[Go to Arkham Hospital]

“Mr. Ranen!” Mary’s barely restrained excitement instantly pulled both Ranen and Druid back to reality.  

Ranen: …?  

Where is this???  

Ranen had just been in his psychotherapy clinic. Feeling a bit tired, he had closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them, the world had changed!  

He tried to move his limbs but quickly realized it was impossible. His arms and legs were completely restrained. The only things he could move were his eyes and mouth.  

Through a small window in the iron door, he saw two familiar figures standing outside.  

Isn’t that the red-haired head nurse and Druid???  

But didn’t she die? What is going on? Is this a dream? Or has everything before this been a dream? Has he never left the hospital? Ranen’s mind was in complete disarray.  

“Mr. Ranen, I missed you so much~”  

Druid couldn’t suppress a shiver, feeling goosebumps rise all over his body. Ranen felt the same way—just thinking about the eight-legged true form of the red-haired head nurse made him feel sick.  

“You’ve finally come back. You have no idea how much we’ve…”  

The red-haired head nurse was about to pour out her feelings of longing and love when a sudden cough interrupted her.  

Turning around, she saw a doctor resembling a mad scientist standing behind her, his face dark as he said, “Nurse Mary, aren’t you in charge of the Outer District? What are you doing here? Could it be that you’ve abandoned your post!?”  

As he spoke, the stitches on his face began to squirm as if alive, twisting into a grotesque expression that made it seem as though he might attack at any moment.  

“No! I brought him here,” Mary immediately protested, pulling the bewildered Druid forward. “He’s a new orderly. I noticed you were short-staffed here, so I brought him over!”  

Druid was dumbfounded. So, he is just a tool in this?  

But another question quickly popped into his mind. These creatures seem to take their work regulations very seriously. Even monsters can’t easily step outside their assigned roles. What kind of place is this?  

“That’s still not acceptable. You—”  

“All right, Dr. Dawson,” a gentle voice interrupted from behind him. “Since Miss Mary has her reasons, we’ll let it slide this time.”  

It was only then that Druid noticed another figure behind Dr. Dawson. Due to Dawson’s massive frame, this person had been completely hidden from view.  

When the figure came into sight, Druid’s eyes filled with surprise. This was the first normal human he had seen in this entire dungeon.  

No, on second thought, he didn’t seem all that normal either. Although his skin and facial features gave the impression of a middle-aged man, his hair was stark white like that of an old man, and his face bore signs of illness. His refined and gentle demeanor made him look like a professor or scholar, but one thing stood out—he was missing an arm. His sleeve hung empty, making him seem completely out of place in this terrifying dungeon.  

If this guy wasn’t a special NPC or the dungeon boss, Druid would eat dirt while standing on his head!  

Instinctively, Druid cast a Scan on him.  

[Scan: Successful]  

[You notice the man before you has a name badge pinned to his chest. It reads: Arkham Hospital Director Soren Hogg.]  

He’s the director??  

The man seemed to sense something, glancing at Druid with a faintly amused smile.  

Upon hearing the director’s words, the doctor’s grotesque expression finally softened, though he still looked unwilling. “Fine, since the director says so, I’ll let it slide this time. Miss Mary, you should get back to your post.”  

The red-haired head nurse reluctantly left, looking back longingly. Meanwhile, Druid, sensing the air of an important plot development, shamelessly stayed where he was and even started recording.  

Director: “How’s the patient inside doing?”  

The doctor answered diligently, “We still need to observe the symptoms further. Next, we’ll prescribe treatments based on their condition.”  

“Good. You may go now. I’d like to have a private conversation with the patient.”  

The doctor didn’t move, hesitation evident on his face. “But that’s against hospital policy.”  

The director’s face darkened, his tone firm. “I’m the director.”  

The doctor’s expression shifted to one of grudging resignation, his eyes filled with the frustration and helplessness of an employee dealing with their boss. “Fine.”  

He left, but not before dragging Druid along, who had been hoping to stay and eavesdrop. Druid didn’t want to miss this scene, turning back several times as he was led away.  

Through the iron door, Ranen met the director’s gaze. Noticing Druid’s departure, Ranen playfully and lightly winked at him.  

Druid felt like he had just been struck, his face heating up. Even as the doctor pushed him along, he couldn’t help but glance back, reluctant to leave the floor.  

