Rhodes Island does not exist.

"boom--"

Time did not stop as the doctor pondered. While the doctor was thinking about how to deal with this strange creature he had let down, it had already reached about the sixth or seventh floor and rushed into the doctor's field of vision with great momentum.

"Wow, wow, wow."

Feeling the intense passion rushing towards him, the doctor couldn't help but take two steps back.

Although he forced the monster to stop when they first met, he now knows he doesn't need to do that anymore.

After all, it has been tamed, and it is perfectly normal for a tamed animal to express enthusiasm and affection to its owner.

It is precisely because they know they will not be harmed that they can act with restraint.

"Gululu..."

The colossal creature, composed entirely of flesh and blood, pressed its jaws against the doctor's feet like a puppy, seemingly begging for the food he had promised.

"It seems there's no way to brush it off now. After all, such enthusiasm must have impure motives... No, how can I say its motives are impure? I'm the one who gave it hope."

Thinking this, the doctor sighed and prepared to explain to the strange creature in front of him why he hadn't brought it food this time.

"Listen... huh?"

But soon, the doctor suddenly realized that the monster seemed to be trying to arch its tightly closed giant mouth toward his body.

"What does this mean?" The doctor was puzzled at first, then realized that the angle of its mouth seemed to be purposeful.

Could it be that there is something about me that is valuable to it?

how could be?

Such a thing shouldn't exist, right?

But if it doesn't actually exist, then this strange behavior is inexplicable.

So the doctor eventually reached into his coat and tried to find something of value within it.

"Ding Dong."

A crisp sound drifted out of the doctor's pocket as he moved.

This made the doctor aware of the weight in the pocket.

So he immediately reached into the pocket and pulled out two glass bottles.

The sloshing liquid in the bottle was the mud I had once collected in room 1003.

"You're not interested in this, are you?" The doctor waved one of the glass bottles in front of the strange creature.

And whenever the viscous black liquid sloshed around in the bottle, it would elicit a strange, excited growl.

"No kidding, you really like this?" the doctor asked, surprised.

The strange creature then let out a few cheerful high-pitched sounds towards the doctor.

Hearing the feedback from the voice, the doctor couldn't help but smile wryly.

"I originally thought you would like those whole entrails or reconstructed chunks of meat, but I didn't expect your interest to be the simplest of things, this mud..."

"But then again, it makes sense. What fresh food is left for him to eat here on Rhodes Island?"

Thinking about this, the doctor felt relieved.

Chapter 297, Section 295: A Brief Discussion on the Study of Community Conflict

So, after learning the true preferences of that strange creature, the doctor went back to room 1002 and brought back all the scraps that had been stored in the corner of the room, as well as the pieces of internal organs that had dissolved because of the bio-tank, to the stairwell on the eighth floor, and fed them to that enormous creature.

As for the containers used to hold those scraps and pieces of internal organs, they were naturally made by the doctor's hands.

What else could it be?

All the food that the strange creature ate was carried back by the doctor with his arms.

Hopefully, this behavior will make it more affectionate towards the doctor.

"call."

Looking at the strange creature making happy sounds, the doctor couldn't help but shake the dirt off his hands, then wiped his sweat with his clean sleeve.

Even though he hasn't killed a single person, he's still stained with blood.

"Alright, are you satisfied now?" The doctor looked up at the strange creature and asked.

Although that strange creature didn't have any eyeballs at all.

So the PhD student didn't actually know where to look.

"Gululu..."

The strange creature, having eaten and drunk its fill, did not disappoint the doctor. In front of its owner who kept his promise, it showed extreme obedience and gradually retreated in sync with the doctor's pace.

"Thank you for understanding."

The doctor reached out and touched the strange head. "Looks like you're pretty easy to take care of."

"Woo-coo".

A gentle, soft sound came from deep within his throat—a response to the doctor's words.

"I'm going back to the fourth floor now." The professor patted it. "You go back to your nest and rest. I'll call you if I need anything, or rather... if I need anything, can I count on you?"

At the end of the sentence, he deliberately changed the previous declarative sentence into an interrogative sentence.

Undoubtedly, this was to test whether the strange creature would be loyal to the Doctor.

As expected, the strange creature indeed obeyed the doctor.

This is probably the reward for keeping a promise.

The doctor thought to himself, then, while staring at the strange creature, walked to the stairwell on the fourth floor.

"Alright, you don't need to look at me like that anymore."

The doctor placed his hand on the handle of the fire door on the fourth floor, then stood at the door and waved at it, "Go back."

At this point, the strange creature let out a lonely cry before retreating to the deepest part of the stairwell.

"call."

With a sigh of relief, the doctor opened the fire door on the fourth floor.

-

The layout and atmosphere of the fourth floor are almost identical to those when the doctor left.

After all, if you really had to say, he hadn't actually been away from here for very long. It was just that the redundancy and tedium of the journey had made this place feel like a familiar place from long ago to him.

"Is room 403 still the same?"

The doctor walked to the only place here that he could call home, and then stretched out his right hand to open the door he had been away from for so long.

At least he felt like he had been away for a long time.

"squeak--"

The narrow door was opened in his eyes, and the doctor saw the view inside the room.

It was still the same simple sofa, an old television, and an unsettling woman.

