Chapter 19
Chapter 19
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Patient #3
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Is this how it appears?
According to the rulebook, I have to put another patient inside this box and leave it outside.
It's hard to understand why this bizarre hospital is using such a system. Of course, I don't need to understand it. It's just a ghost story. A monstrosity. An anomaly. Nothing more.
Honestly, after chewing on those flesh lumps disguised as medicine together, a subtle camaraderie had sprouted. It made it hard to carry out right away. People bond when they suffer through tough things together. It's a kind of solidarity.
I was wallowing in such thoughts when—
Suddenly, the two patients stood up and slowly approached me.
And not just that—they reached out their arms—
Fuck!
Are these bastards trying to put me in the box?!
I can't let that happen!
—Whoosh!
I quickly slipped out of the bed. Their movements were sluggish, well within my ability to handle.
The moment I punched the one in front in the stomach—
—Thud.
It collapsed slowly.
"Huh?"
What?
It's weaker than I imagined?
The fallen one couldn't even get back up properly.
Come to think of it, the rulebook said these patients are in a weakened state. That's why it went down so easily to my fist.
—Bam!
I kicked the other standing patient down and headed toward my original target.
Its flailing attempts to reach out looked utterly pathetic.
"Not like the nurses."
Unlike the nurses who tore apart Management Bureau agents, these patients had no strength. If they're this weak, I can definitely follow the rulebook.
I swallowed the rising disgust.
—Crunch.
I stomped on its chest and grabbed the outstretched hand.
Good.
Time to do it.
The patients' bodies were soft.
I can do this barehanded.
Hup!
The moment I yanked the arm hard—
—Rip!
The arm came off clean. It felt like pulling off a plastic model arm. Like yanking off an insect's leg?
The thing with the arm torn off flailed around. It was utterly repulsive, but I endured it all.
—Rip!
I pulled off the other arm, then both legs. No blood sprayed. It wasn't even hard.
Finally, all its limbs were detached.
The torso and head twitched.
"No tools..."
Now I need to remove the organs, but I have nothing to do it with. No choice—I stripped off its patient gown barehanded and shoved my hand into its belly like the vampire did.
—Squish.
The belly split open.
"..."
I grabbed the back of its neck, lifted it up, and pulled out the innards. No liquids spilled. Just some grotesque tissues mimicking human organs came out.
And... the procedure was complete.
I'd detached the limbs and removed the organs from the patient. I even removed the sutured-shut eyes and mouth.
I must be insane to do this without hesitation.
I stuffed the now utterly helpless thing into the black box, sealed it properly, then left it outside the room without a second thought before coming back in. The guards would pick it up now. To think the things I was collecting were these—utterly horrifying.
All that remained in the room was me and the other patient. It stared at me with its sewn-shut eyes. That gaze felt awkward and uncomfortable.
No.
There's more left.
The limbs and innards strewn on the floor. According to the rulebook, these are edible. But does a human really exist who could put this in their mouth, even if told it's okay?
Most people would fail here.
—Grrrrowl.
Hunger changes a lot.
In pre-modern times, during massive famines, people ate other people. That's hunger. Survival instinct overrides disgust and morality. Instinct comes first, then morality.
I'm hungry.
Am I going mad? These monster limbs look like decent food. I couldn't resist the impulse, picked up the detached right arm, and—
—Crunch.
Blood sprayed in my mouth.
The taste and smell were extremely revolting, but honestly, it was about 1.5 times better than the "medicine" from the nurse. Like the difference between Spam and some cheap knockoff, in a bad way... So I could force it down.
I felt nutrients filling my body.
Food entering my stomach brought a rush of strong dopamine. Even if I get discharged from this hospital, could I live normally? Who cares. When you're starving, humans eat tree roots. The important thing is that I'm surviving this moment.
After doing shit like this,
I can't die.
I even squeezed the arm, wringing out and drinking the blood-like fluid.
"Ah, go down smooth."
After eating my fill, I stored the leftovers in an empty drawer.
Sleepiness came over me.
I climbed into bed and went to sleep.
I don't know how much time passed.
I followed the rulebook mechanically, like I was killing myself. New patients appeared in the room one by one, and I lived with them before killing them, repeating the cycle. Yet I never saw a real human.
I had this delusion.
Maybe everyone in this room is just normal people. Maybe we're perceiving each other as monsters because of some brain surgery in this bizarre hospital. If we were normal people killing and eating each other, staging our own hell—that would be truly horrific.
I didn't want to admit there was credibility to that hypothesis.
...No need to think deeply.
I haven't done anything wrong.
—Click-clack.
The sound of high heels.
The nurse is coming.
