The digital clock on the wall read **23:06** as Song Shi cast a sidelong glance.
It was already late. Even if she left now, she had nowhere to go.
"Does the bed fee not cover tonight?"
"No, it doesn't. Since you had a Healer's treatment, you were supposed to leave immediately afterward. But you fell asleep, and we didn't wake you," the nurse patiently explained. "If you want to stay overnight, you'll need to pay the additional fee."
Song Shi glanced at her lightbrain's account balance. Pay? Her account was emptier than her stomach.
Another concern hit her. "Did I have any luggage when I came in?"
"None. You arrived alone. Even the clothes you were wearing had to be cut apart during surgery. We've disposed of them for you."
Song Shi tried to maintain a smile, but it felt forced and hollow.
"Do you have any family? They haven't visited since you were admitted. Although your external injuries have healed, it's best to rest at home for a few days. Not everyone can endure the effects of a Healer's restorative power—you need observation time," the nurse said kindly, her voice full of concern. Before she could continue, the head nurse hurriedly called her away.
Alone at the edge of her hospital bed, Song Shi reflected bitterly. Her family had already severed ties with her.
The hospital seemed extraordinarily busy. Through the half-open door, she watched nurses and doctors rushing about the corridors. Occasionally, the fleeting sight of uniformed guards added to the tense atmosphere.
Song Shi glanced at her striped hospital gown.
Standing at the threshold, she peered cautiously into the hallway. Nurses busied themselves with their duties, while sleepless patients in identical gowns strolled aimlessly.
Taking her chance, Song Shi slipped out and mingled with the walking patients, slowly inching toward the elevator.
As luck would have it, the elevator doors opened just as she reached them.
Inside were two doctors pushing a hospital bed. The once-pristine white sheets were stained with large patches of blood. The metallic scent hit Song Shi like a wall the moment she stepped in.
Instinctively holding her breath, she pressed her floor button and retreated to the corner. Her eyes, however, were drawn irresistibly to the figure on the bed.
Her breath caught.
The person's features were unrecognizable, as if melted by intense heat or savaged by sharp nails repeatedly scraping against their face. The skin was entirely gone, and blood oozed relentlessly from ruptured capillaries beneath the surface.
Song Shi quickly averted her gaze, unable to stomach the sight.
The two doctors, preoccupied, paid her no attention. Their lightbrains beeped incessantly as they juggled one video call after another.
"The operating room isn't ready yet? What's taking so long? The patient is already here!"
"Send more personnel to the rooftop for incoming helicopters! We've got five lined up!"
"How many times has this happened? Haven't you learned anything? It's a Direwolf Beast! Have the debridement tools prepared! What do you even read in your manuals?"
"I swear, one day your incompetence will cost someone their life!"
Song Shi shrank further into the corner, her presence barely noticeable.
The elevator stopped at the first floor. As soon as the doors parted, she darted out, narrowly slipping away as it descended to the basement.
Outside the hospital, a harsh wind whipped across the open ground, stirred by the deafening roar of rescue helicopters circling above. Song Shi's loose hospital gown billowed violently as the cool night air chilled her skin.
For many, this midnight hour was anything but peaceful.
Walking through a dimly lit alley, Song Shi compulsively checked her account balance.
Each time she tapped the screen, hope flickered briefly—perhaps her "bravery award" had been credited.
Each time, the glaring **0** extinguished that hope.
Her stomach growled at the worst possible moment.
But the faint rumble was drowned out by a thunderous roar from the other end of the alley, loud enough to shake the ground.
A chill surged through Song Shi's body, rising from her feet and coursing through her limbs.
The sound brought a familiar terror—the Direwolf Beast that had been caged in the experimental glass enclosure just the day before.
A faint scent of blood hung in the air. The grotesque image of that hospital bed flashed in her mind, accompanied by the echo of the doctors' panicked voices. Had the Direwolf Beast escaped?
Song Shi turned to flee but froze mid-step.
Laughter and approaching footsteps echoed in the distance. A group of people, oblivious to the danger, was heading her way.
She scanned her surroundings. Nestled in the shadow of a streetlamp and shielded by a pile of debris, she was concealed from the beast's view.
She pressed herself deeper into the shadows.
The voices grew louder until she could clearly make out their conversation.
"What if we run into that Direwolf Beast? Shouldn't we wait until it's caught before going out for fun?"
"What's there to fear? Awakened fighters from the inner city are already here. I heard it's the duo from Base One—the Wu and Lu families. What's a Direwolf Beast compared to Lu Xing, that lunatic?"
"Why would Base One send their people here? Don't they always look down on our Base Eleven?"
"How should I know? I don't live in the inner city."
"By the way, did you see the bounty posted on the Hunter Group's website? A thousand Federation coins for locating the Direwolf Beast."
"Only a thousand? That's stingy. Who'd risk their life for that?"
Hidden in the shadows, Song Shi pulled out her lightbrain, hurriedly registered an account on the Hunter Group website, and submitted a location report:
**[User: Six-Six Song] Direwolf Beast spotted: [Coordinates attached]**
Just as she sent the message, the group of people reached the streetlamp.
Darkness surrounded them—one alley harboring Song Shi, the other hiding the Direwolf Beast.
"Looks like someone found the Direwolf Beast. They even posted coordinates."
"Where's the location?" someone asked curiously.
"Let me check… Wait, the coordinates match our exact position!"
Song Shi, who had been inching backward to escape unnoticed: "…"
"Sh*t!" one of them shouted, quickly realizing the danger. "What are you all standing around for? Run!"
A deafening roar erupted from the Direwolf Beast, confirming its presence.
Without needing to look, Song Shi could imagine the gruesome scene unfolding behind her.
As screams filled the air, she abandoned all pretense of stealth and broke into a sprint.
The wind howled past her ears. The agonized cries grew fainter as she pushed herself harder, her heartbeat pounding like a drum.
But no matter how fast she ran, the tremors beneath her feet told her the beast was closing in.
Two legs couldn't outrun four.
Skidding to a stop, she turned sharply into a narrower alley, her shoes sparking against the pavement.
The Direwolf Beast overshot the turn, its momentum carrying it several meters ahead before it corrected course and resumed the chase.
The momentary delay widened the gap, leaving the beast struggling to catch sight of her again.
*(End of Chapter)*