Ping An Asylum
Chapter 141: “I’ll cure you.”
“Completely… have it.”
The man slowly repeated it with a dazed expression on his face.
His fingers tightly gripped the long handle of the axe, and his bulging muscles stood out as he exerted force. The sharp blade of the axe shimmered with a cold light, and the metal’s chill pierced through the thin hospital gown, gradually pressing against the vigorous flesh and emitting warmth.
【Powerful Enchanment Countdown: 01:04】
“That’s right.”
Wen Jianyan leaned sideways on him, supporting the other person’s weight. With one hand, he gently caressed the man’s broad and muscular back, tender and intimate.
His other hand slowly applied pressure to the axe handle, his voice soft as a whisper, a warm and moist breeze brushing against the man’s earlobes.
“Continue…”
The axe blade sank in, and the skin of the abdomen was cut open, revealing a bloody gash. Warm crimson blood flowed along the distinct muscle patterns, dripping onto the ground.
“Slash—”
The axe entered the abdominal cavity.
The man’s breathing became rapid, but the pain did not deter him. On the contrary, the intense pleasure from the skin being cut open was like a flame in a dry tinder, igniting a fanatical ecstasy from the depths of his eyes.
His pale blue eyes flickered with a look of obsessive excitement, the veins on the back of his hand bulging, and he suddenly slashed downward!
“Aaaaaaaa—!”
In the next moment, fresh blood sprayed out from the massive gash!
Wen Jianyan skillfully dodged to the side, swiftly evading.
With the loss of the young man’s support, his heavy body fell to the ground, stirring up a thin layer of dust. The mask on his face fell to the side, revealing the handsome face underneath.
His blond hair was stained with dust, and his blue eyes were filled with obsession.
His fingers slowly delved into his own abdomen, making a viscous stirring sound as he slowly pulled out his organs.
“So beautiful…”
A faint smile played on Wen Jianyan’s lips, his amber eyes like partially melted candies, hard and sweet. He raised his hand, gently wiping away a few drops of blood that had splashed onto his cheek, then leaned down, lifted the mask from the man’s face, and used his fingers to gently caress his blood-soaked golden hair.
“I didn’t deceive you, did I?”
It seemed that the hunter was not entirely “invincible” in the inner world; at least, he couldn’t be immune to the harm he inflicted on himself.
【Powerful Enchanment Countdown: 00:24】
“Haha, hahahaha!”
The man laughed manically.
“So beautiful, so beautiful. It’s mine; it will always be mine!”
The surroundings began to flicker, the cold walls of the Ping An Asylum alternating with the chaotic bloodstains and hacked corridors.
A gurgling sound came from deep within his throat, and pink blood, mixed with bubbles, overflowed from the corners of his mouth.
The man’s breathing was weak and irregular, and his eyes alternated between frenzied expressions. His pupils gradually dilated, and a semblance of reason seemed to be creeping into the depths of his mind.
Life signs were fading.
Tick, tock.
Death was approaching.
If he wanted to take advantage of his current superiority one last time, he had to act quickly.
The young man caressed the man’s cheek, gently wiping away the blood from the corner of his lips.
“Thank you for bringing me such a beautiful and breathtaking scene. I think I will never forget it.”
He leaned down and whispered into the man’s ear, his voice even softer, warmer, and more affectionate, filled with love and cherish:
“So, one last thing… Can you tell me your name?”
【Powerful Enchanment Countdown: 00:04】
“…,” The man’s eyes began to lose focus, and his pale lips opened and closed, letting out weak sounds: “…Edward.”
A familiar mechanical voice sounded in his ear:
【Ding! Congratulations to the anchor for completing the task: Find ???’s real name.
Reward points: 500】
The smile on Wen Jianyan’s lips deepened slightly: “Thank you, Edward.”
He placed his hand on his chest and said, “I will always remember you.”
【Powerful Enchanment Countdown: 00:00】
【The item has expired】
The man’s pupils dilated completely.
His chest no longer rose and fell.
Although the bell had not yet rung, the corridor around him had completely returned to its normal appearance, and the chaotic, barbaric, and disordered inner world had disappeared.
The smile on Wen Jianyan’s face faded.
He stood up expressionlessly, lifted a corner of his gown, and casually wiped his fingers, which were stained with the other person’s blood.
He took long strides, nonchalantly stepping over the gradually cooling corpse of the other person without looking back, and walked away.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[…]
[…]
[…]
[…F*ck]
[This, this, this… I’m lost for words; I can’t speak…]
[So ruthless, really ruthless, too ruthless!]
[I can’t believe it. Just a moment ago, you said I’d remember you, and the next moment, you left without looking back… You’re such a ruthless liar! (100 Reward points)]
[And in the end, he even tricked away their real name. Oh my god! (100 Reward points)]
[So ruthless and cunning… Oh god, help! But I really got hooked! What an exciting guy! (100 Reward points)]
On the silent corridor.
A strong man’s body lies in the middle of the corridor, slowly seeping blood and staining the entire floor. There’s still a faint smile of happiness on his handsome face.
