Yu Xiao and Zhao Lan sprang to their feet, racing for the door. In a flash, Yu Xiao had a talisman clutched in her hand while Zhao Lan brandished a prop.


    The woman on the other side, clad in a denim jacket, jumped back with a startled gasp. “Woah there!” she exclaimed, holding her hands up. “Don’t get any ideas, I’m human!”


    Yu Xiao and Zhao Lan froze, their battle-ready stances dissolving into confusion as they exchanged puzzled glances.


    Zhou Xiao Zhen whispered, “She claims to be human.”


    “Was there anyone who looked like her among the seven who entered?” Yu Xiao asked, her eyes narrowed with suspicion.


    Zhao Lan, still wary, scrutinised the woman. “No, there wasn’t.”


    It was unthinkable for a human to live inside an instance. Ghosts could mimic human appearances, but this woman…she truly seemed human.


    The woman outside chuckled, a hint of exasperation in her voice. “Look,” she said, “cut to the chase. Just slap one of those talismans on me and you’ll have your answer, right?”


    Yu Xiao knew she was right. The 【The Thunder Striking Ghost Repelling Talisman】 wouldn’t react to a living being.


    “Alright,” she said, gesturing for the woman to approach. “Come closer.”


    The woman calmly stepped into the room, stopping just before them. Yu Xiao reached out and pressed the talisman onto her arm. Silence. The talisman remained inert.


    A triumphant smile spread across the woman’s face.


    “See?” she said. “Told you I was human.”


    The revelation hung in the air, leaving the trio speechless. It was Zhou Xiao Zhen, however, who seemed most taken aback. “You live… *inside* this instance?” she stammered, her eyes wide with disbelief.


    The woman in the denim jacket laughed softly. “Oh, come on. I’m just another patient, same as you.”


    Zhao Lan’s eyebrows shot up, suspicion colouring her voice. “Another patient? But there were only seven of us who entered.”


    The woman nodded, her expression thoughtful. “That’s what I thought too. None of the seven I arrived with were any of you,” she said, gesturing towards Zhou Xiao Zhen. “To be honest, when I first saw this young lady, I thought I was seeing a ghost! When did you three arrive?”


    “We just got here,” Zhou Xiao Zhen replied, still trying to wrap her head around the situation.


    “Ah, I see,” She said, a knowing smile spreading across her face. “Looks like we’re from different batches then.” She extended her hand, her eyes twinkling with warmth. “I’m Jiang Nan Qiao (江南乔: “the elegant and lofty river of the south”). I’ve been here for two days now.”


    江 (Jiāng): This surname often refers to a “river”, symbolising flow and continuity. It’s also associated with the famous Yangtze River in China, conveying a sense of grandeur and vitality.南 (Nán): This character means “south” and can imply warmth, growth, and prosperity as the south is often associated with these qualities in Chinese culture.乔 (Qiáo): As a given name, it can mean “tall” or “lofty” and is often associated with grace and elegance.Therefore, the name 江南乔 (Jiāng Nán Qiáo) could be interpreted as “the elegant and lofty river of the south”, suggesting a person who possesses the grandeur and continuous growth akin to a great southern river. Yu Xiao, Zhao Lan, and Zhou Xiao Zhen introduced themselves. Jiang Nan Qiao was surprised when she learned they had entered the instance together.


    “You all came through the same door?” she exclaimed, her eyebrows shooting up. “Didn’t you hear what the attending doctor said?”


    Zhou Xiao Zhen shrugged, her tone nonchalant. “We heard him alright. We just tend to take the doctor’s words with a grain of salt. We stick together whenever possible. Besides,” she added with a grin, “look at us! We’ve been exploring this place together for a while now and haven’t run into any real danger.”


    A wistful look crossed Jiang Nan Qiao’s face. “I wish I had entered with my friend. We got separated two days ago, and I haven’t seen her since. I can’t help but worry.”


    Zhao Lan seized the opportunity to ask, “You’ve been here for two days? Have you found any clues on how to get out?”


    Jiang Nan Qiao shook her head, her shoulders slumping. “Nothing yet. I’ve been opening doors, wandering through rooms, but no clues so far.” She paused, her cheeks flushing slightly. “Do you… do you happen to have any food?”


    Yu Xiao stared at her in surprise. “Hmm?”


    Jiang Nan Qiao’s blush deepened. “I haven’t eaten anything in two days. Just some water.”


    Yu Xiao glanced at the empty casserole on the dressing table. “We don’t have any food either. We found a pot of tomato beef stew earlier in the instance, but it’s all gone.”


    At the mention of food, Jiang Nan Qiao rushed over to the dressing table and snatched up the casserole. The beef and tomatoes were long gone, leaving behind only a thin layer of oily, salty broth. Without hesitation, she lifted the casserole to her lips and drank.


    Yu Xiao, Zhao Lan, and Zhou Xiao Zhen watched, stunned. The soup was so salty and oily…


    Jiang Nan Qiao lowered the casserole, smacking her lips. Turning back to them, she offered a sheepish smile. “Sorry, I was just so hungry.”


