“Hold on a sec,” Zhou Xiao Zhen interrupted, a wrinkle creasing her forehead. “Don’t the Second and Sixth Hospitals have separate delivery ghosts?”


    “That’s what I’m saying,” Yu Xiao replied. “If we can bribe the one from the Sixth, surely the one from the Second is open to persuasion as well.” She paused, an idea forming. “I’ll ask our courier tomorrow. Maybe she can shed some light on the situation.”


    If that plan failed, Yu Xiao had a backup. She could enter the instance early and clear Nightmare’s fugitive status. That way, he could assist them openly.


    Despite these plans, anxiety gnawed at her. The malevolent ghost at the Sixth Hospital had already claimed too many lives. Left unchecked, who knew how many more would fall victim? These were patients battling terminal illnesses, clinging to life within the hospital walls. It was hard enough facing the dangers of the instances, only to return to the ward and confront such a terrifying threat.


    “Get some sleep,” Yu Xiao said, masking her worry. “We need to be up early to let Wang Meng and the others in tomorrow.”


    After showering, Yu Xiao lay in bed, scrolling through the Sixth Hospital forum. A few new replies, all questioning the previous post, awaited her.


    The weight of the situation settled upon her. She couldn’t handle this alone, and relying solely on the veterans wouldn’t be enough. The entire hospital needed to be aware of the danger lurking in their midst.


    Decision made, she began drafting a new post.


    【Attention Sixth Hospital Patients! A Major Crisis is Stealthily Unfolding!】


    【This is Deaf Descendant, and I have alarming news. There’s a ghost roaming the Sixth Hospital, capable of breaching our precious room boundaries. This entity is a heavy hitter, domain-level at least, and its attack method involves a countdown…


    Fellow patients, if you hear a countdown outside your door after lights out, please inform me immediately and leave your contact details…】


    Yu Xiao reread the post several times, adding a few emojis for dramatic flair (a ghost icon, a flexing bicep, and a determined-looking cat) ensuring she’d included everything necessary for now. Satisfied, she placed her phone on the bedside table and closed her eyes.


    “Ding!”


    The familiar notification sound roused her. Soft sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains.


    Yu Xiao rubbed the sleep from her eyes and heard Zhou Xiao Zhen’s cheerful voice. “Smiley is awake!”


    Turning, her eyelids still heavy with sleep, Yu Xiao smiled at her friend. “Morning, Precious. You’re up early today.” Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhou Xiao Zhen perched on the edge of the bed. “I barely slept a wink last night,” she confessed. “You have to check the forum, Smiley. Your post from last night is blowing up.”


    Yu Xiao stifled a yawn. “It’s eight a.m. Replies are kinda expected, right?”


    Zhao Lan chimed in. “These are probably from the folks at the Second Hospital. They’re likely offering to help.”


    Yu Xiao opened the forum app. Her post, now a hot topic, dominated the homepage. Replies flooded in, each one anonymous yet easily identifiable as coming from either the Sixth or Second Hospital.


    She could practically hear the collective gasp of the Sixth Hospital patients, their digital whispers buzzing with a mixture of anxiety, fear and morbid fascination. And then there were the messages from the Second Hospital crew – a reassuring wave of virtual back-patting and offers of assistance.


    A wave of relief washed over Yu Xiao. In a place like this, facing an unknown threat, it was reassuring to know that solidarity, not isolation, prevailed even in the face of a ghostly serial killer


    “A beautiful day starts now, and here is the morning news~”


    The cheerful announcement jolted Yu Xiao back to reality, reminding her of yesterday’s plan. The medical dispute office was her first port of call. If that failed, well, there were other avenues to explore.


    Today’s news was disappointingly mundane. Sometimes, Yu Xiao seriously questioned the forum administrators’ priorities. They were quick to censor anything related to Time Hospital, yet her chilling exposé remained untouched by the hospital authorities.


    As the news broadcast ended, Yu Xiao dialled the medical dispute office, settling back against her pillows.


    The call connected instantly, a voice as crisp and professional as a newsreader greeting her.


    “Hello, this is the Sixth Hospital’s Medical Dispute Office.”


    “Hello,” Yu Xiao replied, her voice firm despite her racing heart. “I have something to report.”


    “Alright, may I have your nickname?”


    “‘Deaf Descendant’.”


    “And what would you like to report?”


    “Recently, the Sixth Hospital had been plagued by ghostly intrusions.” Yu Xiao announced, getting straight to the point. “Multiple patients, pushing up daisies, thanks to some ghosts shenanigans. Figured I’d report it, you know, see if it falls under your jurisdiction.”


    The voice on the other end of the line remained unflappable, a model of bureaucratic calm. “And have you personally witnessed this ghost, shall we say, committing these unfortunate acts?”


    “Not with my own peepers, no,” Yu Xiao admitted. “but I’ve heard it.”


    “I see. Could you elaborate?”


    “It’s a man’s voice,” Yu Xiao said, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Creepy as hell, loves a good countdown. Every night, after lights out, the voice starts counting down from thirteen outside patients’ rooms. Reaches one, boom, door opens, game over.”


