Chapter 98: Courier Arrested |
A ball of yellow and white fur, no bigger than Yu Xiao’s palm, tumbled out of the delivery box and onto the table. The tiny kitten looked frail and malnourished, barely able to stand on its shaky legs. It lifted its head with a tremor, fixing its watery, oversized eyes on Yu Xiao.
She froze in shock. Who the hell sent her a cat?
The kitten gazed at her with a pitiful expression, as if begging for something. Its eyes grew misty, filling with tears that threatened to spill over any second.
Was it…crying? Yu Xiao felt a surge of panic. Someone had sent her a cat, and this cat was crying at the sight of her!
“Cough…”
The kitten shuddered, hacking up a mouthful of blood. The crimson stain contrasted sharply with its soft fur. It collapsed on the table, curling into a ball, but it didn’t look away from Yu Xiao. It kept its head up, as if refusing to give up.
Someone had sent her a kitten that was crying and bleeding…
Yu Xiao felt a wave of nausea, her mind blanking out. She stared at the kitten, trying to make sense of the situation. Why did those eyes look so familiar?
A horrifying realisation dawned on her. She gasped, her eyes widening. “You’re Nightmare, aren’t you?!”
“Are you really Nightmare?!” Yu Xiao’s scalp prickled, her hand fumbling for her phone. She needed to call the medical disputes office, right now.
“Ahem.” The kitten hacked up some more blood, its eyes filling with tears. It fixed its gaze on her and said, “You liar.”
She froze, her hand still clutching the phone.
“Liar.” The kitten said again, its voice weak and accusing.
She felt a pang of guilt, but quickly suppressed it. She had to do this. She had no choice. She took a step back and tried to reason with the kitten. “I’m not lying to you. Really, I’m not. But you have to let me go. I can’t stay here, don’t you see?”
The kitten’s tears spilled over, running down its furry cheeks. It looked utterly heartbroken, as if she had crushed its spirit.
“You hate me.” It sobbed, its eyes like two pools of water. “You hate me, don’t you?”
She hesitated, not knowing what to say. “I don’t…hate you. Exactly.”
The kitten perked up a little, its ears twitching. It looked at her with a hopeful and wary expression. “If you don’t hate me, why lie to me?”
She sighed, rubbing her forehead. “It’s complicated. Can you understand? We’re different. I’m human, and you’re not. We can’t be together.”
“Kittens aren’t human either.” Nightmare said. “But humans and kittens can be together.”
“Blimey,” Yu Xiao muttered, staring at the creature. “How can you say that? You’re not a cat. You aren’t even a living being.”
The creature lifted his head and fixed his gaze on her. His eyes were large and dark, filled with emotion. “I can be a cat,” he said, his voice low and raspy. It curled his tail around his body, as if trying to hide. “If I became a cat, would you stop abandoning me?”
Yu Xiao felt a pang in her chest. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. She had nothing to say to this thing that was itself a Nightmare.
“Why do you insist on following me?” she asked, breaking the silence. She tried to sound stern, but her voice wavered. “What’s so good about following me?”
“You saved me,” Nightmare said, his eyes shining with gratitude. “Every time, I would die painfully in that room, and you’re the only one who saved me. I want to be with you. I don’t want to go back to that room anymore.”
Yu Xiao flinched. She remembered the dreams, the nightmare, where she saw Nightmare being tortured and killed over and over again. She felt his pain, his fear, his despair. She knew he was telling the truth. If she were in his place, she would want to escape too. But she couldn’t help him. She was just a person trapped in a survival game in the hospital. Why should she save Nightmare?
“Actually, I lied to you. You’re different from those ordinary staff members. I can’t transfer you to St. Elizabeth’s,” she said, her voice cracking. “Have you heard the news lately? The whole hospital is looking for you. I can’t keep you at St. Elizabeth’s.”
Nightmare’s eyes widened, then filled with tears. He started crying again, but made no sound. He just lay there on the table, motionless, letting the tears roll down his face. Soon, a small puddle formed on the table.
Yu Xiao watched, feeling utterly helpless. She wished he would stop crying, or scream, or attack her. Anything but this. She could handle him if he was strong and aggressive. She could fight him, or run away, or reason with him. But seeing him like this, so pitiful, so sad, and crying, Yu Xiao didn’t know what to do. She felt a cold sweat on her forehead, and her scalp tingle with anxiety.
“Ahem.” He let out a weak bloody cough and looked up at Yu Xiao with pain in his eyes.
Yu Xiao backed away, her heart pounding. “What the hell happened to you? Did George do this to you?”
