“Number 100, isn’t your behavior a bit too…”
Shameless.
Zhou Ya’s face was still pale with fear, and after hearing Qing Li’s words, her expression turned particularly unpleasant.
Shen Ruo, wearing a similarly grim expression, panted heavily and said, “Number 100, we’re all trapped in danger right now. Our priority is figuring out how to complete the task, but you’re taking this opportunity to rob us. It’s truly disappointing.”
Qing Li, who had just saved two lives, was instantly branded as a despicable scoundrel.
[The village girl saved them. What’s wrong with asking for a little compensation?]
[But they’re teammates! They should be united. What she’s doing completely lacks team spirit.]
[Oh, please. If they saw her as a teammate, why didn’t they lift a finger when the ghost nurse shoved her away earlier?]
[This is a survival livestream. In life-and-death situations, stop trying to guilt-trip people with your morals.]
The barrage of comments in the livestream chat quickly turned into a heated debate.
“I’ll give it. Thank you, Miss Qing Li. If not for you, I would’ve almost died out there,” Lin Zizhou said, still trembling but filled with gratitude.
He carefully removed the watch from his wrist and said hesitantly, “I don’t have any cash on me right now, but this watch is worth about 200,000 yuan. Will that do?”
“200,000 yuan?” Qing Li’s eyes lit up.
So much money—how many scams and schemes would she and her master have to pull off to earn that?
“Mm, it looks pretty good. Alright, I’ll take it then!”
Qing Li accepted the watch and tucked it into the pocket of her small cotton-padded jacket.
With Lin Zizhou leading by example, even though Shen Ruo and Zhou Ya were reluctant, they grudgingly handed over their valuables.
“Who’s he?”
At that moment, Zhou Ya noticed the man standing to the side—Chu Ci. Upon seeing his strange appearance, her heart gave a violent jolt.
Chu Ci’s expression was blank. His lips were tightly shut, stitched together with thread that exuded a chilling, eerie vibe. Zhou Ya quickly averted her gaze, too afraid to look directly at him.
“He’s Doctor Chu,” Qing Li said with great interest, offering a brief introduction.
Shen Ruo immediately caught on to the crucial detail: the ghosts outside didn’t dare come in—could it be because they feared this man?
He exchanged a glance with Zhou Ya.
Zhou Ya understood. Just as she was about to hand over her belongings to Qing Li, she suddenly turned and plastered a bright smile on her face. “Doctor Chu, all these valuable items are for you. Would you let us stay here for half an hour?”
Half an hour was all they needed to complete the task.
“Mm.” Chu Ci’s reply was curt.
Hearing his agreement, Zhou Ya shot Qing Li a subtle, provocative glance. This shameless newcomer trying to profit off the mission? Did she even have the guts to spend that money?
Shen Ruo also handed his valuables to Chu Ci and gave Qing Li a glare full of displeasure.
Qing Li shrugged, saying nothing.
She had originally intended to take the money and valuables from the three of them in exchange for their lives.
After all, her master’s teachings were clear: all things follow the cycle of cause and effect. Life and death are predestined, and if one interferes with another’s fate, they must extract an equivalent value to settle the karma.
But the two clearly weren’t buying it.
Seeing Qing Li’s plan fall through, the livestream’s chat became rife with ridicule.
[Haha, the little village girl is still too naive. Once they realized Doctor Chu is the real deal, they kicked her to the curb in no time.” ]
[Is this mission going to be resolved so easily? Doctor Chu is way too overpowered!]
[This was supposed to be a no-survivors scenario. I don’t get why Chu Ci is helping them at all!]
Chu Ci walked up to Qing Li, handing over the items he had just received. His cool voice carried a faint chill. “Here, take this.”
“Why are you giving it to me?” Qing Li blinked in confusion, unable to understand his actions.
Zhou Ya and Shen Ruo, standing nearby, were also stunned.
“Didn’t you want these earlier?” Chu Ci asked.
Qing Li’s eyes curved into crescents as she raised her hand to accept them, saying softly, “Thank you.”
Now, her previously flat jacket pockets bulged with riches. She had truly profited.
Meanwhile, Zhou Ya and Shen Ruo felt as if they’d just been slapped in the face.
“If you two wish to stay here, then stay here,” Chu Ci said to them.
“W-what do you mean?” Zhou Ya’s eyes widened in alarm.
Chu Ci turned his gaze toward Qing Li and smiled faintly. “Little girl, let’s switch to another operating room.”
With that, he opened the door.
The scratching sounds against the wooden door outside abruptly stopped.
A small boy, his ten fingers bloody and mangled, let out a sharp, piercing screech when he saw Chu Ci. Then, he vanished into thin air.
Realizing Chu Ci was about to leave, Zhou Ya finally grasped the gravity of the situation—they had been played.
“Number 100! I’ll give you all the valuables I have—please help me!” Zhou Ya said anxiously.
Qing Li, who had already stepped halfway out, turned back with a bright smile.
“All of it,” she said, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Zhou Ya’s face twisted in pain. Reluctantly, she removed her necklace, rings, and bracelets, handing over all her valuables to Qing Li.
Though unwilling, Shen Ruo also parted with the last of his belongings, driven by the desire to stay alive.
Fortunately, these items could be repurchased later with popularity points, so he didn’t mind too much. However… being outmaneuvered by this newcomer stung.
Now considerably wealthier, Qing Li retracted her step and smiled at Chu Ci. “Doctor Chu, it seems we don’t need to switch places for now.”
Chu Ci responded with a simple “Mm.”
The door slowly closed, and the operating room descended into an eerie silence.
Lin Zizhou’s gaze landed on the shrouded corpse on the floor. The sight of that familiar face churned his stomach violently.
“Zhu Daqiang… he’s actually dead,” he stammered in terror.
The body of Number 89 had turned up here. Did that mean this room wasn’t as safe as they thought?
“Don’t worry, it’s absolutely safe.”
Qing Li’s lips curved into a faint smile. Though her outfit was terribly outdated and plain, her smile inexplicably radiated a sense of calm reassurance.
“My safe house is as reliable as they come. Nothing from outside can get in,” Qing Li guaranteed confidently.
Zhou Ya couldn’t help but ask, “How can you be so sure?”
“If you don’t believe me, try it for yourself!”
Without warning, Qing Li flung the door open. The others stared at her in stunned disbelief as she stepped out…
The boy who had vanished earlier suddenly reappeared, his ghastly face pressing close to hers.
“Got… you…”
A chilling voice, like iron scraping against glass, echoed ominously.
But just as the blood-drenched ghostly hand was about to touch Qing Li, she jumped backward, leaping back into the operating room.
“Oops, guess you can’t catch me!”
Her triumphant laughter echoed through the deathly silent corridor.
The ghostly claws grasped at empty air.
The boy’s twisted, horrifying face contorted further in rage. His sharp teeth ground together with a grating clack, and his bloodshot eyes glared furiously at Qing Li.
And then, the next moment, Qing Li hopped out again.
Swish!
The ghostly hand lashed out once more, but Qing Li sprang back inside just in time.
“Ta-da, I’m out again!”
“Oops, and now I’m back!”
With her twin braids bouncing as she skipped in and out, Qing Li was like a mischievous child playing a game.
The others stood there in silence, watching this spectacle.
This newcomer… was so annoying!