Chewing the revolting flesh lumps is familiar now.
The door opened, and in came a nurse straight out of Silent Hill. The differences? Her eyes and mouth are sewn shut, and her clothes are clean. Well, she doesn't shamble; her movements have some grace.
She'll dispense the medicine from her belly now.
But today was different.
The nurse suddenly pulled out a syringe. Before I could resist, she jabbed it into my neck.
.
.
.
.
Consciousness cut out briefly.
When I opened my eyes, someone was sitting in front of me. A doctor in a white coat. This isn't the patient room? Quickly assessing, I was in some kind of consultation room.
No way!
Is this discharge counseling?!
"Patient."
"Yes."
The doctor spoke, and I answered calmly.
The doctor looked like a real human doctor. No sewn eyes or mouth, no weird appearance. Just a blank-faced stare.
But the name on the name tag...
Kim Seonghan?
Fuck.
Why is Dr. Kim Seonghan's name here?
Everything felt chaotic, panic rising.
But this is my last chance.
If I don't get discharged, I die.
I have to handle this well.
Maybe the name Kim Seonghan is fixed, like Yi Seung-cheol. All doctors are named Kim Seonghan. Don't overthink it. Just like I was fake Yi Seung-cheol, this doctor's just fake Kim Seonghan.
Do what I need to.
According to the rulebook, I have to convince this doctor that even after discharge, I'll diligently take my medicine and heal.
Doctors hate people who skip meds, right?
"How's your condition?"
"It's pretty good. I think I can handle daily life now."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. The medicine seems to be working well."
"It's strong stuff, but your records say you've been taking it properly."
That must've been what the nurse noted on the chart.
"You have to take the medicine properly to get better fast. Right, Doctor?"
"Correct."
Ordinary doctor-patient conversation.
"I'll prescribe your medication. Take it well."
"Yes. How many days' worth?"
"One month's supply. Three times a day, after meals."
"Three times? Doctor, what's the best interval?"
"Every 6 hours after the first meal."
"Got it. Oh, but what if I miss a dose at work or skip a meal? How should I take it then?"
Just like the rulebook.
Ask in as much detail as possible.
"In that case, take it a bit early. You must take it three times a day. But don't take it within 2 hours. If unavoidable, you can take it on an empty stomach, but I don't recommend it."
"Understood... Oh, wait. Can I take some notes?"
"Here."
I even acted like I'd really take the medicine properly, jotting notes. I asked a few more questions after, and the doctor answered them all.
Did it work?
"That's all. Make sure to take your medicine."
The doctor signaled the end.
"Yes. Goodbye, Doctor."
After the farewell, somehow I was at the first-floor desk.
"Patient."
"Yes."
The desk nurse called me.
"The pharmacy is that way."
"Thank you."
I followed the direction with my prescription and found the pharmacy. Greeted normally, handed over the script, and got the medicine.
Weird stuff.
Pitch black... Just looking at it sours my mood. Some objects evoke disgust just by existing, featureless.
—Creak.
The pharmacist opened the container, revealing the contents.
"..."
The quail-egg-sized versions of the grotesque flesh lumps I'd been eating. Shrunken to the size of a quail egg, that's this. They writhed inside.
"How many minutes after eating?"
"Within 30 minutes."
"Yes. Goodbye."
With that,
I left the hospital.
Passing the familiar parking lot, I saw the guard post. No idea how much time passed. I worked as a guard here too.
—Clunk.
Suddenly, the guard post door opened.
"Previous employee?"
A person?
The guard asked me.
"Not sure."
"Here—your pay and severance."
What?
The envelope had money inside... Wait, they're just giving money like this?
Wanted to ask, but the guard had already gone back inside. I left that horrific place without looking back.
No fog.
Just an ordinary country road.
"There was one last rule."
It mentioned a business card.
Looking down, there it was.
[Management Bureau]
[ㄴ 11-1. If needed, you can receive memory erasure surgery. Terrifying memories aren't helpful for living. Forget it all and return to normal life.]
Too nice, isn't it?
Those dogshit Management Bureau bastards doing something this kind? I don't buy it. After what they did, trusting those fuckers would make you a real idiot.
The rulebook was properly written, that's good... But the more I think, the weirder it gets.
Is this the Management Bureau I know?
Those psychos from the World Politics Gallery who try to kill you just for looking? Trying to save people sincerely?
Confusing.
But one thing's clear: never trust the Management Bureau.
Plus, in this loop, I called them to this hospital and wrecked them. Contacting now would mean brain extraction round two.
"Let's go."
Came to at the bus terminal.
Everything felt like a lie.
Only Dr. Kim Seonghan's ring on my finger proved the hospital was real.