The Strange Pet Hospital

The security guard noticed Zhou Bai's gaze on the drawer and promptly shut it with a snap. His previously friendly demeanor vanished.

"If you're going out, hurry up," he said curtly.

Without saying much, Zhou Bai led the dog out of the security office. The image of the white pill in the guard's drawer lingered in his mind. Soon, he and the black dog arrived at the pet hospital.

On the glass door of the pet hospital was a prominent notice:

[Pet Hospital Rules]

[1. All staff in the pet hospital wear white uniforms. If you see them wearing black, leave the city immediately.]

[2. Do not stay in the pet hospital for more than 10 minutes.]

[3. If you see severely injured animals (e.g., a dog with its head severed, a cat missing half its body), do not be afraid. This is normal.]

[4. You can fully trust the staff here.]

There were only four rules. Zhou Bai waited for the system's voice to prompt him, but after standing at the entrance for five minutes, there was no sound. The rules on the notice didn't have any red highlights either. Zhou Bai was puzzled. Were all four rules correct, or could the system only highlight rules at home?

The viewers watching the live stream grew anxious as Zhou Bai hesitated at the hospital entrance.

—"Haha, did Zhou Bai chicken out?"

—"This pet hospital looks creepy. Maybe he's scared."

—"This is so mind-bending. Even the pet hospital has rules."

Seeing no system prompt and noticing it was almost 5 PM, Zhou Bai finally led the dog inside. The temperature inside the pet hospital was noticeably colder. Zhou Bai shivered as he stepped in. The doctors and nurses were all in white uniforms, bustling in and out of a surgery room. The door to the surgery room was ajar, and through the gap, Zhou Bai saw a dog on the operating table with its limbs detached, each part moving independently.

Zhou Bai felt a chill run down his spine.

"What are you looking at?" a voice behind him asked.

Zhou Bai turned sharply to see a doctor in a white coat and black-rimmed glasses staring at him sternly.

"Everyone seems busy. I was just looking to see if anyone was available," Zhou Bai replied.

The doctor glanced at the black dog by Zhou Bai's side. "Follow me."

He led Zhou Bai to a room. "Put the dog on the table. I'll examine it."

Zhou Bai did as instructed. The doctor thoroughly checked the dog's fur and then told Zhou Bai to take the dog down. He fetched a bottle from the medicine cabinet, took out a black pill, and handed it to Zhou Bai.

"Give this to the dog."

Zhou Bai looked at the black pill in his hand, filled with doubt. Black, gray, white—what did these colors signify? The black dog beside Zhou Bai became restless, whining and tugging at the leash. Zhou Bai checked the wall clock. It was 5:03 PM. He clenched the pill in his hand and ultimately fed it to the dog.

Within a minute of swallowing the black pill, the dog calmed down.

"Take this bottle. The pet hospital might be closed tomorrow. If so, give the dog the pill yourself," the doctor said.

Zhou Bai took the bottle, nodded, and left the pet hospital with the dog. When they returned home, his father was still on the sofa. Seeing Zhou Bai, he turned and gave a twisted smile before returning to the TV. The live stream viewers were unnerved.

—"Oh my god, what is the father planning? If he's going to do something, just do it!"

—"That sudden smile scared the life out of me."

—"I admire Zhou Bai for keeping his composure."

Zhou Bai wasn't particularly brave, but in this world of horror, any lapse in vigilance could spell disaster for him and his country. Though an ordinary person, he was determined to give his all when his country needed him. So, even if he wasn't fearless, he forced himself to stay calm and clear-headed.

The experts watching Zhou Bai were impressed by his performance. In the live stream, Zhou Bai untied the dog's leash. The dog seemed much more energetic than in the morning. After drinking some water, it found a corner to sleep in. Zhou Bai walked past his father and into the study. It was 5:15 PM, less than an hour before his wife would return from work. His mother and Aunt Wang could also return at any moment.

The expert analysis team was in a heated discussion about the next steps.

"Are the sixth and seventh rules of Rule C correct or incorrect?"

"The security guard had a white pill. The pet hospital gave the black dog a black pill. Does this imply that the pills can indeed resist 'its' contamination?"

The experts nodded in agreement.

"So, the pills should be taken. But which pill should be given?"

"'It' might deliberately mix up the pills."

The experts debated the new question.

"What do the different colored pills signify?"

"Possibly different sources of contamination or varying degrees of contamination."

"When considering if 'it' would mix up the pills, we first need to think about 'its' motive."

"Mixing up the pills could drive them insane, leading them to kill Zhou Bai?"

Some experts agreed with this reasoning, while others disagreed. The meeting continued with intense discussion.

Time passed quickly. At 6:20 PM, the sound of high heels clicking on the floor echoed from outside, followed by the sound of keys turning in the lock.

"Click."

The experts, still deep in discussion, fell silent.

His wife was back.