The live broadcast room’s camera has already moved away from him.
However, something strange happened.
In that blood, there were faintly flickering shards of broken light, like shattered pieces of glass, twisting and coiling in the thick shadow, as if they had just feasted and appeared satiated and greedy.
Compared to the beginning, that darkness had become more substantial.
Under the influence of the shadow, the thin streaks of blood were like crimson snakes, wriggling toward a distant destination, seeking the next host.
“Tap tap tap.”
Steady footsteps approached from the darkness.
A slender man stopped in front of the corpse, and the crimson blood snakes slowly infiltrated his shoe tips, crawling up his ankle.
“…”
Like a jammed machine, he seemed to gradually regain his consciousness.
The man examined the smile on Edward’s face: “Tsk,tsk, tsk.”
He clicked his tongue elegantly and coolly.
“Poor, foolish dog, is death a punishment for you or a release?”
He lifted his foot and lightly kicked the cold and pale side of the other person’s face, his voice tinged with laughter as he said:
“Such a disgrace.”
The corridor had changed imperceptibly once again.
Cold, clean, and filled with a heretical sense of reason and elegance.
“Ah,” he chuckled, his voice echoing with a dreadful and unsettling darkness, “Unfortunately, you’re not entirely useless yet.”
***
【Plot Deviation: 13%, Reward Points: 1000】
The mechanical voice of the system sounded in his ears once again.
Wen Jianyan’s footsteps paused, a hint of confusion flickering in his eyes.
…What’s going on now?
Why did the plot deviation increase again?
Was it because he just killed Edward? But shouldn’t that have been indicated right after it happened? Why is there a delay with this thing?
Before he could figure out what was happening, the deep bell sound rang once more.
“Dang—Dang—Dang—”
Is it over?
Wen Jianyan was taken aback.
The next moment, the scene in front of him changed abruptly.
Wen Jianyan’s balance was unsteady as he stumbled forward, and his forehead “thudded” into something in front of him. The iron gate made a loud clanging sound, as if a sharp blade had sliced through the silence.
…This is bad!
He remembered that after the bell rang, everyone would return to their initial positions, which meant that now…
Wen Jianyan raised his eyes.
Yes, this was the free activity room.
The gramophone was playing non-stop, cheerful nursery rhymes filled the air, like calm and gentle waters.
The attendants and nurses were drawn in by the sound, all turning their heads in unison.
Time seemed to stand still in that moment.
It felt like just a second had passed, yet also like an entire century.
“A patient has escaped!!! Quick, chase!!!!”
Sharp cries echoed through the corridor, shattering the calm facade.
What followed was chaotic madness.
Wen Jianyan felt his body being pushed down heavily to the ground, his arms twisted behind him, the buckles on the restraints jingling.
At the edge of his chaotic vision, Wen Jianyan saw the empty sofa chair—originally, the tall man had been seated moments ago, but now only heavy chains remained on the floor.
Wasn’t it said…
That after returning to the real world, the corpse would return to its original position? Why…
Before Wen Jianyan could make sense of it all, the crackling sound of an electric baton viciously struck his ribs.
“Ugh!!!”
Intense electricity coursed through his body, causing him to convulse and tremble on the ground.
A sharp needle pierced his neck, and a cold liquid was injected into his body.
Then everything went dark before his eyes.
Wen Jianyan lost consciousness.
***
In a daze, Wen Jianyan realized that he seemed to be being pushed forward. The wheels of the wheelchair grated against the floor, making clanging sounds. His wrists and ankles were tightly bound to the wheelchair, and the overhead lights flickered in a foreboding pattern.
The restraints on his wrists were undone.
Two tall attendants lifted him up.
His fair and slender arms hung limp, swaying by his sides, brushing against the attendants’ bodies.
“…” The attendants didn’t look at him, roughly removing his thin hospital gown and tossing him into scalding hot water.
Splash!
Hot water splashed everywhere.
“…” Wen Jianyan’s heavy eyelids quivered slightly, and a sound of being scalded was stifled in his throat.
His wrists and ankles were bound once again, and a large white cloth covered the bathtub, knotted at both ends, enclosing him tightly.
The sound seemed to come from a distant place.
“…Keep him in there for two hours, then we can start the therapy.”
With the sound of footsteps moving away, the dim and stuffy room returned to silence.
“Hey, hey!”
A low call came from nearby.
The voice seemed very familiar.
As the effect of the sedative slowly faded from his body, Wen Jianyan felt his consciousness gradually returning.
He blinked, wiped away the beads of sweat on his forehead, and turned his head in the direction of the voice.
It was Su Cheng.
He was just like Wen Jianyan, wrapped in a white cloth in the bathtub. His head was covered with a white cloth, and it seemed like he had been here for a while, as his whole face had turned red from the steam, and tiny beads of sweat flowed down his temples.
“Thank goodness you’re okay.” Su Cheng breathed a sigh of relief.
“Of course…”
Wen Jianyan replied, but he realized his voice sounded hoarse and terrible. “I told you, you guys can only drag me down.”
He was fully awake now.
