American Horror Story, Starting from Falls Town

Chapter 370 Ice Cone Therapy
Why would a mental hospital with such a large area, well-maintained greenery, and intact buildings be abandoned?
The last time Roy encountered a similar situation was at the abandoned shopping mall in Roland Gordon that caught fire.

The abandoned shopping mall was abandoned because of an internal dispute over inheritance within the Gordon family. Could it be that the mental hospital was abandoned in the same way?
Harry scratched his head.

"I don't know about that. The location was chosen by the president, so only he can tell me."

The president of the Ouroboros Society didn't come along at all; Harry is currently in charge of the situation on site.

After Harry got out of the car, he had people in several other vans transport the drunk students through the cut wire fence into the lobby of the mental hospital.

At that moment, a student came over and tried to take Roy and Shawdy's phones away. Roy glared at the student, and the student immediately backed down.

Harry came over and explained.

"Roy, according to the script, we're going to confiscate your communication devices, but we'll leave you a few walkie-talkies. If you have any trouble, you can contact us. We'll be waiting outside the barbed wire fence tonight."

Roy shook his head, not because he was afraid, but because he didn't want to miss any phone calls that night.

After all, Roy has a lot on his plate right now. He has to manage the studio's investments, the salvage operation at sea is almost over, and Elise might call him at any time.

"I have to carry a satellite phone because I might need to be contacted by an important call at any time."

Harry scratched his head, somewhat puzzled. What important thing could a college student have to do? Would a professor take attendance?

But then I thought about it again. Roy is an Olympic champion, so he might have a lot of things to deal with. So I opened a back door for him.

“Okay, Roy, you can bring your phone in, but Shawdy’s phone isn’t allowed.”

Roy nodded, gesturing for Shawdy to hand the phone to Harry. Shawdy was quite obedient and handed over the phone.

Harry left some tools behind and then led the other student council members who had helped out of the mental hospital’s lobby.

"Roy, we'll lock the gate and open it again at six o'clock tomorrow morning. Have a good time tonight!"

What a load of crap! What's so fun about this godforsaken place?

Roy just wanted to get through the night peacefully and then go through the formalities to enter the Ouroboros Society.

It was already 8 p.m., and night had completely fallen, leaving the lobby of the mental hospital pitch black.

The night wind blowing into the empty mental hospital created some unusual sounds, giving people a very terrifying feeling.

Xiao Di quickly picked up his digital camera, turned on night vision mode, and looked around, as if doing so would give him some sense of security.

"Damn it! Why are all hospitals so scary at night?"

Roy raised an eyebrow at Xiao Di.

"Are you afraid?"

Xiao Di immediately retorted, sticking out his neck.

"Afraid? Why would Grandpa Xiao Di be afraid! I'm the bravest man in our neighborhood!"

Roy looked at him strangely. Shawdy's current reaction was hardly that of a brave person. Judging from his nervous expression, his shifting eyes, and his hands that didn't know where to go, it was clear that this guy was a coward.

Just then, the walkie-talkie on the ground crackled to life, startling Xiao Di so much that he sprang to his feet.

"what!"

"Hey, can you hear me?"

It turned out to be Harry speaking.

Roy picked up a walkie-talkie and replied to Harry.

Yes, I can hear you.

"Roy, have those freshmen woken up yet?"

Roy looked at the other 11 freshmen who were lying on the ground sleeping like dead pigs.

"Not a single one is awake; they're all still sleeping."

"Damn it! We must have drunk too much this afternoon. If they keep sleeping, what's the point of watching?"

Upon hearing this, Roy considered a possibility.

"You guys aren't broadcasting this live, are you?"

Harry paused for a moment.

"how do you know?"

"When I was pretending to be drunk earlier, I heard you say that there were cameras installed, which, combined with what you just said..."

“Okay, we did broadcast the membership test live across the entire school, that's how we make the show, isn't it? Roy, could you please not reveal this?”

Roy didn't expect Ouroboros to be so ruthless, broadcasting it live across the entire school.

If the freshmen pull some crazy moves, they'll become celebrities all over the school.
Well, that's the American fraternity's style. The fraternity is always up to something, and the more outrageous the fraternity's antics, the more prestigious it is on campus.

