Chapter 103 - Did You See It, Too?

Everyone was quiet. It was as if Liu Xiaodan had openly told them that he was capable of killing all of them if they dared breathe. The room was quiet for a few minutes before Anna started laughing. Even Yun He was worried that she was laughing forcefully loud.

Anna only laughed out before she hid behind her hands. Her eyes showed through the cracks of her fingers. "Feed our fears to your friends? You really think your friends can just feed on the things in this place?

"The baby left because you challenged it. If it came after you, you can only cry in despair." Anna continued to laugh-cry as she clawed at her face, but Yun He got to his feet to hold onto her wrists.

After a few shushing and soothing touches to her wrists, Anna only smiled mockingly at Liu Xiaodan. "Do you know? Even those famous Mian priests couldn't get rid of it.

"It would leave and then come back in a few days. By then, it will eat up your flesh and bones slowly until you die. No one can help you..."

Liu Xiaodan stared at her with interest. Her case involved the Mian family as well? They also failed to get rid of the swaddled thing?

He then smiled at Anna. "It will come back in a few days? How would I know if it's back?"

"...when you start hearing a crying baby..."

"If I follow the noises, will I find it?"

"..." Anna's facial expression changed in complete disgust and terror. "You're sick! Why would you seek it out?!"

Liu Xiaodan waved his hand. "I already told you, I will feed it to my friends. How could I feed them with something I can't find?

"Don't worry, my friends are hunters as well. If the baby hides itself from me, there's a chance that it will still be found. It just tends to get really gruesome if I let them hunt on their own so it would be better if I can find it first..."

"Ehem, Xiaodan." Yun He started calming down Anna before going to fetch those on the floor to walk them back to their seats. "I have a feeling that you're purposely making yourself sound dangerous."

"...it's because it's true. It's dangerous to be around me." Liu Xiaodan looked at Yun He and ignored the looks given to him by the others. "I will be honest. I'm not trying to be friends with anyone. I'm scared that they will be implicated as well.

"I already encountered a weird ghost. She's like a woman with multiple arms,"—one of the other three gasped at Liu Xiaodan's words loudly and hid his face from everyone, but Liu Xiaodan ignored him for now—"and she seemed to be interested in me..."

He then turned to the man who gasped. "Most of the time, ghosts would take on names to identify themselves. She never told me her name. Big Brother, what about you? Have you heard of her name?"

The man who gasped shook his head in denial. However, he slowly looked up and stared straight at Liu Xiaodan. "Aren't you scared that… we would throw all these scary creatures at you? If you keep on asking, they will come for you. What do you think will happen if they attack you altogether?"

Liu Xiaodan shook his head. "I wouldn't say things if I'm not willing to take everyone's fears away. However, if you're not willing to let me help, I will never find out anything.

"Moreover, stronger ghosts tend to earn trophies. They won't come altogether; they will compete among themselves first or wait for someone to attack and fail."

"...she doesn't have a name. All those who saw her called her the Mother." The man only held onto his face as he spoke loudly, making sure that Liu Xiaodan would hear him.

"Wanwan and Wuji said that she would only visit those who were bound to die, offering for a peaceful death rather than a nasty one they were about to have. Wanwan accepted the offer and died weeks ago. Wuji… I never saw him again after… after they took him..."

"They?" Liu Xiaodan asked, but Yun He went to console the man who flinched at his touch. Yun He only smiled apologetically at Liu Xiaodan. "Patients on the fourth floor are subjected to tests that could help them recover.

"However, some ended up having the opposite effects and were sent to the Sick Hall to recover. Wuji is there..."

The man curled down, avoiding Yun He's further touches. "No… Wuji is already dead. I can feel it… now, the Mother calls for me. It's my turn to go through my treatment. No one had survived that. The Mother is right… I can't escape it..."

Everyone else grew terrified. Only Liu Xiaodan was not aware of the so-called treatment, and the disappearances it would bring about was what the Mother was using to have the patients offer their bodies to her.

However, Liu Xiaodan knew that he couldn't ask Yun He about it. Just nice he knew someone else who could be aware of the treatment.

"Okay, does anyone else want to share anything about any improvements?" Yun He left the man since he was avoiding the nurse's hands.

"The whispers grew fiercer last night… but they're all gone now. Please tell me they would be gone forever!" The other woman howled on her seat.

Liu Xiaodan only stared at her before looking at the windows. Guangru was taking a peek from the slit and waved at his father from outside. Moreover, the slight discomfort of having so many eyes on him had vanished. It could be because Guangru had eaten all the shadows.

