There's definitely something wrong with this murder mystery game

Xu Shuo released the girl he had pinned against the bookshelf and, without paying further attention to her, walked over to pick up a file and started flipping through it.

The patients who would appear in the archive room at this hour were either having a mental breakdown or were players.

Since Xu Shuo currently needed the latter to help him end the game, he naturally wouldn't interfere with their mission-related activities; he hoped even more that they would quickly complete their tasks.

The girl in front of him was Tao Tao, currently residing in Ward No.8, female, fifteen years old, a severe case of mania, having gone mad at such a young age.

But now, she seemed to be keeping her composure quite well.

After briefly browsing through the various mental illnesses of the first twelve patients, Xu Shuo turned his attention to the last file, Patient No. 13, Luo Kun.

Antisocial personality disorder, highly aggressive.

Possibly due to environmental factors, he committed a major bloody crime that violated ethics and morality at the age of six and was subsequently sent to The Fifth Hospital for treatment after a psychological assessment.

When the police questioned him at the beginning, the kid calmly said just one sentence, "They asked for it by giving birth to me."

After more than a decade of treatment, Luo Kun's mental condition had improved. Although his wild behavior upon admission had driven away three doctors, under Chen Chu's care, his mentality had gradually improved.

He had been well-behaved for a year now, and if he could just keep it up a little longer until the order to shut down The Fifth Hospital came through, he would probably be able to be discharged smoothly after the psychiatric evaluation during the transfer.

Thinking this far, Xu Shuo recalled the strange smile on Luo Kun's face when he was killed and thought that it would probably be better for him to continue his stay.

However, the kid seemed to have noticed the cycle of reincarnation in the hospital.

Could he be a player?

So, could a player become a murder victim as well?

After all, whether it was the second cycle after time reset or now the third cycle, the nurses appeared unaware of the time resets, only the kid Luo Kun was eerily odd.

Xu Shuo thought back to the first time he went to poison Luo Kun, and after he woke up, he heard the commotion outside; the nurse said Luo Kun was found covered in blood in the stairwell, and he had not died from the poison—it was likely he knew the medicine was poisoned, and afterwards, Doctor Chu had gone to finish the job.

But in fact, in the memories Xu Shuo had received, Doctor Chu had only stabbed someone once.

It happened during the second loop; Xu Shuo gave Luo Kun some candy, ate some himself, and then his second personality emerged and killed Luo Kun in the stairwell.

In his memories, Doctor Chu had only stabbed Luo Kun to death that one time.

So, how exactly did Luo Kun die in the stairwell during the first loop?

Moreover, the second time the loop reset, Luo Kun was not in his ward from the start, so that was the reason the nurse went looking for him, and the office conversation he overheard that time was different from this loop...

Could it just be the butterfly effect caused by different actions during the time change?

Suddenly, Xu Shuo felt a sharp pain in his head, and as he tried to delve deeper into his thoughts, the pressure-like throbbing became more and more intense, and the violent impulses he had just suppressed surged to his mind again.

His second personality seemed to be laughing eerily in his mind, the bizarre and seductive thoughts continuously eroding his consciousness, changing his way of thinking.

—Since this hospital has so many troubles, why not just destroy it all.

—Why think so much, don't restrain yourself.

Afterward, those thoughts grew increasingly strong.

Xu Shuo raised his hand to his head, and in the shadow cast by his palm, the corners of his mouth gradually curled into a sly smile. He turned his head to look at the girl who was reading the file not far away.

...

Tao Tao had already faintly guessed the truth when she realized this doctor did not try to drag her back to the ward and seemed indifferent to her.

He was either mad or a player.

She did not directly approach to ask questions or discuss the plot but maintained her own character's persona, casting an annoyed glance at the doctor before quickly putting distance between them.

To restore the storyline, she needed to first understand the hospital. Tao Tao's role was that of a patient recently admitted who was solely focused on escaping the mental hospital, with very little information at her disposal.

Fortunately, The Fifth Hospital currently had few patients, doctors, and nurses, and even fewer ordinary staff members, so the thin, latest archives could be quickly reviewed.

Thirteen patients, with the level of danger distinguished by numbers—the most dangerous was the antisocial personality disorder patient in Room Thirteen.

The best starting point for clues was the most special individual; mistakes were less likely that way. Tao Tao remembered the doctor currently in charge of him was…

She flipped through the files of doctors and saw a familiar ID photo, a young man smiling, appearing at first glance to be a gentle and approachable person.

Wasn't that the madman who had just teased her?

Tao Tao subconsciously touched her neck. She continued reading, but suddenly, perhaps due to imitating that person's earlier action, a real and chilling tremor spread up her spine from behind—

It felt like she had plunged into an ice cellar!

Tao Tao spun around abruptly, her hand swinging the folder at her attacker, a blinding flash of cold light streaked past as the girl quickly ducked her head.

Shick!

The blade stabbed into the bookshelf behind her while papers from the folder scattered in the air, reflecting the fragmented light from above.

The next moment, Tao Tao used her slight stature to her advantage, diving under the young man's arm and running frantically towards the exit!

She did not try to fight, because even if he could break stones with his chest in reality, her character's body truly belonged to an underage girl, and she could not muster strength superior to that of a healthy adult male!

The assessment script was really a trap!

A gust of wind followed her; as a shadow loomed, Tao Tao powered through her waist and spun around, delivering a kick in an attempt to knock the weapon out of her opponent's hand.

Smack!

Xu Shuo tilted his head to avoid it, rapidly caught her foot, smiled as he curved the corners of his mouth, and pressed down hard, twisting it.

"Hiss…" Tao Tao stumbled and fell, the intense pain in her left leg nearly causing her nerves to snap. The girl, unable to suppress her rage, swung a furious punch, shouting, "Die, dammit!"

Xu Shuo captured her fist and brought the fruit knife to the pale skin of her throat.

He spoke softly, "Didn't I tell you not to run around? Why can't you be obedient?"

Feeling the coldness at her throat, Tao Tao's pupils shook. She suddenly understood the perverted behavior of him touching her neck.

It wasn't teasing at all; he actually wanted to kill her!

But this guy did not emit even a hint of killing intent.

Even the moment before he made his move, he had not revealed any intentions, behaving as if he was merely flirting with a girl.

His smile remained gentle and polite, his gaze holding regret and pity, but in such a bizarre situation, no matter the disguise, it all came off as a bit sinister and nefarious.

Looking at the young doctor before her, smiling the same but with an aura so different from just moments before, as if he were a different person altogether, Tao Tao suddenly recalled the part of the file she had not finished reading—the latest note below said—

This one's a madman, too!