At this moment, no one thought about sticking together. With dogs’ keen sense of smell, scattering was actually more advantageous.
But Madam Director didn’t intend to give them a chance to group up either — she preferred the feeling of destroying them one by one. After opening the exit, she ordered the five of them to leave one by one, each separated by thirty seconds.
Since Ji Heng was the player who had suggested playing hide-and-seek, he was assigned to leave last, meaning he would have a few minutes less hiding time than the others.
Su Er was lucky enough to go out first. He originally wanted to wait for Ji Heng at the door, but Ji Heng shook his head, signaling him not to bother.
Around the factory were only trees and open grasslands. Compared to inside the plant, the outside had slightly more places to hide. Since it was outside working hours, all the machines had stopped running, and now those cold, massive machines stood quietly, emitting a heavy, oppressive feeling.
Su Er slipped into the factory building, but didn’t hide immediately. Instead, he found a metal rod and tried to destroy as many lighting fixtures as he could. Next to come in was Zheng Gao — a pure egotist, but quick-witted. Without wasting time talking to Su Er, he immediately helped him destroy the lights as well.
Following the principle of not interfering with each other, when they finished, Zheng Gao pointed toward an area with a lot of machines, indicating he would head that way. Su Er nodded and chose the opposite direction.
Like the two sides of a mountain, the area Su Er chose looked ‘sparse,’ with not many machines to use as cover. But he had originally intended to go this way — based on common sense, there was likely to be a lounge or changing room nearby.
Walking quickly, he spotted a door, tried pushing it, and found it unlocked. Inside was a simple setup: a small table with a framed photo of a family of three, a worn-out sofa with peeling fabric, and a wardrobe pressed up against the sofa’s arm.
Moving like a slippery fish, Su Er squeezed into the wardrobe, rubbing himself all around inside it, stripping off his current clothes as he went.
Cough cough...
Su Er’s body stiffened. He prided himself on having sharper senses than most, but he hadn't noticed someone appearing behind him. Turning his head, he locked eyes with Ji Heng.
Messy clothes, hair ruined by static, crammed into a tiny wardrobe... the only thing keeping Su Er from looking like a complete pervert was his handsome face.
Pressing down his static-charged hair, he quickly changed into an oversized t-shirt, keeping a straight face as he asked, “Want to rub around in here too?”
“...Thanks, but no thanks.”
Ji Heng only stepped forward to grab an overcoat and put it on. Their purpose was the same: to absorb the Factory Director’s scent onto themselves, so they could confuse the dogs if necessary.
Su Er looked around through a window. “Dogs have the advantage on the ground.”
Going higher would be a better strategy.
With less than five minutes left, the two left the lounge and searched as they moved. They climbed onto a high platform, several meters above the ground. Ji Heng stopped at a window and leaned out to look upward.
Su Er immediately understood. “Climb onto the roof?”
Ji Heng nodded.
Clearly, it wasn’t an easy task. One slip, and they could fall to their deaths. Luckily, finding a rope in a factory wasn't hard. Ji Heng handed Su Er a rope to tie around his waist and warned, “This isn’t a safety rope. Climb in one direction. If you fall, if you're lucky, I might catch you.”
Su Er, already half outside, laughed. “And if I’m unlucky?”
Ji Heng said, “You’ll be the first casualty.”
Su Er didn’t waste any more time. He was an excellent climber — as a child, he’d even earned the nickname ‘Sky-Soaring Monkey.’ Using both hands and feet, he quickly disappeared from sight.
A small pebble was thrown down from above, signaling to Ji Heng that he had made it up. Seeing time running out, Ji Heng didn’t bother with the rope himself. He gripped the window frame and started climbing.
When he was half a meter away, Su Er reached out and pulled him up.
There was no cover on the rooftop, and the wind was strong. Su Er flipped up his collar against it and looked toward where the dogs were being kept. His eyesight was good — he could see the surrounding environment clearly.
As Ji Heng dusted off his hands, dog barks suddenly rang out in the distance, echoing unnervingly in the darkening evening. These dogs, long accustomed to being fed human flesh, showed no friendliness in their eyes — only greedy, savage light.
Hundreds of dogs scattered crazily in all directions. If not for being enemies, Su Er might have admired the beauty of their powerful forms.
