Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 54: Epidemic Prevention Room

On one side, the teammates were bonding in “unity and friendship,” while on the other side, the advisor looked serious.

He had been standing behind Xu Wang for almost two minutes, but Xu Wang hadn’t noticed him, still squatting there, entranced by a pennant on the floor.

It was just an ordinary pennant, lying on the ground, covered in dust, with red background and yellow letters, praising medical virtues—”Hanging a pot to help the world. Magical hands relieve pain and bring spring.”

Wu Sheng observed every word on the pennant carefully, not even missing the signature, but despite staring until the words almost distorted in his vision, he couldn’t decipher any secret.

However, Xu Wang seemed to be lost in thought, as if the pennant could unlock some sort of gateway.

Suddenly, he slapped his knee. “Right, that’s it!”

Wu Sheng was startled and quickly moved in front of him. He saw his captain’s face brighten with sudden understanding.

“Did you think of a plan?” asked Wu Sheng.

“Yeah.” Xu Wang nodded joyfully. “We’ll use [The Flood Overwhelms the Dragon King’s Temple]!”

“Make the zombie horde turn on each other?” Wu Sheng had thought that the interpretation of [The Flood Overwhelms the Dragon King’s Temple] was where one turned against their own.

“No, no.” Xu Wang shook his head like a bobblehead. “That’s an offense, not an illusory type.”

Wu Sheng paused, his train of thought finally aligning. “Turning on each other” belonged to mental control, and among the stationeries they had used so far, the control types were illusory, while [The Flood Overwhelms the Dragon King’s Temple] was an offense type.

Blinded by the literal meaning of the idiom, he had been led astray.

Realizing Wu Sheng had caught on, Xu Wang continued, “The zombies outside are afraid of water. This weapon will be most effective.”

Wu Sheng was skeptical. “How do you know they’re afraid of water?”

“Why so many questions?” Xu Wang had only grasped part of his fragmented memory and couldn’t explain clearly, “Do you trust me or not?”

Wu Sheng: “……”

Xu Wang: “Good, then let’s act!”

Wu Sheng: “I haven’t even said anything yet!”

Ignoring his opinion, the captain, already standing up, began organizing their “enthusiastic” teammates. “Lao Qian, Xiao Kuang, come stand on the windowsill!”

“What kind of plan is this…” Qian Ai, puzzled, clumsily climbed onto the windowsill and then pulled Kuang Jinxin up.

Wu Sheng was still squatting, inspecting the pennant from all angles, unable to find any secrets. Finally, in disbelief, he slapped it! A cloud of old dust hit him in the face.

“Achoo—Achoo—”

Kuang Jinxin, just standing on the windowsill, looked baffled at the dusty advisor. “Sheng Ge, what happened to you?”

Wu Sheng pretended not to hear and smoothly climbed onto the windowsill.

“It’s nothing.” Xu Wang reassured Classmate Kuang. “Your Sheng Ge thought the pennant was responsive, hoping to reveal a secret code with a slap.”

Wu Sheng: “……”

Finally, everyone was on the windowsill. Xu Wang, grasping the window handle, explained the tactic, “Once we use the stationery, the entire first floor will flood. The door will definitely be broken open, but don’t worry; as long as we hold on tight and stand firm, the water will recede in at most two minutes. By then, the zombies will have been washed away, clearing the first floor, and we can head upstairs.”

The three teammates: “……”

Xu Wang: “What’s wrong?”

Qian Ai: “Is this a tactic or a god-mode prediction?”

Xu Wang: “Do you trust me or not?”

Qian Ai: “……”

Xu Wang: “Great, then let’s act!”

Qian Ai: “Huh? What the hell? I didn’t even say anything!”

“You’ll get used to it.” The experienced Advisor Wu patted Lao Qian’s shoulder. “He’s now Xu ‘Cheat Mode’ Wang.”

[(Offense) The Flood Overwhelms the Dragon King’s Temple] activated. An enormous tidal wave instantly swept over the first floor of the Infectious Disease Building!

The roaring flood, carrying a torrential current, smashed through everything in its path. In less than half a second, it burst through the storage room door with a loud “bang”. The scattered cabinets were instantly submerged, and the surging wave hit the window where the four were standing!

“Shit, my chainsaw is still on the cabinet—”

“Switch to using [Swish Swish Hidden Blade]—” Before Xu Wang could finish, a huge wave hit him square in the face.

For about ten seconds, the four were completely submerged in water, clinging to the window to avoid being swept away!

Suddenly, something hit Qian Ai. He couldn’t see anything in the murky water and thought it was a zombie, wildly kicking until he nearly broke his foot.

Finally, the wave receded. The real water level was just over the windowsill, reaching their knees and continuing to drop as the flood flowed out of the building.