No, perhaps the ghost shark isn't so unsettling after all.

Having become accustomed to the ecosystem of Rhodes Island, the Doctor no longer feels the same restrained attitude he had at the beginning.

"Ghost Shark, I'm back."

So, the first thing the doctor said after stepping into the room was this sentence.

“It’s a relief that you’ve returned here without dying and paying the price.” Ghost Shark smiled and nodded at the Doctor.

That smile probably conveyed a sense of approval.

So she can have expressions like that too? The doctor couldn't help but smile to himself.

He certainly hoped that Ghost Shark wouldn't be as cold and rigid as she was when they first met, since she didn't seem like that kind of person at all.

Although there was no information about her in my past memories.

However, judging solely from her choice of words and the aura she exudes, she doesn't seem like the kind of woman who would make people feel uneasy.

"If the anomalies and traps on Rhodes Island are only this level, then dying would indeed be a bit difficult." The Doctor shook his head. "As long as I don't act too recklessly, I think I should be able to survive."

“This is your own path,” Ghost Shark said with a squinting smile. “While I can offer advice and help you find answers, I cannot choose for you what path to take.”

"After all, anything that is overly subjective is actually of no value or meaning to discuss," she said.

"Is everything subjective meaningless?" The doctor found Ghost Shark's viewpoint somewhat difficult to understand.

“Yes.” Ghost Shark nodded. “For example, if something is exceptionally good on a subjective level, then people who want to praise its excellence will gather together to extol its excellence and beauty.”

“But because it is excellent at the subjective level, it may become mediocre or even inferior at the subjective level in the eyes of other people,” Ghost Shark said. “Therefore, those who want to criticize its mediocrity will gather together to denounce and belittle its mediocrity and inferiority.”

“But this is just a simple discussion,” the doctor replied to Ghost Shark after a moment’s thought.

“That’s not the case.” Ghost Shark shook his head. “Discussions usually end with constructive results, but the kind of behavior I just mentioned doesn’t yield any results. After all, from beginning to end, they’re just repeating a subjective fact.”

"For example, those who praise are just praising, and those who criticize are just criticizing. No matter how thoughtful or varied the words used in praising and criticizing, their essence is ultimately the same," the PhD student said thoughtfully.

“That’s right, Doctor, you understand very quickly.” Ghost Shark nodded. “I’m pleased with your comprehension and knowledge.”

"Hmm." The Doctor neither confirmed nor denied Ghost Shark's praise, but continued to elaborate on the topic she had just raised, "What would happen if the group that only knows how to praise met the group that only knows how to insult?"

“Ah, that’s a good question,” Ghost Shark smiled. “So, what do you think will happen?”

"Since their subjective opinions differ, these two factions will inevitably shift the focus of their discussion from the East and West themselves to attacking each other's opposing camps, right?" the professor said.

"And what do you think the outcome of this attack will be?" Ghost Shark asked.

"There will be no result, and there can never be a result." The doctor shook his head. "Because in this farce, no one will be persuaded."

"So, all of this is actually meaningless."

The ghost shark laughed.

-

Thank you segment.

Thanks to the hdaseump Protection Association for the monthly pass and the razor blade, thank you.

Chapter 298, Part 296: The Petite Woman

After finishing the previous conversation, the doctor sat on the sofa for a while, intending to take the opportunity to rest.

During the time he sat there, Ghost Shark remained absolutely silent.

Perhaps occasionally she would quietly cast her gaze upon the doctor's face, but she would never utter a sound.

However, even so, this quiet did not last long.

"Cough cough!"

Two soft coughs came from the ghost shark's throat.

"Excuse me, I'm sorry to bother you."

After the coughing sound, Specter immediately bowed to the doctor and apologized in an extremely sincere manner.

"No, it's nothing." The doctor waved his hand. "Everyone has times when their throat is uncomfortable. There's no need to apologize to me for such a simple little thing."

"I was just afraid of disturbing your rest." She kept her head down.

“How could that be?” The Doctor stood up and walked to Specter’s side, placing his hands on her shoulders. “When I was traveling, I could sleep soundly even in the Sargon Wilderness where the wind howled all night, so there’s no need to worry.”

“I’ve heard of your deeds.” Upon hearing the doctor’s words, Specter slowly raised her head and looked him directly in the eye with her crimson eyes. “However, this is the first time I’ve heard of such an experience.”

"Really? Then it seems I'm quite famous." The Doctor chuckled, half-self-deprecatingly. "And I think even the real celebrities of Terra probably wouldn't write down every single detail in their biographies, would they?"

“It’s hard to say.” Ghost Shark shook his head. “There are always some people who are keen to publish all their big and small, private and public affairs. These people are a species that can only survive by feeling the attention of others.”

“Ah, I understand, I understand perfectly,” the doctor agreed.

"But speaking of which, Specter, what exactly are you doing here?" The Doctor looked at Specter and asked a question that had been on his mind from the beginning.

“As I’ve said before, I’m here to guide you.” Specter bowed slightly to the Doctor. “On Rhodes Island, you can do whatever you want…”

“No, I’ve already heard that. That’s not what I’m asking.” The doctor waved his hand. “Guide or Guide, I understand, but you know that’s not what I’m asking.”

"So, what would you like to ask?" Specter Shark put on his usual smiling face.