Chapter 78: Bad Stomach? The Ward World

Chapter 78: Bad Stomach? The Ward World

"Let's go. The patient has been waiting too long."

The Monkey Supernatural Doctor seemed to harbor a mocking disdain toward the Goat Supernatural Doctor, including Ji Yan in its scorn.

Upon reflection, it appeared none of the zodiac signs were particularly friendly toward goats...

The Monkey Supernatural Doctor turned and left, while the Monkey Player glanced at Ji Yan before hurriedly following.

"Why is the relationship between other Supernatural Doctors and their players so harmonious?"

"My Medical Instructor not only has a terrible relationship with me but also actively schemes to devour its own intern!"

Ji Yan sighed quietly, thinking to himself how exhausting survival was.

For some reason, he felt like a child from a broken family, envious of others' happy households...

Returning to Room 444, the Ghostly Nurses emerged one after another, their faces lighting up with delight at the sight of Ji Yan.

"Ah, Goat Doctor, you’ve been promoted to [Attending Doctor]!"

"Wonderful! We can keep working in Ward 444 now."

For them, as long as Ji Yan lived, they retained their value and wouldn’t be fired by the hospital. And dismissed NPCs? Naturally, they’d be disposed of like trash.

Ji Yan said nothing, climbing into bed and falling asleep.

They laughed cheerfully.

But the newly promoted Ji Yan felt no joy at all.

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, Ji Yan arrived early at the newly unlocked map area—the [Consultation Building].

The empty Hall No. 2 held only two other players besides Ji Yan, a man and a woman, who had also arrived ahead of time.

And neither was a stranger.

The female player was none other than the "suffering comrade" Rabbit Player, who had undergone the cesarean section with him in the Instance.

Two days apart, her appearance had changed noticeably.

Two rabbit ears now sprouted from her head, giving her the look of someone wearing a bunny girl headband—strangely cute.

The other was the Monkey Player, whom he’d seen the night before—a yellow-haired guy with a buzz cut and that same punchable smirk.

Goat, Monkey, and Rabbit—all three had been assigned to Hall No. 2, suggesting they’d be handling the same Mission.

What surprised Ji Yan was that the Rabbit Player had also completed her internship in just two days, earning a Promotion to [Attending Doctor].

Her progress was just as fast as his!

"A little lamb and a little bunny."

"Both newcomers. Looks like there’s no real competition for today’s Mission."

The Monkey Player yawned, hands clasped behind his head.

The Rabbit Player frowned, visibly disgusted by the Monkey Player beside her, and turned to Ji Yan.

"That pig told me you killed the Dog Supernatural Doctor’s player?"

Ji Yan raised an eyebrow. "How did he know?"

"Not just the pig. All the other zodiacs know now."

The Rabbit Player paused before adding, "The Rat Player leaked the news."

That damn rat again!

Ji Yan gritted his teeth at the thought of that rat woman. Not only had she stolen two Supernatural Artifacts, but she’d also spread the news. What did she gain from this?

"What’s up with your rabbit ears?"

Ji Yan suddenly asked, noticing the Rabbit Player’s ears standing rigidly upright.

Her eyes flickered in warning as she whispered, "When my ears stand up like this, it means a Supernatural Entity is nearby..."

Ji Yan stiffened, turning to see a nearly 2-meter-tall nurse materialize behind them, her limbs swaying like willow branches.

The single-striped Nurse Cap on her head marked her as the Ghostly Nurse Leader.

"The three doctors, your patient has arrived."

"Please follow me."

The Ghostly Nurse Leader moved slowly, her ample figure tightly constrained by her nurse's uniform, her hat oversized—at first glance, she resembled the legendary Eight-Foot Tall Woman.

Leading the three to the ward, the doorplate displayed "B11." Holding a report sheet, the Ghostly Nurse Leader summarized briefly, "This patient recently ate something bad and is in severe pain. We need the three of you to examine them."

"Just a stomachache? And it requires three Attending Doctors?" The Rabbit Player was slightly stunned. Wasn’t this overkill?

