Surviving Among the Anomalies - Chapter 41

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Alyo

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Surviving Among the Anomalies ◈

Chapter 41: Moscow University Hospital

──────

『Patient, you will need to fill out a registration form.』

『Patient, no running in the hallway.』

『Patient, you will be admitted to the intensive care unit.』

Doctors and nurses with black eyes chased after me. I tried to speak with them, but all I got in return were lines that failed to connect like misaligned gears, along with all manner of surgical instruments.

“Excuse me, but I’d like to ask for directions.”

『Patient? This surgery is not covered by medical insurance. Do you consent?』

“That’s terrifying. More importantly, how do I get out of here? Ah, I don’t mean the hospital. I mean this entire space.”

『There will be no anesthetic. It’s a quick surgery, so it won’t hurt much.』

I knocked away the flying scalpel with the edge of my hand.

『Patient? This may sting a little.』

“Is there anyone here I can actually have a conversation with?”

『Nurse Kim, normal saline, please. The patient is scheduled to receive TPN, so prepare for intubation as well.』

“This really isn’t getting through at all.”

『Where’s the FFP? Secure a line in advance. And bring chains so the patient can’t escape.』

Along with scalpels, surgical saws, drills, bone saws, and other medical instruments flew at me in rapid succession.

‘They use telekinesis.’

Knocking them away was not difficult. What puzzled me was why they did not use telekinesis directly on me.

‘Some Anomalies have restrictions of a sort. Since they’re medical workers, it seems they can only freely manipulate medical tools in accordance with that concept.’

I ran from them and raced down the hallway. It was so dark that, without enhanced vision, I would not have been able to see an inch ahead.

『Patient? Are you receiving treatment at another hospital?』

『If you are receiving treatment at another hospital, please bring a copy of your medical records.』

『Our hospital does not permit patients receiving treatment here to transfer to another hospital.』

As I listened to their voices, I thought,

‘I expected to encounter them someday, but I didn’t think it would be today.’

They were not Anomalies I knew.

‘They appeared during the six months after I quit the game.’

There had been plenty of hospital-related Anomalies, but I did not remember any described like this.

‘Still, there’s no need to be afraid. Based on everything I’ve experienced so far, all Anomalies that exist in this world are ones that appeared in the game.’

I picked up the sound of many footsteps on another floor. It seemed there were others besides the ones chasing me.

‘Every Anomaly other than the Munchkin Mary Sue Constellation has a way to counter it.’

Except during the game’s earliest days, information on countering Anomalies could be found within the game.

‘In particular, Anomalies that appear in specific locations like this have a very high chance of having related information somewhere in that location.’

As I thought, I threw myself aside and dodged syringes flying at me from both directions.

『Patient, what hurts?』

『Have you received treatment at another hospital?』

『Are you still taking medication prescribed by another hospital?』

As I fled their attacks, I felt around inside my clothes.

‘Should I use it?’

At the moment, I had The One Remaining Monkey’s Paw and several unused Anomalies I had taken from the office.

‘Peace to the Big Toe, the WK Special Tumbler, and the Golden Ticket.’

I had brought the first two to trade with the Foundation because I had no use for them, while I had brought the Golden Ticket in case something went wrong.

‘It’s still too early!’

After leaping over a huge, muscular nurse that sprang out from around the corner, I dashed down the hallway again.

[Lobby]

More Anomalies than before followed after me, and the medical instruments they threw destroyed the lobby’s reception desk.

‘That would kill me if it hit. Even if it didn’t, I might become a real patient and be admitted here.’

No, perhaps I might not escape being their patient even after death.

At that moment, documents stored in the shattered reception desk fluttered through the air, obstructing my view.

[Christopher Miller]

[Gender: Male] [Age: 56] [Country: United States] [Residence: Murdock, California]

[Condition: Cardiomegaly]

[Treatment: Removal of the heart and transplantation of a new heart, reinforcement of the entire aorta with steroids, preservation of the liver, kidneys, large intestine, stomach, and cerebellum in formalin.]

