Chapter 4
[Unstable anomaly detected. Dungeon energy surging. Instance is upgrading.]
[Welcome back to the Psychiatric Ward.]
[Five patients still show no signs of returning to normal. They are beginning to believe they were never the problem. The problem is the world.]
[Task: Survive one full day in your patient’s hands.]
[Remaining players: 3]
[Difficulty: S]
The livestream chat exploded.
[What just happened? Why is the dungeon leveling up mid-run?]
[I only saw Zero and the pet start fighting, then my screen went black!]
[Is the system running on a rented server? Why does it break every ten minutes!]
I decided to lie low for a moment and find my teammates first.
But right as I took a step, a chill crawled across my scalp. Something dangerous was watching me.
I thought for a second, then raised my palm and made a small beckoning gesture. At the same time, I puckered my lips.
“Here, boy. Tsk-tsk-tsk-tsk.”
The chat was baffled.
[What is she doing? Casting a spell?]
[She must be losing her mind. A single woman cannot survive this.]
[Call me crazy, but… is she calling a dog?]
[My grandpa used to call the stray dogs in our neighbourhood exactly like that.]
After a few more “tsk-tsk-tsk” calls, footsteps sounded at the end of the hall.
The pet appeared.
His hair was wild, his skin reeked of blood, and the thin hospital gown strained against his chest muscles like they were two mountains fighting for territory.
In short, he looked meaner. And stronger.
[Is he fully beast-formed now? His eyes look completely feral.]
[Must be because the dungeon upgraded. He looks way stronger than before.]
[Just came from the other two streamers’ rooms. They already got eaten by their patients!]
[So our girl is the last surviving player?]
[Not for long. The pet is already attacking.]
He moved too fast. I could not react in time. He slammed me into the floor with a loud thud.
Pain shot through me. I saw stars and let out an involuntary whimper.
He pinned me down, but instead of ripping out my throat, his sharp teeth caught a tiny bit of my cheek and gently, repeatedly worried the skin.
It hurt, but mostly it just confused me.
“Wait… are you trying to be a… cuddly pet?”
I was not the only one confused.
[What is he doing? Sharpening his teeth?]
[Use a bone, dude!]
[I have a bold theory. I think the pet is… in his mating season?]
---
Silence.
So much silence the air itself felt embarrassed.
And then he broke it.
“Can you remove your hand from my chest?”
He said it between clenched teeth. No wonder my cheek suddenly hurt more.
“I will not.” The pain made my brain flip into chaotic storytelling mode. “Little buddy, you are naughty. First let go of my face, okay? Okay.”
[I was ready for an R-rated horror scene and instead she turned into a children’s storyteller.]
[Little buddy, you are naughty. I am deceased.]
[Please stop quoting children’s books. I cannot handle this whiplash.]
[My pants were already off and you give me this wholesome nonsense?]
Nobody can resist that tone, not even an anomaly.
He released my face, but he did not move off me. His breath was hot on my neck and sent a shiver down my spine.
Do anomalies get fevers?
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