Working Records in a Weird World - 42

 

| WRIAWW | That Person is Back | 42

Zong Le was in a good mood. After leaving the psychiatric department for many years, he finally had the time to return and see old acquaintances again.

However, he didn’t expect that when he saw his former fellow patient, the other person would react like a mouse seeing a cat, unable to hide the panic on his face. 

Zong Le’s gaze followed the source of the sound, slowly moving downward until it settled on the surgical knife lying on the ground.

The smile faded from the black-haired young man’s face as he narrowed his eyes.

“It’s been over half a year since I was discharged, Number Two. Why are you still so obsessed with hurting yourself?”

Hearing this, Number Two tumbled down the stairs, trembling like a leaf. “Boss, I—I just wanted to test how sharp the blade is! I swear I wasn’t planning to eat my own flesh! This is the first time in over half a year, please spare me!”

The patients in the psychiatric department were all quite unique, but most of them weren’t exactly the sharpest tools in the shed. There was no need for interrogation or torture—just a hint of pressure, and they would spill everything like a bag of beans.

Zong Le didn’t even need to ask further to know that Number Two was telling the truth.

“Do you remember what I said last time? If there’s a next time—”

“A month of plain porridge and 10 days in solitary confinement.”

Number Two hung his head, knowing there was no escaping his fate, and directly admitted his guilt.

“Not bad, you actually remembered.” Zong Le was somewhat surprised.

Number Two was notorious in the psychiatric department for his poor memory—a classic case of forgetting pain as soon as the wound healed. In the past, he had tried all sorts of desperate methods to eat his own flesh.

Once, he even managed to pick a lock and sneak into the hospital kitchen, where he actually used the available ingredients to cook himself a dish of stir-fried meat with chili peppers. If it weren’t for the fact that this guy was oddly resilient and healed unusually quickly, the amount of flesh he’d carved off himself over the years would have been enough to kill him several times over.

Zong Le felt a mix of frustration and helplessness toward Number Two, but at the same time, he couldn’t deny that he was indeed a good weird.

While other weirds craved the blood and flesh of living humans, Number Two only felt that way toward himself, he had never caused any trouble for anyone.

“It’s not me who remembered, it’s Number Five who told me.”

Thinking of Number Five’s recent warnings and advice, Number Two was filled with regret.

He never expected that his boss, who had been out of touch for so long after being discharged, would suddenly reappear at this critical moment. Heaven knew how hard Number Two had tried to resist his cravings for half a year under Zong Le’s influence, only to have all his efforts go to waste in one fell swoop.

“Number Five told me not to do it, but I was just too tempted, wuwuwu.”

“Ah, Number Five.” Zong Le had a strong impression of this determined fellow patient. “He hasn’t been discharged yet?”

“Not yet, boss. A while ago, Number Five tried to stage a rebellion. He hypnotized a member of the medical staff, but the director found out. As a result, his discharge, which was supposed to be processed, was delayed indefinitely. On top of that, he was charged with obstructing official duties and had a rib broken. He’s still lying in bed recovering.”

Zong Le: “...Oh, I see.”

The psychiatric department was full of talents, each patient with their own unique quirks. He was used to it by now.

“Has there been any change in the psychiatric department recently?”

As he asked, he reached out his hand. “Alright, stop sitting on the ground. It’s cold. Get up.”

However, even if you gave Number Two a hundred guts, he wouldn't dare to tarnish the boss's hands.

Seeing that the boss had no intention of increasing the punishment, Number Two breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly scrambled to his feet, eagerly sharing all the information he knew: "Nothing much has changed, boss. The psychiatry department is still running smoothly according to the rules and regulations you left behind. If there's anything significant, the hospital recently conducted a large-scale recruitment of new staff."

At this point, Number Two suddenly thought of a good way to shift the blame.

He quickly picked up the scalpel from the ground and presented it like a treasure.

"Oh, by the way, this scalpel was also given to me by them. In exchange, they asked me to help them open the archives... I was momentarily blinded and bewitched by them, otherwise how could I have forgotten your instructions, boss!"

Zong Le ignored Number Two's excuses and instead focused on the words "archives."

He frowned and asked, "Did that batch of new staff join the hospital this morning?"

"Yes, yes!" Number Two replied. "These people are extremely strange; they don't look like locals of Guiyi City at all. A new patient in bed six had a sudden epileptic seizure two days ago, which led to cardiac arrest. Most medical staff would have just pulled the plug and waited for the morgue to collect the body, but they inexplicably started CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and eventually transferred the patient to the intensive care unit. They really are too idle and kindhearted."

"However, when I brought the scalpel over just now, I heard that the medical department came for an inspection and happened to catch them red-handed." 

At this point, Number Two's tone turned gleeful: "With so many accomplices, who knows how many points will be deducted? Director Deng is definitely going to be furious, and they might all be sent to the electric chair."

He chuckled to himself, completely unaware that his words were causing Zong Le's expression to grow increasingly grave.

On the other side, just as Number Two had guessed, thanks to the medical department's keen observation methods, they had indeed caught them.

It was truly unexpected, and it was a surprise inspection. They only called Director Deng when they reached the department entrance, and didn't even give a proper notice. Qin Ye, who is not an agility specialist, managed to escape from the archives under such urgent circumstances, which was already extremely difficult.

At the archives entrance.