—-

‘Druid should receive the message I sent, right?’  

Ranen felt a bit uneasy at the thought.  

When he noticed the name badge on the director’s chest, it immediately clicked who this person was. If his guess was correct, this man was the boss of the Outsider.  

‘Wouldn’t this situation normally call for players to start a raid?’  

Ranen had already thought it through. While he didn’t understand why the final boss was here instead of at the climactic battleground from his memories, as long as players continuously swarmed the dungeon, wasn’t there still hope of taking down the boss?  

For now, all he could do was hope that Druid got his message and quickly went to the forums to rally reinforcements.  

“We’re meeting for the first time, I presume?” Soren said quietly, his gaze fixed on Ranen, who was restrained in the room. “I am Soren Hogg, the leader of the Outsider.”  

After speaking, he suddenly paused, chuckling softly. “No, for us, this is actually the second time we’ve met.”  

Ranen didn’t understand, frowning slightly but saying nothing.  

Soren didn’t seem to mind his silence, continuing his monologue. “I should hate you. The plan I spent so long preparing—the one and only chance in centuries—was ruined because of you.”

“You tell me, should I hate you?”  

Ranen remained silent, his expression unreadable as he fixed his gaze on Soren. Up until now, he still couldn’t figure out why Soren was targeting him. From his memories, there had never been an NPC named Ranen in the previous life’s storyline.  

“But strangely enough, after finally meeting you, I don’t feel the hatred I expected in my chest. Instead, there’s an unfamiliar emotion,” Soren said, staring deeply at Ranen. “What exactly are you?”  

“A god of chaos would never evoke this kind of affinity. When I look at you, it feels as though I’m seeing the long-awaited homeland I’ve been yearning for…”  

As he spoke, Soren suddenly chuckled bitterly and said, almost mockingly, “But never mind. None of that matters now. My plan will soon succeed.”  

“My plan, which was once reduced to being your stepping stone for descent, will now see you become the stepping stone to my goals. Isn’t that fair?”  

Before Ranen could respond—or perhaps because Soren knew he wouldn’t—he continued, “So, stay here and wait for the final moment to arrive.”  

With that, Soren turned and left. Ranen watched his figure disappear around the corner, and silence once again fell over his surroundings.  

Ranen immediately closed his eyes, attempting to enter the Dream Rift. But to his shock, the once-open passage was now inaccessible.  

Ranen: “…” ‘Wait a second, doesn’t this mean I’m powerless again??’  

And without access to the Dream Rift, there was no way to contact Edmund.  

He managed to shift his head slightly, confirming that, as expected, the Soul-Eating Butterfly wasn’t with him.  

Ah, this.  

Is it because of the chains binding him?  

Ranen struggled briefly but confirmed that he couldn’t move. Panic set in. Fortunately, the player forums could still be opened through mental projection. Ranen quickly accessed the player forums, hoping that Druid had received his signal and would find a way to bring players here to raid the boss.  

—-

Meanwhile, the player forums were in utter chaos.  

[Hospital Instance Livestream]  

Druid: [Folks, I did it! I finally made it inside!]

Druid: [No need for words—just look at the pics first. [Image.jpg]]  

2nd Commenter: [!! Front row seat!!]  

3rd Commenter: [Oh wow, this instance… and that monster! This looks insanely dangerous. Is this really something we can explore at our current stage? (shaking in fear)]  

4th Commenter: [I used to think this game wasn’t creepy enough. Alright, I was wrong. It’s plenty creepy, even way ahead of its time for humanity. orz]  

5th Commenter: [@Druid, how did you even get into the instance? I’m telling you, spill the truth, or I’ll kneel and beg for it.]  

Druid: [I have no idea! (confused face)]  

Druid: [Seriously, I just went to the nurse’s station to investigate some clues. Next thing I knew, a blonde nurse grabbed me. I turned my head for one second, and she started walking toward me, morphing into a hulking butcher made of flesh. (gestures)]  

Druid: [The effects… utterly horrifying. I thought she was going to eat me alive on the spot.]  

Black Cat: [[Sadface.jpg] Why is it that we’re doing the same tasks, but you get in, and I don’t?]  

5th Commenter: [Is it possible that Ranen was the reason Druid got in? Maybe he gave Druid a key or triggered something that allowed him access?]  