[Progress: Severe seizure symptoms. Administered 25,000cc of sedatives, with additional fentanyl and midazolam. Has now stabilized and works as a nursing assistant at the hospital.]

My enhanced dynamic vision read every word written there.

[Dmitry Gorobanov]

[Gender: Male] [Age: 25] [Country: Russia] [Residence: Moscow]

[Condition: Seafood allergy]

[Treatment: Removal of dopamine receptors in the brain, transplantation of a pig’s cerebellum, reinforcement of spinal nerves with steroids, special treatment of muscle cells, and replacement of the entire skeleton with titanium.]

[Progress: Fell into a coma immediately after surgery. Miraculously revived after brain death. Following recovery, currently works as a resident at the hospital.]

The documents listed the patients who had visited this place and their fates.

[Shin Ye-rin]

[Gender: Female] [Age: 33] [Country: South Korea] [Residence: Yangyang, Gangwon Province]

[Condition: Scoliosis]

[Treatment: Removal of the spine and insertion of tree branches. Nutrients administered to grow a tree inside the body. Removal of the corneas and insertion of artificial eyeballs. Attachment of a gorilla’s heart beside the original heart. Replacement of the Achilles tendons with those of a cheetah.]

[Progress: Died immediately after surgery. Defibrillation performed 127 times. Revived. Currently works as a nurse at the hospital.]

Countless victims of the Anomaly.

Among them, I found a single intake form that was different.

[Ellen Stein]

[Gender: Female] [Age: 40] [Country: United States] [Residence: Atlanta, Georgia]

[Condition: Dry eye syndrome]

[Treatment: Admission refused because the patient is currently being diagnosed and treated for this condition at another hospital.]

[Progress: Discharged.]

I saw a way out.

Then the lights in the hallway suddenly came on.

‘An earthquake?’

At the same time, the building shook. The medical instruments flying at me lost their force and fell to the floor, while every doctor and nurse chasing me stood rigidly at attention like disciplined soldiers.

『Why is everyone being so noisy? Isn’t silence fundamental in a hospital?』

At first, I thought it was a gorilla.

It wore a doctor’s coat, but its body was so huge it nearly reached the ceiling that I mistook it for one for a moment.

『Ah! A new patient! What brings you here?』

A body that looked as though it weighed several tons, packed with muscle.

And thousands of surgical scars across the exposed parts of its body.

『Let me take a guess.』

The enormous man with black eyes asked me,

『Pain in your lower left molar?』

An intense toothache shot through my jawbone.

＊＊＊

The huge man continued speaking.

『Ah, I haven’t introduced myself. I am the director of Moscow University Hospital. Just call me Director.』

“My name is Lee Seung-hoon.”

『Yes, the patient’s name is Lee Seung-hoon. I can see you have other ailments besides your toothache. You also have frozen shoulder.』

Both my shoulders became heavy and stiff, as if bound with chains.

『Ah, only the right shoulder.』

My left shoulder became light again.

『You also have dry eye syndrome and sad nipple syndrome.』

My eyes became dry, and the touch of my clothes against my nipples felt unpleasant.

‘This was an extremely dangerous Anomaly.’

I had thought the doctors and nurses who used telekinesis to control surgical instruments were everything, but the main threat was the director of the university hospital.

‘The others are merely victims of the hospital. This is the real Anomaly’s ability.’

The ability to inflict illnesses on someone simply by naming them.

If he declared that I had cancer, I would get cancer.

If he declared that I had ADHD, I would lose my focus. If he declared that I had dementia, I would lose my present and future and wander through the past.

『Now then, shall we proceed with your admission?』

“I’m sorry, but I have my own attending physician, so I can’t be admitted to Moscow University Hospital.”

『You were being treated by another doctor?』

I tried the way out I had just discovered.

『Then bring a copy of that hospital’s medical records. We will discharge you. If it is a private physician, a medical certificate will suffice.』

I had not expected this.

Who would have thought this was an Anomaly whose countermeasure required preparation?

