The long night finally passed.
The screams, the chaos, the blood—all faded into the quiet hum of morning. The hospital, once swallowed by fear, returned to its usual rhythm. Nurses walked the corridors again, carts rattling softly, and the smell of antiseptic filled the air as if trying to erase what had happened hours ago.
Everything looked normal.
But under that thin layer of calm, something had changed forever.
VIP Wing, Room 355.
The curtains were half drawn, letting in pale streaks of sunlight that brushed against the bed. On it lay Johan, sleeping deeply. His breathing was calm, his expression peaceful, almost too normal to believe after what had happened the previous night.
And his appearance—
It was once again the same as before: the fat, round-faced boy everyone knew.
No sign of the sharp eyes, the cold fury, or the power that had torn through the corridor remained.
He just looked like an ordinary patient sleeping in his hospital bed.
The sunlight slipped through the blinds, washing the room in a soft golden hue. Johan groaned, turning slightly as the warmth touched his face. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open, squinting at the brightness.
“The night has passed, huh?” he muttered, his voice low and groggy.
He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes before leaning back against the headboard. His body still felt heavy, though not from exhaustion—it was more like the weight of what had happened last night refused to leave him. The faint memory of blood, the clash, the lifeless eyes—it all flickered in his mind.
“Argh, man… what a headache.” He pressed his fingers against his temple and sighed deeply.
After a moment, he straightened up and looked at the translucent blue panel hovering faintly in front of him.
“I didn’t check the rewards from last night,” he murmured. His tone was casual, but his eyes sharpened slightly. “Should I check them now?”
He took a small breath and spoke aloud.
“Check the rewards.”
The panel flickered, symbols shifting rapidly across its surface.
[Ding!]
[Processing quest rewards...]
[Quest: Survive the Third Floor — Completed.]
[Evaluating performance…]
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
[You have earned 5000 CP.]
[You have earned: Skill Upgrade Token ×1.]
[You have earned: Unknown Item (Sealed).]
Johan blinked, staring at the panel. “Huh? Unknown item? Sealed?” He tilted his head, tapping his chin. “Why does this sound like trouble again?”
The panel stayed in front of him, glowing faintly. But this time, instead of excitement, Johan’s face remained calm—almost indifferent.
“Whatever it is, I’ll deal with it later,” he muttered, closing the panel with a swipe. He leaned back once again, staring blankly at the ceiling. “One problem after another… just when will it end?”
He let out a faint chuckle, his voice dry. “Well, I guess I already know the answer.”
A few moments passed in silence. The faint sound of wind brushing against the window filled the room. Johan was lost in his thoughts when—
Click.
The door swung open.
“Johan!”
That familiar voice made him flinch slightly. He turned toward the door and saw his mother rushing in, her face pale with worry.
“Are you okay, my boy?” she asked as she hurried to his bedside. Her eyes scanned him from head to toe, checking every inch as if she expected to find bruises hidden somewhere. “I heard there was a gangster attack at the VIP wing last night. You didn’t get hurt, did you?”
Johan blinked a few times, watching her fuss over him. Her hands were trembling slightly—she was genuinely terrified.
He smiled faintly, trying to sound casual. “Ahh, Mom. I’m fine, though. Do you think if I had met the gangsters, I’d still be sitting here like this?”
His mother froze for a moment, then sighed in relief. “Yeah… you have a point.” She sat down beside him, her voice softening. “Anyway, how are you feeling today?”
Johan looked at her for a second. The gentle concern in her eyes made his chest tighten a little. He turned his gaze away, smiling faintly again.
“I’m feeling fine, Mom. Better than yesterday.”
The two of them spent the next few minutes chatting and laughing, sharing breakfast together like any normal morning. For the first time since the incident, Johan’s mother looked relieved—her smile soft, her eyes full of warmth as she watched her son eat.
“Slow down, you’ll choke,” she said, chuckling as Johan stuffed another spoonful of porridge into his mouth.
Johan grinned. “I’m fine, Mom. Hospital food’s actually good today.”
She shook her head with a helpless smile. “You really haven’t changed at all.”
The quiet clink of spoons and the faint whirr of medical machines filled the background as the two continued their light conversation. The warm, golden sunlight spilling from the window made everything feel peaceful for a while.
After finishing their meal, Johan’s mother stood up, brushing the crumbs off her dress and gently running her fingers through Johan’s hair. Rustle.
“Get some rest, okay? I’ll be back later.”
“Yeah, sure. Don’t worry about me.”
She smiled once more before stepping out of the room. The click of the door closing echoed faintly in the corridor.
Just then—bzzz… bzzz…—her phone began to vibrate in her bag. She glanced at the caller ID, and her expression immediately hardened. Pulling the phone out, she answered.
“Hello?”
A man’s voice came through the line, respectful but tense.
“[Ma’am, we’ve caught the students who were responsible for the young master’s accident.]”
Her eyes narrowed. The gentle warmth from earlier vanished in an instant.
“Good work,” she said, her voice now low and sharp. Step. Step. Her heels clicked against the tile as she began walking down the hall.
“Take them to the underground. I’m coming.”
Beep. The call ended.
Her phone slid back into her purse with a soft thud. The echo of her heels faded slowly as she disappeared around the corner—each step heavier, colder than the last.
The faint scent of her perfume lingered in the air long after she was gone.
MORPHORCE