The head of the medical department stepped forward, picked up the broken lock, and weighed it in his hand for a moment, observing it before pushing open the archives door. 

He then ordered his subordinates to investigate, and they quickly found something suspicious: "Chief, the archives are empty! All the psychiatric department's records have disappeared! This is a serious theft!"

The head of the medical department's face darkened.

The importance of the documents in the archives is self-evident. If the dean were to hold them accountable, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Who opened the lock?"

The people in the hallway avoided eye contact, remaining silent.

Seeing their stubbornness, the head of the medical department said sinisterly, "You better confess the mastermind. If you do, this matter ends here, and the medical department will only take the mastermind and not hold you responsible for your negligence... But if you don't, then I'm sorry, everyone standing here today will have to come with me."

As the Guild Master and the mastermind of the plan, Qin Ye, a former soldier, naturally couldn't let others take the blame for him. He was about to step forward when Si Yuyan, standing in front of him, subtly shook her head and made a clear "X" gesture with her hand behind her back.

Having worked together for years and knowing Si Yuyan as the most brilliant mind in the Watchtower Guild, Qin Ye understood her message.

The words of the head of the medical department were not to be trusted. Even if the mastermind was revealed, the other accomplices would still face punishment. Moreover, this mission did not allow the use of force.

If Qin Ye were to step forward now, even with his survival tools and formidable physical strength, he would likely not fare well. This would be detrimental to the final boss battle, effectively causing the team to lose a powerful fighter. 

On the other hand, if no one spoke up, the medical department might not be able to punish everyone and they would have no way for them to do anything.

Just then, Director Deng, with his bulging belly, hurried over from the lounge.

Seeing the scene before him, his pupils contracted, and he immediately began to curse, "You useless bunch!"

After that, he turned to the medical department staff, fawning over them in an attempt to reduce the performance penalty.

"To be honest, Director Deng, it's quite difficult for us to handle this situation without catching the mastermind," said the head of the medical department, glancing at his watch. "Of course, you still hold considerable influence in the hospital and a key employee. How about this: I'll give you an hour to find the culprit, and we'll consider this matter settled?"

"Yes, yes, of course!" Director Deng was momentarily stunned but quickly nodded in agreement.

He wasn't foolish; he knew the difference between losing a few dozen points and taking the blame for someone else.

"Chief, why don't you and your assistant come to my lounge for a moment? Within an hour, I'll give you a satisfactory answer!"

After finally coaxing the medical department staff to leave, Director Deng turned around with a changed expression.

He immediately made a call, summoning the hospital's security and the floor's nursing staff to take all the survivors to a room at the end of the corridor.

Seeing this room, many low-level survivors in the team showed signs of fear.

The room at the end was the electroshock therapy room of the psychiatric ward, it's used to control violent patients but in reality it was a tool for medical staff to abuse patients.

Noticing the expressions of the low-level survivors, Qin Ye struggled internally.

He wasn't afraid to take the blame or endure torture, but for the sake of the bigger picture, he couldn't do it.

"I'll go first."

Despite this, Qin Ye was the first to step forward.

"Wow, you have quite the team spirit. I hope you won't regret it later."

Director Deng sneered, instructing the nursing staff to attach the electrodes patch to Qin Ye.

With the intention of making an example, Director Deng showed no mercy, immediately setting the current to 60%.

Qin Ye, seated on the electric chair, was prepared. He clenched his fists and silently activated his "Indomitable Body" skill.

The electric torture device in the dungeon was vastly different from the therapeutic instruments in reality; at the very least, the one before him was a pure killing machine.

Under the protection of his Indomitable Body, Qin Ye remained silent, gritting his teeth and not uttering a word.

"Speak! Who is the mastermind behind the theft in the archives room?"

No one responded.

Seeing him remain motionless, Director Deng was furious and immediately pushed the control lever to the highest setting. In an instant, electric arcs, like venomous snakes, coiled around Qin Ye's arm. The onlookers could even smell the acrid stench of burning.

This was almost equivalent to the standard of industrial electricity. If it were any other survivor, they might have been burnt on the spot. Only someone like Qin Ye, whose body had undergone eight levels of enhancement, could withstand such a force.

But even he couldn't hold out forever!

Just as the survivors were growing increasingly anxious, a nurse suddenly rushed in, looking terrified. She whispered a few words into Director Deng's ear.

The director shuddered in fear and immediately pulled the control lever back. Without mentioning any further punishment, he turned and left, locking the survivors in the electroshock room.

Seeing this, An Tao quickly rushed forward, removed the electrodes from Qin Ye's body, and helped him sit down on a normal chair.

"Uh, does this mean they're letting us go?" someone finally asked after a long silence.

"Probably, since everyone left. But why did they lock us in here? What's going on?"

"And Director Deng's behavior was so inconsistent. Didn't he say he was going to pursue this matter to the end? Why did he run off like that?"

"So... what exactly happened?"

The survivors exchanged puzzled glances, none of them understanding why Director Deng had been so frightened.

After all, even when dealing with the head of the medical department earlier, Director Deng had only shown a bit of flattery, and not such blatant fear, as if he had seen a demon from the abyss.

At that moment, a timid D-level survivor raised their hand.

Under the gaze of the others, Han Yueyue nervously spoke up, "I... I think I heard what they said just now."

"The nurse said to the director—'Director, that person has returned!'"

 

Previous TOC Next