Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary! Chapter 623: Surgery [1]

This was seriously fucked up.

This went way past fucked up.

Gazing at the horde of nurses grinning at me and the moaning patient right in front, the truth started sinking in. Bit by bit, the clues connected, unleashing a chilling horror as I grasped the full horror of this setup.

'Patients must be treated, yet every move I make bounces back on myself. Same agony hits me, and one slip means death for both. Survival demands flawless surgery.'

Sweat already beaded along my temple while I drew in a sharp, icy breath, fighting to stay composed.

Glancing over at the nurses, beating them down crossed my mind, yet I realized my self-proclaimed 'big fan' wouldn't allow it easily.

He feared my power and surely prepared defenses.

'So, treating the patients is my only option?'

"Doctor..."

A gentle murmur reached my ear, snapping my focus as the nurse's eye corners arched more, her face twisting into pure creepiness.

"...Hurry up, doctor. I get you're exhausted, but treat them you must."

Her gaze shifted to the clock nearby.

"Clock shows 6 p.m. now. Shift wraps at ten. Hang in there four more hours, okay? Rest comes after."

'Perfect. Escape route spotted.'

Treating patients loomed for hours ahead.

But...

'Way simpler in words than deeds.'

Masking the sourness rising within, my eyes shifted from patient to self, blood soaking my garb, ache throbbing from the sliced area.

Prolonging this would mean bleeding dry.

Action was urgent.

Hands shifted once more, clamping the gush spot to halt it. Simultaneously, matching force crushed my frame, sharp jolt sparking a twitch as torment throbbed in tandem.

"—!"

Lip caught between teeth, ignoring the hurt as best I could, I barked, "Suction."

Nurse nearby acted, sliding suction near to silently suck blood from cut, unveiling the site amid hanging iron tang.

Seizing the scalpel, hand advanced to slice the gash wider.

A searing slash tore over my belly.

Breath halted abruptly, frame yearning to jerk back on instinct, yet hand pressed on. It had to.

Stopping now—

Meant death.

That idea held me firm enough to continue, hauling knife downward, widening the gap as heat gushed forth, drenching my grip while fresh crimson soaked my outfit deeper.

Motion halted sharply, stare bulging at the vast stain blooming over me. That... like innards erupting from within. Yet as I stalled, fingers seized my wrist.

"Doctor."

With the hold came a raspy, ghostly tone.

"Don’t stop, doctor. You can’t stop now."

Clench grew fiercer; I gulped.

'Push on. Must push on.'

Eyes dropped back to patient.

Surgery was alien to me before, but steps burned clear in my head since donning doctor role.

Hand descended anew, slicing inward.

Throat bobbed roughly, sight blurring briefly with dark flecks invading borders.

"...Suction," I rasped out, tone strained sharper.

Tube eased in, hauling gore with rhythmic slurps, baring enough to reveal my work.

The mess ahead.

Blood flooded everywhere.

Endless flow gathered, veiling all, like flesh blocked views of hidden depths.

'Damn.'

Hand plunged instinctively beyond slit, delving further.

Shiver wracked me, twin violation stirring my insides like ghostly fingers rummaging organs. Intrusion curled toes, icy unease gripping as balance teetered.

Heat kept flooding palms while suction gulped gore steadily, sloshy echoes filling space.

Squelch—!

Organs nudged apart delicately, mirrored disturbance churning my core, willpower clamped to hunt bleeding root buried in chaos.

Deeper search, ragged pants worsened, inhales jagged while low buzz clogged ears. Sight blurred peripherally, thoughts fogging lighter.

Blood loss mounted heavily; blackout loomed perilously near.

Knowing full well what was happening, my hands quickened their pace, shoving the organs apart and delving even deeper while those feelings rippled through my own flesh.

Every single sensation hit me, each motion, each probe, as though I was both the surgeon and the one sliced open on the table.

Grinding my teeth, I bent my head lower, frantically hunting for the bleeding source amid the relentless clock ticks ringing in my ears. Suddenly, through the foggy blur, my eyes widened at the discovery.

’There it is...!’

"Clamp."

My command rang out, and the nearby nurse swiftly passed me the clamp. I plunged it straight into the cavity without pause, the icy metal chill racing through my innards as I gripped the damaged vessel tight.

The second it clamped shut, a surge blasted through me, like countless lightning strikes tearing down my frame at once.

"——!"

Stunned, I released the clamp instantly.

Beeep! Beeep! Beeep! Beeep! Beeep!

The cardiogram's piercing beeps filled the room as the body on the table thrashed wildly beneath the glaring lights.

"Uekh!"

My own body seized up too, control slipping away completely as everything whirled around me.

For a split second, I spotted the nurses.

All of them... staring right at me.

Grinning.

Applauding...?

Celebrating? No clue, couldn't say. Suddenly, my thoughts flashed to the knowledge buried in my head. That stuff... could I even rely on it? Was I doing this right at all?

What if I wasn't?

"Haa... Haa!"

’No, snap out of it!’

Shaking off the doubt, I whipped back to the patient, grabbed the clamp again, and clamped down on the bleed. Once locked, I peered through the blur to check if the blood had finally halted.

’It stopped.’

Perfect. This was progress.

"Suction. Suture."

While the nurse sucked away the fluids, I started stitching, threading the needle precisely over the vessel. Every stitch stabbed sharp pains into my own flesh, making me halt briefly now and then.

Each time I faltered, the nurses swiveled toward me.

"Doctor...?"

Gritting through it, I steadied my grip and sealed the wound tight.

The operation raced along, my focus battling the agony until I withdrew my hands and inspected for any lingering leaks. Satisfied the bleeding was done, I closed up the incision with precise, deliberate stitches.

This phase flew by too, and when done, I dropped the scalpel and instruments, collapsing into the chair. My hand flew to my gut, pressing hard against the echoing throbs from the ordeal.

"Haa... Haa..."

Exhaustion crashed over me, sweat pouring down my cheek as I gasped for air. But mere seconds after wrapping up, a nurse stood tall and approached, her beaming face inches from mine.

"Doctor..."

Her gentle whisper brushed my ear.

"...Good job on the surgery. Let’s get onto the next patient."

She let out a giggle.

"There’s still a lot of time left."

I glanced at the clock.

Still 6:30 P.M.

Tick. Tick—

Tick—