“Click.”
The photo Xia Bai saw in the library appeared in the sky.
“Xuemu, look, the photo has come.”
Chu Xuemu looked stunning in the white lab coat, which complemented her pristine aura. It seemed she was born to wear such white attire.
Inside the cave, Xuemu tilted her moist head upwards, gazing silently at the photo. Her murky eyes gleamed with both tears and light. Her delicate lips moved, muttering words unknown.
As they were engrossed in the picture, Wang Badan arrived. He wanted Chu Xuelin to meet a hospital dean with him, leading to a quarrel that Xia Bai had once overheard at the girls’ school.
“You promised to guard this secret for me forever.”
“I’m sorry, Xuelin, the pressure from above is too much. Can you help me this one time, please?”
“Wang Badan, only over my dead body.”
That was the harshest thing Chu Xuemu had ever said in her life. Each word articulated with her melodious voice.
One couldn’t help but wonder about the expression she wore when she said those words. A flustered Wang Badan, surprisingly, departed without a word.
Rain began to fall again.
Chu Xuemu’s voice, laden with a thunderous nasal tone, echoed, “Xuemu, I’m sorry, I haven’t been a good elder sister.”
She had always seen herself as the other Xuemu’s elder sister—even closer than a twin.
“I remember telling you when we were young that Chu Xuelin was a fusion of both of us. Yet, I selfishly entered a relationship as Chu Xuelin without considering your feelings. I’ve been too arrogant.”
“Xuemu, I’m sorry for causing you pain.”
The cave was silent. Xuemu nestled against the fleshy walls, rubbing her face against them gently with her little hands patting softly.
It wasn’t she who had been greatly harmed, but her sister.
Students and teachers sneakily watched her from behind, eager to uncover her scandalous secrets.
People in high positions eyed her, eager to probe her deformity.
She was under relentless scrutiny, enduring the relentless gaze of prying eyes.
This dark, cramped cave was actually a sanctuary, a refuge built by her sister, Xuemu.
She wished to remain here forever, to eventually find eternal rest here.
She was so tiny that unless you were very attentive, her movements were nearly imperceptible.
At this moment, her sister Xuemu did notice, sensing that faint comfort and affection.
The rain grew heavier, but the nasal heaviness in the voice finally lightened.
“Xuemu, we’ll leave this place tomorrow.”
The elder Xuemu continued, “We’ll go somewhere very, very far.”
“I heard my mentor say there are many impoverished mountainous regions where people lack awareness and ability to care for their oral health. When they have problems, they bear it silently. We can go to such a place, open a small clinic, rent a little courtyard. In between treating the villagers, we can plant peas and red beans, watching them blossom in spring and harvesting them in autumn…”
Her nasal tone faded, her voice becoming gentler, as it always did when she spoke of such beautiful dreams.
The younger Xuemu slowly lay down, placing her tiny hands at the junction with her sister Xuemu, naturally assuming the position of a fetus in its mother’s womb.
It was an expression of her utmost contentment and happiness.
Trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, Xia Bai listened to the slow and gentle voices, letting himself get lost in that mental picture.
Soon, he lowered his head.
He knew they never got to leave.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Late that night, Chu Xuelin was dragged to the morgue.
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Qjcu Djvjc jcv atf tbrqlaji vlgfmabg.
Ktf vlgfmabg rqbxf, “Kfjmtfg Jte, kf’gf kfii-lcobgwfv bo sbeg ecldef mbcvlalbc. Pa’r fzmffvlcuis gjgf lc atf wfvlmji kbgiv, qfgtjqr fnfc j wfvlmji wjgnfi. Po kf mbeiv raevs la, la wluta ifjv ab ugbecvygfjxlcu jvnjcmfr lc atf olfivr bo mbcufclaji vfobgwlalfr jcv rswylbrlr.
“Teacher Chu, I’ve heard your lifelong wish was to become a doctor. I assume you’d be willing to contribute to the medical community?”
