Chapter 177: Becoming a Patient

Jiang Yuan's brain buzzed, and went blank.

No.

Impossible.

He suddenly lowered his head and looked at himself.

He wasn't wearing any protective gear.

Only...... an empty-feeling, cold and rough blue-and-white striped patient gown.

The clothes hung loosely on him, sleeves long enough to cover the backs of his hands, pant legs a bit too long, dragging on the floor.

When did he put on these clothes?

Where was his combat uniform?

A chill shot straight up from the soles of his feet to his heavenly spirit cover, making his blood feel like it would freeze.

"No......"

He muttered to himself, staggered back a step, and frantically felt over his own body.

The card bag and the box containing the human skin paper were still there.

But that specially made combat uniform, which could resist ordinary physical attacks and partial weird erosion, had just vanished into thin air!

He had become...... a patient.

Jiang Yuan's heart spasmed wildly; he whirled around and stared at the staff rules.

His gaze was locked onto the last rule.

【8. If you see yourself wearing a blue-and-white striped patient gown in a mirror or any reflective object......】

What comes after?

What does it say?!

That torn half-sheet of paper now felt like an invisible hand clutching Jiang Yuan's throat, making him unable to breathe.

What to do?

If he'd become a patient, what should he do?!

Would he end up like Jack Smith, with countless arms sprouting from his belly? Or like Mary Anderson, uncontrollably tearing at his own face?

The fear of the unknown was more terrifying than any known monster.

Jiang Yuan slid down against the cold wall, curling up into a ball on the floor.

It's over.

He was going to die here.

Not dying in a monster's claws, but becoming the monster itself, a new specimen in this hell.

He thought of Captain Wang, and of Sister Mo Shu.

Did they break out?

Did they get the data out?

Perhaps his sacrifice still meant something......

No!

A thought, like a flash of lightning, exploded in his near‑collapsing mind.

It's not over yet!

He hasn't died yet!

Jiang Yuan jerked his head up, his eyes blazing like fire, once again locking onto the staff rules on the wall.

Since he hasn't turned into a monster yet, that means there's still a chance!

These rules are the only hope left!

Although the most crucial clause is missing, at least it proves his earlier judgment—that this hospital operates under some kind of understandable, followable 'rules'.

As long as he follows the rules, he can survive!

Jiang Yuan struggled to his feet; the fear and despair in his eyes were forcibly suppressed by a will to survive.

He needed to find the other half of the torn rules.

Or find the exit of this hospital!

Having made up his mind, Jiang Yuan hesitated no longer.

He took a deep breath, walked to the office door, and pressed his ear against the cold door panel.

Outside was dead silent.

He gently turned the handle, opening the door a crack.

The corridor was empty, only a faint light from the broken window casting mottled shadows on the floor.

The bloated monster was nowhere to be seen.

Jiang Yuan slipped sideways out of the door, moving as lightly as a cat.

He decided to explore the first floor first.

He moved along the corridor, step by cautious step.

Every inch of air here reeked of a weird mix of rot, disinfectant, and dust.

He passed one open ward after another, the sights inside enough to drive any sane person mad.

He saw a woman with her back to him, sitting on the edge of a bed, slowly peeling her own facial skin off with her fingernails.

It was Mary Anderson.

Jiang Yuan held his breath and slipped past her from behind.

He then saw a skin‑and‑bones man, hanging upside‑down from the ceiling like a spider, twisting his head at an inhuman angle to grin horribly at Jiang Yuan.

Jiang Yuan looked straight ahead and quickened his pace.

These...... are all his fellow patients.

He is now one of them.

This realization made him feel waves of nausea.

Just as he turned a corner, preparing to go deeper, his whole body suddenly froze.

A downward staircase appeared before him.

The stairway entrance was pitch black, like the gateway to hell, with gusts of cold, damp air constantly rising from below, mixed with a strong smell of blood.

On the wall at the stairway entrance hung a rusted sign.

【B2-IncineratorRoom】(Basement Level 2 - Incinerator Room)

Jiang Yuan's heart skipped a beat.

He recalled article five of the Staff Rules.

【5. All medical staff of this hospital should be familiar with the hospital's structure. Please remember, this hospital has no basement level two. If you see a staircase leading to basement level two anywhere, turn around and leave immediately, and do not look back.】

There is no basement level two.

But what's the deal with this staircase before him?

The intense feeling of dread made him hastily turn around, intending to go back the way he came.

Just as he turned, he faintly heard an extremely light breath coming from behind him.

Immediately after, a feeling of being stared at by some terrifying presence came from behind.

Like a thorn in the back.

Don't look back!

The rules say, don't look back!

Jiang Yuan clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms.

He stepped forward, walking back the way he had come.

One step, two steps...

The gaze behind him grew hotter and more frenzied, as if it wanted to burn through his back.

He could even hear a faint sound, the "scratch" of nails scraping on concrete, getting closer and closer.

Jiang Yuan's heart felt like it was about to jump out of his throat, yet he still dared not look back.

Until he turned that corner again.

Only then did the terrifying gaze behind him finally disappear.

Huff—

Jiang Yuan collapsed against the wall, cold sweat soaking through his thin patient gown.

He had indeed survived.

He had survived once again.

After catching his breath, Jiang Yuan continued to explore the remaining areas of the first floor.

But the result left him very disappointed.

Aside from those wandering horrifying "patients" and various locked doors, the first floor held no further valuable clues.

There was no exit, nor the other half of the rules.

The only path left was the main staircase leading upstairs.

Jiang Yuan stood at the base of the stairs and looked up.

The staircase wound upward, disappearing into deeper darkness, like the throat of a giant beast picking its prey.

He had no other choice.

Jiang Yuan took a deep breath and stepped onto the stairs.

His steps were light, each foot placed unusually carefully, fearing to make any extra noise.

"Tap...... tap...... tap......"

In the empty stairwell, only his footsteps echoed.

As he reached the landing between the first and second floors.

A slight, damp sound suddenly came from above.

Jiang Yuan's whole body instantly stiffened, every pore bursting open.

He slowly raised his head.

He saw a figure sitting on the stairs leading to the second floor, back turned to him.

That person also wore a blue-and-white striped patient gown, curled up on the step, shoulders rising and falling, unknown what they were doing.

Jiang Yuan's heart rose to his throat.

He eased his breathing, pressed his body against the wall, trying to slip past that person unnoticed.

But just as he passed by that person.

The person's rising shoulders stopped.

He slowly, slowly turned his head.

It was a face covered in hideous scars.

The most terrifying part was that he had no eyes.

Two black, bloody holes faced Jiang Yuan's direction, continuously oozing dark red viscous fluid.

Jiang Yuan felt his breathing come to a halt.

The eyeless "patient" grinned, revealing a mouthful of teeth stained red with blood.