Chapter 99: Familiar Spine, Selfless Love

Chapter 99: Familiar Spine, Selfless Love

The medical kit equipped by the Chief Doctor contained top-notch tools, and the Anesthetic was no exception.

With a single injection, Li Ze swayed unsteadily, the veins in his neck bulging as he struggled to get up, only to collapse like a pile of mud.

"Xiao Luo, save me... I can't leave the Emergency Building. You know what that means."

"I'm your only family in this hospital!"

Faced with the pleas of her former lover, Shuang Xiao Luo's disheveled hair partially obscured her face, which was twisted with uncontrollable delight.

She didn’t respond. Instead, she turned to Ji Yan and said, "Doctor, as his lover, I can sign the Discharge Guarantee on his behalf. My boyfriend has already recovered and no longer needs treatment."

Hearing this, Li Ze’s expression twisted into sheer fury, and he roared hysterically, "You bitch! I should’ve smashed your skull with the corner of a stool back then—"

His roars gradually weakened until he finally succumbed to unconsciousness.

Ji Yan clapped his hands lightly and said, "Thank you for your assistance in the treatment, Miss Shuang."

"Having you sign the discharge papers is the best outcome."

Ji Yan’s Mission only involved Li Ze’s condition.

But now, he had another goal.

He wanted to see whether a cured patient would truly be discharged safely, leaving the hospital Instance and regaining their freedom— Or if, as Li Ze claimed, there was no such thing as discharge, only being sent off as a lab rat to hell.

As for that mysterious "Medical Achievement", it was likely tied to the upcoming Main Plot...

The Ghostly Nurse approached, lifting Li Ze with one hand and tossing him onto a stretcher.

Ji Yan asked, "What are you doing?"

The Ghostly Nurse replied matter-of-factly, "Li Ze’s condition has been cured. Now, we just wait for Them to come and take him for discharge."

"Them?"

As she secured Li Ze to the stretcher, the Ghostly Nurse explained, "The hospital’s Overseers."

"They monitor and manage all patients."

Ji Yan’s interest was piqued. "Then I’d very much like to meet these Overseers."

Even after being promoted to Chief Doctor, this was the first time he’d heard of such NPCs in this Instance.

"Miss Shuang..."

Ji Yan handed her the report form, asking her to sign the Discharge Guarantee as Li Ze’s lover. But the moment she finished signing, she suddenly staggered backward.

Her face began to sink and peel away like clay, horrifyingly grotesque!

Then, her entire body followed.

It was as if her skin was merely draped over her skeleton— Now, that skin seemed to dissolve as if doused in acid.

"What’s happening to her?" Ji Yan was startled by the sight.

The Ghostly Caregiver watched coldly. "Teacher, this is her condition. It has nothing to do with us."

"We should leave."

Shuang Xiao Luo touched her peeling face, her emotions bizarre—simultaneously distraught yet filled with joy.

"My condition has worsened again... It hurts so much. I’m going to die."

"But I’m so happy. This way, I can stay in the Emergency Building longer."

Ji Yan couldn’t comprehend it.

But since she had already signed the report, there was no need to interfere with another Player’s patient.

Just as he turned to exit the C40 Ward, the door swung open on its own.

A doctor in the same white coat of a Chief Doctor walked in.

It was the Horse Player he’d met earlier.

Taking in Ji Yan’s presence and the unconscious Li Ze, he seemed to grasp the situation at a glance.

"I didn't expect Goat Doctor's treatment to end so quickly today."

"My patient hasn't even started yet."

"Your patient?" Ji Yan turned to look at Shuang Xiao Luo, who was slumped in the corner, her flesh nearly melted into a pool of blood.

She pleaded with the Horse Player, her voice distorted by her melting mouth: "Doctor Horse... save... save me!"

"I told you, your emotional fluctuations can't be too severe."

"Otherwise, your body will deteriorate rapidly. If you die, my performance metrics won’t be met!"

The Horse Player's tone was calm, his eyes devoid of any empathy for the patient.

To him, patients were merely commodities for meeting quotas.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

Shuang Xiao Luo could only apologize repeatedly, her words barely intelligible.

"Though, it’s not entirely your fault."

"After all, it was Goat Doctor who brought that patient here."

The Horse Player glanced at Ji Yan with a faint smirk before stepping forward and leisurely opening a black box.

Ji Yan, who had intended to leave, couldn’t help but pause.

He wanted to see how the Horse Player would treat her—this was a chance to familiarize himself with the other’s methods.

He had just checked the Horse Player’s public profile:

"Zodiac [Horse] Player: Shu Han."

"Survival Time: 30 days."

"Current Instance Progress: 67%."

"Current Position: Chief Doctor."

Reaching 67% progress in 30 days was impressive by any measure!

Ji Yan had also tried using [Omniscient Understanding] to peek at the Horse Player’s [Wish] and [Talent], but found that [Gaze Trigger] didn’t work—only physical contact would reveal them.

Meanwhile, the Horse Player pulled a bloody, pale bone strip from the black box.

It was a spine!

Holding a scalpel in his other hand, he sliced open the skin on Shuang Xiao Luo’s back, extracted her corroded, broken spine, and replaced it with the new one. Steel nails secured it in place, followed by sutures to close the flesh.

A simple spine replacement surgery, completed in such an abstract manner!

Ji Yan’s pupils contracted.

His breath hitched.

His reaction wasn’t due to the Horse Player’s technique, but because he recognized the scent clinging to the spine taken from the black box.

A scent he knew all too well.

He didn’t know how he could identify it, but he was certain—it was the spine of [A22] patient Liu Yan!

Liu Yan was the first patient he had ever treated.

Afflicted with [Stockholm Syndrome], she harbored a morbid infatuation for Ji Yan. After exhausting the effects of the [Grease Perfume], a Supernatural Artifact, she had temporarily "logged off" in his care.

But he never expected to encounter her scent again in the Emergency Building!

Staring at the spine, Ji Yan’s expression darkened.

He recalled Li Ze’s words...

After the new spine was implanted, Shuang Xiao Luo’s melting flesh gradually stabilized, her scattered bones reassembling.

The Horse Player removed his bloodstained [Disinfected Gloves].

"This spine was freshly retrieved from the Organ Room."

"Barring complications, it should be compatible with your body for a long time."

Noticing Ji Yan’s reaction, the Horse Player smiled. "Goat Doctor, you don’t look well."

"Where did this spine come from?" Ji Yan asked.

"You just mentioned it, the Organ Room."

Ji Yan shook his head. "I’m asking, who was the spine extracted from?"

"This was provided by the hospital."

"But I heard the original owner of the spine was a patient whose body was severely deformed by obesity. Her condition worsened to the point where she didn’t have much time left."

"On the verge of death, she voluntarily donated all her organs to save more patients."

"Her body also willingly became a Silent Teacher."

The Horse Player spoke, the corners of his lips curling into a meaningful arc. "How selfless and loving this patient was, don’t you think?"

Ji Yan fell silent.

For a long time, he said nothing.