Chu Xuelin glanced at the cameras surrounding her and the livestream screen in front of her, its barrage of comments streaming by. The director’s eager, intense gaze bore into her. She pressed her lips together, shaking her head vehemently.
She wanted to plead, to beg for mercy for both herself and Xuemu. But she kept her mouth shut, unwilling to risk exposing her sister.
Ignoring her protest, the director announced, “Let’s have our experts take a closer look.”
Wang Badan gripped her chin and used a medical retractor to force her mouth open. A camera focused intently on its interior.
The sky seemed vast, the largest ever seen, its edges glowing a fiery red. Four eyes and the camera lens appeared in the expanse. The cave was no longer just a dark retreat; it had become a theater stage, where she was the monstrous, thrilling spectacle on display.
They whooped in shock.
They were astonished; they were excited.
Their innermost thoughts painted a clear picture on a separate sky.
[There really is a head inside her mouth!]
[My God, is that even a face? The skin didn’t even grow in! It’s more like a bloody membrane!]
[This is a medical wonder. In some superstitious regions, she’d be burned as a cursed monster, wouldn’t she?]
[Is it moving? Can she talk? Is the body complete?]
[So exciting, what if…]
The thoughts behind these words were all too clear.
In fact, the expressions of some viewers could be seen on the right side of the screen. Their necks strained, eyes filled with a terrifying excitement that even the screen couldn’t hide.
The cave trembled violently as the rain poured down. The younger Xuemu opened her mouth wide, wailing mournfully, movements chaotic. One moment she tried to curl up and shield herself from the blinding lights and invasive gazes. The next, she struggled, reaching out to her sister.
She could feel the elder Xuemu’s desperate struggles. Her trembling, her tears. They were connected, sharing every emotion.
But a clamp easily held Xuemu in place. Regardless of how she struggled or how the thin layer of her skin tore, it was futile.
On the livestream, under countless watchful eyes, her mouth was forced open, revealing the deepest and most grotesque secret.
In the sea of eyes on the livestream, she was turned and examined, prodded, and every weak, sticky deformity was laid bare.
No legs?
Facial deformities.
Such thin skin; it breaks upon touch.
So small. Does she have organs?
What does she eat? Does she have a complete digestive system?
Her hair is longer than her body, so slimy. Is it saliva?
The elder Xuemu had once hoped that one day someone would see the younger Xuemu, and they wouldn’t be alone anymore. It was the one beautiful illusion she held about people.
The night they were exposed, they descended into hell.
And this was only the beginning.
After the livestream ended, she was confined to morgue room number four.
The room labeled “Four” in the morgue stored a box meant for cadavers. A hole had been drilled into it, releasing the formaldehyde solution within. She had been bound at her hands and feet, her mouth sealed shut, and was trapped inside.
The lingering formaldehyde stung her eyes and nose, corroding her skin. It seemed as though the scent of the cadaver still permeated the air inside.
Despite her desperate struggles, the coffin-like black box shifted for three hours throughout the night, but her efforts went unanswered.
Outside, the room was filled with dead bodies and specimens, silent in the pitch-black night.
She was engulfed in darkness.
Likewise, her sister, Xuemu, found herself in the same predicament. The sky had been sealed off, not allowing a sliver of daylight to penetrate. In her battered state, Xuemu was on the brink of death.
They had lost all hope for the future, assuming that they would be showcased as human products in a live broadcast the next day. Yet, they had underestimated the perverse inclinations of the group responsible. On the first night, visitors to the live broadcast had arrived at the morgue, surrounding and scrutinizing them.
Hands clenched around the older sister’s throat, fingers probing into her mouth. She was covered in hands, surrounded by eyes.
These spectators were all experts in the medical field. They were used to seeing patients with varied ailments and had long been desensitized.
They had long forgotten their initial reverence and curiosity for the human body. Maybe it still existed, but it had morphed into a morbid fascination with abnormal physiques.
Ordinary wasn’t enough. Only the most grotesque and rare conditions could excite them, reigniting their passion.
