11 The Final Chip

"The director, he made a deal with the devil!" Once Tabitha saw her teammate, she spoke out what she felt was the most important thing, everything else withstanding. She immediately felt dizzy after she blurted out the words.

The hospital was quiet, her voice catching the attention of the others. Her eyes swept her surroundings and she was surprised to see Fay looking at her worriedly.

Tabitha shook her head and tried to inform them of the information she learned from Hedy in the washroom. However, a shrill voice interrupted her.

"HE EXCHANGED MY SOUL WITH HIS SUCCESSFULLY."The team looked at the corpse which said those staccato words in its strange voice.

"So you were the young nurse? The one who this girl possessed?" Somehow Carol found the matter curious, but the corpse ignored her.

Tabitha's experience from another space-time evoked his memories of the past. He said to himself: "At the time my family was poor, and the hospital was hiring nurses. I needed money, so I went there to see if I could have a chance. I knew nothing about nursing. I was actually surprised when I was hired. They told me that basically any young girl was accepted since the hospital was short on people. I began work but didn't notice any problems the first two months. There were not many patients and most of them were the elderly. It felt like I was taking care of elders in my family, except that they needed to be put on drips. A few months later, the director figured out the treatment of recovery mirrors.' Through that, two patients were cured of their tuberculosis, and suddenly patients poured into the hospital. Most of the new patients were rich and afflicted with incurable illnesses. I was just a mere nurse. Without any knowledge of that treatment, I even thought the director was really impressive to help that many people. Oh, how stupid was I."

The corpse continued in its staccato voice but its listeners were already used to it.

"After that, I mean after what she encountered, our souls ended up switching, and I entered that old pervert's body. Only then did learn that the treatment needed the patient to be locked in a room full of mirrors. With no food or drink, their minds gradually became bewildered and confused. And the diseased part of their body would enter the mirror. It was a ludicrous idea. It was impossible for such a treatment to succeed, so he went to the devil and gained the devil's help to make his experiment successful. Oh, and do you know what the devil did? He separated the patients' souls and bodies. He would take away the diseased body part as well as the dark parts of person's soul. In fact, the failures were lucky, their souls were instantly swallowed by the devil after their treatment failed. The only things left behind in the hospital are the zombie-like monsters. And those who recovered was once again with a healthy body but without the dark parts of their soul to suppress their goodness, they soon fall into a sense of self-blame and panic for any trivial sins they might have committed. It wasn't long before they committed suicide."

The corpse recounted the story emotionlessly but Tabitha noticed the fervent hate expressed in his speech.

After the corpse finished recounting, Aaron frowned and asked, "What happened to the nursing staff? And after your soul was transferred into this body, you shut down the hospital, right? Why were people dying a year later? What happened?"

"All of the hospital's medical staff, including me, had signed a contract when we took the job. Until I transferred into this body, I learned that the so-called contract was actually a pact with the devil. That psychopath had planned everything from the start. As for those suicides, a large number of them went to the clean room and took part in the soul migration experiment. Some of them could not stand the pressure of all the death that they chose to commit suicide. But there were no differences between dying first or later. All of us were destined to be eaten by the devil. If I had not been lucky enough to obtain this soul stone, I would have long ended up like those mindless monsters."

"Wait a minute, who are those 'people' we met that look just like us? We were never involved in the treatment..." Fay raised her hand and looked confused.

"Ha, all the mirrors in this hospital are connected. You know what it means? It means the entire hospital has turned into a huge four-sided mirror over the years! Anyone who steps into the hospital is passively receiving the treatment. If you have already encountered another you, do not act rashly. God knows what effects they would bring to you if something happens to them. Now you can only rely on this stone to keep you safe in this place."

The corpse pointed to the stone in Alfred's hand. His face was still wizened, but it showed an expression that seemed to implore: "I've told you everything. You guys need to get me out, now."

Tabitha finally understood everything about the hospital after listening to the corpse's recount. But if they already knew the truth, shouldn't it be considered as them having completed the mission? Why was nothing happening? Did that imply that they needed to bring the corpse out in order to leave the place?

"How do we get you out?"

"How can we get you out?"

Alfred and Tabitha spoke in unison with rather similar questions. Tabitha turned to the young man and saw his sickly face. It was pale as if he had lost too much blood.

However, Alfred did not mind it and continued speaking. The eyes under the spectacle frames squinted slightly. "Although you have explained everything that happened in the hospital, you haven't told us what your role was during the later events."

However, the corpse didn't plan on replying. He said: "Once you take me out of the hospital and cut my head off, my soul will be relieved. It's up to you to do it. But without me leading the way, you will not escape even if you have the soul stone. If you want to be trapped in this hospital forever, fine by me."