Chapter 48: We ought to love and uplift one another! |
Smoke billowed from Lolita’s head, but it wasn’t a sign of anger; she had been struck by a stray bolt of lightning.
The smokey ghost stood motionless in her spot, her once magnificent golden curls now reduced to a charred and tangled mess. She felt no pain or shock; somehow, her body had managed to avoid any serious injury. She was simply questioning her very existence.
How had she, a highly respected and feared attending doctor with many years of experience, fallen to such a miserable state?
Lolita gritted her teeth and muttered, “That wretched woman.” She no longer cared about her fair hair or smooth skin; she would tear that wench apart until there was nothing left!
The furious woman spun around, her legs propelling her forward. With a speed that rivalled a car, she sprinted after Yu Xiao’s fleeing figure.
Yu Xiao had taken a longer route, but she and her allies had the advantage of stamina cards. They could run almost endlessly. Finally, after covering a great distance, she approached the roller coaster from a different angle. She surveyed the area and saw no sign of Lolita.
A wave of relief washed over her, and she quickened her pace, leading the others back to their original location.
They looked up at the towering and intricate roller coaster track, which loomed over them like a metallic beast.
Zhao Lan furrowed her brow. “Are you sure you want to go up there?”
Zhao Lan’s voice trembled as she gazed at the dizzying height and the flimsy parachute. “Are you sure this is safe?”
Yu Xiao flashed her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, I have a secret weapon that can save my life in case of an emergency.”
Zhao Lan nodded, biting her lip. “Well, then, be careful, okay?”
Zhou Xiao Zhen, who had been watching them with a mix of admiration and envy, spoke up. “Smiley Sis, you’re so brave! I wish I could go with you, but I believe in you. You can do this, Smiley Sis. I’m cheering for you!”
Yu Xiao gave her a grateful nod and turned to face the track.
As soon as she touched the track, she felt a strange sensation, a cold shiver running down her spine. Something was wrong, she sensed it. The track felt unnatural, almost alive and hostile, under her palm. She shook off the feeling, telling herself it was just her imagination. She had used two stamina cards before, boosting her physical abilities to the max. She was stronger, faster, and more agile than ever. She could handle this.
The brave girl moved along the track with steady grace, not too fast to lose control, not too slow to waste time. She faced several daunting loops and twists on the roller coaster, but she had already scouted them beforehand. She knew where the danger zones were, where the tourists had lost their heads. She avoided those areas and climbed over the rest.
Zhao Lan and Zhou Xiao Zhen followed her progress with bated breath, sending her silent prayers and encouragement.
Suddenly, Zhao Lan smelled something burning. She frowned, wondering what it was. She turned her head, only to see the charred figure of Lolita standing next to her.
Zhou Xiao Zhen gasped, her eyes widening with terror as she saw Lolita appear beside them; the woman had arrived with frightening speed.
Lolita cocked her head, a mocking smile playing on her lips as she watched Yu Xiao’s determined stride on the track.
The villainess chuckled, her crimson lips twisting into a cruel smirk, and gracefully stepped onto the rail. Despite the high heels she wore, she maintained her balance on the metal as if it were a level surface. With deliberate steps, she advanced, matching the pace of her prey.
Yu Xiao felt an abrupt chill on the track, as if something had shifted. Glancing over her shoulder, her heart sank as she locked eyes with Lolita; the woman had caught up with her far too quickly.
Lolita strolled with a leisurely grace, akin to a cat toying with a mouse before killing it. She closed the gap methodically, driving her victim to the brink, relishing the fear and despair evident in her eyes. Yu Xiao refused to acknowledge her, unwilling to grant her the satisfaction. Her focus remained on moving forward, resolute in reaching the finish line before Lolita could seize her.
“Look!” Qian Xin exclaimed, pointing towards the distance with a shocked expression.
Liu Fei and Xie Meng Meng followed her gesture, and their breath hitched as they spied two tiny figures on the towering roller coaster track.
One figure was unmistakable, clad in a gloomy black dress; it was the sinister doctor, Lolita. Though the other figure appeared indistinct from afar, they instinctively knew it had to be Yu Xiao.
On the elevated track, the two moved in unison, their proximity diminishing with each passing second.
The hearts of the onlookers clenched. Had Yu Xiao fallen into a trap after all? Was this her final stand?
A wave of sadness washed over Xie Meng Meng, and she didn’t know why. Ever since she entered the Fourth Institute, she had seen nothing but despair and dread in the faces of those who faced the treatment instances. Yu Xiao was the first person she met who could smile and laugh in the midst of such horrors, who could live with such freedom and joy.
But was that about to end?
Yu Xiao came to a halt, standing on the elevated track.
This was the site of the roller coaster accidents. Every time the ride reached this point, it would stop, and then resume with a jolt, leaving behind the severed heads of the passengers.
She looked up, and saw a monstrous ghost looming over the track. The ghost was as tall as a building, with limbs twisted and tangled around the metal. Its hair was long and wild, hiding its face, except for a solitary black eye that glared menacingly at Yu Xiao.
Its hands were fiddling with a strand of hair, placing it across the track at the perfect height to slice through the necks of the people in the cars. The truth was, the ghost’s body would block the roller coaster’s path, forcing it to stop. Then the ghost would move aside, but the hair would remain, cutting off the heads of the unsuspecting tourists.
