CHAPTER 38: CHAPTER 37 - "LIGHTHOUSE

Returning to the hospital once more, Su Ming’an found that the interior was now overrun with zombies.

Because Duoduo’s headquarters were located here, after several days of operation, the location had become much more dangerous than before.

But he didn’t care, just carrying his Sword Bag, standing still, and reaching out his hand.

He was now going to the second hospital to find the Duoduo in the underground archives and complete his final deduction.

This time, he was completely different from the him who had died underground before.

His goal was clear.

An identical Cloning slowly emerged in front of him.

Su Ming’an now had 27 Mentality Points, and after leveling up to the Fifth Stage of the First Rank, he had allocated all six free Attribute Points entirely to Spirit, making his Cloning’s Combat Power reach 245 (normal Combat Power) + 27*5 = 380.

——Even Lv Shu, the currently known strongest Player, only had an estimated average Combat Power of around 300.

As long as no one directly attacked Su Ming’an’s real body.

Su Ming’an closed his eyes and let the Cloning with 380 Combat Power carry the fireman’s axe into the hospital, moving as if entering an uninhabited territory, the axe leaving a trail of blood wherever it swung, with no monster able to withstand a single blow from the Cloning.

[Exp+50]

[Exp+50]

From the first floor to the fifth, then back down from the fifth floor to check for any stragglers, Su Ming’an remained, from beginning to end, standing still with his eyes closed, clearing out waves upon waves of zombies.

[You have cleared X City’s Second Hospital]

[Ding Dong! You have leveled up to a (First Rank Six) Player]

Allocating another three Attribute Points to Spirit, raising his Mentality Resistance to the Third Level, Su Ming’an let his Cloning stand on the first floor, before he himself started walking, ready to step into that underground place that once dealt him death—

"Su Ming’an?"

Footsteps came from behind him, followed by a man’s voice filled with excitement and joy.

With a high 30 points in Spirit, Su Ming’an had long noticed the approach of this group of people, but he didn’t want to interact, simply continuing towards the interior of the hospital.

"Ah... that, Su..." The man from behind seemed very anxious, then abruptly blurted out a title: "—Su God!"

Su Ming’an’s steps faltered, and then he turned his head.

He no longer watched the barrage of comments, nor did he pay attention to the skyrocketing heat in the live streaming room reaching hundreds of millions; he had become Lighthouse, knowing that his live streaming room would undoubtedly be Number One, and that countless people on World forums would be shouting his name.

Because it was certain, he felt no doubt about it—he was vividly alive in the eyes of many and would continue to shine brightly forever.

"Don’t call me that, I’m not some god." Su Ming’an looked at him: "Call me Ming’an."

"Ming... cough." Yang Changxu scratched his cheek, still unable to directly use the name as one would with a close acquaintance, and stiffly added an honorific: "Ming’an... bro."

For some reason, despite the fact that the person in front of him was just a young boy, much younger than him by more than a decade, whenever Yang Changxu faced his gaze, he felt as if he had been dazzled and somewhat unable to maintain eye contact.

The iron-blooded soldier, who feared neither heaven nor earth, felt a chill spreading from the bottom of his heart for the first time.

...The sensation was somewhat similar to when he first joined the military and saw an officer make his subordinates run thirty laps as a punishment.

The messages on his screen were jumping crazily:

[Damn! It’s Su Lighthouse!]

[What kind of nickname is Su Lighthouse, huh? It should be Su God!]

[Su God has become so... chuuni lately... though it feels like he’s always been like this]

[—Dragon Country’s Number One Player! The world’s Number One Player! (waving glow sticks)]

[He didn’t use Yuanyuan’s sword... Is he carrying Yuanyuan’s will on his back now... That’s so heartbreaking.]

[I’m shocked, the military brother is actually from the same X City as Su God, and they met!]

[I knew days ago that Su God wasn’t ordinary, but I didn’t expect him to be the legendary Number One Player...]

[Coming from Su God’s live stream, he’s so heartless now, won’t even greet us, wuwuwu, he used to say hello...]

[Ascension through wife-murder, I’m enlightened.]

[Whoever said the thing about wife-murdering, get lost, don’t insult Ming Yue’s feelings, okay?]