“Bro, you’re really something.” Luce’s voice came from another side. “I never thought you’d survive that monster. What happened?”
Wen Jianyan surveyed the surroundings.
This was a huge room, with countless bathtubs neatly arranged and showerheads resembling pods above them. The sound of gushing water echoed in the room.
At the moment, only six bathtubs were occupied—each containing one of them who had tried to escape.
It was evident that, due to the ringing of the bell, the others who had split up to take action had also returned to their initial positions, having been captured after their escape.
“Are you okay?”
Blond’s voice came from the other side.
“Among all of us, it seems only you got shocked by the eclectic baton. The rest of us were just injected with sedatives…”
“…”
Wen Jianyan blinked.
Hmm, this is quite an instance.
It also explained why he was the last one to regain consciousness.
“So, is this the punishment for escaping mental patients? Soaking them in hot water?” Su Cheng looked around curiously, wiggling under the steaming white cloth, causing a splash of water.
“It’s actually quite comfortable if you soak for a while.”
Luce chimed in from the side, “Well, the water temperature I usually take showers at is quite high.”
Blond’s face displayed a look of astonishment; his face was completely flushed, appearing dizzy and swollen from the hot steam. “Is that true? Is it really that hot?”
“It’s quite humane; I never thought I’d be taking a hot bath in an instance.”
The group burst into laughter.
“…It’s not a hot bath.”
Wen Jianyan interjected, licking his numb palate with his slightly numb tongue. He raised his eyes:
“What?”
The others all looked puzzled, turning to him.
Wen Jianyan took a deep breath, ignoring the slight throbbing in his head, and slowly explained, “I mean, this is not a hot bath.”
“This is hydrotherapy, a method of treating mental illnesses.”
“…”
The hydrotherapy room fell silent for a moment, with only the sound of flowing water echoing in the spacious room.
“For a period of time, psychiatrists believed that temperature stimulation helped mental patients recover, so they would throw patients into a lake, hang them upside down, immerse them in water, and constantly pour hot and cold water over them, repeatedly stimulating their heads. They believed that this would remove toxins from the patients’ minds, and sometimes this process could last for days.”
Wen Jianyan’s speech became a bit more fluent, and he blinked, shaking his black hair wet with sweat, and said, “How should I put it? The mortality rate was very high.”
The young man’s cheeks turned slightly red from the high temperature, making him gasp for breath.
“Later, electroconvulsive therapy was invented, and this inhumane method of hydrotherapy gradually disappeared.”
“Wait…am I hearing this correctly?”
Su Cheng exclaimed in disbelief. “You mean, compared to electroconvulsive therapy, this thing is even more inhumane?”
Wen Jianyan blinked again, and droplets of condensed water vapor fell from his eyelashes as he replied shakily:
“More or less.”
“…” The entire hydrotherapy room fell into a heavy silence, and the relaxed expressions on everyone’s faces disappeared, replaced by solemnity.
Now, the hot water soaking was just the beginning; the real therapy would start after two hours—a form of water torture.
A systematic and efficient torment.
“Dammit…,”
Su Cheng muttered, “This instance is so damn perverted.”
Luce looked at Wen Jianyan, somewhat surprised, and said, “You do know quite a lot…”
Wen Jianyan shrugged, his movements causing a splash of water, “Well, it’s for work.”
Su Cheng: “?”
Blond: “?”
Wait, what kind of work requires this knowledge?
“In any case, we’d better escape from here within two hours. Otherwise, when the real hydrotherapy begins, we might all meet our end here.” Wen Jianyan said.
In real life, hydrotherapy already had a high mortality rate, and in the instance…
The outcome would be unimaginable.
Blond hesitated and said, “But what if those attendants catch us?”
Wen Jianyan blinked and didn’t provide a direct answer. Instead, he asked, “What have the nurses and attendants done since the killer disappeared?”
“Well…”
The others exchanged glances.
Most of them had been immediately subdued when they were caught trying to escape, and as for the reactions of the nurses and attendents… it seemed like very few people had noticed.
Until a female anchor broke the silence:
“Nothing.”
She was the only female anchor on Luce’s team, and Wen Jianyan remembered her code name as “Shao Yao.”
Wen Jianyan withdrew his gaze and spoke with a speculative tone, “So, as long as we’re not discovered on our way back, there shouldn’t be any major issues.”
According to the setup of this instance, the sound of the bell marked the division between the real world and the inner world, and the gruesome bodies appeared in different rooms, but the attendants and nurses didn’t seem surprised.
In other words, the NPCs in the instance were likely completely distorted, turning a blind eye to various abnormal signs—
Of course, except for what happened right in front of them.
In addition, they wouldn’t participate in the inner world, so Wen Jianyan predicted that these NPCs were probably like robots programmed with specific instructions, either lacking independent consciousness or having lower levels of self-awareness.
“Or perhaps, would you all prefer to stay here and see what happens in two hours?” Wen Jianyan asked.
Everyone: “…”
It had to be said that Wen Jianyan was right.
“But how can we escape?” Su Cheng asked.