    “Duly noted. We will investigate your report and notify you once we’ve verified the details.”


    Yu Xiao, her patience wearing thin, pressed the issue. “Time is of the essence here, folks. We’re talking about a rogue countdown clock with a taste for murder.”


    “Of course, of course. We wish you a speedy recovery and a pleasant day.”


    The call disconnected, leaving Yu Xiao fuming. That infuriatingly calm tone was enough to make her want to scream.


    Zhao Lan and Zhou Xiao Zhen, their faces a mixture of curiosity and concern, leaned in.


    “Well?”


    “They’re gonna, you know, verify it,” Yu Xiao said, her voice heavy with scepticism. “Then they’ll let me know.”


    Zhao Lan’s expression darkened. “Sounds like a classic case of bureaucratic BS to me.”


    Zhou Xiao Zhen, battling a stubborn cowlick with a hairbrush, chimed in. “So, what about Wang Meng? Should we head over there now?”


    Yu Xiao considered this for a moment. “Skipping one measly meal won’t kill them, right?”


    Zhou Xiao Zhen stared at her, aghast.


    “Physically, maybe not,” Zhao Lan mused. “Mentally? Who knows what fresh hell awaits.”


    Yu Xiao shrugged, a mischievous glint in her eye. Skipping breakfast was practically a rite of passage for young people. Besides, she hadn’t even dragged herself out of bed yet. A leisurely visit to Wang Meng’s ward at noon it was.


    Zhao Lan, reading her like a book, simply said, “Just because some people can skip breakfast, doesn’t mean we all can.” She strolled towards the door. “So, what tickles your fancy this morning?”


    Yu Xiao was midway through a delicious prawn dumpling when her phone buzzed. The Medical Dispute Office? That was surprisingly quick. Wiping her hands, she answered. “Hello? This is Deaf Descendant.”


    “Good morning, Deaf Descendant,” a calm voice greeted. “We’ve looked into your report regarding the Sixth Hospital.”


    Yu Xiao swallowed her mouthful. “And?”


    “All registered ghosts at the hospital are accounted for,” the voice continued, unhurried. “None appear to have abandoned their posts to, as you say, ‘kill patients’.”


    “Registered ghosts?” Yu Xiao blinked. “What about the unregistered ones?”


    “All ghosts at the hospital are registered.”


    “But what if there are unregistered ghosts?”


    “Madam, please be reasonable. There are no unregistered ghosts at the hospital.”


    Yu Xiao’s patience was wearing thin. “How can you be so sure?”


    “Madam,” the voice said smoothly, “this falls outside the purview of the Medical Dispute Office.”


    The line went dead. Yu Xiao stared at the phone, fuming.


    Even without hearing the conversation, Zhao Lan and Zhou Xiao Zhen could tell by the thunderous expression on Yu Xiao’s face that it hadn’t gone well.


    Yu Xiao glared at the disconnected phone, a growl rumbling in her chest. “Get back here! I’m not finished! Manager! I demand to speak to your Manager!”


    Zhao Lan and Zhou Xiao Zhen exchanged wide-eyed looks.


    “They said that all the registered employed ghosts are accounted for,” Yu Xiao fumed, “and none of them are responsible for the Sixth Hospital murders.”


    Zhou Xiao Zhen’s jaw dropped. Zhao Lan frowned. “So, the ghost at the Sixth isn’t a registered employee?”


    Yu Xiao’s face contorted further. “They refuse to acknowledge the existence of any unregistered ghosts!”


    Now even Zhao Lan was speechless. The three stared at each other, bewildered. Finally, Zhou Xiao Zhen raised a hesitant hand. “What exactly is an ‘registered’ ghost?”


    Zhao Lan glanced at Yu Xiao, who looked just as clueless. “Maybe,” she ventured, “ghosts who work, or used to work, at the hospital?”


    Zhou Xiao Zhen pointed at the door. “So the one outside is unemployed?”


    “Possibly,” Yu Xiao mused. It was becoming clear that the medical dispute office was a dead end. Time for a more proactive approach. She tapped her phone, debating whether to call for backup or go straight to the director.


    “Guys!” Zhou Xiao Zhen suddenly shrieked. “The forum! Someone else saw the ghost!”


    Yu Xiao snatched up her phone. “Where?”


    “Scroll down!” Zhou Xiao Zhen directed. “Bottom of the post!”


    Frantically, Yu Xiao scrolled to the last page and found the reply.


    【Just saw this, and I think…I might have seen it too. About two months ago, we were clearing an instance. There were seven of us patients, including two from our ward. The instance was strange; the attending doctor’s hint was to find herbs hidden by a mountain god, but we climbed a mountain and found a city.


