Chapter 168: I can be very useful
“……”
Upon seeing that familiar face, Wen Jianyan’s body stiffened.
He stood in place, his already pale complexion becoming even more ghastly.
Although he was accustomed to the rain falling through the leaky roof, it seemed a bit excessive every time!
This was simply not giving anyone a chance to catch their breath, and even he was finding it a bit overwhelming.
The corridor was dimly lit, almost indistinguishable from the illusion. Number 02, with his tall figure, stood not far away, dressed in clean and dry hospital clothes, looking out of place in the surroundings.
Between the two, a multitude of writhing corpses lay on the ground.
The “creature” with a human face lay motionless on the ground, its translucent membrane completely devoid of support, withering, and soft. It sprawled among the sticky fluids, countless pale limbs and human bodies overlapping, emitting meaningless, subtle sounds.
In the narrow corridor, the air felt stagnant and oppressive.
“I’ve been wondering when I will see you again.”
No. 02 laughed, his deep brown eyes sparkling with a joyful expression, and his voice carried an exotic accent, giving him a naturally charming allure. “I just didn’t expect it to be so soon.”
“Thank goodness you escaped.”
He took a step forward, lowered his gaze to the insect-like carcasses on the ground, and sighed with a smile. “Otherwise, I would’ve been really upset.”
No. 02 seemed sincerely concerned, genuinely worried for Wen Jianyan.
“……”
Keenly picking up on certain information in the other’s words, Wen Jianyan’s eyes flickered slightly. He stared firmly at the movements of the other party and slowly asked:
“So, this thing wasn’t created by you?”
Perhaps due to just breaking free from the illusion, his voice was still hoarse, as if it had been roughened by sandpaper, interrupted by unstable breaths.
“Me?”
02 raised an eyebrow in surprise and said, “Of course not; why would you think that?”
Wen Jianyan’s back remained tense, showing no reaction to his answer.
“Well, maybe I had a little involvement, but believe me, most of the work wasn’t done by me.”
02 smiled, raising his hands innocently, showing an expression that this matter had nothing to do with him.
“…?”
Wen Jianyan was momentarily puzzled, not fully grasping the situation.
02 lowered his head again, leisurely poking the thin membrane with the tip of his shoe.
“If that guy, 04, saw this creature, he’d probably be disgusted for three days and couldn’t eat… Poor thing.”
He spoke words of pity, but the smile on his lips became more prominent, seemingly anticipating that scene.
“What do you mean by most of the work wasn’t done by you?”
Wen Jianyan questioned.
“Literal meaning,” 02 said, tilting his head. His eyes looked like semi-melted chocolate under the faint light, with a hint of innocence.
“By the way, it seems your friends are waking up,”
As he spoke, he raised his chin toward the corpses lying between them.
The faint, sticky friction sound became clearer than before, and Wen Jianyan, startled, looked in the direction of the sound.
Though the light was dim, he immediately recognized his teammates among the overlapping limbs: Blond, Su Cheng, and Luce. They were among the corpses lying on the ground.
Clearly, they had also been swallowed by “it” and plunged into a deep illusion.
Compared to before, the volume of the slime had shrunk by more than half, losing the outer membrane. It was evaporating rapidly, drying up at an extremely fast pace.
Just a few minutes after Wen Jianyan climbed out of its belly, his clothes were already half-dry.
Perhaps because of this, the other anchors were gradually breaking free from the illusion’s control.
“Ugh…”
Su Cheng’s eyes were tightly closed, emitting a painful groan. His eyelids twitched, seemingly trying to wake up from the nightmare.
Suddenly, a loud scream burst out from Blond’s throat:
“Ahhhh!!!”
The sharp, ear-piercing sound shattered the silence, startling even Wen Jianyan.
Not knowing what he saw, Blond screamed in agony, wildly waving his arms. Su Cheng, closest to him, was forcibly punched several times, furrowing his brow and opening his eyes.
Su Cheng looked around in confusion, and as he realized his surroundings, his expression gradually turned grim. He muttered a curse under his breath with his dry throat:
“Dammit…”
“…”
Even though Su Cheng had awakened, Wen Jianyan remained motionless.
His body reflexively tensed slightly as he focused his gaze on 02, not far away.
It seemed the other party had no intention of approaching, still standing in place with a relaxed posture, showing keen interest in the commotion.
