Was the BOSS Jealous?

Zhang Yi ran screaming down from the ninth floor. Something seemed to have terrified him; his deathly pale face kept contorting, and blood was already leaking from all seven orifices as he rushed downstairs.

But apparently, he had found a tiny scrap of information on the ninth floor, so he had survived.

His mouth gaping, the man ran for his life. He had thought the first floor would be safe, only to find... female ghosts packed into the corridor!

Tap, tap, tap...

Smelling blood, the female ghosts turned in unison, their gray-white toes tapping the floor as they relentlessly zeroed in on him.

"Aaaaaaah!"

Zhang Yi panicked, screaming even more desperately, but then-crack!

Whips emerged from the walls again, lashing his body viciously, one blow after another.

Agonizing pain and terror collided in a frenzy, nearly destroying what little reason he had left.

Finally, as if he had realized something, the man hurriedly stripped off the Lab Coat, struggled to his feet, and went to Yu Qing's room.

He threw the coat and Name Badge straight inside, cursing hysterically, "You murderous bastard! Just fucking wait till you die!"

Then he ran back to his own room, slammed the door, and panted heavily.

His roommate was already dead, chewed to pieces by Rabbit Girl. Blood covered his face, his eyes still open in death. Though he was thoroughly dead, without any warning, his face turned toward Zhang Yi.

Bzzzt-

The lights flickered in the room. With every flicker, Zhang Yi felt that the dead man had drawn closer.

Tap, tap, tap...

The tapping outside intensified the terror in his heart.

The air was icy, his back chilled, as though something had followed him inside and was drawing ever closer.

Staring at him, staring him down, staring right through him...

Zhang Yi soon realized something was wrong-while searching for clues on the ninth floor, he had snatched Rabbit Girl's Diary.

That sinister feeling had enveloped him ever since.

System notification: [NPC Xu Han has left the Morgue. Streamer "Zhang Yi," please remain alert.]

He truly could not understand what that announcement meant.

With no other choice, he slowly turned to look at the window behind him.

He strained onto his tiptoes and leaned out to look. Apart from the female ghosts tapping their way around the corridor, nothing seemed unusual.

Zhang Yi breathed a small sigh of relief and was about to turn around when suddenly-

A grotesquely smiling face appeared upside down before his eyes, its grin stretching wider and wider...

"Aaaaaaah!"

[Ding-dong-]

[Breaking news: Current survivors in the "Angel Psychiatric Sanatorium Dungeon": 3]

[Six days and one night remain until the game ends. Keep up the good work, streamers~]

Zhang Yi... was dead...

Seeing this in the chat, Yu Qing immediately rose and picked up the Lab Coat and Name Badge discarded by the door.

The coat was a little dirty...

Forget it. Yu Qing decided to wear only the Name Badge.

Qian Lai had not initially understood what he wanted the Ghost-Exorcising Talisman for. After drawing it, however, he saw Yu Qing put on the Name Badge and remove his bell, and immediately caught on. "You're planning to lure Xu Han here and confront him head-on?"

Wasn't that exactly the plan?

When handing out the bells, the nurse had said anyone without one would be killed by ghosts. But now, every female ghost in the Sanatorium obeyed Yu Qing, and the skeletal orderly and that strange Sprinkler Granny had also been killed by the female ghosts.

So wasn't the only ghost left in the hospital-Xu Han?

"I... think that's a little dangerous." As he spoke, Qian Lai bit his finger again to strengthen the talisman, then added worriedly, "I don't think Xu Han will calmly hear you out. You did beat up his daughter, flirt with his wife, and steal his identity, after all."

"..."

After a pause, Qian Lai delivered his firm conclusion. "You're such a shameless flirt."

"?" Yu Qing lifted his eyes, not understanding what that meant. He simply accepted the talisman paper and briefly asked how to use it, then smiled at the young man. "Then... sorry for the trouble, but could you keep an eye on things for me?"

Among the many female corpses in the Sanatorium, Xu Han was the only man. Moreover, he could make the ninth floor shake while awakening, proving both that he was powerful and that his connection to this Dungeon ran deep.

There had to be more clues...

Clutching the talisman paper, Yu Qing persuaded Qian Lai to lie down with him and pretend to sleep.

At three in the morning, the tapping of the female ghosts patrolling outside suddenly grew chaotic. Yu Qing's brows drew together slightly. Though it was not hot around him, he was drenched in sweat.

Something seemed to have trapped him. He tossed and turned in bed, soon tangling the sheets beneath him, filling them with creases that grew damp from his continually seeping sweat.

"Mm..." A soft moan escaped him. The corners of his eyes reddened, and breathing became difficult. He had to part his lips just to manage a little air.

"Nnh..."

His faint whimpers drifted through the deathly silent room, disturbing the half-asleep Qian Lai. The young man opened his eyes to find the real Xu Han hanging upside down before Yu Qing.

The man's skin was pale, his smile grotesque. Especially upside down, that grin stretching to his ears looked almost indistinguishable from crying.

By the time Qian Lai saw him, veins were bulging as he brutally gripped Yu Qing's throat!

Jingle, jingle-

Qian Lai immediately shook the bell he wore and set up a Ghost-Exorcism Formation around them.

But... perhaps because Xu Han's resentment ran too deep, the fluttering yellow talismans had barely any effect.

Before his eyes, Yu Qing was slowly lifted up, yet he still seemed trapped in a nightmare, his brows knitted, utterly unable to open his eyes.

His breathing weakened, and dark strangulation marks appeared on his neck.

There's no time!

Qian Lai's pupils contracted. He hurriedly dismantled the Ghost-Exorcism Formation and was just about to seek help from the female ghosts outside when the room's temperature abruptly plummeted. It felt below freezing, making him shudder involuntarily, his breath billowing white.

But... as the cold spread, some force seemed to wrench Xu Han away. His stiff skin writhed painfully, and moments later, he suddenly shouted, "You won't leave me alone! Why won't you leave me alone even in a dream?!"

"Hah-cough, cough!" Xu Han vanished, and Yu Qing fell back onto the bed, finally escaping the nightmare.

While he caught his breath, the room's temperature returned to normal. Then something icy seemed to coil around his neck. That sensation felt just like... the BOSS's tentacles?

Yu Qing's fingertips twitched, instinctively going on guard. But soon, that icy thing passed around him and disappeared...

Unable to adjust to the alternating heat and cold, Qian Lai sat back down on his bed, clutching his blanket. After several deep breaths, he looked at Yu Qing. "The marks on your neck are gone? Did you buy an item?"

Buy an item...?

No.

Yu Qing slowly lowered his eyes and glanced at his still-sweaty hand, looking listless. "I think... I dreamed of a huge fire. I was so hot, I couldn't breathe, and I couldn't get out..."

His thin lips pressed together, his lashes fluttering slightly, as though he were recalling that inescapable dream. After a long while, he suddenly said, "...Xu Han's gone. It failed."

His attempt to get information out of Xu Han had failed.

Six days and one night remained until the Dungeon ended, but importantly, this was not a timed survival Dungeon.

If they failed to find the key within six days, they... had no idea what awaited them.

They were exhausted.

Yu Qing and Qian Lai decided... to get some sleep first!

[Beep, beep, beep-beep, beep, beep-]

The next day, the eight o'clock bell woke them again. Everything around them returned to normal in daylight. Yu Qing rubbed his eyes sluggishly, forced to follow the broadcast's instructions and join everyone in the cafeteria for breakfast.

As he passed through the lobby, he could not help glancing at the tightly shut entrance again. Suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder.