Chapter 82

Chapter 82

Xiyu's idea of recruiting Doctor Fan wasn't completely unreliable, but first, he needed to thoroughly provoke the man to stir up his intense hatred for Dean Hao. Only then could the man be truly swayed. The affair between Hao Zhong and the drug doctor was the most useful catalyst in this process.

With the camera glasses given to him by Nurse Chun, Xiyu directly went to the area near the dean’s office to lie in wait, ready to act as soon as something happened.

Waiting for the right opportunity required calm and patience.

He covered his stomach, which was burning and feeling numb, and leaned in a corner holding the umbrella, silently praying that his luck this time would be just a little better than the others.

Meanwhile, Luo Xi was still searching for the nutrition liquids with Ma Guanshan.

They had nearly searched every hidden corner and finally found two of them in the trash can of the file room.

The item was extremely valuable now, so they split it evenly, neither of them owing anything to the other.

Ma Guanshan acted as though he didn’t have any identity and immediately gulped down the nutrition liquid. Then, he sighed with relief, leaning against the bookshelf and lamenting, "I’m safe again, just hope tomorrow my brain doesn’t completely shut down. Otherwise, I won’t even remember to find this life-saving thing, and that would be an unfair exit."

Luo Xi smiled faintly. While he wanted to help the straightforward man, he couldn’t promise anything behind Xiyu’s back.

He bent down to pick up the brown paper bag that had fallen on the floor, flipping through it and saying, "Then you should write down the important things and hang them around your neck like an elderly person with dementia."

Ma Guanshan grunted, "What are you so proud of? What kind of illness do you have, acting like there’s nothing wrong with you?"

Luo Xi didn’t answer.

The silence wasn’t due to any hostile concealment, but rather because he had found some interesting information in the file and momentarily forgot to respond.

Ma Guanshan was curious. "What’s going on?"

Luo Xi smiled faintly. "I’m not sure whose this is, but it has a lot of information about viruses."

"So?" Ma Guanshan leaned in to peer at what he was looking at. "I didn’t download any special disease databases. I don’t know anything about it."

Luo Xi pulled out a piece of paper. "Look at the shape of this virus, doesn’t it look familiar?"

On the blurry black-and-white printout, a curving shape appeared. If one didn’t know it was a virus, it would be easy to mistake it for some sort of bug...

Ma Guanshan’s eyes widened. "Isn’t this the pattern from the induction agent?!"

"Exactly, this pathogen is Ebola." Luo Xi narrowed his eyes. "I remember reading something about this before. Although a vaccine was developed over twenty years ago and the disease dropped out of the public’s focus, the symptoms of Ebola begin with fever and headache, then gradually progress to internal and external bleeding, severe vomiting, and even organ failure and death!"Ma Guanshan finally understood, surprised as he said, "Yuan Wei!"

Luo Xi closed the file. "Fu Er took Yuan Wei’s induction agent. Whether he wants to use it or not, I need Yuan Wei out of the picture as soon as possible!"

Ma Guanshan didn’t care about other people’s identities. He lightly coughed and said, "You get Xiyu to give me the induction agent from the old man’s reading glasses, and I’ll help you. As for that dog Fu Er, even if ten of him were twisted together, I wouldn’t be afraid."

Luo Xi was satisfied and grinned wickedly. "Deal."

At the same time, Xiyu, still waiting, faintly heard footsteps.

He immediately became alert and stood up.

Just as fast as it was said, a small figure suddenly rushed at him without hesitation!

With the sound of mist spraying, Xiyu instinctively opened the black umbrella to block, and then kicked out his long leg, knocking the attacker down.

The unexpected intruder was none other than Yuan Wei, the person Xiyu had been closely watching.

Yuan Wei was holding a spray bottle, and her once fair skin was now covered with countless spots of blood, making her look terrifying.

Xiyu deliberately appeared nervous and stepped back, asking, "What are you doing?!"

Yuan Wei sneered, "I wasn’t planning to cause you any trouble, but now you’re scheming to harm me first?"

"I don’t understand what you’re saying. We’ve kept to our own business. Zhang Hua’s death has nothing to do with me," Xiyu said calmly. "I can’t see your illness. How would I harm you?"

Yuan Wei scoffed, "Do I seem that stupid to you? Only you know that Sun Xin has porcelain doll disease? The hint from the induction agent is clear as day. You want me to use the bone induction agent to spray Sun Xin. Are you planning to get me killed, or are you trying to protect someone? Is Luo Xi’s disease related to bones too?"

One couldn’t say that the streamers who had made it this far were fools.

But her impulsive confrontation was exactly what Xiyu wanted.

Xiyu's gaze stayed on the bottle in Yuan Wei’s hand. Upon hearing her words, he frowned and immediately turned to run!

Yuan Wei clearly pretended to chase, but then let out a cold laugh.

Almost at the same moment, Sun Xin’s figure burst out from in front of Xiyu, and without a second thought, pressed the spray bottle in his hand.

The odorless induction agent spread into the air.Xiyu stopped quietly, looking back at Sun Xin with a neutral expression.

Sun Xin, who had been quite confident and even seemed to have a sense of success, gradually froze.

One second, two seconds, three seconds.

All the bones in his body felt as if they were being scattered like fallen building blocks, crashing to the ground with a clatter. Fragments of bones pierced his skin, and streams of bright red blood flowed out.

Xiyu lowered his gaze.

At that moment, the system broadcast sounded.

【Unfortunately, patient Sun Xin has passed away. Please accept our condolences...】

Xiyu gradually turned around, looking at Yuan Wei's astonished face.

Yuan Wei frowned and muttered, "Impossible... how could the moon needle not be you..."

Xiyu's expression remained cold as he spoke, "The glowing crescent moon, this pattern is extremely subtle. I think you fundamentally aren't sure, or else you wouldn’t have pretended to scare me, tricking Sun Xin into acting, right?"

Yuan Wei gradually composed herself, pursing her lips and staring seriously at Xiyu, "So, whose induction agent is the bone one? What are you afraid of?"

This fragile girl was no match for Xiyu, and now that they had met, he would not let her leave. He immediately charged at her, risking punishment from the system!

Yuan Wei had long anticipated that he would turn on her. Without hesitation, she turned and fled!

Unfortunately, without Zhang Hua's help, she had already become isolated and defenseless.

Just as Xiyu was about to pin her down, Ma Guanshan, as big as a small mountain, furrowed his brows and rushed out, grabbing Yuan Wei by the neck.

Yuan Wei struggled desperately, coughing and speaking incoherently, "What are you doing... what are you both doing?!"

"Sorry, my sister looks a bit like you. I didn’t want to bully you," Ma Guanshan said seriously. "But I have to stick to my principles and help my brother out."

Luo Xi, hiding in the shadows, felt a bit impatient with these useless lines.

Fortunately, Ma Guanshan finally stopped talking and pulled out the induction agent with the insect pattern from his hospital gown, spraying it directly onto Yuan Wei's face.

A thin mist covered Yuan Wei’s eyes.She seemed like she was about to cry, but the liquid that finally flowed out from her pain was the color of blood.

Ma Guanshan immediately let go, throwing her lifeless body to the ground.

The system broadcast was always punctual and calm.

【Unfortunately, patient Yuan Wei has passed away. Please accept our condolences...】

After observing the entire scene, Xiyu finally saw Luo Xi walking out from behind Ma Guanshan.

In just two minutes, two powerful streamers were eliminated.

It was cruel, wasn’t it?

But if Luo Xi was to successfully claim the final crown, he not only had to eliminate these two, but he also had to get rid of the remaining one hundred ninety-one people, including himself…

Thinking like this, the heart that had to become hard no longer felt any unnecessary sympathy.

Xiyu said nothing. He pushed Ma Guanshan aside and began to search Yuan Wei’s body. But there was no bone induction agent in her pocket. Xiyu couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat. As he turned to search Sun Xin’s body, the crescent induction agent Sun Xin had been holding was also gone.

Luo Xi approached and said, “It seems that after the streamers are eliminated, the items they carry disappear.”

Xiyu remained very calm. “But I didn’t see where the bone induction agent went. Perhaps she gave it to someone else earlier. If that’s the case, hasn’t all this fighting been in vain?”

This possibility was something Luo Xi couldn’t refute, nor could he confirm.

Xiyu took two deep breaths, forcing a calm smile as he stood up. “It’s fine. You stay hidden. The remaining streamers can’t think about making moves behind our backs.”

“You really are a bone disease…” Ma Guanshan looked around and clicked his tongue. “I thought you were following Luo Xi, expecting him to protect you. But now you’re protecting him. What’s in it for you?”

Xiyu: “…”

Luo Xi pushed Ma Guanshan’s head aside. “Stop talking nonsense. Let’s go. The NPCs will be here to pick up the bodies soon. Don’t cause any trouble.”

Ma Guanshan asked, “What about the glasses induction agent you promised me?”

Although Ma Guanshan did help Luo Xi out and successfully got Yuan Wei eliminated, Xiyu suppressed the urge to hand over the glasses induction agent. After all, this temporary alliance came quickly and would leave just as fast. Without any restraint in their cooperation, it lost its original meaning.

Considering this, Xiyu lied, “I hid it in the ward. I’ll give it to you tonight.”He led the way and left temporarily from another direction, softly asking, "How did you manage to get Fu Er to hand over the induction agent?"

Ma Guanshan laughed, "Why waste words? The rules don't forbid killing, but they didn't say anything about not beating people."

Xiyu didn't think much of Fu Er, and since the guy had no resources to pose a threat, he didn't ask further.

Luo Xi patted Ma Guanshan on the shoulder. "The nutrition liquid and Yuan Wei are handled. You should head back to the ward and rest. I won't go back on my word."

"It's fine, I still feel pretty clear-headed," Ma Guanshan said. "I don't mind helping you guys out a little more."

Luo Xi responded, "...No need. I need to talk to Xiyu."

Only then did Ma Guanshan seem to realize what was going on. He scratched his short hair and said, "Where's my ward again...?"

The major changes throughout the morning, including the elimination of two streamers, had indeed turned the tide of the game.

Now only seven streamers remained, and it seemed like after another dark hour in the game, the matter of the induction agents would finally be settled.

Xiyu and Luo Xi casually passed through the nursing home, and once Yuan Wei and Sun Xin's bodies were taken away, they returned to the area near the director's office to wait for the doctor and began quietly discussing the situation.

"There are all sorts of situations in the game, but no matter what, the rules will absolutely never change," Luo Xi frowned and said. "The system made it very clear on the first day—ordinary patients survive for five days, the informant helps the undercover agent escape the nursing home, and the spy eliminates all informants. These three conditions are completely different. Forget about their connections for now, as long as you do what's literally stated, you will definitely complete the game."

Xiyu responded with a soft "mmh": "I know, but the premise of surviving for five days is that no one can threaten your life... and as long as I can get Nurse Chun out, even if I die after that, I can’t say I didn’t accomplish my task, right?"

Luo Xi's attitude was not optimistic: "But at this point, we can only confirm Yuan Wei is a spy. After she was eliminated, the others are hiding their identities really well. I'm afraid another spy will make a big turnaround at the end."

Xiyu couldn't think of anything particularly comforting to say to him, so he fell silent.

Fortunately, at that moment, the sound of high heels echoed through the hallway. It was the doctor, walking in, familiar with the route, and entering the director's office.

Xiyu handed the glasses to Luo Xi. "Go take a recording for me... I don't want to see or hear it."

Luo Xi, who had been worried, suddenly chuckled.

Xiyu raised an eyebrow and looked at him.

Luo Xi then suppressed his mocking smile, took the glasses, and quietly approached the door to the director's office.

Although the streamer relationships were clouded and uncertain, the informant mission was progressing smoothly.In the afternoon's treatment session, the remaining few streamers were forcibly led to Dr. Fan's treatment room, waiting in line one by one.

Still lurking in the corner, Fu Er glared at Ma Guanshan from the shadows, quietly stating, "It seems my induction agent worked. Yuan Wei was infected with the Ebola virus, and now she's dead!"

Ma Guanshan looked confused, "Huh?"

Fu Er snorted, "Stop pretending. Why did you insist on her elimination? What's your identity, huh?"

At this, the other streamers couldn't help but turn their attention to Ma Guanshan.

Unfortunately, at this moment, Ma Guanshan fell into his condition, rubbing his face and muttering to himself, "What identity do I have?"

Zhou Rong couldn't help but comment, "The innocent act is really something, isn't it?"

Xiyu tried to appear indifferent, sitting at the far end of the bench, silently observing.

At that moment, Luo Xi, who had been undergoing treatment, finally emerged.

Clearly, he had endured some torment, or perhaps his condition had worsened due to the drugs. His once graceful and smooth walking posture had become noticeably slow and clumsy.

Xiyu felt a pang of sympathy, his lips trembling slightly, but he didn't want to reveal it.

Dr. Fan impatiently called out, "Xiyu, next!"

Xiyu stood up, and as he passed by Luo Xi, he lightly shook his hand before summoning the courage to enter the treatment room.

The shadow nurse was rude and roughly strapped Xiyu into the treatment chair.

Xiyu watched as the light that had caused him so much pain was brought over again. Suddenly, he furrowed his brows and called out, "Doctor, I need to talk to you."