    “Didn’t you come across a kitchen in the last couple of days?” Yu Xiao asked, tilting her head.


    Jiang Nan Qiao settled onto the bed. “I did at the very beginning, but I wasn’t hungry then. Haven’t seen one since.” She glanced at the three of them, impressed. “You guys seem pretty well-equipped. So many talismans!”


    Yu Xiao grinned. “I can actually draw them. Want to buy some? Only three points each.”


    A flicker of interest crossed Jiang Nan Qiao’s face, then she shook her head with a hopeful smile. “They say if you rack up enough points to live to seventy, you can leave this place. I’m almost there. Don’t want to waste any points now.”


    The three of them understood completely. Who wouldn’t want to escape the hospital as soon as possible? Besides, Jiang Nan Qiao seemed to be in good shape, not as drained by the yin energy as some. Leaving in her condition was a dream come true.


    “Let’s swap some intel,” Jiang Nan Qiao suggested, her good mood evident. “Then I’ll be on my way.”


    “Leaving?” Zhao Lan frowned. “Why not team up with us?”


    A hint of awkwardness touched Jiang Nan Qiao’s face. “I know teaming up can be beneficial, but… I prefer to fly solo. Less risk that way.”


    Her meaning was clear. Yu Xiao exchanged a look with the others before taking a seat on a nearby stool. “Alright, intel swap it is. You first.”


    Jiang Nan Qiao held nothing back, starting from the very beginning. “My friend and I entered the Time Hospital instance two days ago. There were seven patients, seven doors. My friend chose door number three, and I went through door number five.”


    “Hold on,” Zhou Xiao Zhen interrupted, “We came in through door number six.”


    Jiang Nan Qiao blinked, momentarily confused. “So… the spaces behind the doors are all connected?”


    Zhao Lan nodded. “If none of us are lying, that seems to be the case.”


    Jiang Nan Qiao smacked her forehead in frustration. “If I’d known, I would have gone through the same door as my friend!”


    Yu Xiao offered a reassuring smile. “Since the spaces are connected, you might still bump into each other. But please, go on with your story.”


    Jiang Nan Qiao continued. “The door led me into a bedroom, but unlike yours, it was decorated in a modern style. I couldn’t find any other exits, so I tried leaving through the same door. But instead of a corridor, I found myself in a kitchen! The bedroom door slammed shut behind me, and when I tried to open it again, the bedroom had vanished. It was replaced by a filthy bathroom…”


    She took a breath. “I kept moving from one space to another. By yesterday afternoon, I started to realise that the way out might not be within these rooms at all.” A pained expression crossed her face. “I had nothing to eat, only the occasional sip of water from whatever I could find… I was starting to lose hope, thinking I might actually starve to death in here, until I ran into you.”


    “You probably wouldn’t have starved,” Zhao Lan pointed out. “Keep opening doors, and you’re bound to find another kitchen eventually.”


    “True.” Jiang Nan Qiao nodded, her gaze drifting towards the dilapidated living room outside the door. “I’ve seen dead people before, not for the first time. There’s a body in there. No visible wounds, but the body was emaciated, and its belly was full of… something that definitely wasn’t food. If he didn’t starve, what else could have killed him?”


    Yu Xiao and Zhao Lan exchanged a look. “Precious, keep an eye on the door, don’t let it close,” she instructed. “We’ll go take a look.”


    Zhou Xiao Zhen nodded, taking her position as guardian of the threshold.


    The two women stepped into the living room, a wave of decay hitting them instantly. Yu Xiao wrinkled her nose, instinctively covering it with her hand. The dilapidation was more than just age; it was clear the room had been ravaged.


    The sofa was in shreds, and beside it lay the corpse.


    A man, or rather his skeleton, who must have been at least six feet tall in life. He wore a tattered T-shirt, and there were no visible wounds on his bones. But crammed within his ribcage was a mass of something… Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be the stuffing from the sofa.


    It seemed he had indeed starved to death, driven to consume the inedible filling.


    Yu Xiao searched the body, finding a cracked phone – confirmation he was a patient too.


    Finding no further clues, they returned to the bedroom. Jiang Nan Qiao remained calm, watching them return. “That’s all I know.”


    Yu Xiao nodded, taking a seat opposite her. “We’ve only been in the instance for a few hours, and this is the first room we’ve entered.” S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jiang Nan Qiao’s eyebrows shot up. “You haven’t changed rooms yet? Why not?”


    Explaining was a little embarrassing. Zhao Lan mentioned a horror movie she had seen, then added, “It might be an overreaction, but we decided to stick with this bedroom for now.”


    Astonishment flickered across Jiang Nan Qiao’s face. “But if the way out is actually in the first space behind the door… then I…”


    “It might not be like that,” Yu Xiao reassured her. “It’s just a theory.”


    A flicker of relief crossed Jiang Nan Qiao’s face. “But how can you explore other spaces if you’re stuck here?”


