Clear-Sight Sanatorium

Clear-Sight Sanatorium

From the moment he left the room, that feeling of being watched disappeared.

Mu Sichen was not sure whether it was because Big Eye had closed its eye, because he had left the room, or both.

What he could be sure of was that after escaping the feeling of being watched every minute of every second, Mu Sichen's mood improved greatly. Even walking through the luminous mist with visibility so low, he did not feel especially afraid.

Mu Sichen did not know whether walking in this direction would let him keep up with "+543." In fact, following closely behind would have been the best method. But at the time, first, he could not just watch the three players sink into despair; second, he had already drawn "+543's" attention. Mu Sichen did not want to follow too closely or make "+543" pay too much attention to him.

He and "+543" were complete strangers. He had only inferred from the other man's SAN that he was not a Big-Eye's follower and perhaps had the same goal. But that did not mean Mu Sichen would trust "+543," nor would he pin his hopes on a stranger.

He only wanted to follow "+543" and find clues. As for what came after that, he would take it one step at a time.

For that reason, Mu Sichen was not especially determined to catch up with "+543." He was simply searching in the same direction.

But he was a Fallen, and he did not sincerely believe in Big Eye. Running into danger was inevitable.

Mu Sichen walked very slowly and with great caution. He kept his attention on movement in every direction, guarding against some monster suddenly attacking out of the fog.

After walking for roughly half an hour, a building appeared indistinctly in the mist ahead.

Mu Sichen's thoughts stirred. He took the flashlight out of his inventory and held it in his hand.

The pickaxe was too clumsy. If he had to respond to a sudden attack, the flashlight would be more convenient.

Walking toward the building, Mu Sichen soon saw a gate. To the left of it hung a sign that read "Clear-Sight Psychiatric Sanatorium."

The gate stood open. There was a guard booth in front of it, and inside sat a Follower with a SAN of -63.

In appearance, Followers looked no different from humans. They only had the traits of being hard to kill, growing eyeballs in their wounds, and possessing strong self-healing ability.

This Follower was wearing a security guard's uniform. When he saw Mu Sichen, he handed over a book and said, "Volunteers coming to the sanatorium for the first time must register their information."

Mu Sichen took the book and carefully looked over the previous registration entries. To his surprise, the contents recorded in the book were utterly normal.

The writing, names, contact information, registration times, and number of visits were no different from reality. If not for the three glaring stats above the Follower security guard's head reminding Mu Sichen otherwise, he almost would have thought he had returned to the real world.

Mu Sichen made up the name "Sha Big-Eyes*" and registered it, then copied the earlier registrants and made up a phone number. Looking outwardly composed but inwardly terrified, he handed the registration book back.

*T/N: 'Sha' is a homophone for the word for idiot ;)

He paid extra attention to the dozen or so names before his own, and in particular remembered the name of a first-time visitor called Yao Wangping.

Based on the registrants' personal profiles, this was the name he had screened out as most likely to belong to "+543."

"Sha Big-Eyes. What a lovely name." The Follower enviously stroked the name on the registration book. "Is it a name you changed to after coming to believe in the Great Being?"

Mu Sichen nodded.

"This is your name badge." The Follower took out a name badge and handed it to Mu Sichen. "Wear the badge. As long as you remain under the Great Existence's protection and obey the rules, you will be safe."

Mu Sichen looked at the name badge. The name "Sha Big-Eyes" was written on it, and around the name was a pattern that strongly resembled an eye. The name sat exactly where the pupil would be, making it look as if it were located inside someone's eye.

Wearing this name badge felt as if it would bring about something bad. But if he did not wear it, he could not enter the sanatorium.

Even if he refused to enter the sanatorium, he would not necessarily be safe in the fog, and there was no guarantee he would be able to enter the next place.

For now, all he could do was be glad that the name he had written was not his real name.

When he made up this name, his head had been full of "big dumb eye." It could be said he had not held the slightest respect for that Great Being.

Mu Sichen took a deep breath and pinned the name badge to the left side of his chest.

Nothing happened for the moment. Mu Sichen walked into the sanatorium.

Mu Sichen entered the central building. The lights inside were on, but because of the fog, the place still gave off a very dim feeling.

People occasionally passed through the lobby on the first floor. Mu Sichen discovered that he could no longer see their SAN.

From the moment he entered the sanatorium, Mu Sichen's own status bar also entered a hidden state. Without opening the System panel, he could not see his numbers.

He could only identify people by faces and name badges.

It was as if he had entered a space even stricter than the town.

Mu Sichen tried to go back, only to find that the entrance gate had already disappeared. Ahead were corridors and stairs; behind him were also corridors and stairs.

A sheet of paper was posted on the wall. On it was written Clear-Sight Psychiatric Sanatorium Management Regulations.

Mu Sichen silently read the contents: "First, within this sanatorium, all persons must wear name badges to distinguish patients, family members, volunteers, and medical staff. Lose your name badge, and you bear the consequences;

"Second, different personnel shall each perform their own duties. Medical staff are responsible for treating patients, volunteers are responsible for assisting medical staff, family members are responsible for soothing patients' emotions, and patients shall accept treatment. Everyone must strictly observe professional ethics;

"Third, orders from the hospital broadcast are absolute. Upon hearing them, they must be carried out immediately;

"Fourth, medical staff and volunteers must obtain enough contribution points before they can leave the sanatorium. Family members must find replacement family members before they can leave. Patients may not leave before they are cured.