6th Commenter: [That’s highly likely.]  

The forum buzzed as players eagerly discussed Druid’s findings—the clues about the blonde nurse, the mechanics of the instance, and theories on how Druid managed to enter.  

That was until Druid uploaded a photo of Ranen in the third floor’s psychiatric ward.  

Ranen’s appearance had always caused a stir, with candid photos often shared by players on the forums for collective admiration. But honestly, while the white coat and casual outfits looked great, the appeal of still images couldn’t compare to experiencing Ranen’s charm in-game. Most cloud players quickly got tired of static photos.  

But this! The restraint suit!  

Under the dim, stark lighting of the ward, Ranen’s skin looked so pale it was almost translucent. Bound tightly to a bed inclined at a 45-degree angle, his half-closed eyes and long, curled lashes gave off an allure that was suggestive and provocative.  

The next moment, he opened his eyes, his beautiful green irises edged with gold. They carried a divine indifference and a tinge of sorrow, entirely unlike his usual demeanor. The golden chains intricately entwined over the restraint suit made him resemble a sealed deity—or perhaps a forbidden monster.  

17th Commenter: [! Ranen… This restraint suit is way too seductive! I’m losing it!]

18th Commenter: [[Heavy breathing] Ranen, my beloved! I’m dead. This is too much for me to handle.]  

19th Commenter: [Restraint-suit play? Devs, you really know how to deliver.]  

20th Commenter: [This is unacceptable! Where’s the official high-resolution CG? Where’s the recharge channel? And where are the life-sized body pillow merch options?]  

21st Commenter: [Let me into this game! Let me in! Why are there only 500 slots in the closed beta? Why, why, why??]  

22nd Commenter: [Get real. Even if we were in the game, we wouldn’t get access to this instance.]  

23rd Commenter: [Ahhhhh, the photos are stunning, but anyone who’s played the game knows Ranen’s face looks even better in-game! Especially for someone with higher intuition stats, his beauty is almost sanity-draining. I can’t imagine how breathtaking this scene must be in person. (incoherent noises)]  

24th Commenter: […Is this forum filled with creeps? Are there really that many Ranen stans here? No one cares about his current situation?]  

25th Commenter: [It looks like he’s been captured? (scratches head)]  

26th Commenter: [Huh? But Ranen hasn’t left the therapy room recently. I’ve been monitoring it every day.]  

28th Commenter: [Didn’t previous storylines have mysterious forces targeting Ranen several times? Looks like they succeeded this time. To be honest, isn’t this god of chaos a little too weak? (laughs)]  

29th Commenter: [Maybe he really has been sealed, but honestly, it feels kind of underwhelming.]  

30th Commenter: [Yeah, I mean, sure, it looks like he’s been sealed, but a god of chaos constantly getting outsmarted by mortals? Tsk tsk.]  

The thread gradually filled with less favorable voices.  

This was inevitable. Not every forum user had access to the game, and not everyone was captivated by Ranen’s looks. Those waiting for the next beta test often grew resentful watching Ranen fans dominate the forums, fueling a natural backlash.  

Adding to that, players are known for their short attention spans and attraction to power. Ranen had never faced any setbacks before, but once something felt off, the unusual voices on the forum immediately sprang up.

After all, an evil god should be lofty, viewing humans as nothing more than ants.

At this point, Druid popped up again, startled by the strange turn the forum was taking.

Druid: [Huh? I only turned away for a moment, and how did this thread become so chaotic?]

Black Cat: [Druid, you finally showed up! What’s going on with the follow-up?]

As a casual fan of Ranen, Black Cat was also getting anxious watching the direction of the forum. After all, his previous posts had gained attention by analyzing Ranen’s popularity, and he had developed a positive impression of this intriguing, mysterious NPC who seemed worth exploring.

Druid: It’s a bit complicated. I’ll send you the photos, and you can open a new thread.

With that, the two quickly slipped away before the trolls could appear.

Ranen logged onto the forum and immediately saw the new thread that Black Cat had opened.

He had no idea what had transpired in the previous thread, but he hoped Druid could bring more players over, as that was usually how things went—when a rare instance appeared, players would flock to it in droves.

However, upon clicking into the instance, he quickly realized that something was off.

[Hospital Instance Analysis]

Black Cat: [Fellow Ranen fans, I know you’re all eager, but please hold on for a moment.]