Nightmare shook his head and stretched out a claw, as he asking for help. “No, not him,” he said. “The Fifth Hospital. They found me. They wanted to take me. I fought back. I ran.”
Oh God, Yu Xiao regretted asking that question. It only made her feel worse.
She swallowed hard and tried to change the subject. “Hold on a second. You… How did you get here?” She pointed at the cardboard box on the floor. “How did you end up in the delivery package?”
Nightmare blinked and tilted his head. “Well, after I got away, I met this guy in green clothes. He said he knew where to find you and he could take me to you. He said I had to be small. So I became a cat.”
Good grief, it was the delivery guy! It was him. He had tricked Nightmare into coming to her. But why? Did he do it out of pity for the poor creature? No way. Yu Xiao knew he was not that nice. He must have had a malicious motive. He wanted to hurt her by sending Nightmare to her doorstep.
He was such a bastard!
Yu Xiao paced around the office, fuming. What was his plan? Did he expect Nightmare to attack her, to get revenge for her betrayal? Or did he have another motive, like reporting her to the authorities, to get a reward for exposing a fugitive?
With a sudden jerk, Yu Xiao whipped her head around and locked her gaze on the tiny kitten Nightmare. The furball looked at her with wide, innocent eyes.
Nightmare’s mouth opened, but no sound came out. He seemed unsure of what to say or do. Yu Xiao shook her head and said firmly, “Nope, you can’t stay here with me.”
A flash of hurt crossed Nightmare’s face, and his eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
Yu Xiao felt a pang of guilt, but she couldn’t afford to be sentimental. She softened her tone and asked, “How are you holding up? Do you have enough strength to run?”
**
The office clock ticked past the half-hour mark, and Yu Xiao was the only one left. She glanced at the door, then reached for her phone. It was time to make the call.
She dialled the number of the Medical Disputes Office and waited for an answer.
“Hello,” she said in a low voice. “I have something to report.”
“…Yes, go ahead. What is it?”
She took a deep breath and said, “The courier from the Sixth Hospital is working with Nightmare. He helped him escape…”
**
The corridors of the Sixth Hospital were a maze of shadows and light. Rooms lined both sides, some illuminated by flickering bulbs, others shrouded in darkness. Weird creatures lurked in the corners, darting in and out of sight.
A loud, scraping noise broke the silence.
Something heavy was being dragged along the floor.
The creatures flinched at the sound, then scrambled to hide. They squeezed into the cracks and crevices, or curled up into balls. They tried to make themselves invisible, or at least inconspicuous.
A tall, green figure emerged from the gloom, wearing a duckbill cap that hid most of his face. He had one hand in his pocket, and the other on his shoulder, where he dragged a huge green bag that towered over him.
He seemed to be in a good mood, walking with a swagger, speeding up and slowing down at random. Every now and then, he would stop and bang on the doors of the rooms, shouting at the occupants to come out and get their deliveries.
He was halfway down the corridor when he saw someone at the other end. He tilted his head, curious. “What are you doing here?”
A young man in a white shirt stood there, looking pale and thin, as if he was sick. His hair was a bit too long, covering part of his eyes. He lifted his head and met the green figure’s gaze. His eyes were clear but dull.
He didn’t say a word, but walked towards him with steady steps.
The delivery guy’s patience was wearing thin. He snapped at the guy in the white shirt. “Hey, you. What the hell are you doing here? Did you off ‘Deaf Descendant’ or something?”
The guy in the white shirt didn’t answer. He just walked towards the delivery guy, closing the distance between them. They were eye to eye, but the delivery guy had more muscle on his frame.
The delivery guy felt a surge of anger. “What’s wrong with you? Cat got your tongue? You looking for trouble? You don’t stand a chance against me, you know.”
The guy in the white shirt remained silent. Then, without warning, he wrapped his arms around the delivery guy and hugged him.
Delivery guy: “What the fuck?”
“Thank you,” the guy in the white shirt said in a low, soothing voice. “Thank you for saving me.”
The delivery guy was stunned. He had seen some weird shit in his years at the hospital, but this topped them all.
Before he could react, the guy in the white shirt released him and darted away in the opposite direction.
The corridor was quiet again, except for the delivery guy’s heavy breathing. He stood there for a moment, trying to process what had just happened. He gave up and continued his delivery rounds, dragging his feet. His energy was drained, and the ghosts he encountered seemed to sense it and shrank away from him.
“Woof, woof, woof…”
He didn’t know how much time had passed when he heard the sound of a dog barking.
