Chapter 66: The First Caretaker

The Naga coiled silently behind the iron bars, its serpentine form unmoving as it watched Lin QiYe. 

Lin QiYe narrowed his eyes and stood outside the barrier, locking gazes with the creature. His vision flickered, and a familiar interface unfolded in his mind.

---

**Sinner:** Naga 

**Decision:** As a mythical being personally killed by you, you have the right to decide its soul's fate: 

- **Option 1:** Erase its soul, completely obliterating it from existence. 

- **Option 2:** Achieve a loyalty value of 60 to employ it as a caretaker in your hospital. It will care for patients and provide protection to a certain extent. 

**Current Loyalty:** 0/85 

---

Lin QiYe's brows furrowed slightly as he read the information. This task felt different from the others. If he remembered correctly, the previous caretaker required a "Fear Value," but this time, it was a "Loyalty Value."

It meant the hospital's demands varied based on the mythical being's nature.

Moreover, this time, the loyalty value was split into two parts: one was 0, the other 85. Lin QiYe suspected this was because the Naga's consciousness was divided between two entities—the Naga itself and "Li Yifei."

"I assume you're aware of your fate," Lin QiYe said after a long pause.

"If you kill me, Li Yifei dies too," the Naga hissed, its gaze intense as it locked eyes with Lin QiYe.

"Oh?" Lin QiYe chuckled faintly. "Do you think I'd care much about his life?"

"Sure, I'd be inconvenienced for a while if he dies, but that's about it. Our relationship isn't exactly close. You should know that."

The Naga fell silent. It had been an observer of their relationship, witnessing the coldness between Lin QiYe and Li Yifei. Betting on their bond was foolish, especially considering how Li Yifei had abandoned it once.

"What do you want?" Lin QiYe asked.

"You seem to misunderstand," Lin QiYe's tone remained calm. "You're the one showcasing your value to me. If you can't meet my expectations… Sorry, my hospital doesn't keep freeloaders."

The Naga hesitated before responding. "I excel at disguise and implanting serpent seeds. Stealth and infiltration are my specialties."

"Not enough."

"I'm good at strategizing and can offer counsel," the Naga continued.

"...What did you say you're good at?" Lin QiYe raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing," the Naga muttered, its voice faltering. It had tried to scheme, but Lin QiYe had easily unraveled all its plans. "But collective brainstorming isn't bad. Your own wisdom might not cover every angle. Our different ways of thinking could complement each other."

"Hm, that's a fair point. Continue."

"Although my combat strength is limited now, once I mature, I'll gain considerable power. Also, I can shed my skin, making me hard to kill."

"Go on."

"…That's all."

Lin QiYe thought for a moment. "Can you entertain elderly people?"

"…I can't," the Naga said, baffled by the sudden question. "But Li Yifei is pretty good at it."

"That'll do," Lin QiYe nodded. "You can stay, but there's an additional condition."

"What condition?"

"Unless absolutely necessary, let Li Yifei take control of this body."

The Naga was silent for a long moment, before reluctantly agreeing. "...Fine. I agree." 

Freedom was valuable, but obliteration was not an option. Besides, Li Yifei was part of it. Sharing the body wasn't such a great sacrifice.

Lin QiYe nodded, and with a flick of his wrist, a piece of parchment and a pen appeared in his hands.

"This is your employment contract. Review it. If there's no issue, sign it," he said, tossing the parchment toward the Naga with the ease of a boss making a deal.

The Naga caught it and read through it carefully. Its expression darkened with every line.

Calling it an employment contract was generous—it was more of a soul-binding pact. The obligations were clear:

- **Obey the hospital director Lin QiYe's orders unconditionally.** 

- **Do not harm or conspire to harm Director Lin QiYe or his interests.** 

- **Avoid damaging public property in the hospital.** 

- **Regularly clean the hospital premises.** 

- **Prepare breakfast for the patients every morning.** 

There was also a clause tucked in the supplementary terms:

**"Unless necessary, the Li Yifei persona must control the body."**

Under Lin QiYe's obligations was one word:

**"None."**

It was a one-sided exploitation—a ruthlessly oppressive document. But the Naga had no other choice. With a sharp sigh, it signed its name.

The moment it did, the parchment burst into flames and turned to ash. Strange symbols on the cell walls vanished, and the door swung open.

At the same time, the Naga's form reverted to human shape. It was now wearing a teal caretaker uniform, a black nameplate reading: 

—**Caretaker 001.**

Li Yifei stared blankly at the uniform, scratching his head. He had overheard the entire negotiation, and now he understood the situation—he had gone from being Lin QiYe's classmate to his employee.

"How does it feel to be resurrected?" Lin QiYe asked with a smile.

"Not bad…" Li Yifei sighed, a bitter edge to his voice. "Boss Lin, just don't push me too hard. I'm not built for it…"

"Call me Director," Lin QiYe said with a grin, patting his shoulder. He then turned toward the hallway. "Come on, let me show you around the hospital."

Li Yifei, still wearing his caretaker uniform, sighed and followed him.

"This area is the patient ward. Only one room is occupied right now. The hospital only has one patient—her name is Nyx. You'll find her case file later to review her condition. 

Over there is the activity area. When you're free, take her to watch TV or play chess. Don't let her stare at vases in the garden all day. If her mental illness doesn't heal and she develops dementia instead, it'll be on you.

Here's the pharmacy. These are the meds. She needs two pills three times a day…"

By the end of the tour, Li Yifei was completely numb.

What kind of place is this?!

"Mother, I've found you some company. From now on, he'll keep you entertained," Lin QiYe said, smiling as he introduced Li Yifei to Nyx.

Nyx studied Li Yifei for a long moment before her eyes widened. A delighted smile spread across her face.

"My grandson! Granny's finally found you!"