Arc 2: Internet Addiction Treatment Center
Chapter 24: The Secret of Internet Addiction Treatment Center
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5039729
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com
Thud!
The once noisy cafeteria fell silent with a dull thud. A girl in a striking black dress stomped hard on the tall boy’s back, her delicate face utterly expressionless. Blood, tinged with a dislodged tooth, spilled from his mouth as Qi Sheng, dizzy and shocked, looked up at Luo Shu.
He originally wanted to pick the soft persimmon to squeeze*, but didn’t expect that this girl actually had superhuman strength—she directly gave his over-1.8 m-tall manly self an over-the-shoulder throw.
*pick someone easy to bully
Before entering this game, he was also someone who liked to act tough and do bad things. Bullying girls was practically routine. He had thought Luo Shu, with her pretty looks and fierce appearance, was just tough on the outside but weak inside—but unexpectedly
Cough, cough…
Qi Sheng coughed desperately, trying to suppress the itch in his throat. After the loud commotion, the teacher chatting by the doorway came over to investigate. Qin Dongwan, who was a bit closer, immediately bent down as if to pick something up, but in a voice only the two of them could hear, she said:
"If you still want to escape from here, you better know what to say. If this goes wrong, it’ll be bad for all of us."
As long as Qi Sheng dared to stir up trouble again, she had countless ways to make sure he wouldn’t be able to carry out his escape plan smoothly.
A flash of repressed anger passed through his eyes, but when the teacher arrived, he still obediently used the excuse that he had “accidentally fallen.” Luckily, the Dorm Teacher didn’t press the matter. She glanced at the watch on her wrist, then raised her voice:
“All students, gather now. Meeting on the playground!”
This so-called “meeting” was just like the students had said—no different from brainwashing. Everyone stood below the stage, shouting the slogans in neat order: “Cure internet addiction, cherish life, obey teachers, care for parents.”
The old professor standing on stage was full of energy, like an emperor enjoying the worship of all his subjects. His greedy eyes scanned the kingdom he had built, and it didn’t take long before he noticed something out of place.
“Third row on the left, sixth from the front. Third row on the left, seventh from the front… First row on the right, tenth from the front. Altogether seventeen. Seventeen students didn’t follow the dress code!”
The professor’s old face twisted into a look of deep disappointment. “The rules were already set the moment you entered this place. Students, your parents didn’t send you here to wear strange clothes and show off. They sent you here to cure your internet addiction!”
Qin Dongwan, who had been called out more times than she could count, lowered her head and tugged at the stiff corner of her mouth. She was slowly getting used to it.
“Students, what do you think we should do when we see something like this?”
The crowd stayed completely silent.
The old professor seemed to be getting angry. A shadow crept into his eyes, and the deep wrinkles around them tightened. The students could feel the shift in his gaze, and only then did the crowd begin to stir. No one knew who started it, but someone shouted, “Treatment!” That weak voice buried in the crowd grew louder and louder until it became a chant, surging like a wave.
Electric shock treatment was a huge stone hanging over all their heads. No one could remove it, so they could only try to push it down on someone else instead. Some of the players had no idea what this “treatment” really was, but judging from the looks on the others’ faces, it clearly wasn’t good. Their hearts tightened at once, and a few timid ones had already started crying.
“Treatment, yes, treatment!” The professor’s voice rose with excitement. “You students understand well. Proper treatment is a responsibility to each and every one of you. Besides your internet addiction, all your bad habits must be removed, one by one. Your parents didn’t send you here to compete with each other. They sent you here so you can walk the right path!”
The old professor's voice was hoarse. If you stood close enough, you could see the half-severed tip of his tongue twitching as he spoke—it was truly disgusting. That so-called “right path” had become a blood-red mockery. The brutal truth lay right in front of them. News could never escape this sealed-off treatment center, and its polished reputation brought him endless fame and wealth.
After listening to him ramble on for a while, the meeting finally ended. A few teachers were already waiting in the back to grab the seventeen students who had been called out. The line stretched long as they were led toward the treatment room.
