Chapter 118 - 115: New Rules of Antique Shop Zero

Chapter 118: Chapter 115: New Rules of Antique Shop Zero

In Ward Three, a burly man built like a bear sat on the bed, fiddling with a doll.

Zhang Haoceng pulled up a chair, sat down across from the burly man, and said gently:

"Did you have a good day today?"

The burly man fiddled with the doll, a shy, girlish smile on his face.

"Thank you for the doll, Mister. I really, really like it."

Zhang Haoceng pressed his lips together and smiled.

"I’m glad you like it, Little Nannan."

Little Nannan was one of the personalities that had split off from the burly man.

He might look like a little girl now, but when the other personality inside him emerged, things would get terrifying.

Because that other personality was... the culprit in a serial kidnapping and murder case.

In his "game," Little Nannan was the girl who had been kidnapped by the killer.

Whenever the killer murdered a victim, he would go and kidnap another one.

The Little Nannan personality would die, and another, unfamiliar personality would take her place.

In all his time at this psychiatric hospital, many personalities like Little Nannan had already died at the hands of the killer.

Before dying, every personality would beg Zhang Haoceng to save them.

And Zhang Haoceng truly felt their pain and sorrow.

It was as if those personalities were real, living people who actually existed in the world.

Suddenly, a look of terror appeared on the burly man’s face, and he screamed:

"He’s here, he’s here! Mister, save me!"

Zhang Haoceng’s heart clenched.

’He’s here!’

The expression on the burly man’s face turned savage and brutal. He suddenly grabbed Zhang Haoceng by the neck.

"You damn cop, looking for trouble again, huh?! I’m gonna fucking kill you today!"

Zhang Haoceng struggled to breathe, his face turning a deep purple, and choked out:

"Little Nannan, don’t worry. I can save you this time!"

...

At the doorway, the head nurse had a grim expression, her hand placed over her chest to calm her racing heart.

When this burly man had an episode, not even two or three orderlies could get near him. He was just too strong!

The director had given an order: they had to wait until Zhang Haoceng had suffered enough before sending people in to rescue him.

The timing had to be controlled perfectly.

...

「In the director’s office.」

The female director watched the monitor with her arms crossed, a smug look on her face.

She called the shots at this hospital and was used to being its Emperor.

The doctors and nurses were her soldiers, the patients her subjects.

’A mere psychologist should be happy just to collect a paycheck here, yet he dares to defy me?’

’This young man, who just graduated not long ago, must be taught a lesson about how cruel the world can be.’

Suddenly, she narrowed her eyes.

She saw Zhang Haoceng take something out of his pocket.

It looked like a pocket watch.

Zhang Haoceng was swinging the pocket watch back and forth in front of the burly man.

’Hypnosis?’

The director almost laughed out loud.

’Do you think you’re some master hypnotist from a movie?’

’The protagonist of Inception?’

’How boring and childish!’

Gradually, the director’s expression grew serious. She stared at the scene on the monitor in disbelief.

...

The burly man lifted Zhang Haoceng up as if he were a little chick.

Zhang Haoceng’s face was flushed red. He stared intently at the man, relentlessly swinging the Killing Pocket Watch in his hand.

Gradually, the savage brutality faded from the burly man’s face, replaced by a dazed confusion. His grip on Zhang Haoceng loosened.

Zhang Haoceng bent over, greedily gasping for air.

He didn’t stop swinging the watch. He swallowed hard and said:

"You’re the killer, aren’t you?"

The burly man nodded numbly.

Zhang Haoceng said:

"Now, you are under arrest."

The burly man’s face showed anger and struggle.

"Let me go! You damn cops! Don’t touch me! I won’t accept this!"

The burly man was only shouting, his expression changing, but his body remained motionless, as if he were under a Body-Fixing Art.

Zhang Haoceng continued immediately:

"Alright, I am the judge now, and I sentence you to death!"

Despair filled the burly man’s face.

"No, no, please give me another chance! I’m begging you!"

Without pausing, Zhang Haoceng said quickly:

"You are now being escorted to the execution ground to be shot!"

The burly man roared:

"No! I don’t want to die! You can’t!"

Zhang Haoceng’s words came in a rapid-fire succession:

"It’s too late, your judgment has come! They’re firing, you’re dead!"

The expression on the burly man’s face returned to calm.

Zhang Haoceng stared at the burly man, tense.

After a moment, the burly man spoke in a high-pitched voice, looking around in a panic.

"Mister, is he... is he gone?"

Zhang Haoceng let out a sigh of relief.

"He’s dead, Little Nannan. You’re saved."

The burly man smiled happily, looking at Zhang Haoceng with a shy, grateful expression.

"Thank you, Mister. When I grow up, I’ll marry you!"

Zhang Haoceng’s eye twitched.

’Is this even right?’

From the doorway came the sound of applause.

Zhang Haoceng turned his head to look.

