“…There is currently a vacant position in the inpatient department of the Sixth Hospital. We are actively seeking applications for a ward nurse. Gender, age, and professional background are not important as we eagerly search for the perfect candidate for this important role.”

    “Yesterday, the hospital received a report following a tip-off from staff regarding Mr. Zhang, an employee in the morgue. It was alleged that he had accepted bribes for personal gain, which is a serious violation of the hospital’s commitment to fair treatment of every patient and maintaining a clean and honest atmosphere. As a result, Mr. Zhang has been dismissed and handed over to the hospital’s medical dispute office for further action…”

    “…”

    “Yesterday morning, the First Treatment of the Sixth Hospital achieved a significant milestone. Thanks to the collective efforts of the medical staff and patients, three patients have successfully completed their treatment. The patient known as the ‘Deaf Descendant’ continues to lead the charts. Let us extend our warm congratulations to her…”

    “…This patient demonstrated exceptional progress during her treatment, earning the prestigious titles of ‘Saint Elizabeth, Dean Yu.’ and ‘Chainsaw Maniac.’ Once again, congratulations to her…”

    “Furthermore, the patient referred to as ‘Braised Egg Girl 438’ excelled in yesterday’s treatment, earning the honourable title of ‘Tiger’s Devotee’ . Let us congratulate her…”

    “…The patient with the nickname ‘Nickname Hassle’ also excelled in yesterday’s treatment, earning the title of ‘Tyrant’s Willing Accomplice in Cruelty.’ Let us congratulate her…”

    Zhao Lan: “…”

    Zhou Xiao Zhen’s mouth dropped open in surprise.

    Yu Xiao’s face twitched momentarily as she struggled to put her myriad of feelings into words. Finally, she managed to say, “Listen, even the news is praising us.”

    “Smiley, sis,” Zhou Xiao Zhen’s expression revealed a mix of emotions. “Honestly, I’m not an expert at comforting, but sometimes, silence helps louder.”

    Rendered speechless, Yu Xiao couldn’t help but let out a sigh.

    “Sigh,” Zhao Lan’s demeanour showed a combination of relief and sadness. “Luckily, we didn’t use our real names for our nicknames; otherwise, I would be in quite a predicament.”

    “Misty, it’s not as bad as it seems,” Zhou Xiao Zhen reassured her. “You are still in your prime, not at the stage where your reputation is beyond saving.”

    Zhao Lan responded, “Thank you, that’s oddly comforting.”

    Awkwardly coughing, Yu Xiao interjected, “In reality, titles and such hold little significance. Just like Misty pointed out, nobody truly knows who we are.”

    “Exactly,” Zhou Xiao Zhen quickly brightened the mood. “Others haven’t even given it a second thought. A title is a four-point reward, and one point can give you ten days. Collectively, it’s like getting forty days for free. Where else can you find such a fantastic deal?”

    Upon hearing this, Zhao Lan’s complexion visibly improved.

    Feeling slightly embarrassed by her conflicting emotions, she admitted, “I misunderstood; this is indeed a silver lining. The points awarded after each treatment stay the same, so the only way to widen the gap between us and other patients is to gather as many titles as possible. Whether the titles sound impressive or not is inconsequential.”

    “Absolutely,” Yu Xiao grinned. “Remember when I was given the title Chainsaw Maniac? Did I protest? No.”

    “Huh? Smiley, you don’t like the title?” Zhou Xiao Zhe, with a sparkle in her eyes, gazed at Yu Xiao enthusiastically. “I think it’s incredibly cool!”

    “…”

    “Cough, I’m feeling a bit hungry.” Yu Xiao smoothly changed the subject. “Let’s grab some breakfast.”

    *

    *

    As the trio waited for food, little did they realise that the recent news was causing seismic waves in other wards. Countless patients couldn’t hide their astonishment.

    “Damn! Am I hearing this correctly? Saint Elizabeth, the same one I visited…”

    “Good grief, do rookies have this level of badassery now?”