Madam Director, holding an iron rod, stood encircled by five dogs.
Su Er said in a low voice, “Lucky for us she’s not carrying a hunting rifle.”
At least the scenario had left them a slim chance of survival.
Ji Heng said, “This place — the dogs can’t reach it easily, and it’s defensible... but there’s one thing we can’t guard against.”
“What is it?” Su Er asked.
Ji Heng replied, “Fire attack.”
Su Er frowned. “Would they really burn down their life’s work just to kill us?”
Ji Heng found a spot and sat down. “Maybe they have other businesses.”
The first half-hour passed without anyone being found. Madam Director wasn’t in a hurry. She strolled along slowly, her steel pipe scraping against the pebbled ground, making a nerve-wracking sound.
Su Er was lightly rubbing his fingers on the ground, seemingly thinking about something.
Just then, Madam Director started moving toward the factory. Su Er’s eyebrows lifted. “Opportunity’s coming.”
Seeing her twisted, self-satisfied expression, he knew — the more arrogant they became, the easier they were to deal with.
Ji Heng said in a low voice, “It’s not hard to distract those dogs. In a moment, I’ll…”
Before he could finish speaking, Su Er suddenly raised a hand and interrupted, asking, “Guess what I was best at in school?”
Ji Heng looked at him. Su Er smiled and said, “Long-distance running and shot put. I even broke the school record.”
As he spoke, he pulled out an electric baton he had scavenged from a security guard.
“You thought carrying it around was too conspicuous earlier, but now we can finally use it.” He glanced toward Madam Director. “Trust my aim.”
Su Er lay flat at the edge like a sniper full of patience, squinting his eyes and muttering to himself, “Just stop… just stop for three seconds…”
Heaven didn't grant his wish— Madam Director kept dragging her steel rod and strolling along at a leisurely pace.
Unable to guarantee a one-hit success, Su Er didn’t dare to act recklessly.
Just then, Ji Heng suddenly picked up a pebble and threw it into the distance. The pebble landed on the lawn with a muffled thud. Madam Director instinctively paused and turned toward the sound.
Opportunity!
Without hesitation, Su Er hurled the electric baton.
Ji Heng had already pried up a chunk of wind-eroded concrete from the side. If Su Er missed, he could follow up. However, the baton hit Madam Director squarely and viciously on the head. A shriek rang out. Ji Heng glanced at Su Er, who raised an eyebrow and asked, "How was it?"
“Very accurate.”
Madam Director went down, but the dogs below started barking even more furiously. Some of them kept leaping, as if wishing they could fly up and tear them apart.
Ji Heng looked into the distance and frowned. “The Factory Director is coming. We have to move.”
Following his gaze, Su Er spotted a man running their way and immediately began climbing down in another direction.
“It's a pity fires take time to get going, and we don't have an open flame,” Su Er said as he climbed. “Otherwise, we could have seized the advantage and used fire against them.”
His voice was so light that even Ji Heng could barely make it out, but not far away, the little girl heard it loud and clear.
The host was sitting openly in a tree, not bothering to hide. Yet not even the sharp-eyed wolfhounds, let alone the factory director, seemed to notice her existence.
“Throwing things from high places, and even thinking about setting fires to kill…” The little girl hugged her lantern gloomily. “Clearly, the law didn't teach him how to be a decent person.”
Almost the moment they reentered the factory, Su Er heard an enraged roar from outside: “Who did it! Who the hell did it!”
The dogs occasionally leapt up, trying to give clues, but when the Factory Director looked up, the real culprit was already gone.
Su Er carefully peeked outside through the window. The factory was now completely surrounded by dogs—there was no way to run.
It was pitch-black outside. Inside the factory, the lights had been sabotaged earlier by Su Er and Zheng Gao, making it hard to see anything.
“Shit! What did you guys do?” Zhang Yi, originally hiding in the gap between the machines, wasn't particularly well hidden—but at least if discovered, he'd have a chance to run.
Now, hearing the commotion outside, he could no longer stay calm.
Ji Heng said succinctly, “Madam Factory is dead. Now we need to find a way to kill the Factory Director.”
Zhang Yi cautiously inched closer to them and rasped, “Even if we kill him, we're still trapped here surrounded by dogs.”
Another voice emerged from behind a machine—Zheng Gao: “Since there's only one person left, we can work together and use the resources we have.”