“I don’t have a copy of my medical records or a medical certificate.”

『Then I cannot trust you. Some patients avoid hospitals and lie, after all. But do not worry. Moscow University Hospital is always patient-friendly, and we vow to do our utmost to provide treatment without pain.』

『We vow!』

『It doesn’t hurt!』

『Wow! I’m happy!』

The doctors and nurses who had been standing at attention broke into enthusiastic applause.

“I don’t have a copy of my medical records, but I do have medication made by my attending physician. Can that serve as a substitute?”

Should I use the Golden Ticket? Before that, something I wanted to test came to mind.

『What medication is it?』

“This.”

Would medication be enough in place of a medical certificate?

And would an Anomaly who claimed to be a doctor know another Anomaly who was presumed to be a doctor?

“I’m being treated for an ingrown toenail. They prescribed this for me personally.”

『Oh!』

It seemed Anomalies active in the same field were acquainted with one another.

『Dr. Janus’s ingrown toenail nail polish!』

Or perhaps Dr. Janus was famous even among Anomalies.

＊＊＊

“What is going on?!”

At the Foundation headquarters’ situation room, Seong Yu-ra angrily pressed the staff.

“Why was Lee Seung-hoon screened out by the main defense system?!”

“Even if you ask us, there was nothing we could do. The defense system made that judgment on its own!”

“Seriously, we finally have a way to restore even one percent more of the Foundation!”

Silence settled over the situation room at the rare sight of her anger.

“Can’t we shut down the defense system?”

“We are trying, but it simply will not turn off.”

“Sephirot recognizes Lee Seung-hoon as a dangerous Anomaly?”

Through the situation room window, she glared at the towering tree outside. The enormous burned tree stretched all the way into the sky, but it was not an ordinary tree.

“Why?”

The Humanity Protection Foundation’s strategic defense system and a special-grade Anomaly, 「Sephirot」.

An Anomaly with hyperspatial computational circuits through multidimensional connections, it was the Foundation’s powerful bastion, realizing Laplace’s demon and detecting future threats.

It had been destroyed by the Munchkin Mary Sue Constellation and lost most of its abilities, so it could no longer detect threats to humanity at all. Yet the Foundation’s defense system still functioned, allowing it to detect threats attempting to enter Foundation headquarters.

“How can you use the defense system to intercept a guest carrying something that will restore you? We even completed the entry procedures in advance.”

Even a being with dangerous power would not be screened out by the defense system if they had completed the entry procedures.

‘Yet Sephirot still identified Lee Seung-hoon as a dangerous being?’

After staring at Sephirot for a moment, she issued an order to the situation-room staff.

“Put the Anomalies in the defense system’s dimension on the monitor!”

“Yes!”

A few moments later, several entries appeared on the screen.

[Bringer of Plague]

[Dog That Eats Everything]

[Thousand Eyes]

[Body Fluid Devourer]

[Moscow University Hospital]

Every one of them was a vicious Anomaly.

‘Most of them are Anomalies that can’t be dealt with through Mental Strength. You have to fight them with physical force!’

She already knew that Lee Seung-hoon’s Mental Strength was highly unusual.

Still, no matter how unusual his Mental Strength was, his body was ultimately human. He had no way of surviving against Anomalies with overwhelming physical power.

‘Even if he gets lucky...’

Her eyes moved to the bottom of the monitor.

[Anomaly Positioned at the Exit: Mirror of Murderous Intent]

Since the final Anomaly could not be dealt with by an individual, he would never be able to escape.

“Dispatch a special forces team immediately! If Sephirot won’t listen, rescue him directly!”

“Understood!”

Seong Yu-ra bit down hard on her nail.

‘Each Anomaly has a weakness or a way to counter it, but can Lee Seung-hoon really figure that out immediately?’

His identity as a Fixer was a fake created through some method.

In the end, he was only an ordinary man with unusual Mental Strength, so his chances of survival were low.

‘What if he uses The One Remaining Monkey’s Paw?’

She shook her head.