Qian Ai opened his eyes and, while gasping for air, finally saw what he had been fighting—a dragon’s head.

Carved in wood, brightly colored, and lifelike, it was floating out of the storage room with the flood. The water flowing past the door also carried fragments of a temple, like red wooden planks and golden pillars.

Qian Ai turned to Wu Sheng, speechless. “Your weapon… really did flood the Dragon King’s Temple.”

Wu Sheng felt equally complex. “Sometimes, the world is just that straightforward.”

It only took about two minutes for the flood to recede. They peeked around the corridor, seeing it empty with not a single zombie in sight.

Qian Ai now believed what Wu Sheng said; their captain must have bought a strategy guide with real money!

Without the horde of zombies, the group smoothly climbed to the second floor, only to find that the stairway to the third floor was singular, neither on the left nor the right, but in the middle, offset from the right corridor they were in.

The second floor’s long corridor, lined with many offices, wasn’t as quiet as the first. A female nurse was wandering back and forth, wearing a white uniform and nurse’s cap, tall and curvy, pushing a medical cart full of syringes.

The four companions hid at the corner of the stairway entrance, observing the situation.

The nurse zombie’s eyes were even paler than the handsome doctor’s, almost invisible with a red membrane, as if someone had erased her pupils, leaving no distinction between the iris and the rest of her eye. It was just a terrifying white.

Her wandering seemed preset, confined to the area between the stairways leading up from the first floor, pushing the cart back and forth. Each time she neared the stairway, she would immediately turn around, never checking to see if someone was hiding there, diligently following her own path.

The middle of this path was precisely the stairway to the third floor.

“On the first floor, there was a male god, and this one seems like another heartthrob.” Qian Ai now viewed every zombie in the Infectious Disease Building as a potential boss capable of summoning minions.

Kuang Jinxin: “Can we sneak past her while she’s turned around?”

Wu Sheng: “In theory, yes, but it’s too risky in practice.”

Each team member voiced their opinions, highlighting the captain’s silence. The three companions turned to Xu Wang, who was deep in concentration, eyes tightly shut and lips moving slightly, as if reciting some secret mantra.

Kuang Jinxin was about to ask when Qian Ai stopped him with a gesture, whispering, “Don’t disturb the captain while he’s using his ‘third eye’.”

Wu Sheng was silent as he watched Xu Wang’s profile thoughtfully.

Two minutes later.

Xu Wang suddenly turned around with eyes full of determination. “I’ll distract her at the other stairway entrance. You guys take the chance to go upstairs. Remember, move quietly and quickly.”

Wu Sheng: “How do you plan to distract her?”

Kuang Jinxin: “What about you after we go up?”

Qian Ai: “Umm, yeah.”

Each had their concerns, but it seemed pale if they didn’t voice out.

Xu Wang first addressed Wu Sheng. “I’ll use sound to distract her.”

He then turned to Kuang Jinxin. “Once she’s distracted, I’ll run back from the first floor and follow you guys upstairs.”

Kuang Jinxin’s worry was evident; their ascent was simple, but Xu Wang had a long way to run. What if the zombie turned back?

Before he could express his concerns, Xu Wang had already dashed downstairs toward the left stairway.

Wu Sheng was already in position, intently watching the nurse zombie’s back and the left stairway where Xu Wang would appear. As the nurse zombie reached about a meter from the left stairway and turned around as usual, Xu Wang emerged at the stairway entrance.

He stayed still until the nurse zombie walked about five to six meters away, about halfway between their stairway and the central stairway to the third floor.

Then, he turned on the device in his hand. The key to this tactic was to keep the zombie facing his direction and back to his teammates, allowing them to sneak upstairs.

At the same time, he needed to extend the “sound distraction” as long as possible to allow himself a chance to retreat via the first floor and then sneak up to the third floor. From beginning to end, the nurse zombie must always have its back facing the stairs on the right and the central stairs.

As he turned on the switch, a buzzing sound like a vibrating phone echoed from his stairway. It wasn’t loud but clear in the silent corridor.

The nurse zombie paused, slowly turning back.

Before she could investigate the noise, its source had already arrived—a fully powered electric shaver sliding to her feet. The “buzzing” was from the shaver’s motor. Its three-sided blades were jumping happily, adding a lively touch to the monotonous sound.

Wu Sheng: “……”

Kuang Jinxin: “……”

Qian Ai: “……”

They had thought Xu Wang would use the Lightning Gun for distraction. The Lightning Gun could delay for ten seconds at most. Even if Xu Wang left it at the stairway and ran back, he would only have ten seconds to run. Therefore, since planning this tactic, Wu Sheng and Qian Ai, like Kuang Jinxin, were worried about Xu Wang.

But then, he pulled out this unexpected gadget.

Who the hell would remember the electric shaver?!

