Chapter 20
Jiang Li emerged from the coffin shop, carrying Red Infant.
On the back of her fair hand, a black mark flickered twice before quickly fading away.
It was left behind after binding the Paper House.
Jiang Li looked up at the sky.
The indigo sky outside had already brightened considerably.
It was approaching seven o’clock.
Jiang Li took out the mutton-flavored Sachet and hung it at her waist.
According to folk sayings, “dogs” have an extremely keen sense of smell, but they especially avoid the scent of mutton.
They believe it is the smell of their own kind being slaughtered, so they steer clear of it.
The Black Dog inside the coffin shop showed no reaction at all when the Coffin Shop Owner took out the mutton-flavored Sachet.
So, that Black Dog was very likely not a “dog” at all.
And the thing that tried to stop Jiang Li from leaving the looping alley was the real “dog” that feared the scent of mutton.
Thinking of this, Jiang Li’s eyes darkened slightly.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that the Strange Old Man on the street was closely connected to the “Family Death Anniversary” of the three-person family.
If she wanted to uncover the truth, she would still need to find an opportunity to confront that strange man directly.
Jiang Li fastened the Sachet and walked toward the alley.
The mutton scent from the Sachet would continue to disperse for thirty minutes, enough for Jiang Li to make a round trip through the alley.
After thirty minutes, if she wanted to use it again, she would need to drip in a drop of Sheep Blood to reactivate the scent.
The Coffin Shop Owner had included a bag of Sheep Blood as a bonus. Jiang Li poured out a drop, sealed it with plastic wrap, and tied it together with the Sachet.
If anything unexpected happened, Jiang Li would only need to crush the plastic wrap to squeeze out the Sheep Blood and activate the Sachet’s scent.
This time, Jiang Li walked with the Sachet for about ten minutes and didn’t see the cross-dressing Strange Old Man guarding the road.
She smoothly exited the bungalow area, passed the first intersection, and arrived at the entrance of Red Cross Hospital.
The security guard at the hospital entrance was sitting in the guard booth, dozing off with his head propped up.
He seemed to be asleep, his head suddenly drooping.
But his neck appeared to have no support at all.
The security guard’s head simply rolled straight onto the desk.
“Knock, knock-”
Jiang Li tapped twice on the glass window.
Hearing the sound, the head on the desk rolled its eyes.
The security guard realized someone was there.
He quickly picked up his head and put it back in place.
“Ahem,” the security guard cleared his throat and stood up. “Miss, is there something you need?”
He opened the window and looked at Jiang Li.
Jiang Li asked, “Sorry to bother you, but where is the list of newly hired hospital staff posted?”
Reinstated employees usually report together with new hires.
The security guard pointed to the yard behind him. “It’s on the Bulletin Board in the backyard.”
Jiang Li smiled faintly and nodded to him. “Thank you.”
After speaking, Jiang Li walked toward the hospital’s backyard.
The security guard watched her leave, covered his mouth to yawn, and sat back down to continue his nap.
After entering the hospital, Jiang Li went straight to the Bulletin Board.
She found the list of new employees and checked it from top to bottom.
Unexpectedly, she found nothing.
Not only was “Liu Xiuqin” missing, but even the name “Zhang Hui” was nowhere to be seen.
During this time, several Middle School Students came out, clutching their arms as if they had just had blood drawn.
The students had been chatting and laughing, but when they saw Jiang Li, they immediately fell silent and moved away.
They must have been frightened by the blood-soaked Nurse Uniform Jiang Li was wearing.
Jiang Li glanced at them and then looked away.
She lowered her head to check her Pocket Watch. It was now 7:15. She said to Red Infant:
“It’s not this hospital. Let’s go to Hui City People’s Hospital.”
Hui City People’s Hospital was still some distance away.
Jiang Li didn’t have any time to spare. She turned and hurried off in that direction.
On the way, Jiang Li happened to run into the students of Hui City No. 3 Middle School on their way to class.
After finally squeezing through the crowd, Jiang Li arrived at Hui City People’s Hospital.
She was shocked by what she saw!
The entire Hui City People’s Hospital looked as if it had just experienced a catastrophe.
The illuminated sign reading “Hui City People’s Hospital” was crooked and partially destroyed, leaning as if about to fall.
Only the characters meaning “heart” and “people” remained, glowing red and flickering from time to time.
The hospital’s exterior walls looked as if they’d been scorched by fire-scarred, dilapidated, and blackened.
On every floor, there were drifting figures of doctors and nurses.
Each of them was surrounded by a black haze.
Their faces were blurred, their bodies blackened and desiccated, wandering throughout the hospital.
Jiang Li noticed a sign posted outside the hospital’s main entrance.
Danger: Unsafe Building – Do Not Enter.
“Mommy, what do we do? Should we still go in?” Red Infant asked.
Jiang Li hesitated.
It was now 7:40.
She needed to report to her workplace before 8:00.
But this scene made it clear-going in would be certain death!
“Mommy, but you’re a nurse. If you don’t go in and report, you’ll die, right?” Red Infant’s gloomy voice sounded.
At this moment, Jiang Li faced only two choices.
If she didn’t go in, she would be punished by the rules – which would kill her.
If she went in, she would be devoured by them – and die.
But she was a nurse at the hospital, and there were only two hospitals in Hui City…
A dead end.
How could the Strange Tale World create such a hopeless situation?
Jiang Li’s index finger began to tremble.
Where did things go wrong…
Jiang Li closed her eyes and began to recall every detail from the beginning.
From confirming her job as a nurse, to confirming there were only two hospitals in Hui City.
To now, when she’d gone from one hospital to another to report in.
Who first said she was a nurse?
It was her husband.
Her husband had given her a nurse uniform and said:
“Honey, this is a new nurse uniform I got you as a reemployment gift. Do you like it? Try it on.”
Then she had looked for Brother Wang and asked about the two hospitals in Hui City…
Wait-
Jiang Li’s eyes snapped open as a sudden realization sent goosebumps all over her skin.
She turned and ran back!
Wrong… it was wrong from the very start!
From beginning to end, no one ever said her job was nurse!
It was Jiang Li herself who subconsciously connected the “reemployment gift” and the “nurse uniform,” assuming her job was nurse.
She had been misled by her husband from the beginning!
In an instant, all the details clicked into place.
On her way here, the Coffin Shop Owner in the old neighborhood had reminded her, “Don’t keep the children waiting too long.”
And those Middle School Students she met at the previous hospital had been especially cautious when they saw Jiang Li…
So her real job should be-a teacher at Hui City No. 3 Middle School!
Jiang Li was chilled by the thought.
She had actually forgotten that she and her husband were always on opposing sides.
The rules Jiang Li received never mentioned her job title at all.
It was clear she had to deduce it herself.
And her antagonistic husband would never let her find the answer so easily…
Jiang Li quickly ran toward the school.
She had to report before eight o’clock!
Through the school entrance, she found the sign and went to the Academic Affairs Office.
Dong-dong-dong-dong-
The clock in the school building struck the hour, the second hand pointing at twelve.
Oh no! It was eight o’clock!
Jiang Li held her breath, followed the sign, and dashed up to the Academic Affairs Office on the third floor.
Just as the wooden office door was about to close-
Jiang Li tore off her nurse uniform, tossed it into the storage space, then dove in and burst through the door!