“Hi, Dr. Chu, we meet again.”
Qing Li’s eyes narrowed slightly. The moment she saw Chu Ci, it was as if she had encountered a golden talisman of fortune.
She plopped down on the seat next to him, smiling warmly.
Chu Ci was dressed in a crisp white shirt with the top button undone, revealing a perfect clavicle. Above it was a scar stitched tightly with surgical thread. Like the corners of his mouth, it was both unsettling and strangely captivating, highlighting his striking handsomeness.
“Hm,” Chu Ci responded with a faint smile. In the dimly lit carriage, his sharply defined features appeared even more profound, exuding the elegance of an aristocrat, a stark contrast to the eerie specters filling the compartment.
[Dr. Chu’s return is such a delightful surprise!]
[Oh no, this man is too attractive. I didn’t expect him to be so captivating without his lab coat.]
[Is Dr. Chu human or a ghost? It’s still an unsolved mystery.]
[With those surgical scars on his neck and lips, he might very well be a ghost.]
The chat buzzed with excitement at Chu Ci’s sudden appearance.
“Where are you headed, Dr. Chu?” Qing Li asked.
“To restock supplies,” Chu Ci replied, his voice trailing off with an ambiguous tone.
The words “restock supplies” were especially intriguing.
A doctor? Restocking supplies? What kind of supplies could he possibly need?
The three others seated further back widened their eyes in disbelief as they watched Qing Li casually chat with a man in the carriage.
In the same grim environment where they were trembling with fear, Qing Li was joking and laughing like it was no big deal.
The difference was staggering!
After some polite conversation, Qing Li lazily pulled a card out of her pocket. On it was an illustration of an eerie hospital.
“Dr. Chu, can you guess what this is?” Qing Li asked, her lips curling into a smile.
Chu Ci’s gaze lowered. His long, narrow eyes swept over the card in Qing Li’s hand. He replied indifferently, “It’s a symbol of hospital ownership.”
Hearing this, Qing Li’s smile deepened.
Since Chu Ci recognized the card, it would make her next point easier to address.
“Dr. Chu, I am now the owner of this hospital. Entering it without my permission makes you an intruder, doesn’t it?”
Her expression instantly darkened, her demeanor flipping to cold and ruthless in a second.
[Wait, what did I miss? How did the hospital become hers?]
[It must be a reward for defeating the big boss. After all, she’s the first human to ever kill a ghost.]
[Our little village girl has made it big! She actually owns property in the Horror World now.]
[Is her hospital for treating humans or ghosts?]
The audience erupted into discussions in the chat.
“Young lady, what is it that you want?” Chu Ci asked with a faint smile, his sharp eyes gleaming with interest.
The bus jolted along the uneven road as dim streetlights flickered past, casting shifting shadows across his face.
Qing Li had been waiting for this moment. She leaned in abruptly, her face stopping just centimeters away from Chu Ci’s. Their noses were almost touching.
Their eyes locked, and for a fleeting second, time seemed to stand still.
Word by word, she softly said, “I—want—you.”
The tips of Chu Ci’s ears turned visibly red.
[Holy crap, those are some bold words!]
[Our village girl is wild! Straight up demanding someone pledge themselves to her.]
[Qing Li: Man, you wouldn’t want to lose your job at the hospital, would you?]
[Qing Li just became the hospital director and is already enforcing her own rules. Outrageous!]
The chat erupted with chaos, and as Qing Li noticed Chu Ci’s reddening face, it dawned on her that she might have caused a misunderstanding.
“Dr. Chu, don’t get the wrong idea,” she clarified, her cheeks tinged pink as she awkwardly pulled back. “What I mean is… would you be willing to work at my hospital?”
This hospital, after all, was her first business venture. Chu Ci’s abilities were enigmatic but undoubtedly terrifying. Having him around would save her a lot of trouble.
The atmosphere grew quiet again.
After a moment, Chu Ci’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he softly uttered one word: “Okay.”
“But I have one condition,” he added.
Qing Li reflexively cut him off, “If it’s about salary, don’t even bring it up.”
Chu Ci: “…”
The livestream audience: “…”
“It’s not that. Could you give me more of those strange papers you have?” Chu Ci finally asked.
He had spent an entire day analyzing the talisman papers, even conducting chemical tests on them, but they remained an unsolvable mystery.
Realizing he just wanted talisman papers and not money, Qing Li waved her hand generously. “Of course, take as many as you need.”
She casually pulled out a stack of talisman papers from her pocket—at least a hundred of them—and tossed them into Chu Ci’s hands like she was throwing money around.
“Let me know if you need more,” she said confidently, the picture of a wealthy patron spoiling a young protégé.
[If one talisman is worth 100,000, Qing Li just handed over at least 10 million.]
[I thought Qing Li was a stingy landlord, but she’s surprisingly generous!]
[A true ethical entrepreneur. Another day moved to tears.]
[When I die and become a ghost, I want to work for Qing Li too.]
“Everyone, shut the hell up and get back to your assigned seats if you’re sitting in the wrong one!”
From the driver’s seat came the sinister and raspy voice of the bus driver.
It was obvious who his words were directed at.
Li Tao and the others silently offered their condolences for Qing Li in their hearts.
That eccentric little mystic had clearly dug her own grave; it had nothing to do with them as her teammates.
Qing Li, however, was in high spirits after recruiting new talent for her hospital. When the driver suddenly started making a fuss, she tilted her head slightly and smiled politely.
“Driver, sir, may I ask if this bus has specific rules against talking or changing seats?”
Bai Yueyue shook her head. She was convinced Qing Li was a lost cause.
The mission’s first instruction had been clear: Players must remain in their assigned seats. Do not switch seats with anyone else.
Qing Li was outright defying the mission rules. It was practically a death wish.
The driver, furious that this human dared to question him, seethed with anger. The cramped bus seemed to drop several degrees in temperature, as if it carried its own refrigeration unit.
“My words are the rules,” the driver hissed menacingly.
“Oh? So you’re saying that if I were the driver, then my words would also be the rules?” Qing Li’s eyes sparkled with excitement. A sudden idea had taken hold—she wanted to take control of this bus.
This bus was unique, and if she sold it for scrap, it would definitely fetch a good price!
Her words completely ignited the driver’s fury. His head twisted a full 180 degrees, revealing a face like a dried corpse. His bloodshot eyes glared murderously at Qing Li.
And then something even stranger happened.
“Die—now!”
The driver’s neck stretched longer and longer, like that of a plesiosaur, snapping toward Qing Li with terrifying speed. His gaping mouth revealed rows of yellowed, oversized teeth as he lunged at her.
Qing Li’s expression was indescribable. These low-level ghostly creatures really had no sense of personal hygiene.
At the very least, couldn’t they manage their breath before trying to scare people?
Seeing Qing Li motionless, the other players assumed she was paralyzed with fear. Their imaginations ran wild, picturing her head being bitten clean off, blood spurting everywhere…