He barely had time to blink before he was hemmed in by a wall of muscle and metal. Security guards towered over him, their faces grim and their weapons drawn. And in front of him, a monstrous creature loomed. A three-headed hellhound, its teeth bared in a snarl. It was almost as tall as he was, and it looked ready to rip him apart.
“You’re under arrest for harbouring Nightmare, assisting in his escape, and breaking hospital rules,” the hellhound growled. “Don’t resist.”
He stared at the beast, his mouth dry. “I-I didn’t do anything.”
“Save it for the interrogation,” the hellhound snapped. “We have proof, and a witness.” It flicked its tail, and a hulking man stepped forward, holding a small skull in his hand. “Tell him what you saw, ghost.”
The skull shivered, its eye sockets empty and dark. “P-please, don’t hurt me,” it whimpered. “I was just passing by. I saw Nightmare embrace him, and thank him. He was so happy. I was afraid to listen more, I ran away…”
He felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead. “That’s not true.”
“Hmph! Shut up!” barked the hellhound. “You’re lying, and we know it.” It glared at him with all six of its eyes rolled simultaneously, and he felt a chill run down his spine. “You’re coming with us, whether you like it or not!”
**
A small yellow cat leaped from the window sill, landing softly on the ground. It padded towards the door, scratching it gently with its claws. The door opened a crack, and a pair of bright eyes peered out. A girl in a white coat whispered, “Did anyone see you?”
The cat shook its head, then lifted its paw, hooking it on the girl’s pant leg and attempted to climb up.
With a firm grip on the kitten’s scruff, Yu Xiao brought it into her office. She set it down on her desk and settled into her chair, gazing at it with a blend of curiosity and satisfaction.
“Well?” she demanded. “Did you get the job done?”
The kitten nodded, its tiny claws digging into her sleeve. “Yes, ma’am,” it said in a squeaky voice. “Just like you said.”
Yu Xiao grinned wickedly, imagining the delivery guy’s face. ‘That’ll teach him to mess with me,’ she thought. ‘He won’t be so smug next time he sees me.’
She subconsciously reached out to stroke the kitten’s fur to pet it, but then she remembered that it was not a real kitten. She pulled her hand back.
“You did good. You should rest now. You’ve been through a lot.”
The kitten looked up at her with hopeful eyes. When she withdrew her hand, it let out a small whimper of sadness.
“Are you hungry?”
The kitten shook its head.
“Thirsty?”
Another shake.
“Anything you need?”
The kitten shook its head for the third time.
Yu Xiao sighed. “Okay, then,” she said, getting up from her chair. “I have to go. I’ll come back as soon as I can.”
She glanced around her office, making sure everything was in order. “Stay here, okay? Don’t make any noise. No one can know you’re here. Especially not George. He’s a jerk.”
The kitten cocked its head, a gleam in its eyes. “In a few days, when I’m all healed up, I’m going to find George and beat him to death.”
Yu Xiao wiped the sweat from her forehead. “Please, no. You can’t kill him. If you do, they’ll find out about you and we’ll both be in trouble. I’ll get out of here soon, but you have to promise me you’ll behave, okay?”
**
She hurried back to the ward, where Misty and Precious had finished their meals.
Zhao Lan looked up from her phone and smiled. “Hey, you’re back. We saved some food for you, come and join us.”
Yu Xiao nodded and took a seat, picking at her food.
Zhao Lan leaned in and lowered her voice. “So, how was it at Saint Elizabeth? Did you run into any trouble?”
Yu Xiao blinked. “What?”
Zhao Lan rolled her eyes. “Don’t play dumb. You know what I mean. Did you see any danger there?”
Yu Xiao hesitated. “No…no danger.”
Zhou Xiao Zhen sighed in relief. “That’s good to hear. Misty and I were worried sick about you. You don’t think Nightmare will show up there again, do you?”
Yu Xiao licked her lips, feeling a knot in her stomach. “…About that…”
Zhao Lan narrowed her eyes, piercing Yu Xiao with a look that could cut glass. “What’s with the hesitation, Smiley?” she asked, her voice dripping with suspicion. “You’re not keeping some naughty little secret from us, are you?”
Yu Xiao bit her lip, weighing her options. Then she motioned for them to come closer, as if she had something important to say. They leaned in, curious and cautious, and Yu Xiao wrapped her arms around their necks, pulling them into a tight huddle. She whispered in their ears, barely audible.
Zhou Xiao Zhen gasped, her face draining of colour. “You did what?” she hissed. “You’ve been hiding Nightmare in the office?”
“Shh…” Yu Xiao pressed a finger to her lips. “Not so loud.”
“Smiley, you’re… you’re insane!” Zhao Lan sputtered, her eyes wide with disbelief. “How could you do something so risky?”
