Chapter 85: Plague Contagion, the Pig's Gluttony

Chapter 85: Plague Contagion, the Pig's Gluttony

Gurgle.

The toilet flushed, sending that single strand of Monkey Hair swirling down the drain. Ji Yan stepped out of the bathroom, double-checked that the door was securely locked for the night, stretched lazily, and prepared to sleep to restore his condition to its peak.

But barely a few seconds after lying down, Ji Yan felt an unsettling discomfort in his lower body. Lifting a corner of the blanket, he saw a Ghostly Caregiver crouched at the foot of the bed, its hands creeping up from his ankles.

Its hands were far from well-behaved.

Even its gaze had grown disturbingly strange...

"What are you doing?" Ji Yan asked. According to the Ghostly Caregiver's duty settings, disturbing his rest was the last thing it should dare to do. What madness had seized it now?

"Goat Doctor... I can't sleep. I'm so hungry late at night, I wanted to find something tasty."

The Ghostly Nurse tilted its head, muttering, while its hands grew increasingly bold.

"If you're looking for food, why are you touching my leg?"

As he questioned, Ji Yan quietly opened his Toolbar.

"I don't know... I just feel so hungry. Goat Doctor, are you hiding something delicious on you?"

"Why do you smell so good? Where is it hidden? Is it inside... your body?"

Bloodshot veins crawled across the Ghostly Caregiver's eyes as its hands roamed, then suddenly stabbed into the skin of Ji Yan's chest!

Before it could proceed to gut him, Ji Yan's Hammer was already swinging.

The Ghostly Caregiver's skull split open halfway, thick fluid splattering across the floor. It tumbled to the ground, shrieking shrilly, "So hungry! So hungry!!"

Ji Yan frowned. Then, from beneath the blanket, pale hands emerged one after another, seizing his limbs.

The blanket began to seep blood in large patches as Ghostly Caregivers hidden in every corner revealed themselves, their eyes fixed on Ji Yan, now pinned spread-eagle on the bed.

"Are these Ghostly Caregivers rebelling one by one?"

Ji Yan's lips twitched. Channeling all his Specter Power into his right hand, he forcibly broke free from the grasping ghostly hands and punched the nearest Ghostly Caregiver in the face, distorting its features entirely.

At the same time, the punch triggered his Talent, [Omniscient Understanding], revealing hidden information.

"Zodiac [Monkey] Player has used his Wish Privilege—[Plague] on you."

"Privilege Analysis: Once triggered, [Plague] infects all Supernatural Entities within a certain area. After infection, all entities develop intense malice and will unconditionally attack players within the area."

"That Monkey Hair caused the plague contagion?"

Ji Yan was stunned. The speed of infection was terrifyingly fast.

But did that guy really think a few Ghostly Caregivers could kill him? Wasn't that a bit naive?

Gripping his Hammer, Ji Yan couldn't help but pity these Ghostly Caregivers—originally lowly laborers, now turned into someone else's pawns.

Pity aside, his movements were swift and merciless!

The moment a Ghostly Caregiver approached, its skull was shattered by the Hammer.

"Warning, Player! You have been infected with the plague 'Monkeypox.' Your Mental State will be affected!"

The Instance's announcement echoed, and Ji Yan immediately noticed bottle-cap-sized sores erupting across his hands and feet.

One of the sores burst open, and from the ruptured skin emerged a ladybug-sized figure—a miniature version of the Monkey Player!

"Mr. Goat, my apologies."

"I'm terribly hungry late at night. I could really go for some goat meat."

Watching the Monkey Player emerge from his arm like a blackhead, Ji Yan's expression remained cold. "First the Rabbit wanted to eat me during the day, and now it's the Monkey's turn at night."

"I really want to ask—do all twelve Zodiac Players see me as Tang Sanzang?"

The Monkey Player grinned. "Actually, the only Zodiac that naturally opposes the Goat is the Dog."

"According to the Instance's rules, eliminating a Goat Player doesn’t offer much reward."

"But one of the Zodiac Players used a certain Wish Privilege, turning you into a juicy prize everyone wants a bite of!"

The Monkey Player licked his lips. "Can’t help it—the temptation’s too great. I want a taste too!"