Black Cat: [I’m back to organize the rules for this instance again.]

Black Cat: [First, let’s analyze the rules of this hospital instance. Just like in my previous theory post, it seems there really are two different worlds within this hospital instance. Initially, I thought the boundaries between them would be defined by day and night, but Druid entered the back of the hospital in the afternoon, so there may be some special rules we’re not aware of yet.

Continuing on, based on the diary Druid found at the nurse’s station, the blonde nurse, who is also the human form of the flesh mountain butcher, is actually quite thin during the day and even suffers from anorexia—she’s obsessed with losing weight.

But at night, it’s the complete opposite. I’m sure everyone has seen the screenshot of the flesh mountain butcher.]

Druid: [Image.jpg]

5th Commenter: [Thanks, but there’s no need to actually take a photo of it. (mouth open)]

6th Commenter: [Ahhh, it’s too close, too close! I’m glad I haven’t eaten yet.]

Black Cat: [And from the contents of the diary, it’s revealed that Nurse Mary—the one who turned into a spider in the hospital video—seems to be terrified of spiders in real life. Did you all catch that?]

7th Commenter: [Do they become the things they are afraid of?]

Black Cat: [Exactly. In the night version of this hospital instance, the people inside may transform into what they fear most. The blonde nurse fears being overweight, Nurse Mary fears spiders. If you look at the video Druid shot, the monsters they encountered along the way—don’t they all seem to represent something?]

Black Cat: [The monster with organs hanging from IV drips, the one muttering while holding its own heart, the one running after its own legs, the faceless child.]

With their patient identities, it all seems to fit this pattern.

He guesses right. Ranen thought to himself.

Previously, he had used a memory potion to recall several clues about the major event of Arkham’s fall, including details about this instance.

The hospital instance was the prelude and the beginning of Arkham’s fall. It seemed to be a testing ground set up by the Outsider, with the special rules inside formed after their interference.

Ranen knew more than they did. Back then, when he first saw the rules of this instance, he hadn’t thought much about it. But now… did these rules resemble the first level of the Dream Rift in some way?

When considering the Outsider’s goals and the uniqueness of the Dream Rift itself, it was clear that this place was likely at the heart of the Outsider’s conspiracy. They sought to open the gate to the Dream World, and here, this instance, was the prelude to their ultimate plot.

Black Cat: [Looking further ahead, I was initially puzzled as to why Nurse Mary would save Druid… But thinking about the doctor later scolding Nurse Mary, we might guess that the monsters in this night-version hospital are also restrained. They might follow the daytime medical system, like Nurse Mary. She could only enter the psychiatric ward’s third floor to meet Ranen by using Druid’s “caregiver” identity.]

Black Cat: [The doctor’s scolding of Nurse Mary clearly shows that she can’t just come here freely.]

Black Cat: [Looking further, did you notice that the director was reluctant to keep the doctor behind? Although it’s just a guess, I feel like the director isn’t very popular. It seems like the doctor only agreed because of his position as “director.”]

Black Cat: [So, it can be inferred that the “director” role is important in this night-version hospital instance. In fact, Ranen’s seal and the suppressed state he’s in might very well be because of the director’s powers or his authority in this hospital.]

10th Commenter: [That makes sense. So, in simple terms, it’s still the “director’s” domain?]

11th Commenter: [The director brings Ranen into his domain, hehe, sounds like a confinement play?]

12th Commenter: [Stop derailing, it’s obvious that this director is the same force that targeted Ranen before, possibly even the leader.]

Ranen, tearful: Exactly! Finally, someone’s got it right. The instance boss is here—players, hurry up and join in!

13th Commenter: [The director… doesn’t look bad either. Strong, cautious—love it, love it. I announce that I, a power-seeking person, am switching sides.]

14th Commenter: [So, Ranen is still sealed, huh? Sigh, I’m outta here.]

Black Cat: [Hold on, I’m just about to get to the main point. Did you see this short video?]

Black Cat: [Video.jpg]

The video that Black Cat posted showed the complete clip of him following Mary to the third floor of the psychiatric hospital, where they encountered the doctor, the director, and Ranen, along with the final moment when Ranen winked at him.

Black Cat: [Do you think that’s the expression of someone who’s sealed and pushed to their limits?]

