao didn’t waste the function card. She slipped into the bathroom and put on a wig. When she came out, she was a dead ringer for Director Liao’s late wife. The one in the photo.


    “Wow, you look just like her!” Xie Ping hissed. “But why are you pregnant?”


    “She died giving birth.” Yu Xiao whispered back. “I’m copying her last moments.”


    “Ah, I see, I see.” Xie Ping nodded along and reached for Yu Xiao’s belly.


    She dodged his hand. “Hey, cut it out!”


    “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I… I was just curious,” Xie Ping gawked at Yu Xiao’s new form. “Is your belly real?”


    “Of course not.” Yu Xiao rolled her eyes. “It’s fake, dummy. There’s no baby in there.”


    “Wow, really?” Xie Ping looked at Yu Xiao’s huge bump and her nimble moves. He felt a pang of jealousy.


    “Stay out of sight.” Yu Xiao flicked her wrist at him. “I’m going in.”


    **


    Director Liao pressed his back against the door of his hospital room, trembling like a leaf. He heard a sound that made his blood run cold. Footsteps. The click-clack of high heels on the linoleum floor. Slow and steady, coming closer and closer to his room.


    Please, please, let them pass by. He begged silently. Don’t let them stop here.


    The footsteps halted right behind him, behind his door.


    Click.


    He heard the lock turn, the door handle twist. Someone was opening the door.


    He felt a surge of panic, mixed with a faint glimmer of hope. Maybe it was someone who came to rescue him. Maybe it was someone who came to end his misery.


    The door swung open with such force that it knocked him off his feet. He fell to the floor, still clutching the door handle.


    There was no sound, except for his ragged breathing.


    Director Liao crawled to the corner, his eyes wide with terror. He looked up, and saw her.


    A woman. A pregnant woman. She stood over him, her eyes fixed on his face. The face he had seen in his nightmares, over and over again. The face he would never forget.


    “Ahhhh—!!!”


    Xie Ping, who was hiding outside the door, heard a scream that chilled his bones. He had never heard Director Liao scream like that, not even when Yu Xiao had tortured him.


    “Ah—!!!”


    Director Liao kept screaming, as he scrambled towards the balcony. He wanted to escape, to get away from her.


    Yu Xiao said nothing. She didn’t know what Director Liao’s wife sounded like, and she didn’t want to give herself away. She just stood there, one hand on her belly, watching him with a blank expression.


    Director Liao let out a shrill scream, as he twisted and writhed on the floor. He dragged himself to the balcony, hoping for some relief. The sunlight hit his face, and he felt a wave of warmth wash over him.


    Yu Xiao watched him with a bored expression, as he slumped to the ground. She didn’t move an inch, as he lay there, motionless.


    **


    Luo Jin felt like he was being ripped apart. He hadn’t been this conflicted since he first landed in this hellhole of a hospital.


    He already hated having to put up with Mr. Wang’s creepy advances, but now he had a bigger problem. He needed to get some information out of Mr. Wang about Lu Xun and the others. Where were they? What had happened to them?


    Mr. Wang squeezed Luo Jin’s hand, making him cringe. “You don’t look happy, my little treasure. I’m staying here for you, don’t you appreciate that? Don’t you want to be with me?”


    Luo Jin bit his lip. He wanted to scream, to curse, to run away. But he knew he had to play along. He gave Mr. Wang a frosty glare. “Where are the three directors?”


    Mr. Wang’s eyes narrowed into slits, as if he could see through Luo Jin’s act. “What do you want from them? What’s your angle? You’re trying to get my secrets and then rat them out to your friends, aren’t you? I won’t let you do that!”


    Mr. Wang threw his precious thermos on the floor, bending it. “How dare you think of anyone else when you’re with me? I won’t stand for it! I’ll kill them all!”


    Luo Jin tried to keep his face calm as he watched Mr. Wang go berserk, smashing everything in sight.


    Finally, Mr. Wang seemed to calm down a bit. Luo Jin seized the opportunity and said, “Go ahead and kill them, then. I’ll report you, and then you’ll never see me again.”


    Mr. Wang’s face twisted into a wicked grin. “Good, good.”


    Luo Jin felt a chill run down his spine as Mr. Wang’s laughter echoed in the room, loud and unhinged. He had no clue what was going on in Mr. Wang’s twisted mind, now that he was high on the prop that Yu Xiao had given him. The prop that made him see Luo Jin as his lover, and everyone else as his enemy.


