"She's not in immediate danger, but she's not out of the woods yet... She's lost too much blood. We need to transfuse her ASAP." Li Xiaobai finished everything, wiped sweat from his brow, leaned against the wall, and let out a long sigh.

I touched the huge bite mark on my arm and gently placed Moxiaoi's head on my lap to make her comfortable. Her face was still pale, but no longer ashen and drenched in cold sweat like moments ago.

Though unconscious, her breathing had steadied. She was incredibly weak, pale as paper, looking like she might shatter at any moment.

"Moxiaoi..." I stroked her hair.

She often mocked me and acted extreme, but deep down, she was kind—she'd helped me several times. Seeing her shift from that cool, reliable girl to this lifeless form filled me with unease and sorrow.

"We need to get her to a hospital fast." Li Xiaobai stood up, crouched by Director Huang's three corpses, and snatched their wristbands. He sneered, "Heh~ Each has eleven hours... Scum. Said they wouldn't kill? 'Help' us?"

He returned, lifted the unconscious Moxiaoi, and walked back to the bodies. He pressed her wristband and his own against theirs, stealing their time. Then he turned to me. "We've got enough time to pass. The last one's yours. Hurry—we're moving."

With that, he carried Moxiaoi into an ordinary hospital room.

"O-okay." I rushed to the young man's corpse, claiming eleven hours plus a bonus hour for teammates.

I immediately followed Li Xiaobai.

Xiaobai laid Moxiaoi gently on a clean bed, brushed her forehead, and sighed softly. Then he slumped against the wall like a deflated balloon, utterly spent.

"Huh... huh..." He clutched his head, breathing deeply... His Black Claw Dagger clattered to the floor from his lap.

"Xiaobai?" I asked, surprised.

This boy seemed goofy but never hesitated to kill. Clearly the type who'd leave you alone unless provoked—then he'd wipe out your whole family. Even shot by a crossbow, he'd grin through the pain.

Yet now he looked shattered—not physically, but mentally.

"I'm... fine. Just need rest. Watch Moxiaoi for now," he murmured hoarsely.

"Got it." I didn't press further. I sat by the bed, holding Moxiaoi's hand, worry etched on my face. If I were a girl, a hug might snap him back. Damn, I wished I were a woman instead of a man (though I bet hugging him would still work).

Silence filled the room. Unconscious Moxiaoi. Xiaobai on the verge of collapse. The three of us trapped in a fragile, heavy atmosphere.

Soon... Xiaobai lifted his head. His eyes were still dull, but he seemed清醒.

He checked his wristband. "Time's enough to last till the game ends... But she might not survive these ten hours..."

"What do we do?" Relief washed over me seeing him recover, but dread returned as I stared at Moxiaoi's still form. My heart ached.

"I... don't know. We should check the first floor for escape routes..." He stood slowly, then yelled at his wristband, "Hey! You're watching us, right!?"

"Huh?" I was confused. What was he doing?

"Hey, killer! You see this! We're leaving the hospital! Hear me?"

"Xiaobai..."

"Hey! Answer, damn it!"

The wristband stayed silent, only showing the time. I said nothing, just watched him. He stared back at it, then sank into the corner again.

"Guess there's really no way out." He'd given up.

I held Moxiaoi's hand, gazing at her blurry-eyed. Tears dripped down my cheeks.

Just as despair set in, our wristbands crackled to life.

*Static... static...*

"Good noon, survivors~ Hehe~ Though darkness hugs you in this hospital, I'll tell you—the outside world is bright and sunny!"

"Sadly, over half the players won't see tomorrow's sunrise."

"I bring good news... I'm bored of your fights. Maa~ I'll end this game fast and go nap."

"Most survivors have plenty of time, but few have the full 24 hours needed to pass."

"Hehe~ I'm changing the rules now."

"Two players have over 24 hours... Two shocking ones. Same team. Even their third teammate was minutes from 24 hours..."

"New rule: Hunt them down! If they reach the first-floor exit, the doors open—they escape!"

"Game over! All remaining players fail! Bombs explode instantly! But if you kill them all, everyone wins and walks free!"

"Your targets: an ordinary young man. His teammates are easy to spot—a comatose high school girl and a pretty nurse in white. They're on the third floor now!"

"Final countdown begins! Have fun~"

*Static... static...* The wristband's raspy voice faded.

"You heard that, Xiaobai...?" I froze after listening, hugging Moxiaoi for comfort. My whole body trembled. Tears spilled uncontrollably.

"Yeah. He heard me." Xiaobai crouched in the corner, voice icy.

"So... what now?"

"He clearly wants us dead. No way out..."

"Is there... no hope?" Despair choked me.

"Hope? You know what I finally get? The value of law." Xiaobai picked up his Black Claw Dagger and smiled—a strained, broken-edge grin.

"Huh?" I was lost. Why say this now?

"I used to think law was just a tool for the rich and powerful to crush us (well, you—fake-girl rich kid). My excuse to hate society, to isolate myself..." He leaned against the wall, rambling oddly.

"..." I stayed silent, just listening.

"Turns out I was naive. Shallow. Without law, humans are beasts—smarter, sneakier, selfish beasts driven only by desire. The scariest monsters."

He stood slowly and pulled something from his back, placing it before me.

I stared—and froze.

A black handgun.

"I won't let you die... But I need your help."