19: Chapter 19, Basement Level 2: The Real Patient Area

[ Now. ]

[ Go fix it. ]

After the Faceless Dean's broadcast ended, the entire Inpatient Department returned to silence.

Yet this silence felt even more oppressive than before.

Because everyone knew that this was not the end of the crisis, but rather—the true mission had begun.

At the entrance of Ward 105, a large amount of black corruption continued to slowly seep out.

It was only because the Faceless Dean had taken control that those things dared not erupt completely for the time being.

But the Hand of Rules had already given a clear prompt.

[ Current suppression status: Temporary ]

[ Estimated time until loss of control: 13 minutes ]

In other words, the Faceless Dean had only temporarily suppressed the corruption.

If the isolation rules could not be re-established within thirteen minutes, Ward 105 would still explode.

And next time, it likely wouldn't just be a matter of a single ward.

"Basement Level 2..." Chen Ye swallowed hard. "It doesn't sound like a good place."

Lin Jin didn't speak. He just lowered his head to look at the back of his hand; the black markings were already more distinct than before.

Like ink seeping into his skin.

And the Hand of Rules was also constantly refreshing.

[ Current position: Night Shift Maintenance Worker ]

[ Pollution erosion: 23% ]

[ After permission upgrade, The Hospital records deepen ]

[ Please pay attention to identity stability ]

"Identity stability." These words gave Lin Jin a very uncomfortable feeling.

Because he was becoming less and less like a "student who had broken into the dungeon," and more like he was truly becoming a part of The Hospital.

Even the broadcast had begun to tacitly accept his identity.

Thinking of this, he suddenly looked up. "How do I get to Basement Level 2?"

The Head Nurse stood not far away, her pitch-black eyeballs slowly turning. "The elevator."

Chen Ye's face turned green instantly. "Take the elevator again?!"

He still had psychological trauma from what happened with the Inpatient Department elevator earlier. That thing had almost sent them into a death zone.

The Head Nurse acted as if she hadn't heard him and simply continued, "Ordinary patients cannot go to Basement Level 2. But you are now a Maintenance Worker. You can enter the logistics level."

Logistics level. Lin Jin keenly captured the keyword.

In other words, Basement Level 2 wasn't just a morgue, but The Hospital's true "internal area."

It was very likely hiding things that were more core to the entire dungeon.

Thinking of this, he looked at Ward 105. The black eyes in the door crack were still staring fixedly at him. It was only because of the Faceless Dean's rules that it couldn't come out for the time being.

But that malice had not diminished in the slightest.

[ Pollution entity is watching you ]

[ Current status: Hostility increased ]

[ Note: The target has remembered your rule aura ]

Lin Jin's gaze sank slightly. "It remembered me?"

The Hand of Rules slowly refreshed. [ Maintenance actions will be perceived by high-risk pollution entities ] [ When you repair rules, you will also enter their field of vision ]

At this moment, Lin Jin suddenly understood a little why the Repairman role was so special.

Because ordinary professionals only fight monsters, while the Repairman is in direct contact with the rules themselves.

This kind of action is equivalent to exposing oneself to the gaze of the entire dungeon.

Just then, the Faceless Dean suddenly opened the medical record book. The broadcast slowly sounded.

[ Basement Level 2 is currently locked. ]

[ Night Shift Maintenance Worker, please collect the access key. ]

The next second, a "click" sound suddenly came from the bottom layer of the Head Nurse's nursing cart. That black metal box popped open automatically.

A strong smell of rust instantly permeated the air.

Chen Ye frowned. "What's that smell?"

But Lin Jin was already looking inside the box. Inside, there was a key. To be precise, it was a "ward key."

The key was dark red overall, as if it had been soaked in blood for a long time. And the handle part was actually a piece of a human finger bone.

The weirdest part was that the finger bone was still twitching gently, as if it were alive.

Chen Ye almost threw up his dinner from the night before. "What the f*ck!!" "What kind of hellish key is this?!"

