The First Floor Idea and Yang Wei's Corpse

Trang Jie looked at him. "What idea?"

"To go down to the first floor and take a look." Shen Yu spoke his thoughts naturally, causing the other three to frown. After all, it wasn't a wise move, and the rule against going to the first floor without permission was clearly written in the caregiver's handbook.

Wang Jiaxin said, "Shen Yu, that idea is too risky."

"Exactly, exactly. And if you go to the first floor without a clear purpose, something bad is bound to happen," Yu Chengyi chimed in.

Shen Yu knew what they were worried about, so he said, "It's just an idea for now. I won't go yet. Don't worry."

"In short, whatever decision you make, you can discuss it with us. After all, we are teammates, aren't we?" Wang Jiaxin’s voice was as gentle as ever, yet it carried a reassuring tone.

Trang Jie nodded. "I agree with that. What happened last night was indeed too dangerous. It's lucky Yu Chengyi found out."

The concern from the three of them caught Shen Yu off guard. He wasn't used to so much care, but out of politeness, he responded to them seriously.

——

After breakfast, the Head Nurse arranged for them to take the patients for a walk in the small park nearby, saying it was to help the patients circulate their blood and refresh their spirits.

The park wasn't small, but it was integrated with the hospital. At the end of the park was a high fence with an electric current; no one dared to approach it.

Fearing the patients would get tired, they even brought wheelchairs out.

Xie Tu sat in a wheelchair. He didn't talk to the other patients at all, watching them with a cold expression. His deep eyes were ethereal and sharp.

Shen Yu sat on a stone bench nearby. He crossed his legs, propped an elbow on his knee, and rested his chin on his hand, quietly watching Xie Tu.

Although he was looking at Xie Tu, his vacant gaze told Xie Tu that he was daydreaming.

Xie Tu turned to look at Shen Yu and asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Xie Tu’s voice was very pleasant—ethereal yet magnetic. It immediately snapped Shen Yu out of his daze. Shen Yu came to his senses, his eyes clearing. "I was thinking about you, Mr. Xie."

Shen Yu instinctively teased him.

"Your eyes tell me you weren't thinking about me." Unexpectedly, Xie Tu saw right through him.

Shen Yu didn't want to lie to Xie Tu, so he replied seriously, "I was thinking if there's a way for me to stay on the first floor a bit longer."

Xie Tu let out a soft chuckle, his tone affectionate yet faint. "Does such a small matter require so much thought?"

Xie Tu’s words made Shen Yu’s eyes light up. "Do you have a way?"

Xie Tu turned his head away without answering. It was unclear if he was admitting it or not, and Shen Yu truly couldn't guess his thoughts.

"Mr. Xie, do you really have a way?" Shen Yu stood up and approached Xie Tu as he asked.

"You'll know tomorrow. No need to ask." Xie Tu was afraid of Shen Yu getting close—not because he feared the man, but because he feared he wouldn't be able to stop himself from wanting to be near him. Shen Yu probably didn't even know he carried a very pleasant scent.

Shen Yu stopped and observed Xie Tu’s slightly unnatural expression. He smiled and said, "I'll take you for a walk."

Without waiting for Xie Tu’s consent, he stepped forward and pushed Xie Tu away from the spot.

The bluestone path was a bit bumpy, so Shen Yu could only push Xie Tu toward the smoother cement road. The chirping of sparrows was pleasant, accompanied by the occasional chime from inside the hospital.

It created an indescribably eerie atmosphere.

Shen Yu looked toward the hospital. They called it the best hospital, but Shen Yu didn't see it that way. The building was too dilapidated—the walls were peeling, the streetlights were rusted, and the windows were filthy...

Everywhere showed signs of decay. Had he not been inside for a few days, Shen Yu might have even thought it was an abandoned hospital.

A fork appeared in the road ahead. One path led to a dense, foggy forest with no visible end, while the other led to the hospital's main entrance. Not knowing the danger level of the forest, Shen Yu didn't want to push Xie Tu into an unfamiliar place.

So, he prepared to take the path to the main entrance.

Unexpectedly, Xie Tu reached back and gripped Shen Yu’s hand. The bone-chilling cold forced Shen Yu to focus all his attention on him.

"What is it?" he asked, turning slightly toward Xie Tu.

Xie Tu lowered his eyes. "Go that way."

He pointed toward the place Shen Yu considered unfamiliar. "Over there?" Shen Yu pointed.

Xie Tu looked in that direction and nodded.

"Alright." Shen Yu didn't know Xie Tu’s intention, but he followed his suggestion. He pushed Xie Tu toward the dense forest.

As they moved through the mist on the road, the cold air remained. The sun had risen, but it was very cold here.

Visibility at their feet was low. It felt as if they were entering a forbidden area, but with Xie Tu there, Shen Yu felt no fear. He was even filled with anticipation for the unknown things they might see.

"What are you anticipating?" Xie Tu suddenly asked.

Shen Yu: ?