There were soft sobs in the group, mixed with deep sighs. The strong smell of something burnt made Qin Dongwan uncomfortable. Her body instinctively craved survival, and the fear buried deep inside her was stirred up, sticking to her every step like a shadow.
“Usually, one round of electric shock here isn’t enough to kill a person,” a man’s calm voice suddenly cut through the heavy atmosphere, “but side effects are basically guaranteed. Dizziness and nausea are common symptoms after electric current goes through the body.”
His tone was cold and detached, like he was just commenting on the weather. Hua Qingjiu lowered his voice a bit to make sure the teacher leading the group couldn't hear. The few people walking near him all looked at him in surprise. Tang Zihang, who had been frowning the whole time, suddenly grabbed his arm like he had found a savior.
“You’ve been electrocuted before?”
Hua Qingjiu: “…”
“No? Then how do you know all that if you’ve never been shocked?”
Seeing the hand on his arm, Hua Qingjiu calmly brushed it away. He seemed just a little annoyed by Tang Zihang’s question. His face stayed calm, but his voice grew slightly firmer.
“Knowledge.”
“No talking in the back!”
The teacher walking in front noticed the commotion behind and shouted loudly for everyone to be quiet. But thanks to Tang Zihang’s silly joking around—though everyone knew he was just plain dumb, not actually trying to be funny—seeing Hua Qingjiu’s cold, deadpan face looking completely speechless still made people want to laugh a little.
The brief moment of ease vanished the instant they saw Teacher Zhu.
When the fire had broken out, Teacher Zhu had already been knocked out cold by Luo Shu. Logically, even if he had not burned to death, he should have at least been injured. But now, looking at him, that overly pale skin of his was still spotless, not even a scratch on him. The man’s eyes scanned the group and quickly locked onto Luo Shu’s striking little face. His lips curled slightly, and a chilling smile spread across his mouth.
“Same old rules. One by one.”
….
The sharp, piercing screams sounded like torn cloth, each cry soaked in blood and pain. Even while standing outside, they could feel how much it hurt. The breeze was supposed to be warm, but when it brushed against their skin, it sent goosebumps rising all over. The screams hit like heavy hammers, pounding again and again on everyone’s hearts, tearing through fragile nerves, dragging out the fear buried deep inside.
The burnt stench mixed with the smell of blood and spread wildly in the wind, choking people until they started coughing nonstop. Not long after, the first boy who had gone in was dragged out in a daze. He could no longer stand up straight, and his shaking steps splashed unevenly through a puddle on the ground.
“Ah!”
A hoarse, weak cry slipped from his lips. His step had landed in the water, and the heat had scorched his shoes until they were burnt and melted—let alone what it did to the soft skin of his foot. He had already been barely holding on, and now the pain made his eyes roll back as he fainted. The people behind him barely managed to keep him upright and slowly moved him aside.
Everyone who saw it quickly tried to step around the dirty puddle. Those who had not known that “treatment” meant electric shocks were now scared out of their minds, trembling and quietly sobbing in the line.
Fear hung over their heads like a dark cloud and refused to go away.
Each person who went in came back out half-dead. As the line moved forward and the person in front of her stepped away, Qin Dongwan’s heart pounded like a drum. She held her breath nervously. The screams inside were the same as before, but then—suddenly—they shot up several levels in pitch, so loud they made her eardrums throb with pain. The “discipline officer” who had been standing outside, bored and looking at his hands, changed expression and rushed inside at once.
A few minutes later, what they carried out was a charred corpse. The boy had been electrocuted beyond recognition. The smell of roasted flesh rushed into everyone’s noses, and a few with weaker stomachs started throwing up nonstop. The awful smell only got worse, and Qin Dongwan quickly covered her own mouth. When she saw Luo Shu’s expression turn pale, she carefully reached out her hand to shield the girl’s nose. She kept a small gap and didn't touch her, but it was better than nothing.
The girl’s soft breath warmed her palm.
“That’s it for today’s treatment. The rest of you will be marked down for now. Head to the South Zone and get to work. Don’t forget the class schedule!”
