Chapter 74: Halfway Done, Why the Blush?

Chapter 74: Halfway Done, Why the Blush?

Exiting the ward, the Pig Player’s body and face were severely emaciated, as if he’d been dragged into the Charming Specter’s lair, drained over a dozen times, and tossed aside.

"Food... I need food!" he rasped, scrambling to the trash bin in the corridor. He rummaged through it, pulling out a dead lab rabbit, and with a single inhale, the rabbit rapidly shriveled into a desiccated specimen.

He repeated the process—several lab rabbits and even white mice in the bin met the same fate, sucked dry like jelly.

Visibly, the Pig Player’s withered body plumped back up, regaining its roundness.

Ji Yan’s gaze locked onto him, and his Talent automatically activated.

"Zodiac Pig [Wish] — Steadiness: The player can stabilize their emotions within a 10% fluctuation range at any time, triggering the Wish Privilege."

"[Wish Privilege] — Four Directions Devouring: When physically depleted, the player can restore their condition by consuming any dead matter nearby. Consuming living beings temporarily converts them into 'Specter Power.'"

Ji Yan’s brow arched slightly.

He hadn’t expected his Talent to precisely dissect even another player’s Zodiac Wish.

No wonder this pig was so hard to kill—turns out he had a [Wish] backing him up...

This Pig Player had entered the Instance at the same time as him yet had already discovered his own [Wish] and activated its privilege.

As expected, everyone in this Instance had their own tricks.

Though last night’s Dog Player hadn’t been as resourceful—just a couple of brushes at best...

"Full... so full."

The Pig Player, now restored to his plump form, leaned against the wall, rubbing his bloated belly with a relieved sigh.

"That was close. Almost starved to death."

"Gotta say, dead rabbits taste foul as hell. Bleh!"

No sooner had he spoken than the Rabbit Player, far away on another mission, inexplicably sneezed.

......

The Pig Player clambered to his feet, dusting himself off, and said to Ji Yan, "Goat bro, two days no see. Surprised you’re still alive."

"Even if you cleared the A44 Ward mission, I’m not jealous. That Alternate Personality’s got its eyes on you now. Good luck with that, heh!"

Ignoring him, Ji Yan turned to submit his mission.

Watching Ji Yan leave, the Pig Player spat out a bloody wad and scratched his bald head. "Did this kid really take out the Black Dog?"

"With that guy’s 'Olfactory' privilege and cautious nature, how’d he end up losing to this brat?"

"What the hell is the Goat’s Talent anyway? Gotta find the Dragon Player fast. After all, Dragon and Goat..."

Shaking off his flabby folds, the Pig Player dashed down the corridor.

......

Elsewhere, Ji Yan sat outside the operating room on the same bench as before.

A strange, musky odor hit his nose—turning, he found the Goat Supernatural Doctor standing silently beside him.

"Teacher, the A44 patient’s condition has been controlled and stabilized," Ji Yan reported, rising to his feet.

"It is indeed stabilized."

"But your treatment method not only fails to satisfy me—it also violates the rules."

"You turned a patient with Delusional Disorder into one with Dissociative Identity Disorder. In a sense, the condition is stable, but the illness itself has worsened."

The Goat Supernatural Doctor closed the report, his eyeballs cold and indifferent.

Ji Yan had expected this. Rubbing his nose, he said, "But my treatment goal was only to stabilize the patient's emotions, wasn't it?"

The Goat Supernatural Doctor replied, "Your smooth talk won’t work on me."

Ji Yan paused slightly. "So, I didn’t pass the final day of my internship?"

"Half-passed."

"Half? What does that mean?"

The Goat Supernatural Doctor reached out, plucked the Internship Badge from Ji Yan’s chest, then turned to leave. "The other half remains for tonight."

"Come to this location after midnight."

"I’ll personally administer a surgical test for you."

Watching the retreating figure, Ji Yan felt exhausted.

Another late-night shift…

Didn’t the Goat Supernatural Doctor forbid him from going out at night?

For some reason, even though the Goat Supernatural Doctor was his Medical Instructor, Ji Yan always sensed a chilling hostility in his gaze.

It didn’t seem like he viewed Ji Yan as a student, but rather… a "Piglet" being fattened for slaughter?

For the final test of his internship tonight, Ji Yan could only hope it wouldn’t be as bizarre as last time.

After all, the last experience—performing a cesarean section inside an animal—had already shattered his worldview.

Night gradually fell.

Ji Yan returned to Room 444. As soon as he opened the door, he found a Female Supernatural Entity in caretaker attire standing inside. Her face was bluish-black, her eyes devoid of whites, entirely pitch-black.

Ji Yan was startled. Why was there a Female Supernatural Entity in his room?

His hand instinctively went to his waist, but the nurse’s expression remained indifferent. "Don’t panic. I’m just here to deliver dinner."

"Besides, your room is bare. Nothing here interests me."

"Also, I unclogged your toilet and cleared the hair from the drain."

Ji Yan blinked, about to thank her, but she had already squeezed past him and left without a backward glance.

"Just like an overworked laborer rushing to clock out."

Muttering under his breath, Ji Yan entered the room.

After stripping off his clothes and stepping into the bathroom, he didn’t immediately shower. Instead, he tapped on a cracked section of the wall.

The Soap Supernatural Entity emerged. Still wary after being struck by Ji Yan the day before, it looked at him nervously. "Goat Doctor, do you need me today—"

"Stay inside the wall. Don’t come out."

"No one wants a second man in the bathroom while they’re showering."

The Soap Supernatural Entity grumbled, "But I’m a supernatural entity…"

"Same difference."

Ji Yan turned on the shower, washing away the Impurity from his body.

After freshening up and eating, the infection spread faster today. Staring at the Black Hair sprouting on the back of his hand, Ji Yan couldn’t help but wonder— What would happen if he refused treatment, let the infection consume his entire body, and woke up after passing out?

Of course, such a suicidal thought remained just that—a thought.

Lying down on the bed, Ji Yan quickly fell into a deep sleep.

In his dream, he felt as though he were floating in a world of cotton, his entire body enveloped in a smooth, velvety sensation that touched every inch of him.

An indescribable comfort.

He reveled in it, a smile spreading across his face.

Gradually, a voice pulled Ji Yan out of his slumber. Half-asleep, he abruptly opened his eyes to find the pale, bloodless face of the Ghostly Nurse hovering before him, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.

"Goat Doctor, your mental treatment has concluded."

Ji Yan sat up sharply, only to see the other Ghostly Nurses gathered at the foot of the bed, their faces similarly flushed as they giggled. "Goat Doctor, how do you feel?"

"Was it... comfortable?"

Recalling the scenes from his dream and glancing down at his own body, Ji Yan couldn't shake the feeling of having been defiled by the Female Supernatural Entities—and not just one, but several.

Yet, mental treatment was an unavoidable part of the process, which made it all the more frustrating.

"Never mind how I feel," he retorted. "Why are all of you blushing?"

"We... were just happy for you, Goat Doctor," the Ghostly Nurses replied, their faces turning even redder.

Ji Yan's lips twitched. Had these Ghostly Nurses actually conducted the infection treatment properly?

The Ghostly Nurse at the head of the bed wiped the smile from her face and spoke seriously. "However, Goat Doctor..."

"There was a slight issue with your mental treatment tonight..."