Chapter 11: The Exceptionally Skillful Player

"Ding, congratulations to Doctor Xie Yunjin for successfully recruiting two nurses for Chongshan Psychiatric Hospital. You have earned 200 Ghost Coins."

"Ding, please have the two new nurses conduct patient examinations tomorrow, Doctor Xie Yunjin."

"Once the two nurses complete their task, special player Xie Yunjin will receive another 200 Ghost Coins."

"And you will obtain the position of Head of Psychiatry at Chongshan Psychiatric Hospital."

Upon hearing the Main System's final sentence, Xie Yunjin, who had previously paid little mind to the situation, immediately changed her stance. She stopped in her tracks.

"System, I have a question for you." Xie Yunjin asked within her thoughts, addressing System 368. "Are the positions and staff structures within the Chongshan Psychiatric Hospital in this game instance a one-to-one replica of those in the real world?"

"Yes, Host. Why do you ask?"

Xie Yunjin did not answer the system's question. "Head of Psychiatry—that is no small position."

To the confusion of the system, she continued with a smile, "Most importantly, the Head earns a much higher salary than a regular doctor."

As a doctor who had served at Chongshan Psychiatric Hospital for five years, Xie Yunjin knew there was no Deputy Director. In other words, if she succeeded in her promotion, she would be second only to the Director.

With this in mind, Xie Yunjin made a sharp turn toward the main lobby reception desk.

"Doctor Xie, is something wrong?" Seeing Xie Yunjin approach with a full, beaming smile, Zhang Yurou instinctively stood up.

Xie Yunjin smiled, but Zhang Yurou felt it couldn't be anything good. She knew that ghosts only wore such smiles when they needed something from them.

"You two have a task tomorrow morning: take all the patients to the examination room for check-ups."

As Xie Yunjin finished, the sound of their respective systems echoed in the minds of Zhang Yurou and Chen Wanchong.

"Ding, congratulations to player Zhang Yurou for unlocking a special identity: staff nurse at Chongshan Psychiatric Hospital."

"Ding, congratulations to player Chen Wanchong for unlocking a special identity: staff nurse at Chongshan Psychiatric Hospital."

"Ding, congratulations to player Zhang Yurou for unlocking a special mission—lead patients to their examinations. Completing this will grant 50 Ghost Coins and 200 points."

"Ding, congratulations to player Chen Wanchong for unlocking a special mission—lead patients to their examinations. Completing this will grant 50 Ghost Coins and 200 points."

"Do you accept the mission?"

"Doctor Xie, is this mission mandatory?"

"What do you think?"

Xie Yunjin looked at Zhang Yurou, her beautiful, smiling eyes carrying a hint of danger. Zhang Yurou immediately understood the underlying warning in her gaze.

She began to ingratiate herself instantly. "Doctor Xie, we will definitely complete this task."

"However..." Zhang Yurou hesitated.

Xie Yunjin impatiently raised an eyebrow, her dark pupils gradually tinting with a scarlet hue. She urged, annoyed, "However what? Speak."

"Neither of us has worked in this field in the real world. If we mess this up..." That could cost her her life! Zhang Yurou rubbed her hands together awkwardly, feigning concern for Xie Yunjin. "Wouldn't that affect you as well?"

"It doesn't matter if we fail, but we certainly don't want to cause any trouble for you!"

She and Chen Wanchong would certainly choose to do the mission, as they had entered the instance for points and Ghost Coins. But the high reward of 50 Ghost Coins and 200 points suggested that the mission was not as simple as it appeared. Furthermore, there was a powerful ghost doctor watching them like a predator.

They could complete it on their own, but binding a capable ghost to their side would be much safer. It would help them avoid any accidents that could lead to a disastrous failure.

Xie Yunjin saw through Zhang Yurou’s motives immediately, but to serve her own goals—and to soothe the two humans—she "stepped" into Zhang Yurou's verbal trap.

"I will accompany you tomorrow. But the specifics will depend on your own performance."

Seeing that Xie Yunjin had agreed, Zhang Yurou relaxed the fists she had been clenching in tension. But when they heard Xie Yunjin’s next words, their hearts tightened again.

Zhang Yurou had no choice but to painfully produce a green banknote with a denomination of 100. Seeing this, Xie Yunjin’s expression shifted to a bright smile, and she accepted it immediately. She then turned her gaze toward Chen Wanchong.

After grieving for two seconds, Zhang Yurou looked at Chen Wanchong, signaling with her eyes for him to pay up.

Chen Wanchong thought, *Wuu, I don't want to! But I have no choice.*

*My dear Ghost Coins, it is my incompetence that I could not protect you. I can only watch as you are snatched away by this evil ghost!*

The "evil ghost" Xie Yunjin ignored Chen Wanchong, who was busy dramatizing the situation in his head, and simply reached out to snatch the coins.

Having earned another 200 Ghost Coins, Xie Yunjin was in a great mood and didn't bother haggling with Chen Wanchong. "I hope you remain this lucky tomorrow!"

With that, she turned and walked away.

Once Xie Yunjin’s silhouette had completely vanished up the stairs, Chen Wanchong’s expression of frustration faded, replaced by admiration as he looked at Zhang Yurou. He gave her a thumbs up. "Sister Zhang! It had to be you!"

Zhang Yurou gave him a blank look, then immediately broke her composure, letting out a breath of relief. "You did well too, making sure she didn't keep asking us for more."

After offering a small smile to Chen Wanchong, she went to the side to close her eyes and rest. The mental battle with the ghost had exhausted her. Seeing that she wasn't in the mood to talk, Chen Wanchong rubbed his nose and went to find a spot to rest as well. After a day and a night of constant tension, his mental stamina was nearing its limit.

Back in her office, Xie Yunjin was deep in thought.

"Host, why didn't you keep asking those two human players for more? If you had, they definitely would have given it to you!" The system grew more excited, even wanting to manifest from the system space, though it failed due to the Main System's restrictions.

Listening to the system’s excited tone, Xie Yunjin could easily imagine its expression. She just smiled faintly.

"System, I am not an ordinary ghost."

"I am a special player. Naturally, I am different from the ghosts native to these game instances." Xie Yunjin said, her eyes still filled with a smile. "One must have a long-term vision. Even if I have become a ghost, that remains true."

*Besides, there isn't enough time.* She didn't say this aloud, instead ordering the system to open her information panel.

As she spoke to the system, her personal information panel appeared on her retina.