Chapter 37: Do You Even Know How to Practice Medicine?

Li Yan felt a tremor of fear as these half-human, half-monster creatures approached him. Outwardly, he remained calm, standing perfectly still, but inside, he was panicking. He prepared himself to strike back at any moment, but knowing he needed to maintain his cover until they made a move, he kept his guard up.

The creatures circled Li Yan, eyeing him with curiosity. "This one looks weak," they muttered, gesturing toward him. "Must be more bait for the Boss."

"Exactly," another agreed. "He won't last long."

Li Yan’s knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists, itching to knock them down. However, he reminded himself that he had just arrived and needed to gauge the situation before causing trouble. He forced a smile and asked, "Do you know what I’m supposed to do after arriving with this envelope?" He pulled out the letter and offered it to them.

The creatures were taken aback at the sight of the envelope. They inspected it closely for a long time, and soon, murmurs broke out among them.

"The color of this envelope suggests he’s a powerhouse, but he doesn't look strong at all. The Boss must have misjudged him."

"Yeah, he’s clearly a weakling."

Li Yan felt the urge to humiliate them in return, but for now, he simply cleared his throat to regain their attention. The chatter ceased instantly.

One creature, a man with the head of a horse, addressed him: "Follow this street to the very end. You will find the Hall of Horrors. Present your envelope there, and our Boss will receive you personally."

Li Yan offered a polite word of thanks, retrieved his envelope, and continued down the street. It was strange; with every step he took, the scenery shifted. At times, the surroundings felt oddly welcoming, only to turn terrifying the next moment. The horrors he encountered along the way were just as mercurial, occasionally appearing almost benign. The air was filled with the sounds of weeping and agonizing screams, yet the sources of these noises remained invisible. A biting cold wind whipped around him, making him shiver.

After a long trek, he finally reached the end of the road and stood before the Hall of Horrors. Two guards stood at the entrance—one with a human body and three goat heads, the other with a human body and three dog heads. They blocked his path immediately.

"No entry without an invitation. Trespassers will be executed."

Li Yan quickly produced his invitation and handed it to the three-headed goat guard. The guard inspected it thoroughly before swinging open the massive gates.

Li Yan stepped into the hall. He was immediately greeted by the sight of numerous cages, inside which were people covered in wounds and blood. Some were shackled with iron chains that pierced directly through their flesh. Beyond the cages, the hall was filled with strange jars containing grotesque specimens.

In the center of the hall sat a table and a single chair draped in a peculiar fur—a fur that still bore the imprint of a human face. The entity seated there possessed the body of a snake with ten distinct heads, each belonging to a different animal. Beyond that, it had eight tentacles and eyes scattered across its entire body. Suspended from the ceiling was an even larger cage, housing more people, all of them broken and incomplete.

Seeing this, Li Yan felt a surge of both rage and terror. *They wouldn't have brought me here just to lock me up, would they?*

The creature spotted him and instantly lashed out with a tentacle, dragging Li Yan toward it. Slimy, green mucus coated Li Yan’s body, leaving him nauseated.

"So, you’re the one who cleared the Doomsday Survival Game?" the monster hissed. "Show me the invitation."

Li Yan rolled his eyes, momentarily speechless. *You have me wrapped up so tight, how am I supposed to reach it?* "Let me go," he said, keeping his voice steady.

The monster released him, and Li Yan handed over the invitation. The creature studied it for a long time before assigning Li Yan to a medical clinic, tasking him with treating the horrors.

Li Yan agreed; as long as he wasn't being locked in a cage, he was content. He left the hall and arrived at the clinic. The facility was well-equipped, though he found the tools redundant—his methods of treatment required no such assistance.

He hung up the "Doctor of Horrors" badge he had been given and placed his soul-absorbing weapon on the desk. This was how he would grow stronger.

After setting everything up, Li Yan scanned the room with his energy, confirming there were no prying eyes or surveillance. With the sign hung, he officially opened for business. To his surprise, a "patient" arrived almost immediately: a creature with a human head and an octopus body.

Li Yan looked up and asked, "What seems to be the problem?"

The creature sat down and groaned, "I'm hurt."

Li Yan began his examination. As he started the treatment, his energy was unexpectedly repelled. Confused, he tried again, but the rebound persisted. The octopus-creature erupted, his malice flaring as he slammed his fist on the table. "Do you even know how to treat a patient? If you can't, I'll kill you!"

Li Yan’s weapon, sitting on the desk, began to hungrily absorb the creature's malice, converting it into power that flowed into Li Yan’s body. He realized he needed to understand the cause of the injury to proceed.

"How did you get hurt? Tell me your story, and I’ll provide the right treatment."

The creature hesitated, then spilled the truth. He had been injured in a brawl with other horrors earlier that morning while fighting over a human. Not only had he failed to secure the prize, but he had also been beaten senseless by the others.

Li Yan knew exactly how to "treat" him now. He channeled his energy into the creature, secretly introducing his parasitic worms into its body. The worms began to gnaw away at the creature's innards. Hearing that the creature had been fighting over a human, Li Yan had no intention of letting him live.

The creature shrieked in agony, thrashing on the floor. As his internal energy spiraled out of control, more malice surged forth, only to be drained away by Li Yan’s weapon.

Li Yan knelt before him, his expression cold. "I have a question. Answer honestly, and I might let you live. Have you seen two humans named Li Wangxi and Wang Yanjing?"

The creature, desperate to survive, searched his memory, but truly hadn't seen them. He shook his head.

Li Yan watched impassively as the creature succumbed to his agony. Once the monster was dead, Li Yan dragged the corpse to the back and hid it.