Upon realizing that this guy seemingly had no immediate intention of taking action and even displayed a hint of indulgence, Wen Jianyan withdrew his gaze. He quickly stepped forward, dragging Blond, who was crazily screaming with closed eyes, away.
The oppressive weight attacking him was finally lifted, and Su Cheng, still in shock, breathed a sigh of relief.
“Thanks…”
He stood up with the help of Wen Jianyan’s outstretched hand, then hastily ran in the direction away from the corpse and the viscous substance. Stumbling and staggering, he took a few steps, hurriedly diverting his gaze from the nauseating, hellish scene in front of him. A grimace of wanting to vomit but holding back appeared on his face.
Wen Jianyan bent down and unceremoniously slapped Blond’s cheek.
“Hey.”
“Hey! Wake up!”
He had no intention of holding back the force, and soon red marks appeared on Blond’s cheeks.
Blond’s eyelids twitched twice, and he blankly opened his eyes.
His gaze appeared particularly scattered, and his expression was frozen in extreme terror and confusion. It seemed like he hadn’t completely struggled out of the illusion yet. He trembled like a startled bird, occasionally emitting intermittent screams from his throat.
Wen Jianyan, having also freed himself from the illusion, understood Blond’s current state very well.
The illusion wasn’t deliberately constructed; it presented itself entirely based on their thoughts and predictions. If Wen Jianyan hadn’t recognized its nature early on, the illusion might have evolved in a more terrifying direction. After all, in that situation, no one could control their own predictions of danger.
Especially for Blond, who was relatively timid and mentally fragile among them, the illusion he encountered was probably the most terrifying.
Wen Jianyan pulled Blond out: “Snap out of it.”
He looked at Su Cheng and said, “Help me drag the others out.”
Although Su Cheng’s face remained pale, he nodded and walked unsteadily over. Together with Wen Jianyan, they pulled Luce and the others out of the pile of corpses, dragging them to the dry ground.
The three people—Luce and the two others—were slowly waking up.
As the illusion dissipated, the fearful expressions on their faces gradually disappeared, replaced by a bewildered look of not knowing where they were.
Seeing that everyone was now awake, Wen Jianyan quickly and succinctly recounted what had just happened and his speculations.
“You mean… we entered an illusion since we got off the elevator?”
Luce, holding his throbbing forehead, asked with difficulty.
“Then… why did we enter that… thing’s stomach?” Blond stuttered, his face pale and his expression slightly twisted.
“Because it was lonely.”
From nearby, a man with a slightly exotic accent spoke.
“!”
Everyone was startled, turning their heads abruptly in the direction of the voice.
Dressed in hospital clothes, 02 stood not far away, casually observing the situation.
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
Each anchor instinctively took a step back, vigilantly watching the familiar face not far away—they remembered this person, the one who appeared on the second underground floor and was later escorted back by the guards, the patient in Ward 02. If the “bug” on the ground was very dangerous, then this person’s level of danger could be said to be unmatched.
“It needs more people to accompany it.”
02 stepped forward with a smile, using the tip of his shoe to step on the membrane, producing a sticky sound.
“Only by putting people in its stomach can it feel secure.”
“Poor thing, isn’t it?”
In the “Integrity First” live broadcat room:
[Ah… Did 02 just say there’s a bit of his involvement? Is this what he meant?]
[Yeah, it’s possible!]
[I remember that in his mental world, he seemed to be the type of player skilled at digging into human desires and flaws. In short, he’s more of a psychological attacker. That’s why you see that he has the best relationship with the attendants. Compared to attackers like 01, he is actually more similar to 04, belonging to the “manipulator category.”]
[So, even though he didn’t create this bug, did he instigate it to eat people?]
[I think so…!]
[But I’m still shocked. He can actually use his abilities in the real world. What about the others? Can they do it too?]
Wen Jianyan watched the other cautiously, nodded without showing much emotion, and replied:
“Indeed.”
“No need to be so wary of me,” 02 smiled slightly.
His harmless and refreshing smile, coupled with his light brown skin and soft curls, easily gave people a sunny illusion. “Rest assured, I’m different from the others. I’m not that dangerous.”
Wen Jianyan: “…”
Who would believe that?
“At least for now.” 02’s smile deepened. His pitch-black eyes rested on Wen Jianyan, and his voice was gentle, more like coquetry than negotiation. “So, how about bringing me along for the journey ahead? I can be very useful.”