The only good news was that someone had died, so they wouldn't have to keep going for now. The ones left let out a sigh of relief, more or less thankful. Then someone cried out in frustration, saying they had forgotten the schedule. The way this dungeon worked—with all its rules—was like being in a real school. Most students copied the schedule down and kept it in their dorms. Not everyone could remember it.
“Next class is music,” Qin Dongwan said, giving a quick reminder. Too many people dying wouldn't benefit her either. She ignored the looks people gave her and headed straight for the south. This dungeon’s immersive setup made everyone feel like real students at the treatment center. There was barely any free time, and they had to keep an eye out for chances to escape.
Some walked with frowns, while others whispered to each other as they headed toward the next destination. On the other side, the NPCs were already burying the body in the temporary graveyard. The corpse was burnt beyond recognition and smelled horrible. When it was tossed into the pit, it landed with a heavy thud.
This wasn'tthe first funeral they had handled. Once the body was buried, they turned and left. The last one paused, kicked some dirt down into the hole, and turned away. Yellow soil covered the face, and that was about as close to a final resting place as anyone was going to get.
Moments later, the yellow soil covering the corpse’s blurry face trembled. The charred body that had seemed completely lifeless slowly sat up from the pit. Its eyes, clouded and pale, opened wide. It clearly wasn'tbreathing anymore.
While they were cleaning, there were no teachers watching them on this side. Only one NPC student had been told to act as group leader and keep an eye on things. The place they were cleaning in the South Zone was very close to the basketball court, just a short distance away. Because of that, the players finally gathered together for a quick discussion and ended up deciding to let a few of the boys sneak in quietly.
The basketball court here was just a big room with a sign hung up carelessly, saying "Girls Not Allowed." This wasn’t the time to argue about gender discrimination. A few quick and agile boys took the lead and quietly slipped inside. The rest either kept sweeping or chatted with the group leader, trying their best to cover for them. Not long after, pale-faced Tang Zihang came out first.
“This shit isn’t something a human would do!”
He cursed under his breath, and after making sure the group leader wasn’t around, he leaned in and whispered to Qin Dongwan and Luo Shu, “No wonder it says girls can’t go in. You two would’ve freaked out. The people inside are all tied up and laid out like that, and their clothes… most of their clothes are gone…”
Just that short description made Qin Dongwan, who had a vivid imagination, feel a cold chill all over. On the surface, this internet addiction center claimed to welcome children from all over who had “mental issues,” tricking parents into thinking it would guide them back onto the right path. But behind the scenes, it was doing things worse than anything imaginable.
“They didn’t call out to you guys for help?”
“Their tongues have been cut out. They looked blank, like their minds were gone. It didn’t seem like they could think like normal people anymore. I think it’s either because they’ve lost the will to live after being tortured so many times, or maybe it’s from drugs.”
After having the experience of keeping vigil together in the classroom, Hua Qingjiu accepted all the goodwill they showed. Although his face was still expressionless, he was more willing to get closer to this side than to others. After hearing the discussion here, he also joined in and made a thorough analysis.
The close-to-reality dungeon makes people feel more likely to feel desperate, as if they are already a member of this Internet addiction treatment center. In particular, this dungeon has many rules, and they are ingeniously required to follow the rules of the Internet addiction treatment center, and almost live according to the orders of the NPC teacher every day. Although there are no ghosts that are rampant for the time being, it has become a big problem to get out under such circumstances.
"I want to save them..."
Tang Zihang’s voice had a slight tremble, and Qin Dongwan suddenly looked up to see that the usually carefree and silly Tang Erha already had red-rimmed eyes.
Even though they knew those were just NPCs, in this world, they still counted as real, living people. Seeing such a brutal scene with his own eyes hit harder than seeing someone dead. The heavy pressure that came crashing down was enough to crush this big boy.
He was never that timid, and usually had a thick skin, but after seeing something like that, he just couldn't stay indifferent. The pressure that had been buried deep in his heart was suddenly forced out into the open. When he saw those empty, lifeless eyes staring blankly at him as he walked in, the pain was heart-wrenching. Tang Zihang could only hate himself for not being able to help.
But Hua Qingjiu’s serious tone pulled him back to reality.
“All we can do right now is take care of ourselves. Escaping this internet addiction center is not easy. We should stay out of other people's business.”
