Chapter 1217: But the Gamer Is Already Dead
Although Lin Sanjiu didn't understand how Magus managed it, she could see that when she moved Puppeteer's body, it was as awkward and difficult as Ya Jiang lifting his own thighs. Puppeteer's movements toward the side were akin to a reanimated corpse, marked by stiff joints and sluggish steps. At one point, Magus even seemed to stumble, almost taking two consecutive steps with the right leg.
But why was Magus—or rather, Puppeteer—under Bohemia's robe? Where had Bohemia vanished to? Had they been in contact? And how did Puppeteer's body end up here in the first place?
Naturally, Magus was unable to speak.
"Can you write?" Lin Sanjiu offered the notepad she had obtained from Ya Jiang. "Can you jot down what happened?"
The head beneath the cloth swiveled towards her abruptly. Its shape, clearly a product of Magus's Higher Consciousness, wasn't constrained by normal physical limits, rotating 180 degrees instantly in a manner reminiscent of a horror film scene, which took Lin Sanjiu aback. Despite the surprise, she handed over the pen and paper, saying, "Try it. And please, write in large letters."
The writing tools clattered to the ground as Puppeteer's hand, only halfway open, failed to grasp them. With some effort, Magus managed to seat Puppeteer's body and awkwardly held the pen as one might grip a knife. Lin Sanjiu was about to lean in to check for any writing when she sensed a sudden tension in the air behind her. Realizing something was amiss but managing to keep her composure, she felt the air whirl into a vortex, lifting her and Puppeteer's body and causing them to hit against the door, making it sway.
Gasping for breath on the floor, Lin Sanjiu looked up to see a long, thick branch snaking out from the darkness, its motion gentle as if waving, reaching into the room. Under the fluorescent lights, the branch's brown bark and quivering green leaves stood out starkly. She hadn't noticed its touch against her back—if Hei Zeji hadn't intervened with an air vortex in time, it would have made contact with her shoulder.
"You should be more careful in the light," Hei Zeji said, his expression as stern as if it were fixed in place. "These things are strange—"
He suddenly fell silent. Lin Sanjiu caught the tail end of his deep, steadying breath, even as he tried to conceal it.
The strain of the pocket dimension was clearly taxing on Hei Zeji, draining his energy as he tried to prevent its expansion.
"Can you free yourself?" she asked in a low voice, knowing that the other party probably wouldn't answer properly. She turned to the NPC. "Can he free himself? Why are there other pocket dimensions here?"
"Wanting to swallow this hospital is not unique to me," the NPC said matter-of-factly. "Didn't I tell you? The Great Deluge is not a force that came from somewhere, it is a process-less power."
"What do you mean?"
"It spreads constantly in all directions, consuming every form of rule and order, hence devoid of any itself."
If Bohemia were here, perhaps she could understand this cryptic explanation. Lin Sanjiu didn't have the patience to delve into the nature of the Great Deluge at the moment. She just wanted to get everyone out of here as quickly as possible—even if it meant returning to the lava world.
"So what?"
"I don't know the origin of these pocket dimensions," the NPC continued, "but they've all encroached upon this hospital for various reasons, driven by an instinctual desire to expand their territories, consume, and overshadow others."
He glanced around the room, a chuckle escaping him. "Much like you humans, in the absence of restraining rules, you view every new human encounter as a conquest opportunity." (f)ree
Lin Sanjiu didn't want to argue with him.
"So, these pocket dimensions," she said, searching for the right term, "they're... invaders?"
"Exactly."
She didn't know what else to ask, and at that moment, Hei Zeji suddenly said, "The one behind me has been trying to pull me back and drag me into its interior." contemporary romance
Probably seeing the look in Lin Sanjiu's eyes, he shook his head, saying, "No, I can't pull myself back even if I use force."
The NPC nodded. "After it drags you in, it can continue to expand inside the hospital. Since the invasion of the pocket dimensions, it is finally delighted to have captured a living person. Unexpectedly, you managed to hold on and prevent it from expanding, which is truly admirable."
A slight twist appeared at the corners of Hei Zeji's mouth. Even Lin Sanjiu, under the sudden emergence of this fierce killing intent, shivered slightly.
She furrowed her brows and thought carefully for a moment, murmuring, "Indeed, it's not possible to escape purely by force after getting trapped in a pocket dimension. Generally speaking, the only way to break free is to satisfy the pocket dimension's conditions... But..."
At present, the pocket dimension captured only one of Hei Zeji's feet. How could he satisfy the pocket dimension's conditions? It was impossible for him to give up resistance and be sucked in by the pocket dimension, which had already mutated due to the Great Deluge's stimulation. Otherwise, who knew what might happen?
"If you cooperate with me," the NPC said slowly, "I might be able to release him."