…
Several people gathered together, maintaining a distance from 02, which was not too far away.
He still remained in his original position, seemingly unconcerned about the group privately discussing at a distance. His expression was leisurely and carefree.
“No way? What’s going on?”
Blond wore a dazed expression, lowered his voice, and asked almost unbelievably, “A high-risk patient wants to team up with us? Why?”
To be honest, no one expected things to develop this way…
It was almost too surprising, making it challenging for people to react appropriately.
Firstly, this guy was indeed very dangerous, as can be inferred from their previous experience on the second underground floor. His level of danger was no less than that of any other high-risk individual. Moreover, everyone was clueless about the purpose of his joining. Though he seemed friendly, it only heightened their sense of caution.
Bringing him into the team was like planting a bomb on themselves.
Walking with wolves, plotting with tigers.1
Luce looked at Wen Jianyan. “What do you think?”
Wen Jianyan: “…”
How do I think?
What can I think? I just want to stay as far away from this group of lunatics as possible!
But…
He took a deep breath, braced himself, and said, “I think we might have to agree to his request.”
The upcoming journey was full of crises. Although Wen Jianyan didn’t expect much help from 02, they couldn’t afford the consequences of making an enemy out of him here.
In case rejecting him aroused the hostility of the other party, coupled with other potential threats, there was a high probability that they wouldn’t be able to leave the lower floor alive.
“But, once we leave the second underground floor, we must quickly distance ourselves from him.”
Wen Jianyan raised his eyes, quickly scanning the nearby 02. His voice became even lower and softer, audible only to those closest to him.
“Especially before the bell rings again.”
“…”
The group exchanged glances and sighed. Though they were reluctant to accept this outcome, it seemed to be their only choice under the current circumstances.
In this situation, receiving “goodwill” from a high-risk patient, even without knowing its origin, was far better than hostility.
So, the decision was made.
The team of six inexplicably gained a high-risk patient.
The corridor was pitch-black, leading silently into the distance.
Everyone felt on edge, their expressions stiff. However, the culprit causing all of this seemed oblivious, following the team with a contented look. If not for the eye-catching patient clothes, he appeared to have been part of the team from the beginning, giving off a reverse guest-host dynamic.
Wen Jianyan held a flashlight, leading the way.
He deliberately ignored the gaze of the other party on his back, proceeding cautiously.
The corridor was dark, and the overhead light fixtures seemed long and destroyed. Only a few emergency lights flickered weakly in the corners, barely illuminating the path ahead.
The iron gate was tightly shut, and the guard station was deserted.
Wen Jianyan took a deep breath, continuing to move forward.
As he approached the guard station, he peered through the blurry glass. Inside, it was pitch-black, nearly impossible to illuminate with the flashlight, giving an eerie and quiet feeling.
Through the half-open window, one could see a row of buttons in front of the desk. The smooth surface of the buttons reflected a faint glow.
Wen Jianyan recognized them as the buttons to open the door.
But would it really be that simple?
Wen Jianyan doubted it.
Out of caution, he pondered for a moment, then exchanged for an extendable tool. Carefully manipulating its tip forward, he found the button and pressed it with caution.
With a familiar “beep” sound, the iron door in front of him opened with a clatter.
Wen Jianyan breathed a sigh of relief, pulling the tool out of the window. However, midway through the extraction, a massive hand suddenly reached out from the darkness, tightly gripping the tip of the rod.
“Crack!”
The rod broke.
“!”
Sure enough!
Wen Jianyan had already anticipated this, so he reflexively released his grip, swiftly stepping backward.
One hand, two hands, three hands, four hands—
Countless palms emerged from the darkness. They had no bodies, no heads, only pale fingers resembling snakes, greedily reaching toward them.
“Go, go, go!”
Wen Jianyan abandoned the rod and hurriedly moved toward the door, with others following, attempting to find gaps in the pursuit of those hands for survival.
The group ran forward wildly, but 02 at the rear didn’t evade. Letting those hands grab his arms and body, he was pulled into the darkness.
In the next second, everything quieted down.
Those hands no longer pursued them, retracting back into the darkness. The corridor was now empty, devoid of anyone, a silent and lifeless expanse extending silently into the distance.
“…”
All the team members looked at each other, their expressions a mix of shock and confusion.