Ranen had a bad premonition when he saw this.

‘Wait, wait a second, I was just hinting to Druid to go on the forum and rally people. They won’t misunderstand it as—‘

Black Cat: [It’s obvious! Everything is part of Ranen’s plan! He purposely let himself be captured by the director and brought to the hospital!]

Ranen: …

Black Cat: [Think about it. Before, so many of us couldn’t find the entrance to the hospital instance, but Druid was the one who got in. Why wasn’t it anyone else? Why was it Druid, the first person to take on Ranen’s quest? Do you remember who Ranen gave the key to? Do you remember how Ranen treated this guy earlier?]

Black Cat: [Clearly, the truth is simple. Druid has been chosen as the Evil God’s pawn!]

Druid: [Hiss—makes sense.]

Black Cat: [Ranen actually let himself get captured. This hospital instance must have something suspicious. Think about it, this was once Ranen’s ‘seal place.’ Now that he’s entered again, it’s obviously part of his plan!]

Ranen: ???

20th Commenter: [Master, I get it now!]

21st Commenter: [I see now.]

22nd Commenter: [That makes so much sense! I was wondering why Ranen didn’t resist at all when he got captured this time. Maybe he was laying the groundwork all along, acting like he wasn’t strong but was actually very tricky, forcing them to get him into this hospital.]

23rd Commenter: [Haha, just say Ranen was pretending to be weak earlier.]

24th Commenter: [Now it’s finally time for him to start setting up a counterattack! I suspect Ranen’s goal is to break the seal!]

25th Commenter: [That makes a lot of sense! I’m giving you a like!]

26th Commenter: [It feels a bit forced, but I’ll still wait for the follow-up.]

27th Commenter: [Same here. Black Cat’s predictions have been accurate so far, so I’ll keep watching.]

Ranen: …

Wait a second.

Is there a possibility that he was actually just captured and brought here?

qwq Why does everyone just assume this was his plan? Isn’t the Fourth Disaster supposed to make people excited when they see the boss? Help, someone save him!

Ranen was already speechless.

Meanwhile, while various conspiracy theories, speculations, and comments were being posted on the forum, Druid was taken by the doctor to a patient room to take care of the patients there. Since he had no time to post, he asked Black Cat to replace him. He only checked the forum occasionally between taking care of the patients.

When he saw Black Cat’s analysis, Druid suddenly realized.

So, he didn’t just enter the instance by chance.

He has already been pulled into Ranen’s scheme and had likely become part of his plan.

Druid thought to himself, well, at least he has the forum.

Black Cat: [Druid, why not start a livestream? I know you don’t want to become a streamer, but you’re the only one who can enter this high-difficulty instance here (pitiful). Text, pictures, and videos just can’t convey as much as a livestream.]

Druid: [But I’ve never done a livestream before.]

Black Cat: [It’s fine, it’s fine. Just stick to your usual game habits, and we can analyze the instance for you. This instance clearly has a special mechanism, one that seems to require thinking. Right now, you’re the only player who can enter here, and everyone will be supporting you.]

Druid thought it made some sense. Although he still felt a bit shy, he opened the livestream.

The stream quickly filled with countless players. It had to be said that Druid’s previous posts had effectively drawn attention. Now, most players were focused on this special hospital instance and had come to believe that it held the key to the main storyline.

Druid was doing this for the first time and was still a bit inexperienced. He was hesitating over whether to say an opening line when he suddenly heard a loud voice from behind:

“Hey! New guy, get to work!”

“Oh, oh, I got it!” Druid thought it was the doctor again and hurriedly grabbed a rag to wipe the railing.

But after waiting for a while without hearing any more scolding from the doctor, he turned around and saw an old man in a wheelchair behind him. The old man had lost two of his front teeth and was grinning mischievously with his wind-blown smile, looking like a mischievous old prankster.

Druid, helpless, asked, “Who are you?”

He saw the nameplate on the old man’s chest: “Luke? Did you take your medicine today?”

“Hehe, what medicine? Hehe, I’m not sick.”

“Oh? Really? Luke, is the world going to end?” a patient nearby asked loudly.

Old Luke immediately grew serious: “Yes! Yes, the prophecy is true, the world will soon be destroyed! The Evil Gods are about to invade!”

