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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 11: Dead Loop (Part Two)
"Hey, how did you get in here?" An unkempt old man with a scruffy beard and deep-set brown eyes appeared, his wild gray hair sticking out in all directions. I felt a wave of relief wash over me as he approached quickly, jingling a set of keys in his hand.
Looking back, I realized that Chi Zhi Ping had long since vanished.
I understood that the Evil Spirit needed to consume Spirit to maintain her ghostly form. If she lingered too long in the human world without feeding, she would be unable to return to the Underworld and risk losing her soul entirely. This was the root of her need to absorb Spirit to preserve her energy for revenge.
The old man turned out to be the hospital gatekeeper.
The Gatekeeper was quite talkative. After unlocking the door and securing it again, he said seriously, "Kid, this place is not somewhere you can just wander around."
"Thank you, sir." I bowed respectfully in gratitude before retracing my steps back to the ward, planning to thank him properly once it was light outside. Upon returning to the ward, I hadn’t lain down for long when a nurse came in for her rounds.
She seemed completely unaware of my outing and asked a few casual questions before leaving.
The light outside gradually expanded, accompanied by the chirping of birds, yet I felt too weary to open my eyes. If it weren't for Chi Xinrong bursting in like a whirlwind, I might have just stayed there.
Having not slept all night, I looked a mess. She exaggeratedly exclaimed, "Oh my gosh! After one night apart, look at you! You’ve lost weight from missing me!"
"Go away, stop messing around. I just want to sleep quietly for a bit."
Without hesitation, Chi Xinrong grabbed my hand and pulled me up while insisting, "You can't sleep! You still have to go to Ten-Mile Temple!"
I refused her insistence; I wasn't in the mood for jokes and replied earnestly, "Stop it. I really didn't sleep last night."
Chi Xinrong's eyes sparkled with a mysterious hue, her expression a peculiar mix of amusement and sarcasm as she said, "You didn't sleep well last night, did you..." Without a hint of embarrassment, she gracefully wrapped her arms around my neck and lowered her voice, abandoning her usual flirtatious demeanor. "Brother Qi, the long night is filled with loneliness and coldness; you should just take a woman!"
That little brat! I'm still a patient; I can't ruin my body with anyone. Seeing her like this, it was clear she was fixated on my lack of sleep last night, suspecting I had something going on with the beautiful nurse. She wasn't afraid of losing face as a woman; did she think I would be intimidated as a man? So, I feigned deep thought and slowly replied, "Alas! I didn't bring any money today."
I thought this time Chi Xinrong would be angry; she should understand the implication behind my words.
But to my surprise, I had seen thick-skinned people before, yet I never expected someone could be thicker-skinned than those I'd encountered. Chi Xinrong not only didn’t get angry but tightened her grip around my neck, making it hard for me to move. The unique scent of femininity wafted from her, leaving me somewhat dazed—
"Oh come on! Who cares about money? As long as the woman is satisfied, just write an IOU afterward..."
What the hell!
I struggled to free myself from Chi Xinrong's grasp. She was relentless, while I remained as cold as ice towards her. She looked at me like Han Mi looking at a pug begging for sympathy. When have I ever begged for sympathy! Just as we were caught up in our playful banter, someone entered the room.
As the door opened, I saw several nurses. The spirited beautiful nurse turned her attention to me as their professional focus shifted. Finally, an older nurse with an impressive presence spoke to both me and Chi Xinrong in a calm tone. "It's time for rounds; please cooperate."
I waved my hand dismissively. "She isn't—"
Before I could finish my sentence, Chi Xinrong covered my mouth and explained cheerfully, "Sorry! I'm just playing with him! Hehe..." Realizing the nurses were staring at her hand over my mouth, she hurriedly released me.
One of the nurses shot her an annoyed glance and pulled out a notepad to ask, "How many times did you go to the bathroom today? How did you sleep last night?"
With so many questions thrown at me, I didn't know which one to answer first. Just as I scratched my neck in confusion, Chi Xinrong jumped in to respond for me: "Once for bowel movement, three times for urination, and he slept very well."
What the heck!
This woman has gone mad! She knows everything, just like she witnessed me doing all those things. A few nurses stifled their laughter, and I was left dumbfounded, unable to curse or express my anger; it was pointless. I could only watch as the nurses left the room, and when Chi Xinrong moved to close the door, sensing trouble and a conspiracy brewing, I jumped out of bed and dashed out of the ward, ignoring her shouting behind me.
I ran to the hospital entrance, where the Gatekeeper was bent over picking up trash. I approached him and called out, "Hey there!" He turned to look at me, and I was surprised. He wasn't the man I was looking for.
"Hey, besides you, who else is guarding the gate?"
"No one. Just me. Who are you looking for?"
I glanced at the keyring hanging on the wall inside and casually asked, "How many keys do you have?"
The Gatekeeper followed my gaze to the keyring, shot me a questioning look but didn’t respond. Instead, he went inside and closed the door, ignoring me completely.
What a strange old man.
"Ma Qi, stop right there!" The girl came running out, hands on her hips, shouting at me aggressively.
I had things on my mind and didn’t want to play along with her anymore. I cast a suspicious glance down the narrow corridor leading in another direction and slowly walked over.
Seeing that I was genuinely angry, Chi Xinrong hurriedly returned to her usual self and followed me, asking, "Where are you going?"
"If you don’t want me to kick you out, it’s best if you keep your mouth shut."
"Oh." Chi Xinrong covered her mouth but soon let go and muttered, "Just so you know, that old Inpatient Department isn’t clean."
"Have you forgotten what I do for a living?"
Chi Xinrong pouted and coldly huffed, "Fine, I spoke too much. You go on."
I shook my head and walked up the stairs to the fourth floor. The long corridor was eerily silent; as I stepped inside, a chill ran down my spine, raising goosebumps on my arms. Chi Xinrong stopped several times, hesitating, but her curiosity got the better of her, and she reluctantly followed me.
At the end of the corridor hung a thick iron chain with a rusty padlock that looked like it hadn't been touched in ages. I pinched the chain, and deep yellow rust flaked off onto my hand. The chain was heavy, and as I gripped it, a piercing scream echoed in my mind, followed by a cacophony of strange sounds that felt unreal.
I quickly released the chain and took a step back.
Chi Xinrong was already terrified, standing silently with her arms crossed. Seeing me like this made her face turn pale; she hurriedly retreated and shouted, "Ma Qi, let's get out of here!"
"Okay." At that moment, I recalled Chi Zhi Ping's last wish; I never expected that his final request would be for me to protect her. I steadied Chi Xinrong, who was trembling with fear, and retraced our steps, puzzled about the old man who had appeared before me last night.
Just as we were about to leave, the real Gatekeeper appeared. He shouted at us in a furious tone, "This is a hospital Restricted Area! Who allowed you to come here?"
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