“Perfect,” Luce said, stepping forward briskly, addressing Wen Jianyan. “This is our chance to get rid of him. Let’s continue forward quickly—”
“…”
Wen Jianyan stared at the direction where 02 had been pulled in, shaking his head in silence. “No.”
“Why?” Luce was puzzled.
Wen Jianyan didn’t answer.
Of course, it was because he didn’t believe this guy could be easily shaken off.
As a high-risk patient, 02 wouldn’t die so easily. More importantly, Wen Jianyan didn’t think this guy would be caught off guard, especially considering what he had said before…
“Well, maybe I had a little involvement, but believe me, most of the work wasn’t done by me.”
Regardless of the truth in that statement, Wen Jianyan had a strong intuition that this guy had willingly let himself be caught.
For whatever reason, they couldn’t leave now.
More importantly, this “opportunity” was likely initiated by the other party. In other words, this act of “abandonment” might play right into the opponent’s hands.
Wen Jianyan turned to his teammates and said, “You guys stand there and wait for me.”
He withdrew his gaze and cautiously approached the guard station.
The faint light of the flashlight couldn’t dispel the shadows and darkness in the narrow space, barely illuminating a vague outline. Further into the darkness, the light couldn’t reach.
He couldn’t find those fingers, nor could he find 02’s figure.
Wen Jianyan slightly furrowed his brow.
Could it be that he made a judgment error? That shouldn’t be the case…
Before he could do anything, without warning, countless pale hands reached out from the darkness again! Those hands tightly gripped Wen Jianyan’s arms, legs, and torso, pulling him forcefully into the darkness with an unstoppable force.
A thick darkness enveloped him.
Wen Jianyan heard Su Cheng’s astonished cry from behind, but before he could understand what the other person was shouting, he was completely engulfed by the darkness.
Wrists, arms, torso, legs—his body was held firmly in place by numerous cold, pale hands, dragging him toward the swampy shadows.
A pitch-black void lay ahead, shrouded in the fog of the unknown and danger, like an endless free fall, inducing a strong sense of unease and weightlessness.
However, after a brief panic, Wen Jianyan quickly calmed down.
“Have you had enough fun?”
He asked calmly, unmoving.
“…”
The heartbeat resonated deep within his chest, yet the young man’s breathing remained regular and steady, seemingly undisturbed and unaffected by the scare.
“Ah…”
A familiar exotic-toned voice sounded from behind with a hint of a smile. “You found out, what a pity.”
Something heavy bumped onto his shoulder.
Pointy, like a chin.
Wen Jianyan couldn’t move his head, but he could feel the weight of the other person’s head and the faint itchiness brought by their breath against his ear.
He suppressed the urge to step back and remained silent.
“What? Do you really believe that I won’t fall for it?” 02’s voice carried a hint of amusement, with no discernible change.
Wen Jianyan: “…”
What I believe is mainly the troublesome nature of high-risk patients.
What was more important was that he still hadn’t figured out why this guy insisted on joining their team.
“That’s a secondary matter,” he said nonchalantly. “The most important thing is that a temporary teammate is still a teammate, don’t you think?”
“Of course.” 02 chuckled mysteriously and nodded.
He released his grip.
In the next moment, the darkness that blocked his vision completely dispersed. Wen Jianyan realized that he was now standing inside the guard room while his teammates were surrounding the room outside with worried expressions on their faces.
02 stood not far behind him, his figure towering, almost comparable to 01. The narrow space was completely filled by him, exuding an undeniably strong presence.
Wen Jianyan took a slow, deep breath and walked out, pushing the door.
“Are you okay—”
Before Su Cheng could finish his words, his voice got stuck in his throat. Because he saw 02 walking out behind Wen Jianyan.
And following them out were countless pale hands.
“!!”
The faces of the people changed drastically, and they quickly retreated. Strangely, these hands didn’t seem to have the intention of pouncing on them. On the contrary, the hands lay on the ground, fingers tapping the surface rapidly. Like some independent, intelligent creatures, resembling spiders, they crawled forward in a line, one after another, at different speeds.
The stark contrast between pitch-black and pale created a chilling and eerie scene that made one’s scalp tingle.
“They’ve gone to check the way,” 02 lazily remarked.
The others were taken aback and turned to look.
Under the astonished gazes of everyone, the brown-skinned, brown-eyed man smiled, looking harmless. “I told you, I can be very useful.”
