This thought, as soon as it emerged, sent a chill through Duan Chen. He hoped he was overthinking it.
While fending off enemies, Duan Chen quickly scanned the treatment room.
He reminded himself to stay calm; now was not the time for wild speculation. He had to find the array's core as quickly as possible, otherwise...
Many would die.
Including himself.
Suddenly, two figures rushed towards him. It turned out to be Qin Ze and Gao Tiankai.
As the spatial domain unfolded, Qin Ze and Gao Tiankai had coincidentally met at the entrance.
One was stepping in, the other was yet to leave.
Both sensed the anomaly in the space simultaneously, their expressions instantly turning grim.
Qin Ze still held two packs of Panda cigarettes, specially prepared to honor Duan Chen.
"Teacher Duan!"
Seeing Duan Chen, a hint of relief flickered in Qin Ze's panicked eyes.
"Duan Chen, what's going on? We can't get out of the hospital!" Gao Tiankai frowned. "I've never encountered such heavy spiritual pressure before."
"It's the Sea Monster's ability. No time for explanations, quickly gather the civilians trapped in the hospital and protect them."
"Well now, ghost-faced monsters. This spatial domain is rather interesting," Gao Tiankai grinned wickedly.
Duan Chen rushed into a ward, pulled out a white cloth spirit doll, and tossed it to Qin Ze. With this to protect him, he wouldn't be attacked by the ghost-faced monsters, preventing a second campus massacre.
"Stay here and don't go anywhere."
"Understood, Teacher Duan!"
Duan Chen and Gao Tiankai ran in opposite directions down the corridor, their actions in sync.
"These guys are immune to physical attacks, don't lose your life," Duan Chen shouted towards Gao Tiankai's direction.
"Physically immune? Heh, that's child's play for me. Don't be the one who dies, patient."
Gao Tiankai raised his hands, and two Nen blades materialized out of thin air, piercing the two vengeful spirits attacking a young nurse.
As a Nen user, killing the white-clothed vengeful spirits was effortless for him.
"Th-thank you..."
The young nurse, pale-faced, used Gao Tiankai's large hand to stand up.
"My pleasure," Gao Tiankai smiled gently and gentlemanly. "Do you have a boyfriend?"
Young nurse: ???
"Take refuge in room 202," Gao Tiankai said no more and continued running forward.
Young nurse: ? What? Flirting? Is that it? Why didn't he leave his contact information? Is this guy out of his mind?
In the next ward, an elderly patient and his granddaughter were in grave danger. A Nen blade sliced through the air, saving their lives.
The little granddaughter, tears of gratitude streaming down her face, said, "Thank you for saving Grandpa and me."
"You're welcome," Gao Tiankai smiled slightly. "Do you have a boyfriend?"
Little granddaughter: ???
"Take refuge in room 202," Gao Tiankai patted her head and ran off.
Little granddaughter: ??? That's it? I haven't even answered yet!
More and more people fled towards room 202. Qin Ze urged everyone to move closer, and the small room was soon packed with people. They stared in fear at the monsters rampaging outside the safety zone, trying to call for help but finding all signals cut off.
"Everyone, don't panic. This is the safest place," Qin Ze stood in the center, clutching the white-clothed spirit doll tightly.
People immediately cast doubtful glances. This young man, so youthful, didn't seem very reliable. Was this place truly safe?
But amidst the strangeness, they dared not run around, and for now, they believed Qin Ze's words.
Duan Chen rushed to the third floor, gripping a hairpin. A red light shot out, and the red-clothed bride appeared gracefully within the red glow.
"A day apart feels like three autumns. Husband, your concubine misses you again."
Before they could embrace, several ghost-faced monsters attacked Duan Chen. The red-clothed bride immediately became displeased.
"How dare you interrupt your concubine's kisses and hugs! Die!!"
Her sleeves fluttered, and flames blazed, instantly turning several ghost-faced monsters into nothingness.
Duan Chen's eyes lit up. This one was a hundred times more useful than Gu Sang in the spatial domain.
Sensing Duan Chen's hot gaze of approval, Hong Ying's cheeks blushed, and she shyly cupped her face.
Is this the gaze of a lover? It's even hotter than my flames.
"Oh, you tease. Looking at me like that makes me shy."
The hairpin suddenly emitted a warmth. Duan Chen looked up in confusion, only to find that the hairpin's favorability had leveled up.
[Lv1/10 — Lv2/10.]
The red-clothed bride shimmered with a gentle light, as if this power had integrated into her, breaking through some invisible barrier.
Duan Chen: ???
What did I do?
Did I level up just by looking at her?
Hong Ying winked playfully, her eyes conveying a sense of well-being from the returned power.
Duan Chen continued running towards the third floor when a deafening roar suddenly came from afar.
*Clang!*
A massive, grotesque body smashed through the stone wall, collapsing amidst the rubble. Green blood splattered, and flesh scattered throughout the space.
Duan Chen recognized it; it was the monster that had abducted Xiao Fang.
This meant that everything was likely going smoothly on Gu Sang's end.
Duan Chen temporarily relaxed and continued rushing towards the nurses' station.
He first rescued Nurse Supervisor Zhang Yuxiu, then saved Ding Ding in the pharmacy. As he headed to the lounge, Xiao Lian was holding a cannon barrel at the entrance, facing off against three ghost-faced monsters.
Behind her, seven or eight trembling nurses were being protected, along with a middle-aged, bald, overweight man with a bandaged arm.
The nurses wore some brand of perfume that, mixed with the sweat and disinfectant smell of the room, along with their ripped stockings and smooth legs, created a somewhat alluring aroma.
The fat man occasionally glanced at them, his gaze lingering on the nurses' buttocks and tightly-toned calves.
Xiao Lian was injured, her nurse uniform torn to shreds. Her face was grim. Upon seeing Duan Chen appear, a flicker of hope ignited in her despairing eyes.
"Hong Ying," Duan Chen called out her name. The red-clothed bride nodded shyly and flew off like a crimson whirlwind.
The Red Lotus Fire followed her movements, burning towards the white corners of the ghost-faced monsters' clothes, and quickly engulfed them. In the blink of an eye, the obstacles were cleared.
The nurses looked at the red-clothed bride in astonishment. Was this beautiful woman cosplaying? Her red wedding dress was stunning and flamboyant, yet exuded an aura of unapproachability, only becoming obedient like a well-behaved little wife when she was by Duan Chen's side.
"Are you alright?" Duan Chen glanced inside the room.
Xiao Lian nodded. "Luckily you came in time, otherwise I really couldn't have held on." She sank onto a bench and poured some alcohol onto her wound, her face instantly turning pale.
Zhang Yuxiu took stock of the nurses' roster and discovered that besides Xiao Fang, four other nurses were missing.
Xiao Lian looked away sadly and mumbled, "They're dead. Their bodies were disemboweled and taken."
The nurses huddled together, sobbing quietly.
"Come into big brother's arms if you want to cry," the fat man spread his arms open, a lecherous smile on his face.