The Head Nurse spoke slowly, "Special access key for Basement Level 2. For internal personnel use only. Please keep it safe."

Lin Jin didn't reach for it immediately because the Hand of Rules had already started to sound an alarm.

[ High-risk rule item detected ]

[ Target: Basement Level 2 access key ]

[ Danger level: C ]

[ Current status: Unbound ]

[ Warning: After use, you will be officially recorded by Basement Level 2 ]

As expected, it was "recording" again. Everything in this hospital was trying to find a way to make people stay.

Just as Lin Jin hesitated, a banging sound suddenly came from inside Ward 105 again. Boom! The entire door bulged outward violently!

The frost on the door frame shattered instantly. At the same time, static began to appear in the broadcast. [ Suppression... failing... ] [ Pollution... rising... ]

The Head Nurse's expression changed slightly. "There's not enough time. If we don't go to Basement Level 2, Ward 105 will completely lose control."

Chen Ye gripped his shield tightly. "Then let's go. We're waiting for death anyway if we don't."

Beside them, Shen Tingxue hadn't spoken until now, but suddenly looked at Lin Jin. "Have you noticed? The Hospital has been actively guiding you into deeper areas."

The air grew slightly still. Of course, Lin Jin had noticed. From Round Checker to Maintenance Worker, and then to Basement Level 2, the entire process seemed as if it had been designed long ago.

The Hospital seemed to have been "cultivating" him to enter the interior all along. But the question was, why?

The Hand of Rules quickly gave a new prompt. [ Current permission upgrade conforms to The Hospital's operational logic ] [ Note: High-risk dungeons have a tendency for self-repair ] [ When rules develop loopholes, they will actively seek repairable targets ]

Lin Jin's pupils constricted slightly. In other words, it wasn't that The Hospital wanted to cultivate him, but rather—the entire dungeon was instinctively looking for a "Repairman."

Thinking of this, he suddenly had an extremely strange feeling. It was as if this hospital was actually so sick it was about to collapse, and he was like a "Repairman" it had dragged in.

This feeling was extremely uncomfortable.

Just then, Chen Ye suddenly lowered his voice. "Brother Jin. Do you feel like... this place is alive?"

Lin Jin was silent for two seconds. "It's not like it. It is."

The air went quiet. No one spoke again, because they all realized one thing. This dungeon was not just an ordinary scenario, but a fully functioning "rule-based life form."

Patients, nurses, the Dean, rounds, treatments—everything was a part of its body. And now, they were entering its deeper regions.

Thinking of this, Lin Jin finally reached out and grabbed the Basement Level 2 key. It was cold, bone-chilling, like holding a dead person's palm.

The next second, the Hand of Rules vibrated instantly. [ Basement Level 2 access permission has been enabled ] [ Current area map updating — — ]

A new map structure instantly appeared in Lin Jin's mind. Below the Inpatient Department, an additional pitch-black area had appeared. And in the very center of that area, several scarlet characters were clearly marked: [ Special Patient Containment Area ]

At the same time, new rules slowly appeared before his eyes.

[ Basement Level 2 Rules ]

[ 1: Do not believe anything the patients say ]

[ 2: Do not enter lit wards ]

[ 3: If someone calls you Doctor, please leave immediately ]

[ 4: Prohibited from answering "Have you seen my face?" ]

[ 5: There is no exit in Basement Level 2 ]

The last rule was blood-red. Chen Ye saw it too. His face turned pale instantly. "No exit?! What does that mean?!"

No one answered, because the next second, the elevators on the entire floor of the Inpatient Department suddenly lit up at the same time. Ding. The elevator doors slowly opened. Inside, it was pitch black.

The broadcast sounded coldly. [ Night Shift Maintenance Worker. ] [ Please proceed to Basement Level 2. ]

And at the same time, a sharp laugh suddenly came from inside Ward 105. "You... won't be coming back."