Chapter 168: I can be very useful
“……”
Upon seeing that familiar face, Wen Jianyan’s body stiffened.
He stood in place, his already pale complexion becoming even more ghastly.
Although he was accustomed to the rain falling through the leaky roof, it seemed a bit excessive every time!
This was simply not giving anyone a chance to catch their breath, and even he was finding it a bit overwhelming.
The corridor was dimly lit, almost indistinguishable from the illusion. Number 02, with his tall figure, stood not far away, dressed in clean and dry hospital clothes, looking out of place in the surroundings.
Between the two, a multitude of writhing corpses lay on the ground.
The “creature” with a human face lay motionless on the ground, its translucent membrane completely devoid of support, withering, and soft. It sprawled among the sticky fluids, countless pale limbs and human bodies overlapping, emitting meaningless, subtle sounds.
In the narrow corridor, the air felt stagnant and oppressive.
“I’ve been wondering when I will see you again.”
No. 02 laughed, his deep brown eyes sparkling with a joyful expression, and his voice carried an exotic accent, giving him a naturally charming allure. “I just didn’t expect it to be so soon.”
“Thank goodness you escaped.”
He took a step forward, lowered his gaze to the insect-like carcasses on the ground, and sighed with a smile. “Otherwise, I would’ve been really upset.”
No. 02 seemed sincerely concerned, genuinely worried for Wen Jianyan.
“……”
Keenly picking up on certain information in the other’s words, Wen Jianyan’s eyes flickered slightly. He stared firmly at the movements of the other party and slowly asked:
“So, this thing wasn’t created by you?”
Perhaps due to just breaking free from the illusion, his voice was still hoarse, as if it had been roughened by sandpaper, interrupted by unstable breaths.
“Me?”
02 raised an eyebrow in surprise and said, “Of course not; why would you think that?”
Wen Jianyan’s back remained tense, showing no reaction to his answer.
“Well, maybe I had a little involvement, but believe me, most of the work wasn’t done by me.”
02 smiled, raising his hands innocently, showing an expression that this matter had nothing to do with him.
“…?”
Wen Jianyan was momentarily puzzled, not fully grasping the situation.
02 lowered his head again, leisurely poking the thin membrane with the tip of his shoe.
“If that guy, 04, saw this creature, he’d probably be disgusted for three days and couldn’t eat… Poor thing.”
He spoke words of pity, but the smile on his lips became more prominent, seemingly anticipating that scene.
“What do you mean by most of the work wasn’t done by you?”
Wen Jianyan questioned.
“Literal meaning,” 02 said, tilting his head. His eyes looked like semi-melted chocolate under the faint light, with a hint of innocence.
“By the way, it seems your friends are waking up,”
As he spoke, he raised his chin toward the corpses lying between them.
The faint, sticky friction sound became clearer than before, and Wen Jianyan, startled, looked in the direction of the sound.
Though the light was dim, he immediately recognized his teammates among the overlapping limbs: Blond, Su Cheng, and Luce. They were among the corpses lying on the ground.
Clearly, they had also been swallowed by “it” and plunged into a deep illusion.
Compared to before, the volume of the slime had shrunk by more than half, losing the outer membrane. It was evaporating rapidly, drying up at an extremely fast pace.
Just a few minutes after Wen Jianyan climbed out of its belly, his clothes were already half-dry.
Perhaps because of this, the other anchors were gradually breaking free from the illusion’s control.
“Ugh…”
Su Cheng’s eyes were tightly closed, emitting a painful groan. His eyelids twitched, seemingly trying to wake up from the nightmare.
Suddenly, a loud scream burst out from Blond’s throat:
“Ahhhh!!!”
The sharp, ear-piercing sound shattered the silence, startling even Wen Jianyan.
Not knowing what he saw, Blond screamed in agony, wildly waving his arms. Su Cheng, closest to him, was forcibly punched several times, furrowing his brow and opening his eyes.
Su Cheng looked around in confusion, and as he realized his surroundings, his expression gradually turned grim. He muttered a curse under his breath with his dry throat:
“Dammit…”
“…”
Even though Su Cheng had awakened, Wen Jianyan remained motionless.
His body reflexively tensed slightly as he focused his gaze on 02, not far away.
It seemed the other party had no intention of approaching, still standing in place with a relaxed posture, showing keen interest in the commotion.
