270: Chapter 269 The Rules of Death

"Are you kidding me!"

Chu Xuan's face was as dark as water.

"I've lost 160 health points in a row, yet based on the spirituality value feedback, that was merely equivalent to a D-rank Specter, the lowest grade..."

Chu Xuan thought back to what Future Tang Zheng had told him during the last dream: some Specters had gained an instant-death effect similar to the Azure Dragon's "Death Mark."

When the target's Rank is not higher than one's own, the target dies instantly. When the target's Rank is higher than one's own, they lose health points equivalent to 1.5 to 2 times their total health.

Chu Xuan had clearly just lost 80 health points twice, which meant he had triggered the death rules twice.

The first time was when the nurse knocked on the door; Chu Xuan had remained silent and hadn't acted rashly.

The second time was when the nurse entered to give him medicine, and Chu Xuan chose to strike immediately.

"For just such a low-level Strange Creatures, isn't this a bit much?"

Chu Xuan's expression grew increasingly solemn.

When he first arrived in this ward, his health points were at 700. After using some recovery potions, they slowly increased to 780, and later, after increasing his stamina by 10 points, his health points reached 880.

Now, having suddenly lost 160 health points, he only had 720 left.

If this happened a few more times, his health points would likely hit rock bottom before long.

Chu Xuan took a deep breath and tried to store his slightly damaged phone into his Exclusive Space, receiving a prompt that it required 1 spirituality value for certification.

Not being stingy with such a small amount of spirituality value, Chu Xuan certified the phone and placed it in his Exclusive Space. Now, holding only the dark-glowing demon-subduing pestle, he had nothing else on him.

Lightly equipped, Chu Xuan stepped into the corridor. The walls of the narrow hallway looked mottled under the dim lighting.

There were also several IV stands placed along the corridor.

Drip, drip, drip...

All the IV stands were empty, yet an eerie dripping sound echoed, sounding exceptionally clear in the silent corridor.

"I need to find a way to leave this place first, but..."

Chu Xuan lowered his eyes slightly.

Currently, he had only tested out two death rules regarding the nurse. The amount of information was still too little; leaving just like this probably wouldn't be that easy.

Lost in thought, Chu Xuan quickly left the scene of the crime and entered a nearby room, first surveying the surroundings.

There were only three beds here, and the sheets weren't bleeding. Ignoring that, Chu Xuan used his Fire of Nirvana to incinerate them directly.

There was no reaction.

Next, Chu Xuan lifted the beds with one hand, hoping to catch that dark shadow, but this room didn't have any Strange Creaturess.

"So not every room has undergone an anomaly..."

Muttering softly, Chu Xuan went back behind the door and looked through the observation window to see if the recent commotion had attracted any attention.

After waiting for over ten seconds, no medical staff appeared. It seemed the noise hadn't been noticed. Chu Xuan took a deep breath and was about to head out.

Suddenly, looking through the observation window, he noticed his own reflection staring straight back at him, with the corners of its mouth slowly curling upward.

The observation window was instantly covered in blood, and his reflection turned a blood-red color.

[Your health points -60]

[Current health points: 660]

A sharp pain throbbed in his forehead, followed by the notification sound of another reduction in health points.

"You motherf—" A cold glint flashed in Chu Xuan's eyes, and he suddenly threw a punch.

Bang!

The punch smashed through both the door and the observation window.

[Your spirituality value +20]

His spirituality value increased again, reaching 500 points, but Chu Xuan's expression grew even gloomier. He seemed to have accidentally triggered a death rule again.

If his stamina wasn't high enough and his health points weren't so plentiful, an ordinary person would have likely died from those few instances alone.

"It's impossible for just any random Strange Creatures to trigger a death rule. There must be something wrong with this place..."

"Trying things out like this on my own isn't the way; my health points will eventually run out. Next, I either need to find the source Specter and kill it, or find a way to leave this place..."

"I need some scouts..."

Chu Xuan narrowed his eyes, recalling the screams he had heard when he first arrived. They seemed to have mostly come from the floors below.

With that thought, Chu Xuan didn't plan to linger. He immediately left the room and followed the emergency exit signs in the corridor, heading forward.

After walking another ten meters, the smell of blood grew thicker. Chu Xuan looked into the wards on both sides and saw many corpses inside.

Some corpses were slumped against the doors, their blood-stained cheeks pressed tightly against the observation windows, eyes wide open in a terrifying stare.

These people were clearly dead.

Chu Xuan didn't waste time investigating further and kept moving forward.

As he passed the nurse's station, he didn't see any more special nurses, but a chair inside was writhing like living flesh.

Without a second thought, Chu Xuan stepped closer and threw a punch coated in the Fire of Nirvana, shattering the fleshy chair and gaining 50 spirituality value.

Soon, passing an elevator, Chu Xuan noticed it was covered in blood-red seals, looking extremely bizarre. Rumbling sounds and waves of putrid odor emanated from within, making it look dangerous at a glance.

Chu Xuan had no intention of taking the elevator down anyway, so he turned directly into the stairs of the fire escape.

Chilly winds blew through the pitch-black stairwell.

The steps beneath his feet felt sticky and slippery, with blood that hadn't yet dried stretching like silk as he lifted his feet. On the landing below lay a corpse wearing a hospital gown.

Chu Xuan stepped out.

Tap, tap!

A single step resulted in two footsteps.

Chu Xuan paused.

After a moment, he took another step.

Tap, tap!

Still two footsteps, as if they were overlapping.

Inexplicably, an icy chill rose from the base of Chu Xuan's spine.

It felt as if a cold hand was climbing up his vertebrae one by one, reaching toward his neck, as if it might suddenly throttle him at any moment.