His gaze was calm, like a deep, still lake, carrying a quiet power that made people settle down. He was clearly a powerful figure, but for some reason, Qin Dongwan had absolutely no memory of him at all.
….
The class held in the music room was also just another form of propaganda and brainwashing. They made a song based on the theme of “treating internet addiction” and made everyone sing it. Afterward, each person had to write a thousand-word reflection. No one was allowed to leave unless they finished.
What made everyone complain the most was the sheer amount of homework every day. Many players had not been to school for years, and now they had to come up with a thousand words on the spot—it was torture. On top of that, by four o'clock every afternoon, they had to hand in a copied quote or saying. These sayings were all from the old professor and mostly talked about not indulging in internet addiction, so they could “reflect on themselves.”
The food in the cafeteria today was actually decent. The cook made a big pot of pork rib soup, saying it was to help the students recover after a tiring morning. Cleaning the southern area really was exhausting, and everyone had been preoccupied during breakfast, so they ate little. Now, smelling the rich meat aroma, everyone swarmed around the cook’s pot like they had not eaten in three days.
“One at a time! Only one bowl per person! No pushing, line up!”
Just like always, the cafeteria lady shouted at the top of her lungs as she stirred the thick soup in the pot. The tender meat still clung to the bones, chopped neatly into chunks. The savory smell drifted out with the breeze, stirring up everyone's hunger. Tang Zihang, who had looked gloomy before, perked up at the sight of food. Holding his bowl, he lined up at the back of the crowd.
“You guys don't want to drink?”
A few of the players had no intention of lining up. They just asked the auntie at the window for a plain meal and then sat down scattered around.
Tang Zihang suddenly noticed that the two girls in his group, along with Hua Qingjiu, were not in line for the meat soup either. Even with a slow brain, he could tell something was off.
A moment later, another person quietly slipped out of the line.
The food was tasteless tofu and bean sprouts—both dirt cheap ingredients. The rice was so wet it seemed like it had been scooped straight out of water. It was almost impossible to swallow. While eating, Qin Dongwan lifted her head just in time to see chunks of tender red meat being ladled into bowls from the thick soup. Steam was rising, and the rich scent spread out in all directions.
But she instinctively felt that stuff wasn'tright.
There had just been a corpse in the morning, and now they were serving pork rib soup for lunch. The two felt deeply connected. The overly red color of the soup also raised alarms for several other players, who chose not to drink it either. Strangely, the auntie didn't question it. She simply picked up the remaining pot and carried it back into the kitchen.
The past two days were mostly spent getting used to the treatment center’s rules. After class on the second afternoon, the teacher generously gave twenty minutes of free time. People who had been tightly controlled finally got to relax a little, and in the blink of an eye, the classroom emptied.
After a short discussion during the lunch break, they decided the main gate was too risky. It was hard to lure the guards away without things backfiring. So, they agreed to climb the wall instead.
Naturally, the power room was the place controlling the electric grid. Maybe the place expected students to try escaping over the wall, because the power room was tightly locked. Even the windows were fitted with anti-theft bars, making it impossible to sneak in easily.
"The power room key—we don’t know who has it. But if we can break the electric grid, the wall isn’t that high. We should all be able to climb over it."
Hua Qingjiu had been automatically assigned as a temporary teammate, so Qin Dongwan pulled him straight into the discussion. The two men could climb the wall without much trouble, and Luo Shu’s agility was beyond question. The only possible issue was Qin Dongwan herself. But thankfully, she was tall with long legs and decent strength. As long as someone gave her a boost, she could manage it.
“Normally, the key would be kept in the security office. But in that case, we’d still have to distract the guards, which is really dangerous. If possible, it’s better to find a moment of chaos and act then. Waiting for that chance isn’t a bad idea.”
Thinking back to what they had told him earlier—about Qi Sheng planning to create a distraction by using the broadcasting room—Hua Qingjiu began to seriously consider it. Then, Luo Shu, who had barely spoken, suddenly gave a soft snort. She looked up at the still-worrying Qin Dongwan and Hua Qingjiu:
“This kind of idea is probably something anyone could come up with. And that’s exactly why no one wants to be the one to do it. Why bother overthinking it? As long as you can find the key, give me fifteen minutes. I’ll draw those guards away.”