    “I understand that some people are genuinely powerful, a natural fit for this kind of game, but this is becoming too extreme…”

    *

    *

    In the dimly lit hospital room, Yu Xiao and her two companions, Zhao Lan and Zhou Xiao Zhen, stood casually near the door. Engaged in light conversation, they eagerly awaited the arrival of the meal cart.

    Taking in the surroundings, Yu Xiao couldn’t help but voice a newfound concern. “I’ve been thinking,” she pondered. “Even eating here costs money. What happens if someone is penniless? Do they go hungry?”

    This thought hadn’t crossed Zhao Lan and Zhou Xiao Zhen’s minds before, but now they realised the seriousness of the issue. Zhou Xiao Zhen, wearing a thoughtful expression, shook her head. “To die not from ghosts, but from starvation due to poverty… That’s a truly tragic fate.”

    Zhao Lan, always practical, chimed in, “If we as newcomers notice this problem, then the experienced individuals from the Fourth Hospital probably already know what to do. Let’s not dwell on it now. After we eat, we can check the Fourth Hospital forum for any information on this matter.”

    “Agreed,” Yu Xiao confirmed. “In the meantime, I’ll spend my spare time making more talismans. Who knows how many ghosts we might encounter next.”

    Their discussion was abruptly interrupted as the meal cart rolled in, accompanied by a voice from beyond the door. “Need a meal?”

    “Yes,” Zhou Xiao Zhen replied, adjusting her posture casually while holding a mahjong box. “Let’s make things clear. We have tools like mahjong and talismans. If you’re not a real delivery person, you better scram before it’s too late.”

    “I’m deadly serious,” a voice declared from beyond. “So, what do you feel like having for breakfast?”

    Zhou Xiao Zhen responded, “Something light and refreshing would be perfect. Three bowls of plain congee, ten spring rolls, three salted duck eggs, a plate of pickled vegetables, a serving of braised duck wings, and half a roasted chicken. Oh, and do you two have any cravings?”

    Yu Xiao wore a thoughtful expression. “Just go with that…”

    “Alright then, I’m opening the door,” Zhou Xiao Zhen announced as she swung the door open, creating a gap wide enough for the boxes filled with food.

    Outside, darkness prevailed. A skeletal hand, bone-chillingly white, held a massive bag and extended it over.

    Stunned by the strange sight, Zhou Xiao Zhen murmured, “Is this a real delivery person?”

    Zhao Lan mused, “Who says a real delivery person has to be human?”

    “Valid point,” Zhou Xiao Zhen said, accepting the bag.

    As Yu Xiao was about to scan the QR code, the voice outside chimed in, “Enjoy Your meal! If You have any feedback about this service, feel free to let us know~”

    With that, the sound of a cart rolling away echoed from outside.

    “…”

    Yu Xiao wore a perplexed expression. “So, he’s not interested in money?”

    “Not only does he not want money,” Zhou Xiao Zhen replied, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, “but his service attitude is exceptionally good.”

    Both of them turned their gaze towards Zhao Lan. Wondering why, Zhao Lan thought, Why are they looking at me? I am just as bewildered as they are.

    Trying to make sense of the situation, Zhao Lan offered some reassurance. “Well, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Free breakfast – let’s just enjoy it.”

    “Agreed,” Yu Xiao chimed in. The trio eagerly opened the bags and simultaneously exclaimed,

    “Wow!”

    “Oh my goodness!”

    Yu Xiao held up a box of roast chicken. “Precious, did you order a whole roast chicken?”

    “I only ordered half,” Zhou Xiao Zhen also revealed a lunch box. “Are these three salted duck eggs? There must be at least eight of them.”

    “And check out the spring rolls,” Zhao Lan exclaimed, lifting the lid of a box. “There are at least twenty of them, right?”

    “This…” Yu Xiao was bewildered. “He not only refuses payment, but he’s also incredibly generous with the food. Is there a conspiracy?”

    “Rather than calling it a conspiracy, it seems more like he’s trying to gain favour,” Zhao Lan pondered, rubbing her chin, her eyes sparkling with insight. “When he wished us a pleasant meal, he used ‘you’ instead of ‘you all,’ suggesting he was addressing an individual.”

    “Oh,” Zhou Xiao Zhen exclaimed with sudden understanding, “Smiley, he’s trying to win you over.”