The outgoing American people love this kind of activity, so every year students die from this kind of prank.

"I won't tell the new students, but I won't take responsibility if anything happens."

Roy directly issued a universal disclaimer. After all, he is a public figure, and if something happens to him, it will naturally attract media attention, which will definitely cause trouble.

"Of course, the Ouroboros Society will take full responsibility. You can wake up the new students now!"

Roy gave Shawdi a look, and Shawdi immediately understood and used mineral water to wake up all 11 freshmen.

Hey! Who's pouring water?!

"Huh? Is it raining?"

"What a lavish gift!"

The 11 freshmen started swearing, then they quickly realized something was wrong.

Where are our clothes?

"Where is this place?"

"My God! It's so dark!"

For a time, these freshmen made a complete fool of themselves. Some were walking their birds, some were in a panic, and some were suspiciously looking at Roy and Shawdy, whose clothes were intact. In short, it was very entertaining.

These actions were all captured on camera, and those watching the live stream right now are probably laughing their heads off.

"Why are you two wearing clothes, while all of our clothes are gone!"

After realizing what had happened, people immediately questioned Roy and Shawdy, and Roy made up a story on the spot to deal with the freshmen.

"Actually, the membership test started in the afternoon. Those bikini-clad beauties were part of the test. Xiao Di and I, because we can drink a lot, didn't let those women succeed."

Xiao Di nodded repeatedly, putting on an air of great confidence.

This reason made a lot of sense, so the 11 freshmen didn't say much. They quickly used the blankets provided by the Ouroboros to protect their private parts, as walking their birds was not a very elegant behavior.

Just then, Harry's voice came through the walkie-talkie again. "Hello, everyone's awake, right? This is Harry Dyson. The test is now officially starting! I've prepared a walkie-talkie, a digital camera with night vision, and a few batteries for each of you. You are free to explore the entire mental hospital. After the test, we will evaluate who is the winner based on the footage captured by the digital camera."

The test will end at 6:00 AM. If you are scared, you can call for help via walkie-talkie, and we will come to your rescue immediately. Good luck!

A few of the freshmen, who were not very good-tempered, cursed a few times. After all, being stripped naked and left in an unfamiliar place would make anyone angry.

However, after finishing their rant, everyone picked up the digital camera, batteries, and walkie-talkies to prepare for exploring the mental hospital.

After all, the first place winner gets a brand new digital camcorder, which is very valuable!
Then, the walkie-talkie spoke again very quickly.

"Ahem! I forgot to introduce the background story! Anyway, we've only just begun, so let me tell you about this mental hospital. It was built in the early 20th century specifically to house severely mentally ill patients, who are usually in great danger."

Around the 1930s, Portuguese physician Egas Moniz proposed prefrontal lobe surgery, a method that could effectively control mental patients, and invented the ice pick technique, which was initially very successful. However, it was later discovered that this surgery was extremely inhumane, and thus it was banned.

However, a doctor at the mental hospital firmly believed that ice pick surgery was a panacea. He secretly performed illegal ice pick surgeries on patients, indirectly causing the accidental deaths of several patients. Eventually, the doctor's heinous acts were discovered. He hid in the hospital's basement and attempted to resist police arrest, but was successfully shot and killed by the police.

But even today, the demonic doctor's spirit still roams the mental hospital, and anyone who wanders in is seized and subjected to ice pick surgery.

Prefrontal lobe surgery and ice pick surgery have been mentioned in many films and television shows, such as One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Shutter Island.

The human brain is divided into four lobes in each hemisphere, with the frontal lobe being the largest. People who have their frontal lobes removed lose most of their functions, including some cognitive abilities, leaving them with only some instinctive physiological activities, much like a person in a vegetative state.

The reason this surgery became so popular was because, after the procedure, mental patients did indeed become more stable and easier to control.

They've all become vegetative, so wouldn't they be much easier to control?
(Ice pick surgery diagram)

Ironically, Egas Moniz, the originator of this procedure, won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1949, and it wasn't until 1962, when America Ken Kesey wrote his personal experience into the novel "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," that this horrific procedure disappeared.

