Newbie's Quest: Awaiting Challenge
Chapter 62: Preparation Complete

Ethan Walker, lost in his reflections, lifted his gaze to Emily Johnson. "Have you ever encountered a situation in a game where you discovered information... that related to yourself?"

Emily's chopsticks moved with agile grace as she wearily picked out the chili peppers from her bowl. Ethan's question, however, wiped the irritation from her face, replaced by a look of surprise. "Information about myself? What do you mean? Like accidentally leaving something in a game and replaceing it before the game resets? I've heard of that happening."

Ethan shook his head. "Not about personal belongings dropped in the game. I mean, within the game's environment - like in text clues, photographs, or documents - replaceing your own name, birth date, and such."

Emily's mouth fell open in shock. "How could that even happen? Have you experienced this? That's quite unsettling. Usually, the text clues in games relate to the NPCs or the boss's background. How could they be connected to a player? The players aren't NPCs or bosses; that's a complete mix-up!"

She absentmindedly stirred her rice with a piece of chili pepper that she had neglected to remove. Ethan understood that such a scenario was far-fetched, yet doubts lingered in his mind.

Typically, if a game requires players to assume a certain role, it provides them with a fictional name and identity. Like in the previous game at Hamilton, Michael Johnson was accepted as a new security guard. Ethan wondered whether every player entering the "Seventh Hospital" game would replace their name and birth date on the medical records page.

However, the description of the illness was puzzling. Despite the chicken-scratch writing, Ethan had managed to decipher a few phrases after a closer look: "Behavior normal... no violence... Low empathy... strong reactions... Recommended for further hospital observation." Essentially, it indicated a severe, yet unspecified illness, detailed through lengthy observation.

Was "Seventh Hospital" asking players to role-play as patients with chronic illnesses?

Lost in thought, Ethan fell silent. His quietness unsettled Emily. "Ethan, maybe you should take a few days off from gaming? You seem to be hallucinating. Can you distinguish between reality and the game world?" Ethan asked curiously, and Emily answered earnestly with a serious expression. "You know how intense this game can be - the scenes are terrifying, and the NPCs and bosses are frightening."

"So?" Ethan prodded.

"Therefore, the best psychiatric hospitals are always located near major gaming guilds. If you need it, I can get you in touch with the most experienced doctors there. Teammates who've been say they're excellent." Ethan knew he wouldn't learn more from her and decided to let it go. His first simulation in the "First Hospital" was inconclusive, interrupted midway by external factors. Tonight, however, he could explore it further.

Before Alex Johnson returned from his meeting, Ethan and Emily hurried back to Avalon Guild. Once there, Ethan immediately went through his nightly routine, preparing for bed. Before falling asleep, he instructed Emily that he intended to sleep very long and should not be woken for meals. "If I get hungry, I'll wake up and replace something to eat myself."

Within two days, Ethan Walker completed the simulation of the Seventh Hospital. At three in the morning on the third day, Ethan lay flat on his bed, hands crossed over the duvet, his eyes slowly opening. He stared intently at the ceiling without turning on the bedside lamp.

It was peculiar. He had both completed and not completed the game. By "completed," Ethan meant he had vanquished the final boss and unraveled the mysteries of the operating room and the strange Room 201. He had successfully escaped, but he knew he hadn't explored all the scenes. Something was amiss.

In the game, every scene typically held value, containing either a monster or a clue. A game with useless scenes indicated flaws, something unlikely in the meticulously designed tower of the White Tower. Yet, in the Seventh Hospital, Ethan distinctly felt that he was unable to access at least three-quarters of the areas.

Apart from the bosses that needed to be defeated, Ethan encountered other "things" during his progress. He couldn't quite define them; they weren't exactly NPCs or bosses. They didn't show immediate aggression but just "appeared," seemingly wanting to draw his attention.

Ethan couldn't fathom their purpose. He deliberately tried to explore more areas in the simulation, but those areas were either locked or inaccessible without a key. Attempts to break in with a hammer were futile, as if some force prevented him from exploring further.

Repeated simulations led Ethan to the same routine: replace the few clues, acquire the keys, defeat the final boss, and complete the game. Ethan wiped his face and sighed silently. The situation was complex.

Fortunately, these floating "things" and unexplored areas didn't hinder his completion. He was ready to guide James Mitchell through the game today. With that thought, Ethan rolled out of bed and went to Emily Johnson's room to wake her. Emily, with her hair in disarray: "......."

She bolted upright with the inherent irritability of someone woken too early and lunged at Ethan. "Are you doing this on purpose? Got enough sleep and now disturbing others, huh?"

"If you want to practice, that's fine by me. I've been inactive for two days; my bones are getting rusty."

Their tussle ensured neither would sleep again. When Alex Johnson passed by early in the morning and saw Ethan, bright-eyed, and Emily, scowling, at the dormitory door, he raised an eyebrow. "The roles reversed today? Ethan, you seem energetic. Emily... up late gaming?"

Emily yawned. "No, real-life Mortal Kombat."

Alex turned back to Ethan, who flashed a toothy grin. "She's sleepwalking. Don't mind her, Alex."

Emily had internal training at Avalon Guild in the morning. Ethan called James Mitchell, asking him to meet at Zone 079 at one in the afternoon.

Unaware that Ethan was taking him to the Seventh Hospital, James readily agreed, thinking Ethan was just being kind and inviting him to play to lift his spirits.

At noon, after dining in the Avalon Guild cafeteria and bidding farewell to his enthusiastic fans, Ethan was ready. His influence within Avalon Guild was undeniable; strength reigned supreme.

Alex Johnson was already house hunting for him, probably fearing that if Ethan stayed any longer, Avalon Guild would be completely transformed. The Emerald Tempest Guild was also making moves. Their official account had released a live stream notice the day before, and at nine in the morning, Henrik Jensen led a team to the marked game in Zone 104, including Isabella Martínez. It seemed Henrik had not only secured an alibi for himself but also eliminated a distraction for Ethan.

Everything was in place. Ethan powered on his smartwatch and, without any prior notice, started a live stream.

"Good afternoon to all the viewers in the live stream, I'm Ethan Walker."

Ethan sat in the back seat of a car, the sunlight flashing outside, casting his eyes in a hue of amber.

"Today, I'm going to tackle a two-player game. This game, I'm sure, is very familiar to everyone. Zone 079, the Seventh Hospital."