Chapter 5: Veteran Player

Her flexibility improved, allowing her to better control her expressions and blend more seamlessly among the players to sow discord. She no longer had to keep a stiff face that immediately revealed her as a fake. True fear and unease don’t arise solely from a terrifying appearance. Moreover, as the dungeon’s horror intensified, the players she encountered were no longer low-level novices. High-level players, special players, and high-tier anomalies—none of them were simple characters.

At the thought of the thrilling life ahead, Xie Yunyan tilted her head and smiled at her reflection in the mirror. Besides, she, Xie Yunyan, would never settle for mediocrity. As a former senior psychologist turned anomaly, disguising human emotions was effortless for her. Whether as a human or an anomaly, Xie Yunyan was determined to stand in the spotlight that drew all eyes.

With that resolve, she rummaged through the office to clean the dried blood crust on her forehead. Only after seeing her forehead spotless in the mirror did she reveal a satisfied smile. Then, she began familiarizing herself with her abilities inside the office. Raising her left hand and spreading her fingers, sharp nails about ten centimeters long sprouted instantly.

Once she adapted to the surge of eerie energy inside her body caused by leveling up, Xie Yunyan lay down on the small bed in the office. Meanwhile, the record sheet on the desk suddenly fluttered as if stirred by a breeze, then vanished into thin air the next moment.

Shortly after, while resting, Xie Yunyan heard the system notification sound. “Ding, congratulations to player Xie Yunyan for completing the recording task. You have earned 20 eerie coins.” Receiving her task reward, she finally allowed herself to rest properly. Her earlier guess was correct—though this was an anomaly dungeon, the Chongzhou Psychiatric Hospital still paid her salary for completing tasks.

The thought of working here with a steady paycheck made Xie Yunyan feel quite pleased.

Since Xie Yunyan left, Zhang Yurou had been pacing uncertainly near the second-floor hallway entrance, her expression fluctuating. Meanwhile, Chen Rong collapsed to the floor, legs weak and gasping heavily as soon as Xie Yunyan departed.

Snapping back to reality, Zhang Yurou glanced disdainfully at Chen Rong. Liu Xinyang was dead, so why was this useless fool still alive? Since he hadn’t died, he must hold some value... which meant there was a detail she hadn’t yet uncovered. She pondered briefly, but before she could reach a conclusion, her gaze caught the clock hanging on the wall.

It read 7:42.

“7:42...” Zhang Yurou muttered softly, then quickly shifted her eyes elsewhere. Moments later, as if recalling something, she fixed her gaze back on the hallway clock.

7:43.

Watching the second hand sweep steadily, Xie Yunyan’s earlier system prompt suddenly echoed in her mind: “After 8 o’clock, stay quietly at the front desk in the first-floor lobby. No matter what you see or hear, do not leave.”

If the strange doctor hadn’t lied, it meant something else would emerge tonight. Wait, that strange doctor had also just appeared today, and corresponding to the doctor was...

Realizing this, Zhang Yurou immediately rushed down to the first floor.

By now, the time was 7:45.

At the first-floor lobby front desk, Zhang Yurou propped her right hand on the counter and slipped inside the reception area with a swift move. Squatting down, she immediately spotted two sets of bloodstained nurse uniforms placed just inside.

To guard against any surprises, Zhang Yurou promptly released her eerie artifact—a small paper doll no larger than an adult’s palm. Once unleashed, the doll trembled slightly and circled the nurse uniforms once.

Soon, Zhang Yurou received the information transmitted by the paper doll: safe, these are work uniforms.

The entire process took no more than three minutes.

When the paper doll fluttered back to Zhang Yurou’s shoulder, she quickly donned one set of the nurse uniforms herself.

By the time she finished dressing, it was already 7:58.

She stored the other uniform in her system inventory. As for giving one to Chen Rong—the coward—there was absolutely no way! Whoever obtained an eerie object owned it.

Besides, she wanted to see what kind of attacks Chen Rong might endure while wandering outside in the hospital uniform’s protection.

“Huff, Zhang Yurou, how did you run so fast? Why didn’t you wait for me?” Chen Rong hurried downstairs from the second floor, immediately complaining.

Zhang Yurou rolled her eyes, not bothering to entertain this dim-witted fellow.

“Where did you get that outfit? Are there more?” Chen Rong asked, reaching out to touch the nurse’s cap on Zhang Yurou’s head, but Zhang Yurou swatted his hand away before it could touch.

“No more. But I advise you to behave. My temper isn’t always this good!”

Being shot a sharp glare by Zhang Yurou, Chen Rong naturally felt uneasy. Glancing at the paper doll perched on Zhang Yurou’s shoulder, knowing he couldn’t win, he could only endure for now.

Laughing awkwardly, Chen Rong opened the door and squatted down in a corner of the front desk.

Zhang Yurou ignored him, sitting down and propping herself on the counter to rest with closed eyes.

A few players emerged from the wards at this moment, including the veteran player Wang Renheng, who had confronted Liu Xinyang.

Seeing Zhang Yurou dressed in a nurse uniform resting with closed eyes, Wang Renheng let out another loud scream.

The others were startled by the scream, especially a girl who was harshly glared at by Wang Renheng.

Her name was Zhang Qi. After receiving the glare, she shyly shrank behind her companions.

“I’m sorry, I’m easily startled. I don’t want to scream, but I just can’t control it,” she explained.

Another veteran player, Chen Wanchong, walked over from the opposite side, harshly scolding Zhang Qi: “If you can’t control it, then just die. Don’t drag the rest of us down! I don’t want to see you among our group again. Get lost! OrI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.