But Roy had asked Harry before if he knew why the mental hospital was abandoned, and Harry clearly said he didn't.

Could it be that Harry wrote this part?

However, the story was indeed quite atmospheric. Roy noticed that after hearing the story, everyone in the room except him changed their expressions.

Shawdy nudged Roy's arm, his hand trembling.

"what?"

"Roy, do you think Harry's story is true or false?"

Roy couldn't help but roll his eyes.

When Harry said he didn't know anything about the mental hospital, Shore was clearly there, yet now he's starting to believe him.

"Maybe it's true. Are you scared?"

"Fear! Why...why would I be afraid?"

Xiao Di's voice suddenly rose and then quickly fell, like a rollercoaster ride, reflecting his desire to save face while also being afraid.

Roy was speechless. He ignored Shawdy and walked into the corridor of the mental hospital, intending to wander around.

Otherwise, it would be too boring to just squat in the lobby all night.

"Roy, wait for me!"

Shawdy quickly caught up with Roy, constantly muttering to himself to bolster his courage.

"If a ghost pops out later, I'll take him down with a left hook and a right hook!"

"Shut up, Shawdy! You're so noisy!"

The mental hospital was very spacious, and Xiao Di's rambling sounds like he had a built-in amplification effect.

"I... I just couldn't help it!"

"How about I punch you so you can sleep peacefully until dawn?"

Xiao Di: That's a good suggestion, but I suggest you don't make that suggestion again next time.

However, Xiao Di covered his mouth and didn't dare to speak anymore, but from his constantly moving cheeks, it could be seen that he was actually still talking, but his voice was completely muffled by his hand.

After Roy and Shawdy left, the remaining 11 students hesitated for a moment. Eight of them mustered up the courage to follow them out, while the remaining three students were too timid and decided to stay in the foyer to spend the night.

"This mental hospital is so complicated to design!"

Roy wandered around for a bit and found that the entire mental hospital was designed like a maze, with corridors and staircases everywhere, and each room was designed in a similar way. You wouldn't know whether it was a ward or an office unless you went inside.

"Roy, do you feel colder?"

After walking for a while, Xiao Di's emotions stabilized a little, but now he has a new situation.

"It's getting colder? I don't feel it!"

Because of his improved physical condition, Roy's sensitivity to the environment has actually decreased. After all, what is dangerous to ordinary people is no problem for him at all.

But Roy became alert when Shawdy suddenly said that.

The climate in California has a relatively large temperature difference between day and night because the climate is quite dry.

However, if the temperature drops suddenly, it could also indicate a problem.

Are there really ghosts in this mental hospital?
Generally speaking, the appearance of ghosts is usually accompanied by several special physical phenomena.

For example, a sudden drop in temperature, electronic interference, or strange noises may occur.

The problem is that Roy doesn't have a thermometer and can't determine exactly how much the indoor temperature has dropped.

"It is indeed a bit cold. I didn't feel this way last night, but today in the mental hospital, I don't know why, it feels like winter!"

That's definitely quite serious!
Roy immediately activated his Eye of Truth and began observing his surroundings. He then saw a white figure pass by in the corridor ahead.

Xiao Di also witnessed this scene and was so frightened he almost peed his pants.

"Ghost, ghost, ghost!"

He tried to run away, but Roy quickly grabbed him by the back of his collar. As a result, the guy was running too fast and ended up falling to the ground with his legs dangling in the air.

Why are you running? That's fake!

"Huh? It's fake? Roy, how did you know?"

Of course, it's because the eye of truth can tell that it's a person!

However, Roy certainly couldn't explain it to Shawdy like that, so he came up with another reason.

"The Ouroboros would pull off such a big stunt, it's clearly meant to scare us. Do you think they might be dressed as ghosts?"

Xiao Di understood instantly.

To be honest, playing pranks by dressing up as ghosts is a long-standing tradition of America's; Shawdy has been scared by her two older brothers many times since she was a child.

"Damn it! So that's how it is!"

But at that moment, a scream came from afar.

(End of this chapter)