As they eagerly reached out to Xuemu, they weren’t solely interested in the abnormalities. As their blood surged with excitement, the darkest desires hidden deep within them began to emerge like frenzied beasts, yet they were uniquely human in their terror.
She struggled violently, her cries hoarse.
Surely, there must be some tiny creatures in this world who detest light, who shun contact with other beings, preferring instead to curl up in the dark corners of a cave for solace and sleep.
The younger Xuemu was exactly one of these creatures.
Yet, she wasn’t wholly averse to interaction; she had her sister.
Xia Bai still struggled to fully comprehend what the elder Xuemu signified to her younger sister. She was more than just a twin; she was a surrogate mother, and the being in the sky that she always looked up to.
For her, she endeavored to escape the cave, injuring her body in the process. It appeared she felt no pain, simply exerting herself to break free, severing her bond to the cave. She emitted a scream as she emerged, her slimy hands obscuring the terrifying eyes that were approaching her elder sister.
Soon, she was engulfed in blood.
Blood also splattered on those people.
She turned her head stiffly to look.
The blood had likely welled up from the elder Xuemu’s throat, which she had torn herself out of.
Under the glaring light, her scream echoed throughout the morgue.
Some argue that those born deformed are cursed. What words, then, will come pouring out of a cursed one’s mouth when they are in the depths of despair?
These individuals remained oblivious. Excitedly, they embraced the tiny deformed girl, yearning to gather her into their palms to poke and prod at, proclaiming her to be a treasured discovery.
“She thrills me more than any deformed fetus I’ve ever acquired! I wish to add her to my collection!”
“She won’t perish like this, will she? Deprived of nutrition and still underdeveloped?”
“Why not place her in a womb for further development?”
“How are we supposed to find a woman on such short notice?”
“Isn’t there a female in one of these morgue chambers? Ha, I can’t believe you lot haven’t considered that with your twisted inclinations.”
“Ah, marvelous. What will the outcome be?”
After the cave ruptured, Xia Bai too fell from it.
He could no longer remain with them, but he was aware of the subsequent events.
The younger Xuemu was stitched into the abdomen of a female corpse across from room number four.
What transpired next remains uncertain, for those men ceased their actions. Perhaps their perverse desires diverted them, leaving her behind. The younger sister lingered in the deceased woman’s womb.
Yet, she wouldn’t develop there. In that frigid, silent place, she too perished like her sister, transforming into a restless spirit without a haven.
Or perhaps she didn’t die. Perhaps she had always been an undying creature.
If a curse requires eye contact, she should’ve moved from the woman’s stomach to her mouth, but she never surfaced.
She remained sealed inside, not by another’s hand, but by the blood that drenched her.
She was too afraid.
She didn’t dare to emerge again.
It was only when they mistook the corpse of a woman for Chu Xuelin and, in their search for her deformation, created another exit, that she went in search of her sister, finally returning home.
After tumbling from the cave, Xia Bai saw a light beam descending, illuminating the dark, decaying morgue room number four, creating a gateway of light.
From Chu Xuelin’s agape mouth came a piercing scream. All the corpses and specimens began to stir, yet they seemed oblivious to the players, gravitating towards the shadowy campus.
The rotting flesh in Hua Haoming’s mouth disintegrated. He paused momentarily, leaning against the wall before violently vomiting.
Once the corpses retreated, Meng Tianyou was revealed, lying in a pool of blood, his vital signs unknown.
Wen Qiu and Wen Dong lay in a corner. Wen Qiu was completely covered in sticky red, devoid of hair and facial skin, and also of life.
Wen Dong, donning his sister’s hair and face, had assumed her appearance, lying eternally asphyxiated beside her.
Lin Xiang gasped for air, struggling to rise. On sighting the gateway of light, his eyes brimmed with tears, “Xia Bai… Xia Bai, have we cleared the game? You managed to uncover the truth, didn’t you?”
Xia Bai nodded, glancing at the exhausted Hua Haoming who confirmed, “It’s that gateway, the way out.”