    Mr. Wang stopped laughing and lunged at Luo Jin, grabbing his shoulders and locking eyes with him. His grin was warped and his breath was foul. “You’re cheating on me, aren’t you?” he hissed. “You want to run away with someone else? Well, I won’t let you. I’ll snap your legs and arms like twigs, and then you’ll be mine forever.”


    Luo Jin: “…”


    If a reporter asked Luo Jin right now who he loathed the most in the world, he wouldn’t hesitate to say Yu Xiao. She was the devil incarnate, the one who had tricked him into using this prop on Mr. Wang. No wonder that nightmare had chased her before; she deserved it. She had a knack for making people hate her guts. Sёarch* The Novёl?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    “Listen…” Luo Jin tried to reason with a ghost, or rather, a madman, for the first time in his life. He was used to lying to people, but not to sweet-talking them. This was new territory for him.


    “If you break my legs, I’ll die.” He put some force into his voice, hoping to sound convincing. “Even if I become a ghost, I’d rather vanish into thin air than let you… let you… get to me. But…”


    He stopped for a second, feeling sick at his own words. He wanted to spit them out.


    “But if you tell me where the three directors are, I’ll be happy. Maybe I’ll forget about them, and I’ll… stay with you.” He forced himself to say that.


    Mr. Wang’s brain went into overdrive as he listened to Luo Jin’s offer. He knew it was a load of crap, that there was no way these patients would cooperate with the doc. But damn, Luo Jin made it sound so good, so tempting. What if he really meant it? If he could really be sincere and be with him…


    Mr. Wang felt like he was being ripped apart, like he wanted to yank out the few strands of white hair that still clung to his scalp. Why did he have to suffer so much, even after becoming a freaking attending doctor?


    “Are you for real?” Mr. Wang glared at Luo Jin with bloodshot eyes. “Are you spitting facts?”


    “Word.” Luo Jin kept his poker face.


    “You swear!” Mr. Wang jabbed a finger at him.


    “I swear.”


    “You’re full of shit!” Mr. Wang snapped, hurling the whole desk across the room. “You said it yourself, you’re a lying bastard, that you don’t keep your words!”


    Luo Jin sighed. “Then what the hell do you want?”


    “I … ” Mr. Wang was stumped. Yeah, what did he want? Did he have any other option but to take his word for it?


    “Fine, I’ll bite.” Mr. Wang made up his mind and felt a bit more relaxed. “But if you screw me over, I’ll hack off your legs, chop off your hands, and keep you here. You’ll only see me, only hear me, only touch me …”


    **


    “Beep beep beep …”


    On some random stairwell in the hospital, Zhao Lan answered her phone. “Yeah?”


    “It’s me.” Luo Jin sounded distant on the other end. “They’re at …”


    **


    Meanwhile, Wang Chun had just finished reading her idol drama script over the radio. She asked, “Is that it?”


    “That’s what Mr. Wang wanted.” Lu Xun said.


    “I don’t get it.” Wang Chun said. “There’s no prompt, how do I know if it worked?”


    “Maybe … we have to do all three scripts that it triggered something?” Lu Xun guessed.


    “Whatever, let’s hurry up.” Zhou Xiao Zhen hadn’t seen her sisters in ages, and she missed them like crazy. “Give me the scripts, I’ll help you with the comedy one first.”


    “Sure.” Lu Xun practically threw the script at her.


    Zhou Xiao Zhen wrote like a madwoman, while Lu Xun and Wang Chun watched, until they heard the door slam open.


    They all snapped their heads toward the door as the handle rattled.


    “Is that Mr. Wang?” Lu Xun asked.


    “Maybe it’s Smiley and the gang!” Zhou Xiao Zhen jumped up, hope sparkling in her eyes.


    “No way.” Wang Chun shook his head. “Aren’t they still acting, remember?”


    Click.


    The door swung open and Zhao Lan stepped in. “Precious.”


    “Misty~!” Zhou Xiao Zhen squealed and launched herself at Zhao Lan, wrapping her arms and legs around her. “Ha ha ha! I knew you guys were okay! I missed you so much!”


    Zhao Lan chuckled and rubbed Zhou Xiao Zhen’s back. “Okay, okay, calm down.”


    “Wang Chun!” Liu Si Si ran in and hugged Wang Chun tightly. “Waaaaah…”


    “What the hell?” Wang Chun was baffled. Si Si wasn’t the touchy-feely type.