Their bodies were submerged in hot water, and their wrists and ankles were securely bound, preventing them from accessing the system shop. They had no weapons, and what made matters worse was that they hadn’t been in the instance for very long, and most of the anchor’s ability bars hadn’t reached activation yet.
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
Wen Jianyan said with a sly smile.
His face was moist, fine water droplets clung to his prominent nose, and his amber eyes were shrouded in steam, making his lips appear even redder and his teeth whiter, enhancing his handsome appearance.
The next moment, there was a “shhh” sound.
Something sharp pierced through the white cloth covering the bathtub. A sharp metallic object slid, and with the sound of fabric tearing, the cloth gradually opened.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[?]
[???]
[??? Wait? When did the anchor get this? Wasn’t he just knocked out a moment ago and stripped naked?]
[Ugh, can we please see the actual footage… Damn angle censorship!]
[Please, I’m willing to double the reward points; just let the anchor raise the level, please!]
Wen Jianyan smoothly uncovered the white cloth on the bathtub and sat up.
The restraints on his wrists had already been undone.
Since he had awakened, his hands had never stopped working under the white cloth, all for this moment.
The young man’s upper body had turned a ripe pink due to the hot water; steam rose from his shoulders, and clear water flowed down along the contours of his skin, looking oddly vibrant.
In the palm of his hand flashed a metallic key.
In the “Integrity First” lives broadcast room:
[!! Damn!]
[Oh! I remember, this is from the nurse…!]
[Wow, he hadn’t fully recovered from paralysis at that time, and he was already taking things from the nurse… The anchor is really skilled.]
[He’s too aware of the need to escape!]
Wen Jianyan first put on his patient gown and then quickly walked toward the others.
“Rustle” “Rustle”
The cloth was torn, and handcuffs were unlocked one after another.
In just a few minutes, all the white cloth covering the bathtubs had been removed. The anchors quickly put on their patient gowns, wiped the water droplets from their faces, and tidied themselves up.
“What do we do next?”
Luce looked at Wen Jianyan.
Unconsciously, the core of the entire team had gravitated toward Wen Jianyan, and he had gradually become the primary decision-maker.
“Invisibility props. Let’s leave here first.”
Wen Jianyan said quickly.
At that moment, the sound of chaotic footsteps came from the corridor outside, with many people heading straight in their direction.
Not good.
The few people exchanged glances.
“Has it been two hours already?”
Blond gasped.
“No,” Luce shook his head, his expression serious.
“Prepare the props and get back in the bathtubs.” Wen Jianyan pondered for a moment and then ordered concisely.
They still didn’t know who the incoming people were, whether they were the nurses programmed into the simulation or something else entirely. They also didn’t know if these newcomers would take notice of their disappearance.
Since they now had the means to resist, it was best to remain still and take action as the situation unfolded.
“Creak—”
The door to the hydrotherapy room was pushed open from the outside, and seven or eight burly attendants with electric batons entered.
In the steam-filled room, all the patients were lying in their bathtubs, their white clothes reattached, and their alert eyes fixed on the doorway.
The attendants stepped aside, creating a pathway.
The faint sound of leather shoes tapping on the floor was heard.
A meticulously dressed man entered slowly from the door. He was wearing a white lab coat and gloves on his hands, and not an inch of his skin was exposed. His jet-black hair was combed back, revealing well-defined facial features. Silver-rimmed glasses rested on his nose, and behind the lenses, a pair of deep green eyes sparkled.
Gentle, refined, and restrained.
He swept his gaze slowly across the hydrotherapy room, ultimately fixing it on Wen Jianyan.
“Which one is the so-called sexually deviant patient you mentioned?”
The man with green eyes inquired with an elegant and resonant voice, directing his question to the attendant by his side in a seemingly inconspicuous manner.
“It’s this one, Dr. Reese.”
The attendant pointed to Wen Jianyan.
Dr. Reese walked over slowly.
Wen Jianyan’s submerged body involuntarily tensed.
This person gave him a very bad feeling.
His green, chilling eyes were hidden behind the thin lenses, with their inhuman cruelty concealed and eliminated, as if he were wearing human skin.
There was something about him…
Something similar to Edward.
Even though Edward had cruelly dismembered a mentally ill patient in front of him, Wen Jianyan couldn’t help but feel that, in terms of danger, Dr. Reese might surpass even Edward.
One was a physically strong, but mentally simple, mad dog.
The other was a cold and adept snake in disguise.
“…”
Although his body was immersed in scalding hot water, Wen Jianyan couldn’t help but shiver.
Dr. Reese stood in front of Wen Jianyan’s bathtub. Separated by a thin layer of lenses, he carefully examined the young man, whose face had turned pink from the cheeks down to his neck due to the hot water. A hint of a restrained smile graced his lips as he looked down on him from above.
“Don’t worry; in my hands, you will receive excellent care.”
He bent down and, with gloved fingertips, touched Wen Jianyan’s cheek tenderly, saying:
“I will cure you.”
The author has something to say:
Killing off one pervert only spawns more perverts.