Su Er said, “You mean after killing the Factory Director, we keep hiding, wait until dawn when the wolves and dogs are the hungriest, toss out the Factory Director’s corpse to distract them, and escape while they eat?”
“…” Good thing it was dark enough that they couldn’t see Zheng Gao’s expression.
Ji Heng said, “Fine. Let's go with that plan.”
Zheng Gao: “...”
That wasn't what he meant! He had intended to set up traps, not use the Factory Director’s body!
Zhang Yi said, “Cruel, but I agree with Zheng Gao.”
Zheng Gao: “...”
Su Er suddenly asked, "Where’s Liu Wenzhu?"
Zhang Yi replied, "She doesn't seem to be hiding inside the factory."
Zheng Gao couldn’t stand listening to these guys anymore. Thankfully, there wasn't much time. They quickly assigned tasks and then held their breath in the darkness to wait.
When the door slammed open with a bang, it was clear the newcomer was furious.
“You little bastards!” The Fcctory Director cursed and pressed a switch—but the lights didn't come on. He snarled, “I'll feed every one of you to the dogs!”
He knew the factory layout better than anyone. The Factory Director quickly found the place where the flashlights were stored, and a harsh beam cut through the darkness.
The Factory Directory was still smart enough not to let the dogs scatter. Instead, he checked each corner systematically, always letting the dogs lead the way.
Suddenly, a machine nearby started running. The factory owner snapped his head around. Before he could direct the dogs over, Su Er, not far away, aimed a hose at him and sprayed.
The Factory Director wiped water from his face and pointed the flashlight at Su Er. The moment he saw him, a cruel, gleeful smile twisted his face as he enunciated, “Found you.”
He didn’t even need to give the command—the dogs immediately charged toward Su Er.
The anticipated scene of someone being torn apart hadn't yet happened when another loud noise cut in—
Clang!
The Factory Director’s smile froze. He stiffly turned his head, feeling a cold liquid dripping from the top of his head.
At that moment, most of the dogs were charging at Su Er, leaving only the largest black dog by the factory director’s side. The dog, seeing its master attacked, let out a furious bark and lunged at Zhang Yi.
Zhang Yi swung his metal rod, using the moment the dog recoiled to smash the flashlight.
Darkness reclaimed the factory.
Ji Heng and Zheng Gao timed it perfectly, fumbling to switch on several large machines nearby. The sudden rumble of their operation startled even the fiercest of the dogs.
In truth, dogs have better night vision than humans, but in such pitch-black darkness, it was still a struggle.
Su Er had already found a good hiding spot as soon as the machines started running. The worst off was Zhang Yi, who was too close to the black dog to run properly. After several swings of his metal rod, he managed to injure the dog, but not before a chunk of flesh was torn from his arm.
Even so, he gritted his teeth and dragged the Factory Director's corpse backward.
“Head toward the lounge,” Su Er said, circling around behind Zhang Yi to help drag the body. Ji Heng and Zheng Gao made more noise elsewhere to draw the dogs’ attention.
The dogs’ barking didn’t stop all night.
It wasn’t until dawn approached that the noise slightly quieted down — and even then, the howls were tinged with hunger.
To be safe, Su Er blocked the door with a couch. Zhang Yi was tasked with destroying the body and stripping the factory director’s clothes to change into them. The corpse was beaten until it was unrecognizable.
Finally, Zhang Yi rebandaged his arm and slumped against the wall to rest. “Don’t know if they'll eat it,” he muttered.
Su Er said, “The Factory Director and his wife often fed the dogs corpses of students from the Reform camp. These dogs are long used to it.”
As dawn's light broke, the glow of the little girl's lantern seemed dim. Without x-ray vision, she had no idea what had happened inside the factory. She was wondering if she should take a look when she suddenly saw a body thrown out of a second-floor window. It had barely hit the ground when a pack of dogs swarmed it. Meanwhile, Su Er and the others slipped quietly out a window on the west side, inching toward the perimeter while the dogs were busy feasting.
When they neared the exit, Su Er spotted a blood-soaked figure—Liu Wenzhu was lying in the middle of the road, missing a shoe, her face so covered in blood it was unrecognizable.
Su Er paused, checking her badge first. Amazingly, her Physical Power hadn't hit zero yet—it was stuck at 5.