    “There are more of us,” Yu Xiao explained. “One person stays by the door, the other two can venture out.”


    Jiang Nan Qiao felt a growing unease, a sense that her solo approach might have been a mistake. But it was too late to turn back now.


    Yu Xiao hesitated, then continued. “Before we met you, we encountered a ghost in one of the spaces. At least, we think it was a ghost – it looked like a dirty old woman. We missed our chance then, but we planned to try and catch it if we saw it again, maybe get some clues from it. And then you showed up.”


    “No wonder you reacted the way you did,” Jiang Nan Qiao said, nodding in understanding. She stood up, her gaze sweeping over the three of them. “I’m going to go now.”


    As she walked towards the door, Yu Xiao called after her, “Shouldn’t you leave a phone number?”


    Jiang Nan Qiao smiled faintly. “No need. You can’t make calls from here anyway.”


    With that, she stepped through the door, closing it gently behind her.


    The three women inside knew, with a chilling certainty, they might never see Jiang Nan Qiao again.


    Silence hung in the air for a moment before Zhou Xiao Zhen spoke up. “Are we still going ahead with our plan?”


    Yu Xiao shook her head. “Even though everyone seems to start in a different-looking space, the situation is probably the same.”


    Zhao Lan added. “Jiang Nan Qiao searched high and low in her initial bedroom, but couldn’t find another exit. We probably won’t have any luck here either.”


    “So we have to leave this room?” Zhou Xiao Zhen asked, a hint of worry in her voice.


    “Not necessarily,” Yu Xiao replied. “With more of us, we can explore other spaces without actually abandoning this bedroom.”


    Zhao Lan sighed, frustration evident on her face. “We don’t even have a single clue, let alone a useful theory.” She forced a smile. “But hey, we’ve got days before we starve to death. Plenty of time to find clues and figure out how to escape.”


    Yu Xiao felt a pang of regret. If Saint Elizabeth’s hadn’t gone belly up, she could have raided it for food. Then they wouldn’t have to worry about their stomachs and could focus entirely on finding the exit. But with the hospital destroyed and those vengeful doctors on her tail, going back was out of the question.


    “Let’s keep opening doors,” she said, determination hardening her voice. “This time, all three of us are together.”


    The door swung open, revealing the space beyond. Another bedroom. This one was decorated in a modern boyish style, not particularly old, but coated in a thick layer of dust, as if untouched for years.


    Zhao Lan frowned, her gaze sweeping over the room. “This place is a strange mix of old and new, clean and dirty. Maybe some parts were built earlier than others?”


    “Possible,” Yu Xiao agreed, stepping into the room. “Precious, stay by the door,” she reminded Zhou Xiao Zhen.


    Zhao Lan followed, her eyes scanning the space. The cupboards hung open, and the floors and walls bore the marks of frustrated searches. Clearly, other patients had been here before, tearing the place apart in their desperate hunt for an exit.


    “Someone’s already turned this place upside down,” Yu Xiao remarked, kicking a deflated basketball near the bed. “No way out here. Let’s go.”


    Zhao Lan nodded, turning to leave, when Zhou Xiao Zhen’s voice rang out from the doorway. “Wait!”


    Both women spun around. Had she found something?


    “That basketball…” Zhou Xiao Zhen hesitated, wanting to join them but bound to her duty as door guardian. “I saw a room like this earlier when I opened the door. It was cleaner, much newer. There was a basketball in that room too, but it wasn’t deflated.”


    Yu Xiao and Zhao Lan exchanged a surprised look. “Are there multiple rooms with the same layout, but from different times?”


    “Maybe,” Zhao Lan replied, her heart quickening. “But there’s another possibility…”


    “What?”


    “What if it’s the same room,” Zhao Lan said slowly, “but… at different points in time?”


    Zhou Xiao Zhen looked confused. “What do you mean?”


    Yu Xiao’s brow furrowed. If they were thinking the same thing, the situation was far more complicated than they’d imagined. “Are you saying, Misty, that the space itself isn’t changing, but time is?”


    Zhou Xiao Zhen’s confusion deepened. “What are you two talking about? I’m completely lost.”


    Zhao Lan took a moment to gather her thoughts. “What we’re saying is that the bedroom you saw before and the one you see now are actually the same bedroom, just at different points in time. The first one you saw was probably right after it was renovated, before anyone had been inside. What you see now is the same room, but years later.”


    “Holy crap,” Zhou Xiao Zhen breathed, her eyes widening. “Is that even possible?”


    “It’s just a guess,” Zhao Lan cautioned, “but…”


    “But I think it’s a damn good guess!” Zhou Xiao Zhen interrupted, excitement creeping into her voice. “The bedroom where I saw that creepy old ghost is a lot like ours, just way more run-down.”


    (I feel like they forgot that the hospital is named Time Hospital. “时光” (shíguāng) means “time” in Mandarin Chinese. And their attending doctor’s name is also Shi Guang “时光” XD. How many hints do they need?)