The father then looked at the howling woman that Yun He was consoling. "Even if they vanish today, you might continue attracting more in the future. As much as I know, harmless spirits tend to be attracted to people who had been nursing negativity inside them.

"Like I said, I can't help you with counsel work. Maybe Nurse Yun could help you dispel whatever is attracting them to you. You don't seem to be born with spiritual powers that they like."

Yun He only nodded at him. Since no one else dared to speak again, Yun He had no choice but to end the session earlier than normal.

During other times, they would sit there until time was up. The mere fact that these people felt safe with others who had also seen ghosts made them feel less and less crazy than they were told they were.

However, today, they heard of someone who could get rid of the ghosts. It was too much hope for their already-broken minds. Yun He decided to send them to their rooms until it was already time to eat.

When the others were walking properly back to their rooms through Yun He's guidance, Guangru appeared behind his father and tried to push the chair. He could push it without effort, but his small body was making it hard for him to push it properly.

"I woke up without feeling devastated. Can you tell if Nayi is safe?" Liu Xiaodan closed his eyes, feeling the slow movement of the wheelchair.

"Baba didn't have to worry. Big Sister woke up in time." Guangru continued to push the wheelchair, but it was actually him making the wheels move on their own. "...Not-Mama is okay."

"Big Sister?" Liu Xiaodan turned behind him, but his gaze went past the child behind him. He was actually looking at the two guards who were only watching him from their posts. It was as if they couldn't react to what they were seeing.

Seven finally flinched and chased the wheelchair. Guangru then ran, arms up like a plane, to get in front and quickly climbed Liu Xiaodan's l.a.p. The guard grabbed the handles. "H-How are you doing that?"

Liu Xiaodan shook his head. "I actually thought someone was behind me. When I look back, I'm as terrified as you are, officer."

"Bullshit. I'm taking you back to your room."

Seven pushed the wheelchair, and Six had caught up with them quickly. The two guards then behaved like nothing strange happened. Inwardly, though, Seven was thinking of all the devices Liu Xiaodan could have placed in it.

It's just that Six leaned closer to whisper at him. "Seven, did you see it, too?"

"What was I supposed to see?"

"A child was pushing the wheelchair."

…

Lunch was blander than Liu Xiaodan had ever tasted; he was just happy that he didn't really need to eat human food.

Unlike yesterday, all the patients under Yun He were seated at a table. It was as if they all felt safer if they all stuck together. It was different with Anna before since the baby was inviting other entities to sit with her.

The sight was rather strange for the other nurses, especially ones that didn't work on the fourth floor. If those were their patients, they wouldn't huddle instinctively and eat in silence.

Yun He then brought a tray of sliced fruits to their table, a privilege the others had enjoyed long before. "Free fruits to the quietest table. Is everyone eating properly?"

Heads bobbed as they nodded while keeping their heads down. Only Liu Xiaodan had the proper posture, wondering why they didn't raise their heads while eating.

Soon, he heard strange noises around. Some patients would actually throw up their meals and trash the place. After one sight, Liu Xiaodan brought his head down as well.

"Xiaodan..." the one next to him called his attention. "You said you were from Wangguan?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Then, you saw the pyromaniacs? I heard they were supposed to be brought here, but the plans didn't push through. I was actually scared that they might be joining us here."

Liu Xiaodan raised his brows. "I don't think I met pyromaniacs in Wangguan..."

The one that sat across them whispered as well, joining their conversation, "They're not really pyromaniacs. They're just arsonists who burned seventeen people alive. It was said that they trapped an entire family inside a house and burned it to the ground.

"They were considered young as well… I think the younger one was only nineteen while the other was twenty-three."

"Hm, could it be that they were released?" The first man hummed as he munched on an apple slice. "It's impossible for them not to be famous in Wangguan anymore. You see… I used to be a clerk in the prison. I was only sent here because Control didn't believe what I saw one night of overtime."

There was a strange glint of regret in his eyes, but he shook it off. "Anyway, I think the youngest one's name was… Ming?"

Liu Xiaodan then chuckled. "If you mean Tang Mingming and Yi Junhai, they were murdered in the prison. However, I don't think they'd stop haunting the place any sooner."

He then turned to the men who paled at what he said, but he ignored them. "Big Brother Geng, can you tell me about what you saw? I might have seen it as well."

"I kinda regret asking you..."