He gazed at Meng Tianyou, wiped his face, and lifted him, “Let’s hurry, there might still be time to save him.”
Hua Haoming was the first to enter the light gateway, followed by Lin Xiang, who called out to Xia Bai and, enduring the pain, staggered in.
As Xia Bai was about to step through, he felt a tug.
The one gripping him was Chu Xuelin, her body adorned with countless eyes. She reached into her mouth and extracted a tiny weeping figure, placing it in Xia Bai’s hand. Before he could react, she shoved him into the gateway of light. All he could discern in the bright halo was her tear-streaked, beautiful face.
Rain was pouring from the sky again.
She turned, heading towards her destined path: the office building.
The halo intensified, gradually veiling her figure, akin to the conclusion of a dream.
[Congratulations to player Xia Bai for completing the game.]
After the white light dimmed, Xia Bai heard the game system’s voice anew.
[Game calculations underway, please await.]
This wait felt interminably long, and Xia Bai experienced a strange unease.
[The player’s soul trait is exceptional, seemingly favored by the undead.]
The system’s voice lost its mechanical tone. It wasn’t scanning, but rather appeared to be observing.
Xia Bai reached out to shield the tiny figure in his right hand.
[Upon evaluation, player Xia Bai has established a profound connection with the undead, activating the soul skill of the Heping Medical College scenario. The soul skill pertains to the undead.]
Xia Bai’s eyes shifted guiltily downward.
[Congratulations player for acquiring the Corpse Collector identity. Your ability is “Living Dead.” The detailed ability description is in the game app’s skill book. Please peruse carefully and excel as a corpse master.]
[For additional game rewards, refer to the player’s personal page in the game app.]
[Welcome, Corpse Collector Xia Bai.]
The author has something to say:
The first journey is over.
Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, my dears. I ate some sweet chocolate mooncakes. How about you all?
That was sad story, unusual and sad. Hope the next chapters will follow a similar rhythm
Thank ✨
Congratulations for completing the story/instance. I hope for little Xuemu to find a little solace and happiness in the care of newly promoted corpse collector
I feel so bad for Chu Xuelin, may those disgusting “doctors” never rest in peace and forever rot in hell. I hope Chu Xuelin finally finds solace 😭
Aw damn, that was creepy on so many levels! Not me thinking all these infinite flow novels had finally desensitized me…
Anyway, I really want to know what being a Living Corpse entails exactly!
Thanks for the chapter!!! ❤️❤️❤️
I feel that, after reading so much I thought not much could shake me now… boy was I wrong. I keep tearing up from that ending
get your tissues ready for the future arcs…
CX giving her sister to XB before he went back! 😭 Even then, she did her best for her sister. Thanks for the update.
Yay! First official ability! I wonder where he’s going to keep his new companion?
Thank you for the chapter!💜💜
Thank you for the chapter! ❤
Somehow it’s the horror stories that have the most heartbreaking storylines 😢 Thank you for your hard work!
EKKKK!!! Corpse collector Xia Bai is finally here!!!! Hua Haoming ah! Lin Xiang ah! be prepared to worship Xiao Bai and his undead army!!!!!
Also R.I.P Chu Xuelin at least the younger Chu Xuemu is now with Xiao Bai who has necrophilia, she’ll be well protected!
Congratulations to Xia Bai!
Xuelin’s story is heartbreaking. I wonder what will happen to tiny Xuemu later.
Thank you for the new chapter!
I’m so sad they didn’t get the other player’s corpses out. It would be great for Xia Bai’s family tree
Sad. But like I’m also really pissed at those so called doctors
I guess author’s going with she became a spirit = she has power now, which is kinda disappointing without some explanation or excuse of why the power/curse exist. Even an explanation as simple as “the college ground has abundance of yin power” would be enough tbh.
Overall, 6/10 for this arc. But because the theme is quite novel, I’ll give it an extra point and it’ll be 7/10 final.
Goosebumps, I haven’t ever felt so scared before by a horror novel