Hearing “Evil Gods invading,” Druid instinctively tensed up: “What did you say? The Evil Gods are invading?”

“Yes, yes, the foreign Evil Gods, the foreign Evil Gods are going to destroy the Earth! This is what they’ve always wanted to do. They’re looking for believers, establishing summoning anchors, just so one day they can break through the barriers and descend upon Earth. When that time comes, the sky will be covered in endless eternal night, the horizon will rise, fishmen will come ashore, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions will destroy humanity, and the world will welcome its new master.”

Old Luke stared at Druid with his cloudy eyes, his voice dry and scratchy, like dry twigs scraping the ground: “At this time next year, the day of the prophecy will come. The stars will return to their rightful paths. This world will no longer be suitable for human survival, and humanity will have to find a new place to live.”

Druid felt like he had heard something incredible and couldn’t help but ask, “Is… is that true?”

“Of course—”

“New guy, don’t listen to this old fool,” the ‘Director’ in the next bed rolled his eyes. “This old man has been in the hospital for almost ten years. Guess why he’s been here and hasn’t left?”

“Uh, why?”

“Because every year, he says the world is going to end next year!” the ‘Director’ said angrily. “And he tells this to every new person who comes!”

“Shut up, fake director!” Old Luke retorted, coldly snorting.

“I’m not a fake director!” the ‘Director’ jumped up angrily. “I’m the real deal, the one outside is the fake. I’m the director of Arkham Hospital.”

“Oh? Is that so? Then may I ask, Director, why are you wearing a patient’s uniform here?”

“Because that person schemed against me! He stole my identity! I am the Director! I am!” The ‘Director’ was hurt by the mocking expression from Old Luke. He suddenly leapt from his bed to Old Luke’s, grabbing him by the neck. “I am the Director of Arkham! This is my hospital!”

Old Luke rolled his eyes from being choked, but refused to back down. He shoved two fingers into the Director’s nostrils. The Director tilted his head back, and blood immediately started flowing from his nose.

The two of them started fighting on the bed, with other patients in the room looking on, clapping while watching the spectacle. Some even yelled loudly, creating an atmosphere of chaos.

Druid watched, dumbfounded.

[Wow, so this is Arkham Psychiatric Hospital? It’s terrifying.]

[I used to think the old man named Luke had something to him, but now I’m not so sure. I’ll keep watching.]

[So strange, this is the first time I’ve watched a psychiatric hospital livestream, hahah.]

[Wait, didn’t they say the people here are all monsters, bizarre? Why does it look fine now?]

[Yeah, Druid, you’re not scamming us with this post, are you?]

Druid couldn’t help but rebut: “Of course not. I’m not sure why they look like normal humans either. I was shocked when I first arrived here, but as for whether I’m scamming you, you’ll find out soon enough.”

As soon as he finished speaking, hurried footsteps sounded outside the room, followed by the door being thrown open. The chief doctor stormed in, fuming with anger. “Quiet! Separate them right now!”

He pointed at the two entangled figures. Behind him, there were guards with pig-like heads, heads turned into guns or knives, and even a two-meter-tall cockroach orderly who immediately stepped forward to shoo away the onlookers and break up the fight.

[??? What are these doctors and orderlies?]

[Damn, a two-meter-tall cockroach (faints).]

[Hiss, this doctor… doesn’t he look a lot like Frankenstein?]

[Black Cat’s deduction is probably correct. The doctors and nurses in this instance become the monsters they subconsciously fear, but it’s strange—why haven’t the patients changed?]

Druid also felt strange. When the doctor had first brought him here, he was surprised. Compared to the chaotic monsters outside, this place seemed eerily normal, almost like a psychiatric hospital in reality.

It was like a bizarre hellish joke—normal humans here were the monsters, and the abnormal ones became the normal people.

Especially when the cockroach orderly tied the “Director” to the hospital bed and injected him with a sedative, the “Director” screamed, “Don’t touch me! I’m a normal person!” The absurdity of this inverted situation became even more apparent.  

The doctor snorted coldly. “Looks like the delusions are getting worse, and he still claims he’s not sick. Nurse, double his medication.”  

The faceless nurse beside him nodded silently.  

“And you!” The Frankenstein-like doctor pointed at Druid, who had been watching the chaos from the sidelines. “Even if you’re new here, standing idly while they fought—what kind of behavior is that? It’s because of your negligence that the patient’s condition worsened!”  

