Rewards

"Not bad. You all survived."

Director Ghost's praise brought no joy to Lin Luo and the other three. Instead, their hearts grew heavier.

It was only their first day, and they had already nearly died.

Even someone with the strongest will would probably break down while struggling to survive in the horror world.

"Your performance was average. Here are your wages."

Director Ghost tossed fifty Ghost Coins each to Liu Yanyan and Zhang Xiaoli.

The two girls hurriedly thanked him and carefully put the money away.

In the horror world, Ghost Coins were indispensable currency. They could be used for trade, and with enough of them, one could even enlist powerful Vicious Ghosts.

"A patient filed a complaint and gave you a bad review. Your wages for today are docked."

Director Ghost looked at Zhang Zhihao, who stood to one side with an ear missing, and spoke coldly.

Zhang Zhihao went pale, his face filled with despair.

For newcomers, Ghost Coins were one of the main ways to obtain food.

Working on an empty stomach would also affect his performance the next day.

"9527, you performed the best and earned a positive review from a patient. This is your reward. Keep up the good work."

As he spoke, Director Ghost tossed Lin Luo a thousand Ghost Coins.

The other three stared in disbelief.

At Yellow Springs Hospital, even staying alive was incredibly difficult. Earning a positive review was beyond anything they dared imagine-it meant gaining a ghost's approval!

If that relationship developed further, they might even be able to sign a contract with a ghost. Then their fortunes would soar, and gaining a foothold in the horror world would no longer be a pipe dream!

At that thought, Liu Yanyan's and Zhang Xiaoli's eyes lit up. They had never expected the wallflower in their class to have such formidable potential.

"9527, you still have work tonight. It's your turn to stand watch in the morgue on the hospital's first basement level."

Director Ghost's words instantly weighed down Lin Luo's heart.

At Yellow Springs Hospital, overtime was no blessing. Ghosts ran rampant at night, making it far more dangerous than the daytime.

Zhang Zhihao, who had been jealous of Lin Luo, broke into a gloating smile.

As far as he was concerned, Lin Luo had almost no chance of surviving a night shift in the morgue.

"Do your best to stay alive. Hopefully, I'll see you tomorrow."

Director Ghost gave Lin Luo a meaningful look, then turned and left.

Shortly after Director Ghost departed, Zhang Zhihao walked over to Lin Luo.

"Lin Luo, we're classmates. We should help each other out. Give me some Ghost Coins."

Zhang Zhihao spoke as though he were entitled to them.

His attempt at guilt-tripping made Lin Luo frown.

Ghost Coins were a vital form of wealth in the horror world.

If Zhang Zhihao thought he could get them for free, he was dreaming!

"If you want Ghost Coins, earn them yourself."

Lin Luo refused without hesitation, then turned and walked away.

Yellow Springs Hospital's cafeteria closed at eight. If he arrived too late, there would be no food left.

Watching Lin Luo leave, Zhang Zhihao bared his teeth in fury, consumed by jealousy.

"That bastard. Just you wait!"

Liu Yanyan and Zhang Xiaoli could barely fend for themselves. With no attention to spare for Zhang Zhihao, they hurried after Lin Luo.

Meanwhile, Lin Luo followed the path to the hospital cafeteria.

His luck held on this trip.

He encountered no Vicious Ghosts blocking his way or looking for trouble.

The moment he entered the cafeteria, the stench of blood hit him, nearly making him retch.

The cafeteria was filthy and chaotic. Blood left unwiped on the floor had dried into stains.

As Lin Luo entered, the Vicious Ghosts that had been feasting stopped eating and turned to look at him.

"Fresh food. It must taste wonderful."

"Human heads are so crunchy. I'd love to take a bite."

Even Lin Luo felt a little nervous facing such a scene for the first time, but he forced himself to calm down.

He was currently a Nursing Aide at Yellow Springs Hospital. As long as he broke no rules, these Vicious Ghosts had no grounds to attack him.

Ignoring the malicious stares around him, Lin Luo walked toward the ordering counter.

Lin Luo glanced at the recommended dishes on the counter, and his heart lurched.

Steamed brains.

Braised human hands.

Charcoal-grilled human hearts.

Every dish name was bloody and horrifying.

The two ghosts serving food looked vastly different.

The ghost on the left was huge and fat, weighing two or three hundred kilograms. A closer look revealed that his flesh had been pieced together and stitched, giving off a pungent, bloody stench.

The other ghost was extremely scrawny and unsteady, as though he might collapse at any moment.

Yet Lin Luo sensed an aura from this skinny ghost that was far more terrifying than the fat ghost's.

In the horror world, ghosts that looked weak and frail were often the more frightening ones.

"Little bug, order whatever you like. If you don't have money, you can put up your organs as collateral."

The moment Lin Luo approached, the Fat Chef Ghost flashed a greedy smile.

"No need. I have Ghost Coins."

Lin Luo scanned the menu and finally found normal food at the bottom.

"I'll have the beef rice bowl that costs fifty Ghost Coins."

Seeing that Lin Luo could pay, the fat ghost cook snorted in displeasure, then brought over a rice bowl.

Lin Luo took a closer look and discovered that the beef was moldy and spoiled. Eating it might give him food poisoning.

The rice was probably the only normal thing in the bowl.

"Here's your change."

The fat ghost cook rudely tossed Lin Luo a ten-Ghost-Coin note.

Lin Luo's expression darkened, but he had no intention of arguing. In the horror world, where the strong preyed on the weak, reason meant nothing.

As Lin Luo reached for his change, he discreetly touched the Fat Chef Ghost with his Crimson Demon Finger.

The instant he made contact, Lin Luo accessed a portion of the Fat Chef Ghost's memories.

"I was fat from childhood, and all my classmates bullied me. After I grew up, work went badly, and my girlfriend cheated on me. When I caught them together, she and her lover strangled me. Even before I died, they called me a fat pig..."

The Fat Chef Ghost's life had been so miserable that even Lin Luo could not help sighing.

His misfortunes had twisted his personality. The Fat Chef Ghost was filled with hatred for humans and had even developed a taste for torturing them to death.

"You're so big and powerfully built. If I had a body like yours, I could do whatever I wanted in the horror world."

Those few words immediately softened the Fat Chef Ghost's expression.

Both in life and after death, the Fat Chef Ghost had felt deeply inferior about his fat body. This was the first time anyone had complimented him, so he could hardly help feeling excited.

"Human, you've got a pretty good eye!"

The Fat Chef Ghost smiled and replaced Lin Luo's meal with a beef rice bowl that looked, smelled, and tasted delicious.

Seeing his flattery work lifted Lin Luo's spirits.

The Crimson Demon Finger could access portions of a ghost's memories, making it practically a mind-reading technique. Used well, it could help him avoid pitfalls and sore spots, and even build good relationships with ghosts.

"I'm only telling the truth."

But just as Lin Luo was about to carry away his beef rice bowl, the Thin Chef Ghost, who had been standing silently with his head lowered, stopped him.