Inside the Hospital Room
After several hours of emergency treatment, Lin Fan was finally out of danger. He was placed in a special VIP room, one located just beside the doctors' rest area.
Ordinarily, three patients shared a single room.
But when the families of two other patients heard they would be sharing space with someone from a psychiatric institution, they were utterly horrified.
They threw tantrums and lodged furious complaints.
"If you put us in the same room with a lunatic, we'll raise hell in this hospital!"
The outcome was inevitable.
Lin Fan received preferential treatment.
If this were to make the news, the public would no doubt erupt—even psychiatric patients can pull strings now?
Old Zhang sat beside Lin Fan's bed, peeling a banana. After taking a generous bite and chewing thoughtfully, he nodded in satisfaction and held the rest to Lin Fan's mouth, whose limbs were still barely mobile.
"Try it. Tastes pretty good."
"Ah—" Lin Fan opened his mouth wide, devouring half the banana in one bite. "Sweet. Not bad at all."
At that moment—
A man sat just outside the ward door, silently scrolling through his phone. He was a hospital attendant assigned to monitor the two psychiatric patients.
Though he appeared relaxed, the pressure was immense.
These two were, without exaggeration, the most notoriously dangerous patients in the history of Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital.
Not because they harmed others.
But because their methods of self-harm were limitless and creative—so extreme that even ancient torture devices would bow and call them "masters."
Old Zhang leaned close to Lin Fan and whispered:
"That guy outside is here to spy on us. They can't comprehend our methods, so they label it self-mutilation. What they don't know is—we have scientific rationale."
"Quick, jab a few needles into my arm," Lin Fan muttered, sneaking a glance toward the attendant.
"No problem. I've recently devised a new acupuncture technique based on your latest body data. Want to know the name?"
With practiced sleight of hand, Old Zhang discreetly drew out a silver needle, feigning casual conversation as he thrust it into an acupuncture point with blunt precision.
"Planetary Orbit Technique?" Lin Fan asked.
Old Zhang shook his head calmly.
"This is the advanced version—Galactic Circulation Method."
The attendant outside glanced up from time to time, noting the pair's secretive whispering.
He didn't know what they were plotting.
Nor did he care.
Engaging in conversation with lunatics might just dismantle his own worldview.
Before long—
Lin Fan's arm was studded with silver needles. Old Zhang, his expression solemn like a seasoned acupuncturist, asked in a hushed tone:
"How do you feel now?"
"Tingly... dizzy... but not bad," Lin Fan murmured, voice foggy.
Only moments ago, his mind had been clear.
Now it was clouded, as if a curtain had fallen over his thoughts.
"This can't be right…"
Old Zhang scratched his head in confusion. The needles were in the arm—how could dizziness result? If anything, the arm should feel weird, not the head!
Lin Fan, now visibly dazed, began murmuring to himself.
"My head... feels heavy and fuzzy. Everything's turning white... and there are tadpoles swimming everywhere..."
"And now—someone's talking inside my head!"
Old Zhang's mouth dropped open in disbelief.
"Your condition's worse than I thought..."
Beep-beep-beep!
Medical alarms blared from the equipment beside the bed.
Startled, the attendant nearly dropped his phone. He rushed in and, upon seeing Lin Fan's arm bristling with needles, nearly fainted.
What the actual hell?!
"Can you two please stop messing around?!"
Panicking, he dashed into the hallway, shouting:
"Doctor! Emergency! The patient's crashing!"
Hearing the alarm, a group of doctors and nurses sprinted over. The attendant grabbed the nearest physician:
"The patient—his arm's full of needles! The alarms are going crazy! You need to save him, now!"
The doctors recognized Lin Fan immediately—he was the psych patient they'd just finished resuscitating earlier.
Now this?
Dear God… just smite me where I stand.
Tap-tap!
Lin Fan felt fingers prying open his eyes, a flashlight flickering into his pupils. Voices swirled around him in a rising storm.
"Pupils constricted, heart rate elevated—prep the emergency room immediately!"
[Otherworld Scenario Activated]
[First Scene Engaged. Martial Technique "Thousandfold Tempering Method" bestowed. Begin cultivation immediately.]
[Arrival Time: March 1st]
[Trial Reward: Unknown]
Suddenly, Lin Fan's mind flooded with unfamiliar knowledge. His skull throbbed from the influx—until finally, he blacked out.
Meanwhile, the lead surgeon who had just saved Lin Fan earlier was enjoying a hearty meal of rice with Kung Pao chicken.
When a nurse arrived to report that the same patient had once again landed himself in critical condition—
He spat the mouthful of chicken across the room.
"Is he out of his goddamn mind?!"
The nurse replied calmly:
"Director, he's mentally ill. We really can't cure that."
Even the hospital's vice president had been notified. He immediately called the director of Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital.
"Director Hao, are you kidding me? You send me that patient? We just rescued him, and now he's back in the ER?!"
"I'm not joking anymore. Once the resuscitation is done, I'll personally drive the ambulance and return your two divine lunatics myself."
"Don't give me that 'we drank together' crap. This isn't about booze—this is about you treating my hospital like a playground. The other patients' families are raising hell. No one feels safe!"
"You know what's going on at Mount Tai. We're short on hands. We've got actual patients who need saving! We can't have an entire medical team babysitting the mentally ill!"
"Yes, yes, I know you're in a tough spot, too. But I've had it. I'm not playing games anymore."
"Damn it, Hao! If you push this any further, I swear, I'll make sure the lead surgeon's hand slips—and send you back two permanent invalids!"
"What's that? You'd prefer that?"
"Fine. Bye. Get ready to take them back."
The vice president, trembling with rage, slammed down the phone and barked into the intercom:
"Prep an ambulance. As soon as resuscitation's over, ship those two back."
Outside the Emergency Room
Old Zhang was pacing furiously, wringing his hands. It made no sense. He had mastered every word of the acupuncture manual—this shouldn't have happened. Why dizziness?!
The more he thought, the more absurd it seemed.
He grabbed a silver needle, pulled up his shirt, and stabbed himself.
One needle—nothing.
Second needle—still fine.
…
Thirteenth needle—
BANG!
Old Zhang collapsed to the floor. Those nearby scrambled away in shock.
A nurse rushed over, saw the needles embedded in his body, and burst into tears.
"Doctor...!"
(End of Chapter)