Upon realizing that this guy seemingly had no immediate intention of taking action and even displayed a hint of indulgence, Wen Jianyan withdrew his gaze. He quickly stepped forward, dragging Blond, who was crazily screaming with closed eyes, away.
The oppressive weight attacking him was finally lifted, and Su Cheng, still in shock, breathed a sigh of relief.
“Thanks…”
He stood up with the help of Wen Jianyan’s outstretched hand, then hastily ran in the direction away from the corpse and the viscous substance. Stumbling and staggering, he took a few steps, hurriedly diverting his gaze from the nauseating, hellish scene in front of him. A grimace of wanting to vomit but holding back appeared on his face.
Wen Jianyan bent down and unceremoniously slapped Blond’s cheek.
“Hey.”
“Hey! Wake up!”
He had no intention of holding back the force, and soon red marks appeared on Blond’s cheeks.
Blond’s eyelids twitched twice, and he blankly opened his eyes.
His gaze appeared particularly scattered, and his expression was frozen in extreme terror and confusion. It seemed like he hadn’t completely struggled out of the illusion yet. He trembled like a startled bird, occasionally emitting intermittent screams from his throat.
Wen Jianyan, having also freed himself from the illusion, understood Blond’s current state very well.
The illusion wasn’t deliberately constructed; it presented itself entirely based on their thoughts and predictions. If Wen Jianyan hadn’t recognized its nature early on, the illusion might have evolved in a more terrifying direction. After all, in that situation, no one could control their own predictions of danger.
Especially for Blond, who was relatively timid and mentally fragile among them, the illusion he encountered was probably the most terrifying.
Wen Jianyan pulled Blond out: “Snap out of it.”
He looked at Su Cheng and said, “Help me drag the others out.”
Although Su Cheng’s face remained pale, he nodded and walked unsteadily over. Together with Wen Jianyan, they pulled Luce and the others out of the pile of corpses, dragging them to the dry ground.
The three people—Luce and the two others—were slowly waking up.
As the illusion dissipated, the fearful expressions on their faces gradually disappeared, replaced by a bewildered look of not knowing where they were.
Seeing that everyone was now awake, Wen Jianyan quickly and succinctly recounted what had just happened and his speculations.
“You mean… we entered an illusion since we got off the elevator?”
Luce, holding his throbbing forehead, asked with difficulty.
“Then… why did we enter that… thing’s stomach?” Blond stuttered, his face pale and his expression slightly twisted.
“Because it was lonely.”
From nearby, a man with a slightly exotic accent spoke.
“!”
Everyone was startled, turning their heads abruptly in the direction of the voice.
Dressed in hospital clothes, 02 stood not far away, casually observing the situation.
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
Each anchor instinctively took a step back, vigilantly watching the familiar face not far away—they remembered this person, the one who appeared on the second underground floor and was later escorted back by the guards, the patient in Ward 02. If the “bug” on the ground was very dangerous, then this person’s level of danger could be said to be unmatched.
“It needs more people to accompany it.”
02 stepped forward with a smile, using the tip of his shoe to step on the membrane, producing a sticky sound.
“Only by putting people in its stomach can it feel secure.”
“Poor thing, isn’t it?”
In the “Integrity First” live broadcat room:
[Ah… Did 02 just say there’s a bit of his involvement? Is this what he meant?]
[Yeah, it’s possible!]
[I remember that in his mental world, he seemed to be the type of player skilled at digging into human desires and flaws. In short, he’s more of a psychological attacker. That’s why you see that he has the best relationship with the attendants. Compared to attackers like 01, he is actually more similar to 04, belonging to the “manipulator category.”]
[So, even though he didn’t create this bug, did he instigate it to eat people?]
[I think so…!]
[But I’m still shocked. He can actually use his abilities in the real world. What about the others? Can they do it too?]
Wen Jianyan watched the other cautiously, nodded without showing much emotion, and replied:
“Indeed.”
“No need to be so wary of me,” 02 smiled slightly.
His harmless and refreshing smile, coupled with his light brown skin and soft curls, easily gave people a sunny illusion. “Rest assured, I’m different from the others. I’m not that dangerous.”
Wen Jianyan: “…”
Who would believe that?
“At least for now.” 02’s smile deepened. His pitch-black eyes rested on Wen Jianyan, and his voice was gentle, more like coquetry than negotiation. “So, how about bringing me along for the journey ahead? I can be very useful.”