A “clattering” sound echoed from behind. It was the unmistakable noise of Lolita’s high heels striking the track.
Yu Xiao gazed at the half-hidden face of the ghost, where a large number 9 was written.
The brave girl spun around and found herself face to face with Lolita, her black dress billowing in the wind.
The doctor in black raised her hand, and a dainty little umbrella instantly popped open, shielding her from the harsh sun overhead.
“Why do I not see fear in your eyes?” Lolita asked, tilting her head. “Have you contracted some illness that makes you fearless?”
“My mind is not normal, but I still feel fear.” Yu Xiao stared at the top of Lolita’s head, a sorrowful frown creasing her forehead. “You had such beautiful hair… what a waste.”
Lolita’s face twisted. She loathed her own hideous appearance, and she abhorred anyone looking at her deformity.
“I told you I would eat you, and I will.” Lolita glanced at the parachute on Yu Xiao’s back, a scornful smile on her lips. “Perhaps I should offer you one more chance to escape my sight?”
“No need.” Yu Xiao replied. “We can avoid this unpleasantness.”
As she spoke, she lifted her dress and, with her other hand, began rummaging inside.
Lolita saw beneath her clothes, wrapped around her body, a ring of white fabric. Yu Xiao fumbled for a while before finally loosening the white cloth. She shook it in her hand, and Lolita realised it was actually a white coat.
She slipped into the white coat, its loose fabric billowing in the wind. Facing Lolita, she questioned, “Why do we have to kill each other? We’re colleagues, partners. We ought to love and uplift one another!”
Lolita stood frozen, her mouth agape. She had imagined countless possible reactions from Yu Xiao, but this was not one of them.
The cat stared at the mice in disbelief, observing the comically oversized white coat and the badge on the chest bearing the word “Dean.”
She had heard rumours of a new dean at St. Elizabeth’s, but she hadn’t paid them much attention. To the attending doctors, the dean was just another insignificant NPC. However, now she realised that the dean of St. Elizabeth’s had invaded her territory.
“Hehe,” Yu Xiao nervously chuckled. “Dear Lolita, may I take my leave now?”
Lolita snapped out of her daze and suddenly lunged at her. Yu Xiao flinched and quickly activated the coat’s function.
Silently, her prey vanished from the spot.
Far away, the three anxious spectators—Xie Meng Meng and the others—were left dumbfounded. They had witnessed Lolita cornering Yu Xiao, reaching out for her, and then the courageous girl disappearing before their eyes.
What kind of terrifying ability was this?
They had believed that the attending doctor was already horrifying enough, but it turned out that that monster was even more dreadful than they had imagined.
“Is she dead?” Qian Xin whispered.
“Most likely,” Liu Fei said, his voice icy and resentful. “No one who angers the attending doctor meets a good end.”
Xie Meng Meng bit her lip. She felt a wave of sorrow wash over her. She had been in the Fourth Hospital for several years, and this was the first time she felt such utter hopelessness.
*
*
Yu Xiao opened her eyes and found herself in the familiar, old corridor of St. Elizabeth. The dim lights flickered, the air was frigid and stagnant, and the scent of disinfectant and blood filled her nostrils. She decided to make her way to the operating room.
As she walked past the nurse station, she observed the nurses distributing medication to the patients.
Some patients were at the end of the line, furrowing their brows and contemplating how to evade the meds. The six nurses standing by the corridor looked formidable; resisting them seemed futile.
Suddenly, they noticed the nurses becoming agitated. The ghosts widened their eyes, trembled uncontrollably, and appeared ready to flee. They dropped their trays, causing the pills and syringes to scatter across the floor.
Not only the nurses, but also the little girl named Qiao Qiao, who was at the front of the line, wore the same pallid expression.
They caught a glimpse of a woman in a pristine white coat, her hair cascading in dense waves, concealing her face as she strode past the nurses. In her wake, the nurses bowed their heads so low that they dared not look up.
Only after the woman had vanished did the nurses finally exhale a collective sigh of relief.
The patients exchanged bewildered glances, their curiosity piqued. Who was she? Was she the secret boss of this hospital? She seemed quite fearsome; even the nurses were terrified of her.
Yu Xiao reached the door of the operating room, lifted her hand, and knocked.
Knock, knock, knock!
The door of the operating room opened swiftly, and three beautiful nurses’ heads popped out.
Upon spotting Yu Xiao, the nurses swiftly retracted their heads, one of them even accidentally colliding with the door, producing a resounding “bang” sound.
After a brief pause, another head emerged from inside, a very bony head, to be exact, a skull. The same skull that had been so ecstatic to get a new job that it had fallen off.
“Tie Niu,” Yu Xiao addressed, “How do you like working here?”
The skeleton Tie Niu swung the door open wide and, with utmost reverence, addressed in his deep voice, “Bloody good!! I am truly grateful, Your Honor, the esteemed dean.”
“I would like to borrow some of your possessions for a while,” Yu Xiao strolled into the operating room, “Do you mind?”
Without hesitation, Tie Niu responded with exceptional courtesy, “Certainly not. The entire hospital is at your disposal. All that belongs to me is now yours. Feel free to help yourself as you see fit.”
Approaching the surgical table, Yu Xiao reached out and grasped the former surgeon’s treasured axe. She savoured its weight in her palm for a moment, before setting it down and ultimately selecting her preferred instrument of choice – a chainsaw.