"It's so adorable,"
Old Zhang murmured, gazing at the disguised Corpse Hound in the form of a short-legged puppy. Its eyes were bright, its fur sleek and dark, shimmering under the light.
"Yeah, really cute," Lin Fan agreed, nodding as the little dog licked his palm. It tickled—a little annoying, but also fun.
The Corpse Hound sneered inwardly.
Adorable?
Yes, truly... irresistibly adorable.
Foolish humans—so easily deceived by appearance. If they knew this charming pup was actually a Level 2 Demonic Entity, their smiles would vanish like morning mist.
Take good care of me, it mused. Nurture me, pamper me. When the time comes, I—Corpse Hound—shall reward you... by devouring you entirely, until your flesh and soul become one with me.
It will be the highest honor of your meaningless lives.
Yes, the Corpse Hound was—admittedly—a little melodramatic.
Wait.
Was... was this human drooling?
Was he that enchanted by its adorable form?
Haha! How unexpected! Even I, the mighty Corpse Hound, can one day be loved by humans.
"It's so cute, it must taste amazing," Old Zhang said suddenly.
Lin Fan stared unblinking, a thin string of saliva trailing from the corner of his mouth. "That's exactly what I was thinking."
"Cute = delicious."
The Corpse Hound understood human speech—and something now felt very wrong.
What kind of twisted logic was this?
Cute... equals delicious?
What sort of deranged equation had it walked into?
Old Zhang slowly removed the acupuncture needles from the dog's back and sighed in regret. "I did my best. I couldn't save it. It's going to die."
He gently pressed his palm over its wide-open eyes.
"Shhh. Close your eyes now. Rest in peace, little one."
The Corpse Hound blinked, stunned.
Rest?
Die?!
Its large, round dog-eyes were wide open—very much alive.
You insolent mortals! This is me being lenient, not weak! Don't get carried away!
"Shhh… let it go peacefully…"
Stare.
"Rest now, dear pup…"
Still staring.
"It's not dead yet," Old Zhang finally said, frowning.
Lin Fan replied calmly, "Then let's wait. Just watch it. Once it dies, we can eat it."
"Great idea."
The two sat patiently on the bed, their eyes locked on the little black dog, like reapers waiting for a soul to drift loose from its dying shell.
They had no idea what the Corpse Hound was thinking.
And the Corpse Hound... was panicking.
These two aren't right. There's something seriously wrong with their brains.
I turned myself into an unbearably cute dog, and instead of hugging me, they're waiting for me to DIE?
"Look, it's still bleeding," Old Zhang pointed to the wound on its back.
"Let it bleed. It'll die eventually," Lin Fan replied.
"Yeah, it'll definitely die. But it's small… probably not enough meat for both of us. Can I have a leg?"
"Of course. I'm starving."
"You're the best. Do you think it'll taste good?"
"Never eaten dog, but it's so cute—it has to taste amazing."
"Exactly. The cuter, the tastier."
Their back-and-forth continued like a morbid lullaby—peaceful, gentle, and utterly chilling. They waited patiently for the puppy to die of blood loss.
The Corpse Hound was shaken.
Are they seriously going to EAT me?
This has to be some kind of cosmic joke. I'm adorable! Where is your humanity?
Drip. Drip.
There was no clock in Room 666—but somehow, a dreadful rhythm echoed in the silence.
Two psychiatric patients.
One bleeding dog.
And a surreal, unsettling peace.
The Corpse Hound realized something grave: its wounds, self-inflicted for dramatic effect, were worsening. If this went on, it might actually die of blood loss—just as they hoped.
Unforgivable.
They must know who I am. They're toying with me…
There was only one option left.
Reveal the truth. Devour them.
A low growl rose from the Corpse Hound's throat. Its body expanded, tiny legs swelling into thick, muscular limbs, claws lengthening into talons. It shredded the bedsheets as its full form emerged.
Lin Fan and Old Zhang were still whispering when they noticed the shadow around them growing.
They looked up.
The once-cute puppy was now a hulking beast, a monstrous hound with jagged fangs and saliva oozing from its jaws, staining the sheets with acidic slime.
"I'm scared of big dogs," Old Zhang whimpered, hiding behind Lin Fan. Then, peeking out, he added, "But now that it's this big, it's probably enough to feed us both."
Grrrrumble.
Lin Fan's stomach growled. His eyes gleamed with hunger.
"The cute puppy turned into a cute big dog. It has to taste even better now."
The Corpse Hound bared its fangs, letting out a guttural roar before lunging at Lin Fan, aiming to rip out his throat in one bite.
BANG.
Time froze.
Silence fell like snow.
The Corpse Hound, moments ago full of murderous intent, was now pinned to the bed, its tail twitching in the air, its body immobilized.
Lin Fan held it down by the scruff of its neck, lifting it effortlessly like a misbehaving pet.
"Old Zhang, the dog's really affectionate. It just wanted a hug."
The Corpse Hound's legs splayed out mid-air, eyes wide and blank.
This... this was the humiliation of a lifetime.
"See how obedient it is?" Lin Fan smiled.
This thing—the very beast that had slain four elite graduates—was now being called "obedient." An insult to the demon, to the dead, to evil itself.
"Can I pet it?" Old Zhang asked, his eyes shimmering.
"Of course. It's very well-behaved," Lin Fan replied.
Old Zhang reached out gently, aiming to stroke its fur.
The Corpse Hound snapped—trying to bite off his hand.
CRACK!
Lin Fan's palm struck the beast's snout. Its mighty fangs shattered with a sickening crunch. The Corpse Hound reeled in agony.
"No biting. He's my friend," Lin Fan scolded. "Good dogs don't bite friends."
The Corpse Hound was stunned.
Mind blank.
Spirit broken.
What level is this guy?
Why… why is there a monster stronger than me… in a mental hospital?
(End of Chapter)