Die, Replay, Repeat

Chapter 23: Emergency Exit

The chilling touch sent shivers down his spine. For the umpteenth time, Fang Xiu was dragged into that haunting encounter, his actions playing out the same.

This time, however, he had a clear goal: eliminate Wang Ziteng and Wu Dahai, unleash his spiritual power, and seize the mystical surgical scalpel.

That scalpel was non-negotiable. Its blade, honed to perfection, could tear through countless Specters. Powered by sheer agony, it promised a one-hit kill.

This blade could pierce any defense, and when combined with the torment it could inflict, it was a force to be reckoned with.

Even if it meant angering the menacing "doctor" and risking her deadly moves, Fang Xiu wouldn't back down.

This time, he opted for the north door.

Toward the north was an old-school elevator, surprisingly still functional. But its doors took forever to close. Just as they were almost shut, a ghostly, oversized hand stretched out.

It looked like that was the end for Fang Xiu!

_'To the south, then!'_ Fang Xiu thought.

The south door led to a medical room turned battlefield. Machines lay broken and scattered, and dark, sinister stains tainted the floor.

_'Dead end!'_

Fang Xiu was trapped!

His last shot was the eastern door.

If this path led nowhere, he'd be forced to abandon his treasured scalpel.

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To his relief, the east door presented a way out.

A lengthy corridor appeared, housing a public bathroom to one side. Further down, the path forked three waysleft, right, and dead ahead.

Spotting the restroom, Fang Xiu was hit with a memory from his time in the eerie mental hospital.

The memory was still fresh in his mind since he had only encountered such a bathroom there. Back then, he had strolled past it, heading left, and was greeted by a familiar sign.

"Emergency Exit"!

Such exits were common in malls, schools, and even other hospitals, marking safe pathways.

Whether this mental hospital's exit was truly safe was a mystery, but he was out of options.

Mustering every ounce of energy, he sprinted for the exit. Yet, just by the restroom, the relentless "doctor" caught and killed him.

_'Should I surrender the scalpel?'_

Fang Xiu shook off that idea.

Though the "doctor" had speed on her side, Fang Xiu possessed a unique skill: reset. He could die and restart multiple times, essentially predicting the "doctor's" attack strategy.

Leveraging this "reset," he could sort of glimpse into future events.

After the ninth reset, he resolutely commanded, "To the east!"

In the main hall, Fang Xiu and Zhao Hao made a beeline for the east door.

Not wishing to be left behind, their two colleagues dashed after them.

As they ventured forth, eerie shrieks echoed, and the roof trembled violently.

"Ah!"

Zhao Hao and the others screamed as the "doctor" made a dramatic appearance, hanging on the ceiling.

Frozen in terror, they jostled and sprinted, fearing being the last onethe easy catch. However, the "doctor" zoomed past them, targeting Fang Xiu.

With no time to look back, Fang Xiu ran.

Zhao Hao yelled, his voice laced with fear, "Xiu, watch out!"

But he stopped and gawked in disbelief. What unfolded next was nothing short of miraculous.

It was as if Fang Xiu had a sixth sense. The "doctor", from above, lunged her enormous hand, zeroing in on Fang Xiu's head.

Fang Xiu's instincts buzzed like an alarm just seconds before the hand swooped down. He dodged, tilting his head just enough to feel the chilling breeze of it missing his head. The "doctor" whipped back around, a gust of wind following her sharp movement.

Fang Xiu barely had time to think as he ducked under her next swipe, and then the next. It felt like he was in a fast-paced video game. The "doctor's" hands shot out so rapidly they blurred, like mirages playing tricks on his eyes.

But as the attacks grew fiercer, the "doctor" lost her cool, launching herself from the ceiling like some nightmarish spider. Seeing her airborne, Fang Xiu's foot caught on something, and he stumbled.

His momentum carried him forward, tumbling through the air. He hit the ground, but not where he had stood moments before. The spot he'd just left now held a gaping crater, evidence of the "doctor's" crushing fury.

Still in shock, Fang Xiu scrambled to his feet and dashed into a nearby corridor. Zhao Hao and the rest were trying to process what they'd just seen, their mouths hanging open.

"Was that... spiritual power?" Zhao Hao muttered, his voice tinged with awe and envy. Everyone, at some point, dreamed of having extraordinary abilities.

Little did Zhao Hao know, what Fang Xiu displayed wasn't magical foresight. It was a skill sharpened and refined through the brutal repetition of nine deaths.

Upon turning into the corridor, a soft green sign caught Fang Xiu's eye. It was the first time he'd seen such a beacon after dying and reliving the same moments nine times over.

However, as the "doctor" stormed into the corridor and laid eyes on the sign, she screamed. It was a noise filled with pure horror. Then, as if spooked by a greater evil, she vanished.

Fang Xiu paused, panting and trying to wrap his mind around what just happened. The "doctor's" abrupt departure didn't bring him comfort. In fact, it raised a more terrifying questionWhat could terrify such a Specter?

A faint outline of a metal door came into view at the end of the corridor, illuminated only by the sign's luminescent glow. That had to be the way out.

But no one knew if it was safe or not.

As Zhao Hao and the group caught up, concern painted their features.

"Xiu, you okay? And why did that thing run away like that?" Zhao Hao asked.

Fang Xiu just nodded, showing he was alright.

The rest of the group, seeing the potential exit, brightened up.

"This is it!" one exclaimed. "We've got to be near the end now!"

With every ounce of their being, they hoped that safety lay just beyond that door.

Both Zhao Hao and the other guy hesitated. They were eager to get going, but they weren't naive. With Fang Xiu unmoving, they weren't about to rush ahead without him.

"Why have you stopped, Fang Xiu? Is there something off about this corridor?" Zhao Hao asked cautiously.

"I think we should take a break," Fang Xiu replied, and without another word, he sat down, leaning against the wall. Closing his eyes, he seemed to enter a meditation-like state. He was trying to restore his spiritual energy.

Even the terrifying "doctor" had been frightened off by something. If Fang Xiu, who seemed the most capable among them, didn't think he could tackle the "doctor" head-on, it was wise to wait until he felt ready to move on.

Zhao Hao and the other coworker exchanged confused looks. They didn't fully understand Fang Xiu's actions but respected his judgment.

With a reluctant nod, Zhao Hao sat down as well. "Guess we're taking a breather," he muttered.

Honestly, they were exhausted, too. They were just regular folks with desk jobs, unaccustomed to this intense, life-threatening chase. The mad dash from the Specter Zone had only lasted a short while, but it felt like they had been running for hours. Their legs ached, their lungs burned, and the adrenaline crash left them lightheaded.

Time seemed to stretch as they rested. But about thirty minutes later, Fang Xiu's eyes snapped open, and he jumped to his feet with renewed energy, startling the other two.

"Woah! Easy there," Zhao Hao exclaimed, clutching his chest. "Give us some warning next time!"