Chapter 1311: Chapter 1311

"I can offer a hint. You didn't search the broom closet. If you had, you would have found something."

The Corpse Gentleman spoke as everyone else stared blankly out the window.

"Search the broom closet."

Hathaway commanded at once. The writer's small wooden figurine paused, surveyed its surroundings, and then carefully extracted a small book from a rotted section of the wooden wall.

"After burning the remains, the adventurers found a note written by the deceased before their death. In the note, they learned that thirteen years ago, the hospital's curse had spiraled completely out of control. When the church sealed off the hospital, the curse attached itself to the last five living people, twisting their souls into malevolent spirits.

"If new living people were to appear, the curse would latch onto them, influencing them as they carried it out of the hospital. However, if the curse was burned along with the remains, the spirits would be instantly freed to leave the hospital..."

"You just lied! You distinctly said that nothing happening here was real!"

Mr. Hood accused him sternly, shooting up from his chair.

"I did not lie. I merely said it was not real for the five adventurers. I never said the same for the hospital and the city."

"Is there a way to fix this?"

Mr. Hood pressed, his brow furrowed. Of the five people present, only he and Jenkins had their faces uncovered.

"Perhaps the hospital holds a solution, but that is for the adventurers to discover."

The scene outside the window looked nothing like an illusion. The oppressive atmosphere of the dark clouds hanging over the city was palpable even indoors. All five of them stood and faced the Corpse Gentleman, but he seemed to feel no pressure at all. In the middle of the standoff, Jenkins suddenly spoke.

It was a statement, not a question, and his companions were visibly startled.

"Corpse Gentleman, you're truly strange. I initially assumed you were simply a component of the event, but now it seems your nature is much like ours—you've willingly joined this game. The difference is that we are the adventurers, and you are the one we're up against."

This was the conclusion Jenkins had drawn from his observations. From the moment the story began, the Corpse Gentleman's aura had been that of a normal Enchanter. It leaned slightly toward the aberrant, but it was certainly not the aura of a creature spawned from a B-class event.

"Sir, I would say you are the strange one. As the host of this story, I have clearance to know some of your basic information. Yet to me, you are like an unreal phantom, something I cannot see clearly."

The Corpse Gentleman spoke, the deathly mottling on his face seeming to shift as he talked.

"There's a lot you can't see clearly. For instance, you never should have come here today, and you never should have threatened Nolan."

Mr. Hood's tone was remarkably severe, even knowing he was addressing a demigod.

"I have my objectives, and you have yours. Instead of wasting time accusing me, you should continue with our story. Perhaps you'll find a solution before the curse spreads throughout the entire city. And don't forget, the hospital's curse has a source—one that even the church failed to discover thirteen years ago."

The Corpse Gentleman's threat infuriated them all, but the reality was that they were facing a demigod, and none of them were his equal. With Nolan hanging in the balance, they had no choice but to sit back down and continue the game. Jenkins stared at Briny's character card, wondering how he could contribute something positive without putting the golden-haired girl's character in harm's way.

"Thanks to the writer's discovery, the adventurers managed to burn the remains before falling victim to the curse. They found the note left by the spirits in their past lives and learned that this abandoned suburban hospital held five distinct, contained curses. Now they had to make a decision: continue their exploration or flee this dangerous place immediately."

"We can't leave. We have no idea what the situation is at the real abandoned hospital. If we quit the game, we might lose any chance of resolving the curse for good."

Mr. Hood was the first to speak. The others, knowing their actions had released the curse, also agreed to continue. Only Hathaway's agreement was reluctant, and Jenkins knew what she was afraid of.

"You are currently on the third floor of the main hospital building. Where will you go next?"

the Corpse Gentleman asked again.

"Let's continue upwards. We have to explore every corner eventually."

Magic Miss suggested.

"I think we should go straight to the administrative building out back. Maybe the old director's office will have some clues."

That was Mr. White Cat's opinion.

After some discussion, they decided to finish exploring the five-story building first. Mr. White Cat had no choice but to go along with the group's decision.

So far, of the five adventurers controlled by the players, the writer's character was clearly the most useful. The ordinary sailor and the Enchanter viscountess had yet to prove their worth, but that was merely due to the circumstances.

Meanwhile, the young women controlled by Mr. Hood and Jenkins had been of no help whatsoever, which was making both players a little anxious.

But the two young women's usefulness was soon demonstrated. On the fourth floor, inside a room barricaded with a hospital bed, the group discovered a spilled bottle of perfume. According to the sailor's investigation, it had been spilled no more than three hours ago.

"The merchant's daughter uses her ability: [Scent Appraisal]."

The merchant's daughter, controlled by Mr. Hood, came from a family that dealt in spices and perfumes.

"The merchant's daughter sniffs the air and identifies a special fragrance. It's a custom-made perfume. Even in the relatively expensive perfume industry, this would be considered a true luxury item."

the Corpse Gentleman said.

"The noble girl uses [Luxury Appraisal]."

Jenkins chimed in. Since Briny's skill in this area was quite high, her character naturally succeeded in the roll.

"With the group's encouragement, the noble girl examined the shattered perfume bottle and found a unique serial number. The number indicated that the perfume was a limited-edition, high-end product from a famous East Coast brand, manufactured in the city of Dullin in the year 1866 of the Universal Calendar.

"The perfume has a very faint scent, but one that doesn't dissipate easily. In a sealed environment with still air, its source could be identified even after three hours."

the Corpse Gentleman narrated. Though his tone remained monotonous, Jenkins sensed a hint of pleasure within it.

"What was he so pleased about? What did the Corpse Gentleman truly hope to achieve by taking part in this game? Was it merely to unleash the hospital's curse upon the city? No, it couldn't be that simple."

Jenkins's mind raced, his suspicions growing about the familiar yet alien figure of the Corpse Gentleman before him.