“You…”
Tang Zihang had just opened his mouth when the words got stuck in his throat. Back in the beginner level, Luo Shu had already shown many people what it meant to not judge a book by its cover. This petite girl, who barely reached his shoulder, had the kind of power that could crush plenty of men. Their body sizes might differ, but Tang Zihang firmly believed that if it really came to a fight, Luo Shu could easily take his life.
“They’re NPCs. Every NPC is a potential ghost. Maybe some just haven’t shown themselves yet. Especially the security guards—they’re even more likely to be. You... be careful.”
Qin Dongwan hadn't expected her to speak up so directly about going up against an NPC. After all, the beginner level was still a beginner level. In the “Nursary Rhyme Requiem Tone” instance, there had even been an option in the hint to “kill your nemesis,” so as long as one had the right item, it was at least possible to resist the ghosts.
But this Internet addiction center, even though it was the first floor, definitely wouldn't be easy enough that the NPCs were made of paper. No matter how strong Luo Shu was, she was still just a normal person.
Even so, knowing Luo Shu's nature well, Qin Dongwan didn’t say much more. She didn’t want to accidentally annoy her. Luo Shu might seem impulsive, but she always thought things through—at least she knew how to act within her limits. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have survived this long.
Hua Qingjiu didn’t seem to object either. He didn’t show any disapproval about having the petite girl in strange clothes lure away the NPCs. He just calmly said,
“Wednesday’s schedule has a free activity period. No time to waste. At the very least, we need to figure out the escape route by tomorrow. Luo Shu, don’t lure the guards yet—no need to expose yourself. Tomorrow morning, I’ll plan the escape path...”
“Who’s there?!”
They’d seen plenty of eavesdropping already. Qin Dongwan immediately shouted when she saw a figure flash past in the distance, but that shadow vanished in an instant. Tang Zihang cursed under his breath. He noticed the person had dropped something and quickly stepped forward to pick it up. What he held in his hand was a pair of red high heels, which looked a little out of place.
“What’s this?”
The heels were bright and glossy, glowing under the sunlight like slowly flowing blood. Even in broad daylight, something about them felt off. Seeing Tang Zihang walking toward them with the shoes in hand, Qin Dongwan instinctively felt uneasy.
“You better not mess with those things…”
No one had seen the figure clearly, but a normal person definitely couldn't move that fast. Remembering some creepy rumors she’d read in other infinite flow novels about red high heels, Qin Dongwan shivered and quickly stopped Tang Zihang.
“What if I already took it?!”
He could neither throw it away nor dare to hold onto it. The burning red heels seemed to turn into flames, scorching Tang Zihang’s hands, leaving him stuck in a dilemma. Compared to the others, Luo Shu had more experience. She stepped forward, kept a bit of distance, and examined it briefly—only to find that the high heels were spotless, as if they had just been bought.
“Put them back where you found them. They might have been thrown here by someone else. There’s also another possibility...” The girl narrowed her eyes, and her red lips curved into a faint smile. “A female ghost might’ve set her eyes on you in broad daylight. She’ll probably come find you tonight.”
“Th-then what should I do?”
“May you have the best of luck.”
Luo Shu wasn’t the type to joke around, and this kind of analysis was never fear-mongering. When she saw Tang Zihang’s face full of shock and fear, still half-skeptical as he tried to move closer to Qin Dongwan, a vague flicker of irritation rose in her chest. She tugged Qin Dongwan beside her a little roughly and added:
“I had a dungeon once called [Dance Floor Meat Forest. There was a female ghost who loved ballet. During the day, she liked to throw her shoes under people’s beds or stuff them in random places. As long as you didn’t find her mark, she’d sneak over at night and peel off your skin.”
Tang Zihang trembled slightly.
“That was just a first-level dungeon. Everyone inside was a bunch of fools. On the last day, she started dancing on stage. The audience sitting below her were skinned bodies with only their skeletons left to hold them up. The stage itself was made of human skin—super soft—just perfect for her to prance around on.”