"How can you release him?" Lin Sanjiu said.
"They've invaded, but the hospital isn't defenseless," the NPC said, sitting back against the wall. "If I can merge with this hospital and then consume them, this young man, already inside, will remain safe. He'll be free."
Hei Zeji didn't say anything, seemingly having no objections.
"How do we work with you?" Lin Sanjiu asked, pausing before adding, "After you consume this hospital, what happens to the players? We have a friend outside. I need to find her."
"There will be no impact. When I merge with the hospital, I'll actually be able to provide you with some convenience—whether you want to leave or find someone. After all, you helped me, and I have to give you something in return."
"Wait a minute," Gardenia interjected. "After you consume this hospital, can you also release me?"
The NPC smiled, flashing his teeth. "Whether you stay or leave, I don't mind. If you're willing, you can exit through the payment counter without any hindrance."
Gardenia let out a sigh of relief, and her shoulders relaxed slightly. Lin Sanjiu glanced at her—even though Gardenia almost harmed her, she couldn't help but feel a little sorry. It wasn't out of sympathy for her as a person, but rather, the innate compassion she felt when witnessing someone's misfortune.
So, she didn't say a word to warn Gardenia. Everyone had their own way of living and their own fate. Just like when she saw a documentary of a fox biting a rabbit to death, while she felt empathy, she also accepted Gardenia's future.
1
"First, I need to connect with this room," the NPC said while Lin Sanjiu was lost in thought. "Merely being here isn't enough. You wanted the points from this room, right? Now's your chance. Gardenia?"
Gardenia was startled when she heard her name being called suddenly.
"You have to tell me quickly. You are all a team, and your knowledge is equivalent to theirs." The NPC tilted his head to look at Gardenia—although the two were a male and female, there was not a hint of admiration for the opposite sex in his gaze. "Hurry up, before it's too late."
"Of course," Gardenia said, glancing at Lin Sanjiu, "we're a team. What I know, they know."
"When I ask later, tell me the hidden way to earn points," the NPC instructed, then turned to Lin Sanjiu. "And you will tell me how many points you need. Once I extract the points from the deceased and give them to you, we'll have established a true connection with this room."
No wonder the NPC was so concerned about whether they could find the gamer. Lin Sanjiu had always thought that the request to obtain points from the dead was her own idea, but it turned out to be exactly what this plump NPC wanted.
The safety of everyone depended on this action, so she had to ask more questions. "And then?"
"It's a bit complex, but I'll explain," the NPC said, his mood seemingly lightened. "Unlike the foreign pocket dimensions behind you, I'm part of this hospital, so it won't reject me. When I contribute myself to the hospital in order to gather the power to resist the invading pocket dimensions, it will immediately absorb me. Usually, the hospital won't touch its staff to maintain its normal operation. But when I take the initiative to come to its most critical area and offer my power, it's a different story."
Perhaps seeing Lin Sanjiu's expression, he flashed a row of oddly small teeth. "As for what happens to me after being absorbed, that's the struggle between me and the hospital."
"What do you need us to do to help?" Lin Sanjiu asked.
"Very simple," the NPC said, "While I'm fighting for control of the hospital, you need to make things difficult for it. That young man has blocked one pocket dimension, which is a pity... But fortunately, there is another one. You can attack the area around the other pocket dimension, breaking the hospital as much as possible and providing it with a pathway for continued invasion. This way, the hospital will be overwhelmed, and there will be a greater chance for me to devour it in return."
Lin Sanjiu now only wanted a swift resolution.
Every moment that Hei Zeji could hold on was a small miracle. He single-handedly blocked the expansion of the pocket dimension. But no matter what power he used, there would be a time when it was exhausted. Lin Sanjiu looked back at Magus and saw the figure still struggling and working hard with the pen and paper. She nodded to the NPC, saying, "I understand."
With the NPC's signal, Gardenia half-lifted and half-supported him up.
"Take me there," the NPC said, pointing towards a row of white trees. "Tell me your guess about the hidden way."
Gardenia glanced at Lin Sanjiu's group—her expression clearly showed that even at this critical moment, she didn't want Lin Sanjiu and the others to hear her. She placed the NPC in front of a white tree so the NPC could reach out and touch a branch. Gardenia squatted down, getting close to the NPC's ear. From where Lin Sanjiu was standing, she could only see Gardenia's lips moving quickly, but she couldn't hear anything.
Not being able to hear was fine as long as they were successful in getting the points. While the others would be fine, Puppeteer needed too many points. Reaping organs wouldn't earn enough for his surgery.
As anxiety drove her in her heart, spinning in circles, the NPC looked up. She immediately stopped in her tracks.
"She guessed incorrectly," the NPC said, seemingly caught off guard. "What she proposed isn't the hidden way for gamers to earn points."