…
Several people gathered together, maintaining a distance from 02, which was not too far away.
He still remained in his original position, seemingly unconcerned about the group privately discussing at a distance. His expression was leisurely and carefree.
“No way? What’s going on?”
Blond wore a dazed expression, lowered his voice, and asked almost unbelievably, “A high-risk patient wants to team up with us? Why?”
To be honest, no one expected things to develop this way…
It was almost too surprising, making it challenging for people to react appropriately.
Firstly, this guy was indeed very dangerous, as can be inferred from their previous experience on the second underground floor. His level of danger was no less than that of any other high-risk individual. Moreover, everyone was clueless about the purpose of his joining. Though he seemed friendly, it only heightened their sense of caution.
Bringing him into the team was like planting a bomb on themselves.
Walking with wolves, plotting with tigers.1
Luce looked at Wen Jianyan. “What do you think?”
Wen Jianyan: “…”
How do I think?
What can I think? I just want to stay as far away from this group of lunatics as possible!
But…
He took a deep breath, braced himself, and said, “I think we might have to agree to his request.”
The upcoming journey was full of crises. Although Wen Jianyan didn’t expect much help from 02, they couldn’t afford the consequences of making an enemy out of him here.
In case rejecting him aroused the hostility of the other party, coupled with other potential threats, there was a high probability that they wouldn’t be able to leave the lower floor alive.
“But, once we leave the second underground floor, we must quickly distance ourselves from him.”
Wen Jianyan raised his eyes, quickly scanning the nearby 02. His voice became even lower and softer, audible only to those closest to him.
“Especially before the bell rings again.”
“…”
The group exchanged glances and sighed. Though they were reluctant to accept this outcome, it seemed to be their only choice under the current circumstances.
In this situation, receiving “goodwill” from a high-risk patient, even without knowing its origin, was far better than hostility.
So, the decision was made.
The team of six inexplicably gained a high-risk patient.
The corridor was pitch-black, leading silently into the distance.
Everyone felt on edge, their expressions stiff. However, the culprit causing all of this seemed oblivious, following the team with a contented look. If not for the eye-catching patient clothes, he appeared to have been part of the team from the beginning, giving off a reverse guest-host dynamic.
Wen Jianyan held a flashlight, leading the way.
He deliberately ignored the gaze of the other party on his back, proceeding cautiously.
The corridor was dark, and the overhead light fixtures seemed long and destroyed. Only a few emergency lights flickered weakly in the corners, barely illuminating the path ahead.
The iron gate was tightly shut, and the guard station was deserted.
Wen Jianyan took a deep breath, continuing to move forward.
As he approached the guard station, he peered through the blurry glass. Inside, it was pitch-black, nearly impossible to illuminate with the flashlight, giving an eerie and quiet feeling.
Through the half-open window, one could see a row of buttons in front of the desk. The smooth surface of the buttons reflected a faint glow.
Wen Jianyan recognized them as the buttons to open the door.
But would it really be that simple?
Wen Jianyan doubted it.
Out of caution, he pondered for a moment, then exchanged for an extendable tool. Carefully manipulating its tip forward, he found the button and pressed it with caution.
With a familiar “beep” sound, the iron door in front of him opened with a clatter.
Wen Jianyan breathed a sigh of relief, pulling the tool out of the window. However, midway through the extraction, a massive hand suddenly reached out from the darkness, tightly gripping the tip of the rod.
“Crack!”
The rod broke.
“!”
Sure enough!
Wen Jianyan had already anticipated this, so he reflexively released his grip, swiftly stepping backward.
One hand, two hands, three hands, four hands—
Countless palms emerged from the darkness. They had no bodies, no heads, only pale fingers resembling snakes, greedily reaching toward them.
“Go, go, go!”
Wen Jianyan abandoned the rod and hurriedly moved toward the door, with others following, attempting to find gaps in the pursuit of those hands for survival.
The group ran forward wildly, but 02 at the rear didn’t evade. Letting those hands grab his arms and body, he was pulled into the darkness.
In the next second, everything quieted down.
Those hands no longer pursued them, retracting back into the darkness. The corridor was now empty, devoid of anyone, a silent and lifeless expanse extending silently into the distance.
“…”
All the team members looked at each other, their expressions a mix of shock and confusion.
