Die, Replay, Repeat

Chapter 7: The Surprise Mental Hospital

Before Fang Xiu knew it, lunchtime rolled around. He picked a noodle shop at random and gobbled down a bowl of ramen before hitting the road again. He planned to watch more Specters, hoping to learn more about them.

As the afternoon progressed and the day turned into evening, the fading sun cast a melancholic light over the town of Green Vine. It made it seem like the whole city was under the shadow of a dark cloud. The Specters lurking around town looked even scarier and harder to see.

After a while, Fang Xiu arrived at Willow Hill, a fancy neighborhood boasting big, expensive houses. Despite its distance from the city center and the streets around it were empty, it was clear the houses were expensive. These lavish homes were sought after because the neighborhood offered peace and privacy. It was great for people who wanted a private hideaway or a place for special get-togethers.

Those who could buy houses here typically had drivers, so the distance wasn't a problem. Instead, they liked how quiet the place was.

Fang Xiu rode the bike along the calm, tree-lined street. Beautiful trees, bushes, and flowers adorned both sides of the road, showcasing the significant investment made by the developers. This road was the main way to get to the neighborhood, leading straight to Willow Hill.

Perhaps because it was so private and didn't have many people, there weren't many Specters around, just a few scattered here and there.

As Fang Xiu continued down the main road, he suddenly stopped to look at the building in front of him. His calm eyes showed that he was thinking hard.

Willow Hill was gone!

The beautiful, neat houses were gone.

In its place now stood a mental hospital.

The mental hospital loomed large, a sprawling complex with several buildings connected by bridges in the sky. Its walls were falling apart, and the paint was peeling off in lots of places, making it look eerie and desolate. The sign at the entrance was crooked and covered in a thick layer of dust, but Fang Xiu could still read its name.

Green Mountain Mental Hospital.

Fang Xiu maintained a straight face as he looked at the mental hospital before him. He was certain he hadn't taken a wrong turn. This was supposed to be Willow Hill, not some Green Mountain Mental Hospital.

_'Did a Specter do this? Unlike the living Specters I've seen before, this time it's a mental hospital? Or did a Specter make the mental hospital too?' _

Fang Xiu's curiosity surged. This was the first time he'd seen something like this on his journey, and he had a feeling there might be some Specter secrets concealed in the place.'

Right away, Fang Xiu left his bike and turned on his phone.

He had deliberately turned it off earlier because his boss, Wu Dahai, wouldn't stop calling him, which had been nothing short of annoying. When he checked his phone, he saw 13 missed calls from Wu Dahai and three from Zhao Hao.

Zhao Hao was a co-worker of Fang Xiu's, and they were good friends. After brief contemplation, Fang Xiu decided to call Zhao Hao back.

After about thirty seconds, Zhao Hao's breathless and quiet voice came through the phone. "Fang Xiu, why didn't you call me back sooner? What's going on with you? Wu Dahai is really mad now. He said he's going to fire you. You won't get severance, either."

A torrent of worried words poured out from the other end of the line, but Fang Xiu remained silent.

"Is everything okay?" Zhao Hao asked.

Willow Hill had definitely turned into a mental hospital, but it seemed like his work friends weren't affected by it.

_'Is it an illusion? Or, like the Specters, is this mental hospital a creepy building that only I can see?'_ Fang Xiu wondered.

"Fang Xiu, why aren't you talking? Is something wrong over there?"

"I'm okay," Fang Xiu said calmly. "Are you guys still at work?"

"Yeah, we are. You didn't come in today, and Wu Dahai's been really angry at us. We have to stay late again. Also, Fang Xiu, you"

"Let's talk later," Fang Xiu said, cutting Zhang Hao off. He ended the call and turned off his phone again. He was planning to look into the Green Mountain Mental Hospital, and he didn't want to fall victim to those movie clichs where a phone rang at the worst possible moments and caused problems.

Fang Xiu walked steadily toward the Green Mountain Mental Hospital entrance. The dark, run-down entrance, along with the low light, looked like the gaping maw of a giant, ready to swallow anyone who dared to come in.

However, Fang Xiu was far from being scared. In fact, it seemed like he had lost the ability to feel fear. Every time he encountered a Specter, the first feelings he had were always a mixture of anger, hatred, and even excitement.

Fear never seemed to be part of the equation.

***

As Fang Xiu explored the area, the only sound that could be heard was the tapping of his footsteps. But then

THUMP!

Fang Xiu ran hard into something invisible, his face stinging with pain.

"An air wall?" He was right at the entrance, trying to move forward, but it was like an invisible wall was in his way. He reached out to touch it, feeling the cold and rough texture against his fingertips.

"This isn't an air wall. It's a real wall that I can't see. Does this mean I can't go into this mental hospital?"

Determined, Fang Xiu felt around the invisible wall, trying to find a way in.

"Fang Xiu, what are you doing? Is this some kind of performance art?" a slightly teasing voice called out from the side.

Fang Xiu was a little shocked, but his face remained unchanged. After experiencing multiple deaths at the hands of his 'wife,' he'd learned how to not react, like a mountain. In a world like this, teeming with Specters and a creepy mental hospital, reacting to sudden calls could lead to one getting eaten.

But he didn't stop moving; he kept feeling the invisible wall, moving toward the voice. When he was close enough, he looked to the side and saw someone standing on his left. A young guy wearing a security guard outfit, with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, was looking at him and smiling.

Fang Xiu recognized him instantly; it was the security guard from Willow Hill.

Unlike other neighborhoods, the security guards at Willow Hill were notably young and robust. After all, the neighborhood catered to the wealthy elite, so it was only fitting to have capable and youthful guards. Perhaps, once most of the houses were sold, they would replace the young guards with older ones.

_'Is this an illusion? Or is it a Specter pretending to be a person?' _

Lost in his contemplation, the guard walked over and patted him on the shoulder.

"Fang Xiu, why are you ignoring me? I saw you hitting the wall and then feeling it up. What's up with that? Is the wall that attractive?"

Feeling the warmth of the hand on his shoulder, Fang Xiu realized something.

_'Did he touch me? Is he not a Specter?' _

After a moment, Fang Xiu turned around. "Zhao, have you been here this whole time?"

The security guard, Zhao, looked surprised and even waved his hand in front of Fang Xiu's face. "Fang Xiu, do you need glasses? I've been standing guard at the guardhouse the whole time, straight as a rod. Didn't you see me?" Zhao asked.

_'A guardhouse? There isn't a guardhouse at the Green Mountain Mental Hospital.' _Fang Xiu thought surely. He couldn't help but look where Zhao had come from and froze.

Where there was nothing before, there was a guardhouse now.

He'd seen this guardhouse every day when he went to work and even been inside it. It had a small air conditioner, which was really nice in the summer.

_'How is this possible?!'_"