Ping An Asylum
Chapter 141: “I’ll cure you.”
“Completely… have it.”
The man slowly repeated it with a dazed expression on his face.
His fingers tightly gripped the long handle of the axe, and his bulging muscles stood out as he exerted force. The sharp blade of the axe shimmered with a cold light, and the metal’s chill pierced through the thin hospital gown, gradually pressing against the vigorous flesh and emitting warmth.
【Powerful Enchanment Countdown: 01:04】
“That’s right.”
Wen Jianyan leaned sideways on him, supporting the other person’s weight. With one hand, he gently caressed the man’s broad and muscular back, tender and intimate.
His other hand slowly applied pressure to the axe handle, his voice soft as a whisper, a warm and moist breeze brushing against the man’s earlobes.
“Continue…”
The axe blade sank in, and the skin of the abdomen was cut open, revealing a bloody gash. Warm crimson blood flowed along the distinct muscle patterns, dripping onto the ground.
“Slash—”
The axe entered the abdominal cavity.
The man’s breathing became rapid, but the pain did not deter him. On the contrary, the intense pleasure from the skin being cut open was like a flame in a dry tinder, igniting a fanatical ecstasy from the depths of his eyes.
His pale blue eyes flickered with a look of obsessive excitement, the veins on the back of his hand bulging, and he suddenly slashed downward!
“Aaaaaaaa—!”
In the next moment, fresh blood sprayed out from the massive gash!
Wen Jianyan skillfully dodged to the side, swiftly evading.
With the loss of the young man’s support, his heavy body fell to the ground, stirring up a thin layer of dust. The mask on his face fell to the side, revealing the handsome face underneath.
His blond hair was stained with dust, and his blue eyes were filled with obsession.
His fingers slowly delved into his own abdomen, making a viscous stirring sound as he slowly pulled out his organs.
“So beautiful…”
A faint smile played on Wen Jianyan’s lips, his amber eyes like partially melted candies, hard and sweet. He raised his hand, gently wiping away a few drops of blood that had splashed onto his cheek, then leaned down, lifted the mask from the man’s face, and used his fingers to gently caress his blood-soaked golden hair.
“I didn’t deceive you, did I?”
It seemed that the hunter was not entirely “invincible” in the inner world; at least, he couldn’t be immune to the harm he inflicted on himself.
【Powerful Enchanment Countdown: 00:24】
“Haha, hahahaha!”
The man laughed manically.
“So beautiful, so beautiful. It’s mine; it will always be mine!”
The surroundings began to flicker, the cold walls of the Ping An Asylum alternating with the chaotic bloodstains and hacked corridors.
A gurgling sound came from deep within his throat, and pink blood, mixed with bubbles, overflowed from the corners of his mouth.
The man’s breathing was weak and irregular, and his eyes alternated between frenzied expressions. His pupils gradually dilated, and a semblance of reason seemed to be creeping into the depths of his mind.
Life signs were fading.
Tick, tock.
Death was approaching.
If he wanted to take advantage of his current superiority one last time, he had to act quickly.
The young man caressed the man’s cheek, gently wiping away the blood from the corner of his lips.
“Thank you for bringing me such a beautiful and breathtaking scene. I think I will never forget it.”
He leaned down and whispered into the man’s ear, his voice even softer, warmer, and more affectionate, filled with love and cherish:
“So, one last thing… Can you tell me your name?”
【Powerful Enchanment Countdown: 00:04】
“…,” The man’s eyes began to lose focus, and his pale lips opened and closed, letting out weak sounds: “…Edward.”
A familiar mechanical voice sounded in his ear:
【Ding! Congratulations to the anchor for completing the task: Find ???’s real name.
Reward points: 500】
The smile on Wen Jianyan’s lips deepened slightly: “Thank you, Edward.”
He placed his hand on his chest and said, “I will always remember you.”
【Powerful Enchanment Countdown: 00:00】
【The item has expired】
The man’s pupils dilated completely.
His chest no longer rose and fell.
Although the bell had not yet rung, the corridor around him had completely returned to its normal appearance, and the chaotic, barbaric, and disordered inner world had disappeared.
The smile on Wen Jianyan’s face faded.
He stood up expressionlessly, lifted a corner of his gown, and casually wiped his fingers, which were stained with the other person’s blood.
He took long strides, nonchalantly stepping over the gradually cooling corpse of the other person without looking back, and walked away.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[…]
[…]
[…]
[…F*ck]
[This, this, this… I’m lost for words; I can’t speak…]
[So ruthless, really ruthless, too ruthless!]
[I can’t believe it. Just a moment ago, you said I’d remember you, and the next moment, you left without looking back… You’re such a ruthless liar! (100 Reward points)]
[And in the end, he even tricked away their real name. Oh my god! (100 Reward points)]
[So ruthless and cunning… Oh god, help! But I really got hooked! What an exciting guy! (100 Reward points)]
On the silent corridor.
A strong man’s body lies in the middle of the corridor, slowly seeping blood and staining the entire floor. There’s still a faint smile of happiness on his handsome face.
