The system pinged again. "Energy source damaged. Hostile threat reduced. Opportunity for escape."
Jiang knew he should run, but something in him refused. The system was pushing him to survive, but there was more to this—more than just running. The rat had been a human once. What if this creature was, too? What if he could learn something, something that could help him understand what was happening to him?
He stepped closer, cautiously, his flippers making soft splashes in the shallow water.
The creature twitched, its body shaking violently as it tried to pull itself up, but the pipe had crushed part of its back. It was no longer the terrifying predator that had hunted him through the sewers—it was just… broken.
Jiang hesitated, but then the creature spoke, its voice weak and rasping. "You… you think this ends with me?" It coughed, dark liquid seeping from its mouth. "There are… so many more. You're part of it now… the system… it's not your salvation… it's your curse."
Jiang's breath hitched. He wanted to ask more, to demand answers, but the creature's eyes flickered once more and then went dark, its body falling limp in the shallow water.
The system pinged once again. "Hostile eliminated. Energy absorbed. Synchronization at 68%."
Jiang stood there, the weight of the words hanging over him. "The system… is a curse?" His mind raced with questions, but there were no answers—not from the system, not from the dead creature at his feet.
As the silence of the sewers settled around him, Jiang felt a familiar presence—a cold, dark sensation that crept up his spine. He turned slowly, his heart sinking as the air seemed to grow heavier, darker.
The shadowy figure was back.
Its glowing eyes burned through the darkness, more intense than before. It hadn't just returned—it was stronger, more defined. It no longer seemed like a wraith—it had taken on a more solid form, and it was angry.
"You killed my puppet," it hissed, its voice no longer a whisper but a growl filled with rage. "You're learning faster than I thought, little bird. But you're still far from understanding."
Jiang took a step back, his body trembling with fear and exhaustion. He didn't know how much longer he could keep going like this. The system had pushed him to survive, but now he was beginning to question its motives. Was it truly helping him, or was he just another pawn, like the rat? Like this creature?
The figure stepped forward, the shadows swirling around it. "You'll learn soon enough," it said, its voice low and menacing. "The system doesn't care about you. It only wants what you can give it. And when it's done with you… you'll be just like the rest."
Jiang's mind raced. He had no idea what to believe anymore, but one thing was clear: he had to survive. He had to keep pushing forward, keep evolving, if he ever wanted to understand the truth.
The system's cold voice cut through the tension once again. "New mission: Escape the sewers. Threat level: Critical."
Jiang didn't wait for another second. He turned and ran, his flippers slapping against the wet ground as he darted deeper into the tunnels, the sound of the shadowy figure's growl echoing behind him.
Jiang forced himself to keep moving, though every step sent pain through his battered body. His flippers, slick with sewer grime, slipped occasionally as he trudged forward. The smell of rot and damp stone was suffocating, but it was the darkness that weighed on him the most—the kind of darkness that seemed alive, swallowing any hope of finding his way out.
"Twenty-two hours left," he muttered to himself, the clock in his mind ticking down like a bomb. "No more close calls."
The system's voice had long since fallen silent, and for that, Jiang was almost grateful. The cold, mechanical instructions were relentless, but in the oppressive silence of the sewers, he felt truly alone. There were no rats, no monstrous shadows chasing him for now, just his own exhaustion creeping deeper into his bones with every step.
Jiang stumbled forward, his head pounding, his vision blurring. He had tried to climb one of the ladders leading out of the tunnels earlier, but his body had betrayed him. His flippers could barely grip the slimy rungs, and he'd slipped halfway up, crashing down into the murky water below. The fall had left him with bruised ribs and a lingering sense of hopelessness.
"How the hell am I supposed to survive like this?" he squawked, his voice echoing faintly in the narrow passage.
As if in response, the ceiling dripped, water splashing against his head. He shook it off and kept moving, though his legs wobbled beneath him. The hours stretched on, and with them, Jiang's fatigue grew unbearable. Every step became an immense effort, his body fighting against him. He had tried to waddle faster, tried to use the system's Penguin Reflexes to dodge obstacles, but it wasn't enough. His energy was draining fast, and the sewers seemed endless.
The world around him blurred into a feverish haze, the faint glimmers of light from street grates above no longer comforting, but mocking.