    This might sound crazy, but it was identical to the real world outside the hospital. People, cars, shops…for a minute, we thought we were back. Then things started feeling off, so we got out of there.】


    【Back then, a patient from another ward brought someone with them from that creepy city. Said they seemed normal at first, but once they were back on the mountain, all hell broke loose. Kept demanding the guy take them away from here.】 The forum post continued, 【But they were still on a mission, how could they just leave? Plus, this person was acting really weird, impossible to reason with.】


    【So they hatched a plan,】 the post went on. 【Told them they were busy and couldn’t leave just yet, but promised to take this person back in thirteen days.】


    【We finished the instance and got back. A few days later, the guy called, asking if we’d heard any spooky countdowns outside our doors at night. We hadn’t (thankfully) and just told them to slap some talismans on the door for good measure. Haven’t heard from him since. Just tried calling, phone disconnected.】


    Yu Xiao lowered her phone, a knot of unease forming in her stomach.


    “That city…does it sound like the one outside Lolita Amusement Park?” Zhou Xiao Zhen asked.


    “Very similar,” Yu Xiao murmured.


    “You said that once you enter that city, you’re automatically assigned an identity,” Zhao Lan added, her brow furrowed. “And if you stay too long, you lose your memories and become one of them?”


    Yu Xiao nodded, recalling the unsettling realism of that strange, mirrored city. “The fruit vendor at the corner, the chatty taxi driver…they all seemed so normal.”


    “Until they come into the instance and turn into ghosts,” Zhou Xiao Zhen whispered, her eyes wide with horror.


    “Terrifying ones at that,” Zhao Lan pointed out. “I don’t think the ones they brought out casually just happened to be a strong ghost. There’s a high possibility that all the ghosts in there are very frightening.”


    “Oh god…” Zhou Xiao Zhen grabbed Yu Xiao’s arm, her face pale. “I’m scared.”


    “Don’t worry,” Yu Xiao soothed, patting her hand. “It’s only one ghost, right?”


    Zhao Lan shook her head. “I’ve never actually been inside. Just saw it from the Lolita entrance. Always assumed it was part of the hospital grounds. But the ghosts there…they’re not even registered?”


    Yu Xiao scratched her head, thoroughly bewildered. “Maybe I should ask ‘Flying to Someone Else’s Bed’.”


    “Good idea,” Zhao Lan agreed. “He’s been here for ages, he might know something.”


    Yu Xiao dialled up their resident expert on all things Sixth Hospital. “There’s a city outside the hospital grounds,” she explained after exchanging greetings. “Did you know about it?”


    “A city?” ‘Flying to Someone Else’s Bed’ sounded surprised. “Didn’t know.”


    “You’ve been here for over ten years and never seen it?” Yu Xiao was incredulous.


    “Never.” There was a pause. “Perhaps those who have, never came back.”


    A shiver ran down Yu Xiao’s spine.


    “This place…” she muttered. “So many secrets we know nothing about. Maybe we’ll never know, not until we leave…or die.”


    ‘Flying to Someone Else’s Bed’ chuckled softly. “My, my, you’re a curious one, aren’t you?”


    Yu Xiao didn’t think of herself as particularly curious. “Isn’t it normal to want to understand things?”


    “You lived in the real world for twenty years. Did you understand everything about it?” He countered.


    “…”


    He chuckled again, his voice softening. “Sometimes, little one, accepting that we don’t know everything is just a part of life.” His tone turned slightly more serious. “Speaking of which, this ghost situation in Ward Six sounds troublesome. You need to deal with it quickly.”


    He paused. “Any thoughts? Anything we can do to help?”


    Yu Xiao’s head was spinning, but a glimmer of an idea was forming. “Well…there is one thing…”


    “Let’s hear it.”


    She hesitated. “I need to call in the big guns. All of you.”


    ‘Flying to Someone Else’s Bed’ chuckled. “Sounds like a plan. But how, exactly, do you propose getting us to the Sixth Hospital?”


    “We could have you delivered,” Yu Xiao suggested. “As parcels. You up for that?”


    A pause. “Just me?”


    “Well…” Yu Xiao cringed internally. “The more the merrier, preferably.”


    “Then you’d better ask the others yourself,” he replied. “They’re not exactly pushovers.”


    Yu Xiao bit her lip. This was going to be fun. She decided to start with Yu Qing Lang.


    Unlike the ever-so-casual ‘Flying to Someone Else’s Bed’, Yu Qing Lang was…well, Yu Qing Lang. Even her voice, when she answered the phone, sounded perpetually weary. “You need a favour?”


    Yu Xiao sighed. “You know me too well.”


    A dry chuckle. “Enlighten me.”


    “I need you at the Sixth Hospital. As in, right now,” Yu Xiao explained. “And you need to be okay with being delivered…in a box.”


    To her surprise, Yu Qing Lang didn’t say no. She simply laughed, a chillingly mirthless sound. “You must really love me, wanting me shipped around like a package deal.”


    Yu Xiao winced. “About that…”


    “Spit it out,” Yu Qing Lang drawled. “What’s my reward?”


    Yu Xiao ventured cautiously, “How about…a night free from nightmares?”


    “What time do you need me there?” Yu Qing Lang asked. “Should I be getting ready?”