[I thought he was disfigured after being burned by Eni... But the more I look, the more handsome he seems, and his left arm is back too]

[Su God has jumped from the top hundred on the preliminary list to the unquestionable Number One in the Hall of Fame, he’s become so aloof]

[I used to think he was so odd, but now I realize he’s had it tough...]

[Ming’an! Ming’an! (waving a glow stick)]

[I want to be Ming’an’s Lighthouse ahhh——]

[Careful with your words, upfront. The moment you mention this, Ming’an becomes abnormal; he might just chop you up.]

[Host, go up and stick close! I want to see Su the Great speak!]

[...]

...

"Uh... that." Yang Changxu felt an inexplicable tension, even though he didn’t really understand the live streaming system, he could grasp that he was talking to someone who was the focus of hundreds of millions of gazes, with so many people watching their interaction. He glanced at his companions beside him who seemed unable to stand firmly and, swallowing hard, he said, "Even though it may be offensive to say this, you’ve already been to Central Hospital, so that... that antidote, is it...?"

A vial containing a shaking purple liquid was thrown over to him; he immediately stretched out his hands to catch it, seeing the beautiful liquid shimmer with a clear light.

...It was obtained too easily.

The previous atmosphere of moral coercion and confrontation was gone. He had barely opened his mouth when the person tossed him the precious antidote, without a hint of reluctance.

...So, does this mean?

...The other party had completely solved the puzzle of the World. Hence, they no longer needed these?

Or is it that there was no one by his side who needed this vial of antidote anymore?

Yang Changxu lifted his head, and the figure of the youth had gradually disappeared into the darkness of the hospital.

...

Su Ming’an advanced smoothly into the hospital.

Familiar with the route, he passed through the cold stairwell to the archives room.

Cloning had already cleared out the zombies clawing crazily outside the archives room. Su Ming’an reached out to retract it, planning to use "Annihilate Physical" to open the door, but to his surprise, the door opened by itself with a gentle push.

"Creak——" The door emitted a slow opening sound.

Su Ming’an swept the room and saw that the archives room had been searched, various books and materials scattered all over the floor, and traces of dried blood remained on the ground, extending outside. It must have been someone who was looking for information here and then suddenly got attacked, escaping afterward.

The blood was dry, likely having been there for a few days.

Su Ming’an had grasped the final clue, and even if his previous conjectures were incomplete, they would automatically fill in. He didn’t need to look for anything more here; he exited the archives room and then walked towards the room that he had once died in.

In front of the door lay a large number of zombie corpses, their nails showing obvious friction marks, some even worn away from excessive scratching. The outer glass door had long been shattered, but the inner roller shutter was still tightly closed.

——There must be someone inside; otherwise, the roller shutter wouldn’t be closed.

It must be the person who left the bloodstains in the archives room.

Su Ming’an and Yuanyuan had figured the archives room of the hospital might have information, and other Players could have thought of it, too. Maybe someone arrived here after they left, and due to limited strength, couldn’t escape, getting trapped in this room.

...The status of the person inside, dead or alive, was unknown, likely more bad than good.

After all, the bodies of the hospital director and his wife were inside. The first time he entered, Su Ming’an triggered the final deduction and died there.

He looked at the roller shutter with some frustration, considering whether hacking at it with his axe would be too difficult, when he heard from inside a faint, almost pressing against the door, call:

"Is there... someone out there?"

It was a woman’s voice.

Cloning had just charged in too recklessly, and the overwhelming Combat Power used to clear the zombies made the sound of battle quite noticeable. Maybe the person who was still alive inside heard the battle outside and wanted to ask for help.

"Still alive?" Su Ming’an asked.

"Yes... yes... You’ve already killed the zombies outside, right? I’ve been trapped here for a long time, thank you. Can I open the door now?" The woman’s voice was weak; she might have been injured for a long time already.

"Open it," Su Ming’an responded.

Although he did not know why she wasn’t dead—perhaps she had not triggered the final deduction, and couldn’t see Duoduo—but this wouldn’t affect Su Ming’an, as he intended to go in anyway.

"Clatter——"

The roller shutter made a loud noise as the woman inside slowly pulled it up.

...

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