    Zhao Lan nodded in agreement, “That’s right. I’ve mentioned before, it’s not just the water ghost and the inspection ghost who are eyeing a change in employment.”

    Yu Xiao, her mouth dry and uncertain, found herself at the tender age of twenty with only two decades of existence in this world. She had yet to step into society and wasn’t exceptionally beautiful. This was the first time someone was trying to gain her favor, which left her somewhat unsettled. The fact that the other party wasn’t even human added to her unease. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    It seemed that St. Elizabeth’s Psychiatric Hospital had a distinguished reputation. Unfortunately, Yu Xiao had no desire to die; otherwise, pursuing a peaceful directorial role might have held a promising future.

    Contemplating this, she couldn’t help but sigh. Even if she were to leave the virtual realm one day and return to reality, the chances of attaining a director’s position in her lifetime seemed bleak.

    A sudden melancholy overcame her…

    Despite being full after the meal, the trio hadn’t managed to finish all the dishes.

    With a full stomach, Yu Xiao prepared to draw talismans. Understanding that mental activities consumed substantial energy, she aimed to create talismans to aid digestion. Zhou Xiao Zhen, believing that sleep was the quickest path to digestion, chose to recline. Meanwhile, Zhao Lan, showing no inclination to waste time, delved into the forums of the Fourth Hospital.

    Each of them had a purpose, and the future seemed promising for all.

    Ever since Yu Xiao’s fortune reached its peak, her skill in crafting talismans skyrocketed, rarely encountering failure. In less than thirty minutes, she had already made numerous “Thunder Striking Ghost Repelling Talismans.” Despite the effectiveness of these talismans, she felt the need for a creative change.

    “Smiley!” Zhao Lan, immersed in browsing the forum, suddenly exclaimed, “You’re trending!”

    Yu Xiao: “?”

    Surprised, Zhou Xiao Zhen asked, “What’s hot?”

    “Smiley Hot! She’ve become famous!”” Zhao Lan said excitedly. “There are numerous posts about you on the forum.”

    “Ah?” Yu Xiao looked confused. “Let me take a look.”

    Zhou Xiao Zhen: “I want to see too!”

    The trio gathered on a single bed, heads close together, eagerly reading the forum.

    The first post Yu Xiao came across had the title: 【Regarding the Newcomer from the Sixth Institute, I Have Something to Share!】

    【Post 1 OP: I’ve read several forum posts about the newcomer from the Sixth Institute, but let me emphasise that for those unfamiliar with St. Elizabeth, they can’t understand the true horror of this situation.】

    【Post 2: First, let me clarify that although I’m not one of the top ten experts on the leaderboard, I managed to secure a spot in the top twenty through my own efforts and have some experience with therapy dungeons. Today, I’m here to discuss St. Elizabeth, officially known as St. Elizabeth’s Psychiatric Hospital. I entered this dungeon three months ago, and on that occasion, ten of us went in, but only three came out alive.】

    【Post 3: The Top Players in the First Twenty Levels, No Doubt.】

    【Post 4 =.=: Observing the Heavyweights!】

    【Post 5 OP: Let me spill the beans about this level—it’s a complete mess! An absolute disaster, and I mean it. This level has the most chaos I’ve ever experienced, especially thanks to that head doc, George. He’s a top-tier jerk who messed with us right from the start. I still can’t let that slide. If the rules allowed hitting the attending doctor, I’d have taken him down for sure. He’s just a scum, a piece of trash @#￥％……&*】

    【Post 6 JadeIsCool: OP, you’re getting too worked up.】

    【Post 7^-^: Big dog, chill out.】

    【…】

    【Post 19 OP: Apologies for getting carried away earlier. Let’s get back on track. When we entered the level, George announced a test. Each patient had to share why they ended up at St. Elizabeth’s. The first patient he picked was a player who thought this was a real mental hospital, so they spun a story about going crazy.

    Turns out, that was dead wrong. The real deal is you end up in St. Elizabeth’s when you’re dead. We should’ve faked a cause of death, not a crazy story. Four players in a row fell for it and immediately revealed that they were human…】