The live broadcast room’s camera has already moved away from him.
However, something strange happened.
In that blood, there were faintly flickering shards of broken light, like shattered pieces of glass, twisting and coiling in the thick shadow, as if they had just feasted and appeared satiated and greedy.
Compared to the beginning, that darkness had become more substantial.
Under the influence of the shadow, the thin streaks of blood were like crimson snakes, wriggling toward a distant destination, seeking the next host.
“Tap tap tap.”
Steady footsteps approached from the darkness.
A slender man stopped in front of the corpse, and the crimson blood snakes slowly infiltrated his shoe tips, crawling up his ankle.
“…”
Like a jammed machine, he seemed to gradually regain his consciousness.
The man examined the smile on Edward’s face: “Tsk,tsk, tsk.”
He clicked his tongue elegantly and coolly.
“Poor, foolish dog, is death a punishment for you or a release?”
He lifted his foot and lightly kicked the cold and pale side of the other person’s face, his voice tinged with laughter as he said:
“Such a disgrace.”
The corridor had changed imperceptibly once again.
Cold, clean, and filled with a heretical sense of reason and elegance.
“Ah,” he chuckled, his voice echoing with a dreadful and unsettling darkness, “Unfortunately, you’re not entirely useless yet.”
***
【Plot Deviation: 13%, Reward Points: 1000】
The mechanical voice of the system sounded in his ears once again.
Wen Jianyan’s footsteps paused, a hint of confusion flickering in his eyes.
…What’s going on now?
Why did the plot deviation increase again?
Was it because he just killed Edward? But shouldn’t that have been indicated right after it happened? Why is there a delay with this thing?
Before he could figure out what was happening, the deep bell sound rang once more.
“Dang—Dang—Dang—”
Is it over?
Wen Jianyan was taken aback.
The next moment, the scene in front of him changed abruptly.
Wen Jianyan’s balance was unsteady as he stumbled forward, and his forehead “thudded” into something in front of him. The iron gate made a loud clanging sound, as if a sharp blade had sliced through the silence.
…This is bad!
He remembered that after the bell rang, everyone would return to their initial positions, which meant that now…
Wen Jianyan raised his eyes.
Yes, this was the free activity room.
The gramophone was playing non-stop, cheerful nursery rhymes filled the air, like calm and gentle waters.
The attendants and nurses were drawn in by the sound, all turning their heads in unison.
Time seemed to stand still in that moment.
It felt like just a second had passed, yet also like an entire century.
“A patient has escaped!!! Quick, chase!!!!”
Sharp cries echoed through the corridor, shattering the calm facade.
What followed was chaotic madness.
Wen Jianyan felt his body being pushed down heavily to the ground, his arms twisted behind him, the buckles on the restraints jingling.
At the edge of his chaotic vision, Wen Jianyan saw the empty sofa chair—originally, the tall man had been seated moments ago, but now only heavy chains remained on the floor.
Wasn’t it said…
That after returning to the real world, the corpse would return to its original position? Why…
Before Wen Jianyan could make sense of it all, the crackling sound of an electric baton viciously struck his ribs.
“Ugh!!!”
Intense electricity coursed through his body, causing him to convulse and tremble on the ground.
A sharp needle pierced his neck, and a cold liquid was injected into his body.
Then everything went dark before his eyes.
Wen Jianyan lost consciousness.
***
In a daze, Wen Jianyan realized that he seemed to be being pushed forward. The wheels of the wheelchair grated against the floor, making clanging sounds. His wrists and ankles were tightly bound to the wheelchair, and the overhead lights flickered in a foreboding pattern.
The restraints on his wrists were undone.
Two tall attendants lifted him up.
His fair and slender arms hung limp, swaying by his sides, brushing against the attendants’ bodies.
“…” The attendants didn’t look at him, roughly removing his thin hospital gown and tossing him into scalding hot water.
Splash!
Hot water splashed everywhere.
“…” Wen Jianyan’s heavy eyelids quivered slightly, and a sound of being scalded was stifled in his throat.
His wrists and ankles were bound once again, and a large white cloth covered the bathtub, knotted at both ends, enclosing him tightly.
The sound seemed to come from a distant place.
“…Keep him in there for two hours, then we can start the therapy.”
With the sound of footsteps moving away, the dim and stuffy room returned to silence.
“Hey, hey!”
A low call came from nearby.
The voice seemed very familiar.
As the effect of the sedative slowly faded from his body, Wen Jianyan felt his consciousness gradually returning.
He blinked, wiped away the beads of sweat on his forehead, and turned his head in the direction of the voice.
It was Su Cheng.
He was just like Wen Jianyan, wrapped in a white cloth in the bathtub. His head was covered with a white cloth, and it seemed like he had been here for a while, as his whole face had turned red from the steam, and tiny beads of sweat flowed down his temples.
“Thank goodness you’re okay.” Su Cheng breathed a sigh of relief.
“Of course…”
Wen Jianyan replied, but he realized his voice sounded hoarse and terrible. “I told you, you guys can only drag me down.”
He was fully awake now.