"You're not going to make it," a voice whispered in his mind. Was it the system? The rat's final words echoed in his ears. Or was it his own fear? Jiang couldn't tell anymore.
Eventually, his legs buckled beneath him. He collapsed onto the cold, wet stone, his body screaming for rest. The world tilted, and black spots danced in his vision. He tried to push himself back up, but his flippers only scraped uselessly against the ground.
"No… I can't…" His mind was spinning, his body too heavy to lift. "Just a little… rest…"
And then the darkness swallowed him whole.
Jiang dreamed of her again.
The woman who had turned his life upside down, the one who had left him in this wretched form. But this time, the dream wasn't filled with confusion or fear. Instead, it was peaceful.
He was lying on soft grass under a night sky filled with stars, his body no longer cold and wet, but warm. She was there, her silhouette sharp against the moonlight, her long black hair spilling over her shoulders. She knelt beside him, her fingers brushing lightly against his battered feathers.
"You're doing well," she whispered, her voice soothing. It didn't have the same eerie quality it had before. This time, it was almost… gentle. She was calm, kind even, as if tending to an injured animal. "Rest now, little one. You've survived longer than I expected."
Jiang's body relaxed under her touch, though his mind was still clouded with questions. "Why…" he tried to ask, but his voice was weak, barely more than a honk. He couldn't form the words he wanted.
"Shh," she hushed him, her hand tracing a soft path down his back. "You'll understand soon enough. Just pass… you need to pass."
Pass? The word echoed in Jiang's mind, but he couldn't make sense of it. Pass what? The mission? The system?
He tried to ask more, but his eyes felt too heavy, and the woman's presence grew softer, like she was slipping away from him. Before he could grasp for more, the dream began to dissolve, and the peaceful warmth was replaced by the cold, harsh reality of the sewers.
Jiang jolted awake, his body screaming in pain. His beak scraped against the stone, and he coughed, the stench of the sewer filling his lungs once more. His vision swam, but as his eyes adjusted, a fresh wave of panic set in.
The system clock.
"Thirty minutes remaining," the cold voice reminded him.
Thirty minutes left to escape…
Jiang's heart pounded in his chest as he forced himself to his feet. His legs wobbled, his body weak and bruised, but he couldn't stop now. He had come too far.
The darkness around him felt thicker than before, and the tunnels seemed narrower, but something in the air had changed. There was a scent—something sweet, something enticing. His penguin instincts kicked in, guiding him toward it, though he couldn't explain why. He needed to follow it. It was his only chance.
Every second felt like an eternity as Jiang pushed forward, his body barely responding to his commands. His flippers scraped against the walls as he stumbled through the tight tunnels, the sweet smell growing stronger with each step. His mind was a fog of exhaustion and desperation, but that smell—whatever it was—gave him hope.
With less than ten minutes left, Jiang rounded a corner and saw a faint light ahead. His heart surged with a burst of adrenaline as he waddled faster, ignoring the pain that shot through his legs. The light was dim, but it was there—a sign of an exit, a sign of freedom.
He charged toward it, his body running on pure instinct now. But just as he neared the end of the tunnel, something slammed into him, sending him crashing to the ground.
Jiang gasped, struggling to breathe as the weight of whatever had hit him pinned him down. He squirmed beneath it, his vision blurring. His body was too weak to fight back. Not now… not when I'm so close…
The smell of blood filled his nostrils. Whatever had attacked him was gone now, but he could feel the wound it had left behind—deep, painful, and bleeding. He was losing time. He was losing hope.
With five minutes left, Jiang forced himself back to his feet, his body swaying dangerously. He could see the grate now—the faint outline of freedom just beyond it. The sweet smell was stronger than ever, and he knew he had to reach it, no matter the cost.
With the last of his strength, Jiang slammed into the grate, his body crashing against the metal with a loud clang. The pain shot through him like fire, but he didn't stop. He rammed it again, and again, until finally, the metal bent and gave way.
Jiang tumbled forward, landing in a heap on the cold pavement. The sweet smell hit him full force now, filling his senses as the sound of distant voices reached his ears. He was outside. He had made it.
But he didn't have time to celebrate. His vision was fading, his body too battered and weak to move. He tried to stand, but his legs gave