Several orderlies, nurses, and the head nurse stood there, their eyes shining.

Their gazes were filled with admiration.

The head nurse’s eyes were practically glowing.

"Using Hypnosis to treat a mental illness... Doctor Zhang, you must be the first person in history to do so!"

The other junior nurses had stars in their eyes.

’A thrilling scene you’d only see in the movies, happening in real life?’

’This man is so amazing, so handsome!’

Zhang Haoceng’s vanity was satisfied like never before.

He had always wanted to realize his own self-worth, and now he finally had.

’I’m finally not just a pretty face.’

Zhang Haoceng wanted to completely cure the burly man’s mental illness.

He turned around, preparing to kill off the Little Nannan personality.

However, he saw ’Little Nannan’ looking at him with gratitude and adoration.

Zhang Haoceng felt a pang of unease.

’It’s as if Little Nannan is a real person, a patient who has been with him for a long time.’

’Killing her would be like committing a real murder.’

Zhang Haoceng was suddenly reminded of the name of the pocket watch in his hand.

The Killing Pocket Watch.

’So, that’s what it means by "killing".’

’Forget it. I won’t touch Little Nannan for now. I’ll deal with it later.’

Zhang Haoceng stood up, walked over to the head nurse, and said:

"I’m going to hold a consultation for the patient in bed twelve."

As he spoke, he looked up at the security camera with a defiant expression.

The head nurse paused, then lowered her head. After a long moment of internal conflict, she said:

"Okay, I’ll take you."

...

「Director’s Office.」

The female director sat in her office chair, her face a mask of shock.

’This... how is this possible?’

’How could he be so capable?’

’A case that so many psychiatrists were helpless to solve was just easily handled by a psychologist?’

...

「South Sea, Antique Shop Zero, basement.」

The White Jade Skull, like a moon that had slept for a thousand years, was imprisoned upon a magnificent Golden Throne.

It held an ancient black box from another era in its hands, seeming to be waiting for something.

Jiang Chaosheng placed the Soul-Sealing Demon Jar on the floor.

The White Jade Skull’s jaw opened slightly.

Soul Power flooded into the White Jade Skull’s mouth.

After a moment, the White Jade Skull closed its mouth again and sat quietly.

Jiang Chaosheng picked up the Soul-Sealing Demon Jar, pondered for a moment, and asked:

"Can you communicate?"

The White Jade Skull stared into the darkness with its empty eye sockets, saying nothing.

Jiang Chaosheng spoke again:

"If I give you more Soul Power, will you be able to communicate?"

The White Jade Skull remained motionless, like a true sculpture, as if its previous act of consuming Soul Power had been an illusion.

Jiang Chaosheng wasn’t disappointed.

He had already anticipated this situation.

He couldn’t stay in the basement for too long. He would have to come back next time to unravel the mystery of the White Jade Skull.

"V...ariable..."

Jiang Chaosheng froze and whipped his head around.

The White Jade Skull was looking at him.

Jiang Chaosheng frowned.

"What?"

The White Jade Skull’s upper and lower jaws trembled slightly.

"...has... arrived."

Jiang Chaosheng’s mind raced.

"You’re saying the variable has arrived? What variable?"

The White Jade Skull’s jaws continued to tremble.

This time, they trembled for a long time before uttering two words:

"New... rules."

Jiang Chaosheng could feel that the divine aura around the White Jade Skull had faded slightly.

It seemed to pay a great price for every word it spoke.

Jiang Chaosheng pressed:

"What new rules?"

The White Jade Skull went completely still, unwilling to say another word.

Jiang Chaosheng thought of something.

He immediately ran out of the basement and headed straight for the back hall.

Next to shelf ’0’ in the back hall, an ancient piece of parchment was posted.

On it were written the rules of Antique Shop Zero.

[Exchange Zero]

[Rule 1: The Manager may trade the Taboo Items in the shop, which defy the laws of nature, with customers.]

[Rule 2: Every month, the Manager must contribute a certain amount of Soul Power (lifespan) to the Taboo Sculpture in the basement.]

[Rule 3: After a buyer’s death, the Manager must retrieve the lost Taboo Item or contain a new Taboo Item to fill the vacancy.]

[Note: If the above three rules are violated, the Manager will be Cursed by the Antique Shop.]

[Rule 4: The Manager’s soul is protected by Antique Shop Zero, making it immortal and indestructible.]

[Rule 5: When the shop is transferred, the previous Manager’s memories will disappear.]

Jiang Chaosheng’s pupils contracted suddenly!

Because he saw words slowly materializing on the parchment.

The sixth rule was appearing!

[Rule 6: For every two Taboo Items contained, you may comprehend the secrets of one Taboo Item.]

...

Thank you to Nayina for the 2x 1666-coin ’Big Beta’ reward.

Thank you to ’Sinking Into The Evening Wind’ for the 588-coin reward.

Thank you to RDEATH for the 2x 588-coin reward.