“Bro, you’re really something.” Luce’s voice came from another side. “I never thought you’d survive that monster. What happened?”
Wen Jianyan surveyed the surroundings.
This was a huge room, with countless bathtubs neatly arranged and showerheads resembling pods above them. The sound of gushing water echoed in the room.
At the moment, only six bathtubs were occupied—each containing one of them who had tried to escape.
It was evident that, due to the ringing of the bell, the others who had split up to take action had also returned to their initial positions, having been captured after their escape.
“Are you okay?”
Blond’s voice came from the other side.
“Among all of us, it seems only you got shocked by the eclectic baton. The rest of us were just injected with sedatives…”
“…”
Wen Jianyan blinked.
Hmm, this is quite an instance.
It also explained why he was the last one to regain consciousness.
“So, is this the punishment for escaping mental patients? Soaking them in hot water?” Su Cheng looked around curiously, wiggling under the steaming white cloth, causing a splash of water.
“It’s actually quite comfortable if you soak for a while.”
Luce chimed in from the side, “Well, the water temperature I usually take showers at is quite high.”
Blond’s face displayed a look of astonishment; his face was completely flushed, appearing dizzy and swollen from the hot steam. “Is that true? Is it really that hot?”
“It’s quite humane; I never thought I’d be taking a hot bath in an instance.”
The group burst into laughter.
“…It’s not a hot bath.”
Wen Jianyan interjected, licking his numb palate with his slightly numb tongue. He raised his eyes:
“What?”
The others all looked puzzled, turning to him.
Wen Jianyan took a deep breath, ignoring the slight throbbing in his head, and slowly explained, “I mean, this is not a hot bath.”
“This is hydrotherapy, a method of treating mental illnesses.”
“…”
The hydrotherapy room fell silent for a moment, with only the sound of flowing water echoing in the spacious room.
“For a period of time, psychiatrists believed that temperature stimulation helped mental patients recover, so they would throw patients into a lake, hang them upside down, immerse them in water, and constantly pour hot and cold water over them, repeatedly stimulating their heads. They believed that this would remove toxins from the patients’ minds, and sometimes this process could last for days.”
Wen Jianyan’s speech became a bit more fluent, and he blinked, shaking his black hair wet with sweat, and said, “How should I put it? The mortality rate was very high.”
The young man’s cheeks turned slightly red from the high temperature, making him gasp for breath.
“Later, electroconvulsive therapy was invented, and this inhumane method of hydrotherapy gradually disappeared.”
“Wait…am I hearing this correctly?”
Su Cheng exclaimed in disbelief. “You mean, compared to electroconvulsive therapy, this thing is even more inhumane?”
Wen Jianyan blinked again, and droplets of condensed water vapor fell from his eyelashes as he replied shakily:
“More or less.”
“…” The entire hydrotherapy room fell into a heavy silence, and the relaxed expressions on everyone’s faces disappeared, replaced by solemnity.
Now, the hot water soaking was just the beginning; the real therapy would start after two hours—a form of water torture.
A systematic and efficient torment.
“Dammit…,”
Su Cheng muttered, “This instance is so damn perverted.”
Luce looked at Wen Jianyan, somewhat surprised, and said, “You do know quite a lot…”
Wen Jianyan shrugged, his movements causing a splash of water, “Well, it’s for work.”
Su Cheng: “?”
Blond: “?”
Wait, what kind of work requires this knowledge?
“In any case, we’d better escape from here within two hours. Otherwise, when the real hydrotherapy begins, we might all meet our end here.” Wen Jianyan said.
In real life, hydrotherapy already had a high mortality rate, and in the instance…
The outcome would be unimaginable.
Blond hesitated and said, “But what if those attendants catch us?”
Wen Jianyan blinked and didn’t provide a direct answer. Instead, he asked, “What have the nurses and attendants done since the killer disappeared?”
“Well…”
The others exchanged glances.
Most of them had been immediately subdued when they were caught trying to escape, and as for the reactions of the nurses and attendents… it seemed like very few people had noticed.
Until a female anchor broke the silence:
“Nothing.”
She was the only female anchor on Luce’s team, and Wen Jianyan remembered her code name as “Shao Yao.”
Wen Jianyan withdrew his gaze and spoke with a speculative tone, “So, as long as we’re not discovered on our way back, there shouldn’t be any major issues.”
According to the setup of this instance, the sound of the bell marked the division between the real world and the inner world, and the gruesome bodies appeared in different rooms, but the attendants and nurses didn’t seem surprised.
In other words, the NPCs in the instance were likely completely distorted, turning a blind eye to various abnormal signs—
Of course, except for what happened right in front of them.
In addition, they wouldn’t participate in the inner world, so Wen Jianyan predicted that these NPCs were probably like robots programmed with specific instructions, either lacking independent consciousness or having lower levels of self-awareness.
“Or perhaps, would you all prefer to stay here and see what happens in two hours?” Wen Jianyan asked.
Everyone: “…”
It had to be said that Wen Jianyan was right.
“But how can we escape?” Su Cheng asked.
