As Harry's words echoed through the room, the documents he threw fluttered to the ground. Each piece of paper bore a bright red stamp, and every document was signed by several people.
The oppressive chill in the air—carried by the vengeful spirits and malicious ghosts suffocating Harry—dispersed instantly like smoke blown away by the wind.
The force pressing down on him also vanished, draining away as fast as water rushing through an open gate.
Harry collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath while clutching his throat. He glanced over at Diana, who was retreating rapidly, seemingly trying to distance herself from the documents.
But it was too late. Rules are the ultimate authority.
The dark energy surrounding her began to dissipate at an alarming rate. The clipboard she had been holding, along with the pen in her hand, crumbled to ash, slipping away and vanishing before her eyes.
Her power rapidly diminished, the white lab coat she wore gradually darkening as though ink had seeped into the fabric, staining it black. Her figure started to decay, her entire appearance warping into a deathly visage as resentment condensed into black liquid, dripping from her body.
Still leaning against the glass door of the lobby, Harry massaged his bruised neck, his voice hoarse yet mocking.
"I had someone investigate. Even after your death, your connections in the hospital were maintained. You remained a head nurse at the deputy director level, receiving all the corresponding benefits."
He continued with a smirk, "And with those benefits comes responsibility. The regulations applied to you just like they did when you were alive."
"The reason you still had authority here was because of your deputy director status. Now that's been stripped away. I'm curious... do you still feel like you need to continue your rounds?"
Diana's face melted like a candle, her eyes seething with hatred that couldn't be hidden. Now standing at the base of the staircase leading to the second floor, she looked cautiously at the devices in the center of the lobby, avoiding the talismans and symbols set in place. Slowly, she began to slither along the wall, inching closer to Harry.
Realizing her intentions, Harry scrambled into the safe zone formed by the devices. His ears began to ring as soon as he entered, the energy from the talismans and machinery making the air heavy and uncomfortable.
Diana approached the boundary, but her dark energy hit an invisible wall, unable to breach the protective field. Her black aura was pushed back, forced to spread to the sides like smoke in a windstorm.
Seeing that she could no longer touch him, Harry stayed put. Though her strength was fading fast, she wandered outside the boundary, unable to get closer.
After a moment, Diana sneered, her cold voice filled with mockery.
"Even without some of the rules binding me, my power may be weaker, but it gives me more freedom. And there are still plenty of other patients in this hospital..."
"So, you're still required to patrol the entire building, huh?" Harry shot back, his tone mocking as ever.
Diana let out a shrill laugh, sounding more like a screeching owl than a human. Without hesitation, she turned and floated towards the second floor. But before she could disappear, Harry stood tall, raising his middle finger high as he shouted after her:
"I'm your daddy."
Diana froze mid-step, her body rigid as she turned back slowly. The loose eye dangling from her cheek twitched violently, veins of blood surging through it as rage boiled inside her.
Her teeth gnashed together, and the sound of grinding echoed through the lobby. She trembled, straining to keep her composure, before forcing herself to turn back around and continue towards the second floor.
Without the strict rules restraining her, Diana had lost much of her power, but her freedom to act had increased. She could ramp up her killing spree and climb the ladder of advancement. Maybe even regain what she'd lost.
Harry watched her leave, his face lit with a mocking grin.
"I said, I'm your daddy. You hear me?"
"I'm your daddy!"
The blood vessels in Diana's eyes burst, crimson spreading through the whites of her eyes like arrows. Her rage consumed every bit of her rationality, burning away what little sense she had left.
With a bestial snarl, Diana dropped to all fours, her teeth chattering as she tore at the ground. Her hair whipped wildly around her, the air thick with hatred as her ghostly figure charged down the stairs at breakneck speed, heading straight for Harry.
Harry steeled himself, thinking, Even though she's weakened, she still can't breach the protective field. Now's the time to pin her down.
If he had to choose again, he'd still take the risk. Better to fight back than to spend every waking moment wondering when she'd strike, letting her grow stronger while living in fear.
As Diana lunged into the field, Harry rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding her attack.
The moment she entered, the talismans stuck to the machines lit up, shimmering softly as ripples formed in the air, creating a barrier around the center of the lobby.
Diana's black aura swirled like a vortex, but as the pressure increased from all sides, it condensed into tight, magnetic lines, trapping her within.
The invisible forces pressed down on her, slowing her movements until she was locked in place, her body warping under the pressure like molten wax.
Harry, now standing at the entrance, watched silently.
No wonder Victor wasn't worried about the devices being destroyed. As long as they were activated, no evil spirit could get close. With the added talisman protection and the sturdy design of the machines, they were practically indestructible.
The challenge wasn't setting the trap—it was luring the target into it. But Harry had figured that part out.
He could taunt her into submission.
And he'd proven it. His "I'm your daddy" taunt worked every time, filling his target with blinding rage.
The suppression equipment was doing its job, even better than expected. Without her hospital authority, Diana's power had plummeted by at least 90%, and even her abilities were severely weakened.
Yet, despite being in this state, she'd still resisted his taunts twice. Harry thought grimly, 'If we'd gone head-to-head without all this, she could've crushed me with one hand.'
'Thank goodness I acted decisively. Had three days passed and this domain disappeared, giving Diana a whole year to grow... 'Harry shuddered at the thought. She'd undoubtedly evolve into something far worse, gaining new abilities—or worse, rewriting the rules to her advantage.
The idea of spending the next year dodging random fatal "accidents"—whether from runaway trucks, crazed knife-wielders, or some other calamity—was enough to drive anyone mad.
Thankfully, the situation was now under control.
Harry pulled over a three-seat bench from the side and sat down by the door, feeling exhaustion wash over him. Even though he was dead tired, he wasn't leaving until this was all over.
He took out the last small bread roll from his pocket, chewing it slowly as he kept his eyes fixed on Diana.
The swirling black mist around her shrank steadily, compressing her energy until the vortex was only a meter wide. She was growing weaker with every second.
Harry checked the time on his phone. It was summer, and the sun was set to rise early. The forecast had the sunrise for 6:09 AM, 'It wouldn't be long now.'