Dr. Fan's voice, just as cold as his expression, replied, "Stop wasting time. I have a lot of work left to do."

"It's about the pharmacist," Xiyu immediately said.

Dr. Fan's actions paused for a moment. He waved his hand, and the shadow nurse helping him finally disappeared.

Xiyu struggled slightly as Dr. Fan loosened his belt. "The pharmacist? What's going on?"Xiyu took out his glasses and quietly asked, "I know you're the proud disciple of Dean Hao Zhong, and also a classmate of the pharmacist. Coming to this nursing home must have been partly for your teacher's orders and partly out of friendship, right?"

Dr. Fan furrowed his brows, "What does this have to do with you?"

Xiyu, facing an NPC, was far less nervous than when facing streamers. He smiled lightly and said, "I almost died in Kunshan. You can't say this has nothing to do with me. Actually, you're well aware that you're in a burning pit, and the pharmacist is stuck in the same predicament. No matter how many economic benefits and bright futures Hao Zhong promises you, it's all fake. Do you really think the police haven’t noticed this place?"

Upon hearing this, Dr. Fan's expression darkened. Finally, he said ambiguously, "There's no need to explain. I'm forced into this situation."

"No, you do have a choice, even if not for the pharmacist!" Xiyu activated the playback function on his glasses and played the compromising footage Luo Xi had taken. The voice of the pharmacist, submitting to the dean, filled the small treatment room, causing Dr. Fan's eyes to turn red.

It seemed that Xiyu had made the right bet. No man could tolerate such humiliation.

Xiyu pressed on, "As long as you're willing to be a whistleblower, exposing the truth to the media and the police, on one hand, you’ll earn redemption, and on the other, Hao Zhong will be disgraced, awaiting imprisonment! At that point, the pharmacist won’t have to endure this disgrace anymore. Or, do you want to keep going like this, staying here and eventually being dragged down with Hao Zhong..."

"Stop talking!" Dr. Fan angrily threw the medications on the floor.

Xiyu calmly responded, "Think about this matter, and give me an answer by today."

Dr. Fan furrowed his brows tightly, "Who exactly are you?"

Xiyu replied, "I'm nobody. I'm just an unfortunate patient, offering a little help to the hero who might save Kunshan."

After a few minutes of silence, Dr. Fan finally spoke, "What exactly would a whistleblower need to do?"

The office, with the afternoon sunlight streaming in, had turned into Xiyu's personal hell.

Luckily, Nurse Xia was still not around. Xiyu awkwardly held his black umbrella and reported back to Nurse Chun, "Dr. Fan is still quite willing to cooperate. He showed me many examples and evidence of how the patients became sick. I believe if you visit him later, you'll get more information."

Nurse Chun nodded silently, checked the video in the glasses, and then said, "You’ve worked hard. Dr. Fan has liked the pharmacist for many years and has indeed harbored resentment against Hao Zhong for a long time. Your choice was a good one."

With that, she put the glasses away and took out two bottles of nutrient solution from the drawer.

The system broadcasted.

[The undercover mission for today has been completed. Reward: Nutrient Solution x2]

Xiyu didn’t linger, immediately stuffing the items into his pocket after receiving them. "I’ll come find you tomorrow."He then took the umbrella and walked out of the office.

Luo Xi, who had been keeping watch nearby, waved: "Hurry up, someone just passed by."

The later the game progressed, the more complicated the tasks became. Any small mistake could lead to disastrous consequences. Xiyu quickly followed him, leaving this troublesome place and heading to the warehouse where they often rested.

By now in the game, Luo Xi’s once strong muscles had started to stiffen, and even his straight spine showed signs of slight curvature.

Xiyu gently confirmed this through the patient’s clothing and seriously said, “From now on, you should rest with Ma Guanshan. As long as you don’t show up, nothing bad will happen. I’ll stay out of the sunlight, and I’m just like a normal person.”

Luo Xi was silent for a moment before reaching out to touch Xiyu’s abdomen. “Do you think I’m illiterate? I know that no one feels good. There are many issues with porphyria that show up in clinical practice. Even if the planners are unprofessional, they won’t just let you avoid light and think you’ll be fine.”

Xiyu gave a faint smile, then reached out to embrace Luo Xi. “It’s alright, at least so far everything has gone smoothly. I believe that as long as we have another 48 hours, we can definitely escape this world.”

Luo Xi reached out to gently pat Xiyu’s short hair, not making any promises.

After all, in his heart, the world he truly wanted to escape wasn’t just the Kunshan nursing home.