The black-robed Observer stood frozen.
One hand still holding the silver perfume bottle.
The other gripping the projector.
Neither lowered.
Neither raised.
Behind the distorted mask, a sharp, irritated inhale slipped through.
He had expected chaos.
A breakdown.
A spectacle.
Instead—
He got publicly counter-marked.
Behind the partition, Lin Wan clutched her mouth.
Half shock.
Half hysterical laughter threatening to burst out.
There, under chandelier light, sat a golden "baby qilin" radiating pure dominance.
Expression calm.
Posture composed.
Aura screaming:
That all you got?
Lin Wan had only one thought:
Shen Mo, you lunatic.
You magnificent lunatic.
The livestream froze for two seconds.
Then—
Detonation.
[HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA][I'M CRYING][HE PEED. HE ACTUALLY PEED.][That was a dominance strike.][Entropy: psychological warfare.Er'gou: biological warfare.][Director better give him TEN drumsticks tonight.]
The production team scrambled in.
Smiles stretched tight.
"Minor technical issue!"
They quickly confiscated the perfume and projector.
Other pets were calmed.
The segment was declared "unexpectedly concluded."
The Observer was subtly escorted away through a side corridor.
Disappearing.
Humiliated.
Lin Wan noticed something else.
Su Xiao was standing near that same corridor entrance.
Watching the Observer leave.
Then—
From a distance—
Watching Er'gou.
Her expression unreadable.
Too thoughtful.
Owners were allowed back onto the floor.
Lin Wan rushed to Er'gou immediately and pulled him into a hug—ignoring the faint chemical scent still clinging to his fur.
He was still trembling.
Slightly.
But controlled.
Grounded.
"It's over," she whispered. "You did amazing."
She tugged lightly at the ridiculous headpiece.
"And yes. Six cans. I'm a woman of my word."
Er'gou huffed softly and shoved the crooked qilin mask into her hands.
Translation:
Remove this insult immediately.
Once freed from gold wings and sequins, he looked… tired.
Fur slightly messy.
Eyes shadowed.
But clearer than ever.
The cold steadiness of Shen Mo's mind was unmistakable now.
Sharper than before.
The rest of the masquerade continued under a fragile, unspoken tension.
No one mentioned what happened.
But the looks changed.
Curiosity.
Wariness.
Respect.
Er'gou resumed his "silent sacred beast" persona flawlessly.
Though—
Whenever overly sweet perfume drifted past…
Or a faint aerosol hiss sounded somewhere…
His ears would twitch.
Just once.
The mystery game wrapped up sloppily.
Scripted culprit revealed.
Polite applause.
Forced smiles.
Recording ended.
Midnight – Old Cinema
Back in their safehouse, Lin Wan immediately honored her promise.
Six cans.
Premium.
He devoured them with calm dignity.
Afterward, she wiped him down carefully with a warm cloth, paying special attention to where the mist had settled.
He lay on the broken sofa without resistance.
Eyes closed.
Breathing slow.
Exhaustion visible.
Then she played the stabilizing audio again.
Soft frequencies filled the dusty theater.
Gradually—
His body loosened.
Breathing deepened.
The tension dissolved.
Lin Wan sat beside him in the dim light.
Replaying the night in her head.
That moment—
When he chose not to lose control.
When he headbutted the pillar.
When he adjusted the mask.
When he marked the floor.
Was that canine instinct?
Human strategy?
Or something entirely new?
Some strange fusion born under pressure?
Her encrypted phone buzzed.
Chen Lin.
"Ball incident confirmed. Response excellent.""Observer identified. Outer-tier Entropy operative. No hard evidence secured.""Su Xiao had brief contact with him. Still circumstantial.""Induction attempt failed. They likely won't reuse same method soon.""Remain alert.""Audio can be used regularly.""His integration level appears to have increased under stress.""Good sign. Also risk.""New task: Three days. City Pet Charity Auction. Possible target attendance.""Prepare."
Integration level… increased?
Lin Wan looked at the sleeping husky.
Moonlight filtered through torn curtains, resting on gray-white fur.
He was still a dog.
But not just a dog.
Not anymore.
She lay down on the other end of the sofa.
Tomorrow would demand more acting.
More control.
More masks.
And her partner—
Was a top-tier actor mastering the art of living as a dog.
In his sleep, Er'gou's tail drifted unconsciously across the cushion.
Rested against her wrist.
Warm.
Soft.
Real.
She didn't move away.
Instead—
She gently wrapped her fingers around the tip of that tail.
For once—
No nightmares came.