Their eyes met in a silent exchange. They all knew what they wanted to choose – A, the most appealing of the four options. But they also knew that they had to be sure, to find the hidden clue that would reveal the correct answer.

    With years of experience, they could spot flaws and inconsistencies in any instance. They had learned to trace back every answer to its source, verifying its validity and accuracy.

    But this time, they were stumped. They racked their brains, trying to recall every detail of their visit to Saint Elizabeth. They remembered the most mundane things, like the colour of the curtains, the smell of the soup, the way a piece of orange peel had stuck to one of their shirts. But nothing that could help them with this answer.

    They thought back to the previous question.

    【You’re the best of pals, brothers in arms….】

    “Is this some kind of test of our loyalty?” one of them wondered aloud.

    “What loyalty?” another scoffed. “You belong to the Fifth Hospital, and I’m from the Third Hospital. We have no bond to speak of.”

    “So, do we go with A?”

    “No.” The one who had kept quiet until then finally spoke. “Think about it. The first question said we are the best buddies, brothers in arms. Do you think the dean is ignorant of our true relationship? No, this is a hypothetical scenario. He wants us to imagine that we are inseparable brothers, and then ask ourselves, what would we be willing to do for each other?”

    “Four points are nothing, if we’re blood brothers and all,” one of them said, trying to sound casual.

    “Yeah… are we going for D?”

    “Just… do it?”

    They looked at each other, and nodded. “We’re going for D,” they declared in unison.

    They felt a surge of anxiety as they made their choice. What if they were wrong? What if the door would burst open, and unleash something terrible? They had no idea what awaited them on the other side.

    Then, they saw a thin strip of paper slide through the gap under the door.

    “Not more questions?!” one of them groaned.

    They picked up the paper with reluctance, and saw a QR code printed on it.

    “…”

    They exchanged wary glances, and scanned the code with their phones.

    **

    In the office, Yu Xiao received a notification: 16 points credited! She stifled a laugh, and hid the QR code printer under her desk. Then, she took out four discharge reports, and stamped them with satisfaction.

    **

    The four felt a pang of pain as they lost four points each. It felt like a stab in the chest.

    The one with keen eyes spotted a pile of papers sticking out from the door. “Hey, look at this!”

    The stack of papers in their hands bore the weight of their ordeal. It was the discharge report, with their photos attached, a bright red stamp on top.

    Finally stamped, finally able to leave…

    They had spent several days at St. Elizabeth Hospital, haunted by the horrors they had endured. Their bodies and minds were scarred, but they had survived. Now, as they prepared to leave, their emotions surged beyond ordinary excitement. Tears brimmed in their eyes as they exchanged glances, aware of the deep bond that had formed between them, a bond of brotherhood, forged in the fire of life and death.

    For a brief moment, they were overcome with gratitude and affection, and reached out to hold each other’s hands.

    But then, a line of words flashed in their minds, a cruel reminder of the previous note.

    … Become your brother’s bride… Become your brother’s groom…. and Have a foursome with your brothers….

    The hands that were tightly clasped suddenly let go, as if electrocuted. They felt a wave of revulsion and fear, a memory they wished to erase from their minds forever. Some people, they realised, were better left behind…

    **

    It was a dark and silent night when Yu Xiao crept back into the ward.

    Zhao Lan let out a relieved exhale as she spotted her. “You’re finally back.”

    Yu Xiao flashed a grin as she collapsed on the bed. “I’ve discovered a new method to earn points. We’re getting closer to escaping from Sixth Hospital.”

    Zhou Xiao Zhen muttered a half-hearted response from under the blanket. “That’s great. Really great news.”

    Yu Xiao frowned. She had always thought of Precious as the most spirited among them. “What’s the matter?”

    Zhao Lan shrugged with a weary expression. “She’s been having a row with some people on the forum and it’s got her down.” Sёarch* The n??el Fire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    Yu Xiao was perplexed. Wasn’t Precious the forum expert who loved to share her insights and tips?

    Precious, however, was far from exhausted. She rolled over and wrapped herself tighter in the blanket, seething. “They’re so infuriating. I post my experiences on the forum, and they accuse me of showing off. They can slander me all they want, but then they have the audacity to say that Smiley is no better.”

    Yu Xiao was dumbfounded. “I hardly write anything on the forum.”

    “They’re all fawning over me, kissing my ass, calling me the boss. I told them I’m just a fake boss, and my sister is the real deal. She had the guts to flirt with the attending doctor, nearly got hitched to one of them. Then they said I was delusional, and that I’ve been reading too many trashy Mary Sue novels.”

    Yu Xiao bit her lip, feeling a surge of irritation. But she couldn’t bring herself to be angry, because she knew anyone else would think Zhou Xiao Zhen was spouting nonsense. But what bothered her was the way Precious always sounded so smug and self-satisfied when she said such embarrassing things?

    With a snort, Yu Xiao shrugged off her lab coat and said, “I’m going to take a shower.”

    As she made her way to the bathroom door, she caught Zhou Xiao Zhen’s voice saying, “Hmph, in the next instance, I’m going to make a move on the attending doctor too. I want them to see that patients who are too scared to flirt with the attending doctors are not worthy of being bosses!”

    Yu Xiao stumbled and almost crashed into the bathroom.

    Before going to bed, Yu Xiao checked her point total and smiled contentedly. She drifted into sleep and whispered a wish before falling asleep. She wished for Saint Elizabeth’s to thrive in business, and for all the patients who entered Saint Elizabeth’s to reach her office door alive.