"Fifth, these Management Regulations are the general rules of Clear-Sight Psychiatric Sanatorium. Other regulations may add supplementary clauses."

Next to the Management Rules was another sheet of paper, and it already had one supplementary clause: Supplement One, medical staff may enter any room in the sanatorium.

The supplementary clause was handwritten. The handwriting was neat and clear; though it was plainly written by hand, it looked almost like printed text.

Mu Sichen carefully studied the details, always feeling that many traps were hidden inside them.

Judging from this, within the sanatorium, the ones with the greatest authority should be the medical staff. They controlled the treatment of patients. As long as the medical staff decided on a treatment plan, volunteers and family members had to carry it out, and patients could only accept it.

He lowered his head and glanced at his own name badge. When he had first received it, it had read "Volunteer: Sha Big-Eyes." Now, however, it had become "Patient's Family Member: Sha Big-Eyes."

Mu Sichen frowned.

Why had his identity changed after he entered the sanatorium? Could these four identities be exchanged with one another? What were the rules for exchanging them? Outside the Management Regulations, were there other hidden rules?

Also, this place seemed completely out of step with the atmosphere of the entire Town of the Eye.

Whether inside the room or on the plaza, Mu Sichen could clearly sense that the Town of the Eye was a town headed by Big Eye, one with an extremely rigid hierarchy.

In the Town of the Eye, Big Eye was the absolute ruler. The others could not even look at It, let alone resist It. Its will was absolute.

With Mu Sichen's limited understanding of Big Eye, he knew this thing was an existence beyond humanity and was advancing toward a higher realm. It did not care about humans. It could absorb the souls of four players, and it seemed to grow stronger by absorbing souls. Yet It kept many town residents, letting them live numb lives and worship It, without absorbing their souls.

Next came the Apostles. Apostles possessed extraordinary power, but they were not impossible to look at directly, and there should be a way to kill them. Apostles spread Big Eye's deeds, made the town residents believe in Big Eye, and at the same time eliminated the Fallen. The souls of Fallen eliminated by Apostles would be absorbed by Big Eye.

Then came the Followers. Followers were subordinates of the Apostles, responsible for maintaining town order, carrying out the Apostles' commands, and assisting in the management of the town residents.

From the current structure of the Town of the Eye, Mu Sichen sensed a trace of dissonance.

That was: if Big Eye needed to absorb human souls to grow stronger, why did It keep so many living town residents whose minds were still relatively intact?

Couldn't It have them eliminated by the Feather-Eyed Apostle like those players, then absorb their souls?

It was as if Big Eye needed both town residents who submitted to It and Fallen who defied It; neither could be lacking.

And yet, inside the Town of the Eye, which was absolutely ruled by Big Eye, there was actually a place like Clear-Sight Sanatorium, so incompatible with the Town of the Eye. Town residents who believed in Big Eye even came here of their own accord to volunteer. It was far too dissonant.

The difference between the sanatorium and the Town of the Eye kindled hope in Mu Sichen. He felt he had not found the wrong place. This place might truly be related to the Pillar.

Of course, none of that was what Mu Sichen needed to consider right now.

What he needed to do now was obtain enough contribution points and leave the sanatorium.

The Feather-Eyed Apostle had once said that they had to return to the plaza before 19:55, then go back to their rooms together. If he was later than that, he would be unable to return to the room and would face Daylight without any protection, exposed under Big Eye's gaze.

Under the protection of the Self Sticker, Mu Sichen had glanced at Big Eye during the final second before Night arrived and had nearly died. If he were exposed to Big Eye's gaze with no protection at all, he would die without question.

An hour and a half had already passed. There were only 10 hours and 25 minutes left until 19:55.

He had to search for the Pillar while obtaining contribution points, and return safely to the plaza before 19:55.

From the Management Regulations, it could be seen that a patient's family member's task was to take care of the patient's emotions, or find another family member to take over.

What he needed to do at present was find the patient he was responsible for.

Mu Sichen carefully examined the name badge and saw a tiny line of text on it: "Room 704."

Mu Sichen did not take the tightly enclosed elevator. Instead, he quickly ran up the stairs to the seventh floor and arrived at Room 704.

He stood outside the door for a while. Only after his breathing evened out did he push open the door.

As soon as he entered, a foul, fishy stench hit him. A person whose eyes bulged like those of a dead fish, whose exposed skin on the face, neck, and hands was covered in bubbles like fish eyes, was sitting on the bed eating a bloody, mangled mass.

Expressionless, Mu Sichen said, "Sorry to disturb you. Wrong room."

After saying that, he decisively closed the door and left this room that made people lose SAN at an extreme rate.

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Author's Note:

Qin Zhou: As long as you call my name and love me with all your heart, I can protect you. My tentacles are very long, you know.

Mu Sichen: Qin Zhou Qin Zhou Qin Zhou Qin Zhou Qin Zhou.

Qin Zhou (aggrievedly biting a tentacle): No love!