The Monkey Player remained silent, shedding his usual carefree demeanor as he pondered something.

"There’s no time limit for your treatment."

"Because according to the tradition of B11 Ward, if you fail to cure the patient, there’s no chance of leaving."

The Ghostly Nurse Leader opened the door, revealing pitch-black darkness inside—a silent invitation.

At the same time, all three players received the mission prompt.

Ding! Players have accepted an A-grade Task: Complete the treatment for B11 Ward, identify the source of the patient’s stomachache, and administer the appropriate medication.

Failure: Trapped in Infinity.

Success: Obtain a clue related to the Zodiac Main Plot, delivered as an Easter Egg.

Trapped in Infinity?

What did that mean?

Ji Yan was still processing the mission details when the Monkey Player stepped into the darkness beyond the door.

Following closely, Ji Yan and the Rabbit Player also crossed the threshold.

Once all three had entered, the Ghostly Nurse Leader closed the door.

The next second, the door to B11 Ward vanished, leaving only a blank wall in its place.

Where the wall met the floor, a slow tear formed—revealing a mouth that let out a pained wail.

"It hurts… It hurts so much! My body is rotting away!"

……

Upon entering the room, Ji Yan briefly lost his sense of direction.

Then, a glimmer of light covered his eyeballs. When his vision cleared, he found himself inside a small house.

Yes, a standard European-style, single-story cottage with a tiled roof.

At that moment, Ji Yan sat in the living room, his body sinking into a plush sofa. Nearby, a fireplace crackled with stacked firewood, occasionally spitting out a few sparks.

The atmosphere was warm and serene.

???

Ji Yan was stunned.

Logically, he should have entered a hospital ward.

But where was this?

Had the ward’s door connected to another dimension?

He stood up, trying to locate the other two players, but the cottage was empty except for him.

Quickly scanning his surroundings, Ji Yan suddenly felt a chill above his head.

Looking up, he saw water seeping through cracks in the ceiling—was it raining outside?

Ji Yan walked over and opened the door, stepping outside. But there was no rain.

Instead, the world beyond shocked him.

The entire space was a void of pitch-black nothingness, save for five differently sized cottages, each with its own unique decor, scattered across this world.

A main road paved with asphalt stretched out, along with five cobblestone paths branching off to each cottage.

At that moment, Ji Yan had stepped out of a red cottage.

Not far away, the doors of two blue-green cottages opened as well, and the Rabbit Player and Monkey Player emerged, their expressions mirroring Ji Yan’s.

A single, massive question mark was written across their faces!

Where was this? Where was the hospital? Where was the patient?

"My ears have been standing upright the whole time, which means there are supernatural entities nearby, but there are only the three of us here," the Rabbit Player said as she walked along the cobblestone path toward Ji Yan and the Monkey Player.

Her pink, furry rabbit ears stood straight up like two antennas!

"Don’t we have an experienced player here who hasn’t said a word?" Ji Yan glanced at the Monkey Player.

The Monkey Player, hands in his pockets, looked up at the pitch-black world beyond the five small houses and said calmly, "This world is a ward."

"Every ward in the Consultation Building is connected to a DIY world created by a Supernatural Patient."

"So, no matter how bizarre or mind-blowing the world you see, it shouldn’t be surprising."

"But this one—so simple, so minimal—is the first of its kind I’ve encountered."

"It’s a bit too... mediocre."

"The patient who created this world is probably watching us from some corner right now."

The Monkey Player exuded steadiness. He had survived in the Consultation Building for nearly ten days, facing all kinds of ward worlds daily, so nothing fazed him anymore.

But Ji Yan crouched down, picked up a cobblestone, and with a glint in his eyes, interrupted him: "I think you’re wrong."

"Wrong? It’s your first day in the Consultation Building. What gives you the confidence to question me?" The Monkey Player scoffed.

Ji Yan set the cobblestone down, dusted his hands, and said, "We’re not inside a ward right now."

"We’re inside the patient’s body."