Hospital 444

Being positioned in the middle of the main group was indeed a great favor for Dai Wei. For instance, if he slipped, the person behind him could pull him up. If he failed to notice the White Mist approaching, the person behind him could also remind him.

The only pity was that the team members were selected by lottery that day, which meant there wasn’t much time... to build camaraderie. That’s how relationships are, with no interaction, it’s hard to form a bond. In times of trouble, helping you is a favor, not helping is also normal.

Up ahead of the barren farmland lay the vast ocean of mist.

This mist looked like it covered the sun and spread to the sky above; visibility inside the White Mist was absolutely zero.

Logically, the massive mist that connected heaven and earth should have been visible from any position in the village, but the strange thing was... it could only be seen when one approached the edge of the village.

"This used to be the closest route between our village and the next one over," Dai Wei heard a voice from behind him: "When the mist first appeared, there was a villager who had just got engaged to a girl from the neighboring village. The dowry was fully paid, and they had agreed to hold the wedding over the New Year. Now, ten years have passed... she must have already married someone else."

"Are you talking about yourself, that villager?"

"Ah ptooey, ptooey! No, not me! It’s truly someone else!"

"Actually, losing a wife isn’t so bad. I was only in my teens ten years ago. My parents went to work in the city, saying they would save for my college tuition, hoping I could get into university one day... It’s been ten years; I have no idea how they’re doing now."

"I was quite lucky, it was close to the New Year, and my parents had just returned. I remember when the mist covered the sky, my dad was still wondering if he could go back to work after the holiday... I remember on New Year’s Eve, he still had to patrol outside with others."

"Actually, it’s not clear whether this is good or bad luck. The mist is stable now, but who knows if it might spread further into the village one day... At least our relatives outside are absolutely safe."

"Dai Wei," at this point, a man behind him asked, "None of your family went out to work, right?"

"I have two uncles and aunts who work outside," Dai Wei said: "The year before the White Mist came, my two cousins thought they wouldn’t make anything of themselves in school and went out to work as well. They said it would help alleviate the family burden with extra hands. They were actually quite lucky to have avoided this damned mist."

Hearing this, the rest of the group fell silent.

"Don’t you envy them?" someone asked.

Dai Wei shook his head, saying, "They are my family; their salvation is more than I could hope for. I’m too happy to even think about it."

"You really are easy-going..."

"If it were me, I’d probably be really envious."

"Some people are lucky because of this mist," another team member said: "Like that bastard He Yun!"

"Exactly! Back then, Ge Nian Cheng, Shen Lisheng, and Su Wenxin all went to the city to work together. Shen Lisheng and Su Wenxin had a deal that once they had saved enough money, they would return to build a house and get married. But then Su Wenxin took a fancy to that pretty boy He Yun in the city!"

Once the village gossip began, everyone’s enthusiasm soared.

"He Yun is indeed handsome and wealthy, a doctor in a private hospital, with a high income. I still clearly remember that night when Shen Lisheng brought Su Wenxin back for their engagement. During the engagement banquet, because it was close to the New Year, many villagers came to Shen Lisheng’s feast. Then He Yun came and disrupted the wedding, and he actually succeeded!"

"And the very next day, the mist came. As a result, they couldn’t return to the city and got trapped in the village. Shen Lisheng and village chief’s son Ge Nian Cheng were good friends. He Yun had no standing in this unfamiliar place, but since he was a doctor..."

"The village chief also treated him like an honored guest, considering there were only a few barefoot doctors in the village clinic. But if Su Wenxin dared to continue her affair with that pretty boy, the rest of us wouldn’t agree. That went on until five years ago..."

"Enough with the chatter. It’s almost time. Get in formation as we rehearsed, hold the bamboo poles, and aim the porcelain dolls at that end of the mist. Everyone, be alert and ready for action at all times!"

Lin Tai allowed his team members to chat idly to let them relieve some of their pent-up tension, so they wouldn’t make mistakes during the upcoming patrol due to nervousness.

"Yes, understood, Captain!"

Despite being a temporary assembly, the team held considerable respect for their captain, Lin Tai.

They gradually approached the White Mist.

In the darkness of the night, the ever-spread and rolling White Mist constantly evoked a sense of dread.

Everyone knew that unknown entities lurked within the mist. These entities were always spying on the village from the darkness, causing the White Mist to gradually push inwards.

In fact, even with daily patrols, if the patrollers neglected their duties and failed to use the porcelain dolls in time to drive away the unknown entities from the mist, it could still potentially advance into the village.

However, in this process, the team members often faced life-threatening dangers. During the dispersion of the mist, one careless move could mean coming into contact with the mist!

This was a battle for the survival of the entire village!

The village was predominantly composed of middle-aged and elderly people, with a considerable number being in their sixties and seventies, who had virtually no hope of leaving the village in their lifetimes, especially those whose children worked in the city. On the contrary, they had no worries left. Now, their only hope was to slow the advance of the mist long enough to see out the rest of their days.

But looking at the mist before him, Dai Wei had different thoughts.

At this moment, he maintained a good distance from the fog, picked up the bamboo pole, and pointed the end with the porcelain doll toward the White Mist that was only a short distance from him.

Fortunately, the wasteland here was not too slippery, so as long as one was a bit careful, there shouldn’t be too much of a problem moving around.

"Okay! It’s nine o’clock! Start moving!"

According to the regulations on the Stele... from nine to twelve o’clock, the three hours, they must walk at least one circle around the White Mist. That is to say, after one round, they would have to return here. Three hours was just about the right amount of time.

Everyone began to move slowly, just like they had rehearsed, being extremely cautious to ensure they wouldn’t come into contact with the White Mist.

At the same time, they had to be on guard in case the White Mist surged toward them.

"Pay attention, keep a close eye on it!"

"Don’t just stare at the fog, watch where you step!"

"Luckily, the ground isn’t too slippery for now..."

"Hey hey, Captain!" a female team member suddenly asked, "That, I... I want to ask something..."

"What is it? Speak up!"

Captain Lin didn’t turn his head.

"Does the fog seem to have moved forward... a bit? Has it or hasn’t it?"

"That’s just your imagination!"

"Imagination? Captain, shouldn’t we step a little to the side?"

"Don’t violate the rules of that Stele! Otherwise, the consequences are unimaginable!"

"I... I understand..."

The woman was on the verge of tears.

Dai Wei clenched his teeth tightly, occasionally keeping an eye on the White Mist next to him.

The fog didn’t appear to be advancing.

Moreover... according to what he had heard, if the fog started moving, there would definitely be some noise from within. It was just hard to discern any pattern to the noises.

At this time...

Every minute, every second, seemed so long, as if they would never reach the end.

The pace of the team slowed down due to the increasing slowness, causing occasional collisions as the people in the back bumped into those in front.

"What are you doing! What if I slip and fall into the fog!"

"Why are you moving so slowly!"

"What if I fall after moving too fast! And why are you hurrying so much!"

"Enough!" Captain Lin, unable to bear it any longer, shouted, "Are you out of your minds! Is there no sense of organization or discipline?"

Lin Tai also felt a headache, as the leader of the team changed every day, making it impossible for them to form a rapport and develop a sense of teamwork.

But there was no other way at the moment, he could only rely on his own authority to temporarily suppress the discord within the team.

Fortunately... there were no disturbances from within the White Mist at present.

He hoped that this state would continue uninterrupted.

The oppressive atmosphere made Dai Wei feel increasingly tense.

He looked at the expanse of mist and remembered what his third uncle had said.

"Dai Wei, within that mist... what may be hidden is... a ghost!"