    The next morning, Yu Xiao was once again roused by the 8 a.m. alarm. This time, she was serene, even shifting to a more cosy position to keep lying down.

    A cheerful chime rang out.

    Sunlight flooded the hospital room, bathing everything in a warm glow. Yu Xiao savoured the rare moment of leisure, resolved to make the most of it by drawing more talismans to sell to the other patients in the ward.

    Zhao Lan perched by the window, dressed in her own green dress instead of the drab hospital gown. She had stopped chemotherapy for a while, and wisps of hair had sprouted on her bald head, glinting like a huge, radiant dandelion in the sun.

    “It feels like we haven’t stayed in the ward for two days in a row since we came to the Sixth Hospital,” she remarked, cradling a teacup in her hands. A faint smile curved her lips.

    Yu Xiao propped herself up, her hair tousled. “Yeah, we should be more mindful of our work-rest balance in the future,” she agreed.

    “… A wonderful day starts now~ Here’s the morning news.”

    “… Every five years, our hospital undergoes an inspection. Our hospital has always upheld the principle of putting people first, striving to help every patient overcome their illnesses…”

    Yu Xiao, who had been rubbing her eyes, froze.

    Zhao Lan cocked her head, puzzled. “Hospital inspection? What does that involve? Who conducts the inspection?”

    Zhou Xiao Zhen piped up, “In the real world, it’s usually the bigwigs who come to inspect. Does this magical hospital have bigwigs too?”

    A flash of memory crossed her mind. George had hinted at some big news brewing in the hospital, urging her to keep an eye on the headlines. Was this what he meant?

    She felt a surge of dread. Would Saint Elizabeth be subjected to the same scrutiny?

    “…The inspection work will commence shortly. We request all department heads to make adequate arrangements, showcasing the people-centric approach of each unit…”

    Department heads? Yu Xiao frowned in confusion. Wasn’t she one of them? What did she have to do? And what about what she did to get her place? Did she have to go back to Saint Elizabeth and silence all ghosts?

    She had no time to waste. Without bothering to wash her face or brush her teeth, she grabbed her phone and dialled Lu Xun’s number. Only then did she realise that she had blocked him. She quickly unblocked him and called again.

    Lu Xun’s voice was full of astonishment. “Wow! You’re actually calling me on your own accord. Has the world turned upside down?”

    Yu Xiao felt a pang of sympathy for George. She knew how he must have felt when she spoke to him.

    “I don’t want to talk to you,” she snapped. “Put Luo Jin on the line.”

    “Fine.” Lu Xun sounded hurt. “Here, Lao Luo, she wants to connect with you.”

    With a smirk, Luo Jin took the phone and asked, “Did you fall for me?”

    Yu Xiao felt a surge of regret. She had Xie Meng Meng’s number, so what possessed her to call these two instead?

    “No,” she snapped. “I’m hanging up.”

    “Wait— is this about the hospital inspection?”

    “Yes,” Yu Xiao admitted. “Do you know anything about it?”

    Luo Jin’s voice changed, becoming more serious and professional. “I have some insight. I was a new recruit at the Fourth Hospital during the last inspection,” he said. “But I don’t know much, really. I can only tell you that for ordinary patients, the inspection doesn’t make much difference. Unless there are special circumstances, the wards are off-limits to those who have no business there.”

    Yu Xiao frowned, trying to decipher his cryptic words. “For ordinary patients… then there are extraordinary patients?”

    “Yes, like you,” Luo Jin said bluntly. “I remember you have a title, Saint Elizabeth Yu. Do you still hold onto that title?”

    Yu Xiao felt a pang of anxiety. “Why do you ask?”

    Luo Jin spoke in a low voice, as if sharing a secret. “The hospital inspection is supposed to last for a fortnight, but it’s all a sham. After they finish with the First Hospital on the first day, they barely glance at the others. They spend the rest of their time poking their noses into other places.”

    He paused, then added, “I have a hunch that they’re mainly interested in the instances. You see, every other day, there’s a headline about some nurse or doctor from this or that instance being fired or disciplined. So, your situation…”

    Yu Xiao felt a knot in her stomach. She asked, “Do you have any advice for me?”

    “Can you give up this job, being a Dean?”

    **

    “Can I resign as the dean?”

    She couldn’t see his face through the phone, but George’s voice betrayed his amusement.

    “No, you can’t. Deans only have two options: death or being sacked by inspection.”

    Yu Xiao slammed her fist on the bed and continued, “Then can you at least explain the inspection process to me? What am I supposed to do as the dean?”

    George spoke in a condescending tone, as if lecturing a child. “The process is rather straightforward,” he said. “You will accompany the senior leaders around St. Elizabeth Hospital. You will assist them in questioning the hospital staff. If everything goes well, they will question you as well. If there are no issues, the inspection will be concluded.”

    Yu Xiao bit her lip and ventured, “Do you think I will pass the inspection?”

    George’s voice became even more jovial. “I highly doubt it, Dean.”

    Yu Xiao lost her temper. “Are you enjoying my misfortune?” she snapped. “If I fail, I will expose all your secrets to the leaders before I take my last breath, and you will never escape!”

    George remained unfazed. “It seems you have some misconceptions about the hospital inspection team. They are not like the Medical Dispute Office; they leave no stone unturned.”