The scene painted in just a few words was far more terrifying than this current internet addiction center. In the dead of night, stage lights shone down on a red carpet, casting a slanted glow on a girl’s beautiful figure. Her bare feet stepped on fresh, still-squirming human skin as she danced in swift, spinning steps. Down below, the audience clapped mechanically, their expressions blank under the control of a strange force...
Just imagining it sent chills down one's spine.
At this moment, even the sunlight on their bodies seemed to lose its warmth. Tang Zihang carefully placed the red high heels back where he had found them, even kneeling down to knock his head once against the ground before catching up with his teammates. Though his skin was covered in goosebumps, he couldn't hold back his curiosity and asked,
“What happened in the end?”
“The end? I killed her.”
The moment those words left her mouth, even Hua Qingjiu, who always remained calm as a mountain collapsed before him, couldn't help but glance at her. Tang Zihang stood dumbstruck, only now realizing that the seemingly harmless pretty girl beside him might be scarier than some NPCs. Just as he was still frozen, Luo Shu turned her head toward him with a bright smile, her violet eyes sparkling with a bit of pride.
“Am I amazing?”
“…Yeah. Amazing.”
Satisfied with the response, Luo Shu looked like a cat being stroked the right way. Then she noticed Qin Dongwan raising a thumb at her like a flattering lackey. Only Hua Qingjiu kept his thoughtful expression, staring at her calmly for a moment before asking,
“Miss Luo Shu, you fell down from the higher levels, meaning your points were nearly reset to zero, and you had to start over?”
If points dropped to zero, players would die. If they dropped to a certain level, they’d be pushed down layers. For a veteran like Luo Shu to fall all the way to the first level was incredibly rare—nearly unheard of.
“…Yeah.”
The smug joy on Luo Shu’s face collapsed in an instant. She clearly didn’t want to talk about the matter of her nearly zeroed points. She pouted and said nothing more. Hua Qingjiu wasn’t the gossiping type either, so he didn’t push further to annoy her.
The afternoon passed quickly. The rest of the people who had gone out during the twenty-minute break made no moves and returned behaving obediently. Qin Dongwan noticed that Qi Sheng kept glancing their way afterward, hatred and disgust plainly written in his eyes.
“When you go to sleep, make sure the doors and windows are shut! And don’t let me catch anyone sneaking out to use the toilet at night again! You have five minutes before lights out to go. If anyone dares come out afterward, they’ll be sent to the classroom to keep night watch!”
The dorm teacher once again stomped her way over in high heels. Qin Dongwan paid extra attention this time and saw that her shoes had very tall heels and were sparkling champagne in color, one size larger than the red heels from earlier. The woman’s voice was sharp and loud. When no one responded to her at once, she snapped in anger:
“What, are you all mute? Can’t even answer?”
A few weak voices echoed in reply. Whether they were exhausted players or worn-out NPC students, all of them looked drained, wishing they could just wash up, crawl into bed, and sleep like the dead.
The bathing area in the internet addiction treatment center were free and opened every other day. After a quick dinner, Qin Dongwan went to shower with Luo Shu.
Though she liked Luo Shu, her feelings were still at the stage of simply admiring a two-dimensional character. It wasn’t the same excitement others had when meeting their ‘idol’ face to face. The little killing machine had sharp fangs and claws, and Qin Dongwan didn’t even dare entertain any wild thoughts. The bath area was divided into male and female sections, with curtained partitions—thankfully, it wasn’t too awkward.
The bathroom environment was far from good. Grime and soap scum coated the floor, greasy water pooled around, and there were even murky yellow stains left behind—evidence of some previous bathers’ utter lack of hygiene. After finally finding a somewhat cleaner spot, Qin Dongwan had just stepped in and was about to undress when she suddenly felt something was off.
She was tall for a girl, and the partitions here were only built up to shoulder height. Thanks to her height, she could easily glance around and see what was happening nearby. Luo Shu was just next to her, the flashy black dress already removed, leaving only her simple undergarments.