Ji Yan frowned. "Which other Zodiac has a grudge against me?"

"I already told you, only the Dog opposes the Goat."

"You’ve already eliminated the Dog. If another Zodiac is targeting you, it’s purely personal!"

The Monkey Player clearly had no intention of revealing which Zodiac it was, but given the current progress, only a few remained unaccounted for.

Ji Yan was baffled.

What the hell? I’ve only cleared one Instance—how do I have enemies already?

Could it be that Long Yuan from the Crimson Apartment chased me all the way to the Undead Hospital for revenge?

Seeing the Monkey Player’s smug grin, Ji Yan couldn’t hold back.

"Having a few low-level Specters plant some grotesque boils on me—this is your grand plan?"

"Even the Rabbit’s tactics were better than this."

Shaking his head, Ji Yan reached out, grabbed the Monkey Player’s head, and crushed it like a pimple.

But immediately, another boil burst open, and a second miniature Monkey Player popped out, continuing where the last left off: "No need to rush."

"I’m just the appetizer. Tonight, you won’t just be dealing with one monkey!"

Ji Yan yanked the creature out by its roots and squashed it into paste.

"The Goat Supernatural Doctor wants me dead."

"Every other Zodiac Player wants me dead too."

"This round’s even worse than the Crimson Apartment. What cosmic sin did I commit?"

Inside Ward 444, as the Plague raged, more and more Caregiver Specters crawled out from every corner, eyeing Ji Yan like a mouthwatering roasted lamb.

Ji Yan knew he couldn’t stay in this room any longer.

Reluctantly, he unlocked the door and stepped out.

But the moment he crossed the threshold, he realized something was wrong.

The hallway wasn’t there.

Instead, he was seamlessly transported into another pitch-black room!

Here, his vision failed completely, and unease swelled endlessly in his chest.

A voice came from behind: "Goat Doctor, we meet again."

It sounded familiar.

The instant Ji Yan turned, sharp pain shot through his shoulder—someone was biting him, their teeth piercing his skin!

In a flash, Ji Yan felt his strength draining, his breath weakening, as if all his vitality was being sucked away by that ravenous mouth.

[System Warning: You have been targeted by the Pig Player’s Wish Privilege—Gluttony.]

[Privilege Effect: Can convert the flesh and essence of the target into Specter Power.]

[Talent Prompt: You’re about to be drained dry by this pig. He wants to eat you—why not eat him first? This is a ready-made feast!]

Ji Yan’s eyes darkened.

That Pig Player who treated Gu Meng?

After all, during that mission, it was Ji Yan who had saved his life. Not only was there no word of thanks, but now this ungrateful wretch was trying to drain him dry?

Feeling his organs weaken, Ji Yan raised his hand and rubbed his scalp. "Paper Figure Bro, come out and show yourself."

"Lend me that C-section ability again, or I’ll be sucked dry!"

To his surprise, the Blood-Stained Paper Figure obeyed without hesitation this time.

It seemed it only intervened when Ji Yan was on the brink of death—its sole concern was keeping him alive, nothing more...

With only half of its form remaining, the characters for "Greed, Obsession, Hatred" flickered rapidly before settling on "Greed." Then, it pressed itself against the back of Ji Yan’s head.

In an instant, an overwhelming hunger surged through him, swiftly devouring all reason and thought.

Only one impulse remained in his mind—Eat!

In the darkness, the Pig Player, having bitten into Ji Yan, was ecstatic. He immediately activated his Wish Privilege, intent on draining Ji Yan completely and devouring him alive.

"Blame the Supernatural Game for this."

"If I don’t eat you, I’ll be the one dying next time!"

Sensing he had absorbed enough and certain Ji Yan could no longer resist, the Pig Player released his bite, ready to tear into his prey’s flesh.

But the next moment, in the pitch black, he saw Ji Yan—far from being on the verge of death—glaring back at him with crimson eyes.

His neck twisted unnaturally, locking onto the Pig Player.

A chill ran down the Pig Player’s spine. In that instant, he felt the roles reverse—he was no longer the hunter, but the prey.

"What the—?"

Before the Pig Player could finish his thought, Ji Yan’s drooling maw snapped open—and clamped down on his neck!