“Uh…” Druid wanted to defend himself, but after noticing the centipede-like stitches wriggling on the doctor’s skin, he immediately cowered. “I’m sorry, I’ll pay more attention next time.”  

“Hmph, if there’s a next time, prepare to face the hospital’s punishment.” The doctor spoke with a sinister tone. After roughly finishing his rounds, he ordered Druid to stay and change the patients’ medications before leaving with the nurse.  

The farce ended, and the other patients dispersed with regret, returning to their routines—whether it was praying, zoning out, dancing, or harassing others.  

Druid, the only seemingly normal person among them, stood there speechless: …  

Alright, it seems that even those who look normal here aren’t actually normal.  

[So this is a psychiatric hospital? Thank you for fulfilling all my expectations.]  

[There must be clues among them. This entire area remains in daytime conditions only for the psychiatric patients, so there has to be something significant here.]  

Druid thought so too. Without needing the comments to point it out, he began expertly using conversational tactics. While changing patients’ IV drips, he started probing for information.  

“Sir, how long have you been here? Have you noticed any changes in the hospital recently?”  

“Ah-ba-ah-ba.”  

“Big guy, how are you feeling today? Can you see things clearly? Have you noticed anything strange happening lately?”  

“¥%…”  

“Uh, ma’am, do you think there’s anything different about the doctors today?”  

“There is something different,” an old lady nodded. Druid almost cheered, thrilled to finally get a coherent response. But before he could ask further, the hospital-gown-clad old lady burst into laughter. “He looks even more handsome than when he was younger, hahaha!”  

“Uh, anything besides that…?”  

“Speaking of which, young man, are you a new orderly?” The old lady’s eager gaze swept over Druid, from his carefully crafted handsome face to his towering 1.8-meter (6-foot) frame with a muscular build of 70 kg.  

Druid felt a chill run down his spine and quickly waved his hands. “Ma’am, please continue with your treatment. I, uh, have something else to do. I’ll take my leave now.”  

“Don’t leave, young man! I still have two houses in Arkham!”  

Druid fled as if escaping a disaster, leaving the live-stream chat in fits of laughter.  

[Not bad, Druid! Hurry and latch onto that sugar mama’s support!]  

[When you can’t find a sugar mama in real life, she shows up in a psychiatric hospital. (Deep in thought)]  

[I’m dying of laughter, hahaha! Druid, you really have a knack for streaming—this is pure entertainment gold.]  

[How can we, as investigators, retreat over such a trivial matter? Dignity is a small price to pay!]  

Druid roamed around the various hospital rooms, doing his best to use his silver tongue to gather clues. Unfortunately, very few patients were willing or able to communicate. Most ignored his questions entirely, while some gave nonsensical responses. Others started answering but abruptly lost focus and went off to do something else. The process left Druid utterly exhausted.  

After bothering every patient in the ward to no avail, Druid returned to the first room, dejected.  

He hadn’t uncovered any critical clues, and the investigation had hit a dead end right at the start.  

The chat buzzed with suggestions.  

[Hmm… it’s strange that only the psychiatric patients in this hospital seem normal, while everything else feels like monsters wearing human skin. Yet, the “normal people” are the ones who can’t communicate. That’s where we’re at right now.]  

[If it’s not the patients who are the issue, maybe it’s the hospital itself? Like, there might be something special in the psychiatric ward, like an artifact or a formation. Or maybe there’s a suspicious locked door—Druid, have you thought about checking for something like that?]  

“Now that you mention it, I remember passing through the hospital courtyard earlier and noticing a locked area,” Druid hesitated. “Should I check it out?”  

[Better not. Didn’t that doctor warn you to stay on this floor and not wander around? What if you end up dying in another area? Right now, you’re the only one who can enter this instance. For other players… ahem, I mean, for yourself, this intel is way too important.]  

Seeing this comment, Druid’s face darkened. So all these suggestions are just to milk the instance for clues, huh?  

[The current priority should be finding Ranen. Without a doubt, everything happening here is tied to him. Since Druid is the only one who can be here, it’s clear there’s something that only you can accomplish.]  

[Exactly. You’re a pawn, while the leader of the Outsider and Ranen are the players.] One particular comment read, [You’ll only be able to act after the players give their orders.]