Yu Xiao felt a surge of anxiety. “Do you think I should call the Medical Disputes Office right now?”
“No… no, don’t do that,” Zhao Lan said, calming down a bit. “You’ve already done it, and you’ve done it well. Let’s just keep it this way for now. You’re the only one who has access to the office, so the chances of anyone finding out about Nightmare are low.”
“Okay,” Yu Xiao nodded. “I’ll trust you on this, Misty.”
“…Trust me?” Zhao Lan scoffed. ‘You’re the one who’s been making all the decisions without consulting us. This little rascal clearly had a plan all along, and didn’t bother to tell us.’
Zhou Xiao Zhen groped blindly. “Bloody hell,” she hissed. “Is this what they call cannery in a golden cage?”
Yu Xiao gasped. “!”
“Easy there, Precious,” Zhao Lan said. “No need to get all poetic on us.”
“Yeah,” Yu Xiao said appreciatively, “Misty’s right.”
Zhao Lan snorted. “Right? You have a cat in the golden office.”
“Misty!” Yu Xiao glared at her. “You’re so mean. I’m going to punish you tonight. I’m going to turn into a sewer mermaid and crawl into bed with you.”
Zhao Lan shuddered at the mental image. Zhou Xiao Zhen, still confused, asked, “What the hell is a sewer mermaid?”
**
The next morning, Yu Xiao was the first to get up. She had made up her mind to apply for the next treatment today. She couldn’t stand sitting around and doing nothing. It made her think too much.
“Morning,” Zhou Xiao Zhen said, rubbing her eyes. “I had the weirdest dream last night. I was with Leonardo, and Yan Kuan was so jealous, he chased him around with a water gun.”
“Leonardo and a water gun…” Yu Xiao shook her head. “That sounds like a nightmare, not a dream.”
“Hmph!” Zhou Xiao Zhen pulled the covers over her head. “You’re no fun!”
Zhao Lan got out of bed, wiping the cold sweat off her forehead. “I had a real nightmare last night.”
“What kind of nightmare?” Zhou Xiao Zhen asked, peeking out from the covers. “Worse than our usual life?”
Zhao Lan’s eyes widened as she recounted her nightmare. “I was in a wedding dress, about to consummate my marriage, when I pulled back the sheets and saw… an octopus. A freaking octopus in a suit, with tentacles and suckers and everything. It smiled at me with its beak and said, ‘Hello, darling.’” She wrapped her arms around herself, trembling. “It was the most horrifying thing I’ve ever seen. Worse than any ghost or demon.”
Yu Xiao suppressed a shudder. She was glad she had slept peacefully last night, without any dreams to disturb her.
She glanced at the clock on the wall. “Hey, why don’t we apply for an instance today?” she suggested, hoping to lighten the mood. “The sooner we get out of this hellhole, the better, right?”
Zhou Xiao Zhen nodded, her eyes flashing with determination. She clenched her fists, as if ready to punch anyone who got in their way. “Hell yeah. We can’t waste any more time here. We have to beat this thing and get our lives back.”
Zhao Lan smiled weakly, clasping her hands in front of her chest. “I agree. I just hope this time we can go through the instance smoothly, without any weird mishaps.” She looked at Yu Xiao with a hint of accusation. “You know, like last time.”
Yu Xiao felt a pang of guilt. She knew she was responsible for most of the trouble they had encountered in the previous instances. She had been too curious, too reckless, too impulsive. She had provoked the doctor, angered the NPCs, and triggered the traps. She vowed to behave better this time, to follow the rules and stay out of trouble.
Ding!
The morning news interrupted their conversation.
“Good morning, everyone! Let’s start this beautiful day with some fresh news~.”
“… Yesterday afternoon, a shocking incident occurred at the Sixth Hospital. Nightmare, a former staff member who had gone rogue, infiltrated the hospital and clashed with the security team. He managed to evade capture and escape, leaving behind a trail of chaos and destruction. According to a witness, a patient known as ‘The Deaf Descendant,’ Nightmare had an accomplice, a courier from the Sixth Hospital, who helped him break out of his confinement. The courier has been identified and suspended from duty, pending further investigation. The hospital authorities have issued a statement, assuring the public that they are doing everything in their power to track down and apprehend Nightmare, and to prevent any further incidents…”
“Attention, attention. The Fourth Hospital is in urgent need of a delivery person. No age, gender, or experience required. Apply now and get a generous bonus.”
Yu Xiao burst into laughter. She couldn’t help but feel smug. He had taunted her, saying if she had the guts to do it. Well, she had shown him how gutsy she was. Hehehe, the report was filed successfully! How sweet was that?