The girl was petite, lacking the graceful curves Qin Dongwan had. Her frame was a little flat, but her fair skin looked like polished jade against the black camisole. Her long, deep violet curls cascaded down her back, swaying gently at her waist. The faint mist in the air gave the whole scene a dreamy, smoky feel—less distant than her usual untouchable aura.
Qin Dongwan’s eyes paused briefly on that camisole before drifting up to the long, damp hair. Luo Shu’s hair was soft and smooth, now slicked down by water against her spine. Qin Dongwan didn’t have any inappropriate thoughts. She just found this new perspective surprisingly fresh. If this wasn’t a death game where they could die at any time, she might have…
As always, Luo Shu was sharp. She suddenly sensed someone looking at her. Her eyes shot to the side, just in time to see Qin Dongwan turning away and obediently starting to wash herself. Water splashed down the back of Qin Dongwan’s head, her long hair spreading out, soaked through. Her slender neck arched slightly in a graceful curve like a swan’s. As the water flowed past her collarbones, everything below was hidden from view.
Her throat felt a little dry—maybe it was just too hot and stuffy in this bathhouse.
The bath was connected to the toilets, and most NPCs were used to coming in here half an hour before lights out to bathe and handle their business. But since it was still early, the ones inside were mostly players. For a while, only the sound of running water echoed through the room—until a girl’s voice rang out:
“Why is there suddenly so much water?”
After the reminder, Qin Dongwan finally noticed something off—she had been paying more attention to the surroundings and hadn’t looked down. The bathwater was supposed to drain quickly through the floor grates, but now it had already risen to cover the tops of their feet, and it looked like it was still going up. She quickly wiped herself dry, threw on her underclothes, and stepped out.
Just then, a girl walked out of her stall, still naked, and called out:
“Can someone help me check this? My drain’s clogged…”
“A clogged drain caused this much overflow?”
That didn’t sound right.
Qin Dongwan took a few steps forward but didn’t get too close. Most players were like her—staying back to observe first or pretending it had nothing to do with them and continuing to shower. The girl looked dejected, on the verge of tears. With everything so hopeless already, even a small problem like this could crush someone’s nerves.
She turned back as if about to just deal with it herself, and Qin Dongwan was just about to tell her to switch stalls when someone finally stepped up.
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5039729
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com
“Xia Ying, what’s with the fuss? Hurry up already, don’t you want to get back soon?” the woman said, walking into the stall with quick strides. A moment later, her voice rang out in surprise, “What the hell? Are you shedding like crazy or something?”
Xia Ying, still standing at the door and hesitating, reached up to touch her head with a wronged expression. “My hair’s short…”
“Get out! Don’t touch it!”
Just as the short cry escaped Qin Dongwan’s lips, a blood-curdling scream erupted from the woman inside. At the doorway, Xia Ying’s face turned pale. She rushed in and grabbed the woman’s arm, desperately trying to pull her out. By the time the others arrived, all they saw was a ghastly pale arm reaching out from the sewer, dragging the woman inward. It was such a small drain opening—yet it truly seemed capable of swallowing a person whole.
Xia Ying could not manage alone. A few other girls rushed forward and grabbed the woman, pulling with all their might. The woman’s face had gone ghostly white, tears and snot mixing as she wailed in pain, but she never once cried out to be let go.
Qin Dongwan, helping from the back, looked around quickly. The arm below was terrifyingly strong. It was slowly, but surely, pulling them all downward like they weighed nothing.
“A'Shu!”
At the critical moment, Qin Dongwan shouted. The girl had clearly been ready. Without hesitation, Luo Shu leapt into the stall like a shadow.
With a sharp crack, the woman’s scream turned to agony.
From outside, Qin Dongwan saw it all—Luo Shu had twisted the woman’s wrist with a brutal snap, breaking it cleanly. The thing below gave a final savage pull.
With a ripping sound, bones snapped and tendons tore. Blood sprayed onto the ceiling like a high-pressure water jet. From within the sewer came a sharp, agitated shriek, sending the crowd fleeing in terror, abandoning the unconscious woman on the floor. Thick blood, mixed with bits of flesh, flowed into the bathhouse water, a gruesome sight too horrific to bear.