Shen Yu: "You even know that?"

Xie Tu’s voice was cold. "This place and I are one. The wind knows your emotions, and the wind told me."

Shen Yu instinctively thought of the kiss from last night. Sure enough, Xie Tu lost his composure. "Don't think of nonsense."

Shen Yu was in an excellent mood. He liked seeing Xie Tu, with his stunningly beautiful face, show expressions of discomfort.

His gaze suddenly caught something unusual not far away.

"Xie Tu, wait for me here a moment. I'm going to take a look," Shen Yu said. Regardless of whether Xie Tu agreed, he immediately walked toward what he had seen.

Why was it unusual? Because Shen Yu wasn't blind—how could he not see a head lying there?

As Shen Yu walked closer, he saw it was a deep pit. Inside the pit were thick piles of white bones. Some corpses hadn't fully decomposed yet, but their faces were rotted beyond recognition.

However, even though the face was unclear, Shen Yu still recognized the person.

This person was the patient from that day, Yang Wei!

Wasn't Yang Wei taken away for surgical treatment?!

Why was his corpse dragged here? After seeing it clearly, Shen Yu’s legs went weak, and he took a few steps back.

It wasn't that he feared the corpse, but the timing of its appearance was too coincidental. If this corpse were one of their players, Shen Yu wouldn't have been so shocked.

After calming his racing heart, Shen Yu approached the body. He knelt down and flipped it over to inspect it.

The corpse was very bloated. There were binding marks on the wrists and ankles. It was clear he hadn't died naturally, nor did it look like a surgical error...

Shen Yu suddenly noticed an inconspicuous needle mark on the wrist. Perhaps because the corpse was so pale, the needle mark had become more visible.

"Shen Yu!?" Yu Chengyi’s voice drifted from a distance.

It seemed his and Xie Tu’s disappearance had caught their attention.

"Xie Tu?" Wang Jiaxin’s hurried voice followed.

Shen Yu stood up. "I'm over here."

His voice wasn't loud, but because the area was so open, it sounded quite clear.

They followed the sound and found him. The first thing they saw was Shen Yu, but most people’s second glance fell on the corpse behind him.

Wang Jiaxin had always been repulsed by corpses, so she stopped in her tracks even though she wanted to run to Shen Yu. Yu Chengyi was also a bit scared, but seeing Shen Yu alone over there, he gritted his teeth and ran over.

"How did you end up here?" Yu Chengyi’s voice was full of concern.

Shen Yu explained casually, "I was just wandering and ended up here."

"What's with that corpse on the ground?" Yu Chengyi didn't get very close, so he didn't notice the pit of white bones behind Shen Yu. Shen Yu didn't intend to let him see it, so he stepped forward and pulled his sleeve to lead him away.

"Let's go. We'll talk about the details when we get back," Shen Yu said.

Yu Chengyi followed Shen Yu with a couple of "uh-huhs." Shen Yu then asked, "How did you two find this place?"

"I noticed you disappeared, then Zhuang Jie said you moved this way. Seeing how gloomy and scary it is here, I ran over to find you," Yu Chengyi explained.

Shen Yu glanced back at the corpse, feeling his resolve grow stronger.

On the way back, Shen Yu told them about the corpse's identity and its strange points. Yu Chengyi rubbed his chin. "So, the hospital killed a patient during treatment?"

Shen Yu thought of the other white bones in the pit. One corpse could be a medical accident, but so many suggested it was far more than that.

"Probably." Shen Yu chose to keep some things hidden.

Yu Chengyi immediately said indignantly, "Damn, this hospital is so evil! If this were our world, wouldn't they be sued to high heaven?"

Shen Yu: "You also know this isn't our world?"

His underlying meaning was to emphasize that this place was not simple.

"Fine." If Yu Chengyi had ears, they would probably be drooping by now.

The group began to head back under the Head Nurse’s urging.

On the way back, Shen Yu was clearly still distracted. Wang Jiaxin noticed. She hesitated several times before finally speaking up. "Shen Yu, do you still want to go to the first floor?"

"I'm just thinking about it. The idea isn't fully formed," Shen Yu told the truth.

"That idea is very unsafe," Wang Jiaxin first emphasized, but then added, "But it might be worth a try. I'll choose to cooperate with you."

"What do you mean?" Shen Yu was a bit surprised by her words.

Wang Jiaxin pursed her lips. "It's not convenient to talk in detail on the road. I'll tell you more when we get back."

——

Tonight passed again. Shen Yu lay in bed. Though his eyes were closed, his mind was incredibly sharp. He recalled what Wang Jiaxin had said. Her words made sense, but it was indeed a very risky idea.

But he really wanted to go to the first floor and see.

If he could find an excuse to stay on the first floor for a while tomorrow to get a clearer view of the layout, that would be great.

Just like the Director of the Sunshine Orphanage, the Director’s office in this hospital was the place Shen Yu was most curious about. Moreover, this Director was definitely doing things no one knew about...