Zhou Xiao Zhen joined in her laughter, sharing her satisfaction. “That serves him right. He was such a jerk. I hope the new delivery person is nicer. And cuter.”
Yu Xiao shrugged. She didn’t care much about the delivery person’s personality or appearance. “Whatever. I just hope they don’t raise the delivery fee again. It’s already too expensive.”
Zhao Lan stretched and yawned, getting out of bed. She looked refreshed and ready for a new day. “Okay, enough gossip. Let’s get some rest. We have a big day tomorrow. We have to face the instance again.”
**
Yu Xiao blinked awake, feeling a dull ache in her head. She looked around, confused. She was in a hospital bed, but not the one she remembered. This was a shabby ward, with faded curtains and cracked tiles. There were two doors, one at the front and one at the back.
She sat up, feeling a weight on her back. Reaching behind her, she found her small bag. Unzipping it, she proceeded to check her belongings. She frowned. She hated carrying bags, but she had no choice. She had too many things to keep track of.
She glanced at the other beds. There was an old woman on her left, knitting a scarf. There was an old man on her right, reading a newspaper. They looked like ordinary patients, except for one thing.
Where were Misty and Precious? They were always with her at the start of an instance.
She cleared her throat and asked, “Where am I?”
The old woman looked up from her knitting and smiled. “You’re in the ward, dear.”
“Where are the others?”
The old man lowered his newspaper and shrugged. “They’re in other wards, I guess.”
What a mess. She swung her legs off the bed and demanded, “Where’s the doctor?”
The old woman and the old man exchanged a glance. They said nothing.
“Why the silence?” She sensed something was wrong. She was about to confront them when she noticed a piece of paper on the bedside table. It was where her medical record should have been.
She snatched the paper and read the words on it.
Yu Xiao scanned the note with a frown.
“Within ten minutes, leaving the hospital room, one of the doors led to the road to hell. Once you’ve seen the view outside the door, you couldn’t open another door. Two old folks will guide you in the right direction, each answering one question.”
What kind of bullshit was this? She had just wasted both of her questions on these two senile coots, without getting any useful information.
She tossed the note aside and glared at the pair of wrinkled faces on the hospital bed. The old grandma was humming to herself, oblivious to everything, while the old man gazed out the window with a vacant expression.
“Come on, you can’t give me one more answer?” Yu Xiao tried again, hoping for a miracle.
No response.
She sighed and reached into her pocket, pulling out a handful of talismans. Maybe she could bribe them with some magic.
But no, that never worked here. This place was beyond redemption.
“Alright, fine. Have it your way. I was going to be nice to you, but you leave me no choice.” She rolled up her sleeves and marched to the old man’s side, grabbing him by the collar and hoisting him up.
The old man let out a startled yelp.
“Last chance. Anything you want to say?” Yu Xiao asked, her voice cold.
The old man snorted and clamped his mouth shut.
Yu Xiao shrugged and hoisted him over her shoulder. “Your loss.” She marched to the closest door, kicked it open, and hurled him out without looking. She slammed the door behind her and spun around to face the old grandma, who was still humming a tuneless melody.
She flashed her a saccharine smile. “Now, where were we?”
The old lady’s eyes widened in terror. She clutched her sleeve and pointed at a door with a trembling finger.
“That one?” Yu Xiao raised an eyebrow. She didn’t trust her, so she grabbed her by the collar and lifted her off the bed. She carried her to another door and said, “You still have time to change your mind. I’ll toss you out first.”
The old lady’s finger wavered, then switched to another door, the same one where the old man had flown out.
“You dare to lie to me!” Yu Xiao snarled. She was tempted to slap her, but she held back. She had made a promise to herself, not to mess with NPCs this time.
She wasn’t perfect, but she would try to behave.
So she retraced her steps, opened the previous door, and threw the old lady out. She left the door open while keeping her eyes shut, but she didn’t hear any noise outside, so she followed suit.
As soon as she stepped out, the door behind her slammed shut.
She found herself in a corridor of pure white, white walls, white floor, white doors, all spotless and pristine.
She stood in front of a door, the old man and old lady cowering at her feet.
What the hell was this place? Where were the other patients? The doctor?
As Yu Xiao wondered, she heard a sound from the end of the corridor. It sounded like wheels rolling on the floor, getting louder and louder.
A person in a wheelchair came into view, thin and frail, skin almost transparent. Sharp chin, large eyes, like a delicate porcelain doll. But he wore a white coat, as if to hide his weakness, because he was the doctor.