    “We almost died.” Liu Si Si sobbed, wiping her tears. “You have no idea what we went through.”


    “What? You guys were in danger?” Zhou Xiao Zhen’s face fell. “Misty, where’s Smiley? What happened?”


    “Smiley’s good. She’s doing her own thing.” Zhao Lan grinned, flashing her pearly whites. “We split up for a bit.”


    Lu Xun raised an eyebrow. “You were supposed to pretend to be acting. Did you find something fishy?”


    Zhao Lan nodded and jerked her head towards the door. “Come on, let’s talk outside.”


    They left the room and settled on some chairs in the hospital corridor. Zhao Lan spilled the beans about everything that had happened since they split up.


    She barely finished telling her story when Zhou Xiao Zhen gasped, her mouth forming a perfect “O,” and Liu Si Si quickly covered her mouth before rushing to the toilet.


    Crap. Zhao Lan slapped her thigh, cursing herself. How could she have forgotten that Smiley had kept it a secret that Liu Si Si had eaten rotten meat?


    “Anyway, that’s the deal. Smiley’s still with Director Liao. We should go get her.”


    “Sure thing.” Lu Xun agreed, waving his hand. “Let’s bounce.”


    “Weird.” Wang Chun muttered, scratching her head. “Aren’t you worried about Zhuge? He’s still with Mr. Wang, you know.”


    Lu Xun shrugged, unfazed. “I trust him. I know Brother Luo like the back of my hand. He may look reckless, but he’s actually a cautious bastard. He won’t do anything unless he’s got a backup plan. And another backup plan. And another. He’ll be fine.”


    **


    “Ahahahaha… Did you miss me, darling?” Director Liao croaked as he collapsed on the floor, spitting blood at Yu Xiao. “You came to finish me off? Serves you right! You filthy whore! I gave you everything, but you ran off with another man! And you got knocked up by him! I didn’t care that you were a used shoe (not a virgin), I would have taken you back if you got rid of the brat, but you chose to keep it. You have no idea, do you? Your kid, I turned him into a ghost pet, hahahahaha …… he’s been making me rich, he’s stuck in limbo forever …… hahahahaha …… “


    Yu Xiao squeezed her eyes shut; his sight was a stain on her soul.


    He was lying through his teeth, as always. The woman he claimed to love at first sight never loved him back. She only had eyes for his best friend, who he probably murdered out of jealousy.


    He destroyed their whole family, and even used their unborn child as a ghost toy.


    Zhao Lan and the others sprinted up the stairs and found Xie Ping lounging in the hallway, his belly huge.


    “Whoa.” Lu Xun dashed over and crouched down, cupping Xie Ping’s stomach with both hands, then leaning his ear against it.


    Xie Ping felt a shiver run down his spine. “Get off me!”


    “I just want to check if I can hear the baby kicking.” Lu Xun looked up and said earnestly. “I did, hey, the baby is doing great.”


    “…” Xie Ping lifted his foot and kicked. “You pervert!”


    Yu Xiao burst out of the room, a grin on her face. She scanned the scene: “Wow, what a party! When did you guys get here?”


    “A minute ago,” Zhao Lan said, craning her neck to see inside the ward. “What’s the deal?”


    Yu Xiao bounced over to her, her eyes sparkling. “We’ve figured it out. Director Liao lied. We acted out a fake story, that’s why things went wrong. But I know the truth now. The real story of what happened to him. We can finally write the script.”


    Zhou Xiao Zhen frowned and rubbed her hands together. “Wait, what? You mean I wasted my time writing half a script, and it’s all garbage?”


    Lu Xu gave her a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. “Hey, don’t sweat it. Real screenwriters have to rewrite their scripts all the time. It’s part of the process.”


    “Come on, let’s go work on the script,” Yu Xiao said, grabbing Zhao Lan’s arm and dragging her out. “We have one problem left to solve, though.”


    “What problem?”


    “How to get Luo Jin out of Mr. Wang’s clutches. He’s our male lead, after all,” Yu Xiao said.


    Lu Xu followed them, looking puzzled. “But won’t Mr. Wang let him go once the Coin of Great Observation wears off?”


    Yu Xiao grimaced and tugged at her mouth. “Well, not exactly… You see, the Coin has been upgraded twice since then, and the side effects are totally different now.”


    ─── ? ── ☆ ── ? ───