“Perfect,” Luce said, stepping forward briskly, addressing Wen Jianyan. “This is our chance to get rid of him. Let’s continue forward quickly—”
“…”
Wen Jianyan stared at the direction where 02 had been pulled in, shaking his head in silence. “No.”
“Why?” Luce was puzzled.
Wen Jianyan didn’t answer.
Of course, it was because he didn’t believe this guy could be easily shaken off.
As a high-risk patient, 02 wouldn’t die so easily. More importantly, Wen Jianyan didn’t think this guy would be caught off guard, especially considering what he had said before…
“Well, maybe I had a little involvement, but believe me, most of the work wasn’t done by me.”
Regardless of the truth in that statement, Wen Jianyan had a strong intuition that this guy had willingly let himself be caught.
For whatever reason, they couldn’t leave now.
More importantly, this “opportunity” was likely initiated by the other party. In other words, this act of “abandonment” might play right into the opponent’s hands.
Wen Jianyan turned to his teammates and said, “You guys stand there and wait for me.”
He withdrew his gaze and cautiously approached the guard station.
The faint light of the flashlight couldn’t dispel the shadows and darkness in the narrow space, barely illuminating a vague outline. Further into the darkness, the light couldn’t reach.
He couldn’t find those fingers, nor could he find 02’s figure.
Wen Jianyan slightly furrowed his brow.
Could it be that he made a judgment error? That shouldn’t be the case…
Before he could do anything, without warning, countless pale hands reached out from the darkness again! Those hands tightly gripped Wen Jianyan’s arms, legs, and torso, pulling him forcefully into the darkness with an unstoppable force.
A thick darkness enveloped him.
Wen Jianyan heard Su Cheng’s astonished cry from behind, but before he could understand what the other person was shouting, he was completely engulfed by the darkness.
Wrists, arms, torso, legs—his body was held firmly in place by numerous cold, pale hands, dragging him toward the swampy shadows.
A pitch-black void lay ahead, shrouded in the fog of the unknown and danger, like an endless free fall, inducing a strong sense of unease and weightlessness.
However, after a brief panic, Wen Jianyan quickly calmed down.
“Have you had enough fun?”
He asked calmly, unmoving.
“…”
The heartbeat resonated deep within his chest, yet the young man’s breathing remained regular and steady, seemingly undisturbed and unaffected by the scare.
“Ah…”
A familiar exotic-toned voice sounded from behind with a hint of a smile. “You found out, what a pity.”
Something heavy bumped onto his shoulder.
Pointy, like a chin.
Wen Jianyan couldn’t move his head, but he could feel the weight of the other person’s head and the faint itchiness brought by their breath against his ear.
He suppressed the urge to step back and remained silent.
“What? Do you really believe that I won’t fall for it?” 02’s voice carried a hint of amusement, with no discernible change.
Wen Jianyan: “…”
What I believe is mainly the troublesome nature of high-risk patients.
What was more important was that he still hadn’t figured out why this guy insisted on joining their team.
“That’s a secondary matter,” he said nonchalantly. “The most important thing is that a temporary teammate is still a teammate, don’t you think?”
“Of course.” 02 chuckled mysteriously and nodded.
He released his grip.
In the next moment, the darkness that blocked his vision completely dispersed. Wen Jianyan realized that he was now standing inside the guard room while his teammates were surrounding the room outside with worried expressions on their faces.
02 stood not far behind him, his figure towering, almost comparable to 01. The narrow space was completely filled by him, exuding an undeniably strong presence.
Wen Jianyan took a slow, deep breath and walked out, pushing the door.
“Are you okay—”
Before Su Cheng could finish his words, his voice got stuck in his throat. Because he saw 02 walking out behind Wen Jianyan.
And following them out were countless pale hands.
“!!”
The faces of the people changed drastically, and they quickly retreated. Strangely, these hands didn’t seem to have the intention of pouncing on them. On the contrary, the hands lay on the ground, fingers tapping the surface rapidly. Like some independent, intelligent creatures, resembling spiders, they crawled forward in a line, one after another, at different speeds.
The stark contrast between pitch-black and pale created a chilling and eerie scene that made one’s scalp tingle.
“They’ve gone to check the way,” 02 lazily remarked.
The others were taken aback and turned to look.
Under the astonished gazes of everyone, the brown-skinned, brown-eyed man smiled, looking harmless. “I told you, I can be very useful.”
