The door closed.
Silence fell over the spa room.
Only the slow, hollow hum of the singing-bowl music remained.
Xiao Tao glanced nervously between the still-tense husky and Lin Wan's troubled expression.
"Um… does Teacher Er'gou not like Chairman Li?" she asked cautiously. "Chairman Li is actually really kind. He donates a lot to the hotel's pet charity programs…"
Lin Wan forced a smile.
"Maybe… he just doesn't like Chairman Li's cologne."
She stepped closer and gently stroked the husky's neck.
"It's fine now."
Er'gou gradually relaxed.
But the cold edge in his eyes remained.
He lowered his head, used one paw to rake the remaining treats off the plate, scattering them across the floor.
Then he jumped off the grooming table.
Walked straight to Lin Wan.
Pressed his head lightly against her leg.
Looked up.
Those blue eyes were very clear.
Leave. Now.
Lin Wan understood instantly.
Li Wei'an appearing again—
And those carefully chosen words—
Had already poisoned this place.
She thanked Xiao Tao quickly, even left an extra "startled service fee," then grabbed the leash and left the spa center without hesitation.
The moment they returned to Room 308—
Er'gou sprinted into the bathroom.
He had already learned how to paw the shower handle.
Water blasted on.
He stood under the spray, drenching himself from head to tail, shaking violently again and again as if trying to fling off every trace of spa oil… and Li Wei'an's presence.
By the time he emerged, his fur was soaked and spiked wildly.
His expression looked like a CEO who had just survived a corporate coup.
Meanwhile, Lin Wan was already messaging Chen Lin.
She reported everything.
Li Wei'an's sudden appearance.
Er'gou's aggressive reaction.
The probing conversation.
The reply came fast.
And heavier than usual.
"Li Wei'an has begun direct contact.""He may suspect Silas Moore's abnormal state through some channel — hospital records, Old Harbor traces, unknown sources.""Zhao's open provocation and Li's quiet approach may be a dual pressure strategy.""The hotel is no longer ideal.""But immediate escape would alert them."
A pause.
Then a new instruction appeared.
"Tonight the hotel is hosting 'Pet Movie Night.' They will screen Hachiko: A Dog's Story.""You will attend.""And he needs to show… an appropriate reaction."
Lin Wan blinked.
"Appropriate reaction?"
"What kind of reaction does a dog have watching Hachiko? Crying?"
The idea alone sounded absurd.
Chen Lin replied immediately.
"Not crying.""Resonance."
"Hachiko is a story about loyalty and waiting.""Silas currently contains two competing instincts.""The human part wants to return.""The dog part is adapting under pressure.""Combined with pursuit and psychological manipulation, the film may trigger strong cognitive fluctuations."
"I need to observe that fluctuation.""It will help determine his integration threshold."
Another line appeared.
"At the same time, it's a smoke screen."
"A dog moved by a movie looks much more normal than a dog who hacks tablets and signs autographs."
Lin Wan exhaled slowly.
So it was another performance.
Another test.
Another deception.
She looked toward the bathroom.
The water had stopped.
Er'gou stepped out.
Fur still damp.
Eyes already narrowed at her suspiciously.
The look said everything.
What torture comes next?
Lin Wan crouched down.
Met those sharp blue eyes directly.
"Tonight," she said quietly.
"We're watching a movie."
"Hachiko."
His gaze sharpened instantly.
She continued.
"Chen Lin says you need to… react."
"Appropriately."
She hesitated.
"It might be uncomfortable."
"But we need to know where you are now."
"And we need to show the people watching us exactly what they expect to see."
Er'gou said nothing.
For a long moment.
His wet fur made him look oddly vulnerable.
Those blue eyes reflected her face.
Concern.
Fatigue.
Determination.
No retreat.
Finally—
He lowered his head slightly.
A slow.
Reluctant.
Nod.
Then he climbed onto the bed.
Curled up tightly.
Back turned toward her.
He began methodically licking and smoothing his half-dried fur.
The posture looked resigned.
Exhausted.
Like a soldier preparing for another battle he didn't want to fight.
Lin Wan sat beside him.
Her hand rested gently on his damp back.
"It'll be okay," she murmured softly.
She wasn't sure if she was comforting him…
Or herself.
"When this is all over," she added quietly,
"You can drink as much coffee as you want."
"My treat."
"For real."
Er'gou's tail moved.
Just once.
A soft tap against the bedspread.
Outside the window, the sky over the half-rural district hung gray and heavy.
Night was coming.
And with it—
A movie about loyalty.
Waiting.
And loss.
For most dogs, it was just a sad film.
For Silas Moore
It might be something much worse.