Their bodies were submerged in hot water, and their wrists and ankles were securely bound, preventing them from accessing the system shop. They had no weapons, and what made matters worse was that they hadn’t been in the instance for very long, and most of the anchor’s ability bars hadn’t reached activation yet.
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
Wen Jianyan said with a sly smile.
His face was moist, fine water droplets clung to his prominent nose, and his amber eyes were shrouded in steam, making his lips appear even redder and his teeth whiter, enhancing his handsome appearance.
The next moment, there was a “shhh” sound.
Something sharp pierced through the white cloth covering the bathtub. A sharp metallic object slid, and with the sound of fabric tearing, the cloth gradually opened.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[?]
[???]
[??? Wait? When did the anchor get this? Wasn’t he just knocked out a moment ago and stripped naked?]
[Ugh, can we please see the actual footage… Damn angle censorship!]
[Please, I’m willing to double the reward points; just let the anchor raise the level, please!]
Wen Jianyan smoothly uncovered the white cloth on the bathtub and sat up.
The restraints on his wrists had already been undone.
Since he had awakened, his hands had never stopped working under the white cloth, all for this moment.
The young man’s upper body had turned a ripe pink due to the hot water; steam rose from his shoulders, and clear water flowed down along the contours of his skin, looking oddly vibrant.
In the palm of his hand flashed a metallic key.
In the “Integrity First” lives broadcast room:
[!! Damn!]
[Oh! I remember, this is from the nurse…!]
[Wow, he hadn’t fully recovered from paralysis at that time, and he was already taking things from the nurse… The anchor is really skilled.]
[He’s too aware of the need to escape!]
Wen Jianyan first put on his patient gown and then quickly walked toward the others.
“Rustle” “Rustle”
The cloth was torn, and handcuffs were unlocked one after another.
In just a few minutes, all the white cloth covering the bathtubs had been removed. The anchors quickly put on their patient gowns, wiped the water droplets from their faces, and tidied themselves up.
“What do we do next?”
Luce looked at Wen Jianyan.
Unconsciously, the core of the entire team had gravitated toward Wen Jianyan, and he had gradually become the primary decision-maker.
“Invisibility props. Let’s leave here first.”
Wen Jianyan said quickly.
At that moment, the sound of chaotic footsteps came from the corridor outside, with many people heading straight in their direction.
Not good.
The few people exchanged glances.
“Has it been two hours already?”
Blond gasped.
“No,” Luce shook his head, his expression serious.
“Prepare the props and get back in the bathtubs.” Wen Jianyan pondered for a moment and then ordered concisely.
They still didn’t know who the incoming people were, whether they were the nurses programmed into the simulation or something else entirely. They also didn’t know if these newcomers would take notice of their disappearance.
Since they now had the means to resist, it was best to remain still and take action as the situation unfolded.
“Creak—”
The door to the hydrotherapy room was pushed open from the outside, and seven or eight burly attendants with electric batons entered.
In the steam-filled room, all the patients were lying in their bathtubs, their white clothes reattached, and their alert eyes fixed on the doorway.
The attendants stepped aside, creating a pathway.
The faint sound of leather shoes tapping on the floor was heard.
A meticulously dressed man entered slowly from the door. He was wearing a white lab coat and gloves on his hands, and not an inch of his skin was exposed. His jet-black hair was combed back, revealing well-defined facial features. Silver-rimmed glasses rested on his nose, and behind the lenses, a pair of deep green eyes sparkled.
Gentle, refined, and restrained.
He swept his gaze slowly across the hydrotherapy room, ultimately fixing it on Wen Jianyan.
“Which one is the so-called sexually deviant patient you mentioned?”
The man with green eyes inquired with an elegant and resonant voice, directing his question to the attendant by his side in a seemingly inconspicuous manner.
“It’s this one, Dr. Reese.”
The attendant pointed to Wen Jianyan.
Dr. Reese walked over slowly.
Wen Jianyan’s submerged body involuntarily tensed.
This person gave him a very bad feeling.
His green, chilling eyes were hidden behind the thin lenses, with their inhuman cruelty concealed and eliminated, as if he were wearing human skin.
There was something about him…
Something similar to Edward.
Even though Edward had cruelly dismembered a mentally ill patient in front of him, Wen Jianyan couldn’t help but feel that, in terms of danger, Dr. Reese might surpass even Edward.
One was a physically strong, but mentally simple, mad dog.
The other was a cold and adept snake in disguise.
“…”
Although his body was immersed in scalding hot water, Wen Jianyan couldn’t help but shiver.
Dr. Reese stood in front of Wen Jianyan’s bathtub. Separated by a thin layer of lenses, he carefully examined the young man, whose face had turned pink from the cheeks down to his neck due to the hot water. A hint of a restrained smile graced his lips as he looked down on him from above.
“Don’t worry; in my hands, you will receive excellent care.”
He bent down and, with gloved fingertips, touched Wen Jianyan’s cheek tenderly, saying:
“I will cure you.”
The author has something to say:
Killing off one pervert only spawns more perverts.