Xu Wang remembered it—not just remembered but also kept it on him, and now it was incredibly useful. This kind of “hard power” was unique to their captain!

“Buzz—buzz—”

The nurse tilted her head, hesitating whether to pick it up or not. Wu Sheng, no longer hesitating, signaled behind him. “Go.”

His words were quick, and his voice was barely above a whisper. The three figures dashed from the right stairway, sneaking up the central stairway behind the nurse zombie as she finally decided to bend down.

At the same time, Xu Wang, who had pushed the shaver, immediately ran back to the first floor and then to the second floor’s left stairway!

By then, the nurse zombie had picked up the shaver and was examining it.

But Xu Wang didn’t stop to look. He charged up the left stairway, not pausing for a moment, swiftly turning at the central stairway and stylishly ascending, as if he knew the nurse zombie would be engrossed with the “sound object” and not turn around.

The three teammates were waiting at the stairway, quickly joining Xu Wang. With the team reunited, they relaxed and began to assess the crucial floor.

The 3F was still a long corridor, but if they observed carefully, they found that both sides of the corridor were walls. The entire third floor only had two rooms that were located at the far ends on the left and right sides—extremely far apart.

Qian Ai looked back and forth a few times and decisively asked the team captain, “Which side do we choose this time? Is it still men on the left and women on the right?”

He now completely treated Xu Wang as a game NPC for clearing levels.

Unexpectedly, Xu Wang hesitated, repeatedly looking at the ends of both corridors, muttering, “This isn’t right. Why are there only two rooms left…”

“Bang—“

“Thud—”

In the room at the end on the right, there was a sudden sound, like a scuffle.

The four companions exchanged glances and rushed to the scene, finding a sign labeled [Laboratory] hanging on the door.

Inside, they saw a young female doctor in a white coat being pinned down by a zombie. Qian Ai, who had just used the [Swish Swish Hidden Blade], immediately waved his arm at the zombie. However, there was no sign of any hidden weapons being launched from his sleeve.

As Qian Ai stood bewildered, Wu Sheng and Xu Wang rushed forward. One stabbed the zombie in the back of the neck with a screwdriver, and the other grabbed the zombie’s collar, working with Wu Sheng to pull it off the doctor.

The young doctor immediately escaped to one side, clutching her chest in shock.

Qian Ai, finally in sync with his stationery, swung his arm at the zombie held by the captain and advisor. He shouted with force from his diaphragm, “Swish—”.

A sharp, short sword flew swiftly from his sleeve, piercing the zombie’s right eye.

Xu Wang and Wu Sheng stood stunned as the zombie fell to the ground. “It really is the [Swish Swish Hidden Blade],” Xu Wang commented.

Wu Sheng nodded vigorously. “Quite impressive.”

Kuang Jinxin, still excited, asked, “Can you do it again?”

Qian Ai replied firmly, “No!”

Next time there’s this kind of stationery, can’t they give a “middle school syndrome, embarrassing, use with caution” warning on the [Cheat Sheet]?!

“You are…” the young female doctor began weakly.

“Vaccines,” Xu Wang said. “We’re here to deliver vaccines.”

The young doctor’s eyes suddenly filled with tears. “Finally, you’ve arrived!”

The four of them, led by the young female doctor, passed through the corridor to a room at the other end, clearly marked [Epidemic Prevention Research Lab] on the door.

The doctor took out her keys and unlocked the door.

However, after entering, there was a second and a third door, both requiring the doctor’s keys to open.

If they had chosen to come this way first, they would have had to go back to “rescue the female doctor”. Clearly, this was a mandatory mission.

The group of five entered the deepest part of the [Epidemic Prevention Research Lab] and finally saw an old doctor standing in front of the equipment.

He was about sixty years old, with square-framed glasses and gray hair, staring blankly at the dim equipment.

“Director Yu,” the female doctor called softly, her voice trembling with excitement. “They have come.”

The old doctor shuddered, turned his head in disbelief, and upon seeing the vaccine box in Wu Sheng’s hands, he seemed to want to speak but couldn’t for a long time. Finally, he took off his glasses and wiped the corners of his moist eyes.

Wu Sheng handed the vaccine box to Xu Wang.

Captain Xu stepped forward, presenting the vaccine box solemnly, like a ceremonial handover.

The old doctor put on his glasses again, his hands trembling as he took the box, and bowed deeply to the four. “Thank you for bringing hope to this city.”

Xu Wang wanted to wrap things up quickly, but the sight of the old man’s white hair touched him, and he absentmindedly replied, “You’re welcome.”

After the handover, the four companions remained silent, quietly waiting for the notification of their successful submission.

One second.

Two seconds.

Five seconds.

No sound.

“What’s going on?” Qian Ai wondered. “Aren’t we done yet?”