Ji Heng did some simple bleeding control, but there were too many wounds for it to be very effective.
Zhang Yi couldn't bear to look at the bloody mess, but Zheng Gao just said flatly, “We'll see if she can survive on what's left.”
Carrying Liu Wenzhu, they made it past the main gate. Instinctively, all of them looked up at the sky and breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Su Er glanced around. Suddenly, the little girl appeared out of nowhere. “Looking for me?”
Startled by her sudden approach, Su Er instinctively stepped back and frowned. “Are we waiting for a camp vehicle to pick us up, or do we go back ourselves?”
The little girl pouted.
Looking at Liu Wenzhu’s condition, Su Er softened his voice: “It'd be better if we finished early. Then you can go spread the story of how you almost skinned me.”
The little girl snorted, stared at him for a few seconds, then put on a look of great generosity: “Lucky for you there are only five of you left.”
Su Er's expression shifted slightly. From that, he realized—the players left at the Reform Camp must have been wiped out.
The little girl vanished again, and not long after, the camp's transport truck arrived.
The Supervising teacher looked unhappy to see they were all still alive, but when he saw Liu Wenzhu covered in blood and Zhang Yi missing a chunk of his arm, his displeasure lessened slightly.
“Congratulations,” he said coldly, “you are the 235th batch of students to successfully leave the Reform camp.”
He handed out review sheets stamped by the principal, then added stiffly, “I hope you won't disgrace the camp when you enter society.”
The ride back was bumpy, and the scenery outside was bleak and barren.
The truck finally stopped at the same little path where they had first entered the instance. Under the teacher’s impatient urging, the players got off one by one.
By then, Liu Wenzhu’s Physical power had dropped to 2.
No sign of the little girl anywhere. While they were glancing around, the review sheets in their hands suddenly disintegrated into dust, and a familiar pillar of light enveloped them.
The teleportation happened fast. Back at the familiar transit station, Su Er felt a bit dazed.
Liu Wenzhu, who had been unconscious from blood loss, was rapidly healing. In less than ten seconds, aside from her blood-stained clothes, she was physically fine.
Watching this, Su Er couldn't help but murmur, “This must be the power of the game…”
It was magical — like a dead tree coming back to life.
“I can't believe I'm still alive…” Liu Wenzhu sat up slowly, staring in disbelief at her hands.
Zheng Gao snorted. “If there were a ‘Luck’ stat, yours would be maxed at a hundred.”
Liu Wenzhu gave a sheepish laugh. She knew she hadn’t contributed much last night. Thinking that the most dangerous place would be the safest, she had hidden near the main gate, hoping to flee when the factory director left — only to be discovered soon after.
“Sorry for causing trouble,” she mumbled, biting her lip, then suddenly fixed her gaze on Su Er.
Su Er felt uneasy under her stare.
Liu Wenzhu asked earnestly, “Do you think I could get an achievement point for ‘Ascension of Chicken and Dog’?”
Maybe one day, the game would be full of this person’s ‘chickens and dogs’...
Catching the vibe from her gaze, Su Er pressed his temples and said to Ji Heng, “Let's just head back.”
If there really was an achievement reward, they could find out next time they entered the game. No one liked to be humiliated in public.
Unfortunately, the game didn’t give him that chance. Just as he spoke, a familiar dark cloud covered the sky, the light dimmed, and the cold mechanical voice rang out: [Congratulations, player Su Er, for earning the achievement ‘Notorious.’]
Su Er froze for a moment. Before he could react, another announcement followed:
[As there is currently no host willing to receive you, please proceed with a forced host matching by drawing lots.]
A cube-shaped box appeared before him. Su Er hesitated, then reached in and pulled out a random small card. When he opened it, there was only one line: ‘Five hundred glances in a past life, in exchange for a single brush of shoulders in this one.’
In another dimension—
Blood flowed across a luxurious carpet, surrounded by severed limbs.
A man smiled bloodthirstily. “They all wiped... The players this time were pathetic.”
The next moment, a card suddenly appeared in his hand, with golden letters on the cover: ‘Forced Summons.’
His smile froze as he flipped the card open: “Because player Su Er glanced at you 49 times in the newbie instance—more than any other instance, rounded up to 500 times—you are summoned by the game to host his next instance.”
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