An hour later, I regained consciousness.

I got up from the bed, put on my shoes, and quietly walked to the door. I opened it slightly and observed the situation outside.

The corridor was quiet, with no patrolling guards.

I took the opportunity to slip out and walked along the wall.

Clang—

Just as I arrived in front of Ward 13, the door suddenly opened, and a middle-aged woman poked her head out. "I heard someone coming out. What's your number?"

I remembered the rule that said, "Do not trust your fellow patients; they will kill you."

Based on the methods this madhouse used to deceive patients, I speculated that the fellow patients were safer than the doctors.

"I'm Number 14."

"How dare you go out? If caught by the nurses, it will be recorded as a rule violation."

"Have you been caught before?"

"Hmm, one night I tried to escape, but I was caught and brought back."

It seemed that this woman could provide more information.

I spoke in a low voice and chatted with her, "The nurse said that if you violate the rules three times, you will undergo a second surgery and receive punishment."

The woman nodded, "That's right. Patient Number 12 repeatedly broke the rules, was anesthetized, taken away, and never returned."

"Where did they operate on you?"

I noticed that the woman had thick hair tied in a neat ponytail, so she hadn't undergone any head surgery.

The woman lifted a corner of her clothes, revealing a twisted scar on her stomach that looked like a centipede.

"On the day I arrived, the doctor arranged a kidney surgery for me."

Then she lowered her clothes and told me mysteriously, "The East Ward is a legitimate mental hospital. The patients living there receive care, money is spent on them, and they are looked after. This nurse, responsible for me, told me so herself."

"All of us who enter the West Ward are patients abandoned by our families. Even if we die, there is no one to claim our bodies. My alcoholic gambling husband would be delighted if I died in the madhouse."

As she said this, I saw a touch of sadness on the woman's face.

I comforted her, "We can't let the evildoers succeed. We must escape from this haunted place and make our enemies pay a painful price."

The woman's melancholic mood vanished in an instant, and she looked at me in astonishment, asking, "Escape? You can never escape. The madhouse is our home."

I was taken aback, "Why can't we escape? Aren't you afraid of considering the madhouse as your own home?"

I carefully observed the woman's expression. Her waxen face suddenly overflowed with an expression of pride.

"Afraid? As long as you follow the rules, you won't be punished. It will protect us, the unfortunate ones."

I listened with confusion deepening, "Who is it?"

The woman leaned close to me, with an expression as if afraid of being overheard, "It is not human. It is an all-powerful entity. Even the director of the madhouse must obey its command."

The more I listened, the more bewildered I became.

This woman was probably a delusional patient, imagining a deity? Or perhaps a monster?

I didn't dwell on this matter and changed the topic, "Do you know where the doctor's office is?"

The woman pointed to the elevator, "I asked the nurse. Floors 1 to 4 are wards, and the 5th floor is the medical staff's dormitory and offices."

I expressed my gratitude repeatedly.

This was the most valuable information I had gathered.

I hurriedly walked over, pressed the elevator button, and waved goodbye to the woman.