Kuang Jinxin foolishly pressed his ear, as if expecting an internal earpiece.

Wu Sheng looked at Xu Wang, feeling that he must know something.

Xu Wang was also clueless, looking at the old doctor, the equipment in the room, and then at the young female doctor. Everything seemed fine. Back then, he had also seen a team delivering vaccines here, with an old and a young doctor, but the assistant at that time seemed to be a young male doctor…

That shouldn’t be a problem. The 3F had more than two offices back then, and the content of the level had been slightly adjusted. He had figured out the differences when entering this room.

So, why haven’t they completed the mission yet?

Wait. Xu Wang pressed his palm against his forehead, supporting his jumbled memories, trying to piece them together more clearly…

That team back then didn’t complete the mission.

Xu Wang’s eyes widened as he finally grasped the last missing piece of memory!

The team that had successfully completed the mission was the one that burst in later, while the team he had followed had failed.

Because, like them, that team thought that entering the [Epidemic Prevention Research Lab] meant they were done…

“Lao Qian!” Xu Wang suddenly drew his Lightning Gun, aiming a jet of water at the young female doctor’s eyes while shouting to Qian Ai, “Hidden Blade—”

The young female doctor screamed in pain under the high-pressure water gun, covering her eyes and clumsily dodging, crying for help.

Qian Ai was confused.

Who should he target with the Hidden Blade, as the captain requested? The female doctor showed no signs of abnormality!

“Lao Qian—” Xu Wang’s voice was desperate and hoarse, his water gun unable to pierce the woman’s eyeballs before she mutated, and once she did, she would become the most ferocious zombie king in the entire level!!!

Qian Ai made a quick decision, focusing on the young female doctor fleeing under the water gun, concentrating his energy, and shouting, “Swish, swish, swish, swish—”

Countless hidden swords shot out like a rain of blades!

The young female doctor suddenly crouched down, the swords flying over her head, all sticking into the ground!

When the last sword fell, the young doctor slowly looked up, her pupils suddenly shrinking and the black fading from her eyes at a visible speed.

Qian Ai’s scalp tingled, and with all his might, he shouted fiercely, “Swish—”

This time, it was only one short sword.

Fast as lightning, with tremendous force, it hit the young female doctor right between the eyebrows. The blade was fully embedded in her head.

The young doctor collapsed to the ground, not dying instantly like a regular zombie, but convulsing and screaming for almost a minute before finally stopping.

Her eyes were still wide open; half of the pupil had turned white, while the other half remained black, as if the mutation had been halted midway when the virus received the signal that the brain had been destroyed, ending in reluctance.

Behind her ear, brushing aside her hair, was a ring of bloody bite marks.

The old doctor came over, took off his white coat, and covered the female doctor’s body.

From beginning to end, he didn’t say a word.

The vaccine was taken out, placed into the equipment, and the lights of the device lit up, like the spark of hope, eventually spreading into vibrant vitality.

[Owl: Congratulations on passing the 3/23 test and handing in your papers! See you tomorrow~~]

……

At the mouth of the Yellow River where it meets the sea, the night was deep and profound.

The four companions landed in a patch of grass, with cursing voices faintly audible hundreds of meters away.

They had successfully submitted their papers, and all their colleagues in the 3/23 scenario would be forcibly ejected, but only those near enough to hear the “cursing” would be either at the villa or at the hospital entrance.

The four companions exchanged glances, reaching a tacit understanding—in such situations, it was essential to keep a low profile and let the others leave first to greatly reduce the risk of being mobbed.

“Crazy, after retreating three levels, we face another three. Are we doomed to only make it through the first six levels in our lives…”

“Don’t let me find out who completed the mission…”

“Completing the mission is a matter of skill. I have no complaints, but which family does that psycho belong to behind the villa?”

“God knows, he probably bit all his teammates to death…”

Gradually, their colleagues approached and then slowly moved away. Soon, there were hardly any sounds around.

The November night wind was cold and harsh, and nobody wanted to stay in it for too long.

The companions breathed a sigh of relief, then turned their attention to the person who played the biggest role in successfully completing the mission today—

Qian Ai: “This was a major breakthrough. What exactly happened?”

Kuang Jinxin: “Captain, how did you know she would mutate?”

Wu Sheng had nothing to ask. He just silently watched, waiting for an explanation.

“I really have been through this level before.” Xu Wang looked up, his tone no longer uncertain. “It’s incredible, I know, but I have evidence.”

Qian Ai and Kuang Jinxin were utterly baffled.

Wu Sheng had daringly considered that Xu Wang’s feeling of “having been here before” wasn’t just a momentary illusion, but he never expected that Xu Wang could actually prove it?

“I need to go back to Beijing,” Xu Wang said, after careful thought, revealing his decision.

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